CLIVE WILLIAMS / IF THE PLURAL OF TEETH IS TOOTH, WHY ISN’T BOOTH BEETH? NOVEMBER 11, 2021
CELEBRA TING SENIORS
Electoral trust smashed by broken promises
10
JON STANHOPE
BIG PAG
ES
Canberra Libs step away from PM on climate
MICHAEL MOORE
Here comes the sun… the garden calls
SWEET
JACKIE WARBURTON KEEPING UP THE ACT
Thank God, she’s a country gal!
The chocolatiering Coes are thriving in the country, Yasmin Coe tells BELINDA STRAHORN
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NEWS
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Meadow grows with a little love from neighbours By Lily
PASS A HEALTHY native woodland meadow has been restored in Canberra’s suburbs, thanks to the work of a small group of neighbours in Weston. Committed to protecting their unique local environment, the neighbours have dedicated two years to restoring a local park’s natural biodiversity, and they’re not finished yet. Alice Hathorn, the group convenor, says: “I looked out the kitchen window a couple of years ago and I just noticed that there was a particular grass that all looked the same and it was spreading through the park. “I remember speaking to my partner one night and I said to him: ‘We’re going to restore this thing and show people, before we lose it all’ and that’s kind of how it all started.” The neighbourhood team has rescued the Fowles Street pocket park from serious invasive weeds such as African Lovegrass and Chilean Needle Grass. “When we started here it was dead,” says Alice. “Some weeds will partially coexist with the local plant community, but
Alice Hathorn… “We’ve had over nine species of native butterflies return since the project started, just in this short time and we’re anticipating more.” Photo: Nick Overall weeds like African Lovegrass, they’re quite extreme, they just create these monocultures and so that was part of what drove the project.” Alice drew upon scientific research and consulted leading academics to create the “woodland and meadow method”. “My background is in social sciences and law, it has nothing to do with science, certainly not ecology so it was pretty foreign to me,” she says. The “woodland and meadow meth-
od” consists of simple organic and evidence-based strategies to manage weeds, encourage natural revegetation, repair soils and slow water flows. “It’s a beautiful system,” says Alice. Alice didn’t know many of her neighbours when the project began, she says she just knocked on doors in the area and asked for people to give up their weekends to help save the park. “Honestly, they’ve been so incredible and they are hugely enthusiastic; and then more and more people came.
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Now people just drop in when they’ve got a bit of time,” she says. The goal for Alice and her team is to restore enough ecosystem function that the park becomes self-sustaining. The project has been running for two years and Alice believes that when it reaches five years it will become entirely self-sufficient. “Part of what’s driving this project is to bring it to people’s attention, it’s what we do every day that matters,” she says. Alice believes that between 2009 and 2016, Canberra lost so many mature, hollow-bearing trees that it will take more than 200 years to repair the damage. The yellow box and red gum trees at Weston Park are aged between 200 and 300 years, but the hollows within them can take 180 to 200 years to form. “That’s why you see timber lying around here, it provides habitat,” she says. “It’s incredibly important for habitat, but this is a natural cycle that evolved to replenish itself so episodically when branches fall to the ground, they are designed to provide habitat and then when they’re done doing that they break down over time and the carbon goes back into the soil.” Alice says that Canberra’s wildlife is proportionately dependent on those trees and that there are chains of relationships between insects, plants
and birds. However, when those relationships are interrupted, she says the populations of native birds, mammals and marsupials begin to decline. “Thirty per cent of endangered species are dependent on the urban forest so it’s really important that we restore the original plant communities,” says Alice. “We measure the health of this environment based on the insect life and the bird life and we’ve had over 40 species of local birds recorded coming to visit this park,” she says. “We’ve had over nine species of native butterflies return since the project started, just in this short time and we’re anticipating more.” Alice and her team at ACT Urban Woodland Rescue are now paving the way for similar projects in Canberra, encouraging other communities to do the same in their local areas. “I’ve now been contacted by a number of people who want to do exactly that, we didn’t do a lot of advertising for this project. I wasn’t going to ask people to do something until I was confident it worked,” she says. “Anyone can be part of a small restoration and return local biodiversity with the ‘woodland and meadows method’. It’s natural and it works.” More at facebook.com/ acturbanwoodlandrescue
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SEVEN DAYS
Here’s a column written in a newspaper setting SUDDENLY, our lives seem to be set in settings, like the sets in theatre (unsurprisingly derived from the word settings). Over the covid months, people at the podium and the health bureaucrats set our lives in hospital settings, medical settings, face-mask settings and vaccination settings. Since then, liberated, we find the settings still haunting us in retail settings, indoor settings and outdoor settings. While leafing through the dictionary for a definition of setting (best fit was the “surroundings of anything”), I came across a word I’d never seen before: spermatozoon (“mature male reproductive cell”). I jumped out of that setting and back to the writing-acolumn setting. “Setting” has joined “a number of” and “at this point in time” in the list of redundant expressions that make editors grind their teeth at night. ACT opposition leader and shadow minister for climate action Elizabeth Lee finds herself in a foreign setting. She’s pluckily taken off to Glasgow for the global UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). She’s part of something called the Coalition for Conservation delegation, and will give a speech to the Youth Environment Summit in an Edinburgh setting (not quite Glasgow) on the importance of young voices on climate and appear on two conference panels “alongside world leaders”. Eat your heart out, Shane Rattenbury.
4 CityNews November 11-17, 2021
Bet Wright’s BOM calendar photo of a supercell thunderstorm in Gympie. “The ACT has the opportunity to not only be an Australian leader, but a world leader, when it comes to reducing our carbon emissions and fostering the best minds in sustainable technology,” she says, setting a setting-the-pace setting. She’s looking out for world-class ideas we can use in Canberra, which must be curling the toes of Messrs Barr and Rattenbury. “The Canberra Liberals are unreservedly committed to the ACT achieving net-zero by 2045, but simply having a target does not mean our work stops.” In an interview on 2CC’s “CityNews Sunday
Roast” program she joined the setting set when she put things in a “legislative setting”. I couldn’t resist asking the Korean-born, former lawyer what she thought of the streaming phenomena “Squid Game”. She’d seen it and she liked it, in a cultural setting, of course. MEANWHILE, the dogged Liberal shadow minister for women Nicole Lawder took on the real Minister for Women Yvette Berry in a setting called the Budget Estimates hearings. Ms Lawder wanted to understand how
road upgrades in Pialligo constituted a part of the 2021-22 Women’s Budget Statement. The minister, surely kidding, asserted that the road upgrades were part of a program to improve gender-responsive infrastructure. A joke clearly wasted on Ms Lawder, who bewilderingly said: “The fact that upgrades to Beltana and Kallaroo Roads in Pialligo are listed under ‘safety in our community’ is a joke. “These roads aren’t getting upgraded because women feel unsafe there, these roads are getting upgraded because the Labor-Greens government has neglected them for years. “It’s a sad excuse of a statement to hide the fact that this government is delivering nothing for Canberra women.” But, it seems, plenty for the blokes in a CFMEU setting. “This Budget also awards $700,000 for progressing gender equality in construction to the CFMEU over five years – an organisation whose board is exclusively male,” she lamented. LET’S move to a weather setting and this year’s calendar from the Bureau of Meteorology. It “features an image from each state/ territory,” says BOM, neglecting to add: except for the ACT. Despite that, the calendar’s photos, drawn
from more than 1400 submissions from professional and amateur snappers, features extraordinary weather phenomena from across the country. Bureau meteorologist Dean Narramore has a favourite, the July image by Bet Wright. “It’s a supercell thunderstorm in Gympie, Queensland – a particularly strong, longlived type of thunderstorm that can sustain itself for hours,” he says. “Supercells are an impressive sight, but many people don’t realise just how dangerous they can be. This one brought very strong winds, heavy rainfall and in some areas, hail up to the size of tennis balls. “The rotating base you can see in the photograph is a clear indication that the storm is severe, and that potentially dangerous conditions may be on the way.” Order the calendar from a retail setting – shop.bom.gov.au 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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NEWS / cover story
Life takes a sweet turn for chocolatiering Coes By Belinda
STRAHORN TWELVE months ago, former ACT Opposition Leader Alistair Coe and his wife Yasmin suffered a personal setback with the devastating loss of the ACT election. Having led the party to its sixth election defeat in a row, the former Canberra Liberals leader – and his wife – decided to leave public life behind them, bringing down the curtain on Mr Coe’s 12 year parliamentary career. But the couple are hoping for sweeter pickings following their purchase of a country chocolate shop and an associated move across the border. “It’s a special place,” Ms Coe said. “We are really happy to be here.” In May, the Coes forked out $1.7 million for Robyn Rowe’s renowned chocolate shop, located just outside the territory in Murrumbateman. Ms Coe, an accountant and selftaught chocolatier, has determined that the chocolate shop – which has recently reopened – will continue to operate under the Robyn Rowe name offering the full range of chocolates the business was well known for. Ms Rowe – Murrumbateman’s choc-
olate lady – hung up her apron earlier this year, after almost two decades of chocolate making from her shop at the family’s Boolarong property. “It was a no-brainer to keep it going,” Ms Coe said. “So, we have kept Robyn Rowe Chocolates exactly as it was, but without Robyn; the same recipes, the same products and the same team making the chocolates.” The chocolate shop is located on a 9.6ha property on Nanima Road and includes a separate four-bedroom cottage where the Coes have taken up residence with their two young children. The couple have taken to country life with gusto, with the former parliamentary leader turning his hand to chicken-coop building in his spare time. “Al built the chicken house, and he made the retail shelves in the chocolate shop… he’s really handy and very supportive,” Ms Coe said. “Anyone on a property knows there is no shortage of jobs, so Al is taking charge of maintenance around the property and family stuff on the weekends.” Ms Coe, who has resigned from her job in the tax office, will incorporate her own unique chocolate creations sold under the name “Sweet Pea & Poppy” into the existing Robyn Rowe range of confectionery. While it’s a family business, the day-
“A million miles away from anywhere”... Yasmin Coe. to-day responsibility of the chocolate shop rests with Ms Coe, following Mr Coe taking up a position as a partner with Canberra-based lobbying group DPG Advisory Solutions. Since the couple’s exit from public life, Ms Coe revealed it’s not something the family would go back to.
Photo: Holly Treadaway
“We are certainly watching Elizabeth Lee and the team and we think they are doing a fantastic job, but we are not missing that for our family,” Ms Coe said. It was an enormous decision for the Coes to embark on a new venture, made more difficult against the backdrop of
the COVID-19 experience, but it’s been a worthwhile journey, Ms Coe said. “Certainly there were some bumps in the road in that we moved during the lockdown, we were home-schooling the kids and were unable to open because of restrictions, but it allowed time to get things sorted out and to get into a groove,” Ms Coe said. “It’s nice to be open.” The business includes a new retail space for locally produced products, and Ms Coe has assured customers that the ever popular chocolate cafe will remain a permanent fixture. Chocolate making has been a longheld passion for Ms Coe, who said the family have been warmly embraced by the community they now proudly call home. “We both duck into Canberra regularly, Al’s working there and the kids are still at school in Canberra, but there is something serene about driving back down Nanima Road,” Ms Coe said. “It’s beautiful, peaceful and so green out here, and the community is lovely.” The end of a career in public life is an opportunity to reinvent oneself, and the Coes are living proof that there is a life beyond politics. “It’s been a really nice change,” Ms Coe said. “It’s peaceful here and you do feel like you are a million miles away from anywhere.”
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POLITICS / election promises
Electoral trust smashed by broken promises WE recently passed the quarterway mark in the current ACT election cycle. The passing of that milestone led me to glance through the election manifestos of our governing coalition to see how they are travelling in terms of promises kept. I have both an abiding and workrelated interest in Aboriginal affairs and so looked firstly at progress in that arena. There has, to be fair, been some progress in relation to one major promise, namely the establishment of an indigenous-specific residential drug and alcohol facility. However, such a facility was also promised, and fully funded, in 2008 or in other words 14 years ago, so the scepticism within the Aboriginal community about the promise being honoured on this occasion is understandably sky high. It is needless to ask how painful it must be for those Aboriginal families with a family member with a substance-use issue to contemplate the devastating impact the ACT government decision to abandon that earlier undertaking has, without doubt, had on their loved ones. Aboriginal community cynicism about the bona fides of the ACT government’s commitment to justice for Aboriginal peoples is perfectly understandable. The data relevant to indigenous disadvantage in Canberra is
Even I felt a tad sorry for the Greens at just how embarrassing, if not humiliating, the decision to abandon the centrepiece of their much flaunted ‘Building Communities not Prisons’ initiative must have been for them. scandalous, but it is the inertia and lack of any sense of urgency in the government’s response to the needs of Aboriginal peoples that’s at the heart of the Aboriginal community’s frustration and growing anger. An example of the government’s almost flippant disregard of community frustration at the lack of action on issues of fundamental importance is the startling revelation, more than three years after the establishment of the Our Booris, Our Way inquiry into the welfare of Aboriginal children, that not one of the 29 recommendations of that inquiry has been fully implemented. Notably, the Our Booris Committee recommended the establishment of an Aboriginal Children’s Commissioner in late 2018. In forwarding the recommendation to the minister, the review team explicitly urged the government of the need for that recommendation to be implemented as a priority. I believe, as I know do a large cohort of the local Aboriginal leadership, that the government’s dragging
of the chain on the Our Booris recommendations is a major breach of trust and faith. However, as far as the breaching of trust goes, there is little to match the decision of the government to shelve plans for the construction of the Justice Reintegration Centre, a major extension to the Alexander Maconochie Centre. Even I felt a tad sorry for the Greens at just how embarrassing, if not humiliating, the decision to abandon the centrepiece of their much flaunted “Building Communities not Prisons” initiative must have been for them. It is almost painful to revisit the Greens 2020 election manifesto “Listening Deeply to First Nations People”. This is what the Greens had to say before the election: “ With a Greens Minister for Justice and Corrections, we successfully drove the ‘Building Communities not Prisons’ agenda in government, which included developing a strategy to reduce recidivism by 25 per cent by 2025, enhancing our rehabilita-
RACISM I S
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tion framework at the Alexander Maconochie Centre and providing more supported housing options for people on bail and exiting detention – a major factor in reoffending – for better justice outcomes.” In addition to being forced to reveal, in estimates hearings, that the Justice Reintegration Centre and associated enhanced rehabilitation framework had been abandoned, the government was also exposed as having so under-resourced the justice housing program that there was a waiting list of ex-prisoners as long as the number actually accommodated. The justice housing program is clearly a shambles. Having abandoned the Justice Reintegration Centre and hence lost the catalyst for achieving its promise to reduce the incarceration rate of Aboriginal men and women to the same rate as the non-Aboriginal community by 2030 I, and I am sure many in the Aboriginal community, await with interest advice from the Greens on how they now plan to meet that promise or if it, too, has been abandoned. In any event, as Emmanuel Macron would say: “Bonne chance”. Another government announce-
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ment that raises the question of trust is what we were not told by the government about the recent Budget increase in funding for mental health – a subject on which I have of late taken a particular interest. It is true, as the relevant ministers have parroted, that there is in the recent Budget an increase of about $11 million in funding for community mental health services in this financial year. That amount is demonstrably inadequate and goes nowhere near replacing the cuts, in real terms, to the mental health budget over the last five to six years. The Budget papers also, nevertheless, reveal that the increase in funding is almost halved to less than $6 million in 2022-23 and to just on $6 million in the following year. I’m sure that no one reading Budget-related press releases or who listened to media interviews about the funding of mental health, realised that the touted boost in mental health funding in 2021-22 is cut in half after just one year.
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NEWS Roads to get a summer make-over THE ACT government will spend $19.5 million over summer resurfacing 925,000 square metres of roads. Major roads planned for renewal include the Monaro Highway, Tuggeranong Parkway, Long Gully Road, Ginninderra Drive, College Street, Mirrabei Drive, Mawson Drive and Cooyong Street in Civic. Transport Minister Chris Steel said the service life of a highlytrafficked road was more than 10 years while residential streets often delivered 25 to 30 years of service. Road resurfacing treatments included road resealing, asphalt resurfacing and microsurfacing. In the past financial year the government had fixed more than 6000 potholes and laid more than 11,000 square metres of hot-asphalt repairs. As part of the summer resurfacing program, the ACT government was undertaking a trial of innovative new defect-detection technology with the start-up Frontline Data Systems. Cameras attached to vehicles would scan and automatically photograph road surfaces, identifying and classifying areas needing repair.
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POLITICS / climate change
Canberra Liberals step away from Morrison ACT Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee effectively put herself in conflict with the Prime Minister when she decided to attend the Glasgow United Nations Climate Conference (COP26) “to engage with climate change experts and leaders from all around the world”. Perhaps neither of them see it that way. However, the language used and the motivation are very, very different. Scott Morrison has been trying to paint himself as the reluctant hero who finally brought his party colleagues onside to come up with a net zero by 2050 strategy. Elizabeth Lee has found a way to attend the Glasgow conference because she recognises the issue is important to her constituents and is looking for ways to make the ACT more sustainable. Ms Lee attended as part of a delegation organised by the Coalition for Conservation, a conservative Australian lobby group that advocates for climate change. Her attendance at COP26, where she is presenting three times, is part of the Canberra Liberals’ move towards the middle ground within the ACT political environment. Her reasons for attending reflect
this move towards centre politics. “Action on conserving our environment, valuing and respecting our environment, they’re inherently conservative values and it’s also important to note that action on climate change, action to conserve our environment, should not be a political issue,” according to Ms Lee. While the Prime Minister is busy attempting to sell what has widely been exposed as a “dud” climate-change policy, the ACT Opposition Leader claims climate
change is “something that is of great importance to many people across all political spectrums. It’s important that leaders show that”. There is an irony in such a statement coming from a Liberal leader when so many of the federal coalition members either play down the significance of climate change or flatly disbelieve in its impact or the role played by humankind. Ms Lee attempts to remove the party political rhetoric by recognising what has been achieved by those
in government. She also offered to represent the ACT at the conference since no government members were attending. In an attempt to neutralise the advantage of Labor and the Greens on climate change, she argues she would like to see the ACT go even further. She refers to her first Budget in Reply speech to indicate that this is not just a timely jump on the bandwagon. In that speech she “highlighted the opportunity for Canberra to go beyond climate-change targets and become a genuine world leader in developing solutions, led by some of the best minds in the country.” Political opportunism often underpins even the best of intentions. This is a timely intervention. It does separate the Canberra Liberals from the very conservative federal Liberal coalition government. It also exposes the fact that while the ACT Labor/Greens government does not see the Glasgow United Nations Climate Change Conference as important enough for them to attend, the Canberra Liberals are prepared to send their leader. A very measured announcement by Lee is in marked contrast to the failures of the Prime Minister. Yes,
he has attended the conference. Yes, he has announced a commitment to net zero by 2050. However, in the meantime, he has demonstrated his inability to see the difference between marketing and diplomacy. When he argued that the French president was attacking Australians, we all knew better. The reality is that Morrison was attempting to move the focus from his own blundering to focus Australian anger on to Emmanuel Macron. We do know better. It is Scott Morrison that was accused of lying – not Australia. Hopefully, we are seeing a different and more diplomatic approach from Ms Lee. The ideal is that she will return to Australia with some fresh ideas and work in a co-ordinated and non-partisan manner with the Labor/Greens government to implement them. Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an independent minister for health.
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THE GADFLY / Elizabeth Lee
Lee’s trip opens a new world of climate contacts OPPOSITION leader Elizabeth Lee deserves better. First, she had to deny that she was tied up with Senator Zed Seselja’s sneaky push polling that linked the ACT government’s proposed fines for personal possession of small amounts of drugs instead of jail sentences with “violence and increased use of hard drugs like heroin and ice”. Next, she copped a too-cleverby-half tease from Chief Minister Andrew Barr that she should use her trip to the climate conference in Glasgow to lobby PM Scott Morrison “for more ambitious action” to limit global heating. And then Morrison skedaddled from Glasgow even before she reached Scotland, let alone the conference centre. Some will say the trip was a political gesture for Ms Lee and she should have organised it well in advance. However, it was an entirely appropriate journey for a territory opposition leader to make. In an electorate like the ACT, she couldn’t allow the Liberal brand to be sullied by the Scott Morrison-Angus Taylor plan for a plan. And the contacts she could make at a such a gathering would more than repay the cost of the trip should she ever occupy the Chief Minister’s seat. It was a very natural move for someone who has been moving onwards
been many moments like these. “What I do remember is the kindness of our neighbours, inviting us to celebrate our first summer Christmas by the pool; taking us on fishing trips to Wollongong; lending Rosa a dress for her Holy Communion because mum and dad had not understood the school newsletter.” Her father worked as an excavator in the construction industry while Elizabeth began a school career that would bring her to Canberra at 18 to take degrees in law and Asian studies at the ANU followed by a Master of Laws and rising to vice-president of the ACT Law Society. At the same time she became a fitness instructor; then a legal officer in the federal AttorneyGeneral’s Department and a volunteer lawyer with the advice bureau of the ACT Law Society. She was elected to the ACT Assembly in 2016, easily won her Kurrajong Seat in 2020 and was chosen by her colleagues to the opposition leader-
ship soon afterwards. And for those who scoffed at her Glasgow trip as a mere gesture, it’s worth noting that as leader she insisted on also becoming shadow minister for climate change. In other Australian electorates, her Korean background might well be seen as an impediment to political success. Happily, Canberra is perhaps the most enlightened community in the country with its proudly gay Chief Minister and an educational standard that leads the nation. Add to that the huge popularity of Netflix’s “Kim’s Convenience” – the adventures of a charming Korean family in a Toronto store – and Ms Elizabeth Lee seems to fit like a glove… and I’ll bet she hates that other Korean series just as much as I do.
For those who scoffed at her Glasgow trip as a mere gesture, it’s worth noting that as leader she insisted on also becoming shadow minister for climate change.
Canberra Liberals leader Elizabeth Lee… going to Glasgow is an entirely appropriate journey for a territory opposition leader to make, says columnist Macklin. Photo: Holly Treadaway and upwards ever since she arrived in Australia from her birthplace in Korea as a seven-year-old in 1986. Her parents, she says, “had the courage to reach out beyond what you know for the chance to create something better”. They took “great care” she says, in preparing her and five-year-old sister Rosa for the move to Australia – “They decorated our bedroom with wallpaper containing the English
alphabet”. On arrival, they moved in with an uncle who had migrated some years previously. “It was a little fibro place at the back of a main house in Merrylands, western Sydney,” she says. “Looking back, I do not remember the days of not understanding what the teacher was saying or not being able to communicate with my classmates, although there must have
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CANBERRA MATTERS / public art
The inequality of women to be seen in public art IT was stunning to see the images of Premier Dominic Perrottet after NSW opened up on October 11; he welcomed people back to his version of normal – that of blokes, pubs, beers and more blokes. Women were absent. This fundamentalist neo-liberal warrior did not see the problem with the image he was projecting. The state’s second female premier, Gladys Berejiklian, was history. The boys were back in town and business groups such as the NSW pub industry were in charge. Was this a repeat of Sydney’s 1808 Rum Rebellion? In February the National Capital Authority was keen to promote the role of Marion Mahony in designing Canberra. Its media image was of three people standing on Mount Ainslie with the head of Marion Mahony Griffin on a plinth. The photograph to the right of that same head was taken much earlier in the NCA’s Regatta Point exhibition rooms. While there were talks and other events about Marion, nothing permanent seems to be on the cards. Carting her head to the top of the mountain was meant to signal that the NCA was taking this issue seriously. This lack of commitment has been highlighted by students from Canberra Girls Grammar. They are part of a new 2021 program: “The House, Women in Politics and Government”. The students are also campaigning to honour
Surely the ACT government can see that having statues and monuments around the city dominated by blokes, animals and other stuff does not encourage young women to take significant roles in society. Marion Mahony Griffin… talks and other events about Marion, but nothing permanent seems to be on the cards. Photo: Paul Costigan Julia Gillard, Australia’s first female prime minister. They have also noted the inequity with how women such as Marion Mahony are not represented in the public dialogue and through public memorial statues. Check out their campaign – Google: Statue Pitch-CGGS. Another initiative worth mentioning is Jasiri Australia – a social enterprise working to give young people the tools to be courageous leaders in their lives, communities
and the world. Their website includes an image of a young woman presenting an uncomfortable Scott Morrison with “The Young Women’s Charter for Australian Democracy”. One obstacle to a better representation of women in the public arena is the simplistic argument that women have historically been in the minority in leadership. Short response: yes, they have because of the male-dominated societies of the past and because men
have largely written the histories and often downplayed the role of women. Any of this should not be a hindrance to today’s more progressive authorities promoting the work done by society’s many talented and professional women. They could start this by doing something about the huge inequality in representation in public art. While efforts to better represent Marion Mahony are yet to be delivered, recognition is being provided nationally to Enid Lyons and Dorothy Tangney. Both were elected to the federal parliament in 1943 and helped change views about women being successful political representatives. This is a good start. But remember it is 2021, and how long have people been asking for such initiatives? And how long before more get rolled out? Do we wait again until someone protests about the lack of representation? The ACT government describes itself as being progressive. That’s their description not mine. But giving them the benefit of the doubt, surely they can see that having statues and monuments around the city dominated by blokes, animals and other stuff, does not encourage young women to take significant roles in society.
The statues of Enid Lyons and Dorothy Tangney are federally funded and will be important nationally. However, the ACT Labor/Greens coalition government continues to neglect its responsibilities to use public art to encourage women into public life. With one female state premier left and men dominating positions of power across the political spectrum, including by having male leaders of ACT Labor and ACT Greens, the time is overdue for more action on equity on a number of fronts including in public-art representation. Is there anyone in the ACT government who has the aesthetic interests and the commitment to future generations to make such a well-funded and well managed program happen now – and not wait to make some of the usual never-never promises leading to the 2024 elections? Paul Costigan is an independent commentator and consultant on the visual arts, photography, urban design and environmental issues.
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LETTERS
Tram saves one per cent of car travel to Woden LEON Arundell’s letter (CN October 28) questions whether light rail will assist significantly in reducing the ACT’s transport emissions.
dose of dorin
He would be interested in some information I found in the “Business Case for Light Rail Stage 2A”: Figure 3-2: Car kilometres travelled with and without city to Woden Light Rail in 2046 Without Light Rail – approx. 18,660,000” With Light Rail – approx. 18,520,000” That’s less than a one per cent reduction! Even this miniscule, suggested reduction in car usage may be based on similar heroic assumptions to those underlying other “benefits” attributed to Light Rail Stage 2, which have been criticised by the ACT auditor-general. It could easily be argued that Stage 2 will increase car use, because light rail will be slower and less convenient than even the current bus system and will free up more road space for other vehicles. Not to mention, of course, the huge emissions that will be generated by the construction of a rail-based system, including a deep concrete foundation, many new bridges, etcetera.
Racism charge a bit of a stretch THE Netflix hit “Squid Game” pressed columnist Robert Macklin’s buttons hard! (“How about execrable, vile, putrid and racist?”, CN November 4) Fair enough, we vary in tolerance for both the role and style of dramatic violence. But his charge of anti-Korean racism is a bit of a stretch. “Squid Game” is written and directed by Korean Hwang Dong-Hyuk; produced in South Korea; spectacularly successful in its homeland, alongside 90+ other countries. The only non-Korean characters are a handful of grotesque puppet-masters dripping with irredeemable traits in the final episodes. Peter Robinson, Ainslie
Richard Johnston, Kingston
Future generations will have to pay ACCORDING to the AMA, the ACT health system is the worst in the country, for all performance measures. It is also reported that the ACT debtto-revenue ratio is expected to rise exponentially from 69 per cent in 2021 to 138 per cent by 2025, with no indication of slowing down. To boot, net debt by the ACT is heading to $9.5 billion, more than $22,000 for every man, woman and child. Now, as investors know, debt is not a bad thing as long as there will be a positive return. However, much of the ACT’s debt is ideology driven, like the outrageously uneconomic light rail, with no hope of a reasonable return (or ever compensating for the original GHG emissions bill, for that matter). The net result is that future generations will, sooner or later, have to pay the consequences of this government’s profligate debt. Oh, I forgot, our omni-prescient Treasurer, Mr Barr, says that: “We are all Keynesian now”, ie debt is no longer a dirty word. I often wonder, except for the billions to be chewed up by light rail, where all the money is going, given a dud health system and poor infrastructure maintenance among other things. Why does the government need a pay rise of some 7 per cent a year, when citizens have been on less than 2 per cent increase in wages for years and for some years to come yet? Taxpayers are obviously going backwards. I certainly hope the long-suffering ACT taxpayers have news for Rattenbury and Barr at the next election. Max Flint, co-ordinator, Smart Canberra Transport
We’re stuffed… and stuffed even more! WITH reference to in-the-thick-of-it letters to the editor (CN on and before October 21), I still find reason to be on the trail of Light Rail as it proceeds from Civic to Woden. Also of note is the front-cover reference to how Chief Minister Andrew Barr will have to borrow to foot the Budget (CN October 28). I agree with Peter Sherman, of Aranda 14 CityNews November 11-17, 2021
At the time of writing a GoFundMe campaign to assist with a TGA evaluation for use of this vaccine in Australia had reached $337,409. A good few Australians are clearly only too keen to support this vaccine for Australian use. Murray May, Cook
What does the future hold? (Letters, CN October 21), who praises electric buses for their versatility and affordability, their operating in a given infrastructure without causing environmental damage and the disruption to traffic, with the huge amount of funds for cement (a climate-change factor), rails and overhead electrification, benefitting only a comparatively small number of people and only serving the commuters living in walking distance of a station. Mr Sherman also points out it will be very inconvenient to some passengers who go further afield, and who could get to their destination faster by bus. Housing “affordability” is an outrageous issue! It is clearly linked to the poor track record of the Labor/Greens government and the Budget brought down in October is such that not even higher taxes and rates can foot the bill for light rail. It should never have been given the green light. This city is stuffed. And it’s stuffed even more with the news that the light rail models in Sydney that have some “cracks” in them are the same as the ones about to blight every passenger’s day for the next few years here. As for me, yes, I will experience inconvenience and greater expense caused by light rail to Woden (catching taxis) as will other disadvantaged people, such as those with children and babies in strollers, people with disabilities and the elderly. The prospect of having to walk from Callum Street (read new Woden bus station) to the supermarkets in Woden Westfield, is not an easy one for many elderly pedestrians. Some, they, we, don’t have the stamina or endurance.
emissions yet contradict themselves all the time. The trams and tracks are steel, which require coal to manufacture. They want solar panels and wind turbines everywhere. It takes 200 tonnes of coal to make one wind turbine. It takes coal to manufacture the solar panels and we are not told about all the chemicals used in the making of solar panels. The solar panels, wind turbines and batteries are not being recycled in any meaningful way so have to be buried. Given they only last from 10-20 years, what do we do when we run out of space to bury them? There is also a problem with the chemicals in the solar panels and batteries, they will leach into the water table when buried. The plan is to cut down all the 100-yearold trees on Commonwealth Avenue if the light rail goes that way. The green spaces with trees keep getting taken over to build yet more blocks of units, yet we are now being told we must build smaller houses and plant trees on our blocks – which is happening at exactly the time that existing green space is being covered with concrete and bitumen. Vi Evans, Macgregor
Jenny Holmes, Weston
Greg Cornwell, Yarralumla
Why does he live in Queanbeyan? PHILLIP Mackenzie’s tongue-in-cheek nostalgia for the Bush Capital (Letters, November 4) went too far back, but if he scorns even the recent past and favours a “progressive” Canberra, why does he live in Queanbeyan? Too expensive here, perhaps?
Greens contradict themselves
More than I could bear to read
CONGRATULATIONS, Ian Meikle (“Government’s been a gas for the green Greenies”, CN October 28). A very good article and I agree with him entirely. The Greens want to reduce
ROBERT Macklin’s column (“How about execrable, vile, putrid and racist?”CN November 3), in relation to the Netflix hit show “Squid Game”, was more than I could bear to read.
I say to Robert with all respect, that people of younger generations than his have different views. I, for one, can’t wait for a second season of “Squiddy” to be released – it’s really good “popcorn” entertainment. To bring in a racist and Jewish angle into the article is a manifestation of his thinking and what’s with the reference to defeating the Morrison government being aligned with “great causes” like saving humanity and world peace – oh, please, get me a barf bag! People know the difference between fantasy and reality. Watch the show for what it is “a bloody and gory good watch”. But, of course, I am the first to say it’s not suitable for children. My advice, Robert, is if you don’t like something on TV simply don’t watch it – just change the channel. Bjorn Moore, Gowrie
Crowd-funding a covid breakthrough WITH the unsolved problems of vaccine hesitancy and the push to mandate vaccines in Australia, and to some extent in the ACT, readers may be interested to know of an Australian vaccine for COVID-19, namely COVAX-19 developed by Prof of Medicine Nikolai Petrovsky at Flinders University in SA. It is a very safe and effective traditional protein-based vaccine that has recently received marketing authorisation by the FDA in Iran. This is based on outstanding results showing protection against the delta variant in a Phase 3 clinical trial in 16,876 subjects in Iran, easily surpassing the WHO and FDA criteria for COVID-19 vaccine approval. Importantly, in these large clinical trials, no vaccine-related deaths or cases of venous thrombosis or myocarditis were observed, problems seen with the currently used adenovirus and mRNA vaccines. A further significant advantage is that it appears to be able to stop transmission, unlike the currently used vaccines.
GLIDING through the ‘70s suburbs at dusk, the sky dark with clouds, the tall roadside grasses sway in a breeze, open spaces realise their intentions, greenness abounds and gardens burgeon. The infrastructure is all in place and working – even the potholes, brimming with rainwater, grin back, but the speed humps don’t bother, and they don’t bother me. What does the future hold? Jack Kershaw, Kambah
Climate models are incomprehensible GLOBAL warming is an election issue, but the politics will dominate. I suspect that it is just the activists who are committed, while the wider population has other priorities. With an unusually wet year and bumper harvests of every type, the bushfires of 2019-20 are history. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is relying on trust for people to heed the gravity of its message because the climate models are incomprehensible to the man in the street. I think they should do more to communicate what they think is happening. Will the earth keep warming if CO2 levels rise further or will there be compensating effects? Won’t the slowing of the gulf stream produce a cooling effect? Such questions are far from the mind of the general population. More the pity, because if they weren’t it would provide an opportunity for scientists to establish their convictions amongst a population that is mostly concerned with getting on with life after covid and whose knowledge of climate change goes no further than rooftop solar. John L Smith, Farrer
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WHIMSY
If plural of tooth is teeth, why isn’t booth beeth? “Odd contradictions are numerous in English. There is no egg in eggplant, ham in hamburger and no apple (or pine) in a pineapple. I FEEL indebted to my parents that English is my first language. Not for any arrogant reason, but simply because it must be one of the hardest languages to learn due to its inconsistencies. It’s said that someone knowing 1000 to 3000 words in any language can carry on everyday conversations. Knowing 4000 to 10,000 words makes people advanced language users. Knowing more than 10,000 words puts them at native-speaker level. However, on top of knowing words, there’s the issue of writing the language correctly. Churchill believed that good writing was grounded in a thorough knowledge of English grammar. It’s a rare accomplishment for anyone with English as a second language to write English without making grammatical mistakes. One of the problems with some English words is that they are spelled the same but have different meanings. These are called “homographs” – as with “institution”. They are often used for double-entendres such as with Mae West’s: “Marriage is a fine institution, but I’m not ready for an institution.”
Quicksand is slow, boxing rings are square, and guinea pigs are neither from Guinea nor are they pigs. Then there are “heteronyms” – words that are spelled (or spelt) the same and have different meanings, but sound different, as in “The bandage was wound around the wound.” And to make matters worse there are words that sound the same but have different meanings – such as right and write. These are called “homonyms”. Odd contradictions are numerous in English. There is no egg in eggplant, ham in hamburger and no apple (or pine) in a pineapple. Sweetmeats are an item of confectionery, while sweetbreads aren’t – they’re meat. Paradoxically, quicksand is slow, boxing rings are square, and guinea pigs are neither from Guinea nor are they pigs. If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn’t the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, two geese, so logically one moose, two meese? One hoof, two hooves so one roof, two rooves? Doesn’t it seem odd that you can make amends, but can’t get away with just one amend for a lesser offence? If
you have a clearing-out of odds and ends and get rid of all but one, what would you call it? (Marie Kondo probably doesn’t have that problem.) If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? If killing a human is homicide, why isn’t killing an insect insecticide? Why do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and not by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell? How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same thing, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? Americans are smart enough to invent their own words when English fails them. So sensibly, dove is the past tense of dive, while their athletes aim to pb and medal at sports events. Anyone with Word spell check will know that Americans have cunningly designed the software to continually default to American English even when set to English English or Australian English (I’ve long ago accepted American English and American
spellings from university students rather than try to fight the problem). In any case, American spelling often predates today’s English spellings. Some common English/American spelling differences are labour/ labor, honour/honor or centre/center, theatre/theater. Spelling without a “u” is the original Latin spelling, so it predates spelling with a “u”. Endings in “er” (instead of “re”) have roots in both Greek and Latin and predate the English “re” spelling. Similarly, the American use of “z” (as in organization) predates the English “s” version used commonly in Australia. Why, you might ask, do we have the Australian Labor Party while Britain has the Labour Party? There are many theories, including sabotage by prominent Australian Labor
politician King O’Malley, born in the US and an advocate of Australian spelling reform. Another reason may have been an Australian desire to differentiate our workers’ party from other British Empire Labour parties. I’ll conclude my inconclusive ramblings with some English grammar examples: “At high noon, the past, the present and the future walked into a bar. Without a doubt, it was a tense situation.” And remember – when someone says: “Let’s eat Grandma” appropriate punctuation can save lives. Clive Williams is a Canberra columnist.
CANBERRA • QUEANBEYAN • YASS • COOMA • GOULBURN
GIVE WHERE YOU LIVE THIS CHRISTMAS! 100’$ for Thousands is a Christmas fundraiser aimed at helping local families in need across Canberra, Queanbeyan, Yass, Cooma and Goulburn. All money raised goes to a local Salvation Army centre of your choice. Gungahlin • Belconnen • Canberra City • Fyshwick • Woden • Tuggeranong • Queanbeyan • Yass • Cooma • Goulburn With your help, our goal is to raise $100,000, allowing us to provide 1000 families with a $100 grocery gift voucher to use over the festive season. So donate today and GIVE WHERE YOU LIVE!
YOUR DONATION WILL BE DOUBLED THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS
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DONATE NOW – www.hundredsforthousands.salvationarmy.org.au CityNews November 11-17, 2021 15
CELEBRATING SENIORS
advertising feature
There’s a lot of living to be done for active seniors THESE days, seniors are remaining productive for longer, working for longer, and generally leading more vibrant and active lives, according to the Australian Institute of Family Studies. From looking after health to looking after the home, there are heaps of businesses throughout the Canberra region that help make this possible. To celebrate seniors, “CityNews” speaks to some of the local experts who are dedicated to improving the lives of our older residents.
Keeping seniors connected even through lockdown
Downer village is making sales GOODWIN Aged Care Services has opened sales in the first stage of its yet-to-be-built retirement village in Downer. Goodwin Village Downer will be the organisation’s fifth retirement village in the ACT and will offer a central location and an environment designed specifically for seniors. With units built to the adaptable housing standards and a variety of on-site supports, Goodwin Village Downer grows to meet residents’ changing needs, allowing people to age in place and remain active for longer. The village will offer a range of shared spaces including a clubhouse, gym, library, landscaped gardens and alfresco dining areas, as well as an on-staff lifestyle officer. Located around the corner from the Dickson shops on the corner of Melba and Bradfield Streets, Goodwin Village Downer comprises 109 two and three-bedroom independent living apartments and
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20 single-bedroom assisted-living apartments. Erik Boddeus, Goodwin executive manager, Retirement Living, Property and Development says: “Retirement living takes a lot of the chores and stress out of life. “There’s a maintenance officer on site to help with any odd jobs, a village manager and concierge, and a lifestyle officer who facilitates events which people can choose to participate in. “Goodwin has spent decades listening to the wants and needs of seniors. We’ve taken the learnings from our existing villages and have designed a retirement village that we know is going to offer an outstanding lifestyle, balancing luxury, privacy and connectivity.” Goodwin Village Downer is currently pending DA with construction expected to start in early 2022. More from 6175 5059, downer@goodwin.org.au and goodwinvillagedowner.org.au
CEO of Arthritis ACT, Rebecca Davey, says she and the team are keen to connect with clients in person again. For more than 40 years, Arthritis ACT has been assisting its clients with arthritis, neuropathic pain, osteoporosis and more, and COVID-19 didn’t stop the care. Throughout lockdown, Rebecca says Arthritis ACT offered its clients free daily exercise classes to, “keep them all moving, try and reduce their pain and keep them connected with each other as well”. The online classes started with the first lockdown in 2020, and continued during this year’s lockdown. Rebecca also says Arthritis ACT did a few home visits and taught people how to use their phone to connect to the classes. “It was just to keep people connected, because mostly they were lonely and anxious,” says Rebecca. The online classes will continue to run. “I’m just looking forward to
Arthritis ACT CEO Rebecca Davey. seeing the people again. We’re all healthcare workers, we like seeing people, being able to share a cuppa with them and have a laugh in person,” she says. Arthritis ACT, building 1, Colette Place, Pearce, and building 18, 170 Haydon Drive, Bruce. Call 1800 011041, email info@ arthritisact.org.au or visit arthritisact.org.au
MEET OUR PAIN MANAGEMENT EXPERTS Gwen Estigoy - Exercise
Physiologist
Gwen instructs Tai Chi for our Falls Prevention program and also supports people to meet their exercise goals within our gym or hydrotherapy program. Gwen works with individuals, groups, and also leads our LGBTI program.
Gwen has a four-year degree as well as extensive industry experience working with people with chronic pain conditions.
Sophie Bullock - Exercise
Physiologist
Blake Dean - Exercise
Physiologist
Blake has expertise in improving clients mobility and decreasing their pain through appropriate exercise. Blake delivers our ‘My Exercise’ program, targeting the relief of lower back and sciatic pain, shoulder and upper body concerns as well as leg, hip and and ankle interventions – for those who do not qualify for physiotherapy-led GLAD programs. Blake provides individual & group exercise for younger people with a disability. Blake treats clients in-clinic or via our hydrotherapy program as well as attending your gym with you.
Jacqui Couldrick - Physiotherapist
Sophie has post graduate qualifications in hydrotherapy, and as a non-sports centred Exercise Physiologist-helps clients who struggle with engaging in exercise due to a lack of sports participation. Sophies goal is to improve clients health via our hydrotherapy program, gym instruction and in-home visits. Sophie also is known for her passion for working with children.
Jacqui has a particular interest in hip and knee osteoarthritis.
Richard Costin - Physiotherapist
Kwong yan Cheung - Physiotherapist
At Build a Better Me we see many people who are struggling to manage their chronic conditions. Richard is passionate about helping people to live better and more comfortable lives achieving their goals through exercise, education and manual therapies.
Kwong is trained as a GLAD instructor, his focus is in treating sports injuries early to avoid arthritis forming later. Kwong is a passionate sportsman, playing both Aussie Rules and Soccer.
Richard is fully trained in the GLAD program.
Jacqui delivers the GLAD program designed to reduce the need for joint replacements, or if a joint replacement is unavoidable, to prepare you thoroughly for surgery and recovery for day to day tasks. Jacqui is studying towards a PhD in the outcomes of the GLAD program.
Kwong will assist you with maintenance of your sports injuries, back pain and all general musculoskeletal issues.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT ACCESSING OUR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS WHO HELP MAKE YOUR EVERY DAY TASKS EASIER
HYDROTHERAPY AND GROUP CLASSES OPERATING AGAIN • Occupational Therapy - Assistance with the planning and modification of your home, workplace or car. Applications for NDIS, the Disability and Housing Support Pension, and also driving assessments.
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Exercise Physiology – Individual exercise prescriptions, small group classes to increase strength and improve rehabilitation, strength and balance classes, hydrotherapy support.
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Dietetics – meal planning, weight management support, food intolerance support.
“You do not need to have any particular condition to utilise our services, just a desire to ‘Build a Better You.’
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• Physiotherapy – including the GLAD program for knee and hip osteoarthritis, sports injury prevention and rehabilitation, and pain condition support.
CELEBRATING SENIORS
advertising feature Helping homes look their best STRESS-free home renovations and sales are the specialty of Your Property Profits, says co-owner Kim Persson. “We will look after the house and make it shine. They can just leave the keys and focus on more important things.” Many of the clients at Your Property Profits are seniors who are unwell themselves or have a loved one who is, and they don’t have a lot of support in Canberra, says Kim. “We have been the help they have needed, to have the ability to actually be able to renovate
before selling,” she says. Kim says Your Property Profits offers “peace of mind,” and clients don’t need to worry about any up-front costs. The renovating team front the cost for clients, who then pay after the property is sold. “The market is great for sellers at the moment, and renovated homes are doing very well,” says Kim. Your Property Profits. Call Kim and Sophie on 1800 225597, email hello@yourpropertyprofits.com.au or visit yourpropertyprofits.com.au
Principal Dr William Vass.
Dr Vass offers life-changing hearing help GETTING help with hearing loss is all about improving communication and gaining clarity, says Dr Vass Hearing Clinic principal Dr William Vass. With many years of experience in the hearing industry, he says that while people think nothing of having an eye test or wearing glasses to correct their vision, the idea of having a hearing test and facing up to hearing issues is still not comfortably accepted. “Hearing loss is identified as an elderly person’s issue and it is associated negatively with ageing,” Dr Vass says. “That’s not necessarily true. Generally, people don’t want to admit they need hearing help. “I say to patients: ‘I wear glasses to improve my eyesight, it doesn’t mean I am blind!’ “Wearing hearing aids doesn’t mean the person
is deaf, it means you are seeking better clarity and improved communication.” Dr Vass says patients have the certainty that they’ll be seeing him when they visit the clinic and that he will provide one-on-one, tailored care and advice. The best part of Dr Vass’ job is seeing how his patients’ lives can be turned around once they make the step to get their hearing tested. “My patients can be depressed, isolated and angry. Hearing loss can result in communication breakdown and when they finally receive appropriate care, they are more outgoing and confident,” he says. Dr Vass Hearing Clinic, suite 14, John James Medical Centre, 175 Strickland Crescent, Deakin. Visit drvasshearing.com.au or call 6282 2717.
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Hearing loss PEOPLE MUMBLE
Background TV too loud noise tinnitus
denial
don’t shout
The Problem
The Solution • • • •
Independent and ethical practice Trusted advice Doctor of Audiology Latest technology for assessment and treatment • Patient first approach • Highly professional
Dr Vass Hearing
phone: 6282 2717
email: info@drvasshearing.com.au ‘Don’t live with the problem, find the solution.’
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Suite 14 John James Medical Centre 175 Strickland Cres
CELEBRATING SENIORS
advertising feature Mammograms keep an eye out for breast cancer
And for those who are already fitted with a hearing aid, Glenn says their John James Foundation “Hearing Aiders” program goes into nursing homes to clean the hearing aids and change the batteries for residents. There’s no charge to residents for the service, which Glenn says is currently running monthly in 16 nursing homes across Canberra. Since the ACT Deafness Resource Centre first opened in 1985, Glenn says the technology has continued to change rapidly, with hearing aids becoming obsolete after only four to five years. “Technology is moving very fast,” he says.
BREASTSCREEN ACT encourages women to have a mammogram every two years, as research shows that regular screening over the age of 50 reduces the number of deaths from breast cancer. “It only takes 20 minutes and it could save your life,” promotions and quality manager Christy Fox says. “One in seven women will develop breast cancer in their life, and most women who develop breast cancer don’t have a family history,” she says. “Early detection is so important as it optimises treatment options and outcomes.” Christy says that Breastscreen ACT actively encourages women aged between 50 and 74 to have regular screenings as 75 per cent of breast cancer is diagnosed in women in that age group. “The benefit of screening every two years is that any small changes that might happen to the breast can be monitored,” says Christy. “And if you happen to see or feel a change in your breasts, please see your GP in the first instance,” says Christy.
ACT Deafness Resource Centre, 1b/27 Mulley Street, Holder. Call 6287 4393, email hearinghelp@actdrc.org.au or visit actdrc.org.au
Breastscreen ACT is located in Civic, Phillip and Belconnen. For appointments call 132050.
ACT Deafness Resource Centre CEO Glenn Vermeulen.
Helping seniors manage hearing loss FOR more than 35 years, the ACT Deafness Resource Centre has been advising seniors on how best to manage their hearing loss, says CEO Glenn Vermeulen. For some people, it may be that the television has become hard to hear, while for others, they might be missing out on what their grandchildren are saying, says Glenn. “We provide them with information that can help them make an informed choice about the type of hearing aid they get and what they can expect from them,” he says. “[We also help them] go into their audiology appointment armed with lots of information that helps them understand what’s going on, and make that choice based on accurate information, both from us and the audiologist.”
Breastscreen ACT promotions and quality manager Christy Fox.
“Supporting you on your hearing loss journey” The ACT Deafness Resource Centre offers One on one consultation* Information, Resources and Referrals Advocacy & NDIS Support NDIS Registered Provider (Provider # 60297041) Assistive Listening Devices for free Trial** & Sale Hearing Loss Awareness Training Workplace Assessments & Presentations Hearing Aiders Program in Aged-Care facilities
Phone: 02 6287 4393 Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. Email - hearinghelp@actdrc.org.au
GRANT CAMERON COMMUNITY CENTRE Level 1B, 27 Mulley Street Holder ACT *Home visits can be arranged ** Not all products are available to trial
20 CityNews November 11-17, 2021
“I’ve found the place!”
2021
WINNER
ACT Development of the Year Innovation & Excellence Awards
2021
WINNER
ACT Development of the Year Innovation & Excellence Awards
Final Stage Release: Limited Availability 1, 2 & 3 BRM Premium Seniors’ Living Apartments
Book a tour 1300 535 000 or visit LDK.com.au to explore more including our One Move Promise®
CELEBRATING SENIORS Mark has mobility aids and more
Alan Edwards addressed his hearing loss with cochlear implants.
When hearing aids aren’t enough “BY age 65, one in three people will have hearing loss – an experience associated with social withdrawal, depression, anxiety, and is an independent risk factor for dementia,” says Deakin ear, nose and throat surgeon, Dr Tim Makeham. “But there is something you can do to manage this risk and maintain your quality of life.” Dr Tim says the NextSense Cochlear implant program (formerly SCIC, an RIDBC service) has supported more than 5000 people to access a better world of sound, making it Australia’s largest and most comprehensive program. “At NextSense, you have access to leading surgeons, an expert team of health professionals, and the latest technologies – often with no out-of-pocket costs,” he says. “If you are over the age of 50, it is important to have regular hearing tests with an audiologist who can manage your hearing loss in a timely manner,” says Dr Tim.
Jo Dodds, from NextSense, says: “People can have their Cochlear implant surgery, and associated therapy, here in Canberra. Referring our clients to a local ENT surgeon with consultation rooms in Deakin is important.” Alan Edwards is an older Australian who has benefitted from a Cochlear implant. When Alan’s hearing loss increased over time, he became distant, withdrawing from society and his family. Alan persisted with hearing aids despite them becoming “physically painful”. But hearing aids weren’t enough. In 2017, he received his first Cochlear implant and a year later received his second – making him a bilateral Cochlear implant recipient (both ears). “The impact it has had on me and my life is beyond measure,” said Alan.
STAFF director of Capital Rehabilitation Supplies, Mark Robinson, says he’s been looking forward to customers returning to the store. He says clients can come back in again now and have a proper look at the stock. Capital Rehabilitation Supplies has a large range of mobility aids, lift chairs, daily living aids, and bathroom and bedroom aids. “With a lift chair, the customer has to sit in it, they have to feel it, see how comfortable it is, if it’s the right size and there’s all colour choices, too,” says Mark. He says Capital Rehabilitation Supplies has staff with more than 35 years of experience and is a family owned business, which helps them deliver quality, caring service, and he’s ready for customers to come in and test the products for themselves to find the perfect fit. Capital Rehabilitation Supplies, 3/66 Heffernan Street, Mitchell. Call 6174 4813 or visit capitalrehabilitationsupplies.com.au
NextSense Deakin, Equinox Business Park, Equinox 4, Level 1, 70 Kent Street, Deakin. Call 1300 581391, email hello@nextsense.org.au or visit nextsense.org.au
The many benefits of moving AN active lifestyle has many physical and mental benefits and is particularly important for seniors, according to Orthopaedics ACT’s Dr Nicholas Tsai, an orthopaedic surgeon who specialises in the areas of spine, hip, knee and trauma. “Activity promotes cardiovascular fitness and social interactions; it elevates the mood and also helps to prevent osteoporosis due to inactivity and lack of sun exposure,” he says. “All joints benefit from moderate daily movements, whether the exercises are land-based or in water. Walking aids are also important for pain relief if you have arthritis in the lower limbs.” Orthopaedics ACT strives to provide the best advice to all members of the senior community, says Dr Tsai. “Patients will be assessed by experienced orthopaedic surgeons, and in most cases a conservative management plan will be provided,” he says. “The goal is always to improve the condition and to return to an active lifestyle as soon as possible.” Dr Tsai says patients with mild symptoms will be referred to a physiotherapist participating in the GLA:D exercise program, which helps people with hip and knee osteoarthritis manage their symptoms. Orthopaedics ACT also offers joint-replacement information sessions for those who have to undergo jointreplacement surgery. “Surgical intervention is offered as
With hearing aids on, do you find it difficult to hear: 1
2
on the phone?
in crowded places?
3
children’s voices clearly?
Discover how you could benefit from a hearing implant system and learn about the journey from a cochlear implant recipient. When: Where: Register:
Thursday 2 December at 2pm Online To register please call 1300 581 391, SMS 0451 562 273, visit nextsense.org.au/dhi or scan the QR code.
NextSense is the registered business name of Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (ABN 53 443 272 865)
22 CityNews November 11-17, 2021
Orthopaedics ACT’s surgeon Dr Nicholas Tsai. the last resort, usually after conservative management has not been successful or if the condition is deemed so severe that conservative treatment is unlikely to improve it,” he says. Orthopaedics ACT, Woden Specialist Medical Centre, level 2, 90 Corinna Street, Phillip. Call 6221 9320 or visit orthoact.com.au
advertising feature The importance of an up-to-date will CAPON and Hubert Lawyers and Mediators can help clients update their will as they get older to ensure their wishes are respected, says wills and estate planning lawyer Ashilpa Khanna. Unfortunately, Ashilpa says, some people don’t have a will, which means their possessions are instead distributed by the “rules of intestacy”. “This distribution means that someone – your spouse or a family member – will have to apply to the court to be appointed administrator before they can handle your estate,” she says. This can be costly and time-consuming, she says. For seniors, even if they have a will, Ashilpa says it’s important to periodically review it, especially after significant events such as when children get married or the birth of a grandchild. “At the forefront of people’s minds is making sure their financial and legal affairs are in order, so that in the event of a crisis, their loved ones are secure and can be provided for as intended,” she says. Capon and Hubert has been helping people with legal matters for more than 34 years and can also help seniors with a range of legal issues in areas such as family law, children’s matters, conveyancing, and power of attorney. “We are focused on giving honest and expert advice at all times,” she says. “Our staff are experienced in their fields and we take pride in knowing that they will always use common sense, respect, courtesy and good judgement when dealing with clients.” Capon and Hubert Lawyers and Mediators, first floor, 32-38 Townshend Street, Phillip. Email enquiries@ chsol.com.au, call 6152 9203 or visit chsol.com.au
Estate and planning lawyer Ashilpa Khanna of Capon and Hubert Lawyers and Mediators.
Working with you for the best result YES WE ARE OPEN FOR APPOINTMENTS For all client meetings COVID-19 adherance applies
A valid and up-to-date Will can help reduce stress for your family and friends, limit administration costs, and lessen the possibility for dispute over your estate. Ashilpa Khanna Wills and Estate Planning Lawyer
For the best outcome when it matters how it’s done call Capon & Hubert on 6152 9203 First Floor, 32-38, Townshend Street, Phillip ACT
chsol.com.au | enquiries@chsol.com.au
Over 30 years serving Canberra CityNews November 11-17, 2021 23
CELEBRATING SENIORS
In-home, social & lifestyle support Just Better Care Canberra & South Coast supports older Australians to live independently and confidently within their home and local community. Whether it’s help with everyday tasks, personal care or a Home Care Package, Just Better Care Canberra & South Coast can deliver customised, affordable support that’s just for you.
Speak to your friendly, local team today. (02) 6280 4070 justbettercare.com/canberra-south-coast canberra@justbettercare.com
Individual support for individual needs
Diabetes Day’s focus on access to care
KIRI Tennent is the local franchise owner of Just Better Care, an in-home aged-care and disability support service. “We’ve always been customer-focused, personalised and tailored support is our approach,” she says. “There is no ‘one size fits all’ – the support we provide is based on your individual situation.” Just Better Care Canberra and South Coast prides itself on a genuine connection to the community, she says. “We are a completely local team. When you call us, you speak to someone who not only works in our office but lives nearby, too,” she says. “I love that about Just Better Care – we are real people making a real difference.” Supporting people to navigate the often-confusing aged-care system, to find appropriate support is a constant challenge, Kiri says. “For us, it’s about giving people all the options so they can gain the most out of their funding and continue to live the life they choose,” she says. “Everyone has different needs and lifestyles. Finding out what’s important to you is what’s important to us.” For in-home or lifestyle support for any age or ability, Kiri says contact them for more information.
SUNDAY (November 14) is World Diabetes Day, which this year is focusing on access to care for those living with the condition. Sturt Eastwood, chief executive officer for Diabetes NSW & ACT says: “One in four Australians over the age of 25 lives with diabetes or pre-diabetes. If you add to that number the family, friends and carers who support them, you ACT general manager have a more accurate picture of the effect diabetes is having of Diabetes NSW & ACT Natalie Smith. on the community.” There are 19,530 people living with diabetes in the ACT and surrounding areas. More than 15,900 live with type 2 diabetes while a further 2100 live with type 1 diabetes and 1300 live with gestational diabetes. Early diagnosis and treatment of diabetes is key to helping prevent or delay life-threatening complications. If type 1 diabetes is not detected early, it can be fatal. A delayed diagnosis of type 2 diabetes can lead to complications such as blindness, amputation, kidney or heart disease, and depression or anxiety. “Knowing the signs of diabetes can help protect your family. That’s why we’re encouraging everyone to be on the lookout for symptoms such as sudden weight loss, tiredness or excessive thirst and urination. We’re also encouraging anyone over 40 to include a diabetes test in their annual check-up,” said Mr Eastwood.
Just Better Care, unit 9A, 189 Flemington Road, Mitchell. Call 6280 4070, email canberra@ justbettercare.com or visit justbettercare.com
Download and share materials from the Diabetes NSW & ACT website or share your story on Facebook page facebook.com/ DiabetesNSWACT
How walking with poles helps seniors
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NEW SHOWROOM
3/66 Heffernan Street Mitchell. ACT 2911
DUNCAN Craig, founder of BoomerAABS, says his business is about more than selling poles, it’s about assisting people in their fitness and mobility journey. He says the poles help to support people, help them balance or relieve joints and he runs Nordic walking training around Canberra when there is demand. “When you press down, there’s 20cm of travel in the pole and you can get between 4kg and 10kg of resistance, which really helps with muscular engagement, walking posture and core strength,” he says. He aims to cater for older people with varying abilities.
“I do tailor specifically for people over 55 and being 67 myself, I am aware of the issues that impact on people, so I make exercises accordingly,” says Duncan. “It’s about providing a tool to assist people, it’s about quality of life and enabling them to move functionally and safely, and maintain their independence without pain, that’s the important thing; that’s front of mind.” BoomerAABS, call Duncan on 0404 373157, email info@boomeraabs. com.au, visit.boomeraabs.com. au or search BoomerAABS on Facebook.
BoomerAABS founder Duncan Craig.
Move with confidence for life! • Incontinence supplies, Catheters, and drainage bags, Pads and Pants • Braces (Back, Knee, Ankle, Wrist, Hernia) Moon Boots Adult and Children • Crutches and mobility walking aids and frames • Homecare products for the Bedroom and Bathroom-toilet aids and shower chairs and much more. • Electric Lift recliner chairs. Scooters, Walkers and mobility products.
Phone: 6174 4813
E-Mail: capitalrehabilitationsupplies@gmail.com 24 CityNews November 11-17, 2021
Restore wellbeing, independence and quality of life with exercise that is safe, functional, and provides social connection. Tailored exercise to improve your ability to move with confidence and a reduced falls risk in every day activities. Over 50’s Community Group Exercise classes and BungyPump-Nordic Walking training available NOW.
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advertising feature Special offer for respite care WARRIGAL Aged Care is reaching out to the Canberra community to offer some “much needed” respite. CEO Mark Sewell says: “We understand that many of us need a break, now more than ever, particularly as we have all been affected by the recent lockdowns. “Respite has positive benefits for not only the older people who are staying with Warrigal, but also their carers by allowing some peace of mind while they enjoy a break from their important caring roles.” Warrigal is running an offer, stay three weeks and get two free, which will run until December 31. It’s available at Warrigal Stirling, Warrigal Calwell and Warrigal Queanbeyan. Mark says it’s a great opportunity to get a feel for what supportive living in a residential care home is like and to experience the quality services that Warrigal has to offer. “We’re excited to be able to offer this free respite stay to the Canberra community, and we’re looking forward to providing them with a well-deserved break.” Warrigal Aged Care, call 1800 927744, email warrigal@warrigal.com.au or visit warrigal.com.au
Mark Sewell, CEO of Warrigal Aged Care.
CityNews November 11-17, 2021 25
CANBERRA REOPENS
It’s service with a big smile as businesses re-open IT’S been a tough few months for Canberra businesses trying to navigate the woes of lockdown, but as we head to Christmas, many are again able to open their doors to serve the community with fully stocked shelves and welcoming faces. To celebrate, “CityNews” spoke with a variety of businesses who are excited to be open again...
Gift a Smile Today
Get close to friendly, free-flying birds
The experts in all things scooters
THE birds are back and ready to interact at the Canberra Walk-in Aviary, says owner and manager Mick Logan. Although they’ll be operating under some covid restrictions, Mick says Canberrans are now able to get up close and personal with more than 500 native and exotic birds representing more than 60 different species. “Regents, princess parrots, superb parrots, cockatiels, lorikeets, doves, quails, even silkie bantams are just some of the species people can get close to,” says Mick. “In the wild there are some birds like king parrots and crimson rosellas, which can be quite tame and interactive, but the closest you could get is a couple of metres,” he says. “Here though, the birds will land on you and take food right from your hand!” Mick says that upon entry every visitor gets a small plate of food to take in with them to feed the birds. “It’s great fun for all ages,” says Mick. “We’ve had newborns visit the aviary all the way up to a 101 year-old. “Some people like to visit for about 30 minutes, others sit for hours enjoying the atmosphere.” He says the surrounding Gold Creek Village has plenty of other attractions to enjoy including cafes and gift shops. “Come to the aviary and make a day of it in Gold Creek Village,” he says.
HAVING started operations in 2008, Scooter Hut’s journey over the last 13 years has positioned it as the Scooter experts, says national retail operations manager Daniel Abbott. Stocking brands such as InMotion, eGlide, Segway Ninebot, Kaabo, Evolve Skateboards and Vivid Hoverboards, Daniel says the Scooter Hut team can help customers choose the perfect product for them. “Our staff are a diverse mix of people that consist of pro-riders, scooter enthusiasts, tech specialists and retail experts, all of whom unite to help our customers to choose the right scooter or accessory according to their specific needs,” says Daniel. “Backed up by our excellent customer service provided by world-class professionals with the best knowledge in the industry, [we’re] here for all your freestyle and electric scooter needs.” With flat-rate, worldwide shipping and a range of products including protective gear, parts, apparel and accessories, Daniel says Scooter Hut has the largest range at the best price. “Currently, we have 11 retail stores all with fully equipped service centres around Australia, along with our online website, Queensland-based customer service team and a range of different sales channels for our customers,” says Daniel.
Canberra Walk-in Aviary, Unit 13, Federation Square, O’Hanlon Place, Nicholls. Call 6230 2044 or visit canberrawalkinaviary.com.au
Happiness is… a big, bright yard card YARD Card is a new way to celebrate and spread joy for all special occasions, says owner Geoff Lang. Geoff says he was inspired to bring Yard Card to Canberra after seeing its popularity in the US grow online. “The recent lockdown inspired me to launch the business, to bring fun, creativity and joy to people,” says Geoff. With large, corflute “cards” available for all types of occasions from birthdays to graduations, anniversaries to new babies, Geoff works with customers to customise the wording and colour schemes and then deliver and set it up in a customer’s front yard at the time of their choosing. Geoff says Yard Cards work well as a surprise, bringing fun and happiness to the recipient. “I had one customer tell me it was the best birthday surprise he had ever received!” says Geoff. Geoff says that his website offers great inspiration ideas for the designs and he enjoys working with his customers to create the perfect yard card. “You can choose how many days you want the card to be in your yard for and we will collect it when the celebration is over. We do all the work, you just sit back and enjoy the smiles!” says Geoff. Visit yardcard.net.au or call 0435 765794.
Scooter Hut, Shop 2/31 Nettlefold Street, Belconnen. Call 6176 0565, email info@scooterhut.com.au, visit scooterhut.com.au or search ScooterHut on Instagram and Facebook.
Book A Yard Card Surprise!! Do you know someone, who has an upcoming... • Birthday • School event / Graduation • Engagement / Wedding
• Open House • Baby Announcement / Baby Shower • Anniversary / Retirement
Let us help surprise your friends, colleagues and family with a fun, & memorable personalised yard greeting. We deliver, set-up & pick-up, you can just enjoy the smiles!
www.yardcard.net.au 0435 765 794 26 CityNews November 11-17, 2021
advertising feature Skills for times of emergency LEAD emergency response specialist Alex Robertson says that Ferst Training Solutions focuses on giving people the skills and knowledge they need to deal with a range of emergencies. “Our emergency response training covers a wide range of threats Alex Robertson. and challenges such as fire evacuations, internal and external emergencies, active armed intruders and protests or riots,” says Alex. “We train anyone from education facilities, public institutions and local or federal government workplaces,” he says. “Being a local family-run business, we bring localised knowledge of areas and facilities,” he says. Alex says that Ferst prides itself on being embedded in the emergency response team and is available to clients 24/7. “We also have a risk-management specialist to provide highly qualified, specialist, risk-management advice and services,” he says. Alex says that Ferst has released a suite of online accredited and non-accredited training courses in addition to its onsite workplace training programs and encourages people to contact Ferst to book into the right training for their needs. Ferst Training Solutions. Visit ferst.com.au or call 1300 333778.
Nursery thrives after lockdown COOL Country Natives owner, Karen Brien, worked in construction until six and a half years ago, when she bought an office with a few tables of plants out the front. “I changed it and it just kept growing, it just got bigger and bigger and I actually didn’t think it would turn into this,” she says. Today, it’s become a nursery stocking hundreds of different species of plants. During lockdown, Karen wrote a list of species up on her website to keep customers updated on what’s available. “There were in excess of 750 on that list,” she says. “It’s grevillea season, they’re flowering; westringias are flowering, all the daisies are flowering, phebalium, prostanthera and eremophila, they’re all flowering and it’s not too late for planting. The amount of stock, and the variety in species has grown along with her. “Even if you’ve got these plants sitting on a shelf that are all the same species, they will have different forms and it’s a personal choice,” says Karen. “People can get stuff from us that they can’t get anywhere else.” Cool Country Natives, 5A Beltana Road, Pialligo. Call 6257 6666, email retail@coolcountrynatives.com.au or visit coolcountrynatives.com.au
We protect your most important asset, people Keeping your workplace safe, adhering to industry standards, and saving lives in the event of emergency is our passion at FERST. In the last decade we have proven ourselves to be the emergency response specialists, having worked with corporate, community and government. Call the Experts in Safety today: 1300 333 778 Clubs
Healthcare
Corporate
Retail
Community Groups Government
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RESPONSE
TRAINING
ferst.com.au
YES, WE ARE BACK Plenty of moisture in the soil It’s still time to plant natives!
BELCONNEN SCOOTER HUT STORE NOW OPEN SHOP 2 31-35 NETTLEFOLD STREET BELCONNEN ACT 2617
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OPEN 7 DAYS with Canberra’s largest range of native plants Covid restrictions enforced
5A Beltana Road, Pialligo, ACT 02 6257 6666 • www.coolcountrynatives.com.au CityNews November 11-17, 2021 27
CANBERRA REOPENS Igniting a love of learning Enrolling now for Term 4 & 2022
Give your child’s educational development a head start ★ Classes for children 5 months to 2 years of age ★ Independent Pre-Prschool program for 3 year olds ★ Preschool PLUS for 4 and over
★ Emphasis on development of motor skills, academic and social skills ★ Preparing children for formal schooling by introducing structure and routines in a play based fun and creative atmosphere
65 Sternberg Cres, Wanniassa www.kidstart.com.au PhONE: 0422 406 622
KIDSTART Southside Education and Activity Centre understands that the first five years of a child’s life are crucial for development, says owner Kristen O’Connor. “Kidstart offers classes for children from five months to five years of age to develop them socially, physically, emotionally and intellectually,” she says. Operating since 1996 and located in Wanniassa, Kristen says Kidstart offers three distinct and age-appropriate programs to ignite in kids a love of learning. This includes a “pre-preschool” program for children to attend by themselves in the year before preschool. “It focuses on literacy skills, social skills and all round school readiness so that children can thrive in a school format,” says Kristen. Kidstart is proud to have welcomed their 21st class of three-year-olds into the program. “It has been amazing to see 21 years worth of three-year-old Kidstart kids and their families growing, loving, enjoying and benefitting from the program,” says Kristen. “We are passionate about developing a love of learning in each and every child. “By allowing them to thrive in an educational setting and experience the joy in exploring and achieving, we hope learning will be a lifelong passion for all our Kidstart kids.” Enrolments are open for Kidstart Southside Education and Activity Centre, 65 Sternberg Crescent, Wanniassa. For enquiries visit kidstart.com.au or call 0422 406622.
Big sale at furniture store OWNER of Timberland Furniture Tony Purdy says he’s looking forward to people coming in and seeing what’s on offer, and it’s cheap! “We’ve got to clear a lot, a lot of our floor stock is discounted because our floor space is much smaller,” he says. There are bedroom settings, dining room suites, TV units, lounge room settings, coffee tables and lounges ready to go at the new location. “When we say half price, we mean half price,” says Tony. He is welcoming in friendly faces, excited to be open again and ready to get back to business. “People won’t buy our furniture online, you have to see it and touch it to judge whether or not it’s good value,” says Tony. Timberland Furniture, 100 Barrier Street, Fyshwick. Call 6280 7411, email timberlandfyshwick@gmail.com or visit timberlandfurniture.com
COME & VIEW OUR NEW SHOWROOM 100 BARRIER STREET FYSHWICK
COME OUT TO THE CANBERRA WALK-IN AVIARY
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Social distancing rules enforced
BOOK VIA OUR ‘BOOK NOW’ BUTTON ON canberrawalkinaviary.com.au
When accompanied by a full paying adult
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Unit 13 Federation Square, O’Hanlon Place, Nicholls canberrawalkinaviary.com.au 28 CityNews November 11-17, 2021
Phone
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100 BARRIER STREET, FYSHWICK | OPEN 7 DAYS E: timberlandfyshwick@gmail.com | www.canberracustomfurniture.com
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Pet gift store ready for Christmas shoppers SANDY Borgo, the owner of Charlie & Chums, has got pet and Australian-themed Christmas stock ready in store. “I’ve got Bristlebrush Christmas hanging ornaments and I’m getting more in soon. They’re little Australiana ones, so there’s kangaroos, koalas and kookaburras and platypus with little Christmas hats, and magpies, echidnas and emus are on the way,” says Sandy. She says she also has “beautiful, big glass ornaments,” in four different styles, ones with dogs, ones
with cats, ones with bones and ones with paws. For pets, Sandy has Christmas stockings to fill with gifts and treats for little furry friends, as well as a collar combo of antlers and bells. “I’ve got a Christmas selection now, and the usual lovely little things in here,” she says.
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GARDENING
Get to work, here comes the sun By Jackie
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Just about all vegetable seedlings can be planted out into the garden including pumpkins, basil, melons, and corn. We have a short growing season for some vegetables, such as pumpkins, and they need a quick start to get growing. Keep the water up to fruiting trees and monitor any traps you’ve set. WE’VE had another mild winter (the same as last year) and had a proliferation of fruit fly very early in our growing season. Normally, we have colder winters, which they don’t survive. Fruit fly is one of the most destructive pests in the vegetable garden. They cause the fruit to rot and become unusable. A home remedy to try is apple-cider vinegar and a drop of dishwashing liquid in a bowl covered with a tight cling wrap and secured with a rubber band. Poke small holes in the glad wrap and check every few days. Monitor and replace when required.
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The Mexican Orange Blossom (Choisya ternata)... can be grown as a low-growing hedge in the full sun or shade. Photo: Jackie Warburton THIS year, my native garden has been landscaped and has given me many different opportunities that were not available before. I am trialling a Gymea lily (Doryanthes excelsa) that I dug up from a garden in the Blue Mountains last year and I have nurtured it through winter to see how it goes in the garden. It’s tricky to grow in Canberra and have seen very few grow to flower. They make an excellent foliage plant and can be grown in a pot as well. A GOOD plant for Canberra
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PUMPS - TANKS - IRRIGATION - FILTRATION 30 CityNews November 11-17, 2021
Trichocereus huascha x formosa… cacti and succulents need good drainage and most require full sun. Photo: Jackie Warburton
gardens is the Mexican Orange Blossom (Choisya ternata). The aromatic fragrance is delightful in the garden and can be grown as a low-growing hedge in the full sun or shade. They are evergreen and grow to about two metres high and two metres wide. To keep Choisya lush and green, feed them acid-based fertiliser such as citrus food because they are from the same family as citrus and attract all the same pest problems that citrus trees have as well. Squash caterpillars that you see to keep their numbers down. ROSES can benefit from being picked and more flowers will come. For most roses there will be a set of five leaves further down the stem and cut at that point for pruning. Many years ago, there was a debate as to whether to cut the first set of five leaves or the second set of five leaves. Prune to an outward-facing bud and keep the centre of the bush free of leaves for good airflow. My favourite manure for roses is either sheep or cow. It enhances the colour and vibrancy of the flowers and really does make a difference. Irrigation should be kept to ground watering and not overhead watering. There will be a lot of aphids on the buds and try to refrain from spraying with anything
other than a blast of water. Squash as many aphids as you can and plant flowering insectattracting plants below to bring predatory insects that eat aphids. I have a mass of orange and yellow Calendula under my roses to attract hoover flies that eat aphids and then let the biodiversity work for itself in the garden. THE first two weeks of November are peak flowering times for outdoor cacti in the garden. There are many cacti and succulents that are suitable to grow successfully in Canberra. They need good drainage and most require full sun. Succulents are different to all other plants because their respiratory system is different, and cacti have glochids where spines form. I have travelled to NZ and all round Australia looking at gardens of these unusual plants and collecting can be addictive. I still have many outdoor succulents and am reducing my potted collection to make room in my main glasshouse for other plants. There is a really good example of a succulent garden at the National Arboretum and it is the only public succulent garden in Canberra and worth having a look at what can grow well in local conditions. jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
INSIDE
He’s back! Movie reviews
DOUGAL MACDONALD
Ronan sets his sights on musical snootiness By Helen
MUSA ARMED with talent and a handy dash of pragmatism, Canberra pianist and composer Ronan Apcar is determined to get the snootiness out of music recitals. Apcar, a third-year piano and composition student at the ANU School of Music, is about to make his Art Song Canberra debut accompanying soprano Sarahlouise Owens in a concert devoted to new works by Canberra composers. It’s not the first time we’ve heard of him. After performing around town with the Canberra Sinfonia and the ANU Orchestra, in May he was chosen by Canberra International Music Festival director Roland Peelman to be its designated “young artist”. In June, after recording in Llewellyn Hall, he released an album of solo piano pieces, including seven world-premiere recordings, by Dulcie Holland, the legendary Australian educator and composer, whose work he had researched during his second year at ANU. “Bright Star” is, of course, the title of a famous poem by John Keats and it’s been the inspiration for a new composition by 2019 “CityNews” Artist of the Year, Mike Dooley in
the Art Song recital. But it might just as well apply to the 21-year-old Apcar, who also attended the 13th International Music Festival in Moscow in 2019 and will be seen with the Sydney Contemporary Orchestra next year. Apcar is known for canvassing jazz, avant-garde, classical and contemporary, with a special penchant for the works of Irish singer-songwriter Róisín Murphy and tells me: “I don’t like to be pigeonholed and my honours project next year will be about breaking down boundaries in terms of genre… seeing new ways. “There’s a lot of tradition and protocol in classical music; it can be exclusionary and intimidating so I’ve got to look at ways of breaking down the barriers, maybe changing the instruments and playing in fun ways.” Perhaps a little disingenuously, Apcar describes himself as “self-taught,” having started learning his keyboard skills on a Nintendo device when he was a child, moving to the piano of his father, who played blues for a hobby, then plundering his sister’s music books. “But I had a lot of bad habits so eventually I got a teacher, who straightened me out,” he says. He likes to stay open-minded about pre-20th century music, which he likes, but asks himself all the time: “How can I use my training to break the rules?” Here’s his beef: “Newcomers to classical
Ronan Apcar… “How can I use my training to break the rules?” Photo: Queena Kuang music can be put off because it’s hiding behind ritual and tradition and questions about when you clap and what you wear.” “When Roland [Peelman] asked me to do a solo recital at the music festival, I was so ecstatic when he said: ‘I want you to do a solo recital but I want it to be left of field’.” The result was a recital upstairs at Verity Lane Markets in an empty space where
people would bring food or drink from downstairs. With a mixed bag of very short pieces – everything from Stravinsky tangos to a Gershwin medley and an Armenian piece played in homage to his own family background – Apcar found new audiences for music who, he thinks, enjoyed it because it was so casual and even funny. “I do think they were really listening and
everyone had a favourite,” he says. One thing Apcar can’t tolerate is simply not performing, a problem during lockdown, and here’s where his pragmatism comes in. His former piano teacher Wendy Lorenz invited him to play piano and organ at the First Church of Christ in Barton and he jumped at it, partly as an excuse to get himself out of bed on a Sunday, while also recognising that when you’re a classically trained pianist, there aren’t all that many spots. There he met Owens, who performs regularly as a solo soprano. Owens was one of the lucky recipients in 2020 of an Arts ACT Homefront grant and the concert, “Bright Star”, is the result of her commissioning works from three Canberra composers. Apart from the title song, Mike Dooley has also written a three-piece suite, “Hymn to the Trinity”. There will also be a piece by Sally Greenaway called “Cocooned in Breath” involving piano, soprano and a kind of crystal Tibetan singing-bowl to create a soundscape. Finally, Margaret Legge-Wilkinson has written “Girls and Horses in the Fire,” a work based around the 2003 bushfires in which she lost her home. “Bright Star”, Wesley Music Centre, 3pm, Sunday, November 14. Book at trybooking.com/BRXBG
50 original artworks. One extraordinary exhibition. A gallery that isn’t a gallery. That’s the GX Art Trail at Ginninderry. An exhibition of 50 original artworks and sculptures by local artists, all on show (and on sale) in and around display homes at the GX Display Village. The exhibition ends in December, so don’t miss this unique opportunity. A R T WO R K It’s so peceful in the deep, Kate Bender, Painting, Oil on canvas, Size: 152cm x 137cm
Open every Friday to Sunday from 10am-4pm GX Display Village, Bonthrone Street, Strathnairn ginninderry.com/art-trail CityNews November 11-17, 2021 31
WATCH IT! / streaming and stuff
Cowboy cliffhanger sets the mood “REVENGE is worth the wait,” proclaims the promotion for the fourth season of the barbarous cowboy saga “Yellowstone”. It’s a nod to the show’s heavy production delays due to the pandemic, and a promise to the millions of fans hanging out after an explosive season three cliffhanger that the next set of episodes, now streaming on Stan, will deliver on the high expectations. Kevin Costner is the focal point of this drama series that’s described by chief writer Taylor Sheridan as “‘The Godfather’ set on the largest ranch in Montana”. Costner inhabits John Dutton: the owner of the ranch and the patriarch ready to do whatever necessary to protect it from the entities it’s perennially clashing with: a town eager to expand, an Indian reservation and the famous national park the show is named after. “Leverage is knowing that if someone had all the money in the world, this is what they’d buy,” says Dutton in the show’s movie-length first episode that introduces viewers to a consortium of shady players. The crux of “Yellowstone” is its compelling clash of landscapes. There’s the domain of the cowboy: the rugged, open landscape of the American West that’s inevitably encroached upon by the shiny, high-rise world of developers, lawyers and politicians. Then there’s the land of the native Americans that coats the family’s “ownership” in a whole new layer of complexity. While the first season of “Yellowstone” can at times trip over its many moving parts, by season two there’s a firm grip of the reins that makes keeping up with the pace much easier and despite the writing slipping into occasional doses of overindulgence, it represents one of Stan’s best offerings. SPEAKING of buck-wild TV, a certain mulleted zookeeper has reared his head in a follow up to one of Netflix’s most popular docuseries. “Tiger King 2” is hitting Netflix on November 17, a sequel to the tale almost impossible to swallow as true: the fierce battle between big-cat collectors that culminated in a murder plot. At the centre of it all was Joe Exotic, a zookeeper who made his own music videos, did magic tricks and kept an ambush of tigers as pets. With a character as outlandish as this, “Tiger King” became easy pickings for memes during the beginning of the pandemic last year – a time where internet usage was at an all-time high. Now in season two, interviews conducted with Joe from prison reveal the events that followed his incarceration, including his hopes that Donald Trump would provide him with a presidential pardon in the last days of his term.
Henry’s top of the pops princesses ARTS IN THE CITY
By Helen Musa IN another coup for Alex Budd and his staff at Canberra Theatre “Six”, the musical celebrating the six wives of Henry VIII, is premiering at the theatre at an unnamed time in the New Year. Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr become “pop princesses” in the manner of Adele, Lily Allen and Ariana Grande, with support from the band Ladies in Waiting. The booking waitlist is at canberratheatrecentre.com.au SHORTIS and Simpson were swamped with bookings for their next satirical show at Smith’s Alternative, but “Under the Influence” with Keith Potger, can be seen at The National Theatre, Braidwood, 3pm on Sunday, November 21, book at circlemusic.iwannaticket.com.au AND the satirical duo have a completely different show, “A Shot in the Arm” at The Crisp Galleries, Bowning, 5pm, on Saturday, December 18. Book at trybooking.com NANCY Sever has added another local artist to her portfolio with the opening of “Terraform” (meaning “earth shaping”), an exhibition of recent landscapes by Bungendore artist Kerry McInnis, with a focus on monoliths and the waters that flow around them. Nancy Sever Gallery, Level 1, 131 City Walk, Civic, until December 5.
Kevin Costner in “Yellowstone”. It will be interesting to see how much “Tiger King 2” retains the prolific popularity of its predecessor. Another hit, or will it turn out that Joe Exotic was merely a passing pandemic fad? John Dutton and Joe Exotic are back, but November will also see another figurehead of entertainment back in the streaming world. COMING out on Disney Plus on November 25 is “Get Back” – an ambitious, archival documentary on The Beatles from “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson. Like the director has done with his other epic films, this documentary will be split into three parts, each about two hours in length. Jackson and the production team got a hold of more than 55 hours of archival footage to edit into this “streaming event” that promises a deep dive into the crafting of one of the band’s most popular albums.
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Its release will be right on time with Disney’s gazillionth addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe: “Hawkeye” – where Jeremy Renner will pick the bow back up to reprise his role as the deadshot archer. And that’s only a few weeks before their next Star Wars spin-off “The Book of Boba Fett” – that follows the iconic bounty hunter first popularised in “The Empire Strikes Back”. How much further can Disney possibly go with this spin-off business? Profitable indeed, but the legacy of legendary franchises such as “Star Wars” just seems a little more eroded with each passing instalment. Perhaps the mouse should heed some of the words of wisdom from the Beatles at this point and let it be.
THE next season of SummerSalt concerts will be at Stage 88 early next year, with a line-up of artists including Missy Higgins, Xavier Rudd, Birds of Tokyo, The Waifs, Pete Murray, The Dreggs & Tulliah. The idea is to enjoy live music among local market stalls, food trucks and beverage booths. Book at ticketmaster.com.au “CHIAROSCURO”, the much-anticipated new play by David Atfield, will have an airing at the Courtyard Studio, November 24-27, as part of the Canberra Theatre’s New Works program. The play explores Caravaggio’s place in queer history, unravelling tradition and history in an erotic psychodrama about art and religion. Book at canberratheatrecentre.com.au POP painter Johnny Romeo returns to Aarwun Gallery with his latest retrospective, “Colossal Youth”, featuring his quirky appropriations of celebrity culture in larger-than-life pop imagery of Elvis, Marilyn, Jimmy Dean and other legends. Shop 11, O’Hanlon Place, Nicholls until December 5.
Johnny Romeo, Blue Suede, 2018, acrylic and oil on canvas.
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CINEMA
The Italian film festival’s accent on nostalgia By Helen Musa
AS the spiritual home to visual arts, Italy has always punched above its weight in cinema, as the coming Italian Film Festival amply demonstrates. Nostalgia dominates in this year’s event, seen in a retrospective paying tribute to the neo-realist director (and sometime husband of Ingrid Bergman) Roberto Rossellini and culminating in the classic film “Rome, Open City” will close the festival. The film, which follows a group of characters coping under the Nazi occupation, will be screened after other Rossellini classics such as “Amore”, “Journey to Italy”, “Paisan” and “Stromboli”. Continuing the sentimental journey, the festival also pays homage to legendary screen goddesses Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida and Claudia Cardinale in films such as Vittorio De Sica’s “Marriage Italian Style”, Melvin Frank’s “Buona Sera, Mrs Campbell” and Luchino Visconti’s “The Leopard”. The theme of homage to the cinematic past is also seen in “Fellini Forward: From the Creative Genius of Federico Fellini”, a contemporary venture from directing duo Zackary Canepari and Drea Cooper. This year’s first night will feature the Australian premiere of Daniele Luchetti’s “The Ties”, the first Italian film to have opened the 2020 Venice Film Festival in 11 years.
Based on the 2014 novel by Domenico Starnone, the lavish film follows a developing marital crisis, over a long period from the 1980s to now. Partly set in Naples, it’s been billed as having “Ferrante flavour”, a reference to best-selling novelist Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan tetralogy. A “family film” section looks to encourage future generations of Italian film-watchers, with the Christmas-themed movie, “When Mum is Away… With the Family”, following the misadventures of the Rovelli family and “Glass Boy”, about a young boy usually confined to his bedroom setting out to prove he can live like a normal child. For ages 15 and over are “Sirley”, based on director Elisa Amoruso’s own adolescence and “Cam’s War”, which follows a young boy and his sister on a dangerous journey through an apocalyptic world – that’s also part of “The Female Lens” section. A notable feature of the festival is its emphasis on covering various regions of Italy in its selections. From Calabria, for instance, comes the centrepiece selection “To Chiara”, the gripping story of a 15-year-old girl whose family life starts to unravel when she discovers her beloved father may have criminal ties. Although nearby Campania comes a close second. Lazio, of which Rome is the capital, unsurprisingly claims the lion’s share of the selections, with a recent hit in director Nanni Moretti’s film, “Three Floors”, which traces the disparate lives of three families who live in the same fashionable Roman apartment block.
Real life is the source of many selected films, as with “Padrenostro,” where a 10-year-old boy witnesses an assassination attempt on his father in a personal drama inspired by co-director Claudio Noce’s own family trauma. “Paolo Conte, Via Con Me” is a documentary following the life and work of Italian singer and composer Paolo Conte, interwoven with reflections by figures such as Roberto Benigni and Isabella Rossellini. “Tigers” from Lombardy is the true
story of former Inter Milan player Martin Bengtsson’s ride through the dark side of professional soccer. And “Hidden Away” is a biopic about the troubled life of artist Antonio Ligabue, one of the most important Naïve artists of the 20th century. Comedy is not forgotten. “Three Perfect Daughters” sees three friends try to hinder the love affairs of their daughters, while “If You Care for Me”, from Piedmont, is a comedy about a man with a knack for
accidentally setting off catastrophes who decides to help out people around him. The outrageous “Like A Cat On A Highway 2”, the sequel to the comedy smash hit “Like a Cat on a Highway”, sees Paola Cortellesi and Antonio Albanese back as the foulmouthed, tattooed Monica and radical-chic intellectual Giovanni, three years since the end of their love story. Italian Film Festival, November 17-December 12. Book at italianfilmfestival.com.au
CINEMA / reviews
Lic # 1993 14963
The meal that changed a nation’s taste “Julia” (M) FOR 95 minutes, this documentary memorialises the woman who changed American eating habits. After receiving the Emblem of Meritorious Civilian Service for World War II service in the Office of Strategic Security in south-east Asia and China citing her “drive and inherent cheerfulness”, in 1961 she published “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”. Julia Child embarked on that career after a meal at La Couronne in Rouen; oysters, sole meunière and fine wine, a culinary revelation that she described to “The New York Times” as “opening up of the soul and spirit for me”. This film, directed by Julie Cohen and Betsy West, mines a mixed trove of moments from Julia’s public and private lives until her death in 2021 aged 91. Packed with culinary images, it regrettably doesn’t come with smells or tastes. But it delivers an attractive mix of kitchen wisdom with insight into a marriage that by all accounts was enviable for its harmony, congeniality and productivity. Despite becoming a TV icon, Julia wasn’t a classic beauty – nearly 1.8 metres tall, solidly framed – but her cheerful enthusiasm, distinctive voice and unpatronising, unaffected manner combined to deliver an attractive woman. Does watching “Julia” demonstrate culinary skills? I now know what I was not doing right with beef bourguignon. She demonstrates the correct way to hold a slicing knife that I hope to find useful once I master it. And lots more kitchen wisdom. If her cinematic legacy manifests a defect, it is the unstated implication that an essential ingredient in practising what she taught is deep
Julia Child… healthy-eating fanatics may find her prolific use of some ingredients bordering on reprehensible! pockets. And healthy-eating fanatics may find her prolific use of some ingredients bordering on reprehensible! Meanwhile, her posthumous cinematic biography marks a pleasurable return to watching movies on the big screen for which they were made. At Dendy and Palace Electric
“The Many Saints of Newark” (MA) I CONFESS without a skerrick of shame that I have never watched any episode in the American TV series “The Sopranos”. Which puts me somewhat behind the eight ball when reviewing this two hours of big screen punishmentless (relatively, at least; in a real world, its events would have had police forces
scrambling to arrest a large proportion of its characters) crime. “The Many Saints of Newark” is a prequel to “The Sopranos”. In one way, that makes my task of reviewing it easier. Tell it as I found it. Which is, that it’s a very unpleasant crime drama manifesting a continuing flow of murder, vile behaviour, unprintable vocabulary and other moral turpitudes. The writers are David Chase (creator and producer of the TV series from 1999 to 2007) and Lawrence Konner. Director Alan Taylor’s career (38 titles) has been mostly in TV series – including nine “Sopranos” episodes. In places, his visual style struck me as quirky. Ray Liotta and Vera Farmiga lead a cast of 70 credited characters and 80 extras named by IMDb but otherwise uncredited. Its narrative is packed with ethnic differences – bad Italian guys bullying and shooting Afro-American prey. It subjugates women to minor status. The automobile cast includes some very big gas-guzzlers. Some get crushed in the rush. Is the film a cautionary tale targeting the impressionable? Will its crime-may-pay-but-risks-of-early-death-are-high message reach and convert any young hoodlum who sees it? The only moral or creative reason that I can perceive for making it is possible box-office success. For which I am not optimistic.
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At all cinemas
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MEIKLE CityNews November 11-17, 2021 33
WINE
ART
Blending wine is a numbers game WINE blends mean that you are putting your faith in the winemaker to ensure that the varietals in the mix are more than the sum of their parts. This was expressed in an article in the “Wine Enthusiast” magazine: “The art of blending… is to take individual pieces and make the sum of what you’re blending better than those individual pieces you started out with.” Recently, these thoughts came to mind as I tasted an unusual, young blended red: a 2020 Grenache Touriga (a Portuguese grape variety) from Hither & Yon in the McLaren Vale. It was a delight to drink young, with a strawberry/cherry flavour that finished well, a good length for a wine so young. As we were drinking this wine, my companion asked, quite innocently, how much of the grape variety needs to be present for the vintner to market a wine as, say, a grenache or a shiraz rather than as a blend? I blurted out from some hidden well of knowledge
that in this country it is 85 per cent. But just as where in any context if you have acquired and then stored this sort of knowledge in your subconscious, it’s always best to check an objective source before you rely on that knowledge. The lawyer in me harrumphs and then articulates that admonition. At the same
time, I ask: are there a lot of first-person singular objective pronouns… or is it just me? In any event, I scuttled off to my computer and looked at the blending rules summarised on the Wine Australia website. There are in fact rules about minimum compositional requirements when making vintage, variety and geographical claims. Let’s focus on the one that governs when you can call something 100 per cent of that particular grape variety ie, call it a grenache or a shiraz per the earlier question. Well, defying mathematics, its actually the number I mentioned: 85 per cent. And further in defiance of numbers logic, if a winemaker adds juice or concentrate to a wine in order to, say, add sweetness that dollop doesn’t count towards varietal composition so long as less than 5 per cent is added. Another relevant rule is that you also can’t leave a variety off a wine label unless you have listed all of the varieties that appear in greater proportions on that label. Wine Australia uses an example to clarify (?) the rules. They say that if a wine is 70 per cent semillon, 20 per cent chardonnay and 10 per cent sauvignon blanc, you can’t label your wine as semillon sauvignon blanc. The wine would either need to be labelled as “Semillon Chardonnay” or “Semil-
“The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it.” – George Bernard Shaw
Emerson Radisich.
Photo: Rachel Maude
Emerson gets nod to lead Artspace EMERSON Radisich has been confirmed as executive director of M16 Artspace in Griffith. Radisich moved to Canberra from Melbourne in late 2020 to become exhibitions and promotions coordinator at M16 Artspace. Following retiring director Jas Hugonnet’s departure to Victoria this year, he acted in the position of executive director for five months before this confirmation. He was welcomed by the chair of the M16 board, Vasiliki Nihas, as “a new, high-calibre executive director hailing from Melbourne’s edgy street art scene” who had, she added, “already begun making a characteristically quiet, thoughtful impact on the local Canberra arts scene”. Originally from NZ, Radisich worked in artist-run spaces and public galleries including the Adam Gallery, Wellington, the Auckland Art Gallery, and Mouthfull, Wellington, and he is already planning a NZ exchange/ artist residency for M16Artspace. – Helen Musa
DINING / Museum Café
usic, M e r o M un... More F
Brunch with a view is brilliant BRUNCH is just brilliant on a pictureperfect day at a café with a magnificent view… especially when you haven’t dined out on brunch for yonks because of covid.
THE CLASSIC BREAKFAST with Holmsey & Jen
5.30AM TO 9AM WEEKDAYS How to listen: 1053 AM DAB Radio • www.2ca.com.au Smart speakers (just say “Play 2CA”) 34 CityNews November 11-17, 2021
lon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc”. And in further confirmation of the 85 per cent rule: “You couldn’t label your wine as just ‘semillon’ because less than 85 per cent of the blend is semillon.” I called Rachel Triggs, general manager, Corporate Affairs and Regulation at Wine Australia and she indicated the 85 per cent rule was compatible with overseas standards including the standard accepted by the world wine trade group and the members of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine – with 42 members of which Australia is one. I asked why disclosure of all varietals is made on wine labels and Rachel said it’s because of recognised practice of topping barrels and the like, and giving winemakers flexibility in adjusting profiles between one vintage and the next. The rule has been in force since the early 1990s and there is no intention that it will change. I asked: “Don’t consumers need to know the other varietals in the wine?” and Rachel said: “Well, at the end of the day if it’s got 85 per cent of shiraz it’s going to taste like a shiraz.” Seems we are putting faith in our winemakers at every turn.
And so it was that we landed at the Museum Café, National Museum of Australia, on one of the outdoor balconies right on the water. Add to the experience stunning architecture, cultural institutions now open and the Museum Shop, a fabulous shop featuring an ever-expanding range of quality Australian-made gifts, home and lifestyle, clothing and other items. The café is run by the museum’s exclusive caterer, Broadbean Catering, which is truly committed to sourcing local produce and ramping up menus each season. We found it difficult to decide what to order, not because we’re out of practice but because the brunch menu is delish, making the ultimate choice challenging. In the end, I settled on the Cypriot grilled haloumi and free-range egg roll with an intense house-made tomato jam ($13.50). The haloumi was chewy and salty, just as I love it, and the eggs cooked perfectly – not too hard and not too runny. It hit the spot. My only comment (and personal preference) is the quantity of jam was a bit overboard and, therefore, a bit overwhelming. My friend was thrilled with her avo, poached eggs, zucchini, seeds, herbs and goat’s cheese dish ($19.50). The avo was a super generous serve and lovely and creamy. The dish looked stunning on the plate and the ingredients popped with flavour and crunch. Other brunch options include eggs benedict ($18.80), eggs cooked your way ($12.50) and buttermilk pancakes with berry compote and maple mascarpone ($17.50). Add as many extra elements as you’d like. We indulged in bacon, which came wonderfully crispy ($5). Toasties and light meals and snacks are also on the Museum Café’s menu, and lunch looked intriguing, too.
Cypriot grilled haloumi and free-range egg roll with a house-made tomato jam. Photo: Wendy Johnson You order at the counter at the Museum Café and this is where we spotted a line-up of drop dead gorgeous looking treats. We couldn’t resist so we picked up one each to take home. My raspberry and dark chocolate tart was divine, and not too sweet. The balance of tart raspberry and chocolate was perfect and the crumb on top elegant ($7.90). My friend reported her rosewater and pistachio meringue ($5.50) was crisp and light on the outside and a perfect texture on the inside. Other treats include a chocolate and caramel biscuit ($5.90), lemon and blueberry polenta cake ($7.90) and an orange and almond cake ($6.90). Service was friendly and superefficient and a big thanks to the large bike club that arrived just before us. They kindly let us jump to the front of the queue so we wouldn’t have to wait too long. Nice one.
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Your week in the stars By Joanne Madeline Moore
hi-micro
General knowledge crossword No. 807
November 15-21, 2021
C O M P U T E R S YS T E M S
L A P TO P / D E S K TO P C O M P U T E R S A L E S & R E PA I R S DATA R E C OV E RY UPGRADES ON ALL BRANDS TRADE-INS N E W & U S E D L A P TO P S A N D P C O N S I T E S E RV I C E
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
Joint ventures, secret deals and trust issues are on the table. But don’t spoil a potentially productive week by being gung-ho and reckless (especially on Wednesday and Thursday). Slow down, think before you speak and consult with loved ones and colleagues before you make an important move. Friday’s Full Moon highlights hiccups in your financial management. Strive to be less impulsive and extravagant, and more cautious with cash and credit.
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)
This week’s Full Moon (in your sign) emphasises your practical side. So do your best to handle current situations in a suitably sensible and pragmatic fashion. When it comes to a romance, work partnership or joint venture, avoid getting stuck in a boring rut. Innovative Uranus pushes you to find creative ways to express yourself personally and within relationships. But don’t believe everything you hear! Keep your Bulldust Detector switched onto high.
FREE QUOTES
M O N - F R I 8 . 3 0 A M - 5 . 3 0 P M SAT - 9 A M - 12 P M H I - M I C RO C O M P U T E R S 6 / 18 W H YA L L A S T F YS H W I C K PH 6280 7520 W W W. H I - M I C RO . C O M
GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)
With the help of the Full Moon, use the power of your fertile imagination and trusty intuition to get to the bottom of a problem that’s been bothering you. If you listen to the wisdom of your inner voice (and pay attention to the symbolism in your dreams) it will point you in the right direction. You’re keen to communicate creatively with work colleagues or do a favour for a close friend. But don’t get carried away and promise more than you can actually deliver.
CANCER (June 22 – July 23)
The silvery, changeable Moon is your power planet, and many sensitive Crabs feel emotionally volatile and vulnerable around the time of the Full Moon. Friday’s full moonbeams are in earthy, sturdy Taurus, so you’ll feel more grounded (and less moody) than usual. But the Mars/Uranus opposition could disrupt a relationship, so be careful and consistent in the way you communicate with others (especially children, teenagers, colleagues and close friends).
LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)
With Saturn and Jupiter transiting through your partnership zone, accept extra relationship responsibilities with good humour as you show others what you are really capable of. But – courtesy of the Mars/Uranus opposition on Wednesday – expect some disruptions at home or work. When it comes to your daily routine, things will gradually settle down if you choose diplomacy over drama, encouragement over criticism and acceptance over judgement.
VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)
Courtesy of Venus, a relationship with a child, teenager or close friend should gradually improve. But expect some drama with a relative or neighbour, when hidden tensions bubble to the surface. Be extra diplomatic and try not to take criticism personally. Social media is also a potential minefield this week, as Mars and Uranus stir up your communication zone. So be careful you don’t send the wrong message to the wrong person at the wrong time!
ROOF MAINTENANCE Down
1 Name the capital city of Macedonia. (6) 8 What is another term for a holiday? (8) 9 Which other expression describes a narcotic? (6) 10 What do we call one having the same name as another? (8) 11 Name a table wine of Bordeaux, France. (6) 12 What, in two-up, is the tossing of the coins into the air? (4) 13 What is a set of containers for salt, pepper, mustard, etc? (5) 16 Who was a convert and companion of the apostle, Paul? (5) 19 Who, in Greek mythology, was regarded as the goddess of the rainbow? (4) 21 To be imprisoned, is to be where? (2,4) 22 What was the given name of Disraeli? (8) 23 Which Memorial Medal is awarded for distinguished work in Australian engineering? (6) 24 Name a game of chance played at a table. (8) 25 To display indignation, is to do what? (6)
2 What is an elongated, yellow-skinned potato? (7) 3 Name an extensive treeless tract of land in the US, for example. (7) 4 What are the items in a program of a number of sports? (6) 5 Which term describes a stately procession? (7) 6 Name a lofty tower attached to a Muslim mosque. (7) 7 What are supplements to documents? (7) 13 Which informal term suggests mates or pals? (7) 14 Which radioactive element is the basis of the atomic bomb? (7) 15 What are prolonged outbursts of denunciation? (7) 17 When one hurts or impairs, one does what? (7) 18 Name a mythological animal with a single long horn. (7) 20 What is a weight of lead, attached to a fishing line? (6)
LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)
Stylishly elegant Librans appreciate quality and luxury, but don’t overdo it or you’ll end up being the most beautiful bankrupt on the block! This week Mars, Uranus and the Full Moon stir up your money/self-esteem zone. So it’s time to get your finances in order, and be true to the authentic you. Draw inspiration from actress Goldie Hawn (who celebrates her 76th birthday on Sunday): “I want to dig deep and ask – Who am I? What do I have to offer? What do I have to learn?”
Solution next edition
Across
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Sudoku medium No. 304
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SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)
It’s time to take a leap of faith that could point you in a dynamic new direction! Embrace fear and take courageous action, as brave Mars (in your sign) connects with revolutionary Uranus. Dare to do something ambitious and capricious that you’ve always wanted to do. Draw inspiration from Scorpio birthday great, painter Georgia O’Keeffe: “I’ve been terrified every moment of my life – and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.”
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SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)
Your Precious ‘Old’ Jewellery - well it used to be... now maybe... It’s just old - and a bit worn out, or costs too much to fix... probably never be worn again... You keep the memories - perhaps, we could buy the goods?
The Full Moon focus is on your daily routine and relationships with work colleagues but expect some surprising developments and stressful moments. Resist the urge to be argumentative, extravagant and super self-indulgent. Try to ground your fiery energy and calm your mind. Your motto for the week is from actress Goldie Hawn (who turns 76 on Sunday): “The ability to remain calm and focused in stressful situations is central to making positive decisions.”
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)
This week’s Full Moon favours romance, friendships, socialising, entertaining and networking as you mix and mingle with a wide range of people (in Covid-appropriate ways). But be careful how you communicate with others on the weekend. Otherwise your confidence could be misinterpreted as cockiness, and your calm approach mistaken for coldness. Are you looking for love? You could find yourself attracted to someone who is not your usual type.
AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)
Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2021
Solutions – November 4 edition Sudoku hard No. 303
PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)
Are your aspirations ambitious enough? There’s no room for false modesty or passive procrastination this week! Friday’s Full Moon stimulates your thought processes and encourages you to come up with a cracking plan and then stick to it, with patience and perseverance. Having a positive attitude is certainly to be encouraged. But make sure you’re not adopting a ‘Pisces Pollyanna approach’ by putting your head in the sand and avoiding real problems in your life.
Solution next edition
Crossword No. 806
The Venus/Uranus trine promises lots of love, laughter and creative inspiration. Romance could blossom (suddenly), or a friendship could be rekindled. Adventure calls, as you tune into the Wild Child within. But Wednesday’s Mars/Uranus opposition could really stir up your restless and reckless side, as you unleash your Inner Rebel. Try to do so in appropriate ways that don’t upset loved ones, antagonise authority figures or endanger your personal safety.
CityNews November 11-17, 2021 35
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