CityNews 220512

MAY 12, 2022

Well written, well read

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PRISON SERVICE SHAME

A FORMER senior director of operations at Canberra’s jail has blown the lid on drug parties attended by prison officers.

In an explosive account of how some Alexander Maconochie Centre staff behave after hours, a story confirmed by other serving and former officers, we reveal claims of: • STAFF ‘COCAINE’ PARTIES • AN AFFAIR WITH AN EX-INMATE • MYSTERY OF THE MISSING PHOTOS • SENIOR OFFICERS PICTURED IN A HOT TUB WITH JUNIORS • INTEGRITY REPORTS ‘IGNORED’

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NEWS

Kylie urges her nurses to stand up and be heard

By Belinda

STRAHORN VIOLENCE against nurses in the workplace should not be tolerated, says Australian College of Nursing (ACN) CEO Kylie Ward.

The recent ACT recipient of the 2022 Australian Awards for Excellence in Women’s Leadership, Ms Ward highlighted the fact that too many nurses are being subjected to violence as they go about their work.

“Nurses historically experience more violence in their work than police officers and prison guards,” Ms Ward says.

“Why is it okay for nurses to go to work and be hurt, injured and abused?”

Ms Ward – a nurse of 31 years, former executive director of nursing and midwifery and experienced CEO – says that, as a community, we shouldn’t be condoning this kind of behaviour.

“When it’s okay for nurses to be the profession experiencing the most occupational violence, then what is it saying about what’s happening in homes all around the country,” Ms Ward says.

Created in 2014, the annual awards celebrate outstanding women nationally who have led across various sectors and industries.

Kylie Ward… “If I can stop occupational violence towards nurses, then we will go a long way in stopping it towards women and children.”

Photo: Nick Leary Toll Global Express CEO Christine Holgate – who experienced an unceremonious ousting from Australia Post in 2020 – was given the national award, while Ms Ward was named the ACT winner.

Ms Ward intends to use the recognition of her award to stamp out violence in the workplace.

“If I can stop occupational violence towards nurses, then we will go a long way in stopping it towards women and children,” says Ms Ward.

INDEX Arts & Entertainment 35-38 Canberra Matters 12 Cinema & Streaming 38 Crossword & Sudoku 39 Dining 37 Garden 34 Horoscopes 39 Letters 22 News 5-22 Politics 8, 14 Whimsy 16

During the pandemic when nurses were under unprecedented strain and stress, Ms Ward says the levels of abuse and violence towards nurses escalated.

“There were weekends where I had over 200 nurses connect with me to share their stories and fears,” Ms Ward says.

“Nurses were being harassed, and abused not only at work but on their way home. One nurse said she went to the gym after work and was spat on and

Since 1993: Volume 28, Number: 19

Cover: The Alexander Maconochie Centre.

Story Page 20.

Well written, well read

Ph 02 6189 0777 Fax 02 6189 0778 9b/189 Flemington Rd, Mitchell 2911

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Ian Meikle, 9b/189 Flemington Road, Mitchell.

Managing director: Kate Meikle, kate@citynews.com.au Sales director: Tracey Avery, 0477 939999 Senior advertising account executive: David Cusack, 0435 380656 Advertising account executives: Damien Klemke, 0439 139001 Tim Spare, 0423 381691 Editor: Ian Meikle, editor@citynews.com.au Journalists: Belinda Strahorn, belinda@citynews.com.au; Nick Overall, nick@citynews.com.au; Lily Pass, lily@citynews.com.au Arts editor: Helen Musa, helen@citynews.com.au Production manager: Janet Ewen Graphic Designer: Issy Doszpot Proof reader: Glenda Anderson Distribution manager: penny@citynews.com.au

shouted at for bringing diseases in.

“People underestimate just how much nurses cop, and what they have to endure to be a part of a caring profession.”

Raised in Emu Plains, in the Blue Mountains, Ms Ward began her nursing career at Westmead Hospital after graduating from Western Sydney University in 1991.

“I’m probably not a girl that should have made it, based on my humble beginnings,” Ms Ward says.

“I didn’t grow up in a wealthy suburb or on the popular side of town, so I know how to fight, in the sense that I know what it’s like not to be seen.”

Ms Ward’s long and varied career includes stints as an intensive care and aged-care nurse, a university lecturer and, more recently, an expert in transformational leadership, culture and change management.

She knows what it takes to be a leader in health care.

“Leadership is about courage and convictions and staying true to what you know is right,” Ms Ward says.

“We can all get busy in a day answering emails and going to meetings, so you need to decide what you want to focus on, be brave and see if you can make a change.”

One of the many things she has worked towards addressing is amplifying the professional voice of nurses, and giving them a seat at the decision-

making table.

Despite being the largest female dominated profession in the country, Ms Ward says nurses remain chronically under-represented.

Of the 400,000 registered and enrolled Australian nurses, 90 per cent are women.

“It’s crazy to think that throughout someone’s life from birth to death and in between, at least 90 per cent of people will be nursed at some stage, and yet nurses are not having input,” Ms Ward says.

“Some of the things I’ve championed is that I’ve increased our representation by over 6000 per cent to get nurses’ voices at every committee and every discussion nationally on all facets of health.

“Hundreds of nurses now are on committees and being heard. While it’s still disproportionately represented, we are getting there, and having input into white papers and policies.”

Ms Ward, who holds academic appointments at five leading Australian universities, would also like to see every Australian company have a nurse representative on its board.

“Years ago every board wanted a lawyer, well I think they need a nurse,” Ms Ward says.

“All companies in Australia should have a nurse on their board because of their commitment to social justice, health and wellbeing.”

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SEVEN DAYS

Lop, chop; bingo, we’re a Tree City of the World!

I THOUGHT it was odd; “Canberra Matters” columnist Paul Costigan wondered if he could get arrested for screaming at such nonsense and reader Chris Emery wrote pithily on our website: “The worst offenders at removing mature, protected trees are the ACT government and their agencies.”

It all started with a self-serving media release from the wooden Minister for Spinning Trees Chris Steel announcing that Canberra had been, and note the language, “declared Tree City of the World”. Declared, fancy that?

He claimed that the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation had, and note the language, “named Canberra an International Tree City of the World”. Named.

“Canberra’s trees are one of the things which give our city its special character,” said the disingenuous Steel, a cabinet minister of the government that’s lopped more trees and reduced, through neglect, the city’s urban forest faster than at any other point in Canberra’s history.

“It’s great to see our community’s shared commitment to protecting and enhancing them recognised by our acceptance into the Tree Cities of the World network, which celebrates global leadership in managing greener cities.” Acceptance. Oh, please!

“It’s a shame this government doesn’t think they are special and has left the future of the trees to the ‘community’s commitment’, not the government’s,” sniffed Costigan who has a keen nose for hypocrisy.

Remember when we (mostly) laughed at then-Liberal leader Alistair Coe’s courageous pre-election promise in 2020 to plant 100,000 trees every year, for 10 years?

Compare that with Steel’s crowing about 54,000 more trees across Canberra by 2024.

Of course, what he’s not telling us is how many will be coming down in that time.

Nevertheless, if Coe had been able to enact even half of his plan, he’d still have been planting three times more than this lot will in the next three years.

The ACT government’s treatment of trees beleaguered our late gardening writer, the irascible Cedric Bryant, who despaired at the idea of clearing century-old trees for trams up Commonwealth Avenue.

“It would appear that, like old buildings in Canberra, trees don’t have a heritage value and must be destroyed in the name of progress,” he wrote in “CityNews” in July, 2018.

“So where have our planners gone off the rails for our garden city?

“If these trees are not heritage listed and/ or on the National Tree Register, it begs the question why not? These are an important part of the history of early Canberra.”

So, I think we’re agreed, despite our internationally declared naming, the ACT government doesn’t have a great record with planting or caring for trees.

But, to enlist the Bard, the big question is, how did Canberra have such greatness thrust upon it, especially in time for Tree Week?

Truth is, it didn’t. It wasn’t “declared” or suddenly “named”. The City Services dwarfs applied for it; filled in a form, made some promises, probably wrote a cheque and bingo!, here we are.

“Minister, Minister, Moulton-Brown – yes, still working from home – found this website during her lunch break and it’s a corker for a Tree Week announceable.

“It’s the Tree Cities of the World program; no, we’d never heard of it either, Minister, but get this, it’s a network of 138 cities in 21 countries dedicated to sharing successful approaches to preserving trees and creating successful policies and initiatives that celebrate the benefits trees provide. Yes, yes, don’t fret, we can get around most of that.

“All we have to do is go to treecitiesoftheworld.org and fill in a form. I know, right.

Brilliant, eh? And there’s bound to be a conference you can go to.”

I went to the website and it turns out we’re in year one of our recognition and credited already with planting 6312 trees and putting in 9217 volunteer hours. That equates to an hour and half to plant every tree; Chris, you’re going to have to push these old darlings along. By my reckoning they’re going to have to put in another 78,852 volunteer hours to meet your 2024 target.

Equally, one has to wonder what City Services is contributing to our feted Tree

City of the World. On these stats, my guess is bugger all.

To get recognition, there were five “standards” we had to promise to uphold.

Number one caught my eye, “the city has a written statement by city leaders delegating responsibility for the care of trees within the municipal boundary to a staff member, a city department or a group of citizens – called a tree board”. A tree board, LOL! Then there was number two, “the city has in place a law or an official policy that governs the management of forests and trees”; number three calls for “an updated inventory or assessment of the local tree resource so that an effective long-term plan for planting, care, and removal of city trees can be established”, and four, that we have “a dedicated annual budget for the routine implementation of the tree management plan”. Wouldn’t you love to know what they wrote?

The fifth standard was, in essence, telling the government to hold a party and congratulate itself. No problem there, eh Minister?

OVER recent times “CityNews” has reported on the lamentable state of spending a penny across our suburbs. Here’s some news and views on loos from the Curtin shops.

The newsletter of the local residents’ association reports that the two private enterprise toilets in Curtin Square are provided by the building owner of 44 Curtin Place on behalf of the ACT government and replaced the pre-development, three public toilets.

But where they are is something of a mystery. The newsletter says there are no directional signs, only a small sign on the door.

And the opening hours? “It’s impossible to tell,” the association says. “We have found them locked before 8pm in the evening, a long way from 24/7 provision of this essential service.”

They’re badgering Toilets Minister Chris Steel (him again) to find a way for the public to report the need for cleaning, maintenance and supplies, which they politely describe as “a problem”.

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

There are more of his columns on citynews.com.au

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Jane: 0400 472 577 www.summerfield.com.au 6 CityNews May 12-18, 2022

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POLITICS / the covid pendulum swings too far

Just how many covid deaths are acceptable?

THE covid policy pendulum has swung too far. In the early days of the pandemic the goal was to reduce deaths and to ensure hospitals were not overwhelmed.

Just how many deaths are acceptable?

Our governments now seem content with the often repeated “learning to live with covid” ideas of Prime Minister Scott Morrison and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet. This also means living with an increase in covid-related deaths.

Governments have been lifting public health restrictions originally designed to protect our health, ensure our hospital systems were not overloaded and to prevent deaths.

Strident restrictions had served their purpose with city and statewide lockdowns becoming too burdensome to continue. However, less aggressive restrictions that were protecting our populations have also been lifted.

What the federal government says and what the prime minister does are two different things! His government has published its “whole-of-government response” to the pandemic, which includes minimising “the number of people becoming infected or sick with COVID-19” and “minimise how sick people become and the

mortality rate” as well as “manage the demand on our health systems”.

Morrison’s “learning-to-live-withcovid” approach seeks to lift restrictions as quickly as possible. All of the states and territories are caught up in the rush while hardly recognising the overwhelming driver for Morrison is what’s in the best interest of his party.

This means winning an election rather than seeking the best interest of the community as a whole.

At the time of writing the ACT had more than a thousand recorded new cases in a day. These figures will understate the amount of virus in the

community as current records now include self-reporting of rapid antigen tests. There were 70 people in hospital with COVID-19 and four of them were in the intensive care unit (ICU). We continue to hear of regular deaths from COVID-19.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, close to a quarter of all Canberrans have been infected. The plus side is the extraordinary level of vaccination uptake with over 97 per cent of all Canberrans over the age of five having had at least two doses. This will be playing a large part in protecting our hospitals, and

particularly the ICU, from surges.

Across Australia there is a similar story. Around a quarter of the population have been infected, with more than six million recorded cases and more than 7000 deaths. Currently there are more than 300,000 active cases. Despite these numbers, there is an overwhelming desire to “get back to normal”.

What is normal? One of the least invasive impositions is the wearing of masks in public places. However, for many, masks have almost become a political symbol of government overreach and interference in freedoms.

Mandating masks in certain circumstances is hardly an overreach.

Granted, when people are happy with us, we do have to take in smiling eyes instead of relying on the much more obvious broad grin. We need to burden pockets and purses with masks.

However, these are a small price to pay and ought to remain mandated in very public places such as supermarkets, pubs, clubs and other nightlife venues where strangers gather.

A major concern about the Morrison concept of “learning to live with covid” is the increasing opportunity for new variants. As the numbers of infections increase, the likelihood of

another variant continues to proliferate. Luckily, Omicron turned out to be much more infectious but with less severe illness resulting in a lower percentage of deaths. It might not be the same in the future.

It is much more difficult to check for new variants with a strong swing away from PCR testing to rapid antigen testing. Waste water testing can compensate to a certain extent and it certainly can provide an indication of any surge in a new variant. So far we have been lucky that the new variants did not cause even greater numbers and more serious sickness and deaths.

Our community once thought it was a serious problem to have people dying of COVID-19. The situation appears to have changed. It is sad that the political challenge now seems to be determining what is the acceptable number of deaths to maintain “freedom from masks” and other minimal impositions.

Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an independent minister for health.

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NEWS / free legal advice for vulnerable people

Law students get an ‘eye-opening’ experience

By Nick

OVERALL STUDENTS at the University of Canberra (UC) are making justice more accessible to vulnerable people through a new clinic which provides free legal support.

The initiative, called Citizen Centred Justice (CCJ), is a collaboration between the UC Medical and Counselling Centre, Canberra Law School and pro-bono law firm, Adjacent Law & Health, and is the first of its kind for the university.

Under the supervision of a qualified lawyer, law and legal studies students work together to communicate with clients and research what their case may require in order to provide them assistance and advocacy.

While students can’t provide direct legal advice as they’re not fully qualified, they are actively involved in interviewing, drafting legal materials and trying to identify legal solutions to the issues clients raise.

It’s an experience the students involved in the program have described as “eye-opening”.

“I think it’s been a really valuable experience for all of us,” says Laura

Law student Laura Dinh… “Some cases are very confronting, especially for us finalyear law students who haven’t had experience in the field.”

Dinh, a law student in her final year of study at UC. “We learn the theory in law school but it’s been great to put it into practice in the clinic.

“This experience really helps develop those soft skills like teamwork and learning how to deal with clients in a compassionate way.”

Clients are referred to the CCJ by the UC Medical and Counselling Centre, where a health practitioner has identified a legal issue in someone’s situation that should be attended to.

The centre’s legal supervisor and

director of Adjacent Law & Health, Allison Ballard, says vulnerable citizens in these situations are often reluctant to speak to a lawyer.

“If people are having issues with their employment, with their housing, with family, they tend to raise those concerns with their health practitioners, they’ll talk to their doctor or psychologist,” she says.

“When it comes to legal matters though there’s not a lot the health practitioner can do, but if they can actually put that patient in touch with a lawyer then the lawyer can work with the

health practitioner to try and generate a holistic solution for the patient.”

Ms Ballard believes CCJ is the first student-led legal clinic in the country, and that more initiatives of its kind could provide greater access to justice throughout Australia while giving important first-hand experience to students.

“Even well-paid people, unless they have a special litigation fund, would struggle to find three or four thousand dollars to have a letter written by a lawyer, let alone vulnerable citizens,” says Ms Ballard.

“While I was at Legal Aid I could have worked there 24 hours a day seven days a week and I would not have begun to make a dent in the amount of legal need that is out there in the community.

“There simply is not enough funding for community legal centres. They’re the ones out there on the ground at the grassroots level providing access to justice for vulnerable members of the community.”

Ms Ballard also says the initiative prepares future lawyers for serious and possibly traumatic experiences that will confront them throughout their career due to the confronting nature of many legal issues.

“Within the legal profession the amount of mental-health concerns and suicide is quite high, says Ms Ballard.

“Our approach is if we get to the students early and make them mind-

ful that, as a profession, lawyers are at risk of these sorts of things and let them know it’s okay to seek help then they don’t have to suffer in silence.”

As part of the program, students are supported by a counsellor who can debrief them should they find any of the work distressing.

It’s something that Laura and other students at the clinic say provides them with a pivotal and foundational understanding of their work.

“Some cases are very confronting, especially for us final-year law students who haven’t had experience in the field,” says Laura.

“It’s great to get that support from one of the counsellors in the centre who helps us with career development.

We can go to them to debrief about any of these matters we find quite confronting.”

Ms Ballard believes this multidisciplinary approach between health professionals and lawyers represents an important future for the legal field.

“Think about if in every doctor’s surgery in the country there was someone embedded or related to legal services, so the health practitioners could refer patients to get at least some preliminary advice or education around legal issues they could be facing,” she says.

“If there were more clinics like this it could only be a good thing, more people could access justice.”

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NEWS / business breakfasts

awards

Rotary offers a hand to small business

Shout out for award names

By Lily

PASS THE Rotary Clubs of Canberra-Weston Creek and Belconnen are running six, free business breakfasts for small and micro level businesses to address a dire situation faced by the sector.

Many of the businesses fell through the cracks of the bigger support initiatives that the federal and ACT government implemented during the COVID-19 period.

President of the Rotary Club of Canberra-Weston Creek, Ash Pagett, says he wants these businesses to not only survive, but thrive in their quest for sustainability.

“About two thirds of Canberra’s employees are employed by small businesses, with about 30,000 small businesses in the ACT, and many of them are struggling,” he says.

“Some businesses might use this breakfast advice and assistance to get a grant, some might use it to help grow their businesses in other ways.”

Ash says anybody can apply to come, and there will be compelling guest speakers, many of whom are small-business operators themselves. They will be providing information and tips on business planning in line with the six themes of the breakfasts.

“The people attending will probably be well-intentioned, highly driven and have probably thrown a lot of their own money and effort behind their business ventures, but some of them maybe aren’t business-educated.

President of the Rotary Club of Canberra-Weston Creek, Ash Pagett.

Photo: Lily Pass “People may not have thought about a business plan and a structured approach to business development and establishment, or don’t understand the nuances of regulation around staffing and HR. IT might be something that’s completely foreign to them. So, we’re trying to aim the breakfasts at kickstarting anybody, we’re starting at the easy end.”

Ash says the breakfast themes came about through trial and error, but they eventually settled on final themes of information technology, building a better business, business peer support, structure for sustainability and finally, media advertising.

Through a partnership with the Rotary Club of Belconnen, Ash is hoping to “get the message out to the businesses that really should attend”.

“It’s northside, Belconnen, and us as southside, we’re going to try and spread the good word across

our populations and regions.”

And, Ash says it’s heartwarming seeing the clubs work together.

“We did attempt to kick this off during my predecessor’s presidency period, but it was just impossible with all the lockdowns. We are charging ahead with this now though.

“It is amazing the power that just a small club like ours, with 35 members, can put behind something, as well as not failing to diversify our effort on international projects and youth projects. We’ve been really busy despite covid and it’s been quite heartwarming.”

The breakfasts will run once a month on a Wednesday in 90-minute sessions, from 7.30am, at the Raiders Club in Kippax.

Breakfasts will run on May 25, June 22, July 27, August 24, September 28 and October 26.

“The aim is to get the people in, sit them down, give them a breakfast and some information and then get them out so they can prosecute their businesses and become profitable,” says Ash. Originally, 114 years ago, Ash says that Rotary was built on big businesses, and whenever there was a problem they would throw money at it. Now, it’s a little different.

“We’re more about throwing some effort behind the problem, a little bit of money but we’ve retained the ethics and importance of vocation as being the underpinning of what Rotary is, this is a vocational service project.

“We did have big ideas initially around this, that we could really ramp it up, but we’re keeping it simple for the first year and we can see what we can do in the second year.”

Register via eventbrite.com.au

ROTARY is seeking nominations for the 2022 ACT Emergency Services Community Awards, with a ceremony to be held on August 12.

The awards shine a light on the selfless work of ambulance, Fire and Rescue, Rural Fire Service and State Emergency Service personnel in Canberra and, for the first time, this year policing volunteers as well.

Despite the huge amounts of work emergency service volunteers have put in over the difficult recent years that have been, chair of the awards, Steve Hill, says they’ve actually seen fewer nominations in 2022 than usual.

“A lot of people don’t realise, they only see the ambos, fire trucks or police cars going by, but they don’t see the support staff working tirelessly behind them,” says Mr Hill.

Two winners in the ACT will be chosen from several categories and will go on to the national awards ceremony later this year.

Last year, ACT Rural Fire Service volunteer Christopher Puschak was one such national winner who volunteered to do additional shifts during the 2019 fire season to support the wellbeing of his crew who had limited operational experience.

Nominations, which close on May 31, to rotaryescawards.org.au

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ZED SESELJA

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‘My commitment is to always fight for Canberra families to get more land and more homes’

Everyone deserves the opportunity to buy a home WHENEVER Zed Seselja talks about why he entered politics, he talks about his parents.

The Seseljas came from Croatia to Canberra and were able to build a new life in a new country, buying a family home on a single income and raising a family in a growing, thriving city.

When it comes to his own kids, though, Zed knows things aren’t so simple any more.

“I believe every Canberran deserves the opportunity to buy a home like my parents did, but it’s becoming out of reach for many Canberra families,” he says.

“The reality is, housing supply isn’t keeping up with demand and there just isn’t enough land and enough homes to give Canberrans the chance to buy a family home.”

Zed says that here in the ACT we have a unique situation where the local ACT Labor/Greens Government has complete control of land release, creating a monopoly that restricts the availability of homes.

“Their iron-grip on land supply has been a problem for years, even former

Labor chief minister Jon Stanhope has called the ACT government out on this issue,” says Zed. This lack of supply was demonstrated when, late last year, blocks of land were released for the new Canberra suburb of Taylor; 115 blocks of land went on the market and there were 7500 applications.

“That’s not just a number, that’s 7500 Canberrans trying to get a home,” Zed says.

“So there’s no doubt we need more land and more homes here in Canberra and, since I entered the Senate, I’ve been fighting to get that for Canberrans.”

In 2014 he drove a review of the National Capital Plan that resulted in 726 hectares of land in West Tuggeranong being transferred from Commonwealth control to the ACT government for potential residential development.

“The ACT government has that land available right now for around 5500 new homes, but they have not done anything about it,” Zed says.

But he hasn’t let that inaction get in the way of his advocacy for more homes for Canberra families.

When Zed learned there was a parcel of land owned by CSIRO and surplus to its requirements, he started fighting to have

that land repurposed for the benefit of the Canberra community.

He wrote to his ministerial colleagues about getting that land put to market for new family homes.

And now the Liberal National government has agreed that, if re-elected, it will put that land to market by the end of 2022.

“This 243ha is space for around 2000 new Canberra homes – housing for around 4500 people,” Zed says.

“This doesn’t solve the supply problem completely, but it makes a difference and the more chances we can give Canberrans to buy a home the better” With the support the Liberal National government is giving first home buyers through the New Home Guarantee and First Home Super Saver schemes, more Canberrans are getting the chance to fulfil the Australian dream of buying their own home.

“As a born-and-bred Canberran, I understand how important housing is to our community and my commitment is to always fight for Canberra families to get more land and more homes,” Zed said.

Authorised by P Pentony, Liberal, 4/50 Geils Court, Deakin ACT 2600.

New home buyers, Senator Seselja’s parents Kate and Loui Seselja in front of their first home, in the Tuggeranong Valley, in the ‘70s…“I believe every Canberran deserves the opportunity to buy a home like my parents did, but it’s becoming out of reach for many Canberra families,” says Zed.

CityNews May 12-18, 2022 11

CANBERRA MATTERS / how to justify the unjustifiable

When Marion and Walter put their heads together PARTICULAR major urban developments in Canberra have been promoted to be in line with the plans of Marion Mahony Griffin and Walter Burley Griffin or somehow in the spirit of the Griffins.

The National Capital Authority and its partner in urban disasters, the ACT City Renewal Authority, have used disingenuous versions of the Griffin concepts to justify major works.

These official disinformation campaigns provide a soft edge to questionable stuff by agencies who would know that most people in Canberra would have not read up on the lives of the Griffins.

My own reading about the Griffins has been patchy. I have enjoyed many well researched articles on them both, but have not read any of the many books on the Griffins from cover to cover. Dipped into and read certain chapters, yes – but till now had not consumed one completely. Given the levels of misinformation being put about by the ACT government and the NCA, I put aside a couple of days recently to read the 2015 book, “Making Magic: The Marion Mahony Griffin Story” by Glenda Korporaal.

This book is a fabulous read! It is so well written. It was a joy to sit back

12 CityNews May 12-18, 2022

The list of things the NCA is getting wrong is too long for this brief opinion piece. They are today’s version of the bureaucrats who worked hard to mess with the Griffins’ creativity and design concepts.

The cover of Glenda Korporaal’s book “Making Magic: The Marion Mahony Griffin Story”. over a couple of days and immerse myself in the stories the author has extensively researched and the insights she has brought together.

I recommend that you read this book – soon. If you have any interest in Canberra, then reading this book will fill in a lot of gaps and allow you to deal with the rubbish statements used by those in authority to justify the unjustifiable.

Many Canberra developments have been done in their name. Most are an insult to their legacy and their fascinating lives.

One major blot on the landscape has to be the 2006 NCA publication – “The Griffin Legacy”. This was well researched, but that research was then misused to provide a blueprint

for bad development. The work by the City Renewal Authority on West Basin sidelines Marion’s dedication to parklands by the lake and her passion for native plants, trees and biodiversity.

The list of things the NCA is getting wrong is too long for this brief opinion piece. They are today’s version of the bureaucrats who worked hard to mess with the Griffins’ creativity and design concepts.

When Marion and Walter put their heads together for the original plans and designs, they brought to the table architectural, landscape and artistic energies – to produce a winning set of designs. It was Marion’s artwork that won the day!

Thanks to them, and a couple of the

subsequent urban designers (excluding today’s pretenders), Canberra has some fantastic urban and aesthetic aspects. It remains a great place to live.

This despite the best efforts of the chief minister, his pet development authority, the ad hoc ACT planning directorate – and the NCA. What would Marion and Walter do today if they were to make a return visit? What would this creative pair propose as the visionary design for this city into the later 21st century?

They would have to work with what is already in place. They would be free to enhance the best of the city’s features and put in place new visionary plans and designs to deliver a well-designed city ready to deal with

climate and environmental issues as well as delivering a very liveable city.

Today’s urban designers should get inside the heads of the Griffins and work with their philosophical approach of putting landscape first to provide a new 21st century vision for the city. Such an urban design vision should be the subject of an international design competition.

This city desperately needs visionary leadership. What “Making Magic: The Marion Mahony Griffin Story” delivers is that Marion and Walter were visionaries who were thwarted by campaigns of misinformation and bureaucratic distractors. Sadly, what remains of their vision is still subject to being massively misrepresented and undermined by today’s bureaucrats who today think they know best.

They definitely do not. Read Glenda Korporaal’s book.

Paul Costigan is a commentator on cultural and urban matters.

There are more of his columns at citynews.com.au

BRIEFLY New Euro festival makes its debut THE first European Multicultural Festival will be held in Turner on May 22, when the Australian Croatian Club, the Alliance Francaise of Canberra and the White Eagle Polish Club unite for a day of fun activities – traditional Croatian dance, recitals for children, French music – from 11am to 3pm at the Croatian Club.

There will also be a selection of stalls offering traditional foods, products and activities from across Europe. Entry is free, but there will be a collection for Ukraine relief.

Space man talks DR Brad Tucker, of Mt Stromlo Observatory, will be talking about space at the next meeting of the Narrabundah Probus Club at the Harmonie Dr Brad Tucker.

German Club, from 11am on May 17. Visitors and new members are welcome.

A sanctuary view ROD Menzies will talk about the Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary at the next meeting of the new Yerrabi VIEW Club at Eastlake Gungahlin, from 11.30am on May 19. Visitors and interested ladies welcome. RSVP by May 15 to 0412 617085 or email june3@iinet.net.au

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(02) 6285 6290 THEQ.NET.AU CityNews May 12-18, 2022 13

POLITICS / asylum seekers

Why I will never support this heartless policy ASYLUM seekers have been on my mind over the last few weeks.

Initially, my attention was focused on arrangements I was making for the transfer, to the National Library, of more than 24,000 photographs of asylum seekers arriving on Christmas Island between 2008 and 2013.

The photographs are an important record of a troubling chapter in Australia’s history. They do what successive Australian governments have striven so hard to hide, namely, they reveal the humanity of the men, women and children who have risked all in travelling to Australia in pursuit of safety and a better life.

I am pleased the National Library has agreed to include the photographs in its collection. I am not familiar with the library’s cataloguing regime, but I am assuming they will be filed under “Australia’s Shame” or something along those lines.

Coincidentally, as I was finalising arrangements for the transfer of the photographs, the issue of asylumseeker policy became, in the context of the looming election, the subject of a heated exchange between Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese.

At issue was which of the contending parties, Labor or Liberal, could be trusted to be the most heartless and brutal in the treatment of any person

NO A FIN NCIAL CHECKS.

In the nearly five decades that I’ve been a member of the ALP, the policy that cuts me most deeply and which I will never support, is our heartless treatment of asylum seekers. daring to seek asylum in Australia.

It was quickly established that, on the question of continuing support of the policy of mandatory and indefinite offshore detention, the Labor and Liberal Parties were in lockstep.

Albanese nevertheless rightly claimed the high moral ground by reminding us all that it was he, as deputy prime minister to Kevin Rudd in 2013, who was responsible for initiating the policy and that the Labor Party remained resolute in its commitment to mandatory and indefinite offshore detention.

Morrison then sought to trump Labor by insisting that it was wimpish on boat turnbacks only to have Albanese match the Liberal bid.

As an aside, I am one of those that believes that the policy is almost certainly, in aspects of its operation, contrary to international law. However, the race to the bottom having ended in an honourable draw, the parties have shelved the issue until next time.

I am approaching 50 years of continuous membership of the ALP. I

understand politics and the difficult choices that confront politicians and political parties, and that pragmatism will, from time to time, supplant principle. I don’t pretend that in my time in politics I didn’t face and perhaps fail such contests.

Nevertheless, of all the policies and decisions taken by the ALP in the nearly five decades that I have been a member of the party, the policy that cuts me most deeply and which I will never support, is our heartless treatment of asylum seekers.

Confident, as I am, that Labor will win the election in a canter I am hoping that as prime minister, Albanese will, as a priority, ensure that every asylum seeker languishing on Nauru or in Papua New Guinea is brought to Australia and, together with those already here, be allowed to live in the community and afforded all possible support.

Notably, about eight weeks after the election, it will be nine years since the policy of mandatory and indefinite offshore detention was instituted by

when the appellants were convicted and sentenced that they were of or over the age of 18. The government had relied upon wrist X-rays as evidence of each defendant’s age.

After their conviction, doubts were cast on the reliability of that evidence and it was agreed by all parties that, in the absence of the wrist X-ray evidence, the boys would not have been charged as adults and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in an adult prison.

Canberra can be proud that this grave miscarriage of justice was prevented as a direct consequence of a commitment to justice and to the rights of the disadvantaged and marginalised, of leading Canberra law firm Ken Cush and Associates, its principal solicitor Mark Barrow and counsel Peter Tierney, who represented the appellants.

Jon Stanhope was ACT chief minister from 2001 to 2011 and the only chief minister to have governed with a majority in the Assembly.

Read more of his columns on citynews.com.au

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Labor, yet disturbingly there are on Nauru and in New Guinea asylum seekers subject to that policy who will commence, in our names, their tenth straight year of detention on that day.

Interestingly, another dusty skeleton from Labor’s last term in government was recently aired with the handing down of a decision by the Supreme Court of WA overturning the conviction, between the years 2010 and 2012, of six Indonesian boys who had been members of the crew of asylum seeker boats, on charges of facilitating the entry into Australia of people to whom the Migration Act applied.

Each of the boys was sentenced to the mandatory minimum penalty for an adult of five years’ imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of three.

The grounds of appeal relied upon by each of the boys was that the primary judge’s conviction and sentencing was a miscarriage of justice in that the District Court did not have jurisdiction to convict and sentence because there was reasonable doubt that each appellant was under the age of 18 years at the time of the alleged offending.

Notably, the government accepted that there was no reliable evidence

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World-first in property management tops awards CANBERRA Property Partners’ pioneering efforts to drive its property management operations to new technological efficiencies have led the agency to win the highly contested innovation category at the REIA National Awards for Excellence.

Co-owner Paul Kuske says the technological advances were simply a means for the agency to achieve its principal goal of delivering exceptional client service.

The move has already had an impact, with Canberra Property Partners last year winning Local Agent Finder’s Best Renter ACT for the third year in a row, while customer testimonials consistently mention the agency has hit the ideal balance of online services and personal contact.

“Our entire approach is built on forging a truly personal relationship with our clients, but as with any business, there are competing priorities with administration that were robbing us of the time we wanted to spend on client focus,” Paul says.

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Canberra Property partners’ co-owner Paul Kuske with the highly contested innovation category prize at the REIA National Awards for Excellence. way, and with my background in digital tools and technology I knew there was scope to automate the administrative

tasks, but the challenge was finding the right tools.”

He says he spent more than a year

investigating potential technology options but was disheartened with what was available to the market.

“The industry as a whole has been slower to adopt new technology and as a result there are not a lot of purpose-built software options in the marketplace.

“In the end, we decided to build our own.”

The agency used a prominent off-theshelf US marketing software package and customised it to suit both the industry and its own business-specific demands.

“The software manufacturers tell us this has never been done in our industry anywhere in the world, and we’re now consulting to them so they can enhance their own product’s functionality and potential,” Paul says.

Canberra Property Partners’ new operating system not only automatically takes care of hundreds of repetitive behind-the-scenes tasks that were once done by hand, it also sends emails to property owners upon purchase with handy information about such matters as NBN connections and smoke alarm testing and reminders about new addresses for direct-debit bill payments.

Paul says the approach provides huge advantages, including reducing human

error and providing smoother, more consistent transactions with clients, faster response times, higher quality assurance of paper trails and more immediate access to client histories.

“It’s definitely led to a higher level of customer satisfaction and loyalty,” he says.

“They appreciate that we’re faster, more precise and efficient and that they’re assured of prompt resolutions and continuity in the standard of service they get.”

The agency has recently gone one step further on its technological transformation, introducing a new property management service that provides 3D virtual walk-throughs of residences.

“This allows owners and prospective tenants a remote means of seeing the condition of paintwork, carpets and even garden health,” Paul says.

“It’s a highly accurate and a highly detailed virtual point of reference.

Tradespeople can measure and visually identify any problems without stepping a foot on the property and prospective tenants can visualise arrangement of their furniture, even down to the number of power points in a room.

“We believe the service is another digital first in property management.”

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WHIMSY / jogging

Can I jog your memory about Arthur Lydiard?

BEFORE the ‘60s, people either walked or ran. But you only ran for good reason – for example, if you were late for something, were involved in athletics or boxing, or were fleeing from a threat. “Fun run” would have been considered an oxymoron.

But people walked a lot more than they do today. Most children walked to school, sometimes several kilometres in Australia. Adults walked for distances that would now require a car, an e-scooter, or some other form of transportation.

Before 1960 there was no concept of “jogging” for pleasure or of getting up early to jog before work. Jogging, by the way, is running at a pace of between 6.4 to 9.7 kilometres an hour.

I never thought I’d be the kind of person to wake up at 6 in the morning to go out and jog. And I was right.

We seem to have NZ to thank for the jogging craze. Arthur Lydiard (1917-2004), a Kiwi runner and athletics coach, is credited with starting jogging as an organised activity.

It was first reported in a sports page article in “The New Zealand Herald” in February, 1962. The article told of a group of former athletes and fitness enthusiasts who met once a week to jog for “fitness and sociability”.

16 CityNews May 12-18, 2022

Arthur Lydiard, left, and Bill Bowerman.

The newspaper suggested that the club “be called the Auckland Joggers’ Club”. This was apparently the first use of the noun “jogger”.

In 1962, Lydiard was joined for a jog in NZ by University of Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman, who went on to start a joggers’ club in Eugene, Oregon. Being an entrepreneurial American, in 1966 he published a book “Jogging”, promoting jogging’s health benefits and popularising jogging in the US. The rest, as they say, is history.

According to a health study by

Stanford University School of Medicine, jogging is effective in increasing human lifespan and decreasing the effects of ageing, with general benefits for the cardiovascular system.

Furthermore, the American Cancer Society says that jogging for at least 30 minutes, five days a week can help with cancer prevention. This has been reinforced by US National Cancer Institute research that suggests jogging and other types of aerobic exercise can reduce the risk of lung, colon, breast and prostate cancers.

Jogging also prevents the muscle

and bone damage that occurs with age, improves heart performance and blood circulation, and assists in maintaining a balanced weight.

While jogging on an indoor treadmill will provide exercise benefits, a study published by American BioMed Central states that jogging outdoors is better for you, as well as being more pleasurable – depending, of course, on the environment and weather. Jogging alongside a main road breathing traffic fumes or through a high-crime area is probably not a good idea.

Although jogging is obviously good for you, it’s clear that some joggers are doing themselves long-term knee and joint damage due to poor running techniques or poorly designed running shoes.

Those most likely to damage their knees are those with a lower leg swinging action that puts sideways stress on the knee. Damage can also be caused by running on hard surfaces with inadequate cushioning from jarring.

It’s a good idea to get someone to use a mobile phone to video you jogging from the front, side and back, so that you can judge your technique for yourself. It’s also better to go to

a sports store that specialises in jogging shoes rather than buying stylish multi-purpose sports shoes online.

Exercising to lose weight is frustrating because it takes a lot of exercise to get rid of a significant number of calories. Jogging for one kilometre will burn off about 62 calories. One egg is 78 calories. A milkshake is 112. A Mars Bar is 230. A cheeseburger is 300. Therefore, it’s a lot easier to lose weight by restricting your calorie intake.

If you haven’t jogged before or in a while, here’s a jogging program for people who are out of shape: Jog for a week without a backpack. After you’ve jogged successfully for a week, start wearing a backpack containing a two-kilo potato bag. After another week, add a five-kilo potato bag to the backpack. Then after two weeks add a 10-kilo potato bag. Once you feel confident with that level of fitness, put a potato in each bag.

Clive Williams is a Canberra columnist.

AN ELECTION DOSE OF DORIN / Scott Morrison AS we head ever-closer to the federal election home stretch, the polls suggest the prospect for PM Scott Morrison and the Liberals being returned is becoming less likely. For Labor, like last time, there’s still many a slip twixt the cup and the lip.

I happened to be looking through some of our cartoonist PAUL DORIN’S prolific output of toons, some we’ve published in the paper and most on the citynews.com.au website, and thought it would be a shame to let the miracle man go without sharing some of them.

Ian Meikle, editor

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THE GADFLY / China

Lunacy rules in Morrison’s khaki-led campaign AN air of lunacy has developed around the agreement between the Solomon Islands and our biggest and most lucrative trading partner during this surreal election campaign.

At the outset, the Morrison/Dutton duumvirate made it very plain that they wanted a khaki election that played on the militarist-racist underpinnings of a former AngloAustralia. The one that invented the White Australia policy that ended officially in the ‘70s but lives on as the “Yellow Peril” like a dormant cancer of the blood.

It reappeared against Indonesia, in the year of living dangerously and the “Domino Theory” of Vietnam.

Today it’s China and come what may, Morrison/Dutton were going to ramp it up.

It didn’t matter that China was single-handedly keeping our trading balance of payments in the black; or that Chinese tourists and students could return post-covid to rescue our failing hospitality and tertiary industries. It was all about the election.

Morrison played a long game. He double-crossed the French on the submarine deal, which they saw as an opportunity to project a third, moderating force in the region. He went for the Anglo-American AUKUS

Dutton banged the drums in the background until Anzac Day when he finally declared: “We must prepare for war”. And this against a foe who has never shown the slightest interest in breaching Australia’s territorial sovereignty.

Cartoon: Paul Dorin with no sub at all for 20 years. He took the lead in implying – without any evidence – that covid escaped from a Chinese chemical lab in Wuhan.

And once the deeply offended Chinese government responded with a few trade sanctions, he doubled down.

He even pretended that a list of grievances secured by a journalist from a Chinese diplomat was some kind of demand for Australia to abandon its “values”, whatever they might

be. And when he learned – belatedly – of the friendship agreement between China and the Solomons it was like all his Christmases had come at once.

Dutton played the supporting role in this “Dumb and Dumber” movie.

He banged the drums in the background until Anzac Day when he finally declared: “We must prepare for war”. And this against a foe who has never shown the slightest interest

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in breaching Australia’s territorial sovereignty.

As it happens, in the last five years I have been commissioned by our Defence Department (though ASPI) to undertake three case studies of major defence procurements – two Naval, one Air Force – and have written a yet-to-be-published book on a Canberra defence contractor that has put Australia at least five years ahead of the rest of the world in radar development for all three services.

The work has provided a valuable insight into our defence capability.

And I have to tell you – if it wasn’t already blindingly obvious to everyone with a grasp on reality – that it is

utterly insane to be provoking a war against China.

Just as important, behind the scenes, China has deliberately sent a new ambassador to get the relationship back on an even keel.

Ambassador Xiao Qian is one of their star performers. His earlier posts have been in India, the Philippines, Indonesia and the US. In Beijing he’s been directorgeneral of Asian Affairs and he came to Australia in January with a potential roadmap for dealing with the problems between the two countries. Indeed, he publicly offered to meet with Morrison and begin the process to “meet halfway”.

The response was an oafish refusal.

Nothing, in Morrison’s obsession with an election win, must deviate from the rage and fear of the yellow hordes of his perfervid imagination.

Or maybe it’s just another marketing ploy.

Either way, it’s nuts. robert@ robertmacklin. com

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CityNews May 12-18, 2022 19

‘COCAINE’ PARTIES • AN AFFAIR WITH EX-INMATE • MYSTERY OF THE MISSING PHO

“I’ve done prison work for 24 years and there’s nothing worse when you are

Prison staff shame: alleged COVER STORY

By Belinda Strahorn A FORMER senior director of operations at Canberra’s jail has blown the lid on long-rumoured, cocaine-fuelled drug parties attended by prison officers.

“CityNews” has also confirmed the existence of photographs showing fraternisation between a prison officer and a female former detainee while allegedly using cocaine.

Tim Rust, formerly a senior director of operations at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC), is lifting the veil on what is believed to be a long-standing culture of drug taking among some prison officers and has accused senior officers of turning a blind eye to it.

“There were a lot of things going on there but nothing was getting done to deal with it,” Mr Rust says.

Over weeks of investigation, “CityNews” spoke to a number of prison staff – serving and non-serving – who, while reluctant to be

named, confirmed Mr Rust’s assertions of the widespread use of drugs among prison officers, cocaine parties and the culture of silence from management.

Mr Rust, 53, a bachelor of social science – security and counter terrorism, confirmed that the drug culture was already well established before he was employed at the AMC as head of security in 2017.

He says it was widely known among prison staff that private drug parties were being frequented by a core group of 10 prison officers.

“CityNews” understands that the officers, nicknamed the “Bali 10”, have participated in at least three major cocaine-fuelled parties outside of work.

“To my knowledge, all the staff that used to attend such parties, and who may still do so, are still employed at the AMC,” says Mr Rust, who resigned from the prison in April last year.

Through a colleague who had attended one of the drug parties, Mr Rust became aware of the extent of drug use among prison officers.

“I became privy to the tales of cocaine parties through a few trusted staff who felt that the stories were being deliberately sup-

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pressed,” says Mr Rust.

According to Mr Rust, the officer had been invited to one of the parties, and offered cocaine but declined it and left.

“He said that cocaine was being used on the tables, it was being snorted by the staff there,” says Mr Rust.

“He was able to name the staff – there were 10 of them – we know who they are and he put it in an integrity report, and it went nowhere.”

Mr Rust claims that two internal integrity reports by officers who had attended the drug parties were submitted but the matter was never fully investigated by prison management.

“There was never any known investigation conducted, however rudimentary such an investigation may have looked,” says Mr Rust.

Mr Rust, who now lives in NZ, also revealed that a male prison officer and an ex-female detainee entered into an affair that is also alleged to have involved drug taking.

“CityNews” is aware of photographs that support this revelation.

Mr Rust alleges that after a subsequent conviction, early in 2020, the female returned to the prison and, on arrival at the AMC, asked to see the security staff.

“She asked to be taken to an interview room and while there identified to them that her mobile phone had incriminating evidence about an officer,” Mr Rust says.

“I wasn’t there in the room…I was exposed to everything that happened afterwards.

As the security manager I’m asking a lot of questions about the evidence and where it is.

“They retrieved the phone from her property and she provided them with access… on the phone were photographs of one of our officers using cocaine with her dressed in a prison [officer’s] uniform, and other imagery showing the party and what was going on.”

“CityNews” cannot confirm cocaine was being used in the photograph.

Mr Rust claims that the female detainee was somebody that the prison officer was “having an affair with”.

“He started it, apparently, in the jail and when she was released carried on seeing her,” says Mr Rust.

One of the detainee’s images depicts her wearing a prison officer’s uniform and hat.

“Obviously something has happened that she felt aggrieved about and she decided to make a stand, and dob him in.”

“CityNews” understands one of the detainee’s images depicts her wearing a prison officer’s uniform and hat. In another image, the prison officer appears to be holding a bag of white powder with a digitally captioned expression on the photo reading: “F… it 1 more line”, and there is understood to be another image depicting the couple holding drinks.

Mr Rust says the prison officer in question was placed on a 12-month suspension on full pay.

The Alexander Maconochie Centre… “You go to work to do t “Such incriminating evidence would, in most circumstances, be an immediate cessation of employment,” says Mr Rust.

“But he wasn’t, he was just stood down, and everything went underground.”

According to Mr Rust, the phone is also believed to have contained a series of text messages between the female former detainee and a second prison officer discussing the procurement of cocaine.

The fate of the phone has been the subject of much speculation. Seized by prison authorities following the detainee’s admission, it was confiscated, screenshots of the photos were taken and printed, and the phone was kept in a secure location, Mr Rust says.

“After that nothing seemed to happen and the phone just kind of vanished,” says Mr Rust.

“I was hoping this event might start a formal inquiry that could identify these people and get them out.

“As you can imagine, staff taking cocaine – a very expensive drug in jail where there are lots of gangsters who are exposed to the drugs and sell the drugs – it exposes you to all sorts of shenanigans.”

Sometime later, Mr Rust understands that the images on the phone were wiped.

“It was discovered that the phone had been accessed on several occasions and the images deleted,” says Mr Rust.

“CityNews” believes copies of the images

OTOS • SENIOR STAFF IN HOT TUB WITH JUNIORS • INTEGRITY REPORTS ‘IGNORED’

locking people up, knowing your colleagues should be behind bars as well.”

drug parties and cover ups “Prisoners were making weapons and were going into other prisoners’ cells without any oversight from staff, and bashing other prisoners senseless.

“The AMC is an ugly place to work, with staff who are not fully supported.

“I’m surprised that somebody hasn’t died up until now.”

Drawing on his almost two decades worth of experience in corrections facilities, Mr Rust characterised the AMC as an “ugly” place to work, with staff who are not fully supported, and malpractice permeating high levels of management within the prison.

“You go to work to do the right thing and be an officer of integrity, and you are surrounded by staff doing the wrong thing,” says Mr Rust.

“I’ve done prison work for 24 years and there’s nothing worse when you are locking people up, knowing your colleagues should be behind bars as well.”

Know more? editor@citynews.com.au

Tim Rust… “There were a lot of things going on there but nothing was getting done to deal with it.”

the right thing and be an officer of integrity, and you are surrounded by staff doing the wrong thing,” says Mr Rust. still exist and have made their way to the ACT Integrity Commission.

“By November, 2020, I was aware that pieces of evidence had been saved by staff and had been sent to the Integrity Commission,” Mr Rust says. “It was evident there was some movement, and people involved in the retrieval and processing of the evidence and interviewing of the prisoner, were interviewed.

“And there it seemed to end… it was all very hush-hush.

“We know that the information was put out there but I don’t know why it hasn’t exploded into something big, and why heads haven’t rolled?”

“Wrongdoing, especially that committed by a small number of prison officers, brings the whole service into disrepute.

Separately, “CityNews” is also aware of what’s been described as a “shocking” photograph purporting to show seven off-duty prison officers – five males and two females – partying in a spa bath together. The group includes very senior personnel and at least one junior female.

Mr Rust says prison management has appeared unwilling to further investigate

the behaviour of officers, who are bound up in these allegations.

“There’s staff there that are clearly exposed to things and getting away with it,” says Mr Rust.

“Suppressing information and wrong doing, especially that committed by a very small number of prison officers, brings the whole service into disrepute and tarnishes the outstanding job the majority do every day, and that is exactly what senior figures in Corrections have done.”

Mr Rust believes at the time some of these matters were raised, prison authorities would have been seeking to avoid adverse publicity given the approaching 2020 ACT election.

He says there were “lots of ugly rumours” at the time – one of which alleged management had been under political pressure, with an election coming up, to ensure there were no problems at the jail.

“Was it a coincidence that this incident happened and got hushed up,” wonders Mr Rust.

He also provided “CityNews” with an insight into what the prison was like during his time working there. He says he was disturbed by the number of violent assaults inflicted by prisoners on other prisoners.

“The number of serious prisoner-onprisoner assaults was significant,” says Mr Rust.

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LETTERS

Write to us: editor@citynews.com.au

Anxiety, panic and a big burst of chromophobia AS a visitor from the US, I’ve noticed a recent outbreak of the pandemic, medically referred to as chromophobia (fear of colours).

A chromatophobe cannot stand specific colours, such as green (prasinophobia), while some sufferers may be afraid of only certain shades of colours, such as teal (cyanophobia).

For such individuals, day-to-day life can be extremely difficult as the sight and presence of the specific colours can induce anxiety or panic attacks.

People with the fear of colours tend to suffer from many debilitating symptoms; going outdoors can become a difficult task for them, for fear of encountering the hated colour, especially on corflutes.

Another symptom is an inability to speak or formulate coherent sentences in letters to the editor, as seen in the April 28 issue of your illustrious “CityNews” (“Why ‘sanctimonious’ Greens are dangerous”). I trust you have sternly rebuked the letter writer (Greg Cornwell, Yarralumla), as impressionable children (my daughter) have used the headline as proof that spinach can kill.

Herman Safransky, via email

Come clean, Greens, on energy numbers A “Why to vote Greens” flyer received in letterboxes from greens.org.au/act spells out its policies for the federal election, including those on climate action.

It claims (under “Climate Action”): “100 per cent renewables by 2030” and “replace fossil fuels with renewables by 2030”.

Based on figures from the Australian government publications “Australian Energy Updates” of September, 2019 for 2017/18 and of September, 2021 for 2019/20, and as extrapolated for 2021/22, renewable energy in Australia could account for 30 per cent of the electricity generation and 8 per cent of total energy consumption.

By 2029/30, renewables could conceivably account for 96 per cent of electricity consumption if current trends are maintained, but that is yet to be seen.

After all, there are limitations to the sustainability of renewable sources.

However, at best by 2030, renewables could account for only 25.4 per cent of total energy consumption in Australia, a long way from

the current 8 per cent and a very long way from the claimed 100 per cent.

These claims by the Greens may be seen by discerning readers as false advertising.

The Greens should make it clear to voters on how it expects to meet these ambitious and most likely impossible targets. People tempted to vote Greens should be wary of the validity of its policies.

Max Flint, via email

The Planning Bill’s a ‘complete failure’ SPOT on, Paul Costigan (“Planning reform’s just shifting around the rules”, “Canberra Matters”, CN April 28), particularly in contrasting the “performance indicators” the current chief planner set himself in 2017, when he attained the top job, with his performance since.

And the new Planning Bill not only ignores these “performance indicators” but also the key, consistent “feedback themes” from the planning authority’s consultation with community and industry “stakeholders” last year, ie: 1. the need to provide confidence, certainly and clarity; 2. restore trust and transparency, in the planning system, and 3. to provide for effective community engagement.

In my assessment, based on a long-term involvement in statutory town planning, the Planning Bill is a complete failure in these terms.

Richard Johnston, Kingston

Clear and telling message to Elizabeth I WISH to congratulate Ian Meikle for his “Seven Days” column (“Only 906 sleeps, Elizabeth, it’s time to step up”, CN April 28). I think it sent a very clear and telling message to Elizabeth Lee and the Canberra Liberals.

Furthermore, I believe that the message equally applies to her colleagues, some of whom I believe have not been working anywhere near hard enough to hold the government to account.

They have been missing in action for far too long. The woeful number of sitting days of the Assembly does not make their job any easier, of course.

Colin Lyons, Weetangera

Local Libs lack ‘purpose and determination’ I AGREE with columnist Ian Meikle’s comments (“Seven Days”, CN April 28) re the Liberal opposition. They seem to lack purpose and the determination necessary to analyse effectively the opportunities Barr creates.

Possibly, because they do not have the capability to collate, evaluate, assess and present the information necessary to sustain a prolonged attack on the faults in many of those policies.

There have been plenty of opportunities but, to our cost, the Liberals failed to exploit them successfully notwithstanding the change in leadership.

Michael Boyle, via email

Why not Brisbane’s trackless tram?

WHY, why, why do Barr and co persist with this 19th century technology when Brisbane is embracing what can be done with “trackless” tram technology that would preserve London Circuit, Commonwealth and Adelaide Avenues and have a much more flexible system.

Colin Smeal, via email

Sonnet oozes true love IN my view, recent TV programs presenting some approaches to the possibility of marriage, virtually at first sight, left love out in the cold.

In contrast the following sonnet (author not shown) oozes true love: I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.

I love you simply – without problems or pride: I love you in this way because – I do not know any other way of loving but this – in which there is no I or you – so intimate, that your hand upon my chest is my hand – so intimate, that when I… fall asleep – your eyes close.

Colliss Parrett, Barton

Time to weaponise against ‘weaponise’ IS it just me or do others find the overuse of the term “weaponise” has reached farcical heights, especially when hurling accusations of “weaponising national security”?

If anything should be armed and dangerous, then surely it should be the sharp end of the national security establishment? Definitely not our political media hacks – they’d probably shoot themselves in the foot as they aim for maximum effect – sorry, impact (yet another overused word nowadays).

Michael A Crowe, Hawker

Casualty is not just the truth COLUMNIST Michael Moore notes that Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton are trying hard to make national security a key election issue but are bending the truth (“Truth the casualty as fear mongering begins”, CN April 28).

And, as Moore points out, their lack of diplomatic skills is making the relationship with China and the Solomon Islands worse.

The failure of the Foreign Minister Marise Payne to visit the Solomon Islands in three years has enabled China to sign a deal, catching Australia napping. The Morrison government then added insult to injury by dispatching junior minister Zed Seselja.

When the Solomon Islands High Commissioner was asked on RN Breakfast what it would take to restore relationships, Robert Sisilo’s first response was: “Climate change is our biggest threat to our security and our position on that is well known.”

The Liberals like to paint themselves as better on security than Labor but as Moore says, “It is hard to imagine any government doing much worse.”

And with Australia ranked last out of 60 countries in Glasgow on the Climate Change Performance Index, the same can be said about climate change. Sadly, the casualty is not just truth, it is also the Solomon Islands.

The incoming government must do better.

Ray Peck, Hawthorn, Victoria

Raise taxes for a better Australia!

TREASURER Josh Frydenberg claimed in his Budget Speech in March that “a strong economy requires lower taxes”. The Labor Party also thinks that tax cuts for people earning more than $90,000 a year be brought forward.

“Evidence is rarely provided to support the assertion that lower taxes lead to a stronger economy and that higher taxes lead to a weaker economy”, says “The Nordic Edge: Policy Possibilities for Australia” (2021).

Higher-taxed countries such as Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland, do not mean that their economies are weaker.

“On the contrary, multiple measures of economic and social well-being show a correlation that works in the opposite direction,” says the report.

“Higher levels of taxation are more likely to show higher levels of economic performance and social wellbeing.”

Our government is unwilling to acknowledge that thousands of people live in poverty, without shelter and the struggle that charities and non-government organisations experience while trying to help needy people.

The government should be taxing corporations and multinational companies to pay for the social wellbeing of our nation.

Increasing taxes should provide better social, educational and employment opportunities that Labor has always stood for, but now looks very like the Morrison government.

Let us hope that our nation’s problems can finally be reversed with a policy change on taxes at this election. We need social justice, higher taxes and more benefits.

Jenny Holmes, Weston

Liberals are running on empty GIVEN how the Coalition’s “women problem” always seems to be bubbling away beneath the surface of its male-centric operations, even the Liberal Party’s dirty tricks department, misnamed as Advance Australia, would have realised that it could not emblazon Canberra’s roadsides with unrestrained images of Kim Rubenstein ripping apart her clothing to reveal some confected logo that does not belong to her campaign (“The election ‘scream test’ gets louder”, CN May 4).

David Pocock will no doubt remain the ACT Liberals’ prime target until May 21 as they seek to further undermine and disrespect the independents’ right to stand for election.

Having already resorted to playing the man, Senator Zed Seselja, his party headquarters and their rat-bag sidekicks have shown, they have nothing to offer ACT voters on the key policy matters developed by the independent Senate candidates in response to significant community engagement, demands and hopes.

Sue Dyer, Downer

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49 Jardine Street, Kingston | kingstonnaturaltherapies.com.au | Phone 6295 6660 22 CityNews May 12-18, 2022

SNOW BUSINESS

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Winter’s around the corner, get ready for the snow WINTER is just around the corner, but there’s plenty of fun that can come with the colder weather.

There’s lots to enjoy around the Canberra region from exploring to getting ready for winter sports to even going on an unforgettable helicopter ride.

This week “CityNews” looks at what to do and where to go this snow season.

Snow Fit and ready for the slopes

Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre.

Ignite imaginations at the Snowy Hydro centre “WHILE visiting the Snowy Mountains region, school groups are encouraged to stop by the Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre to experience the mighty Snowy Scheme like never before,” says a Snowy Hydro spokesperson.

“Students can discover the scheme’s past, present and future and hear some of the stories behind the engineering and our people from our experienced staff, including former teachers.

“Our learning program will ignite students’ imagination and expand their knowledge about a range of curriculum including geography, STEM, history and social science subjects.”

With a state-of-art immersive theatre, the spokesperson says learning programs can be complemented with a range of experiences including a virtual fly-over of the scheme.

“Our huge, renewable energy project, Snowy 2.0, is powering ahead and students can learn about the project, view a scale-model tunnel boring machine, and discover Snowy Hydro’s leading role as Australia transitions to a renewable energy future,” says the spokesperson.

“The Snowy Hydro education program is now available online with the launch of our brand new education portal Next Generation Education Hub. It provides easy-to-access materials designed to inspire, provide critical thinking opportunities and increase science literacy with real-life, practical activities suitable for the classroom or at home.”

JANET Fabbri, owner of Higher Function Physio & Pilates, is offering a program of Snow Fit classes.

“We’ve just finished week two, but people can still join,” she says.

The Snow Fit classes run in collaboration with Vertikal Indoor Snow Sports.

“The aim is to improve people’s strength and to help prevent injuries.

“Vertikal gives instructions on how to become a better skier, and to grow better skills.

“We do strength training, stability, flexibility and help to improve the control,

efficiency and agility.”

Janet has worked as a physiotherapist and musculoskeletal physiotherapist specialist for 25 years, and started Higher Function Physio & Pilates in 2013.

Having this experience, Janet says she knows what sort of practice works best (and what doesn’t) – not just for patients but for staff, too.

Higher Function Physio & Pilates, Suite 4, Level 1/23 Petrie Plaza, Canberra. Call 6262 9664, email reception@higherfunction.com.au or visit higherfunction.com.au

Snow Fit classes are offered at Higher Function Physio and Pilates with Janet Fabbri, right.

Snowy Hydro, Monaro Highway, Cooma.

Call 1800 623776 or visit snowyhydro.com.au

Discover the Snowy Scheme Stop by for a coffee on your way to the Snowy Mountains.

Play in our interactive immersive theatre experience.

Discover more about the past, present and future of the mighty Snowy Scheme, Snowy Hydro and renewables.

VI SI T U S

Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre and Cafe Monaro Highway, Cooma | Open 7 days Weekdays 8am - 4.30pm Weekends and public holidays 9am - 2pm snowyhydro.com.au 1800 623 776

CityNews May 12-18, 2022 23

‘Your treasure trove stop in Cooma’

SNOW BUSINESS The little shop ‘filled with wonderful’ THE Shearer’s Wife in Cooma is a treasure trove of all things beautiful, says shop owner Clare Aitchison.

Clare, who is indeed the wife of a shearer and a busy mum, says The Shearer’s Wife makes for the perfect stop-in on the way to or from the snow.

She says her love of fashion and homewares inspired her to open the shop where she has curated a collection of beautiful brands and creations, from gorgeous homeware pieces to rustic leathers to beautiful fashion and bright, fun accessories.

“I’m blessed to be able to do what I love, bringing together an amazing collection of beautiful brands for you and your home,” says Clare.

“It’s a shop filled with lots of wonderful!”

Clothing | Homeware | Handmade leather products | Jewellery

The Shearer’s Wife, 80 Vale Street, Cooma.

Visit theshearerswife.com.au or call 0402 733187.

Low-impact exercise technique keeps skiers fit A NEW, scientifically studied exercise technique called Nordic Walking is more effective than jogging, but as gentle as walking, and is even used by cross-country skiers to stay fit in their off-season, says Capital Nordic Walking founder Kristen Pratt.

The technique uses specially designed poles that are planted behind the user to propel them along using the power of the upper body as well as the legs.

“When there’s no snow the Scandinavian and Nordic skiers shorten their poles and do exactly the same

80 Vale Street, Cooma, NSW 0402 733 187

theshearerswife.com.au

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movement as they would in cross country skiing,” says Kristen.

“It doubles the number of muscles being used and strengthened compared to walking and running, making it easy to get a high-intensity cardiovascular workout,” says Kristen.

But while the technique is perfect for skiers, Kristen says anyone can try the versatile exercise.

“Because we have so much control over the range of movement and the level of intensity, you can adapt it to where you’re at and scale it up as you start to improve,” she says.

“The great thing about it is you don’t have to go very fast to get a good workout, but competitive Nordic walkers can get up to speeds similar to running.

“For people who like walking, it can turbo-charge your walk and for people who are really fit, like runners and crossfitters, it’s a really good cross activity to build muscle because it is so low impact.”

Capital Nordic Walking, email hello@capitalnordicwalking.com.au or visit capitalnordicwalking.com.au

Annie and her pursuit of perfection ANNIE O’Keeffe opened her little piece of perfection, The Perfect Piece, in September 2018, and says she’s loved every minute.

“We are located in the heart of the Snowy Mountains in a beautiful little village, Berridale, that people love to spend a day in.”

She says she loves “being able to help people find a gift, forming relationships with the local community, and being a lovely space just to visit and enjoy some time.”

The Perfect Piece sells a range of homewares, beauty products and jewellery with an ethos of curating a range of Australian-made items.

“We try and sell as much Aussie-made, home-based products as possible to set ourselves apart from other businesses in the area.”

Currently in winter fashion, The Perfect Piece offers beanies, jumpers and scarves so that “you and your home are sorted for winter”.

The Perfect Piece, 72a Jindabyne Road, Berridale, NSW. Call 0488 478153, email theperfectpieceberridale@gmail. com or visit theperfectpieceberridale.com

PROVEN to be far more effective, and gets better results, than just walking, jogging, running, cycling and swimming!

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72a Jindabyne Road Berridale, NSW 0488 478 153 theperfectpieceberridale.com

24 CityNews May 12-18, 2022

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Experience the Snowy Mountains from the air SEE the Snowy Mountains and surrounds from a new perspective with a Snowy Mountains Helicopter ride, says charter pilot Meg Morris.

“There’s a 10-minute scenic flight, which goes alongside Lake Jindabyne and back through, to longer experiences of 30 minutes which takes you up over Mount Kosciuszko,” she says.

“People can also travel deeper into the Snowy Mountains and get up close with scenery and views only accessible from the air in an hour-long flight.

“There they’ll get to see the huts and shelters scattered around the National Park, the various waterfalls and lakes including the beautiful Valentine Falls.”

Meg says one of their most popular flights is the wilderness picnic, a 50-minute flight that takes couples

to a secluded mountain hut where they can share cheese, nibbles and a bottle of bubbly.

“The two of you can just escape to nature where you can enjoy the scenery and the snowgums rustling,” she says.

“In the air you’ll be able to see the different flora and fauna and how it changes between landscapes as you’re climbing up over the range.”

That’s just the start though. From winery tours to special wedding flights, Meg says they offer a range of exclusive options that go above and beyond a typical day out in the Snowy Mountains.

Snowy Mountains Helicopters, Jindabyne Airport, 56 Tinworth Drive. Visit snowyheli.com.au or call 1300 950718.

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1300 950 718 | www.snowyheli.com.au CityNews May 12-18, 2022 25

ALL ABOUT QUEANBEYAN

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The nearby busy city with a history and a future FROM actors to poets, rugby players to grand prix racers, Queanbeyan is home to an iconic line up of Australian stars.

Among them are names such as David and Terry Campese, Mark Webber, Heather McKay, George Lazenby and many more.

The city is considered one of the oldest settlements in Australia, and today represents one of the fastest-growing cities in regional NSW. All that and more shows Queanbeyan has carved itself out as an exceptional little corner of Australia, and it’s thriving now more than ever.

This week “CityNews” heads over the border for a closer look.

Kristy’s ready to fight for Eden-Monaro FEDERAL Member for Eden-Monaro Kristy McBain says a background in law and journalism from the University of Canberra has set her up well.

“Advocacy is definitely something I’ve made my career out of. I feel comfortable surrounding myself with

Federal Member for Eden-Monaro Kristy McBain.

good people, listening to them and speaking out for them,” she says.

Kristy says the best part about Queanbeyan is the community, and the ability for the community to pull together and get things done, “which is consistent with the rest of the electorate as well”.

“I originally got involved in local politics because there had been a decision made about a local playground.

I had a two-and-a-half-year-old and a three-month-old and, at the time, there were eight men and one woman who were all over 55. I just didn’t think it was representative of my demographic.

So, she says she put her hand up and got elected to local council in 2012.

She was then elected mayor in 2016, and elected in a by-election in July 2020.

“We’ve got the election coming up on May 21 and I hope the people of Eden-Monaro will feel confident in returning me to this position, and if that’s the case I’ll be working hard to make sure that I continue to represent their views and their issues.”

Get in touch with Kristy McBain on 6284 2442 or email kristy.mcbain.mp@ aph.gov.au

The Bordeaux team, from left, Jamie, Steve and Michael Milutinovic.

‘One-stop-shop’ for construction projects BORDEAUX Construction and Management’s team of trained professionals can help with any building project from design to handover, says project manager Michael Milutinovic.

“We’re a one-stop-shop for construction, renovations, extensions, residential and commercial projects,” says Michael, who holds an unrestricted “A” class builder’s licence and has more than 15 years of industry experience.

“We understand a lot of people, especially career professionals, can be time poor so we can manage the entire project from start to finish and simplify it for our clients.”

Originally established as Bordeaux Kitchens in 1983, Michael says the family business has grown over the decades to offer large building works throughout Canberra and NSW.

“We use premium trades, we’ve got our own quality assurance system and we’re really proud to offer a personal service where clients have a point of contact throughout the entire project,” he says.

“One of our recent clients was building a new home and they weren’t quite sure where to begin, but they had an idea of what they wanted to achieve and we’ve worked closely with them throughout the entire process.

“Communication is key for us.”

He says Bordeaux Construction and Management also has an in-house joinery shop, another advantage of its committed projects.

Bordeaux Construction and Management, 8 Aurora Place, Queanbeyan. Call 6299 4642 or visit bordeauxbcm.com.au

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ALL ABOUT QUEANBEYAN Toni wants a ‘proper’ change in politics

Cath creates psychic connections

TONI McLennan is a candidate for Eden-Monaro for the Informed Medical Options Party (IMOP).

“I am running solely because of what happened to my business over the COVID-19 nightmare,” she says.

Toni says she’s had a little gift shop at the Jamison Plaza for six years.

“Covid nearly destroyed my business through the lockdowns and the mandates, and my view is there was a better way to handle it.

“I don’t believe that it was necessary to lockdown healthy people or coerce Eden-Monaro candidate Toni McLennan. them into having experimental vaccines. People lost their “If you want different and better freedoms for a virus that has a 98 per politics in Australia, you have to start cent survival rate. voting in different voices. We have “I did the right thing by getting to have diversity in our parliaments, vaccinated, but then I suffered a we have to have more women, more vaccine injury. It was a terrible time and young people and we have to have I don’t want people to forget, it was more tradies in our parliaments, more a consequence of the actions of the librarians, more shopkeepers, we don’t governments around Australia.” need more lawyers.”

Toni says the message she wants to get out there is “who says you have to Toni McLennan at vote for Labor or Liberal?” toni.mclennan@imoparty.com

A PSYCHIC of more than 10 years Cath Leask believes the essence of psychic readings has changed over that time.

“There is that old-school stereotype of it being all about the future, but I like to look at it as a wellbeing movement,” says Cath, the owner of Heart 2 Heart Psychic Centre in Queanbeyan.

“It’s about bringing healing, hope and happiness to people. You’re connecting with someone on an energetic level.”

Located in the heart of Queanbeyan, the centre offers psychic readings, mediumship, healings, therapies, gifts and more.

“Whether working psychically to tune into your energy, a photograph or objects that you own, we can feel or sense elements to then provide details about your past, present and future,” says Cath.

“In mediumship, we will tune in a little deeper and further to the energy ‘around’ you – your loved ones in spirit.”

Cath says Heart 2 Heart also regularly offers workshops, circles, events and classes and welcomes anyone who wants to give it a try.

“For me, just being able to sit with someone and help them out of the darkness is a real privilege and a real blessing,” she says.

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More than 150 years of combined construction experience YEARS of experience across all kinds of iconic infrastructure have allowed Earth Moving Creations to develop innovative techniques that make construction projects less complex, says director Blake Scerri.

“Earthmoving Creations have over 150 years of combined experience in the local, civil and landscaping industry, so we can guarantee quality, reliability and professionalism,” says Blake.

“We are a passionate and motivated team that can help you with any job regardless of how big or small.

With services in bulk excavation, detail excavation, civil construction, concreting and more, Blake says all jobs are run in order to provide the client with quality workmanship and to ensure a safe standard.

Earth Moving Creations also has an expanding fleet of heavy earthmoving equipment available for hire.

“From ‘truck & dog’ to excavator and bobcat hire, we have something to help with your project,” says Blake.

“We also provide top-quality landscaping construction services at affordable prices. Contact us today to organise a time for a quote and to discuss the many different ways we can help with your project.”

Earth Moving Creations, Paterson Parade, Queanbeyan West.

Call 0439 733044 or visit earthmovingcreations.com.au

Psychic Cath Leask.

Heart 2 Heart Psychic Centre, 142 Monaro Street, Queanbeyan.

Visit heart2heartcentre.com. au, call 0418 796917 or search Heart 2 Heart Psychic Centre on Facebook.

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info@earthmovingcreations.com.au earthmovingcreations.com.au 28 CityNews May 12-18, 2022

advertising feature Dedicated lawyers prepare people for the future RMB Lawyers strives to provide clients with legal clarity and comfort, says solicitor Peta Taylor.

Peta, who specialises in wills, estate planning and family law, says she’s passionate about providing efficient and responsible service to clients to give them the best outcomes she can.

“I talk to clients about what their intentions are for their wealth planning, where they’re wanting to head in the future and what they see happening for their family,” says Peta.

“I’m happy to do whatever clients need to make them feel more comfortable, sometimes people might prefer to have a chat on a walk or go to a coffee shop instead of the office.

“They might only be able to get in on certain days, or can only get in contact via telephone, anything we can do to help people feel more comfortable we will.”

Peta works alongside fellow solicitor Patrick Gettrust, a member of RMB’s Business Transactions and Dispute Resolution Division.

Patrick says he enjoys helping people and businesses resolve disputes and deal with transactions to help their businesses thrive, and helping people get their estates in order.

The Queanbeyan firm is just one of 18 across NSW that Peta says together form a significant pool of legal expertise including business and commercial transactions, conveyancing, compensation and personal injury, criminal defence and more.

“There’s not a problem we can’t help with,” she says.

RMB Lawyers solicitor Peta Taylor.

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CityNews May 12-18, 2022 29

ALL ABOUT QUEANBEYAN Gymnastics gym in a prime location

Baker Deane and Nutt partner Lorraine White.

Accessible and innovative legal services BAKER Deane and Nutt (BDN) is one of the oldest law firms in NSW, having been established for more than 160 years and providing expert advice with a personal touch, says partner Lorraine White.

With two offices, one in Canberra and another in Queanbeyan, BDN operates across NSW, ACT and Commonwealth jurisdictions.

Lorraine says the firm prides itself on being accessible, responsive, and innovative.

“Excellent staff, technology and systems ensure clients receive prompt, reliable and effective legal services,” she says.

Lorraine says BDN has managed the business of the firm through the COVID-19 pandemic well.

“Our systems and skilled staff have allowed us

to continue providing legal services to our clients throughout the pandemic, including when our staff have been working from home,” she says.

“We have not needed to close our doors at all, and have been busier than ever.

“Our staff were already set up to work remotely. Over the past few years we have effectively conducted client meetings and court attendances from both our offices and from home.

“BDN has embraced the new and hopefully ongoing efficiencies that have been developed during the pandemic.”

Baker Deane and Nutt, Level 1, 1 Farrell Place, Civic (call 6230 1999) and 260 Crawford Street, Queanbeyan (call 6299 3999). Visit bdn.com.au

JESS Greene is the gymnastics co-ordinator for the Queanbeyan PCYC, and says its location benefits everyone.

“There are no gym clubs on the east side of Canberra, every other gym is about 25 or 30 minutes from us so we’re in a prime location,” she says.

Gymnastics is offered to children from six months old to 17 years, and people of all levels are welcome.

“Anyone can start at any point, they can walk in off the street and come and join a class,” she says.

“That’s the good thing about gymnastics, it’s really inclusive and anyone can do it.”

She says she loves to see the kids progress, and build a relationship with them as well.

“Sometimes I’ll get a kid that comes in when they’re four-years-old and they don’t leave until they’re 17, so I think that’s really cool to see,” she says.

And Jess says it’s the best PCYC gym in Australia.

“We’ve got a ninja park to run a ninjawarrior class. We just got a brand new floor,” and they also offer rhythmic and artistic gymnastics with “vault bars, a beam and floor activities.”

PCYC Queanbeyan Gymnastics, 1A Yass Road, Queanbeyan East. Call 6285 6993, email queanbeyan@pcycnsw.org.au or visit pcycnsw. org.au/queanbeyan/activities/gymnastics.

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Get active at PCYC Queanbeyan’s new state-of-the-art Gymnastics Centre Classes for all ages and abilities, including BabyGym (0 – 18 months), KinderGym (18 months – 5 yrs), GymStar (5 – 12 yrs) and Teen GymStar (13 + yrs).

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Tom offers friendly service and a good reputation TOM Whittle, owner of Monaro Bathrooms, says Queanbeyan “is a smaller community, so we make sure we don’t disappoint.”

He started off as a plumber by trade, doing bathroom renovations, and he’s been doing this sort of work for seven years. The company has only grown from there, accumulating trades along the way.

“We basically provide everything now with renovations, bathroom, home, kitchen and laundry,” he says.

Other services include plumbing, carpentry, air

conditioning, painting, rendering and tilers, and the staff are made up of bricklayers, electricians, landscapers, plasterers, concreters.

“We have good attention to detail, we’ve got very good tradesmen. All the tradies are good responsible guys, we get a lot of compliments on how friendly the staff are.”

Monaro Bathrooms, 5a Daly Street, Queanbeyan.

Call 0413 097628, or visit monarobathrooms.com.au

pcycnsw.org.au/queanbeyan (02) 6285 6993 1A Yass Rd, Queanbeyan NSW 2620

19160_PCYC_Gymnastics at PCYC Queanbeyan_129x145.indd 1

9/5/2022 2:02 pm

Bathrooms | Kitchens | Laundries | Full Home Alterations | Landscaping | Concreting O413 097 628 | 5A DALY ST, QUEANBEYAN NSW | MONAROBATHROOMS.COM.AU | CityNews May 12-18, 2022 31

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STRATA MANAGEMENT

ALL ABOUT QUEANBEYAN Jan’s passion is demanding and rewarding CO-DIRECTOR of strata managers Bridge Strata, Jan Browne has been in the business for more than 30 years and manages clients in Queanbeyan, Yass, Bungendore and surrounding areas.

“You go through life trying different areas and I went into this and it just became a bit of a passion,” says Jan. “Queanbeyan is home for me, I’ve been here since I was 15. I know the area very well, I know the streets and the complexes and that helps my work.”

She says nothing is black and white in the industry, she enjoys working out the grey answers, and she likes meeting people and building a connection.

“Strata management is a type of governance [that] involves community living,” says Jan. “You deal with all these communities and over the years you develop a rapport, you have affiliations and connections with a lot of people.”

Jan believes that it’s a great industry to get into,

Bridge Strata staff from left, Amanda Dengate, Jan Browne and Jenny Muller. and says it’s certainly an industry that is demanding but it is rewarding.

Bridge Strata, Level 1, 20C Monaro Street, Queanbeyan.

Call 6109 7700, email admin@bridgestrata.com.au or visit bridgestrata.com.au

Energy efficient homes built in eight weeks PRECAST Homes creates modern and stylish homes that are more energy efficient, save on cost and save on time, says manager Chelsea Edwards.

“Using precast concrete panels means increased structural strength and gives us the ability to deliver stronger and greener homes in a fraction of the time,” she says.

“On day one of construction we place the panels and the trusses using the same crane. In normal construction, which uses brick veneer or another alternative, it takes them two to three weeks to get that done.”

Chelsea says the process means a new home can be built in eight weeks, without sacrificing on energy efficiency or strength.

“It has amazing insulation properties and will keep your home cool in summer and warm in winter, reducing power costs,” she says.

“Precast concrete slabs are commonly used in commercial and industrial settings for their strength and durability.”

Chelsea says they encourage people to get in touch to find out if Precast builds in their area.

“We build in Canberra and nearby NSW, from Bungendore to Googong to Burra and more,” she says.

Precast Homes, Unit 8a/3 Jamison Centre, Macquarie.

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advertising feature Players bring back all-time favourite for an encore

Beauty services in Queanbeyan

THE Queanbeyan Players are bringing back one of its most popular shows for a second run.

“The Sound of Music” will return to the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre (The Q) next month after playing to sold-out crowds in March last year.

It’s the heart-warming story of nun Maria turned governess to the Von Trapp family of seven singing children, set against the dramatic backdrop of Nazi Germany’s rise to power.

Queanbeyan Players’ vice-president Jenna Hinton says they can’t wait to bring back their take on one of the most iconic films of all time after last year’s run of shows were limited due to covid restrictions.

“At the time, The Q could only take about 75

LOUISE McMahon has been the owner of Deziner Beauty in Queanbeyan for 17 years, but it wasn’t her original plan.

“I actually wanted to be a chef,” she said. “My mum was a hairdresser and I used to help her a lot, and she said to me she thought I would be really good at beauty.

But Louise describes herself as more of a people person, and says she’s more of a giver than a receiver, so she found beauty was her truer calling.

In her business, Louise says she tries to have all the cutting-edge technology and skincare that gives the best results.

“My passion is in all this new machinery, I make sure I do my research and have the best of the best that’s out there. It costs me a lot of money, but I buy the machines with clinical studies about them, and that give guaranteed results.”

Her newest purchase is an LED lighttherapy bed that she says she’s wanted for years, but couldn’t afford until now.

Deziner Beauty also offers facelifts, body contouring, teeth whitening, a skin analyser, as well as waxing, make-up and more traditional beauty services.

per cent capacity and we sold out all seats prior to opening,” says Jenna.

“The majority of the cast have returned, which is very exciting.”

Jenna says “The Sound of Music” is a story that’s still relevant today, even 50 years after the film first hit cinema screens.

“It’s such a universal story,” she says.

“Even with today’s current events there are still relevant storylines and history in there that can be learned from.”

“The Sound of Music”, at The Q, June 24-July 3.

Information and tickets at theq.net.au or call 6285 6290.

Photo: Michael Moore

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GARDENING

Hakea brings out the bird life than 10 metres from each other, the bees should do their job. The fruit is best kept on the vine until all the leaves have dropped in winter and there has been a frost or two.

Kiwi vines, which can take a few years to fruit, like soil that is acidic and a strong support to grow on.

Prune male vines after flowering in spring and females after fruiting in winter. Kiwi vines produce fruit on current season’s growth from older spurs.

Fruit will ripen off the vine in a brown paper bag on a sunny morning windowsill, so pick them before the birds do.

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It is fast growing and the grey foliage needs a regular trim to keep it compact and flowering well.

Hakeas are of the Proteaceae family and need only native fertiliser. My Hakeas are watered only on natural rainfall and flower without any problem.

Their flowers are unusual and commonly called sea urchin Hakea.

Nectar feeding birds, such as wattle birds, will defend this plant when it’s in flower and the plant loves hot, dry conditions, but not wet feet.

FEIJOAS are ripe when they fall from the tree to the ground for easy picking.

Its common name is pineapple guava, and it is just that, a fragrant tropical-smelling fruit that’s versatile in the kitchen, terrific as an evergreen hedge in Canberra as well as producing beautiful flowers around Christmas time.

The fruit can be frozen whole, used in cakes, deserts or, with a spoon, scooped out and eaten fresh.

I make a cake with the fruit, slice it and freeze. It’s easy to defrost when it is needed, but also adding a dollop of double-thick cream makes it all worthwhile. Yum! EVERGREEN planting that needs to be done in the garden before the

Kiwi fruit grows well with little care and attention, and produces fruit in late autumn to early winter.

Photo: Jackie Warburton cold weather sets in next month needs to be done now, the soil is beginning to cool. Winter weeds such as chickweed, winter grass, oxalis and Bindi (just to name a few) are starting to appear in the garden and, with the moisture in the soil recently, they will be in abundance.

Hand weeding before they set seed in late winter, early spring is helpful and, as I have said before, “one year’s seed is seven years of weeds”.

over summer as they dry out quickly.

Water them close to the stem, not at the drip line.

They need a male and female vine to produce fruit as they are dioecious, meaning there are separate male and female plants.

One male to five female vines will give you more fruit that you can handle. One of each is more than enough. So long as they are no more

TULIPS and Dutch irises can be planted now.

Add a little lime to bearded irises as the cool weather sets in and the leaves will start growing and the rhizome will be forming flowers through the winter.

These irises are a good garden filler in the winter, take the hot weather in summer and the frost in the winter. Keep the rhizome exposed to the frost and that will initiate flowering as well.

Jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au There is lots more of Jackie Warburton’s gardening advice at citynews.com.au

KIWI fruit (Actinidia deliciosa) is beginning to ripen and mature after the first frost. Kiwi fruit, also known as the Chinese gooseberry, grows well with very little care and attention and produces fruit in late autumn to early winter.

Kiwi vines have a shallow root system and need to be well watered

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

INSIDE

A place of fizzy, pink, sour and bright things

WENDY JOHNSON

Gothic ‘Jane Eyre’ ticks all the feminist boxes

By Helen

MUSA “JANE Eyre” as a Gothic drama?

It’s news to me, but as the star of an upcoming adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s famous novel explains it, the approach sounds fair enough.

Nelle Lee, who plays Jane and, with Nick Skubij, adapted the work and is very clear about what makes it Gothic – not quite so much as “Dracula”, but because of the supernatural element, where Mr Rochester’s voice is heard calling from afar to Jane.

To a cohort of contemporary feminist literary critics re-reading the novel, it’s much clearer – it has a female victim, a victimiser or victimisers, an element of mystery, some kind of imprisonment and, of course, the supernatural – to them “Jane Eyre” ticks all the boxes.

Lee’s been playing Jane since 2019, when the shake & stir theatre co cast enjoyed a three-week season in Brisbane before it got canned because of covid, and her relief at being back on the boards is palpable.

The characters, in Lee’s view, are all the figments of Jane’s mind, so they come in and out of her mind depending on what her

Nelle Lee as Jane in “Jayne Eyre”. thoughts are.

“It’s a real ensemble piece with just four actors,” she says, “and I’m the only one who plays just one part, the musician plays the musical score by Sarah McLeod and doubles as Bertha Mason and the others play everyone else.”

Bertha Mason? That’s Mr Rochester’s

Photo: Dylan Evans first mad wife, hidden in the attic, adding the mystery element necessary to a Gothic tale, but perhaps also a metaphor for all our personal secrets – everybody has had a bit of a Bertha experience, we agree.

Continuing the Gothic theme, Josh McIntosh’s skeletal set is big, cage-like with a central tower that evokes mystery. No

wonder the show’s promoters have come up with the line: “As Jane and Rochester become inexplicably drawn to each other, the dark secrets locked within the walls of Thornfield start to unravel, forcing Jane on a heart-wrenching journey.”

Charlotte Bronte, the author, we chorus, was way ahead of her time in writing about the condition of women.

“Hers is a unique feminine perspective even though the pen name she used [Currer Bell] was like that of a male,” Lee notes.

While in part a feminist piece, it was written in a time when women were restricted in what they could be and what they could be trained as.

Viewed from a modern perspective, there’s no question that, as a child, Jane was belittled and abused by family and teachers, her victimisers.

Remarkable among the world’s great romantic heroines, she is a very plain Jane, so plain and insignificant that people never notice her, yet she finds herself as an individual.

Her plainness is worth noting in an era where, as Lee points out: “Hardly an unedited picture ever gets posted to social media… you never see the real side of people.

“You’ll see Jane looking at herself in the mirror, battling with herself, but eventually she says, ‘I am what I want to be’.”

This production goes at breakneck speed,

whizzing through Jane’s earlier years at Lowood, the school she gets shipped off to by her horrible aunt and where she learns how to mask her feelings.

But the focus is firmly on Jane and her Mr Rochester, for whom director Michael Futcher has managed to fill out a complex relationship which is not romantic at first, but which grows as the two characters from two different ages and backgrounds find a connection.

Lee is sure that anybody unfamiliar with “Jane Eyre” will be easily able to follow the play.

“The characters are multifaceted and flawed, but still so engaging that audiences will take away a sense of characters who make mistakes,” she says.

Although there have been a couple of scene cuts, the wedding scene – easily the most famous nuptials in all literature – is there, with the pathos of the moment when a stranger steps up to reveal that there is indeed an impediment to the marriage.

“Yes I don a puffy white dress,” she says with relish. “There are so many iconic moments in this book.”

And is there a happy ending? Seasoned readers of the novel know the answer to that, “but put it this way,” Lee says, “the audience will get what they want”.

“Jane Eyre”, The Playhouse, May 17- 21. Book at canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

26 MAY - 4 JUNE 2022 THE Q QUEANBEYAN PERFORMING ARTS

CENTRE

THEQ.NET.AU

CityNews May 12-18, 2022 35

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Daunted poet’s in ‘First Seen’ but not yet heard

By Helen

MUSA “IT’S a bit like painting the house while I’m laying the bricks,” says spoken word artist CJ Bowerbird of writing his first play, part of The Street Theatre’s 11th “First Seen: New Works-InProgress” season.

From May to October, each chosen playwright, CJ Bowerbird, Helen Machalias and Emily Clark, will have time to progress their works to production-ready stage through creative development with professional directors, dramaturgs and actors.

However, this year instead of live showings, the showcase part will be done through live-streamed performances.

I caught up with “CJ”, a former fighter pilot who won the National Poetry Slam in 2012 and went on to a distinguished career in performance poetry.

“I’ve had it in my mind to write a verse play for years,” he tells me.

“I enjoy taking my practice into new areas, but to be quite honest it’s daunting, it’s a pretty big step.

“My understanding of a verse play is that each character must speak in a distinct voice and yet they have to sound poetic… it’s a challenge to try and replicate natural

Spoken word artist CJ Bowerbird… “I’ve always written poetry as long as I can remember, but I started sharing my work in about 2009.” conversation using elements of poetry to give it a unique flavour.”

The big problem for CJ is that until he

hears the voices of actors speaking his lines, he won’t know what his next move might be.

“An extraordinary play” – NEW YORK TIMES 2019

36 CityNews May 12-18, 2022

“That’s the whole idea of ‘First Seen’, doing it with actors so that you know how it will be played,” he says.

Luckily, his dramaturg will be Nigel Featherstone the novelist who, when he went through “First Seen” with his own song-cycle, “The Weight of Light”, consulted the poet Melinda Smith to help him be more poetic – he will understand.

“I’m not so much tapping into the ambiguity of good poetry as using imagery and metaphor, while at the same time creating commonplace dialogue,” CJ says.

So, who are his verse drama role models?

It’s an impressive list, Shakespeare, English poet-playwright Kate Tempest and even TS Eliot, who’s “The Cocktail Party” he’s recently come across.

“I’ve always written poetry as long as I can remember, but I started sharing my work in about 2009,” he says.

That was just three years after the former fighter pilot left the RAAF in 2006 to form his own business as a speaker and teacher of communication skills to engineering experts.

Never deployed overseas, he nevertheless enjoyed his time in the services, saying: “I found my home there and I did a lot of presenting and speaking, but not in the creative area.”

He is too modest.

In his spare time while at the RAAF Base Tindal in the NT, CJ played Oberon in the Katherine production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Also, for a good deal of the time, he was an instructor, presenting in

front of big crowds, so he is not by no means a novice in the area of performance.

But he’s keen to develop and looks forward to the Q&A with the audience where he’ll ask them as many questions as they’ll ask him.

“Ten years ago, I wouldn’t have been open enough to take that, but now I feel I can,” he says.

In his play, he’s exploring aspects of masculinity, especially the problem of men being silent and not talking about emotions.

“As a father you’re open to the challenge, this is the sort of thing that interests me,” he says.

“This is what brought me into theatre, the characters have to have life other than me.

“My play starts with a violent display of masculinity where the son of a couple, Scott and Nicole, is killed by a so-called ‘coward punch’.”

The play goes on to explore what effect that has on the parents and their remaining son and how they manage the consequences of their grief, leading to a moment where one member of the family feels they have to relive that violent act.

And do we meet the perpetrator?

“Not at the moment, I’m more interested in the effect on the family than on the perpetrator – that’s one of the dramatic questions I’m going to ask during ‘First Seen’,” he says.

CJ Bowerbird’s “Coward Punch”, live streamed at 5pm, Friday, May 27. All details at thestreet.org.au

DINING / Paranormal Wines, Campbell

Of fizzy, pink and bright things PARANORMAL Wines’ website pitches its personality perfectly: “We like fizzy things, pink things, orange things, sour things, light and bright things – interesting drops made from grapes.”

Owner Max Walker brings his experience from Spanish tapas bar MoVida Aqui (Melbourne) and LP’s Quality Meats (restaurant and shop in Sydney) to an inviting spot in Campbell across the road from Hassett Park. It didn’t take long for Paranormal Wines to become a destination.

Rows and rows of wines motivate customers to explore at their leisure, knowing that bottles don’t need to be cellared before being ready to enjoy.

In addition to bottled wine from Australia and further afield, Paranormal has a by-the-glass menu with rotating specials ($10 to $20). On our visit, options included a Gentle Folk Blanc, Continental Rose and a Honky Chateau Cab Shiraz.

While a retail shop, Paranormal Wines is also a place to sit, sip and snack.

Aidan Kidson – formerly eightysix and Bar Rochford – heads the kitchen and is creative with the snack line-up (which changes, btw), starting with a simple sourdough and olive oil ($4) or marinated olives ($6). Being introduced the day after our visit were heartier dishes such as pasta.

Our first wine was the Milton Chenin Blanc (2020; $32 plus $15 corkage), from a biodynamic wine estate in NZ). It was sensational with the tapas-style snacks we had selected.

First up was a creamy white bean dip and we loved the whole beans decorating the top and the drizzle of olive oil circling the dish ($14).

Perfect with toast.

We relaxed over easy-going leek croquettes created with Italian Taleggio cheese ($15). They were bursts of joy.

Burrata is all the rage in restaurants these days

George Bernard Shaw

P YG M AL I O N

Belconnen Community Theatre May 27 to June 4

Bookings: Canberraticketing.com.au Phone 62752700

A Tempo Theatre production.

Tempotheatre.org.au

Leek croquettes… created with Italian Taleggio cheese. and the handcrafted Vannella Cheese version served at Paranormal is a mega hit ($12). Made with mozzarella and fresh cream, this showstopper cheese has an inviting, soft texture and is served in a Mount Zero extra virgin, with luxurious olive oil making it even more irresistible.

The finale was the duck and pork rillettes, with tart cornichons and a side dollop of vibrant Newman’s mustard (SA), also served with toast ($16).

The rillettes went well with our second wine, the organic Casa Belfi Bianco ($37), which is vinified in small quantities in Venice. It’s unfiltered so it has a cloudy appearance – no sugar, sulphur or

Photo: Wendy Johnson

synthetic chemicals. For some, this wine would be on the “funky” side.

Other food items during our visit, guaranteed to ramp up the taste buds, included sardines with toast or anchovies on toast (both $14), mortadella ($12) and a selection of two cheeses ($20).

In addition to wines, customers can buy fine foods, including mustards, pickles, tomato sauces, honey and olives from quality producers such as On the Side, LC and Quinby’s.

ARTS IN THE CITY

Local big band celebrates big history THE Blamey Street Big Band will celebrate its 20th birthday with a gala concert. “CityNews” music reviewer Ian McLean, who directed the band during its first 14 years and recently returned to conduct the band, has devised a program taking “a musical wander through a fascinating history”. At Harmonie German Club, May 21. Book at eventbrite.com.au or 6295 9853.

IRISH stand-up comedian and actor Jimeoin is next in the Q’s comedy line-up, threatening “a ferocious onslaught of gags and a constant stream of laughter”. At The “B”, The Bicentennial Hall, Queanbeyan, May 20. Book at theq.net.au FLAUTIST Emma Sholl returns to perform CPE Bach’s flute concerto in D minor in the Canberra Symphony Orchestra’s next Llewellyn Series concert, “Miracles in the Age of Reason”. Conducted by early music specialist Benjamin Bayl, the program also features a suite from Rameau’s Platée, Richard Meale’s Cantilena Pacifica and Mozart’s Symphony No. 39.

Llewellyn Hall, May 18-19.

CANBERRA Community Chorale is celebrating birds through classical and

From the archives, Blamey Street Big Band performs in Yass… playing at Harmonie German Club, May 21. contemporary works. Dan Walker’s directing the concert at the North Belconnen Uniting Church, Melba, 3pm, May 22. Book at trybooking.com THE Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council’s Acquisitive Art prize is coming up, with a $12,000 prize pool. The exhibition of shortlisted works runs at The Q, Queanbeyan, until June 11.

ART Song Canberra’s Season of Song 2022 pre-

sents “Schubert and Schiller”, a rare opportunity to hear Schubert’s music performed as it may have sounded in the decades immediately following its conception. The artists are tenor Koen van Stade and Neal Peres Da Costa, performing on an historic fortepiano. Wesley Music Centre, Forrest, 3pm, May 22. Book at trybooking.com THERE’S a “mixtape gig” of ‘80s pop and post-punk music and poetry planned for the Tathra Hotel, on the evenings of May 20-21. It stars Angie Hart, Heath Cullen, Inga Liljestrom, Michael Mooney and Michael Simic. Book at headlandfestival.com.au

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You keep the memories - perhaps, we could buy the goods?

CityNews May 12-18, 2022 37

STREAMING

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OVERALL THIS year Netflix has been bleeding hundreds of thousands of subscribers, spelling trouble for the world’s leading streaming platform.

In the first two months of 2022, the entertainment giant lost more than 200,000 users resulting in a stock price crash of 25 per cent.

It’s led the platform to take drastic measures to cushion its fall, including the cancellation of several projects.

These include “Bone”, an adaptation of a popular comic book series, and “Bright 2”, a sequel to the 2017 hit film starring Will Smith. It hasn’t been confirmed whether or not Smith’s slap at the Oscars has anything to do with that.

Now Netflix is even talking about introducing ads under an optional, cheaper subscription package, a move it has resisted for years.

The absence of ads was among the platform’s key draw cards when it started streaming content in 2007.

The company has also announced a crackdown on password sharing.

Many users of streaming platforms will be familiar with jumping on a friend’s or family member’s account with their password to get access free of charge.

Netflix itself once upon a time even liked the idea, with the company years ago tweeting “Love is sharing a password”.

Now the platform is looking to charge a small additional fee for each separate household using the same account.

The changes have an already deteriorating user base even more angry, with many people taking to social media to say the second they see

Can “Stranger Things” save Netflix? The upcoming fourth season reportedly has a budget of $270 million. an ad on the platform is the second they’ll ditch their subscription.

Amidst the catastrophe, Netflix will be relying heavily on the upcoming fourth season of “Stranger Things” to save the day, one of the platform’s most popular television shows and which played a key part in driving its widespread popularity.

The ‘80s sci-fi horror hit’s newest season releasing on May 27 reportedly has a budget of more than $30 million an episode, making it even more expensive than the final season of “Game of Thrones”.

It would seem the platform is throwing everything they have at the series to recapture some faith in their platform. If there is one show that has a chance of helping, “Stranger Things” is it. The show’s excellent third season, which was released in 2019, was watched by more than 64 million households within its first month of streaming.

So the question is, why are people jumping ship?

Netflix currently has around 220 million subscribers, which is by no means diddly squat, but many believe the figure may represent the platform’s “subscriber peak”. Its loss of users represents the first time in 10 years the platform

has gone down in subscribers.

It may be due to just how fierce the competition between streaming platforms has become.

Whereas other streaming platforms once upon a time simply did not have the content to compete with what was available on Netflix, these days movies and TV shows of astounding quality and popularity can be found on any platform.

Foxtel’s Binge features some of the world’s biggest content such as “Game of Thrones”. Stan is rolling out new stuff quicker than ever before, including the final season of “Better Call Saul” in Australia. Disney Plus has Ewan McGregor returning as Obi-Wan Kenobi in a highly anticipated “Star Wars” spin off this month.

Amazon Prime Video costs as little as $7 a month. In comparison, Netflix’s most expensive package costs $23 and its cheapest package starts at $11.

However, the sheer choice between platforms has also become annoying for many people.

To group together every major streaming platform in Australia and get access to all the best and newest TV shows, a household would have to pay around $60 a month. Those prices are similar to what cable TV was once upon a time.

In turn, it has many people frustrated and talking candidly online about illegally downloading content for free. Piracy was a phenomenon that Netflix had significantly reduced with its ease of accessibility.

It will be interesting to see how things play out for Netflix in the coming months, but the more the platform makes panicked overhauls the more people they’ll turn away.

What Netflix needs to rely on is good old, quality storytelling and “Stranger Things” will certainly be shouldering that responsibility over the coming months. To company executives a crashing stock price is far scarier than any Demogorgon they’ve ever put to screen before.

CINEMA

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By Nick

“The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson” (MA) ADVANCE publicity for this Australian movie said that it was based on Henry Lawson’s short story “The Drover’s Wife”.

Which in a way it is. But not as a slavish dramatisation of the text that, many decades ago, I studied at high school.

Leah Purcell, who wrote, produced and directed the film and plays the title character, has given her audiences a masterpiece of just about every element of the filmmaker’s craft.

The film looks wonderful, with virtuoso cinematography. Which is not to say that every scene is filled with colour. But illuminating a passage in the story by moonlight or starlight or candlelight or an open-air fire pit looks exactly like – moonlight, starlight, candlelight or a fire pit! You don’t see that passion for truth in too many movies. Bravo, cinematographer Mark Wareham.

Verisimilitude does much to establish this Australian story set in the early 1890s. So does the screenplay’s view of 21st century issues in that period – indigenous people, women of any race, in a society dominated by white males.

Raising her children alone while tending a farm in the Snowy Mountains, Molly finds herself

“Petite Maman” (PG)

paired with Aboriginal fugitive Yadaka (Rob Collins giving a subtle and convincing portrayal).

The two engage in a furtive and subtle flirtation as tragedy gradually closes around them.

Just-promoted police sergeant Klintoff, newly come into the district with his English bride (Sam Reid and Jessica De Gouw), follows the letter of the law. In time, he’ll regret that without swerving from his duty.

Playing Molly’s eldest son is one of two real-life brothers. I’ve not previously seen the Zammit-Harvey brothers so don’t know which is he. But he has a future in acting if he wants when he grows up.

So what’s the plot? The word for it is compelling. Or convincing. Or tragic. Or courageous.

Or a homage to Lawson’s short story without following it.

I’m not going to spoil your experience by trying to summarise it. I simply say, it doesn’t flinch from its depiction of issues.

I hope movie lovers will flock to see this film. It delivers powerful value. When naming the year’s best Aussie film next comes around, I reckon that it has to be in with a very good chance.

Regrettably, there is no nationwide plan to screen a TV-style interview with the principal actors screened at the cinema where I watched the film on its first Canberra day. Committed moviegoers tend to take pleasure from such unexpected goodies.

WRITER/director Celine Sciamma’s film introduces eight-year-old Nelly (Joséphine Sanz) whose parents (Nina Meurisse and Stéphane Varupenne) are packing up where her grandmother recently died. Nelly’s mother is having difficulty coping with the pressure.

Nelly goes to play in nearby woods where she meets another girl her age, Marion (Joséphine’s twin Gabrielle), dragging a tree trunk for the hut she’s building herself. Marion asks for help, Nelly is happy to give it. Something strange and wonderful has begun, called a friendship.

In Marion’s home, the girls make pancakes, giggling as they break eggs and pour milk into the batter, and set the table, concerned about the consequences of breaking a plate. They play dress-up. They build the hut. Marion tells Nelly it’s better than she could have imagined.

By this point in its progress, “Petite Maman” has settled down to telling us its real message.

The girls are learning how to grow up.

The serious exploration of their worries deals with an aspect of childhood seldom ventured into by adult filmmakers – treating children with respect.

The result is a delightful, low-tension, high-intensity observation that will charm and delight audiences, played by a pair of twin sisters who gently deliver it free of adult complications.

At Dendy and Palace Electric

At Dendy and Palace Electric

PUZZLES PAGE

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Your week in the stars

By Joanne Madeline Moore

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General knowledge crossword No. 829

May 16-22, 2022 ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

The week starts with the Lunar Eclipse, which increases your magnetism and boosts your ability to inspire others and transform your own life. Find appropriate ways to let off steam and choose challenging projects to channel your fiery energy into. Then Mars (your power planet) hooks up with Neptune on Wednesday, which increases creativity and intuition… but also decreases energy and motivation. So pace yourself, as you keep following your dreams.

BUSH CAPITAL & TERMITES

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)

The Lunar Eclipse lights up your partnership zone, so it will be impossible to escape relationship issues this week. Intense concentration, careful listening and calm compromise are the keys to drama-free relations. But, with Mercury reversing through your money zone, it’s not a good time to buy big ticket items (like a house or a car), sign business contracts, apply for a bank loan or lend money to others.

Instead, be a patient Bull and wait.

GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)

Dynamic Mars pairs up with Neptune on Wednesday, which is fabulous for taking bold new ideas and incorporating them into your professional plans for the future. Destiny is around and you’ll find the more you combine the creative with the practical, the better the long-term outcome will be. But with Mercury still in retrograde mode (in your sign) there’ll be some stumbling blocks along the way.

So do your best to be a patient and adaptable Twin.

CANCER (June 22 – July 23)

This week will be confusing so slow down and get your bearings before you proceed. Convivial Crabs – aim to get the balance right between socialising with others and spending quality time on your own. Shine a spotlight on your aspirations for the future. Are they an honest reflection of who you are right here and right now? If you have an ongoing problem that’s bothering you, look to a wise mentor or a mature friend for some well-chosen words of advice.

LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)

Watch out for domestic dramas, as the Lunar Eclipse shines an intense spotlight on a brewing and stewing family situation. And with Mercury still retrograde, it’s not a good week to make big decisions (especially involving goals and friendships).

Be patient and listen to tried-and-true friends who have proved their loyalty. Be inspired by this week’s birthday great, Cher: “I can trust my friends. These people force me to examine myself, encourage me to grow.”

VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)

You’re keen to help. But do other people require your well-meaning assistance?

Remember Mercury (your patron planet) is in retrograde mode until June 3. So be careful you’re not just being a fussy and finicky meddler. And if you are too quick to critique others, then you could find yourself with a fractious friend or a cranky colleague on your hands. Praise and encouragement will get you a lot further than criticism, no matter how ‘constructive’ it is.

LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)

Mercury is retrograde until June 3. So things won’t run smoothly, especially involving relationships, finances, education or travel. If you adapt to changing circumstances and accept mistakes and misunderstandings with good grace, then you’ll manage fine. Heed the wise words of entertainer Beyoncé (who has Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto and her Ascendant in Libra): “If everything was perfect, you would never learn and you would never grow.”

Solution next edition

Across

Down

1 What might we call a trip by a politician, at public expense? (6) 7 Name an alternative term for a relative. (8) 8 Which other term describes an indigenous person? (6) 9 What are words formed from the initial letters of other words? (8) 10 Which acute infectious disease is transmitted by lice and fleas? (6) 11 What are natives of Kampala called? (8) 14 Which words have nearly the same meanings as other words? (8) 18 Name the first Australian-born Governor-General, Sir Isaac ... (6) 19 Which person has artistic tendencies, and lives without regard for conventional rules of behaviour? (8) 21 Which island is separated from SE China by the Formosa Strait? (6) 22 What was the former name of the Hawaiian Islands? (8) 23 Name an annual Christian festival. (6)

1 Which term applies to caretakers? (8) 2 Which chess piece is shaped like a horse’s head? (6) 3 Name the government department that has control over public revenue. (8) 4 What do we call a disparaging remark?

(4) 5 To have made amends for an offence, is to have done what? (6) 6 What is ancient structure of two large upright stones capped by a horizontal stone? (6) 12 Name a green-coloured liqueur having a pronounced liquorice flavour. (8) 13 Salt, spices, or herbs are used as a what?

(8) 15 What is an RAN petty officer called? (6) 16 Name a tribe of the Iroquois confederacy.

(6) 17 Which other term describes hydrophobia? (6) 20 Name an Egyptian goddess of fertility. (4)

FREE SUDOKU EVERY DAY AT citynews.com.au

Sudoku medium No. 315

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)

Metamorphosis is the name of the game, as the Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio pushes you to rise Phoenix-like from the ashes of a difficult situation. A challenging relationship (with a partner, relative or neighbour) has the potential to be reborn into a much more positive partnership. Thursday’s Sun/Pluto trine will help you release old grudges, let go of the past, forgive and forget, and move on. But a situation with a child, teenager or friend remains confusing and complicated.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)

The Lunar Eclipse highlights intuitive insights, but don’t get so carried away that you head into the realm of pure fantasy. Retrograde Mercury confuses communication, so be careful you’re not viewing people through ridiculously rose-coloured glasses. If you’re attached, are you and your partner on the same page? If you’re single and looking for love, be cautious. Make sure you can you differentiate between a dream date and a disappointing dud.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)

Monday’s Lunar Eclipse activates your hopes-and-wishes zone, so start dreaming some big dreams now! Then Thursday’s powerful Sun/Pluto trine boosts your magnetism and determination. But avoid being a gullible Goat. Someone could try to pull the wool over your eyes, so stay alert. Aim to channel your creative Capricorn energy into friendships, neighbourhood connections and local community projects. It’s a good week to think global, act local.

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2022

Sudoku hard No. 314

PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

Neptune links up with Mars, so creativity and empathy will soar. But be clear in the way you communicate, otherwise your true meaning will be scrambled. And are you being the real you? Or are you living your life according to other people’s agendas and expectations? The more you express the artistic, humanitarian and spiritual sides of your Piscean personality, the less confused you’ll feel. So it’s a great week to create, contemplate and help someone in need.

Solution next edition

Solutions – May 5 edition Crossword No. 828

This week’s Lunar Eclipse lights up your career/reputation zone. Plus taskmaster Saturn is still transiting through your sign, and Mercury is reversing through your creativity zone. So confidence about your talents and your future direction is rather wobbly. Don’t listen to your inner critic! Be inspired by singer-actress Cher, who turns 76 on Friday: “If you’re waiting for someone to believe in you, you’ll be waiting forever. You must believe in yourself.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The mere word “termites” can make buyers run.

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

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

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

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

Phone 0405 135 009 cshaw@blackshaw.com.au #christineshawproperties CityNews May 12-18, 2022 39

In Australia hundreds of thousands of people disappear from their lives due to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/CFS and other chronically fatiguing illnesses including Long COVID May is ME/CFS Month

(Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)

ME/CFS and other fatiguing illnesses are very poorly understood, hard to diagnose, and even harder to live with disease.

ME/CFS has been known of for decades now, there is even evidence of historical figures including Florence Nightingale having lived with this condition. Long COVID is of course a very recent disease with a very unknown pathway.

It doesn’t matter what your debilitating fatiguing condition is, the effect on the person living with it is devastating.

Whilst there is a clinic at the UC hospital that may assist some living with Long COVID, there are no dedicated health services other ME/CFS ACT, a part of Arthritis, Pain Support and ME/ CFS ACT, to assist people living with the multitude of long term, devastating fatiguing illnesses.

We offer many services including self-help programs, programs to help you link up with others who are in a similar situation as you, as well as a full suite of Allied Health supports for those of you who need assistance.

We also have a program for teens and young adults who are living with fatiguing illnesses and a parallel program for their carers. We offer many of our services online for those that cannot leave the home, we have practitioners that can visit you at home, and if you are feeling good,we have programs at both our Bruce and Pearce offices that you can attend.

If you are living with ME/CFS or other fatiguing illness, struggling to get a diagnosis, are a carer or friend of someone with a fatiguing illness, or would just like to know more about what we do, or speak to one of our peer support workers or Allied Health staff, call us, email us, or drop in and say hello.

Living with or supporting someone with ME/ CFS is hard. We are there to help. Likewise if you are someone who would like to financially support the work that supports people living with fatiguing illness, please also call us on 6251 2055 to help us continue this work.

02 6251 2055 info@arthritisact.org.au | mecfscanberra.org.au | arthritisact.org.au