CityNews 220721

WELCOME TO HOUSING ACT’S TENANT RELOCATION EXEMPTION PANEL

MUTE PANEL SITS IN JUDGEMENT, IN ANOTHER ROOM Pensioner gets 10 minutes on Zoom to beg to stay in her home of 41 years JULY ,12 20

Go see planning failure in Torrens

PAUL COSTIGAN How Access Canberra gilds its own lily

MICHAEL MOORE

Why I’m going to sort out territory rights

ALICIA PAYNE

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This Changes Everything 22-30 July

NEWS / Welcome to the Tenant Relocation Exemption Panel ‘Ten minutes to explain why I want to stay in my home… It was so rude, so mind-boggling, and so unfair.’

Mute panel sits in judgement, in another room

By Belinda

STRAHORN AN elderly pensioner facing eviction by Housing ACT was given 10 minutes to explain why she should remain in her home of 41 years, during a process the former ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope has described as “appalling”.

Yvette van Loo, 74, feels “horribly” disappointed by the impersonal approach adopted by a panel formed to decide whether she gets to stay in the social housing property she calls home.

Ms van Loo arrived at her scheduled hearing on Thursday (July 14) expecting to meet the members of the governmentappointed Tenant Relocation Exemption Panel in a face-toface setting.

However, the panel had other ideas, preferring to conduct the meeting via Zoom from an adjacent room.

While panel members sat together in one room at the Housing ACT office, Ms van Loo sat in another, small room, in front of a laptop computer accompanied by her support person, Jon Stanhope.

“I couldn’t believe it,” says Ms van Loo. “I was expecting to meet the panel in person, but it was a Zoom meeting.

“It felt as if I wasn’t even there, like I was a speck of dust on a computer screen.”

Ms van Loo says she was given a mere 10 minutes to explain why she should remain in the Ainslie home she has raised her family in over the past four decades.

“Ten minutes to explain my whole life, and why I want to stay in my home,” says Ms van Loo. “It was so rude, so mindboggling, and so unfair.”

Ms van Loo’s Cowper Street home has been earmarked for sale as part of an unpopular public housing “Growth and Renewal” program.

In February the grandmother was one of more than 300 social housing tenants – including elderly people, people with disability and people with chronic health issues – that received letters from Housing ACT saying they would have to move from their home.

Following community backlash over the implementation of the scheme, affected tenants were given the opportunity to appear before a panel and request an exemption.

Mr Stanhope says the panel’s approach showed a distinct lack of respect for Ms van Loo in the way in which they chose to conduct the meeting.

“I was stunned that a public service process in relation to an issue that was f u n d a m e nt a l ly important as this, was so loose, there was no structure to it, it was a nothingness and it left me feeling appalled,” says Mr Stanhope.

Mr Stanhope argued it wasn’t appropriate to hold a Zoom meeting when they were present in the same building as members of the panel.

“It was impersonal that an elderly person for whom Eng-

A person who is fragile and faces the prospect of losing her home, was put in a small room with a laptop, and told that five people who have the future of her life in their hands were sitting in another room.”

Tenant Yvette van Loo… “The stress is unbearable, and I haven’t been able to concentrate on anything.”

Photo: Belinda Strahorn lish is a second language, a person who is fragile and faces the prospect of losing her home was put in a small room with a laptop, and told that five people who have the future of her life in their hands were sitting in another room,” he says.

“The fact that you couldn’t even make eye contact with the people who were central to making a decision about your life was intimidating. I felt as if there was a conscious structure in place of the powerful and powerless, exacerbated by the inability to be

INDEX Volume 28, Number: 29 Arts & Entertainment 25-28 Canberra Matters 7 Crosswords & Sudoku 31 Cinema & Streaming 26 Dining 28 Gardening 30 Horoscopes 31 Letters 14 News 3-15 Politics 10 Whimsy 13 Cover: The Beanies. Photo Grant Leslie. Story Page 25.

able to make eye contact.”

Mr Stanhope was also critical of the reluctance of the panel to engage directly with Ms van Loo about the substance of her appeal.

“I think Yvette did not understand that the whole meeting was premised on the basis that she would make a statement and an appeal, whereas she went to the meeting expecting them to ask her questions in order to better understand her concerns about losing her home,” says Mr Stanhope.

“There was silence which then led Yvette to say aren’t you going to ask me some questions?

To which four members of the five member panel indicated they had no questions to ask.

“And that was it.”

ACT Council of Social Service CEO Emma Campbell says Ms van Loo would have found the way the meeting was conducted as intimidating, and thrown by the fact she wasn’t getting a face-to-face meeting.

“I think that many of the tenants were grateful that the panel was established so they could appear in front of the people themselves to share their story and express what a huge impact this would have on them,” says Ms Campbell.

“Many of these individuals are not accustomed to communicating via Zoom.

“They should also have been given the opportunity to appear in person. There are plenty of covid-safe measures we can take to enable that to be done safely.”

Ms Campbell fails to see how 10 minutes is an adequate time for any applicant to put forward a compelling case.

“In a matter as complicated

as this, where the decision made will have a very profound impact on the life of the individual who is appealing for an exemption, there should not be a time limit placed on the proceedings. It creates stress for the vulnerable person,” says Ms Campbell.

“I’m also surprised the panel did not invite the tenant to share her story and to find out more about the impact of this decision on her because that’s the role of the panel.”

Ms van Loo says she’s been put through personal torment as a result of the scheme.

“The stress is unbearable, and I haven’t been able to concentrate on anything,” says Ms van Loo. She feels the entire process was little more than an exercise in rubber stamping a decision that appears to already be made by the panel.

“I don’t have to wait for the outcome because I know what the outcome will be. It will be no,” says Ms van Loo. “All they want is to kick me out so they can get money, that’s all. It’s greedy and there’s no sympathy or empathy for the tenants.”

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SEVEN DAYS

Women take the lead, but is it news anymore?

I WAS going to write about Women’s Minister Yvette Berry’s media announcement that the new public primary school in Strathnairn will be a women-led construction project.

Then I thought better of it. No matter how I phrased any well-meaning comment about the $62.4 million project, scheduled for completion in 2025, and its “100 per cent women site-management team, as well as women’s representation in every trade sub-contractor” it would get me a social media pile-on.

But what if I prefaced a respectful suggestion that the media release sounds patronising (stop shouting, that’s what women in the office were saying, not me) with sincere agreement for the government’s objective to “improving gender equity for women in the construction industry”? I’d be okay; then I figured I wouldn’t.

Maybe if I led by agreeing with Berry that census data showing women made up only 2.4 per cent of people working in carpentry, plumbing, electrical, automotive and telecommunications trades in the ACT needed to be addressed, that would confirm I’m on side.

“We want to support more women to undertake or grow their careers within the construction industry”, said she. I agree, said me.

“Having a women-led construction project for one of the ACT’s new public

Yvette Berry… spinning.

Kerryn Coleman… warning.

schools sends a strong message that we need to continue working together to break down gender barriers in the construction industry.” Yes, but does it, Yvette?

I dared to have the shameful, random thought that the ministerial spinning of the announcement might be starting to sound, ahem, discriminatory; there were no men equally qualified? I quickly let this bubble go, chastened by its danger.

Best leave it all alone because Berry says this project fulfils an action under the ACT Women’s Plan 2016-2026 to deliver a women-led major ACT government capital works project.

Roll on the day when projects like this are unremarkable – and unpolitical.

THE ACT chief health officer Dr Kerryn Coleman is not given to mincing words and if she says, which she did, that daily cases in Canberra are predicted to triple in coming weeks we’d better pay attention and try our

Khalid Ahmed… counting.

Robert Macklin… writing.

best to prove her wrong.

As the chief minister was isolating his way through a week of covid, Dr Kerryn was predicting that daily infections would worryingly hit an unthinkable 2000 to 3000 cases a day as a third wave of the virus – the more infectious sub-variants of Omicron, BA.4 and BA.5 – made its way through Australia.

“Daily COVID-19 case numbers are not expected to peak until late July or early August,” she said.

So, what to do? Bring back the masks and other mandates? The chief health officer coyly replied that she would “never say never”.

Meantime, she said, keep up with vaccinations; wear a mask in crowded, indoor places; stay home if you have covid symptoms and get tested; work from home if possible and keep washing those hands. Anyone else getting nostalgic?

Ahmed’s public housing presentation at an Inner South Canberra Community Council meeting this past week.

He reported that in the decade 2011-2021, the number of public housing dwellings fell from 11,063 to 10,859, a drop of 1.8 per cent.

At the same time, the population rocketed from 372,070 to 453,324 – a rise of 21.8 per cent. And they wonder why they have four-year waits for Housing ACT help.

But it gets worse, since 2015-16, the ACT government has announced a bedazzling $699 million in capital spending on public housing, but actually allocated only $80.9 million. And they wonder why they have four-year waits for Housing ACT help.

THE NFSA has again screened its 2014 restored version of the 1978, award-winning classic Australian film, “Newsfront”, which follows the adventures of a newsreel crew in the pre-TV late ‘40s.

It rang a bell; didn’t author and “CityNews” columnist Robert Macklin have something to do with it?

“I did, indeed. I was engaged to write the book of the film,” he flashed back, saying that some of the changes he made in the print story were incorporated into the film’s final script.

“The director Phillip Noyce gave me a copy of his biography inscribed, ‘To Robert,

Who made ‘Newsfront’ the book better than the screenplay’.”

READER Meg Rudder, of Melba, wrote in response to Barry Peffer’s earlier “Seven Days” suggestion to share economical, non-traditional ways of keeping warm.

Barry had warmly reported the energy effectiveness of a friend’s placing bubble wrap on her south-facing kitchen window.

Meg’s suggestion was this: “We find a lot of cold air seeps around the edge of our curtains, but if you use a thumb tack to affix the edge of the curtain to the wooden window frame, it prevents a lot of cold from getting in.

“It is a simple and cost-effective trick, and it has the added bonus of helping keep light from street lamps out at night time.”

You read it here first. More easy energy tips to editor@citynews.com.au 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

HERE’S an interesting couple of takeaways from former ACT Treasury officer Dr Khalid

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HOUSING

Prices drop, rates rise, goodbye governments!

By Paul

KAUFFMAN EVERY family needs a home.

There are two ways of gaining one. Either owning a home, in almost every case by borrowing, or by renting.

While a subsequent article will cover renting, this one looks at owning, in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, which is often omitted from a discussion of capital-city house prices.

Most homeowners are interested in the value of their home, and in home-loan interest rates, particularly if they are among the 53 per cent of homeowners who have a mortgage.

In Australia, the Consumer Price Index does not include the cost of buying a home. Inflation involves winners and losers. Dr Michael A Jones, of the University of Canberra, undertook ground-breaking research on social housing over many years.

He once told me that, during a period of high inflation, you should get into debt over real assets, such as buying your own home, if you can possibly afford to do so.

Successful governments ensure that over time the value of homes increase annually at a greater rate than homeloan interest rates, as shown in Tables

TABLE 1: Average Annual Median House Price Increases 1972-2022 (Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra), noting periods of different Australian governments.

TABLE 2: Median House Prices in 1972 and 2022 (Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra).

1 and 2, which analyse house prices between 1972 and 2022. Over that 50-year period house prices in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra rose by 7.3 per cent, 10.4 per cent and 9 per cent each year, and the average home loan interest rate was 7 per cent.

An exceptional period was the RuddGillard-Rudd years, of five years and nine months, between 2007 and 2013, when the average annual increase in the value of a home was less than the cost of a mortgage to buy that home.

This may have been in large part because of adverse international forces, but voters chose to change the government after two terms. Even in that period, if you had 50 per cent or more equity in your home, in cities such as Sydney and Melbourne, it made sense to continue to hold that home, even as a purely economic

barrister in the film “The Castle”: “A house is more than just a structure of bricks and mortar, but a home built with love and shared memories.”

There were significant house price booms in most capital cities between 1971 and 1974, from 1979 to 1981, from 1987 to 1989, from 1996 to 2003 and from 2020 to 2022. After each boom, real prices tended to fall for a short period.

They fell in many locations between December 2007 and February 2009, and between July 2017 and June 2019.

The take-away lesson for citizens is to keep your home despite housing price dips, and to buy a home as a long-term investment and place to live if you have secure employment and can afford to do so.

The take-away lesson for governments is that if home loan interest rates remain high over an extended period of

investment, as you paid 7 per cent interest on your home loan, but effectively only 3.6 per cent on your home’s value. During that period, the annual average increase in value was 4 per cent in Sydney and 3.9 per cent in Melbourne. It also provided the owner a place of residence.

Precise figures for any city vary slightly depending upon sources used, which are listed below. The increases do not allow for home improvements, home rebuilds and larger homes. Forty-six per cent of homes in 2021 had four bedrooms, on much smaller blocks of land than in 1972, which usually accommodated three-bedroom homes.

Over 50 years, owning a home has been an extremely valuable investment, as well as providing the benefits eulogised by Darryl Kerrigan’s

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE

falls in the value of houses, they run a high risk of being voted from office.

Data from ABS, Core logic, propertyupdate.com.au AFR July 6 rba.gov. au/statistics/tables/#interest-rates Peter Abelson and Demi Chung 2004, econ.mq.edu.au/__data/assets/ pdf_ file/0018/220581/Abelson_9_04.pdf Dr Paul Kauffman has administered a national concessional home ownership and housing grants scheme for 12 years, and was a senior officer in six departments. He is a professor at the National Institute for Governance at the University of Canberra. Dr Cameron Murray, Dr Doug Fraser and Dr Mark O’Connor are thanked for their comments on a draft of this article. paul.kauffman@gmail.com

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CANBERRA MATTERS / Torrens

Unbelievable, go see planning failure for yourself THERE’S a residential development at 18 Darke Street, Torrens, that is beyond belief.

This is happening because the city’s planning system is broken and totally corrupted.

If this is what the Greenslabor government means to deliver, then suburban life in this bush capital is doomed.

This was a Mr Fluffy house. The developers are building two parallel massive long rectangular houses (townhouses) that extend down most of the block alongside each other.

There is not a lot of the block left at the back – but even that may go soon as a new DA is asking for each to be extended with a super large deck and pool. There will be minimal shrubbery and definitely no trees. So much for the farce of the Greenslabor variation 369 to deliver greenery to the suburbs.

This resort-style development is a developer using the existing rules to gain a maximum yield from every part of the site that the rules allow for. They are pushing the rules to the maximum. The real issue for the city is that the planning rules are so porous, so flexible and administered so badly that such a development can happen at all.

Worse still is that if the govern-

The real issue for the city is that the planning rules are so porous, so flexible and administered so badly that such a development can happen at all.

Ground-floor windows of the unit development look over next door’s fence… new residents will look down into the neighbours’ backyards.

Photo: Paul Costigan ment and residents accept the chief planner’s proposed planning reforms, those reforms will make things even more flexible and unaccountable. This could soon happen next door to anyone reading this edition of “CityNews”.

These massive houses start on the street with two storeys that look like three. The site slopes away to the back. By the time the construction approaches the rear, the foundations are one-storey high (complete with door to go inside) and the floor of the main building is just above the neighbours’ fences on both sides. The back area of each is one large room – being about eight metres tall inside with the sides glazed from top to bottom. The new

residents, given that their floor is above the joining fences, will look down into the neighbours’ backyards.

I have seen the correspondence on this and no matter what issues were raised, the bureaucracy responded that the rules were met. This is probably correct. It is that with such lousy rules, the developers and building designers have been able to construct this intrusion into this neighbourhood.

There is no photograph that can illustrate how much impact such buildings will have on the neighbours. I could set out pages of details, but that would not provide the same impact as actually seeing this construction for yourself. I have been there twice. The

second time to confirm what I saw the first time.

I invite politicians of any colour who care about the city, any planning bureaucrat who still cares about real planning outcomes and any resident who appreciates that this could soon be happening all over Canberra, to visit 18 Darke Street, Torrens. When you do, have a look at the front but also peer around the sides to see the super-raised decks that loom over the neighbours’ fences. Knock on doors and ask to see this massive thing from inside a neighbour’s backyard.

The main part of the development will probably go ahead and the neighbours will have to mitigate this with thick tall plantings alongside their fences to regain some semblance of privacy. The new DA for deck extensions and the up-in-the-sky pools

would take the development almost to the back fence. I hope that the new DA is seen for what it is.

The issue for all residents of Canberra is that this overdevelopment is the result of the weird and off-the-planet culture within the current planning bureaucracy and the neoliberal, hands-off attitude to development by the ACT’s Greenslabor politicians.

This development proves that all those announcements and lofty speeches about caring for the city are rubbish. This Greenslabor government is doing whatever it takes to look the other way while enabling, through corrupted planning rules, suburban crimes against good architecture, good landscape design, good planning, the environment and greenery. Climate change – what’s that? Please go to Torrens and have a look for yourselves.

Paul Costigan is a commentator on cultural and urban matters.

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

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NEWS / drugs petition

Libs’ last shot at stopping drug decriminalisation

By Nick

OVERALL THE Canberra Liberals fear the ACT could see an increase in crime, addiction and road trauma if a Bill to decriminalise small amounts of illicit drugs is passed.

The Opposition is asking Canberrans to sign an online petition in a last-ditch effort to stop the Bill which looks likely to come into law after being backed by the Labor/Greens coalition.

“The harm these drugs can cause can hardly be overstated,” said Deputy Opposition Leader Jeremy Hanson, a vocal opponent of the proposed legislation since it was first tabled in the Assembly in February 2021 by Labor MLA Michael Pettersson.

“Concerns about the impact of these laws have been raised by many groups who work on the front lines. Drug treatment services are already overstretched and inadequately resourced and staffed.”

The Bill would see Canberrans able to carry “personal possessions” of drugs that could include up to two grams of cocaine, ice and heroin, up to 0.5 gm of ecstasy, or up to 0.002 gm of LSD. It proposes the introduction of a

Petition organiser Jeremy Hanson… “Drug treatment services are already overstretched and inadequately resourced and staffed.” “simple drug offence notice” (SDON), where those caught with drugs could be fined $100 or referred to a medical professional, rather than face the justice system.

A government inquiry last month expressed support for the laws, though with a recommendation that alternatives to the fine be investigated due to the strain it could put on disadvantaged people. It also recommended clarification of the size of “personal possessions”.

If passed, the ACT would be the first jurisdiction in Australia to introduce such laws.

Health Minister Rachel StephenSmith is one of the Bill’s key supporters, saying that harm reduction “will be front and centre” of the change.

“We know from research and evi-

dence around the world that criminalising drug users does not reduce drug use and that treating drug addiction as a health issue improves outcomes for everyone in the community,” said Ms Stephen-Smith.

The government says that a survey of 779 people last year found that Canberrans are “overwhelmingly” in favour of decriminalisation, with results showing only one in 10 people supported imprisonment for drug possession offences.

But others have been more critical of the Bill, including Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw.

“I don’t think there’s ever a safe level when it comes to those particular drugs,” he said.

“It’s a causal factor of domestic

violence. Also, you’re talking about a lot of traffic accidents where, sadly, people lose their lives. You’ll find that there’s a drug involved now more and more in some of the states.”

ACT Policing has also raised concerns the laws could lead to inadvertent trafficking, saying more research was needed on the proposed possession thresholds.

“Such research could confirm the ‘average dosage/usage amount’ for each substance and ensure that the specified amount is therefore achieving a harm minimisation approach, rather than potentially enabling drug trafficking and supply,” an ACT Policing submission to the inquiry reads.

“ACT Policing remains highly concerned that the threshold limits for both heroin and methamphetamine (ice) are far above the regular personal use limits (2 grams) and should be revised down appropriately.”

Stephen-Smith has since said the Bill will “ensure that discretion for ACT Policing is retained and that diversion is legislated and put on an equal footing with the SDON.” In contrast, many other organisations have praised the government for moving forward with the proposal.

The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) says that if done right, the Bill represents a “unique opportunity for the ACT”.

“Moving toward decriminalising

a range of drugs for personal use will have enormous positive impact, especially for some of the most disadvantaged and marginalised people in the Territory,” said ACTCOSS deputy CEO Adam Poulter.

“The evidence internationally and domestically has been telling us that decriminalisation yields better health and social outcomes for people who use drugs, as well as their friends, families and carers and the broader community.”

Other organisations remain sceptical.

The ACT Law Society said the Bill will have “minimal effect on driving drug users from the criminal justice system”, saying more medical consultation is required.

“Having regard also to the recent tragic experience in the territory of fatal overdoses in cases of self-administration of much less than two grams of heroin, for example, we caution against such a radical change to the law without a further comprehensive risk assessment,” the Society’s submission to the inquiry reads.

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia (ACT Branch) also raised concerns, saying that “decriminalisation of dangerous drugs may increase use and therefore increase the presentation of people at treatment centres and pharmacies, and increase the burden on the Territory’s resources”.

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HEPATITIS ACT / World Hepatitis Day, July 28

advertising feature

Help to fight the ‘hidden’ blood disease of hepatitis ON World Hepatitis Day, July 28, the National Carillon, National Museum of Australia, all light rail stops, Malcolm Fraser Bridge, Old Parliament House, John Gorton Building and other Canberra landmarks will be lit in green to bring awareness to the community about viral hepatitis.

With a person dying every 30 seconds from a hepatitis-related illness worldwide, Hepatitis ACT executive Sarah Ahmed says that the need to act can’t wait.

“The World Health Organization set a goal to eliminate hepatitis by 2030. No nation is on track to achieve this goal, but there’s so much we can do locally to help,” she says.

“We are a small, local community organisation and have been working with the Canberra community for a long time.

“Our aim is to deliver a range of hepatitis services and support, such as information, education, testing and treatment. We want to reduce transmission and minimise social impacts.”

Sarah says that there is generally a lot of stigma and misinformation surrounding hepatitis because it is a blood-borne virus: “It’s a hidden disease, not many people know a lot about it. It is an insidi-

Hepatitis ACT executive Sarah Ahmed… “in recent The Hepatitis ACT centre at 36 David Street, Turner years, there has been huge advancement in treatment.” (opposite the O’Connor shops). ous illness that can lead to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.”

“But in recent years, there has been huge advancement in treatment for both hepatitis B and C.” “We have recently launched the “It’s Your Right” campaign to address the stigma associated with Hep C treatment for people who inject drugs. The team at Hepatitis ACT wants everyone to know that it is their right to be treated and we will support anyone who comes to get tested and treated. There is no judgement at our clinic.

“When you walk into our centre, you will be greeted by Lesley, she is usually the first person you see. She will make sure

you feel welcome – you will be offered a hot drink. We want people to be happy and healthy and feel safe with us.”

Although it is a small organisation, Sarah says that the team makes a huge impact on the local community and are working on ways to engage, educate, support and encourage people to take an active role in their healthcare.

The centre, located at Turner, runs a GP clinic every Thursday afternoon, with free monthly barbecue, coinciding with the clinic hours. All are welcome to attend and receive testing for hepatitis C, with a small cash incentive for those who choose to test.

Should a patient test positive, the team

Kerrie McKenzie... “When you walk into our centre, you will be greeted by Lesley, she’ll make sure you feel welcome.”

helps get them started on their treatment, which involves a course of medication.

“There is an 8 or 12-week treatment course and once finished the majority of people are free of hepatitis. From providing social and mental health support to housing assistance, we go on the journey together,” says Sarah.

Sarah says that this year’s World Hepatitis Day marks some exciting new initiatives that the team is launching. This includes point-of-care testing using a finger “pinprick” test, which gives results in only 60 minutes, increasing convenience, ease and reducing the wait time for results.

“We hope the new test helps to build on

our outreach program and provide more accessible care,’’ says Sarah.

“We also launched the Hepatitis Australia information phone line, 1800 437222 (1800 HEP ABC). It gives the caller access to speak to a local person for referrals and information.

“Our main message this World Hepatitis Day is ‘hepatitis can’t wait’. Way too many people are dying, but if we keep up our efforts we can eliminate hepatitis by 2030.”

Hepatitis ACT is located at 36 David Street, Turner (opposite the O’Connor shops).

More information at hepatitisact.com.au or call 6230 6344.

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CityNews July 21-27, 2022 9

POLITICS

How Access Canberra gilds its own wilting lily ELECTRONIC access to Canberra government services came with promises of efficiency, cost savings and the beauty of a one-stop shop. The reality is very different. Perhaps it should be rebadged “So Hard to Access Canberra”.

The commitment of Access Canberra sounds great. “Our customers are at the centre of what we do, and we aim to provide a positive customer experience. We have listened to our customers, industry and the community, and we are committed to providing access for all by reducing complexity in our processes to improve customer experience and useability”.

“Just use Access Canberra”, I said to a neighbour who was trying to have a street light replaced. That was towards the end of last year.

When nothing happened for him, I was determined to follow through.

Using my ACT government-access account, I lodged a complaint about the street light and received a case number. That was on March 22. The light bulb is yet to be replaced.

And now another street light across the road has stopped working as well.

The main reason for lodging electronically was to avoid the experi-

Minister Chris Steel… just leave a message. ence of the past where I have waited on the phone between 30 minutes and an hour. This is a similar experience shared by quite a number of others.

No doubt the ACT government will quickly use the excuse of blaming COVID-19. The reality is that access has been getting more and more difficult for many years. Even when getting quickly through to an operator – my experience has been waiting forever at the specific section. The result – give up unless it is absolutely critical.

I acknowledge an exception. I was put through very quickly to motor vehicle registration a few months ago and found staff very helpful and

“Using my ACT governmentaccess account, I lodged a complaint about the street light and received a case number. That was on March 22. The light bulb is yet to be replaced.

responsive. When the phone dropped out at one stage, I thought: “Here we go again”. However, I was called back immediately with an apology and got on with discussing a solution to the issue.

If only the rest of Access Canberra, the ACT bureaucracy and our government ministers responded similarly.

So many people have shared similar frustrations.

When the Assembly moved from 17 to 25 members, one of the arguments was that this would mean a much greater opportunity for people to access their local members.

My phone call to the office of Chris Steel, Minister for Transport and

the good earth

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City Services, landed on an answering machine. Not surprising – it is a common experience.

It was my intention to speak to the staff member responsible for street lights and follow up for my neighbour and myself. I would have thought this a simple task. It is hard to believe that a minister’s office does not have a reception and a backup! I tried a second time. Answering machine again. The message suggested that I email the office on steel@act.gov.au.

The email option was available on the website of the ACT Legislative Assembly where all MLA’s numbers and emails are listed. Ministers are busy. I was not expecting to speak to the minister himself – but to the appropriate staff member about this systemic issue.

What next? Find out who is the minister responsible for Access Canberra. After sitting on the phone going through all of the options in the algorithm – I push 9 for all other issues. I am told I am tenth in the queue. At least I have an idea that I am not going to be looked after in short order! After 15 minutes the call simply drops out. So frustrating!

Is any action needed by Access

Canberra? They don’t seem to think so. The current annual report reflects how they see themselves.

Accountability indicators – seven have been met or exceeded. Two have not been met and these are minor.

Apparently 85 per cent were satisfied with Access Canberra against a target of 90 per cent. On the issue of ease of interacting with Access Canberra, 87 per cent were satisfied against a target of 95 per cent.

The minister responsible for Access Canberra is Chief Minister Andrew Barr. It is time for him to take a good look at how the satisfaction surveys are carried out and what is really happening. The annual report really does gild the lily with many, many Canberrans seriously dissatisfied!

Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an independent minister for health. He has been a political columnist with “CityNews” since 2006. There’s more of Moore at citynews.com.au

BRIEFLY Free business breakfast CHRIS Mason, from Mindshop, will discuss the importance of having a practical and actionable one-page business plan and how it can help a business grow at the next Rotary Business Breakfast, Raiders Belconnen (Kippax), Holt, from 7.30am on July 27. The breakfast is free to small-business owners and operators.

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Pelvic-floor workshop WOMEN of all ages are invited to attend a free pelvic-floor workshop presented by a physiotherapist from Canberra Health Services at Gungahlin Community Health Centre, 1pm- 4pm on August 2.

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Better hearing sessions A NEW term of hearing loss support sessions will start on July 26. Hosted by Better Hearing Australia the sessions are aimed at people unable to follow conversations or getting into trouble for having the TV up too loud. The not-for-profit, volunteer organisation runs the support sessions 5.30pm-7pm on Tuesdays during ACT school terms at the Delphi Room, Hellenic Club, Phillip. Call 0417 696583 or email ldwyer@grapevine.com. au. Daytime sessions are held on Zoom.

Call Carol on 0410 463761 or email carol. taloni@gmail.com

CityNews July 21-27, 2022 11

OPINION / territory rights

Why I’m standing up to sort out territory rights IT’S hard to believe that in 2022 citizens of territories are denied the same democratic rights as other Australians by the federal parliament.

The Australian Constitution allows the federal parliament to legislate to prevent territories from making particular laws. In 1996, Liberal MP Kevin Andrews introduced a bill to prevent the territories legislating on voluntary assisted dying (VAD), in response to the NT passing a law to allow it.

This has become known as the “Andrews’ Legislation” and to this day prevents the territories from debating the issue of VAD, although all of the states now have.

It is well past time that we had the right to debate and make our own laws on this issue as other Australians have.

When the 47th federal parliament begins next week the Albanese Labor government will begin our ambitious legislative agenda. The first priorities will include landmark climate-change legislation and new laws to guarantee paid domestic violence leave.

My NT Labor colleague, Luke Gosling, the Member for Solomon, and I will introduce a private member’s bill to repeal the Andrews’ Legislation and allow territories the

right to debate VAD as other Australians have.

We do this on behalf of our ACT and NT Labor teams. It is perhaps not well known that governments actually decide whether private members’ bills will be debated or not, and I’m very proud that the new Labor government will allow the parliament to debate restoring territory rights in this first fortnight.

Standing up for the democratic rights of Canberrans has long been core business for ACT Labor and for me.

Senator Katy Gallagher advocated for territory rights when she was Chief Minister from 2011-14. During their time in the federal parliament, both Katy and MP Andrew Leigh (Labor, Fenner) have sponsored bills to restore territory rights. Since our election in 2019, MP David Smith (Labor, Bean) and I have both spoken in parliament calling for ACT citizens to have equal democratic rights. I have written about the issue and talked about it extensively on social media.

I also want to give credit to the work and advocacy of our ACT Assembly colleagues on this issue. Chief

Minister Andrew Barr and Minister Tara Cheyne, in particular, have championed the cause and worked incredibly hard to raise awareness and progress the issue.

Whether in the Assembly or in federal parliament, for years your Labor representatives have been fighting to have your democratic rights restored.

Over the past two decades, many politicians and advocates have worked hard on the issue including former Greens senators Bob Brown and Richard Di Natale and former Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm, to name just a few.

In total, eight bills seeking to repeal the Andrews’ act of 1997 have been moved in parliament. Most of these bills lapsed or were not brought on by the previous government. Just one of these bills was brought to a vote in the Senate in 2018, and was narrowly and excruciatingly defeated by just two votes, one of which was former ACT Liberal senator Zed Seselja. This issue is not a new one, and like most Canberrans I’m frustrated that in 2022 it is still unresolved.

I was disappointed to read political

I’m very proud that the new Labor government will allow the parliament to debate restoring territory rights in this first fortnight of the 47th federal parliament.

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columnist Michael Moore’s piece (“Our days as second-rate citizens may be numbered”, CN July 14) labelling our bill “a cynical approach to undermine the status of the local independent” (Senator David Pocock).

When Luke and I introduce our bill, it is clearly the next of many contributors to this long-fought campaign.

Of course, we welcome Senator Pocock’s commitment to territory rights and look forward to working with him to see them restored.

Personally, I can’t understand how any politician representing a territory could oppose their constituents having the same democratic rights as other Australians and I believe former Senator Seselja’s position on the issue was a key contributor to his loss at the recent election.

Repealing the Andrews’ Legislation is about giving all Australians the right to debate the issue of VAD. It is important to note that repealing the Andrews’ Legislation will not mean that the territories will have VAD, but we will have the right to debate it. There are, of course, strongly held views supporting and opposing VAD and it deserves to be discussed carefully and respectfully.

I respect people’s views on either side and particularly respect those of my federal colleagues who personally do not support VAD but will support our bill because they believe all Australians should have equal democratic rights.

We cannot consider ourselves inclusive or just if we deny Australians rights to democracy based on where they live. Canberrans rightfully have strong views on restoring their rights and raise this issue with me frequently.

I look forward to introducing this bill on their behalf and am working my hardest to convince members of federal parliament across political lines to support it.

This has been a long fight for our ACT Labor team, and I’m very pleased that, with the election of Senator Pocock, now all ACT federal representatives support equal rights for our constituents.

Alicia Payne is the recently reelected federal member for the seat of Canberra.

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WHIMSY / more adventures with the law

Just outcomes and where to find them BACK in the ‘80s, I wrote a property conveyancing guide for the ACT that I published privately.

Before doing so, I had bought and sold several properties in the ACT and found the process to be simple and straightforward, without the potential pitfalls that existed in NSW. I discovered that lawyers seldom did conveyancing themselves – it was usually delegated to a conveyancing clerk in the office with no more legal training than I had at that time.

I was, of course, careful to add a disclaimer to my guide that it was not intended to be used as a guide, but only to provide information on the process involved!

Nevertheless, feedback from those who used the guide confirmed that none of those who used it had any problems buying or selling their properties.

There are times, of course, when it’s prudent to engage legal advice. In 2010, I paid a deposit on a flat in an old building being converted into flats in Sydney.

The renovation process was delayed due to disputes between the builder, council and developer. In 2013, an American bank bought the mortgage and wrote to all those who had paid deposits on the flats saying that our contracts had been cancelled and our deposits would be refunded.

I declined to accept my deposit back and engaged a high-profile property

NO A FIN NCIAL CHECKS.

“Attorney and Client, fortitude and impatience”, an illustration by Hablot Browne for “Bleak House”, published in monthly parts, 1852-53. barrister who managed to get the bank to back off from taking over my flat. The bank later sold the rest of the resumed properties at a considerable profit. I had to sign a confidentiality agreement about the terms of my settlement – which is why I haven’t named the bank.

Before engaging lawyers, it’s always worth exploring cost-effective alternatives (like mediation) to achieve a solution.

Charles Dickens in his book “Bleak House” cites a fictional English probate case, Jarndyce v Jarndyce, concerning a large inheritance. The case drags on for many generations until legal costs eventually devour the whole estate,

making a final verdict meaningless.

Celebrity lawyers for Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have presumably enjoyed a similar lawyers’ feast.

Even if you’re not a lawyer, it’s sometimes possible to conduct one’s own case to seek a just outcome. I’ve used the low-cost ACT and NSW small claims courts a few times – on one occasion to get a Sydney law firm to pay me money owed for a professional opinion and, on another occasion, to get a Canberra bank to repay me inter-

est they charged me for not having settled a property on time. The delay was caused by the bank transferring all their ACT titles to Sydney and not being able to find the title in time to produce it at settlement.

Many small claims cases do not get to court because the process makes a mediated outcome so much more likely.

To close on a lighter note: A barrister is working late one night in his office when, suddenly, Satan appears before him. The Devil makes him an offer. “I can help you win every case for the rest of your life. Your clients will worship you, your colleagues will be in awe, and you will make enormous amounts of money. In return, you must give me your soul and the souls of all your relatives and friends.”

The barrister thinks about it for a moment, and says: “What’s the catch?”

Clive Williams is a Canberra columnist. There are more of his columns at citynews.com.au

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www.yourpropertyprofits.com.au CityNews July 21-27, 2022 13

LETTERS

Are the ‘sweatshops’ dehumanising doctors?

I LISTENED with interest when a recent radio news story reported that some GPs were seeking other employment due to a rising tide of patient hostility and attitude of “entitlement”.

Various explanations were offered, but there seemed to be no clear reason why this has emerged.

My experience with a telephone appointment at a Tuggeranong “doctor supermarket” may offer a clue.

The telephone appointment was booked for 11.40am. Fine. So I make sure I’m prepared with a few notes and my phone is at hand; 11.40am comes, and goes. Midday comes, and goes; 12.15pm comes, and goes...

At this point, I ring the practice (on another line to keep my mobile available) and am placed in an automated queue with recorded messages. Eventually, a receptionist tells me the doctor is backlogged, and I should still expect the call. And – I presume – a perfunctory apology.

At 12.35pm my mobile phone rings, I lunge for it... and somehow fumble the screen, dismissing the call! Darn! No worries, he’ll call straight back. But he didn’t. Apparently, that was my one chance and I blew it.

No matter that I had waited nearly an hour; it was enough to try once and move on to someone else.

I called the practice again, and at 12.40pm I was finally on the line with my doctor. We spoke for just a few minutes, and new scripts were ordered. There was another matter I wanted to mention, but – in the absence of any apology or acknowledgement of what a one-sided cock-up the “appointment” had become – I found myself struggling to retain my composure, and so ended the call with only the basics covered.

The doctor seemed flat, robotic, and figuratively (as well as literally!) disconnected; rather as if resigned to just getting through the backlog and to heck with the pleasantries.

I get that – and truly sympathise with the pressure he clearly feels. But the doctorpatient relationship requires those pleasantries; it requires that a psychological space be opened for niggling health concerns to be aired and questions asked.

I wonder if doctors are being compromised by these corporatised group practices?

Is there pressure to keep their KPIs (key performance indicators) as healthy as their

patients? Has general practice devolved into doctor “sweatshops”?

Most crucially, is the current corporate model of delivering GP service dehumanising doctors who, a half-century ago, would have hung a brass sign out front of their own surgery and identified themselves more personally and more satisfyingly with the intimate and – ideally – respected service they provided?

Ross Kelly, Monash

killers could also be on the drawing board for savings.

But who knows? Even if federal money is cut from the ACT territory’s share, Barr will just put us all in further debt! God forbid his precious, tram-loving ego take that blow on the chin!

Rebecca, Hughes

Do we want Beijing as a sister city?

THE cynics among us might even go further than “Seven Days” columnist Ian Meikle (“Stop crying in the chardonnay, Becs; kill weeds not roos”, CN July 14) and suggest that development is the main game and the massacre of the kangaroos is simply a means to that end.

There have been numerous examples of developments being built directly after a kangaroo “cull” has finished. In past years, Googong, Lawson and Molonglo to name just a few.

Each of these suburbs are up against nature reserves where kangaroos have been shot.

It’s not surprising then to find out the Federal Golf Course is proposing to build a 125-unit complex where the shooters have been killing the kangaroos.

On top of the egregious cruelty associated with brutally killing sentient beings, the (mostly deciduous) weeds Julie Lindner has highlighted will either die back in the winter or be poisoned by Parks and Conservation officials making them ripe fuel for wildfires, come the next El Nino event. Fire would annihilate any remaining conservation value on the nature reserves, leaving no reason not to rezone the land for further development.

THERE are many reasons why I enjoy being a citizen of Canberra. However, recently I cringe whenever I return on a highway and see a sign proclaiming our sister cities.

I have no problem at all with Nara and Dili, but the name Beijing conjures an image quite at variance with what Canberra represents.

I doubt, with the possible exception of Pyongyang, that there could be a national capital with values more at variance to ours.

I have a couple of questions for readers, please. Are there many people in Canberra who, like me, question the appropriateness of Beijing as a sister city for Canberra? Do we outnumber the apologists for the CCP in our midst? If most people feel it is time for a review of the sister city relationships, how do we get that ball rolling?

Alexander (Sandy) Duncan, Gungahlin

Please end the arrogant tram shenanigans I DO hope that the insightful, but depressing, article(s) researched by Jon Stanhope and Khalid Ahmed and published in recent editions of “CityNews” have been sent to the federal Treasurer, Jim Chalmers.

As Minister Chalmers has repeatedly stated, the Albanese government is looking at stopping the rorts, mismanagement of taxpayers’ money etcetera to help in paying for the trillion-plus debt inherited by the previous government.

If this TRULY is the case, then these articles should provide the Treasury with more than enough evidence of Canberrans having to endure the incompetent, arrogant Barr/Rattenbury shenanigans and hopefully put a stop to this blasted tram business that NO-ONE wants. Salaries paid to roo

Dead roos equals land development

Robyn Soxsmith, via email

Reviews Helen can’t get her teeth into RESTAURANT reviewer Wendy Johnson has me either grinding my teeth or laughing my head off with her over-the-top descriptions.

When she “worshipped” the duck liver pate at a Kingston eatery did she fall on her knees as an expression of gastronomic piety? What does she mean when she refers to food as “decadent”? Is it reaching its use-by date? The mind boggles at her “sexy sardines”; were they still alive and copulating on the plate?

Sorry to be a sourpuss, but give me

reviewers who describe what they’ve eaten in clear English, minus pretentious superlatives that do nothing to stimulate my appetite.

Helen Jackson, Higgins

Government is all talk and carbon dioxide IN the July “Our CBR,” the Chief Minister says that the ACT leads the way on climate.

He is almost correct.

The commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment found that in 2018 the NT led the way, with 45 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per person. The ACT came second, with 35. The states were all below 30.

Ninety-four per cent of Canberrans’ emissions are caused outside the ACT, from sources such as transport, manufacturing and food production.

The commissioner made 12 recommendations to the ACT government about the other emissions that Canberrans cause.

The government “noted” three of those recommendations, “agreed in principle” with eight (but without committing to implement them, and agreed to implement only one: “ACT government to work in partnership with state, territory and national governments to discuss initiatives to reduce scope 3 emissions across jurisdictions.”

The ACT’s “zero net emissions” targets apply only to the 6 per cent of emissions that occur within the ACT. As for the other 94 per cent, the government is all talk and carbon dioxide.

Leon Arundell, Downer

Stubborn, selfish collection of people IN response to the never-ending stories of Housing ACT tenants not choosing to move, I would like to have my say, being a tenant myself.

I agree with Housing ACT in regards to relocating tenants.

The obvious point is that being (myself, a proud and respectful tenant) that Housing ACT is our landlord. If you rented privately and the landlord chose to sell, you would have to move on. Simple.

There may be many exemptions that apply but in other cases it seems to be a stubborn, selfish collection of people, 60-plus, who seem to think they’re entitled

to continue to live in these three/four bedroom homes forever on a small rent of 25 per cent of income.

As far as memories, they exist in one’s heart, mind and soul, and in photos.

I know of three people living in threebedroom homes by themselves, the gardens unkempt and the houses inside disgusting.

On the other hand, I also know four people who have been located into beautiful homes and are extremely grateful for the help of Housing ACT. Money for housing does not grow on trees. Be like me and other tenants (and that is what we are) and allow Housing ACT to make some money, sell off old stock and create more homes for the more than one thousand people on the waiting list.

S Picker (Mrs), Ainslie

Calming Nick’s untamed tennis talent IN her article “Weary Nick ducks promise to return to top tennis” (CN July 14) Belinda Strahorn cites the opinion of local clinical psychologist Jason McCrae, who says Nick Kyrgios has a “me against the world” aggressive attitude and lacks consistency in his game.

That may be true, but I see it also, and perhaps more importantly, as a problem of loss of concentration caused by outbursts of anger. Swearing at umpires and people in the stands, including members of one’s own support team, and smashing racquets is not a recipe for winning matches against formidable opponents such as Novak Djokovic. It takes one’s attention away from the task at hand.

Nick would do well to emulate Roger Federer, the true gentleman of professional tennis, who remains calm and polite no matter the circumstances. I read some years ago that Roger was a “spoilt brat” when he was a much younger player, but his former coach Peter Carter “brought serenity” to Roger’s game.

Perhaps Peter Carter, or Roger himself, could instil calmness and concentration into the prodigious but untamed talent of Nick Kyrgios.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

Write to us

Let loose to: editor@citynews.com.au

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CANBERRA REGION NEUROLOGY AND PAIN CENTRE

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‘We want to help our patients in the Canberra community to achieve their goals and live their best life.’

Day hospital ensures patients get full treatment NEUROLOGIST Dr Yash Gawarikar and specialist pain medicine physician Dr Roopa Gawarikar are the founders of the Canberra Region Neurology and Pain Centre.

The Woden centre provides multimodal care from diagnostic services to treatment, including a newly opened day hospital.

By combining their professional medical specialties and creating a one-stop, comprehensive centre, the doctors say their centre offers the complete journey from consultation, diagnostic tests, treatment and rehabilitation under one roof using a co-ordinated, multi-modal team approach.

The on-site day hospital at Corinna Chambers, Woden, was opened as a licensed health facility by the ACT Health Minister in April, 2021, and is fully accredited by national standards (NSQHS).

“The inclusion of a day hospital ensures that patients can access all their treatment here,” says Dr Yash.

A physiotherapist, exercise physiologist, massage therapist and yoga therapist are also part of the multi-disciplinary team

involved in patient care.

Their philosophy at their centre is to put patients first and provide specialist care for those with neurological conditions or chronic pain or both.

“We believe in individualised care that is tailored to each of our patients,” says Dr Roopa, who is a qualified specialist pain-medicine physician and radiation oncologist with expertise in minimally invasive procedures.

“We aim to really understand each patients’ unique story to deliver individualised treatment.”

Dr Yash has been a consultant neurologist since 2011 and set up the stroke unit at Calvary Public Hospital in 2013. He is also a senior lecturer at the ANU medical school and has written many articles in peer-reviewed journals.

“As a neurologist, I specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of neurological conditions such as chronic headaches, migraines, nerve and muscle disorders, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy,” he says.

“Our focus for Canberra Region Neurology and Pain Centre is to create a centre of excellence.”

Dr Roopa specialises in areas of pain medicine such as neuropathic pain, pelvic

Neurology and pain centre founders, neurologist Dr Yash Gawarikar, left, and specialist pain medicine physician Dr Roopa Gawarikar… “The inclusion of a day hospital ensures that patients can access all their treatment here,” says Dr Yash. pain, post-surgical pain, chronic back pain, life and daily function. multiple joint pain, fibromyalgia, chronic “We found that many of our patients, headaches and cancer pain. particularly those who are elderly, found Her emphasis is on using procedures the experience of travelling to several and infusions to reduce daily reliance on locations to receive tests or treatment very daily medications especially opioids. Her hard to manage with their mobility and aim is to improve her patient’s quality of other issues,” she says.

“Now they can access everything they need in one location.

“I believe in creating, in partnership with the patient, the plan for their treatment. Early intervention is very important in chronic pain with the aim to dampen the cycle of pain.”

Dr Roopa was awarded the Dean’s Prize in 2021 for her paper on ketamine infusions for chronic pain by the Faculty of Pain Medicine, Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetics. She has also published several other peerreviewed articles.

“We believe in evidence-based practice and the importance of medical research,” she says.

Dr Yash and Dr Roopa have been working together since 2019 and say they are passionate about helping patients in the Canberra community with their sincere approach, hard work, expert skill set at their comprehensive centre in Woden.

“We want to help our patients in the Canberra community achieve their goals to live their best life.”

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CANBERRA REGION NEUROLOGY AND PAIN CENTRE AND DAY HOSPITAL 16 CityNews July 21-27, 2022

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NATIONAL PAIN WEEK / July 25-31

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Awareness week shines light on chronic pain ACCORDING to Chronic Pain Australia, more than 3.6 million Australians are affected by chronic pain.

Chronic pain is considered to be pain lasting longer than three months and although it can be a symptom of a known illness or injury, it can also exist without a clear reason at all.

Today, about one in five people in Australia live with chronic pain, including one in three people over the age of 65.

However, National Pain Week 2022 is looking to shine light on the condition and encourage people to seek support and advice from others, rather than suffer in silence.

The week runs from July 25 to July 31, during which Chronic Pain Australia will host a series of Facebook Live Events and webinars.

They will advocate that “all Australians living with chronic pain receive Triple-AAA standards of care – awareness, accessibility and affordability.”

For National Pain Week “CityNews” speaks to some of Canberra’s experts in understanding and treating pain.

Chronic pain treatment varies from person to person

Hemp store provides ‘warm and comfy’ clothing

WHEN treating chronic pain, Dr Nick Tsai from Orthopaedics ACT says it’s key to note that pain differs from person to person.

“It’s important to determine whether the pain is mechanical, which can be managed operatively by either fixing or replacing a joint, or related to other causes such as the spine or nerves, which often need medications, injections or other treatment methods,” he says.

Most commonly, Dr Tsai says Orthopaedics ACT sees patients with osteoarthritis pain, a condition he describes as “very debilitating”.

“It can negatively affect quality of life, sleep and makes it hard to function normally,” he says.

“In general this sort of pain responds very well [to treatment], even if it’s been going for a long time.”

But Orthopaedics ACT’s experienced team can help with other types of chronic pain, too, Dr Tsai says.

“Some people can have pain, which is not mechanical, but is related to nerve injuries and can become something called a complex regional

SOUTH Pacific Hemp, Canberra’s first all-hemp store, features a range of versatile clothing to keep you warm and comfortable this winter, says manager Sue Booth.

“Our clothing is designed for wearability and versatility, is breathable, natural and easy to care for,” she says.

“Hemp protects your skin by naturally filtering UV light. It also resists bacterial growth and breathes excellently, preventing odours, and has four times the strength of cotton, plus it won’t weaken when washed.

That’s just the start of what’s on offer at the store, says Sue. “Our selection of products extends to a unique collection of hemp foods, hemp seed oils, with gorgeous balms and skin creams, babycare, homewares, bags and accessories, fabrics and pet products.”

The store, first opened in March last year, is run by Darren Steinhardt and Brett Walker who also own South Pacific Hydroponics next door, a family business in Canberra for more than 30 years.

Sue says the team is always pleased

Dr Nick Tsai. pain syndrome,” says Dr Tsai.

“This is a different type of pain, which is generally not amenable to surgical treatment but needs a multidisciplinary team approach to pain.

“Associate Prof Tillman Boesel, who is a visiting pain management specialist with Orthopaedics ACT, sees people with this variant of pain.”

Orthopaedics ACT, Woden Specialist Medical Centre, level 2, 90 Corinna Street, Phillip. Call 6221 9320 or visit orthoact.com.au

to help customers explore the extensive range.

“Come ask us about what the hemp plant offers, from the benefits of CBD oil to the selection of skincare and beauty products.”

South Pacific Hemp, 84 Wollongong Street, Fyshwick. Call 0431 318898, visit southpacifichemp.com.au or email sthpacifichemp@gmail.com

QUALITY AUSTRALIAN HEMP PRODUCTS

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Visit us today in store or online for everything HEMP! Opening hours: Monday-Friday 10am-4pm Saturday 10am-3pm

Ph: 0431 318 898 | 84 Wollongong St, Fyshwick | southpacifichemp.com.au | CityNews July 21-27, 2022 17

NATIONAL PAIN WEEK / July 25-31 Programs help make daily living easier ARTHRITIS ACT can support people no matter what type of chronic pain condition they have, says CEO Rebecca Davey.

“Whether it’s musculoskeletal pain, endometriosis, headaches or whatever it may be, we have programs in place to help make everyday lives easier,” she says.

From July 24 and throughout National Pain Week, Rebecca says Arthritis, Pain Support & ME/ CFS ACT will host a series of consumer information talks

by Canberra pain experts.

“All people have to do is call us so they can join in or if they wish to get a recording of the presentations,” she says.

Arthritis ACT CEO Rebecca Davey.

Rebecca says chronic pain differs from person to person “Exercise and weight management and Arthritis ACT focuses on each individual is incredibly important in getting those to help with their own personal needs. good hormones going again that are lost “Chronic pain affects all parts of a when pain is high or consistent. person’s life and we approach supporting “It’s great for social interaction as well, the person from a holistic premise,” she which is also key in beating the anxiety says. and depression lots of chronic pain suffer“We run courses and support groups ers [can] go through.” for people living with chronic conditions that help them break down the tasks of Arthritis ACT, Pain Support & ME/CFS ACT, daily living so that they don’t exhaust 170 Haydon Drive, Bruce. Call themselves or make their pain worse.

1800 011041 or visit arthritisact.org.au

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Physiotherapy offers an ‘effective’ treatment to manage pain

Rebalancing with personally tailored Pilates classes

“IT’S estimated 15 to 20 per cent of people suffer back pain in any year, and that 70 to 90 per cent of people will suffer low back pain at some stage in their life,” says owner of Atlas Physiotherapy Roz Penfold.

“Just under 90 per cent of Australians suffer headaches, almost one in five experience migraines and almost 15 per cent of Australians are experiencing arthritis. Anyone who has had this type of pain knows the additional mental and emotional burden it can cause.

“But we need not suffer without hope. Good physiotherapy has been shown to be one of the most effective and safe ways to manage these conditions.”

Roz says the team at Atlas Physiotherapy has extensive experience

OWNER of The Pilates Centre Canberra, Felicia Darbyshire-Pirie says she’s proud that the centre provides pilates sessions that focus on each individual.

“We believe in quality over quantity,” says Felicia, a pilates instructor of more than 15 years.

“Pilates is total body strengthening, conditioning Owner of Pilates and re-balancing, which is Centre Canberra Felicia why it’s perfect as rehab.

Darbyshire-Pirie.

To me it’s a combination of intuition and science that helps people achieve goals.

From two weeks post-spinal surgery all the way through to high-performing, advanced clients, Felica says the centre welcomes anyone regardless of experience or fitness level.

“A body that is in pain needs time, space and reeducation to recover. Each individual’s pain journey is different and therefore we are never comparing one person to another,” she says.

She believes a good instructor is what makes all the difference.

“We only hire really high-quality instructors with really good qualifications,” she says.

“At the Pilates Centre we often work with pain specialists such as osteopaths and physiotherapists for client goals.

“I like to say Pilates is the perfect training partner for everything, especially for life.”

Physiotherapist Sarah Collins.

Atlas Physiotherapy

in managing joint arthritis, neck and back pain, headaches and migraines.

“We will take our time to understand your pain experience and explore with you what your best treatment and management options are,” she says.

“We will discuss with you what factors have led to your pain, and work with you to make a plan to address these concerns.

“We may advise and guide specific exercises, apply manual treatment modalities, suggest how to make adjustments in your personal, work and activity lifestyle which will support your wellbeing.

“In addition to private consultations we have group classes (GLA:d) for people experiencing hip and knee pain.”

Roz says that whether you lead a physically active or sedentary lifestyle you may be presented with chronic pain at some stage, and one of the best things you can do is seek early guidance.

“When treated early many of these conditions can be managed effectively, allowing you to maintain an active and full life,” she says.

Atlas Sports and Dance Physiotherapy, 30 Lonsdale Street, Braddon. Call 6248 5505 or visit atlasphysio.com.au

The Pilates Centre Canberra, 58 Colbee Court, Phillip.

Call 6162 1793, or visit pilatescentre.com.au

YOUR CENTRE IS OUR UNIVERSE

Your allies in managing pain

Reclaim your active and productive life from: • headaches • lower back pain • neck pain • osteoarthritis

At Pilates Centre Canberra we offer the full Pilates studio experience Offering individualised training in private, duet or semi private sessions and group matwork classes.

• pronged joint pain

Our instructors are passionate about Pilates – we love to do it, teach it, research it and educate clients about it!

SPORTS & DANCE PHYSIOTHERAPY 18 CityNews July 21-27, 2022

Phone: 6248 5505 www.atlasphysio.com.au First floor, 30 Lonsdale Street, Braddon

Book a class today on 6162 1793 or email us info@pilatescentre.com.au

58 COLBEE COURT, PHILLIP ACT

MEET OUR PAIN MANAGEMENT EXPERTS Gwen Estigoy – Exercise Physiologist

Blake Dean – Exercise Physiologist

Gwen instructs Tai Chi for our Falls Prevention program and also supports people to meet their exercise goals within our gym or hydrotherapy program.

Blake has expertise in improving clients mobility and decreasing their pain through appropriate exercise. Blake delivers our ‘My Exercise’ program, targeting the relief of lower back and sciatic pain, shoulder and upper body concerns as well as leg, hip and and ankle interventions – for those who do not qualify for physiotherapy-led GLAD programs.

Gwen works with individuals, groups, and also leads our LGBTI program.

Gwen has a four-year degree as well as extensive industry experience working with people with chronic pain conditions.

Blake provides individual & group exercise for younger people with a disability. Blake treats clients in-clinic or via our hydrotherapy program as well as attending your gym with you.

Sophie Bullock – Exercise Physiologist

Jacqui Couldrick – Physiotherapist

Sophie has post graduate qualifications in hydrotherapy, and as a non-sports centred Exercise Physiologist, helps clients who struggle with engaging in exercise due to a lack of sports participation. Sophie’s goal is to improve clients health via our hydrotherapy program, gym instruction and in-home visits.

Sophie also is known for her passion for working with children.

Jacqui has a particular interest in hip and knee osteoarthritis.

Natasha Perry – Exercise Scientist

Holly Hazelwood – Exercise Physiologist

Tash takes a wholistic view of all her clients, considering their mental wellbeing as much as their physical needs. Tash delivers our Nordic Walking, Pilates and Tai Chi programs, all of which have a mental as well as physical component.

Holly is a former sports journalist who believed so strongly in the power of exercise to heal and nurture that she undertook her 4 year degree in Exercise Physiology. Holly is be able to work with people directly to support them through their pain journey and regain independence and a joy for living again.

Tash also leads our strength and balance program, supporting those with lower levels of mobility or have concerns over falls to regain their confidence, whilst also meeting a great bunch of fellow exercise class participants.

Jacqui delivers the GLAD program designed to reduce the need for joint replacements, or if a joint replacement is unavoidable, to prepare you thoroughly for surgery and recovery for day to day tasks. Jacqui is studying towards a PhD in the outcomes of the GLAD program.

Holly provides one on one and group exercise classes both on land and at our hydrotherapy centres to support people to gain freedom from chronic pain.

DON’T FORGET ABOUT ACCESSING OUR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS WHO HELP MAKE YOUR EVERY DAY TASKS EASIER

PILATES GROUP CLASSES ON NOW – NORTHSIDE & SOUTHSIDE • Occupational Therapy – Assistance with the planning and modification of your home, workplace or car. Applications for NDIS, the Disability and Housing Support Pension, and also driving assessments.

• Physiotherapy – including the GLAD program for knee and hip osteoarthritis, sports injury prevention and rehabilitation, and pain condition support.

•

Exercise Physiology – Individual exercise prescriptions, small group classes to increase strength and improve rehabilitation, strength and balance classes, hydrotherapy support.

•

Dietetics – meal planning, weight management support, food intolerance support.

“You do not need to have any particular condition to utilise our services, just a desire to ‘Build a Better You.’

www.arthritisact.org.au | e: info@arthritisact.org.au

Enquire or book today 1800 011 041

NATIONAL PAIN WEEK / July 25-31

advertising feature Finding calm and self-healing with horses

Higher Function CEO Janet Fabbri with a client.

EUREKA Horse Wisdom, in Moss Vale, offers exceptional experiences with horses that support people to find calm and self-healing, says owner Soo Woods.

“We support people predominantly by working through emotional pain,” she says.

“Trapped emotional pain can also result in physical symptoms and thus we are able to support people in trying to find the root cause of their clinical symptoms, whether that be anxiety, depression, eating disorders, stress or physical concerns.”

The business has been running for eight years, helping people to feel better, calmer and more equipped to cope with life’s challenges through equine therapy and equine reiki.

“I am currently working on the potential to offer packages so people can stay on site at the stables or bed and breakfast in the farm house, and also have one or more equine experiences,” says Soo. Eureka Horse Wisdom, 674 Nowra Road, Moss Vale.

Call 0411 623 479, or visit eurekahorsewisdom.com.au

Educated ways of dealing with pain PAIN is complex and understanding that it is related to stress, rather than body tissue damage is a very difficult concept to accept, says Higher Function CEO and musculoskeletal physiotherapist Janet Fabbri.

“Neuro Orthopaedic Institute Australasia is a group of physiotherapists and pain neuroscientists dedicated to changing the way pain is viewed,” she says.

“All of our physios are trained in this highly researched and current evidence-based practice. They provide ‘healthy notions of self through neuroscience knowledge’ worldwide.”

Janet says there are currently five critical conceptual change issues that underpin this: injury or disease does not mean that you feel pain, the nervous system moves and stretches as we move, pain, stress and performance

are outputs of the brain, knowledge and movement are the greatest pain and stress liberators and nervous system plasticity gives new hope and technique.

“We incorporate this education into all of our physiotherapy and exercise physiology sessions as well as our clinical exercise classes,” says Janet.

“We take the time to do this education, so our sessions are often longer than you may have had with previous therapists.

“We want to make you independent and not need to keep coming for passive hands-on treatment, as this has been shown to not be effective in the long term.”

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

The equine reiki table at Eureka Horse Wisdom.

Get to pain before it becomes chronic, says Greg

Wellbeing for people through interaction with horses

Are you an adult who’s • living with stress, anxiety, depression or some other emotional or physical pain?

• ready to release burdens and embrace ways to step into a new you?

• in need of a nurturing, balancing energetic recharge?

• looking to gift someone a very unique experience?

674 Nowra Rd, Moss Vale 0411 623 479 eurekahorsewisdom.com.au | contact@eurekahorsewisdom.com.au 20 CityNews July 21-27, 2022

WHEN it comes to pain, work, following car accidents or sports Manuka Woden Physiotherapy injuries. and Sports Injury Clinic can help Greg says that both the Manuka manage a problem early, before and Woden clinics offer an after-hours it turns into chronic pain, says service and have onsite parking. owner Greg Nash.

“We have been helping the Canberra “When it comes to acute community for over 40 years and offer pain, it is important to identify expert advice in the management of the painful area so you can then injuries,” he says. take the appropriate steps to “We take great pride in providing help prevent chronic pain,” he a personal experience for clients. says.

We know our clients by name and “After thorough assessment they know that they can rely on us for we can take steps to alleviate excellent care and service. the problem and ensure that “We don’t just treat the injury, we the problem does not reoccur. treat the whole person.”

Principal Greg Nash.

We teach patients about their problem and how to manage it.”

Manuka Woden Physiotherapy Sports Injury Clinic, The clinic can help with injuries such as neck and 2/26 Bougainville Street, Manuka, call 6295 6896 back pain, shoulder, knee pain and injuries sustained at and 3/48 Corinna Street, Woden, call 6281 1382.

The treatment you want when you need it

Guaranteed Continuity of Treatment with Principal

Professional treatment for:• Back & neck pain • Knee pain • Shoulder pain • Foot/ankle pain • Conditions associated with all dance genres WODEN – 48 Corinna Street. Phone: 6281 1382 MANUKA – Phone: 6295 6896 24 / 7 Service • After hours appointments available • Gregory Nash (Principal)

The experts in pain management Physiotherapists and and Exercise Exercise Physiologists Physiotherapists Physiologists are the the experts experts in in the the structure structure of are of the the human human body and and its its movement, movement, working working with body with you you from assessment, assessment, diagnosis diagnosis to from to treatment treatment and selfself- management. management. and

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WINTER COMFORTS

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Winter comforts to keep things toasty and warm THE capital is well and truly in the midst of one of its coldest winters.

The chilly season got off to a brisk start when Canberra recorded its coldest May day since 2000 at -1C. Then, it saw its coldest June day since 2015, getting down to a glacial -6C at the airport just before 7am.

While we’ve got more cold weather to get through, it does certainly have its upsides.

Take last month, when ACT residents woke to the beautiful sight of snowfall over the territory’s surrounding mountains, including the Brindabella Range, Tidbinbilla Range and in Namadgi.

Around the region, there’s also plenty of businesses that know how to keep things toasty. Boil the kettle, start the fire or just cozy up a little, because this week “CityNews” has a few winter comforts to keep you warm through the cold months ahead.

Bottle shops with more to offer

Seears Workwear owners Pat Seears, right, with son Shane, left.

More winter workwear than ever before SEEARS Workwear has recently extended its floor space to cater for its largest range of winter workwear stock – the biggest in the region, says owner Pat Seears.

With more than 30 years of providing quality work clothes to the Canberra region and a team that’s backed with more than 90 years’ combined industry experience, Seears Workwear knows what working people are after, says Pat, who runs the business with his son Shane.

The store also has workwear for chefs, paramedics and firefighters, says Pat, who knows the needs of local businesses and supplies many Fyshwick businesses with their work uniforms.

Stocking work apparel such as high-vis workwear, jackets, jeans, shoes and hats, he

says: “Everything is the best quality from the best manufacturers.”

Located on Barrier Street, he says they stock safety work boots, leather shoes and steel-toed canvas shoes, from brands such as Puma, Rockport and Dunlop.

Seears Workwear can also assist companies through their corporate uniform services, which provides customised embroidery services for promotional clothing and business uniforms.

Seears Workwear also has stores in NSW and Queensland, and Pat says they deliver all over the country.

Seears Workwear, 60 Barrier Street, Fyshwick.

Call 6280 4111 or visit seearsworkwear.com.au

“PROHIBITION Bottle Shops in Curtin and Kingston Foreshore proudly fly the Urban Cellars’ banner – “more than a bottle shop” – and that is just what you can expect when you walk in the door at either store,” says owner Paul Cains.

“Both stores boast an extensive range Prohibition Bottle Shop at Kingston Foreshore. of products from our Canberra-region room that regularly hosts “masterwinemakers, brewers, and distillers,” class” events for local and national he says. brands of beers, wines and spirits.

“On Mondays you will get 15 per “In coming weeks the ‘Waffler’s cent off Canberra wines that are not Loft’ is looking forward to a focus on already on special.” a series of masterclasses with local Paul says that most days wine-making luminaries including customers will be greeted by himself Hamish, from Mada Wine; Nick at Curtin or Jack at Kingston and O’Leary, of his self-titled endeavour, benefit from their friendly and and Nathan from Linear Wines. knowledgeable service.

“Bookings for these and other “The Curtin store reopened in exciting events can be made in October 2021, just before Canberra’s store.” lockdowns ended,” says Paul.

“It’s located in the rejuvenated Prohibition Bottle Shop, 39 Eastlake section of the Curtin shops precinct, Parade, Kingston and Shop 1, 44 and it features an exclusive tasting Curtin Place, Curtin. Call 6193 3117.

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“Proudly Supporting Local Wine Makers, Distillers, and Brewers” We are quite sociable

Prohibition Curtin 44 Curtin Place, Curtin Email: prohibitioncurtin@gmail.com Phone: 6193 3117 22 CityNews July 21-27, 2022

Prohibition Kingston 39 Eastlake Parade, Kingston Email: prohibitionkingston@gmail.com Phone: 6295 0864

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WINTER COMFORTS

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When it comes to beauty, Olivia glows all the way OLIVIA Robinson, owner of The Glowing Complexions, says their skilled team offers a full range of professional beauty services.

Olivia began working in beauty when she was 15 and, eight years later, she says she’s never stopped learning.

“There’s always more to learn, there’s all these new ingredients to figure out and it just never stops,” she says.

She’s encouraging new people who enter the industry to do a lot of training, and practice as much as they can.

“I struggled getting used to being so close to people, because they’re in such a vulnerable state and you’re

near their eyes. It’s a bit nerve-wracking to start with but you do get used to it.”

Olivia loves working in beauty, and loves that there’s new things to learn every day.

“Giving people confidence, and boosting their natural features, it makes them feel good about themselves and that’s why I love it,” she says.

“Facials are fun, and it’s satisfying to see the change in people’s face and skin.”

The Glowing Complexions, 3/16 Weetangera Place, Weetangera. Call 0401 164421 or visit theglowingcomplexions.com

Unique Meats owner Mathew Hicks, right, with his wife Bec and son Jordan.

Family proud to provide the Unique experience THERE’s nothing quite like a nice slow-cooked, richin-flavour osso buco on a winter’s night, says Unique Meats’ owner Mathew Hicks.

Or, Mathew’s favourite, which is a T-bone with veggies and a good gravy.

But, no matter what it is, Unique Meats, based in Fyshwick, has provided everything regarding meat since 2001.

“We’ve got lamb that’s grown out in Cowra, through to organic meats, through to Halal certified meats, too,” he says.

There’s premium quality steaks, roasts, a large range of gourmet gluten-free sausages (made in store) and Unique Meats also produces its own smoked ham and meats.

“Our smoked bacon is far superior than the manufactured bacon you’d buy from the big companies,” he says.

Mathew, his wife, and now their son are working together in the family business to provide for the Canberra community.

“Our son was born into it, he’s become a butcher now and is taking over the business,” says Mathew.

“It’s all done by us.”

Mathew says they also get weird and wonderful requests such as crocodile and eyeballs and, for a while, they were selling possum regularly.

Proud of the well-presented and clean store, he says Unique Meats has great staff, who take pride in its carefully handled, trimmed meat.

“We also do wholesale and provide meat trays to a lot of the Raiders and Eastlake Clubs,” he says.

Unique Meats, Fyshwick Markets, G19 Dalby Road, Fyshwick. Call 6295 8573 or email unqmeats@tpg.com.au

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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The vintner’s daughter knows her stuff

RICHARD CALVER

The egg-cited Beanies’ egg-straordinary show COVER STORY

By Helen Musa

WHEN I catch up with three of the livewire Beanies, it’s hard to get a word in edgeways as they tell me of their “eggstraordinary” tour coming to The Playhouse on August 6.

“CityNews” last chatted with the Beanies – Mim Rizvi, Laura Dawson and Michael Yore – in March, 2020, when they were about to appear in their Sydney Fringe Festival hit, “The Beanies’ Egg-straordinary Day”, at The Q. But after one show, covid intervened and the rest of the tour was cancelled – now they’re on the road again.

Covid, it turns out, wasn’t a total disaster because they used lockdown time to work with an ABC team, during which they edited and animated the show.

With a high presence on YouTube, an Aria nomination for Best Children’s Album and an Australian Podcast Award for Best Kids and Families Podcast, they’ve gone on to become regulars on ABC Kids TV and iView.

Now that they’ve hit the big time, have they departed from their theatrical origins, which include working in kids’

The Beanies… from left, Laura Dawson, “music wizard” James Court, Mim Rizvi and, front, Michael Yore.

Photo: Grant Leslie theatre, performing as a band and writing a children’s musical?

“We are all theatre people and a lot of our work is built on stage shows,” Mim Beanie says.

Laura Beanie, who’d played with Everyman Theatre and in “Les Miserables” and “Legally Blonde”, met Mim Beanie while working on the musical “Grease” in Canberra.

Michael Beanie, who says he’s been adopted by Canberra, is a Novocastrian who’d been working in kids’ Shakespeare, met Mim during a theatre-in-education schools tour where the pair played in gyms and halls, bumping in, performing the show and packing out, all by themselves.

The Fourth Beanie is pianist-composer James Court who, as their “music wizard”, has been responsible for more than 60 original songs they’ve released with ABC Kids.

So, what is “The Beanies’ Egg-straordinary Day” all about? It sounds a bit like the “Seussical” musical based on “Horton Hatches the Egg”, a lot of fun but with a strong moral.

Laura explains how they always try to involve an ethical lesson and Mim says: “We hide the vegetables in the spaghetti so that it’s not off-putting.”

The play, which has a happy ending, sees The Beanies placed in charge of looking after an egg for a day – a big responsibility, like any parenting. The moral for the kids is that your big people care for you, so give a bit of appreciation.

The payoff of having blokes in The Beanies, Mim says, is that they can show different faces of the problem, in this case parenting, so kids can see there are different ways to tackle different problems.

Michael, for instance, describes his character as “the dangerous sort of dad I

want my child to be able to go mountain biking and engage in extreme sport.”

Mim’s parenting style is “anxiety-ridden, I want the egg to be a high achiever,” while Laura is a lot cooler – she’s an “Instagram mum”.

The publicity refers to hard boiling eggs – surely not the way to care for them – but fear not, The Beanies manage to get the egg back with the help of the audience – similar to helping save Tinkerbell in “Peter Pan”.

They’ve played in a lot of different places, but now in The Playhouse, they’ll be faced with a 600-seat theatre, a big shift, they agree.

For three of them it’ll be a real homecoming and a nice full circle for Mim and Laura, both of whom once worked as ushers at The Playhouse.

On tour they normally play to small audiences so it’s easy enough to do crowd control, with a hands-on style, Laura says, that sees the kids participate in helping solve the problems.

In the bigger theatre, the TV-style sound effects are very much to the fore, with James dashing around to play the piano, act as stage hand and do the sounds.

If it sounds like madness, Michael unapologetically sums up the show as “Monty Python meets The Wiggles”.

“The Beanies Egg-straordinary Day”, The Playhouse, 10am and noon, Saturday, August 6.

Xiangrong Yu “Embracing” This exhibition titled “Embracing” by landscape artist Xiangrong Yu, is a collection of works influenced by his surrounds, reflecting his appreciation of that environment.

It dares to try and innovate different expressions with subjectiveness. Resulting in a wonderful collection of artworks, which would appeal to most discerning art lovers.

Upcoming Events: Sat, 16 Jul 2022 2:00 pm to Sun, 7 Aug 2022 4:00 pm Shop 11, Federation Square O’Hanlon Place, NICHOLLS Phone: 02 6230 2055 aarwungallery.com.au

Andrew Grassi Kelaher “Vivacious Views, Peaceful Panoramas”

Sandra Hendy A.W.I. “An Eclectic Collection”

“Recently I have spent a fair amount of time in and around Canberra and the majority of these works have a definite localised feel to them. From sweeping panoramas to moody, foggy landscapes and little bit in between. There is a real sense of atmosphere in these works and a push in various painting techniques and influences to capture the uniqueness in the sights and sounds I’ve been inspired by”.

This exhibition by watercolour artist Sandra Hendy is aptly named “An Eclectic Collection” considering the diversity of style and subjects displayed. Sandra is a member of the Australian Watercolour Institute and each of these watercolours are contemporary in nature, stylish and sophisticated in approach, and creative and imaginary in execution. Eye catching cloisonné paint, paper collage, gouache and pen work are signature markings of Sandra’s work transforming the watercolours from one of general interest to a greater scrutiny.

CityNews July 21-27, 2022 25

STREAMING

CINEMA / reviews Soprano Millie seeks high notes in the highlands “The Phantom of the Open” (M)

By Dougal

MACDONALD “Falling for Figaro” (M)

Chris Pratt as Lieutenant Commander James Reece in “The Terminal List”... just looking glum for the camera.

Dark start to glum blockbuster AMAZON Prime’s shiny new military blockbuster “The Terminal List” recruits Chris Pratt for an uncharacteristically frowny mission.

Here the beloved actor isn’t playing a guardian of the galaxy, nor a motorbike-riding dinosaur trainer. He’s instead Lieutenant Commander James Reece, a Navy Seal haunted by the loss of his platoon that was fatally ambushed during a covert operation.

After a tense flashback to the doomed mission, we join the action years later as Reece goes on a dangerous investigation to find out why he lost his team – a hunt for answers that he may regret looking for.

General audiences have been loving it, critics are turning their noses up.

Why? Unlike other television shows clamouring for political messages to stand out among the hundreds being produced in the streaming wars, “The Terminal List” doesn’t really have anything provocative to say.

It feels like a television show of yesteryear, an American military fantasy that would have been universally lauded if ensconced in the mid-2000s but amongst today’s ever more impressive catalogue of TV shows struggles to establish a clear identity.

Not that the show really seems to care.

“The Terminal List” is unashamedly an action blockbuster product from one of the world’s richest companies. With Amazon’s money at its disposal, the production value of its action scenes is without a doubt impressive.

Fans of “Jack Reacher”, “Jack Ryan”,

Tom Clancy or anyone else of the macho military ilk will likely get a thrill out of it, especially as the actors underwent some real Navy Seal training to prep for filming.

Everything apart from the shootouts is just so drearily dour though. Pratt commits to the role of the tortured Navy Seal, but that doesn’t extend far beyond him just looking glum for the camera.

There’s even an obnoxiously dark filter placed over every scene to really sell the gritty vibe, a cheap attempt to instil some visual style.

If the show isn’t going to bother to try to say anything deeper, it may as well lighten things up at least a little. It’s not like it hasn’t got only one of the most endearing actors working today in the lead role to help.

FOR many a modern audience member, the 1981 West-German World War II film “Das Boot” might at first glance seem a bit too dated to warrant a watch.

Simply titled “The Boat” in English, this claustrophobic tale about a German submarine in the Battle of the Atlantic is considered as one of the greatest war films ever made.

Its central question is fascinating. What happens when a group of ordinary men, who only wish to do the best for their comrades and country, are confined to a ship beneath a war-torn ocean?

While much of the war-film canon worships our own side, “Das Boot” marked

a remarkable feat of both humanising the German forces and breaking into the English-speaking mainstream.

Forty years later, a new television series streaming on SBS On Demand is trying to bring the story to a new generation.

Now streaming its third season, “Das Boot”, named exactly like the original, is a sequel set nine months after the film’s devastating ending with German star Tom Wlaschiha taking on top billing.

For some viewers Wlaschiha will be looking familiar thanks to his recent addition to the cast of the Netflix phenomenon “Stranger Things”, a role that will launch him into a flurry of new-found fame.

It’s a worthy ambition to wish to expand the audience of “Das Boot”. Porting things into a longer series means it loses that thrillingly taut pace of the original, but the trade-off is getting to dive deeper into its intriguing roster of characters. Those interested can also find the original film on SBS On Demand.

In terms of modern military series, something like “Das Boot” could not come in greater contrast to “The Terminal List”.

It doesn’t have the big budget pizzazz of Amazon’s offer, but it might just be more worth your time anyway.

FOR the first three or four minutes of writer/ director Ben Lewin’s musical comedy, it looked as if what followed would be a predictable outcome.

Aspiring soprano Millie would sing grand opera and walk off stage to thunderous applause, a multitude of curtains and a happy ever after with the handsome baritone.

Fortunately, those portents were mistaken. Millie quits a well-paid job in a London financial management firm and travels to Scotland to try out with retired singer Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop whose reputation as a teacher is wrapped in barbed wire. Millie has much to learn and here’s a film that shows her doing it As Millie, buxom, bigly built, the role imposes no great burden for sweetlyfeatured Danielle Macdonald (no relative, I suspect, but she’s certainly Australian).

When the script calls for Millie to warble an aria or two, Australian-Mauritian opera singer Stacey Alleaume is standing by to dub the sound.

Playing the acerbic Meghan is a doddle for Joanna Lumley, mostly wearing what looks for the most part like hand-me-downs and straggly blonde hair that shrieks for a coiffeur to come and fix it.

Needing a student who can support her in the style she might have enjoyed earlier in her performing career, Meghan rather fancies Jack-of-many-trades Max (Hugh Skinner, voiced by Nathan Lay when singing), a handy baritone who for several years in the Singer Of Renown competition has been runner-up.

At birth we are all issued with a musical instrument called a voice. I sorrow for those of us whose adult voices sound less than pleasant. When it comes to opera, anything more serious than “Yeomen of the Guard” stops me. “Falling for Figaro” offers a goodly sprinkle of operatic snippets sung well. Pity they’re so often not in English!

“Falling for Figaro” may have been shot in Scotland where the rural landscape looks so lovely and the people are so delightful.

But hang about for the closing credits. It’s an Australian production.

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THIS British comedy comes with an assurance that It’s based on a true story.

But even if it were the biggest porky in cinema history (and there is no reason to to aver that it’s not), that would not matter. It’s genuinely funny. As the annals of golf would very likely agree.

Maurice Flitcroft died in 2007 aged 77.

In the early 1970s when the events of this film began, he was in his mid 40s, making him about 15 years younger than Mark Rylance, the actor who portrays him.

So who, do I hear somebody ask, is Maurice Flitcroft? He played golf. Was he any good at golf ? Well, he holds records for the highest scores that any player achieved in the British Open.

In 1976, supported by his family and friends, Maurice, a crane operator at the Barrow-in-Furness shipyard, qualified to gain entry to the 1976 British Open, despite never having played a round of golf before.

Golf purists with long memories and a fondness for the history of the game, may well turn their noses up at Simon Farnaby’s film adapting Scott Murray’s book into a screenplay. But it’s undeniable that the film that director Craig Roberts has made from it is great fun. Doco footage at the end of the closing credits showing the real life Maurice is testament to the validity of its veracity – more or less.

And it’s certainly not necessary for filmgoers to be golfers to enjoy it.

Indeed, sequences scattered through its fabric mock the bureaucrats who view the game from on high as a kind of religion – as many players on the course will attest as they spend the Sabbath playing a round or two.

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THEATRE

In the evil grip of a wicked puppet called Tyrone

By Helen Musa

IT’S not every day you see a puppet show advertised as “not suitable for children”, but so it is with Everyman Theatre’s coming production of “Hand to God” by Texan playwright Robert Askins.

The title itself is questionable. It could just as easily have been titled “Hand to Satan”, since the central character, a puppet called Tyrone, is arguably the Prince of Darkness himself.

Puppets, like clowns, can be as terrifying as they are amusing and I know one Canberra theatre director who gave up his day job with a puppet theatre because he just couldn’t stand the puppets – he’d hate Tyrone.

This is very much an adult play, harkening back to the famous adult puppet musical, “Avenue Q”, a kind of prototype in which puppets are seen doing lots of nasty things, including having sex.

Askins’ play which premiered offBroadway in 2011 then on Broadway in 2015, analyses the puppeteering world by setting it somewhere in the deep south of the US, where churches use puppetry for proselytising. Surely it’ll never catch on here.

The characters include beautiful widow Marjorie, who sets up Christian Puppet Ministry at the local church, her son Jason who has a talent for puppetry, the lovelorn pastor Greg, the wholesome girl next door Jessica, whose alter-ego puppet is the sexy Jolene,

Holly Ross and Michael Cooper as Jessica and Jason, with puppet Tyrone.

Steph Roberts as Margery and Arran McKenna as Pastor Greg. Photos: Eva Schroeder

the school bully and a cast of puppets.

I catch up with director Jarrad West as he prepares for the show and he tells me a familiar covid arts story – he first came across the play during a Zoom play reading club and was determined to stage it once out of lockdown.

“It’s a complex piece, which is on the surface, about puppets, but underneath much more about loss and trauma and the relationship between a widowed mother and her son,” says West.

“There’s something really human about the neglect that can happen when a parent and a child go through grieving, but in a self-obsessed way, with the parent not paying attention to the child… that’s inferred

art of puppetry.

In the play, West says, Jason wants to act, but he’s afraid he’ll upset his mother, so that becomes the function of Tyrone the puppet, who pretty much takes over, so that “it’s the ‘Tyrone Show’, really”.

West rejects the parallel between clowns and puppets, saying that there’s nothing clownlike in Tyrone, who gets the upper hand. Indeed he is so scary that people ask whether he’s possessed by the devil, a theme that runs throughout the show.

Puppet ministries, he believes, are predominantly in the south of the US, where there are also televised puppet shows about Jesus.

The play, he stresses, is not anti-God or anti-Jesus, but quite the opposite, as we

throughout the dialogue.”

West, it turns out, has a long history with puppets, having worked when young in his native WA as a puppeteer for the Constable Care Child Safety Foundation, so he knows a thing or two about puppets being used for messaging.

In the case of Constable Care, the messaging was strong – one show was about protective behaviours – “good touching and bad touching”, where a robot puppet was used to allow children not just to talk, but to touch.

Now West has assembled a crack team of human actors, Michael Cooper, Holly Ross, Steph Roberts, Arran McKenna and Joshua Wiseman, whom he’s been initiating into the

ARTS IN THE CITY

Lady in ‘Red’ off to Edinburgh

By Helen Musa DANCER Liz Lea, “CityNews” 2017 Artist of the Year, is off to Edinburgh in mid-August with her extraordinary work, “Red”, an exploration of her journey through endometriosis. She’ll perform at Dance Base, Scotland’s National Centre for Dance, August 16-28, during the festival.

“Hand to God”, Everyman Theatre, ACTHub, Kingston, July 27-August 13. Not suitable for children.

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CANBERRA Museum and Gallery now has its most ambitious Sidney Nolan exhibition, “Search for Paradise”, in a Canberraonly visit from Melbourne’s Heide Museum of Modern Art. It explores Nolan’s nostalgia for his childhood paradise St Kilda, his explorations of the Australian landscape and his restless travels abroad. Until October 22.

UNIQUELY, alongside the show at CMAG is a contemporary response to Nolan, “Sometimes I Miss the Applause”, a new commission by Heide from former Canberra dancer and now a noted artist, Dean Cross.

see characters who rely on their faith. But salvation has to come though fellow-people and Askins has written a cast of beautiful characters, such as the sad Pastor Greg, none of whom is irredeemable.

In “Hand to God”, puppets are front and centre, so they’ve engaged expert puppet maker Emma Rowland to execute partlyarticulated puppets, although actor Arran McKenna designed Tyrone.

And the biggest theatrical treat? Michael Cooper as Jason, while playing Tyrone at the same time – “a real tour de force,” West says.

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ENGLISH tenor Allan Clayton and Australian pianist Kate Golla will perform “A Winter’s Journey”, Schubert’s “Winterreise”, before heading for the Barbican in Lon-

don. Instead of featuring European winter landscapes, they’re using digital screens with works from painter Fred Williams. At Llewellyn Hall, 7pm, July 27.

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB Narrabundah TICKETS: humantix.com ENQ: contact@canberrabluessociety.com.au CityNews July 21-27, 2022 27

WINE

Vintner’s daughter knows her stuff

By Richard

CALVER DON’T you love father/ daughter interactions? My teenage daughter came home in a rage.

The eggplant sandwich… with tortilla chips, feta and edamame Roast turmeric cauliflower salad… with warm rice, peas and spinach. smash.

Photo: Wendy Johnson Photo: Wendy Johnson

DINING / Sandoochie, No Name Lane, Civic

Sandwiches made to a new level

By Wendy

JOHNSON WHILE the dates vary, some say the simple sandwich has been filling tummies since 1762. It all started with two slices of bread stuffed with thin slices of meat.

Lucy Holm, the inspiration behind Sandoochie, believes sandwiches should be much, much more interesting. At “Le Dooch”, Lucy is whipping up scrumptious, satisfying sandwiches with sensational ingredients and fillings always to the edges.

Although relatively new (the small shop opened in May), Sandoochie has taken Civic by storm, often selling out so quickly Lucy has to shut the doors early.

With experience at Rebel Rebel

and Bar Rochford under her belt, Lucy understands the power of fantastic flavours, tantilising textures, and quality ingredients.

Sandoochie sources bread from a bakery Lucy’s good mate Lach Cutting runs (Bread by Under in Mawson, opened in 2021). Lucy uses a sweet, full-flavoured butter (lots of it) made in Australia Danish style. Then combos of ingredients that continually change to keep customers happy (and because Lucy – by her own admission

– gets bored quite easily).

The menu is scribbled on rolling butcher’s paper and items struck off when sold out. There is no indoor seating, but plenty outside in the vibrant No Name Lane precinct packed with cafés and coffee shops. If sangas ain’t your thing, a Sandoochie salad will be.

My friend gave a big thumbs up to her poached chicken sandwich.

The sourdough was soft, chicken poached to perfection, almonds and celery crunchy and rocket peppery. This combo did, indeed, take the sandwich to another level.

I was dead keen on the Masala potato with pickled green chili, fried onions, crème fraiche raita and coriander but by the time I got to the cash register (yup, there was a line up) it had just sold out. No problem, the eggplant sandwich sounded sensational, and it was. I loved the tortilla chips, feta and edamame smash.

The salad, served in a recyclable bowl with a recyclable fork, was vibrant and bright.

Ingredients included warm rice, perky peas, good-for-you spinach, and roast turmeric cauliflower (big chunks). It came with a slice of fresh bread and a round of Australian cultured, salted butter hand churned by Pepe Saya.

Those with a sweet tooth can grab a slice of cake for $6. Drinks are $4 and Sandoochie sells a few specialty items such as sea salt, hot sauce and mustards.

Lucy’s model is all about great food without breaking the bank.

All up, with three bottles of water, our bill was $51. We enquired about wine but were told Sandoochie is “working on it”.

By the time we had finished our sandwiches, the “sorry we’re sold out” sign had been posted in Sandoochie’s window.

“I’ve just had sex education in school today, dad! You lied to me!

You told me if I have sex before my sixteenth birthday my boyfriend will die!”

I put down my paper: “Oh, he will sweetheart, he will.”

Similar interactions that stand out relate to the passing on of knowledge and expertise.

Ken Helm was exemplary in the skills he taught his daughter, Stephanie. Together with her husband Ben Osborne in 2014 she established a winery that demonstrates those skills and a family talent.

Sparked by a narrative that Ken gave when we visited his winery, we searched for some Vintner’s Daughter wines in a number of outlets. But unable to obtain any, my mate Tom and I made the trip to Murrumbateman to meet Stephanie and to taste her wines.

It was a worthwhile experience with nary a drop we didn’t like. And the first question posed was why couldn’t we get any of the wines at retail?

“Well, we only produce between 10,000 and 30,000 bottles a year, all of which are sold through our wine club and at the cellar door,” she said.

“We supplied some wine to Canberra restaurants but that didn’t happen in 2020 because of the loss of fruit to smoke taint and it hasn’t taken off since.”

The next question was: “Yes, well the district has had a number of disasters. Were you affected by the January hail that wiped out a lot of your father’s crop?”

“No, we dodged a bullet,” she said.

“The micro-climate here changes between vineyards. But there was another hailstorm in late January, not the big one, where luckily only a few bunches were lost.”

There was not only the difference in climate that distinguished

Stephanie’s wines from her father’s.

“Terroir speaks. We struggle to find a rock. But dad has fossils,” she said.

I bit my tongue at the fossil analogy. The difference in terroir translated to the difference between her father’s riesling and Stephanie’s Estate Riesling 2022. This wine has an engaging peach stone flavour, a flintiness or minerality that brings depth to a young wine. The acid is less than in the equivalent from her father’s production, a difference to be celebrated.

Unhappily, the Gewurztraminer, next tasted, is available only to the lucky wine club members.

Aromatic it was; a lovely bouquet of lychee and spice. Despite its sweet tones, it finished cleanly.

In the past, I have been lucky enough to taste this varietal grown in Alsace and, as Stephanie remarked, it resembled that style of wine (from the name you might have guessed that this is a German origin wine, just like riesling).

The grape does best in a cool climate, something that was evident on our day of visit. Stephanie said that this wine is a good seller, unlike when it was first marketed.

“If they couldn’t pronounce it, they wouldn’t go near it,” she said.

Bravo for trend setting.

We also tried the riesling that Stephanie calls her semi-sweet.

Hang on, I thought, this wine emulates the Helm half-dry. He says potato she says potarto!

It is a great food wine, especially for Asian food as the sweetness diffuses some of the heat and spice.

The rosé was next and is the most popular of Stephanie’s wines.

I bought two bottles. It is a blend of shiraz, sangiovese and merlot grapes with the colour coming from a quick crush and also being pressed quickly but with no skin contact.

It is not wishy washy, as some rosés are, given the fact that you can call any pink concoction a rosé in this country.

The pinot noir and the syrah are also highly recommended.

We bow to the passing of knowledge represented in this fine winemaking.

There are more of Richard Calver’s columns at citynews.com.au

Follow us on Ken Helm with his winemaking daughter Stephanie… “If they couldn’t pronounce it, they wouldn’t go near it,” she said.

28 CityNews July 21-27, 2022

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GARDENING

Geraniums can do well in winter if they are in a protected spot.

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Plenty to see in a winter garden

By Jackie

WARBURTON THERE may be fewer flowers in the garden this time of year, but there’s still plenty to see with many large shrubs, such as garryas and stachyurus coming into show in winter.

Both are a must-have for a large garden. Geraniums can also do well in our winters if they are in a protected spot.

The pictured geranium is tucked under the eaves to the entrance of the house and watered once a week. It flowers all year round and is a good example of a spot for a good plant.

Frost damage will be noticeable on some plants but, for now, leave

this burnt material until all frosts have passed and do a big garden clean up in early spring.

Frost and cold air flows to the lowest point in the garden and can cause frost pockets that don’t move until morning. Frosts will be more severe where there are open areas with no trees on nights with clear skies and little cloud.

When designing the garden, think of Canberra winters and where the cold air flows. That will help with the plan and planting choices for a seasonal garden.

All winter pruning of deciduous trees and shrubs such as crepe myrtles, smoke bush and deciduous hibiscus should be done now.

Any spring-flowering shrubs such as forsythias, mock orange or viburnums should not be pruned until after flowering.

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Over the past few years there have been increasing numbers in our urban gardens and it is wonderful to see a flock of at least 20 of them, all in pairs, in Kambah.

To encourage gang gangs, plant native trees such as melia azedarach, sheoaks (casuarinas) and wattles.

KEEP watering citrus trees and spray with a horticultural oil on the bark and leaves for eggs of the bronze orange bug.

They are a pest, prolific in summer, that can damage the fruit and leaves. Spraying now will go a long way to combating the problem as they start to hatch late winter.

Remove any damaged fruit from the tree and try not to do any citrus pruning in the cold months. Wait until spring.

DECIDUOUS trees, shrubs and vines can be planted from now and next month.

Deciding where the new plant will go and preparing for it is helpful before bringing a plant home.

Dig the hole twice the size of the pot and plant the plant to the same soil level as the potted plant was.

Most importantly, water in with seaweed solution.

Some trees and vines can be bought bare rooted and are cheaper without potting mix, but need to be planted as soon as they

arrive home. If buying a potted-up, deciduous fruit tree, check if it’s been potted-up recently by the nursery. If so, it will need more time in the pot to establish itself again before replanting.

ASPARAGUS crowns will be available to buy this month and can be a long-lived perennial in the garden.

Crowns can take three to four years to develop to maturity. They don’t like root disturbance, so choose a permanent spot where they won’t need to be moved.

Asparagus likes a pH of 6.5-7 and a sprinkle of dolomite lime a few weeks before planting will sweeten the soil.

There are male and female plants.

The male makes better eating and the females produce berries in the autumn. These berries can be picked and sown, but will take a few years to mature.

Soak the crowns overnight in a weak solution of seaweed solution and then plant the asparagus crown on a mound about 40 centimetres apart at the bottom of a trench.

Water in and wait to see spears in early spring. Keep mulched and weed free. The first eating spears should take at least three years.

There are more of Jackie’s columns at citynews.com.au jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au

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HOROSCOPE Your week in the stars

By Joanne Madeline Moore

PUZZLES

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General knowledge crossword No. 839

July 25-31, 2022 ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

Have you been waiting in the wings or sulking on the sidelines, Rams? Remember that expansive Jupiter is transiting through your sign (which only happens every 12 years). So spring into action – wake up, explore, experiment, take a calculated risk and make some noise! Be inspired by fiery birthday actress Helen Mirren (who was born on July 26, 1945): “If you want to go make your mark in the world, you’ve got to go out and do it. Don’t be shy, be adventurous.”

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TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)

This week the stars favour home and hearth, as the New Moon and Mercury highlight your domestic zone. It’s a good time to clean and declutter your living space or tackle an overdue DIY project. Venus (your power planet) also links up with Jupiter, so Bulls can expect a busy and bamboozling time. Prepare for some very short timelines. You don’t work well when other people try to hurry you, so have the confidence to cruise at your own preferred pace.

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GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)

Family relationships and close friendships look complicated, as loved ones debate a wide range of controversial topics. If you have a problem that’s bothering you, don’t over-think things. Instead, let your intuition be your guide. Wisdom for the week is from birthday great, psychiatrist Carl Jung (who was born on July 26, 1875): “Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens.”

CANCER (June 22 – July 23)

You’ve been talking about saving for something big (like a car, holiday, home deposit or renovations) for a while. With the New Moon in your finance zone (and impulsive Jupiter, Mars and Uranus aspects), resist the urge to be extravagant with cash and careless with credit. In an uncertain economic climate, be a canny Crab who is cautious with money. Plus, do an inventory on your inner wealth, as you nurture your self-esteem and consolidate your core values.

LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)

With the Sun, New Moon and Mercury charging through your sign, you’ll go to extremes this week as the planets press your ‘Let’s overdo everything’ button.

So your motto for the moment is from birthday great Mick Jagger (who has four planets in Leo): “Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.” But resist the temptation to be a right royal bossy-boots, especially when you don’t get your way. Rather than being pushy, try being charmingly persuasive instead!

VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)

Mercury (your patron planet) forms difficult aspects with Mars, Uranus and Saturn, so you’ll feel argumentative, restless and/or stressed. The New Moon and Mercury light up your solitude zone, so you’ll also feel like being on your own. Privacy and self-reflection are paramount, and activities like meditation, contemplation and yoga are recommended. Your mantra comes from birthday great Kate Bush: “There’s an awful lot you learn about yourself when you’re alone.”

Down

1 What, in mathematics, are curves representing given functions? (6) 8 What was the given name of the Australian explorer, ... Hume? (8) 9 Which qualification does one strive to acquire at a university? (6) 10 Name a strong, bitter, green-coloured, aromatic liqueur. (8) 11 What is a hot spring that sends up jets of water and stream into the air? (6) 13 What is an agent, sent on a mission? (8) 16 Name a small squirrel-like South and Central American monkey. (8) 19 Which expression describes the actual exertion of power? (6) 22 What device fixes something firmly in place? (8) 24 Name an inland duty on certain commodities.

(6) 25 What is another term for ninepins? (8) 26 Which word describes an earthquake? (6)

2 Who played the part of Superman, etc, etc, Christopher ...? (5) 3 Name the prince of Troy whose abduction of Helen led to the Trojan War. (5) 4 Which workers clip sheep for a living? (8) 5 Name a Hebrew prophet of the eighth century BC. (4) 6 What are asexually produced descendants? (6) 7 Name a ground squirrel of western North America. (6) 12 Which period consists of 12 lunar months? (4) 14 What is payment for the use of money borrowed? (8) 15 To be partly opened, is to be what? (4) 17 In which US State is Anchorage? (6) 18 To change, or alter, is to do what? (6) 20 Who is the master of ceremonies? (5) 21 What is keen relish, or hearty enjoyment, as in eating? (5) 23 Name a river in eastern Africa. (4)

LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)

The fiery New Moon reignites a special hope, dream or wish that’s been languishing on the sidelines. Plus, the lively Venus-Jupiter link turbo charges creativity and pushes you to be more proactive. If you are stuck in a professional slump or a relationship rut, don’t dwell on the negatives. It’s time to innovate and re-calibrate.

Be inspired by actress (and fellow Libran) Kate Winslet: “The good and bad things are what form us as people. Change makes us grow.”

Solution next edition

Across

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Sudoku medium No. 320

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)

There’s a Venus/Jupiter square, so you’re keen to communicate and exaggerate.

However, if you say or do the first thing on your mind (especially involving friends or finances), you could find yourself regretting your haste. With the Sun, New Moon and Mercury activating your adventure zone, you’re keen to head off on an overseas trip, an interstate interlude or a weekend getaway. But be careful your spontaneous spirit doesn’t land you in unexpected trouble!

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)

The New Moon stimulates your intrigue zone, so no secret is safe as you uncover clues and pick up on cues that other people miss. Be careful what you unearth because you could stir up problems from your own less-than-perfect past. Lust and loot also loom large, as you work through issues involving trust, intimacy, shared possessions or joint finances. The weekend looks frustrating when Mercury and Saturn slow communication, frustrate plans and stymie progress.

Phillips Wealth Partners Pty Ltd ACN 624858420 is a corporate authorised representative of Insight Investment Services Pty Ltd AFSL 309996

Solutions – July 14 edition Sudoku hard No. 319

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2022

Solution next edition

Crossword No. 838

PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

What assets are exchanged?

This arrangement enables a person to transfer assets over the allowable gifting limits to another person in exchange for a right to accommodation for life in a residential property.

For example, this could be a parent transferring the title of their home to their child to receive a life interest in that person’s home, or paying for the construction of accommodation on another person’s property and receiving a life tenancy in that dwelling, or purchasing a property in another person’s name in return for a life tenancy in that residential property.

Disclaimer: This column contains general advice, please do not rely on it.

If you require specific advice on this topic please contact Phillips Wealth Partners or your professional adviser.

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)

New Moon week is the ideal time to ditch bad daily habits and start afresh. Work, health, fitness and food choices are the main areas where you need to make some long-overdue changes and adjustments – the sooner the better. Try to release pent-up Piscean frustrations via a chat with a close confidante or a trusted family member. Spending some quality time with your favourite four-legged friend (in the great outdoors) will also help to lift your spirits.

What is a granny flat arrangement?

Many people confuse the real-estate definition of a granny flat arrangement, as being a self-contained home or unit connected to the home. It's important to know that this arrangement has nothing to do with the type of dwelling.

The relevant definition of a granny flat arrangement is a written agreement that gives an eligible person the right to occupy a property for life. That right is called a granny flat interest or granny flat right (the terms are often interchangeable). A granny flat interest can include various types of living situations that help people to care for elderly family members.

How can I protect myself?

Since the removal of a capital gains tax event, when a granny flat arrangement is created, varied or terminated, these intergenerational arrangements are less risky for older Australians because people can be transparent about the arrangement without trying to avoid CGT implications.

A granny flat arrangement must be in writing and should consider factors such as a breakdown in the family relationship, be clear on the details of the arrangement of whether it's a life interest or life tenancy and indicate that the parties are legally bound in this residential living arrangement.

Finally, all parties should consider what provisions will there be if the recipient moves into aged care.

Use your financial planner and legal team to review the risks, including any age pension impacts, compare your options, and formally document the granny flat arrangement.

This week looks rather shambolic, as the Venus/Jupiter square disrupts your daily routine and Saturn stymies domestic harmony. And your patience will wear thin with stressed work colleagues, frustrating family members, unpredictable friends or annoying acquaintances. For some Scorpios, a rushed romance could see you jump from the frying pan straight into the fire! So slow down, calm down and focus on the journey rather than the destination.

This week you’ll be reliably unpredictable and consistently inconsistent! Love, loyalty, cooperation and compromise are the New Moon buzzwords, as one half of you wants to snuggle up close with someone special, while the other half longs to be footloose, fancy-free and spontaneously solo. Try to find the sweet spot between cosy companionship and invigorating independence. But resist the urge to be an Aquarian provocateur who is deliberately controversial.

GRANNY flat arrangements can be an accommodation option for senior Australians who want to simplify their assets and downsize.

They are also viable in circumstances when someone is either struggling to cope with living independently due to health or financial reasons, or to be closer to their family.

PHILLIPS WEALTH PARTNERS 1300 10 22 33 WWW.PHILLIPSWP.COM.AU FINANCIAL PLANNING AGED CARE ADVICE RETIREMENT LIVING DOWNSIZING CityNews July 21-27, 2022 31

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