CityNews 221103

COSTIGAN

almost as if he’s not the same dog’

Impounded Ace comes home ‘traumatised’

By Belinda STRAHORN

A SIBERIAN husky impounded for almost three months following an attack on a kangaroo has been returned to its owner, malnourished and traumatised by the lengthy separation.

Six-year-old Ace attacked a kangaroo while off leash near the Hawker oval in early August. It was seized by rang ers from the ACT’s Domestic Animal Services (DAS) and impounded pending an investi gation into the incident.

Ace’s owner Silvia Gabrielli said her “gentle and beautiful dog” is now a “shadow of his former self” having lost 4.5 kilograms while in the care of the pound.

“He’s thin and looks awful,” said Gabrielli, 55.

“When I got him back he was dirty, stinky and like a skeleton.

“It’s almost as if he’s not the same dog.”

Ace’s lengthy impoundment

INDEX

is not out of the ordinary, with many seized animals spending long periods separated from their homes and owners while investigations are ongoing.

“I’m one of many people who have had their pets seized for an extended amount of time, one woman I know had her dogs impounded for four months,” said Gabrielli.

“Keeping dogs impounded for months on end is cruel and in humane, it’s disgraceful really.”

Volunteer solicitor with the Animal Defenders Office (ADO), Tara Ward, said animals subject ed to long impoundments have become commonplace since the

ACT government amended legis lation to permit investigations to extend beyond 28 days duration.

“Up until December 2017, the Domestic Animals Act in the ACT put a 28-day limit on an investigation time and after that they have to start prosecu tion for an offence, issue a fine or release the dog,” Ward said.

“What we found was that DAS was routinely breaching that. Rather than changing their processes so they could conduct the investigation in a more timely manner they changed the law, basically giv ing them the power to extend that time frame indefinitely.

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“They can hold a dog pending an investigation for as long as they want so we are now find ing it gets extended for 30, 60, 90 days.”

Ward co-founded the ADO, a national organisation based in Canberra, in 2014. One of its many functions is to provide legal advice for the owners of impounded pets.

“We routinely deal with cli ents who have had their dogs im pounded for months, sometimes well over a year,” Ward said.

“We are absolutely smashed by the number of people who are going through what Silvia is going through.”

Ward has expressed con cern for the welfare of dogs impounded for a long period of time.

“When a dog that’s used to living with a family suddenly ends up in a small concrete cell with no stimulation, very little enrichment, and who knows what exercise, the impact on their mental wellbeing would be immense,” she said.

The situation has been made worse by a lack of adequate resourcing of the investigating agency, Ward said.

“They [DAS] simply lack the

staff to conduct the investiga tions because they are time consuming and involve property inspections, talking to neigh bours, looking at CCTV footage,” she said.

She is also critical of the lack of communication with families while their pet was impounded.

“DAS goes into shut-down mode and they don’t commu nicate with the owners of the dogs… people are traumatised by the experience.”

Ward’s account of poor com munication resonates with Ga brielli who felt she was ignored by DAS during the time Ace was impounded.

“Once they have your dog they don’t return calls, you can’t get in touch with them, they play God with your dog,” she said.

Although now happily reu nited with Ace, Gabrielli – who lives alone and has anxiety – is still dealing with the trauma of the lengthy separation while the agency took its time with the investigation.

Of most concern to Ace’s owner was the six weeks it took for a behavioural study to be completed.

“Six weeks for a report out

come is an outrageous time frame, it should take no more than 24 hours,” she said.

While the investigation found that Ace had no sig nificant behavioural problems, the dog is required to wear a muzzle while out in public as a result of the incident.

Gabrielli believes it’s time the ACT government considered revisiting its decision to extend the time of investigations, and to also bolster the agency’s staff ing level so that investigations can be carried out in a timely manner.

“Speed up investigation time frames, get more staff, and treat the animals and their owners better,” she said.

A spokesperson for Trans port Canberra and City Servic es said the length of an investi gation may vary depending on a number of factors including the complexity of the case.

Welfare compliant standards of care are met for all dogs in the facility, and include daily kennel cleaning, exercise and a healthy diet, the spokesperson said.

DAS has also undertaken a recruitment drive to boost numbers in the ranger and ken nel teams.

Silvia Gabrielli and her dog Ace… a “shadow of his former self” having lost 4.5 kilograms while in the care of the pound. Photo: Belinda Strahorn

How long can the faces on the street be ignored?

Ah! My heart aches for the owner of that sad face in the

But, ah to dreader things than these our fair young city

For in its heart are growing thick the filthy dens and slums, Where human forms shall rot away in sties for swine

And ghostly faces shall be seen unfit for any street

In dens of vice and horror that are hidden from the street.

FOR months, with clear-eyed bravery, former chief and former senior ACT Treasury have relentlessly and empirically charted the shortfalls and the shameful mounting billions of debt this community’s children and beyond will endure.

They have fearlessly stood up and deciphered the deceptive spin and exposed the heartlessness in spend ing shortfalls on health, hospitals and social housing. They are faces seen, but voices that go unheard by the

And who are these people turning away from our Andrew Barr, Tara Cheyne, Shane Ratten Emma Davidson, Michael Pettersson,

And so it must be while the world goes rolling round its

The warning pen shall write in vain, the warning voice

rensically compiled and examined sentencing outcomes, drawing the conclusion that they are inadequate to act as a real deterrent against dangerous driving behaviour.

He drew up three petitions that were presented to the Legislative Assembly. He had more than 7000 signatures agreeing with his call for an independent review of the judiciary “and certainly the sentencing”. His voice seems destined to be lost in the cacophony of excuses.

And cause I have to sorrow, in a land so young and fair, To see upon those faces stamped the marks of Want and Care;

I look in vain for traces of the fresh and fair and sweet In sallow, sunken faces that are drifting through the street Drifting on, drifting on,

Flowing in, flowing in,

To the beat of hurried feet

Ah! I sorrow for the owners of those faces in the street.

WHO can ignore the defiant face of Yvette van Loo, the plucky Canberra grandmother ordered to leave her home in Ainslie of 41 years after failing in her 10-minute Zoom bid to convince the feared Tenant Relocation Exemption Panel she should remain in her Ainslie home, a social-housing property earmarked for sale under ACT Housing’s “Growth and Renewal” program.

Van Loo is one of 340 Canberra tenants, mostly widows and single parents, “relocated” under the program designed to “grow the public housing portfolio and provide homes for more households in need”.

The wrong things and the bad things

And the sad things that we meet

In the filthy lane and alley, and the cruel, heartless street.

“CANBERRA Matters” columnist Paul Costigan never loses energy in calling out the hypocrisy and inconsistencies of the planning system in the ACT and its developer-friendly scarring of the urban landscape.

His belief in the spirit of people in suburbs to demand greenspace and to demand more trees is inspirational. He throws uncomfortable light on the doings of the NCA and its seemingly compliant and cosy relationship with the territory planners.

Shall its sad people miss awhile the terrors of the street –The dreadful everlasting strife For scarcely clothes and meat

In that pent track of living death – the city’s cruel street.

Ian Meikle is the editor of “CityNews” and can be heard with Rod Henshaw on the “CityNews Sunday Roast” news and interview program, 2CC, 9am-noon. There are more of his columns on citynews.com.au

Guy Clews

Faces in the street… from left, Tom McLuckie, Katrina Spadafora, Yvette van Loo, Emma Campbell, Julie Tongs, Paul Costigan, Jon Stanhope and Khalid Ahmed.

A romantic read ‘saved’ author’s life

love for romance hasn’t changed.

Open gardens and Christmas fare

When she was younger, Samara read lots of romance books and, while romance is a rich genre, she has tried to add her own experience

“I was reading a lot of romance that focused on the perfect hero ine and focused on redeeming the

“I think I read that because I was looking for a partner and trying to redeem all the wrong people… when I was older I turned inward. I don’t need redemption, but I’m just trying to grow as a person. So, my heroines are very flawed, the story is about

“These flawed heroines are like the worst parts of me. My mother, when she read it, knew who I had based it on. A month later when my husband was reading it he told me he really hated this woman. It’s mostly the worst parts of me amplified. I’m not that bad, but I want to continue

That first book took three years to write, the second a year and the third only 10 months.

“I didn’t have a deadline for the first one, I just finished it when I finished it,” she says.

Samara works full time as an engagement manager in the Aus tralian National University (ANU) physics department, and has found adjusting her work hours has helped her dedicate “protected time” to writing.

“I still mostly write in my office. I do half an hour in the morning be fore work and then during my lunch hours I dictate. Because the ANU campus is beautiful, I just go down to the river, put my headphones in and just dictate as I walk and it’s just lovely,” she says.

Samara says that during her time in hospital romance novels were her escape.

TWO inner-south gardens – one grand, the other a cottage garden – will be open to the public as a fundraiser for the Children’s Medical Research Institute Canberra Committee on the weekend of November 12-13. The gardens at 31 Tasmania Circle, Forrest, and 4 Tamar Street, Red Hill will be open I0am-3pm and the $15 entry covers both. The committee will sell “hand made, artisan-quality, Christmas fare including cards, cakes, mince pies and preserves”. Prof Tracy Bryan and Dr Scott Cohen, scientists from CMRI Sydney, will be in the Forrest garden to chat about their work.

A fete for cake

THE St Ninian’s Fete will feature edibles such as Christmas cakes, cookies, spring rolls, salads, a sausage sizzle, Devonshire teas and a “Tastes of Tonga” attraction. Elsewhere, there will be flow ers, craft, jewellery, books and clothing for sale. Cash sales only, cnr Mouat & Brigalow streets, Lyneham, 9am-1pm, on Saturday, November 5.

Now, Samara lives happily in Kambah and has published not only her debut novel “How to Survive a Scandal”, but also a second book, “How to Deceive a Duke”. A third book, “How to Win a Wallflower”,

“It was the most ridiculous week end. On the Friday night I got my first sale ribbon, on the Saturday I had my book signing, which was just amazing, and then I got the RuBY, and it was also my 40th birthday

“I went into [writing] wanting to give back to somebody else, and I have had people reach out and just say the past couple of years have been really hard and they’ve re ally struggled, and if it wasn’t for romance they don’t know how they would have gotten through it.”

She says her mental health has been stable for more than a decade and her

“When I left, I left all the romance books I had bought for other peo ple,” she says.

“I was admitted again four years later, and that hospital library of romance had grown. All my books were there, but other people had added to it. It was lovely.

“I think there’s a lot to be said for a genre where a happily-ever-after is guaranteed. No matter what hap pens the reader feels safe.”

Story of adoption

MARG Green will speak about adoption and her story of finding her mother at the next meeting of the Narrabundah Probus Club at the Harmonie German Club, 11am, November 8. Visitors and new members are always welcome. The club meets on the second Tuesday of the month and, after this meeting, won’t resume until February.

Let us know if you are organising a charity event: editor@citynews.com.au

MATTERS

Ministers deflect from mess of their own making

I HAVE written before that what ACT government politicians value is reflected in how they spend our money.

Trams or social and affordable housing? Trams, of course, with many people denied a roof over their heads.

Trams or reducing homelessness? Trams provide photo-ops for the chief minister – so that was easy.

Trams or parks, greenery and biodiversity? That Bush Capital is a thing of the past, so more trams.

Real housing options such as detached housing or town houses – or trams? I could go on, but you get the picture.

The Greenslabor priorities are about creating tram corridors for developers to do their thing with as minimal planet and people-focused planning restrictions.

While the day-to-day political deci sion making is confronting enough, the real insult comes when these well-paid comfortable ACT politicians explain away their own mess and neglect.

Not too many years ago I heard Greenslabor collectively scream at the ACT opposition who had the presump tion to suggest that there should be a tram stop in Mitchell. One was not planned and such an idea was clearly idiotic according to the Greenslabor ministers. That Mitchell stop is now

A month ago, on a very wet Friday, there was a gathering to declare Common Ground Dickson open. For the 40 government tenants this means secure housing. According to the Greenslabor-friendly media, Yvette Berry, as the ACT Minister for Hous ing, took the opportunity to deflect blame for the lack of growth in social housing. It is not her government’s fault that the ACT has less social housing available than in previous years and the growth in the homeless list is shameful – still around 3000.

She made no acknowledgement of the figures now in the public domain

She also ignores submissions urging her government to improve its real (rather than announced) spend ing on public housing and to improve the standards of maintenance of those homes.

Community groups have criticised the ACT government for their heart less approach to looking after people in need. For instance, the government should re-introduce the requirement of at least 15 per cent social hous ing within new developments. Not interested!

Yet the housing minister at the opening of Common Ground Dickson

was quoted as saying: “Canberrans should welcome public housing into their communities and stop standing in the way of government plans to build more homes for people in need.”

This could be wilful ignorance of her portfolio responsibilities, or she believes the rubbish statements prepared by her compliant media ad visers, or she is not capable of reading the community submissions on public housing – or she simply couldn’t care less as she has a good job so what is there to fuss about. Most likely it is a combination of all of the above.

In the week that followed the open ing, the ACT Minister for Homeless ness and Housing Services, Rebecca Vassarotti, was quoted as saying that “the territory” needed to do more to fund and target homelessness and other support-housing services. And went on to sort-of explain what needed

to be done – by someone unnamed.

It is clear that her advisers need to clarify with her what is in her job statements and what she should be doing. She may “be excited” about the opening of Common Ground Dickson, but her job means that her government should be well beyond making media talking points about what they may do sometime in the future for the homeless.

This repeated use of gaslighting and spin by Greenslabor to blame someone else for their own mess causes a lot of despair among Can berra’s ever optimistic, progressive and non-aligned residents.

This city deserves a more committed and intelligent set of politicians run ning the show – ones who know how to be honest and transparent. Maybe the coming Christmas break will deliver a bright idea of how community groups could deal with these on-going frustra tions. What will Santa bring?

Paul Costigan is a commentator on cultural and urban matters.

5th & 6th November, 2022

Showcasing the region’s best artists and creators through open studios and exhibitions.

For more information, please visit:

y@YassValleyArtsTrail assvalleyartstrail.com.au

Sponsored by Yass Valley Council

Common Ground Dickson.

Photo: Paul Costigan

This city deserves a more committed and intelligent set of politicians running the show – ones who know how to be honest and transparent.

Scathing report a blueprint for pediatric reform

AVOIDABLE deaths in our hospitals are tragic. They are even more tragic when such deaths occur in children. After four such deaths in the last few years it is appropriate to have a shake-up of pediatric services across the ACT.

The government has tabled a scathing report on the treatment of children across the health system. Dropping the report in the same week that the media was focused on legalisation of small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use, however, was cynical in the extreme.

“The Paediatrics Organisational and Service Plan” begins with a posi tive note covering “pediatric medicine (including sub-specialties), pediatric surgery, and community child health at Canberra Health Services. It sets out the scope of services to be provided, the operating principles for delivery of those services, and the actions required to get there”. However, it then goes on to identify the problems it is attempting to ad dress. The problems are widespread and reflect serious failures by the government. It is no wonder that Health Minister, Rachel StephenSmith was hoping it would not get too much coverage.

Shadow Health Minister Leanne Castley launched a biting attack arguing that “despite the min ister continually stating every thing is working as it should, this report clearly shows pediatric care in the ACT is not up to scratch and doesn’t even come close to what our children deserve”.

Ms Castley said: “This LaborGreens government has dropped the ball and our children have borne the brunt,” adding “the Canberra Liberals have continually called out inadequate pediatric care in the ACT as have nurses, pediatricians and families.”

The report sets out the problems and how the government will go about addressing them. The most signifi cant is inadequate staffing. This falls directly on the shoulders of all of the ministers in cabinet. As Jon Stanhope and Khalid Ahmed have pointed out in the pages of “CityNews”, over recent years the health budget has been subjected to significant cuts in real terms.

Without appropriate funding it is impossible to ensure adequate staffing. The pressure on staff across the pediatric (and other areas of

With the deaths of children that have occurred in the hospital, it is amazing that these issues have not been addressed by the minister much sooner.

health) have been enormous. Despite herculean efforts, with inadequate staff, things do go wrong. This is why the report bases its “planning horizons” on three fundamentals: “stabilise, strengthen and expand”.

High acuity and deteriorating patients have not had “appropri ate care settings and formalised protocols”. This has been combined with “workforce training and educa tion challenges”. With the deaths of children that have occurred in the hospital, it is amazing that these issues have not been addressed by the minister much sooner.

Additionally, the inability to manage the service effectively has been exacerbated by “insufficient business support and intelligence”. To address this “a number of revisions to financial and performance reporting are recommended, including develop ment of an internal performance dashboard for each section”.

The relationship with NSW health services has also come under fire.

There is a recommendation to “develop a specialised services agreement with SCHN (Sydney Children’s Hospital Network) for tertiary/quaternary ser vices in conjunction with neonatology and ACT Health”. Later, a recommen dation includes working more closely with the “outreach services”.

These services include: nephrology; rehabilitation, physicians; neurosur gery; oncology; orthopaedics and der matology. Additionally, recognition of inadequate staffing is identified by setting an immediate priority “to strengthen/implement: neurology; cardiology; rheumatology; endocri nology and video-consultations”.

One of the concerns cited was regarding “culture and governance, including silo working, and perceived excessive bureaucracy”. The solution identified in the report is the adoption of “interprofessional teams” to be incorporated in each section of pediatric health care delivery. What about “excessive bureaucracy”?

This approach seems to be in conflict with “insufficient business support and intelligence”. Cutting back on the bureaucracy is unlikely as indicated by “ensuring that the necessary resources, infrastructure

and training are available, as well as a mix of skills, competencies and per sonalities amongst team members”. This plan identifies the problems that need to be addressed. It is long overdue. However, it is here at last. The report appears to be a serious commitment to improve pediatric care across the ACT health system.

The good news is that “The Paediatrics Organisational and Service Plan” provides a blueprint and commitment for addressing the range of issues raised. The bad news is that the federal government’s most recent Budget has effectively cut $2.4 billion from the public hospital system across Australia.

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.

His columns are available at citynews.com.au

ACT branch’s annual “Art In, Butt Out” competition.

The competition is a long-running initiative of the AMA ACT and its Tobacco Task Force that sees year 8 students from around Canberra put their design and marketing skills to the test to come up with a poster aimed at reducing the number of young people who smoke.

AMA president Prof Abhayaratna said: “‘Art In, Butt Out’ encourages young people to think about their health and well-being and to support peer-to-peer education about the harmfulness of smoking and tobacco products.

“These students know what motivates their friends and how to most effec tively convince them to make the smart choice.”

Memo administrator: drink, fish, forget Canberra

IN a refreshing change in long-standing practice the new Commonwealth Territories Minister, Kristy McBain, has called for expressions of interest from anyone interested in appointment as administrator of either Norfolk Island and/ or Christmas and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

This nod to an open and merit-based process is, of course, to be applauded. However, in the interests of open ness, I declare I was the beneficiary of a process of appointment, by a previ ous Labor government, that eschewed any such process and resulted in my appointment in 2012 as administrator of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

It transpired I had suffered a grave misconception when I gratefully accepted the role of administrator. I assumed it was a real job and that, from 9 to 5, five days a week, I would be engaged in the day-to-day adminis tration of the two territories.

I also assumed I’d be the point of contact between the residents of the islands and the Department of Regional Development back in Canberra. And also that in my role I would, for example, marshal the views of the residents and convey

them to the responsible public servants who would develop draft policy and expenditure proposals for my consideration and, as a basis of consultation, with residents. Silly me.

My views about the nature of the appointment were undoubtedly coloured by my experience a couple of decades earlier as official secretary and deputy administrator of Norfolk Island, which was in fact, a real job.

There was, of course, a major difference in the governance arrange ments of Norfolk Island and those of the Indian Ocean territories, most notably that Norfolk Island was, at the time, self-governing and so its residents enjoyed fundamental demo cratic rights that those of Christmas and the Cocos Islands were then and are still denied.

Sadly, residents of Norfolk Island now also have virtually no say in the governance of their community following the bizarre, egregious and

lazy decision of all three of the major parties, in 2015, to abolish self-government.

As an aside, I have (tongue in cheek) urged my deeply outraged friends and colleagues on Norfolk Is land to invite the Chinese ambassador to inspect their quality of democracy in the hope that China might sponsor a motion, at the UN, on the depths of Australia’s shameless hypocrisy in respect to the democratic rights of the citizens of its external territories.

As things stand, residents of Hong Kong arguably have more democratic rights than Norfolk Islanders and clearly more than the residents of Christmas and the Cocos Islands.

My confusion and concern about the limited role ascribed by the department to me as administra tor reached a point that I made an appointment with the minister, who following a change of government early in my appointment, was Jamie Briggs, to air my concerns.

At the heart of my concern was that the Administration Ordinances of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keel ing) Islands charge the administrator with responsibility for the peace, order and good government and administra tion of each of the territories.

I advised the minister that I was concerned that, because neither I nor the residents of the territories were involved in any decision making

in relation to the governance of the territories, that the Administration Ordinances were, in my view, almost certainly being routinely breached.

I asked the minister to seek the views of the Attorney-General’s Department or the Government Solicitor on the proper interpretation of the Administration Ordinances and the role of the administrator.

Minister Briggs acceded and in due course, I travelled to Canberra to be briefed on the advice only to be told, upon arrival at the department, that it had been decided to neither brief me on nor make the advice available for my perusal.

I recall I responded by saying that considering the refusal to provide me with the advice, I didn’t need to read it to know what it said.

After returning to Christmas Island from this fruitless visit, while lazing on the beach at Flying Fish Cove with friends Robyn and I had made, I lamented about this sorry situation and asked for advice on what I should do.

I was told, rather bluntly, by a longsuffering islander to do exactly what the department back in Canberra clearly expected of me, namely either get on the grog or go fishing or, prefer

ably, do both.

My point is that if you are by any chance thinking of expressing inter est in appointment as administrator of Christmas and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, it might be wise to ask for a detailed and independent briefing on the Christmas Island Administration Ordinance before proceeding.

More seriously, how is it we all have our knickers in such a furious knot about the denial of the residents of the ACT and the NT a right to legislate in relation to a single issue, namely euthanasia, yet greet with silence and disinterest the fact that thousands of proud Australian citizens on Christmas, the Cocos (Keeling) and Norfolk islands are denied a say in the governance and administration of their communities. What appalling hypocrisy.

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

Read more of his columns on citynews.com.au

Sally is a Canberra based visual artist creating works on paper. Sally completed her Diploma of Visual Art CIT in 2020 and was awarded the NAVA Ignition Prize for outstanding professional practice, she has exhibited in group and solo exhibitions in Canberra and Yass. Sally creates her work from her studio at Strathnairn Arts.

Carole has been painting on silk using wax resist for over 25 years and says that she learns something new with each work produced.

Carole has been part of many joint exhibitions and has held a number of solo exhibitions around Canberra including Strathnairn Arts, Bungendore Fine Art Gallery Kyeema Gallery Hall and Humble House Gallery.

50 Weedon Close Belconnen

Phone: (02) 6251 3837

Email: framing@discountgallery.info

Sally Black

Carole Osmotherly

I was told, rather bluntly, by a long-suffering islander to do exactly what the department back in Canberra clearly expected of me, namely either get on the grog or go fishing or, preferably, do both.

‘Unbearable’ slaughter by the British invaders

IT was the figure that finally did me in. Seventy-two thousand, or if you prefer 72,000. Either way, it was unbearable, for it was the number of children, women and men slaughtered by the British invaders of Aboriginal Australia.

It came towards the end of Rachel Perkins’ forensic, scarifying threepart series, “The Australian Wars” on SBS.

And it was delivered, not from some outraged Aboriginal activists but from a group of white, peerreviewed academics who had spent years uncovering the reports of the day as the white settlers spread across the Australian landscape.

I had watched the series with growing horror as the killing began at the first arrival around Sydney Harbour under Arthur Phillip; spread to Parramatta and the southern highlands under a declara tion of war by Lachlan Macquarie; to the whole of Tasmania under George Arthur where nothing less than genocide would do.

Then came the western plains, northern NSW and Queensland where the whitefella officers of the Aboriginal Mounted Police, co-opted by the government, carved a murder ous path up the northern state before

crossing the Barkly Tableland and the NT to the top of WA, and then down to meet the killers of the Noongar folk in the south-west.

By then, the estimated 800,000 Aboriginal population of the continent in 1788 had been halved and halved again by the wars, the imported diseases, social destruction and the oppression of the whitefellas. Us.

We lost 60,000 men from a popula tion of five million in World War I, fighting for the British Empire in Europe. I’m not sure that the

sacrifice was worth it, but others might, and I’d be fascinated to hear their reasoning.

However, when the academics, one after the other, reported that toll of 72,000 Aboriginal people murdered, my heart sank.

The Aboriginal people were not perfect. They had some wacky ideas about the night sky and rainbow serpents; their ancestors probably wiped out most of the megafauna and the non-eucalyptus forests.

They constantly squabble between their mini-nations and they treated

their womenfolk almost as badly as we did (and still do). But by 1788 they lived in harmony with the land and its creatures.

This same land of my birth began its white history with an attempt to exterminate an entire people. And here was I in my big, comfort able chair watching it all revealed through the magic of television and the courage and expertise of Rachel Perkins. It was insupportable… heartbreaking…

It’s no consolation, but I can’t help feeling there’s a kind of karma at work. Our rape of the environment is rebounding in a change to the climate itself, one that already seems beyond our grasp to contain, let alone reverse.

And as the temperature rises, so too, it seems, does the sense of desperation and delusion feed into

the international politics of Putin, Trump, Pretend Emperor Xi Jinping and the other control freaks. Selfdestruction beckons.

Sure, our new Prime Minister has begun to draw a line under the colo nial horrors with his commitment to the Uluru Statement and a final break with the British overlords. But is it too little too late?

As I discovered in my research for the biography of Donald Thomson, the whitefella who carried the Aboriginal struggle into the heart of government until it killed him, “The Australian Wars” is only half the story.

What followed in the 20th century as we oppressed the survivors is almost as bad, and it’s ours alone to bear… and if possible in these uncertain days, to repair.

robert@robertmacklin.com

Fighting near Creen Creek, Queensland, September, 1876.

When the academics, one after the other, reported that toll of 72,000 Aboriginal people murdered, my heart sank.

Stop the land speculation in recreation facilities

are imminent to allow further motel development.

THE closure of the Capital Golf Club is devastating news to the members and the wider south Canberra community.

The closure of the clubhouse and restaurant some two years ago may have been part of an incremental process to downgrade the attraction and viability of the Narrabundah course.

Is the closure of the whole golf course simply the first step towards an application to rezone the land and vary the lease to allow for it to be used for residential and/or commer cial purposes?

That proposition presents a challenge to the real values of the ACT government: how does it strike a balance between the recreation and housing needs of the community? How does it strike an appropriate bal ance between competing land uses? And how does it protect the city’s green spaces and urban recreation facilities from predatory actions?

The government’s record to date does not augur well.

It has stood idly by while bowling clubs have been bought up and fully or partly closed in an endeavour to

force a change in permitted uses.

Perhaps a more pertinent example is the closure of the pitch-and-putt course at Woden where half of reput edly one of the best courses in the world can still be seen by drones, but in an idle and vacant state.

The ACT government took no action to protect this popular and well used recreation facility.

Canberra has been left with only one pitch and putt golf course – there had been three, including Queanbeyan and Woden, but they were all within a 10-minute drive of each other and fought to serve the same small fraction of the Canberra metropolitan population.

Canberra should be able to support at least three and possibly more pitch and putt courses ap propriately distributed throughout the Canberra metropolitan area and protected by proper planning and lease administration.

Part of the original Narrabundah Pitch and Putt Course has already been alienated from public use in order to allow the development of a motel, and rumours abound that further incursions into the course

The concern of the pitch and putt community is that the only course remaining to serve a population of half a million people – a population that has a growing aged population often attracted to shorter forms of golf – is contiguous with Capital Golf Club and owned by the same lessee!

Pitch and putt golf is an interna tionally recognised sport. Australia, indeed Canberra, has boasted a runner up in the individual world championships and Canberra has been at the forefront of the sport in Australia.

However, it will not grow in Canberra unless there are more – not fewer – courses. It’s worth noting, that should the pitch and putt course in Narrabundah close, the nearest alternatives are in Sydney and Wagga Wagga.

It’s time for the ACT government to stop the land speculation in the city’s recreation facilities.

It has purposely diluted the leasehold system – a system that was adopted deliberately for the national capital to avoid such destructive activity.

It has also stood idly by while the city’s recreation resources have fallen victim to artificially con structed market pressures.

The problem will not go away. In

fact, it is endemic.

We hear of proposals by the Ainslie Club, Murrumbidgee, Federal and Yowani golf clubs and, most spectacularly, the case of the Canberra Racing Club all of whom are seeking to reap windfall gains from developing their sites for purposes that have nothing to do with their role as sporting clubs and have nothing to do with the purposes for which their leases were granted, often on a concessional basis.

It’s time for the ACT government to look to the broader interests of the community, rather than sharing the spoils of a change in lease-purpose clauses with lessees who have entered into a treaty (with the community) to use the land for a specified purpose.

It is time to re-assert the benefits of the leasehold system. It is time for the ACT government to abandon its laissez-faire approach to both plan ning and lease administration and, in this case, recreation planning.

Since October 1, the Capital golf course lessee is arguably in breach of the lease in that the land is no longer being used for the purpose for which the lease was granted.

There should be no expectation that the lease could be developed for a housing estate. Even if that were the case, that is a decision for the territory government and should be

pursued in the best interests of the Canberra community rather than the incumbent lessee.

Why can’t we turn this “problem” into an opportunity?

One course of action open to the government would be to resume the lease and pay the lessee appropriate compensation for the improvements. It could then put the lease for a golf course and associated facilities on the market.

If the government failed to attract any interest in the lease for its cur rent purpose, the opportunity would be there to retain the golf course in association with a range of compat ible uses.

There is no Par 3 course in Can berra so that, together with Pitch and Putt courses, represents a market opportunity. An opportunity to turn a loss into a win.

The closure of Capital Golf Course should be seen for what it is – simple land speculation.

But whatever the outcome, the ACT government must convince the community that what it has done has resulted in Canberra being a better place in which to live, work and play.

David Wright is secretary of Pitch and Putt ACT and secretary of Australian Pitch and Putt and the Par 3 Golf Association.

DAVID WRIGHT says the ACT government has stood idly by as the city’s recreation resources have fallen victim to artificially constructed market pressures.

It’s taken 13 months to fine an emotional visitor

I EXCEEDED the speed limit in Canberra on August 11, 2021. I didn’t know there was a 40 km/h speed limit.

I had gone to Canberra to surrender my dear nine-month-old pup to ARF, as they are the best rescue group I know. I was in tears, off and on, all the way home to Young.

I got a fine in the mail. I applied for a waiver due to the upsetting circumstances of my visit. I wrote two letters and filled in an online form. Hearing nothing, I rang up and was told: “Your fine has been put on hold”.

A few months later, having heard noth ing, I donated $400 to ARF, as they had been so good to my pup, and kind to me. I assumed the fine had been withdrawn.

I was stunned to receive a notice last month, 13 months later! I dithered because I didn’t know what to do. Now, I have received another notice for $478 and loss of three points. As a pensioner I feel that’s pretty stiff, I live out of town and need to drive.

I have read that the ACT government is cash strapped, but I think this is a low way to treat visitors and locals.

I wrote a letter to Mr Franco Tao, chief infringement officer, on September 12, asking if I could have a reason for the 13 months’ delay, before I pay. As of September 26, I am yet to get an answer. Can anyone tell me how, after 13 months, they can send me a fine, please?

Cath Smith, Young

Demand accountability from government

I FULLY support Dianne Deane’s letter “Give this government the message. Do it now” (CN October 20) regarding the extraordinary rises in unimproved land values in the ACT.

Like her, the valuation on my block in Duffy went up $359,000 or 63.7 per cent this year, and $410,000 or 80 per cent since January 1, 2021. The government says the rates help fund essential services like hospitals, schools and roads, but there is little sign of improve ment in these by 80 per cent since last year.

I feel the rise is more to do with the Rattenbury/Barr light rail project which is of little benefit to residents of Weston Creek and Molonglo. Furthermore, the valuation rises flow through to rate rises and then on to rent rises for tenants, which are already among the most expensive in Australia.

These rate rises result from the arrogance of the current government and the laziness of ratepayers and the Canberra community in general for not objecting strongly enough to wasted spending and false economic priorities of the Barr government.

Like Dianne, I strongly urge home owners to object to the valuation rises and to lodge objections within 60 days of receiving your notice, not only on the government website, but also by letter demanding a reply in writing. I did this some time ago and have yet to receive a reply.

What is most annoying for me is that the infrastructure in my area of Weston Creek has been allowed to run down, potholes are

not filled, police presence is minimal and the hoons are having a field day.

I am not blaming the police, who are try ing to do their job with minimal resources, but this government which thinks, against all economic arguments on a cost-benefit basis, that the tram is more important than all other services.

Come on, Canberrans and do something to improve the governing of the territory you live, work and raise your families in, and demand accountability.

Ric Hingee, Duffy

Bring on the teals for next ACT election

GIVEN the Liberals’ apparent inability to rein in the Labor/Greens spending preferences, what the ACT really needs is a teal-type consortium, such as seems to have been so successful following the recent federal government elections.

If the ACT government really is operating way beyond its financial capacity – as has often been reported – surely it’s time for a serious change of approach from Canberra residents, who have to keep footing the ever-changing bill.

With the next ACT elections coming up in two years, there is still plenty of time to get the ball rolling. But who is going to step up to the plate?

As for the cost of the tram south to Woden, that doesn’t make any economic sense whatsoever, and can only have a deleterious effect on other more urgent is

The NCA is kidding us, again

THE NCA is kidding us, again (“A new bridge for the tram over troubled water”, CN October 20). It treats us like polite, passive viewers of a poorly performed play.

In relation to the upcoming maintenance works and then expected light rail project on and over Com monwealth Avenue Bridge, the NCA’s project manager claims: “We’re looking to maintain what’s described as a slimline bridge. It’s one of the most elegant bridges… in Australia”. Filling in the bridge’s “gap” with a rail base and tracks will surely destroy the “slimline” and “elegant” appearance of this significant structure and its current relationship to the water below.

We are already seeing a lofty NCA vision squandered and below-par results emerging from its cosy 2018 handover relationship and agreement with the ACT government about a framework for making North bourne Avenue and the southern part of the Federal Highway a notable national boulevard-style entrance to the national capital.

Only bulky undistinguished-looking residential complexes are popping up in regimented dormi tory style, with minimalist landscaping, along the kilometres of what is basically now a busy eight-lane, mass-transit corridor.

So far the NCA’s standards and quality settings for north of the lake have delivered this underwhelming major “boulevard” concept and the hard-surfaced, heat-trapping wasteland expanses along the West Basin foreshore.

Requirements for lush and softening treescapes obviously don’t fit its agenda.

Both the public interest and the national interest have been let down by what is transpiring, with ACT government pledges of much more “cramming and jamming” to come in both areas.

Perhaps it will help to ensure that south Canberra is spared such outcomes as Stage 2b rail planning is addressed.

It also needs to mend more than Commonwealth Avenue Bridge to win back the hearts and minds of many who live north of the lake – it is not too late to pressure the ACT government into vastly reforming and improving the physical and visual amenity associ

ated with its “gateway” planning and delivery.

Well before the 2024 election, new and existing residents living along and near to this corridor deserve evidence of how more open spaces, parks, urban forest “infill” and improved community-use facilities planning and delivery will be integral parts of the Northbourne/ Federal Highway urban densification processes.

Sue Dyer, Downer

Repeating Barr’s spin on greenhouse target

MICHAEL Moore (“Labor: doing what we said we’d do, no surprises”, October 25) repeats the spin that the Barr government’s greenhouse emissions “aim is net zero by 2045”.

The Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act set targets “to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the ACT to 40 per cent less than 1990 emissions by June 30, 2020” and “to achieve zero net emissions by June 30, 2045”. The government applies those targets only to annual emissions in the ACT, rather than to total emissions over time.

“ACT Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Reports” show that annual emissions in the ACT rose from 1.1 million tonnes CO2-e in 1990 to 1.7 million tonnes in 2020. Emissions in the ACT totalled 48 million tonnes during that period. The 2020 figure doesn’t yet include about a million tonnes of emissions from the Namadgi bushfire. The government plans to continue to add to that total every year until 2045.

The government’s targets apply to only six per cent of the ACT’s annual carbon footprint.

The remaining 94 per cent occurs outside the ACT, in providing Canberrans with food, construction materials and other goods and services that are produced outside the territory, and from transport outside the ACT.

The government’s only commitment to address those emissions is, “to work in partnership with state, territory and national governments to discuss initia tives to reduce scope 3 emissions across jurisdictions”.

Leon Arundell, Downer

sues, such as health, housing, education and community amenities. So can the tram, keep the bus service and save money for us all.

MJ McGregor, Curtin

A speed van at 6.30am; seriously?

THERE is something inherently perverse in the decision to deploy a mobile speed-monitoring van on an otherwise ordinary Friday morning at 6.30am. Yes, 6.30am, in Lyneham.

Actually, I can’t really understand why they are being deployed at all, forced as we are to drive at a pedestrian speed to avoid crater-proportioned potholes or, in our paranoia, navigate the seemingly universal 40km suburban speed zones.

And no, you can all save yourselves the effort of responding to my letter. I don’t exceed the speed limit in any case and, therefore, have nothing to fear, but the cynic in me can’t help but see the 6.30am effort as a revenue-raising exercise par excellence.

Angela Kueter-Luks, Bruce

Peter needs our sympathy

WHILE tempted to reply in pejorative kind to Peter Robinson’s mistruths and misunder standings about the value of the Voice (“The Voice is a dead horse”, Letters, CN October 27), I believe that Peter instead needs our sympathy and understanding.

I find it sad that he seems to not grasp

the truth of our history which includes 65,000 years of continuous care of the land we all call home. The Uluru Statement from the Heart isn’t a demand for reparations or special treatment. It is, in its totality, a respectful and reasonable invitation for all Australians to come together after 230 years of now well-documented white denial, official discrimination and institutional violence against our First Australians.

I am sure Peter would agree that we ought never to stop learning. I respectfully urge him to read the conclusions of leading constitutional experts, such as Prof Anne Twomey, of the University of Sydney, who persuasively argues the desirability, both morally and legally, of enshrining the Voice in our Constitution. He might also take regard of noted historian, Prof Henry Reynolds who has painstakingly detailed the legal, ethical and historical justifications for adoption of the Uluru statement in full.

Finally, if Peter holds to the religious values many people regard as essential to the Australian way of life, he might also reflect on those that read, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, “love thy neighbour as yourself” and the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Taking up the Uluru statement will not divide us, it will help remove the divisions that currently exist and enable us to become a more fully engaged nation. We should welcome and embrace all three branches of the Uluru Statement; Voice, Truth and Treaty. We’ll all be much better for it if we do.

Eric Hunter, Cook

Got a complaint or problem? We can help.

Every year we help hundreds of Canberrans with complaints and concerns about health services and health practitioners, discrimination, disability services, services for children or older people, elder abuse, sexual harassment, racism and more.

Our services are free. Get in touch!

02 6205 2222

human.rights@act.gov.au hrc.act.gov.au

NCA should reject tram over heritage bridge

THE “Seven Days” column’s (CN October 20) discussion of the upgrade to Commonwealth Avenue Bridge to support heavier vehicle loads and more pedestrians was instructive, but detail for provision of the proposed not-so-light rail crossing was so not forthcoming.

Expectations are that the “heavy rail” option would likely necessitate (due to load/vibration issues) a separate bridge shoe-horned between the road lanes.

That this new structure can be resolved in the heritage landscape of the Central Basin, consistent with National Capital aspirations, underestimates the difficulty of the task, particularly the treatment of the sub-structure, in my view.

In executing its guardianship role, the NCA should consider rejection of such an intervention for this sensitive location.

An outcome that resolves these issues in a responsible manner, should examine the option of a trackless, rubber-tyred bus, following sensors on the existing road surface, battery powered, with no overhead complications. Brisbane City Council has recently ordered 60 such Swiss-made vehicles, after an extensive trial period.

More importantly, the potential energy footprint and cost savings, boosted by elimina tion of another bridge, should be compelling for our cash-strapped government.

To placate Rattenbury, consideration should be given to a virtue-signalling red paint job!

A wise mentor of mine on engineering philosophy had a point, when he stated that “the true test of engineering is not just to solve the problem, to eliminate the problem”!

Ken Murtagh, Hughes

Stop crazy roadworks and land grab

KING Charles’ quote: “A carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant old friend” is a fit description of a proposed, extremely expensive tram bridge inserted, apparently with its own independent foundations, between the elegantly bifurcated carriage ways of the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge (“Seven Days”, CN October 20).

Where’s the panache and verve in that design and siting and, for that matter, in the proposed wider Civic to Capital Hill section of the proposed Woden tram?

Where’s the respect for the iconic bridge, and the cultural landscape of Common wealth Avenue South?

Where’s the clear visual lake experience for the passengers?

Where is the respect for the elegant free-flowing carriageways of City Hill South, the iconic open space there, and the fine views to and from the hill?

And where are the “Visions of the future – Voices from the past”, the admirable catchcry of a former NCA administration?

City Hill and Commonwealth Avenue remain unsuitable as part of the tram route, and for the land-value-capture property development sadly planned to go on and along them.

Stop the crazy roadworks and land grab at City Hill, and re-route the tram via say, Edinburgh Avenue, ANU, Acton Peninsula, Griffin’s elegant, but currently missing, yachtfriendly lake crossing for trams, pedestrians, bikes, and scooters, (cleared for implementa

tion in the NCA’s “bible”, “The Griffin Legacy”) to Lennox Gardens North, and on up to State Circle and Woden, as planned.

Jack Kershaw, Kambah

IN “Seven Days” (CN, October 20) columnist Ian Meikle wrote that there was word from the NCA about the new tram bridge over Lake Burley Griffin, though nothing has been officially announced.

Apparently, it is intended that the new tram bridge will be built along the vacant centre span of the Commonwealth Avenue road bridge, and the new tram bridge will have a separate structure.

If anyone with a tape measure measures this gap, and then measures the width of the tramway, they will see, unlike the ACT govern ment, that this space is not wide enough.

They will have to include both of the traffic lanes on each side of the tramway to make room. These planners obviously have no concern for traffic flow. But this construc tion will have obvious structural effects on the bridge itself.

So you are getting a tram bridge carved out between the road bridges. How exactly this is intended to happen has not been an nounced. But what’s clear is: 1. The process will destroy the structural integrity of the road bridge. Despite so-called “strengthen ing” it will certainly collapse before long.

2. The tram bridge will have to be built of steel, not concrete, or it too will certainly collapse. 3. Also, the tram vibrations will transmit to the road bridge and will cause it to collapse suddenly in the near future. Concrete cracks. It cannot be used for reinforced concrete rail bridges.

As in my previous letter in “CityNews”, I recommend that if they want to go ahead, the only possible solution is a separate steel bridge some distance from the concrete bridge.

The ACT government ought to get proper independent advice. Certainly not advice from their PR department or “consultants”.

Tim Walshaw, Watson

How ‘appropriate’ is Budget tram boost?

TREASURER Jim Chalmers wants the public to believe that he has delivered a responsi ble and equitable budget. Hardly.

On the one hand, the treasurer and the finance minister have cancelled past

Coalition allocations deemed by them to be “inappropriate”. But, on the other hand, they have allocated $86 million towards the white-elephant light rail Stage 2A project. How “appropriate” is that?

In the Budget speech, the word “responsi ble” was mentioned innumerable times.

How can the treasurer possibly advocate that his Budget is equitable when workers will have to wait another two years for wage increases and, in the meantime, electricity and gas prices will be skyrocketing, electric ity by 30 per cent in mid-2023 to 40 per cent in mid 2024, gas by 20 per cent in mid-2023 and 2024. I was singularly unimpressed, could do better.

Mario Stivala, Belconnen

There are so many questions…

SHOULD equity in the family home be treated as an asset? Does treating the family home as a sacred cow keep the price of overall housing (and as a result rent) artificially high?

Is manipulating one’s money and assets to get the full old-age pension fair?

You are a homeowner wanting a full oldage pension but you have too much money and too many assets. Can anything be done? You put the money and liquidated assets into home improvements. As far as the govern ment is concerned, your home is invisible.

It goes way up in value and your money and assets are now below the “limbo stick” and you can get the full pension. How do renters stand a chance when the govern ment is so unfair?

Would the implementation of a transfer tax on the sale of freehold property to foreigners influence the price of housing?

Would a transfer tax of 100 per cent on the equity in freehold property purchased by foreigners discourage them from buying such property in Australia?

Should we examine all aspects of nega tive gearing and its effect on housing prices?

Do we need the creation of a think tank to discuss vexing questions? Would doubling the refund deposit on cans and bottles from 10 cents to 20 cents encourage recycling?

Would applying the same refund deposit of 20 cents (where practical) to other contain ers made from non-degradable materials help in the fight against pollution?

Would a scrupulously controlled release of iron (and most probably manganese) off the coast of Antarctica to encourage the growth of carbon-absorbing algae be of use in the battle against climate change? Can

we turn the justice system on its head? Can we put the interests of victims before the interests of offenders – especially young violent offenders?

Peter Hart, via email

No forgiving, nor forgetting

I AM writing, inspired by a seemingly persuasive argument for forgiveness of Japan for its behaviour during World War II (“Concert of forgiveness puts POW pain to rest”, CN October 20).

In early ‘50s Australia, into which I was born, everybody loathed Japan for its barbaric conduct of war. Mass murder, rape, torture were the reported stock in trade of the Imperial Japanese Army.

We are now stuck with Japan as an ally. Do we want that?

Unfortunately, war-crime prosecutions of Japanese prisoners ceased in 1950.

Hundreds more should have been tried and executed. But, the UN/US needed a compli ant Japan as a base for the war against the Communist invasion of South Korea.

So, no forgiveness, and definitely no forgetting.

But keep playing rugby. It amuses us to see you consistently beaten.

Christopher Ryan, Watson

China’s doubling nuclear power capacity

DR Douglas Mackenzie in his letter (CN Oc tober 13) says China currently has no plans for “nuclear-powered electricity”. I assume that means that currently China is not using nuclear power to produce electricity.

The World Nuclear Association website says that in 2019 China produced 348 ter awatt hours of “nuclear-powered electricity”, five per cent of its electricity production.

The website also says: “The impetus for nuclear power in China is increasingly due to air pollution from coal-fired plants.”

Nikkei Asia in an article dated April 22 says: “The Chinese government has approved the construction of six reactors as part of a plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than doubling nuclear power capacity this decade.”

According to the article, at the end of 2021 China had 53 nuclear power plants with a total generating capacity of about 55 gigawatts. A Bloomberg article, dated November 2, states: “China is planning at least 150 new reactors in the next 15 years, more than the rest of the world has built in the past 35.”

Chris Rule, Conder

Keating should apologise to King

ALTHOUGH he has become very bitter in his old age, there is one thing that Paul Keating has not lost, and that is his penchant for purposefully misinterpreting comments by others to suit himself.

In his talk given at La Trobe University on Wednesday, October 12, he proclaimed in Keatingesque style that: “If Australians have so little pride in themselves, so little pride that they are happy to be represented by the monarch of Great Britain, why would somebody like me want to shift their miser able view of themselves.”

He also said, wrongly, that he believed the royal family would have been “so glad

for the referendum to have passed” and for Australia to break away.

Just because the Queen had stated that change to a republic was a matter for the Australian people themselves to decide and that she would accept the decision of the Australian people whatever it may be, in no way means that neither she nor any member of the royal family would have been “so glad for the referendum to have passed”.

To say so demeans Mr Keating himself and the Labor Party in general for propagating fiction to support their push for a republic.

Mr Keating also conveniently forgets that it was his icon, former Labor prime minister, Gough Whitlam, who declared that the Queen in Australia was Queen of Australia.

Mr Keating should apologise both to the King and to the Australian people for these falsehoods.

Philip Benwell, chair, Australian Monarchist League

We must preserve our democratic constitution

I AM very grateful to have my little essay on the repugnancy of the word “republic” published (“When a republic seems repugnant”, CN October 15).

But I must object! And I must do it quickly before I am attacked by a horde of angry, red-bandanna-ed, axe-wielding activists who wish to deal with me like a King Charles I.

In the introduction you described me as an “unashamed monarchist” and yet the article was entirely about the peaceful transition to self rule that we have enjoyed and the fear that we would fall into a constitutional staked pit, like so many nations under a presidential regime where autocracy is a risk.

I may be a monarchist or I may not – that is immaterial – but what we must do is pre serve our incredibly robust and democratic Australian Constitution.

Why should we identify ourselves with these other rabid regimes when we are (and very dignified it sounds, too) already called the Commonwealth of Australia? There is no Britain in that.

Or should we change so that we can be known as the Democratic Peoples’ Socialist Republic of the Commonwealth of Australia?

Richard Forster, via email

Inspiration for cartoonist Dorin

PLEASE could cartoonist Paul Dorin try drawing a tram vehicle speeding up tracks pointing into the sky from London Circuit. At the windows are the aghast pro-light rail politicians. A “flying boat” or sea-plane just might be waiting below on Lake Burley Griffin to rescue them.

Rosemary Blemings, via email

Learning comes before perfection

TO Colliss Parrett (“Shocked by weekly road crashes”, Letters, CN October 13): Despite your near 3/4 century of driving experience, it seems to have escaped your notice that most of us need to learn how to do things before we become as perfect as you claim to be.

Perhaps we should have you instruct all new drivers in the ACT to address the issues you describe.

Peter McKinlay, Gunning

Tram bridge won’t fit; measure it!

dose of dorin

Creativity, vision and experience matters to Kim

AN expert in home renovation, Kim Persson, director and founder of Renovation Matters, knows the power of strategic renovations when it comes to selling your home.

“We are seeing changes in the property market now with all the recent interestrate increases and the impact of the release of the federal Budget,” says Kim.

“I am observing that bidder numbers are falling at auctions, so the market is really starting to change. In this market, it is key to have a premium, well-presented property to get it over the line,” she says.

Having managed 40 renovations in her business and many more as passionprojects before making a career from her previous hobby, Kim says that she has cultivated the skills and know-how to carefully renovate homes to create uplift to maximise the dollars for her clients, come sale time.

“I believe I am the most experienced local ‘renovate-to-sell’ professional in this space. I take the worry away from clients by controlling the cost and the timeframes, by bringing my ‘A team’ of tradespeople who we have had in our team for some

time now and are trustworthy specialists in their trades.

“I bring the creativity and vision to the design of the renovation and an experi enced understanding of the market.”

Kim says she helps a wide range of cli ents at different stages in their lives, such as downsizers, divorcees, deceased estates, single parents or people living interstate or overseas who need a complete “hands-off” renovation with a trusted professional.

“Many people are time poor or do not have the support or energy to manage a renovation,” says Kim.

“Some people might be struggling with their day-to-day finances, their ill health or are financially distressed. I bring honesty and energy to my clients and seek to understand and support their situation,” she says.

Renovation Matters offers clients a “fix up, profit and pay later” process in which they can cover all upfront renovation costs before settlement.

Kim works closely with real-estate professionals and keeps up to date on what type of renovations buyers are valuing to appeal to the majority of the market, leading to more competition and more sales.

She also partners with financial profes

sionals and lawyers to help her clients navigate the complexities of selling their homes.

“We can look after our clients’ property all the way until settlement, including prepping and styling the home for sale, with everything taken care of,” she says.

Kim says that no job is too big or too small and she can also help refresh and repair homes for people who want to stay and enjoy their renovated homes, bringing better functionality, style and comfort to her clients’ homes.

For Kim, her work is her passion: “I’ve always had a love of property. I took my passion and made it a successful business and I think if you do what you love, it makes it easier. I really get a kick out of helping people. I was a nurse in my former career and my care and compassion for people continues to be present in my work.”

Kim says she prides herself on continuously improving her services. By keeping up with trends and improving the customer experience, she says she wants to always go above and beyond to help her clients.

Renovation Matters, visit renovationmatters. com.au or call Kim on 0427 696662.

MAXIMISE YOUR PROFIT WHEN SELLING

Fix Up – Profit – Pay Later

Renovation Matters offers transformational renovations that add the biggest impact and value when selling your property.

If you are not selling, we can help you renovate to meet your specific requirements!

Phone Kim on 0427 696 662

hello@renovationmatters.com.au renovationmatters.com.au

BEFORE

AFTER

‘In this market, it is key to have a premium, well-presented property to get it over the line’

WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2022 advertising feature

AS the leader of “CityNews” I am delighted to present our “Women in Business 2022” feature.

It’s one of our best and biggest and I couldn’t be more proud of the diverse range of professional women who have joined us in celebrating and promoting the amazing contribution that women make in our business community.

“CityNews” is proud to have a diverse workforce within our own small family business, with the majority (61 per cent) of our staff identifying as female.

From the majority of our hardworking delivery team, to our graphic design team, editorial team, arts editor and our senior leaders – sales director Tracey Avery and me.

The contribution that women make to our Canberra business community is immense and it’s pleasing to have this reflected back in our own small organisation.

Why do we need a “Women in Business” feature?

Because it’s still so important for us to see ourselves in the role models that go before us, so the louder and prouder we are of women’s success, the better recognition, support and progress we can achieve for all women.

Congratulations and thank you to all our valued clients who have joined me to support this special feature, which is close to my heart. And to my wonderful colleagues, I salute you and thank you for everything you do.

Celebrating the amazing women paving the way

Deb’s making Yazzbar a destination

YAZZBAR has become a local institution. It’s an eclectic wine bar showcasing local cool climate wines from the Canberra and Yass Valley area, says Yazzbar owner Deb Hamilton.

“There is live music twice a week, wine, whiskey and gin tastings, courtyard dining and outside fires in winter,” she says.

“It is a cosy place where you can feel comfortable to come on your own and by the end of the night you have made some wonderful friends.”

Deb says while she was manager, the opportunity arose to purchase the business: “and I grabbed it with both hands”.

“I believe in our loyal customers and I love being the hostess with the mostest,” she says.

“Know what you’re capable of and do your research. Do what you love, because then it’s not a job, it’s a passion, a belief. The days won’t be so hard or long with challenges that can arise.”

Deb has a vision to make Yazzbar a destination and a plan to put Yass on the map.

“The next big event the Yazzbar is hosting is Yass Wine Fest. Held on Saturday, November 12, 3pm to 6pm,” she says.

managing director, Macquarie Publishing

“In conjunction with Clementine & Thyme to Taste

Yazzbar, 81-85 Comur Street, Yass. Call 0434 105119, or visit yazzbar.com.au

Yazzbar owner Deb Hamilton.

My clients know that when they come to me, my attention is solely focused on them, and I’ll go the extra mile to ensure they’re happy.

Building a rapport with them allows me to develop strong client relationships. They are the secret to my success! And as my client base has grown, my business has gone from strength to strength.

I started as a small tanning business from home. Now I am a specialist solely in spray tanning, eyelash enhancements and eyebrow sculpturing, while also providing a mobile tanning division (Can berra Mobile Spray Tans). The salon also focuses on organic, natural and vegan beauty products for tanning, make-up and skincare. Luxe Tanning and Lash Studio, Evatt. Call 6259 2025, email lusciousglowtan@gmail.com or visit spraytanningcanberra.com

WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2022 advertising feature

Karen brings empathy to her business

SUCCESSFUL Alliances was started in 1999, after director Karen Groves met an MYOB certified consultant who really inspired her.

“I was fortunate to have her as a mentor and referrer for several years,” she says.

“The business has evolved from offering bookkeeping services to now encompassing bookkeeping, payroll services, including STP, management and board reports as well as consult ing to businesses on accounting software and related apps.”

Karen says Successful Alliances likes to create alliances with clients, to be an extension of their internal team.

“Our pricing model allows for clients to call and email us without fear of additional fees, like they would phone or email an internal staff member,” she says.

As a woman in business, Karen says she brings empathy to her work.

Successful Alliances director Karen Groves.

“It gives me an extra layer of understanding and perhaps a different perspective to various situations,” she says.

“My advice is just go for it! It’s scary but very rewarding. Look 10 steps into the future and be adaptable.

“I love to help people so running a business feeds the nurturing side of me. I enjoy helping clients streamline their business and reduce their stress, and enjoy giving time to my staff so they can grow and learn.”

Successful Alliances, 14/26-28 Napier Close, Deakin. Call 6196 9496, or visit successfulalliances.com.au

Women forging successful careers in hospitality

With women making up over 55 per cent of the hospitality industry in Australia, but only 15 per cent in senior management positions, Canberra Southern Cross Club is proud to invest in the training and support of its talented female staff, across all areas of the organisation.

Three such rising stars are Emma Gibbons – assistant manager, Woden Central; Louise Stevenson – manager, Woden Central and Phoebe Tarrant – head chef, Woden Central. These women have forged their careers in hospitality and love the flexibility, teamwork, energy and rewarding nature of their jobs, both in front of house and in the kitchen, where a good job done is seeing their customers leaving with smiles.

THE friendly front-of-house team at Woden Central is led by manager Louise Stevenson, who oversees the day-to-day operations of the floor.

She says she enjoys the fast-paced nature of their jobs and making sure customer satisfaction is at the heart of everything her team does.

“It can be a male-dominated profession, but I know we are well supported by the club, and the leadership is invested in our success, which is part of the great morale and culture we have here.

“I don’t have children, but I look at my staff as my ‘kids’. We have a solid team spirit and I enjoy supporting them.”

Lousie says that it’s hard sometimes not to feel emotional about the work she does and although she tries not to take things personally, she says she and the team do everything they can to ensure their customers are satisfied and happy.

“There’s a warm, friendly atmosphere here,” says Louise. After 24 years in hospitality, Louise says she loves the diversity of the job.

“It’s a versatile industry and it’s possible for you to go as far as you want,” she says.

“I love being able to turn a customer’s experience around,” says assistant manager Emma Gibbons.

“When a problem arises, knowing that I can fix it and make our customers happy, is very rewarding.”

Emma says it’s great to meet so many people from all walks of life, including the regular customers and having friendly banter and chats together. She says that she started as a casual two years ago and thanks to the supportive environment of the club and the mentorship from her manager, Louise, she was thrilled to be promoted to assistant manager in April.

“Louise is a mentor and a friend. It’s important to be able to lean on each other as women and colleagues,” says Emma.

“In a supportive workplace, women are able to achieve whatever they want to do in an environment that respects and acknowledges them.”

PHOEBE TARRANT HEAD CHEF – Woden Central

AT 25 years old, Phoebe Tarrant’s passion for food started at a young age when she did work experience in 2013 at the Southern Cross Club in Tuggeranong, followed the following year by a school-based apprenticeship. She graduated in 2015 and began a full-time job at the Southern Cross Club Tuggeranong in 2016. She worked her way through the ranks, including stints at the ever-popular Southern Cross Yacht Club on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin.

“As a lowly apprentice in the kitchen, you are there to learn and work hard. And also do the jobs that no one else wants to do! One of my first jobs was to make garlic bread.

It was one of my responsibilities and I was always on top of it,” says Phoebe. She says that her career has been a positive journey, and she strives to set an example to other young women.

“I want to be a role model for young women in hospitality. Just because there’s not too many of us in senior roles, doesn’t mean things aren’t changing. It’s great to have both female and male colleagues and work together as a successful team.”

Phoebe says that since becoming head chef, she has helped train another full-time female chef, Chhering Lama, who is a great addition to the kitchen team, as well as another casual female chef.

“We also have Julie, our ‘mama of the kitchen’ who has been with us for many years and works the 6am shift!” says Phoebe. She says that being able to give customers a great meal with their loved ones, seeing them go home happy and full makes the busy and fast-paced nature of her job all worthwhile.

“My dad has told me some great memories of coming to the club when he was young and enjoying a meal with his family. And the club has certainly evolved over time, but it’s still the place that we all meet and it’s wonderful to be a part of that,” says Phoebe.

LOUISE STEVENSON

FRONT-OF-HOUSE MANAGER Woden Central

EMMA GIBBONS ASSISTANT FRONTOF-HOUSE MANAGER Woden Central

Book for lunch or dinner at any of the Canberra Southern Cross Clubs at cscc.com.au

WODEN 92-96 Corinna Street, Phillip

YACHT CLUB and SNAPPER & CO Mariner Place, Yarralumla

JAMISON corner of Catchpole and Bowman streets, Macquarie

TUGGERANONG corner of Pitman and Holwell streets, Greenway

WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2022 advertising feature

Rebecca overcomes her arthritis to help others Skye says confidence builds success

ARTHRITIS ACT CEO Rebecca Davey is proud to lead a team of specialists who help Canberrans deal with all different types of pain and chronic conditions.

Diagnosed with arthritis when she was young, Rebecca was told by many she’d never be able to do nursing as a result – something she was passionate about pursuing.

“I spent a lot of time in hospital in my teen years and I loved and was inspired by what the staff did,” she says.

“I wanted to do what they did and I wanted to show those people who said I can’t that I could.”

Now with a degree in nursing, mid wifery and business, Rebecca passionately combines her skills as head of Arthritis ACT.

Since she took on the role of CEO eight years ago the organisation has grown exponentially, having gone from a team of only three to 25.

Now, whether it’s chronic or neuropathic pain, the effects of osteoporosis, or anything else people may be suffering from, she says there’s no pain too little or too big for them to help with.

“Support is what we do and even if that support is just being a place for women to come somewhere safe to talk then we’re definitely here,” she says.

Director, Skye Mendl has had a lifelong interest in

and to combine this interest with her love of styling and helping people has created the perfect business. After buying and selling her own homes, Skye saw first-hand how sellers could benefit from having their property presented in a way that shows their valuable asset at its full potential.

“Our team is committed to helping

in on lending our

TWEAK Home Staging was established in 2014, and has continued to grow, says owner Skye Mendl.

“After having two children, I thought starting my own business doing what I love and believed in would provide the flexibility around a young family,” she says.

“With the support of my husband and children who have helped me believe in what I visualised for Tweak, we have created a business beyond our initial hopes.”

Following a career in human resource management, Skye studied home staging before establishing Tweak.

“We thrive on the diversity of our projects; the variety of properties we style and the agents and clients we work with,” she says.

“Combining a love of property, helping people and being creative is a dream job.

“I enjoy the flexibility to build and operate the business how I want it to be and not feel I have to follow traditional rules or structure. We have grown organically and achieved our goals at our own pace to fit in with our personal values and family life.”

And, Skye says, Canberra is full of opportunities for women to start a small business.

“My top tip would be to not doubt yourself and assume the business will be a success,” she says.

“Establishing boundaries to assist with your work/life flow can also assist in you being able to sustain the many roles you need to perform.”

Tweak Home Staging. Call 0407 465476, or visit tweakhomestaging.com.au

feel as comfortable as possible.”

Arthritis ACT, building 1, Colette Place, Pearce, and building 18, 170 Haydon Drive, Bruce. Call 1800 011041, or visit arthritisact.org.au

Arthritis ACT CEO Rebecca Davey.

Tweak Home Staging owner Skye Mendl.

SOLVING SCIATICA

Sciatica is caused by nerve pain that originates from the lower back and can cause pain from the point, right down through your bottom and down one leg to your calf.

Not the entire area may be causing you pain at any one time, but what the pain will certainly do is cause you frequent extreme discomfort that is often not relieved by pain medication.

Exercise is a key to dealing with sciatica. People who have lived with sciatica for some time will generally have some weakness of the

muscles, tendons and ligaments surrounding the joints and bones that support the sciatic nerve. This is largely due to not having used their body to the fullest extent due to the sciatic pain.

Sciatic pain will generally respond well to rebuilding the support structures surrounding the sciatic nerve. For some people surgery may be the only solution, but in most cases, even if surgery is required, building up the support structures either prior to or following surgery will still be necessary.

Arthritis ACT has a team of exercise physiologists that can improve your quality of life in relation to your sciatica. Both hydrotherapy and land based exercise techniques are useful, and for those who do not like water exercise, land based exercise is just as effective.

Do you want to solve your sciatica?

Call us today on 1800 011 041 and book your appointment with one of our exercise physiologists and scientists to solve your sciatica.

&

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

011 041

Blake Dean Holly Hazelwood

Sophie Bullock

Natasha Perry

WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2022 advertising feature

Hard work pays off for legal Lucy

LUCY Stramandinoli, of Neilan Stramandinoli Family Law, believes it’s important to establish a connec tion with clients from the first time they meet.

“I have worked in the legal industry since I was 17-years-old, that’s over 30 years. I started out in admin and developed a passion for law in that time.”

Lucy studied law while raising her young children: “that was so much hard work”.

“Having two daughters myself, it is important for me to set an example to them,” she says.

“I never thought I would own my business and now I wish that I had done it sooner.

“It has been a lot of hard work starting from scratch, but choosing the right business partner who shares the same goals and morals as you do makes the load a lot easier.

“It has also meant that we could create a work environment and choose staff who share our goals and morals, which makes for a very happy, productive and meaningful place to work.”

She says her advice to anyone wanting to start their own business is “do it!”

“Ask lots of questions of those who are in the industry you want to open your business in, make sure that you follow the rules and regulations, and make sure you surround yourself with people who tell you ‘you can’.”

Neilan Stramandinoli Family Law, suite 2, ground floor, 11 London Circuit, Civic. Visit nsfamilylaw.com.au or call 6152 0493.

Anna Neilan, left, and Lucy Stramandinoli of Neilan Stramandinoli Family Law.

Lucy

Lawyer

Anna Neilan Family Lawyer

Jordan

THE most important thing for The Q’s artistic director Jordan Best is to keep pushing through the glass ceiling, so that being a woman in business can be easier.

“That’s a legacy I’d be proud to leave,” she says.

“I’m passionate about supporting regional artists, and what better place to do that than in a gorgeous regional venue? It’s small enough to feel friendly and big enough to hold a musical.”

Jordan says art and culture survive the death of civilisations.

“I believe that contributing to the ongoing develop ment of the arts in our society is the best thing I can do with the skills I have.”

Jordan has been artistic director at The Q for two years, but before that she was artistic director at several independent theatre companies.

“I’ve been working in theatre for the last 20 years, just not in such a grown-up, official capacity,” she says.

“I think, as women, we are so ready to take on criticism, and we are often judged at a very high (unreasonably high) standard, but you don’t need to buy into that. You deserve your success, and you’re allowed to make mistakes.

“We launch our season at the end of November, and as a woman in business, I think it’s vital to support other women, so 2023 is full of women in the arts –on and off our stages!

The Q, 253 Crawford Street, Queanbeyan. Call 6285 6290 or visit theq.net.au

Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services, 63 Boolimba Crescent, Narrabundah. Call 6284 6222 or visit winnunga.org.au

Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services CEO Julie Tongs.

WINNUNGA NIMMITYJAH ABORIGINAL HEALTH AND COMMUNITY

Winnunga Nimmityjah AHCS is an Aboriginal community controlled primary health care service operated by the Aboriginal community of the ACT. In Wiradjuri language, Winnunga Nimmityjah means Strong Health. The service logo is the Corroboree Frog which is significant to Aboriginal people in the ACT.

Our aim is to provide a culturally safe, holistic health care service for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of the ACT and surrounding regions. The holistic health care provided by Winnunga AHCS includes not only medical care, but a range of programs to promote good health and healthy lifestyles.

Our services include:

Winnunga AHCS is a national leader in accreditation, was one of the first Aboriginal community controlled health services to achieve dual accreditation under RACGP and QIC standards. Winnunga AHCS has been at the forefront of setting a national agenda for quality improvement in Aboriginal community controlled health and continues to advocate locally and nationally for best practice standards in operational and governance areas of Aboriginal health services.

COVID-19 Vaccinations and Testing for Winnunga Clients

WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2022

Riana has a thirst for learning about beauty

RIANA Janse van Rensburg has been working in the beauty industry for more than 38 years, and is the founder and director of Aesthetic Medicine Canberra and Dermaplaning Australia.

“I have always had my own businesses. I have always worked for my own money,” she says.

“Growing up, my dad said I should only depend on myself for income.”

Aesthetic Medicine Canberra – previously Riana’s Health Skin Care Clinic – was founded in 2010, and is a dermal skin clinic specialising in skin ageing, Riana says.

Dermaplaning Australia was founded in 2013, and is a supply company for all dermal products and runs training across the country.

“Beauty is a tough industry to be in,” says Riana.

“But I have never seen it as a competition, always a challenge. I have never lost focus on my goals.

“Through my passion for the health and beau ty industry from an early age, and being brought up with a family who owned a pharmacy in South Africa, I undertook relevant training and qualifications to enter the profession.”

Riana says she had a thirst for learning, which continues to this day.

Aesthetic Medicine Canberra, visit aesthetic-medicine-canberra.au, or Dermaplaning Australia, visit dermaplaningaustralia.com.au

Maria gets top results with minimum fuss

MARIA Selleck, director of Maria Selleck Properties, started her business in 2009, almost 14 years ago, to combine a love of real estate and a love of helping people.

“My motivation is to make a positive contribu tion, to raise the bar, and to make a difference and this driving force has been squarely focused on my providing the best possible service to my clients,” she says.

Establishing her brand and a reputation in what was then a male-dominated real estate industry was no easy feat – taking time as well as both hard and “smart work”.

“As with many new businesses, I have to confess that I have had my share of heartaches and disappointments, and it was a steep learning curve especially in the early years,” she says.

“With the help of my wonderful team, I did get through all of this, but I have learnt a lot during the last 14 years.”

Maria says she has received multiple local and national achievement awards and her dynamic style and willingness to go the extra mile ensures she gets top results with minimum fuss for her clients.

“Many of my clients have not only become clients for life, but also very good friends,” she says.

“We have just moved from our Manuka building and are temporarily working from our home office. Details of our new location will be advised shortly. However, it is business as usual.”

Maria Selleck Properties. Call 6162 1234, or visit mariaselleck.com.au

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Aesthetic Medicine Canberra director Riana Janse van Rensburg.

Maria Selleck of Maria Selleck Properties.

advertising feature

Tammy-Jo continues

TAMMY-Jo Hunter wanted an op portunity to run her own business while taking advantage of her experience as a physiotherapist, and Studio Pilates offered that opportunity, she says.

“It allowed me to launch a proven, mature business model in the ACT,” she says.

“Since opening the Braddon studio in November 2021, I enjoy the satisfaction and challenge of running a business while also helping people achieve their fitness and

health goals.

“We have opened three studios within nine months and have learnt a lot in a short period of time and continue to learn and grow.”

Her husband, and co-owner, Simon says Tammy-Jo is the “driving force behind it all.”

“She loves that opportunity to help people. We get a lot of people with ailments that are improved by the development of core strength and stability issues,” he says.

advertising feature

And Tammy-Jo’s advice for women wanting to start their own business?

“Do your due diligence, surround yourself with great people – we have an amazing team here at Studio Pilates – and keep a growth mindset,” she says.

“Choose to enjoy the experience and remember to breathe, especially in the tough times.”

Studio Pilates. Visit studiopilates.com

Marina Belibassakis opened her own hair salon, Artistry M Hair, earlier this year.

“I’ve been hairdressing for 20 years, freelancing for the past three years and it was just time to open up my own salon and do my own thing.

“This is my journey. This is a step into doing my own thing, control my own decisions and have more freedom and flexibility, which is the dream.”

“It’s nice seeing your work walking around on people, and just making people feel and look good.”

“I like meeting people from all walks of life and making and keeping those relationships.”

“We do cuts and colours, and we’re good at it.”

“We know what we’re doing, we’re making Artistry M Hair inviting and we’re approachable.”

Dale loves making dance lessons fun

TEACHING a range of classic dance styles, Dale’s Ballroom Dancing offers a fun way to get fit, socialise and compete in a friendly environment, says owner Dale Harris.

With medal classes on every Thursday from 5.30pm, Dale says she loves to welcome anyone to come and learn regardless of age or experience.

“We have people of all ages coming in for the classes,” she says.

“One of the great things about it is the fitness. You don’t realise how much exercise you’re doing, you’re constantly on the move.”

Dale is an expert in many styles of dance including New Vogue sequence dances, standard, tango, foxtrot, quickstep, Viennese waltz, and Latin cha cha, samba, jive, rumba and paso doble.

Backed by more than 25 years’ experience

teaching dance, she started dancing at the age of six, when she developed an interest in ballroom dancing. She’s since received many qualifications in ballroom dancing and is also a championship adjudicator who travels interstate to judge ballroom competitions.

Adult social classes are on every Wednesday from 7pm, and courses are run every seven weeks.

“Anyone can join. You can just rock up on the night and we can get you caught up in the course as we need,” she says.

Social dance is on every Monday from 7.30pm, “everyone and anyone is welcome”.

Dale’s Ballroom Dancing, 6/38 Reed Street North, Greenway. Call 0407 066110 or visit dalesballroomdancing.com

Reed

Studio Pilates co-owner Tammy-Jo Hunter.

Dale’s Ballroom Dancing owner Dale Harris.

Manager gets the green light from super partners

LOCAL chartered accounting firm Greenlight Super Services is owned and operated by Vanessa Rae and Danielle Rodda.

Specialising in self-managed superan nuation funds (SMSF), Vanessa and Danielle have a combined total of 50 years of chartered accounting experience and are accredited specialists by the SMSF Association.

Vanessa and Danielle are pleased to welcome senior manager Noelia Pinto to the team. She has been working in the accounting and financial services industry for more than 25 years and is a former principal at MGI Joyce Dickson and, before that, a partner at Duesburys Nexia. After graduating from the ANU with a Bachelor of Commerce, she qualified as a Chartered Accountant and provided accounting services to clients in matters ranging from personal tax through to small business needs.

Noelia says she discovered a passion for SMSFs and began to specialise in that field, providing strategic advice and solutions to assist clients with preparing for and transitioning to retirement.

Looking for expert help to manage your Self Managed Super Fund?

• Specialist SMSF accounting firm who are accessible, honest & timely

• Personalised service to provide value for money & proactive strategies

• Access to your SMSF information in real time for informed decision making

• Local firm who concentrate on being up to date & agile to incorporate change as it occurs

To experience our tailored approach to managing your SMSF contact us on 6273 1066 or send us an email at info@glss.com.au greenlightsuper.com.au

benefit of its clients.

“SMSF is an area of accounting that can provide strategies for retirement that greatly minimise tax,” says Danielle.

“We provide a personal-service solu tion, aligning our clients with a relation ship manager and a specialist adviser. We want to help people get the best out of their superannuation and care about their futures.”

She says the Greenlight team takes pride in being able to help others navigate their annual compliance, provide strategic advice for wealth-creation goals and investment structuring.

Located at Marcus Clarke Street in Civic, Greenlight can also provide all its services remotely via its online portal and video calls.

“We work with clients directly, other accountants, financial planners, lawyers and other professional services firms to provide SMSF-specific solutions to aid in retirement plans,” says Vanessa.

“We understand that no two clients are the same, so individual strategies are our forte. We have the skills, knowledge and process that will make a difference.”

Greenlight Super Services, visit greenlightsuper.com.au or call 6273 1066.

‘We understand that no two clients are the same, so individual strategies are our forte’

From left, Vanessa Rae, Noelia Pinto and Danielle Rodda… “We are excited at the opportunities we are able to provide to our clients with adding Noelia to our team,” say Danielle and Vanessa.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2022 advertising feature

Ashilpa matches experience with passion for law

WILLS and estate lawyer Ashilpa Khanna, from Capon and Hubert Lawyers and Mediators, says she’s proud to represent a law firm with a work culture that’s both professional and supportive.

“Capon and Hubert is one of the very few firms in Canberra which works like a tight knit family,” says Ashilpa.

“Most of our staff have been work ing here for over four years including myself and some for as long as eight to 14 years.”

“I think that speaks volumes in terms of the management and directors we have – a very supportive work culture which can be rare in this competitive industry.

Having always had an interest in law growing up, Ashilpa’s career has seen her work as a paralegal as well as practising in areas of civil litigation and migration law, but wills and estate law holds a “particular place in her work life.”

“Wills and estate law is a vast area which can involve anything from drafting documents to running contentious claims in the court so you

“It pays to learn from those who are much more experienced in the community,” she says.

“There is no end to learning and working at perfecting your knowl edge and skills.”

Capon and Hubert Lawyers and Media tors, first floor, 32-38 Townshend Street, Phillip. Email enquiries@chsol.com.au, call 6152 9203 or visit chsol.com.au

Litza is motivated to help

LITZA Cooper is perfectly equipped to deliver great results in building healthy communities with Capital Nordic Walking, says founding director Kristen Pratt.

“Litza is a highly motivated and experienced instructor, currently managing a successful personal training and group fitness business,” Kristen says.

“Litza is a highly motivated and experienced instructor. Her vast health-professional experience enables her to meet the many and varied needs of people learning to Nordic walk – includ ing different ages, fitness levels and health challenges such as arthritis, cancer and people with

Litza says Nordic walking can improve total body strength, balance, promotes better functional movement

walkers

in everyday life.

“The success can be felt almost immediately by participants in our sessions,” says Litza.

Capital Nordic Walking has instructors providing courses in Tuggeranong, central, and inner-north Canberra.

“But we haven’t yet been able to meet the many requests from people living in Gungahlin who want to learn to Nordic walk,” says Kristen.

“Women have an innate ability to understand emotions and engage with others in a naturally generous, friendly and caring way, ensuring that everyone is okay and enjoying themselves.

“When it comes to accomplishing goals and building solid workplace relationships, the feminine touch and skills like empathy, intuition and optimism of our female instructors benefits our clients, partners, and the reputation of our company.”

Capital Nordic Walking. Visit capitalnordicwalking.com.au

Maritza brings personalised

INFINITE Consulting was established in 1998 because founder Maritza Tein wanted to provide clients and contrac tors with a more personalised boutique service for information and communication technology recruitment needs.

“I enjoy the entrepreneurial spirit of businesses and making a difference to our community and our society,” she says.

“We strive to develop strong professional relationships and take pride in our ethical standards to build trust and integrity.

“Some of our capabilities include a flexible, personalised approach for both candidates and clients, trusted supplier on federal and state government panels, one-stop recruitment provider with full payroll services and salary packaging and certified recruitment professionals with decades of experience.”

Maritza says with women in her business, she can provide a heightened level of emotional intelligence, diversity of thought, passion and fairness to business.

“My advice would be to connect with other women entrepre neurs for advice, build a strong team who are passionate about your vision, have confidence in yourself and your business, be proactive to learn, strive for balance and never lose sight of your core business idea,” she says.

Infinite Consulting, Unit 8, 86-88 Northbourne Avenue, Braddon. Call 6257 8888, or visit infiniteconsulting.com.au

Lawyer Ashilpa Khanna.

Litza Cooper.

Infinite Consulting founder Maritza Tein.

Dr Deanne has a passion for facial

DR Deanne Carr owns and operates Ogee Facial Rejuvenation. After practising dentistry for many years, Deanne says she is passionate about providing facial rejuvenation to help people both look and feel fantastic.

“Dentists have comprehensive knowledge of the structure and development of the face, including an intricate knowledge of the skin, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels and how they affect facial movement,” says Deanne.

“They also understand the processes that cause ageing and deterioration of the face, and methods to reverse these processes.”

In early 2017, Dr Deanne completed the initial training course in Dento-Facial Aesthetics with the Australasian Academy of Dento-Facial Aesthetics (AADFA).

It was at this course that Deanne says her passion for this specialised area of dentistry was born. Since then, she has completed many other courses through AADFA and has been working as a practical trainer with the Academy since 2020.

Deanne’s studies and experience have culminated with her being inducted as a Fellow of the Interna tional Academy of Dental Facial Esthetics (IADFE) New York in December.

“I don’t go beyond what looks natural and what makes you happy,” she says.

“My focus is on providing realistic advice, a natural look, and for my patients to look and feel their best.”

Ogee Facial Rejuvenation. Book online at ogee.net.au or by texting 0409 720635.

ICT RECRUITMENT SPECIALISTS INFINITE CONSULTING

Trusted supplier on Federal & State Government panels

Flexible, personalised approach for both candidates and clients

One stop recruitment provider with full payroll services and salary packaging

Certified recruitment professionals with decades of experience

Ethical, customer service focussed with a win-win approach

Long term members of recruitment industry body, APSCO Australia

ENQUIRE TODAY 6257 8888

infiniteconsulting.com.au | 86-88 Northbourne Ave, Braddon ACT

Ogee Facial Rejuvenation owner Dr Deanne Carr.

NANCY SEVER | GALLERY

The Gallery represents a

We

in

found

leading contemporary

Australian

WOMEN

international

work in monthly exhibitions, on

We offer professional advice on developing and managing art collections and on commissioning public art for site-specific projects.

View of Michael Taylor exhibition

Tim Johnson

November - 4 December

Chalice

BUSINESS

Nancy has an eye for lively art

THE Nancy Sever Gallery opened in 2014, and presents a lively program of monthly exhibitions, says director Nancy Sever.

“In representing artists we do more than simply offer an exhibition space. We collaborate with them in curating their exhibitions and we act as their agent on an ongoing basis,” she says.

“The gallery’s commitment to its artists is what makes us stand out. Our business model is set up to genuinely support artists. They bring their work to the gallery and the gallery covers all the costs of presenting a solo exhibition.

“Our exhibitions are intellectually stimulating and highlight achievements in the visual arts by leading Australian contemporary artists.

“Life is richer if art is central to it.”

Nancy says it is a privilege for her to work with talented artists who use their creativity to focus on or highlight different aspects of life.

“I think that women acquire very good organi sational skills while juggling family and work and are good at multitasking. These skills, together with professional experience in the area, are essential in running a small business successfully,” she says.

“You have to have confidence in yourself and your business, realise that working for yourself is more than a job, it has to be a lifestyle, connect with other female entrepreneurs and be prepared for hard work. You have to be tenacious and remember, it takes time.”

Nancy Sever Gallery, Level 1, 131 City Walk, Civic. Call 6262 8448 or visit nancysevergallery.com.au

Lilitu has the word on witchcraft, wicca and paganism

THE Crystal Chalice is a shop in Gold Creek with a focus on wicca, paganism and witchcraft.

The owner, Lilitu Babalon opened the shop 18 years ago, to originally sell books and music, but transformed it when CDs went out of fashion.

The Crystal Chalice now sells crystals, wands, jewellery, ceremonial items, books and herbal tea.

“There’s a really big growth in people interested in paganism, wicca and witchcraft in Canberra and there really isn’t another place they can go. The people in my shop have over 50 years’ experience

between them, that’s what we offer,” says Lilitu. She says if people need help or support, they can visit The Crystal Chalice because she has a lot of knowledge, and it’s a place people can go to feel safe.

“It’s really nice to have a job that I’m interested in. I like it and that’s the main thing for me,” says Lilitu.

The Crystal Chalice, Shop 3, Gold Creek Square, 7 O’Hanlon Place, Nicholls. Call 0434 112320 or visit thecrystalchalice.com.au

The science behind your exercise

safely

Strength

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Amanda loves making clients look and feel good

AMANDA Harrington, owner of Socialise Hair, says her staff are friendly and approachable, and they have a wealth of knowledge and experience.

She opened Socialise Hair three years ago, and has 16 years of experience in the hairdressing industry.

“We’re just a small salon with a great team and beauti ful clients,” says Amanda.

“Every client deserves to feel and look amazing, and that’s what we endeavour to do. Make people feel good about themselves.

“A woman can walk into our salon feeling miserable, but she’ll walk out on cloud nine with her self confidence high, which will help her mentally.”

Amanda says Socialise Hair is more like a family than just a team.

“We’re always together here. It creates a really comfortable and happy atmosphere, which encourages client interaction,” she says.

Socialise Hair provides cutting, styling and colouring services, as well as hair extensions and moisture and protein treatments.

Amanda says Socialise Hair was a finalist

in the Local Business Awards, but the most rewarding part of the job is making people feel beautiful.

“Our clients are important to us. We love spending time creating beautiful hair and awesome friendships.”

Socialise Hair, 117a Anthony Rolfe Avenue, Gungahlin. Call 0422 456690 or visit socialisehair.com.au

Janet finds success for staff and patients

THE highly trained team of physiotherapists and exercise physiologists at Higher Function are lovely, says CEO Janet Fabbri, which is exactly what she wanted when she started the business.

Having worked as a physiotherapist and a musculoskeletal physiotherapist specialist for 25 years – in addition to raising a family – Janet started Higher Function Physio & Pilates in 2013.

“I built Higher Function to be a business where I would want to work as an employee,” she says.

“Having worked in urban, rural and private practices in Sydney, Toowoomba and Canberra, plus a military hospital and a pain clinic, I knew what sort of practice works best (and what doesn’t) – not just for patients but for staff, too.

“We try to empower people by educating them. In our classes we talk about why we’re doing a certain exercise.”

Janet says she still finds it incredibly rewarding to see people make progress and reach their goals.

“We help our patients perform better physically, reducing pain and stiffness, by giving them the science behind their exercise, specific physio and exercise physiology treatment, and ongoing support and care,” she says.

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

Attention to detail bringsAmanda success

AMANDA O’Neill launched her small business, AO Aesthet ics, in June. “I opened it after completing a six-month study period with industry leaders PhiAcademy,” she says.

“We offer semi-permanent cosmetic tattoos in microblading brows, incorporating shading for more defined and realistic-looking brows. We also offer small tattoo removal without using laser techniques.

“I am a career dental nurse, who has years of experience in nursing for facial-rejuvenation treatments. This under standing of facial anatomy and my passion for optimising youthfulness has led me here and it fits so well.”

Amanda says her attention to detail, as well as being well-trained, has held her in good stead and allowed her to stand out in the industry.

“I love being my own boss… I love being able to set my own boundaries and not be worried about upsetting the apple cart,” she says.

“The best part of my business is seeing the faces of my clients when they look in the mirror at their brow

Amanda says the smile on her client’s face at the end of a session “says it all”, and she’s thankful to her family, friends and clients for all the love and support she has received while studying and launching the business.

AO Aesthetics, C05/1 Boolee Street, Reid. Call 0400 605577, or visit aoaesthetics.au

Team

Socialise Hair owner Amanda Harrington.

The team at Higher Function.

Amanda O’Neill.

WOMEN

Wanda & Aimeelike to solve problems

WANDA Wojciechowska and her daughter Aimee manage WW Accounting, a small accounting business in Red Hill.

Wanda started WW Accounting in 2013, but has been in the industry for more than 20 years.

“Aimee has stuck with me in the job for six or seven years now. She’s amazing, a great support,” says Wanda.

Wanda says that family is always number one.

“When I started, I had a family and young kids and sometimes it was hard. I felt like it was hard because I was a woman.”

She branched out on her own because she found

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in previous jobs, the client weren’t receiving a very personal service.

Wanda says her meetings with clients are a friendly get together and the clients leave smiling and satisfied.

“We help them with the issues that they have. It’s like doing a puzzle and usually we can solve everything. I love helping people and seeing them happy and I get the satisfaction of knowing I helped them.”

WW Accounting, PO Box 42, Red Hill 2603. Call 0400 083938 or visit wwaccounting.com.au

Nicole says success is in the detail

XHIBIT Interiors has been in business part time for 12 years, but director Nicole Mackay recently decided to “take a leap of faith” and made it her full-time career.

“I am incredibly passionate about all things prop erty so I can offer multiple services that complement each other to my clients,” she says.

“I have been doing this kind of work for around 15 years. I chose this career path because it’s in my blood.

“Services we offer include commercial office furniture fitouts, residential renovations, property styling and property decluttering and organising.

“I love working with my clients to create beautiful, functioning office spaces for people to thrive in, or dream home interiors for owners to relax in.”

Nicole says it’s a great feeling to be forging her own pathway as a woman in the property industry.

“It is also wonderful to be involved with other like-minded women who inspire and challenge me,” she says.

“You have to surround yourself with good and positive people that will encourage you.

“Set goals and define a vision of what you would like to achieve, and be the solution to your clients problems.”

The motto of Xhibit Interiors, Nicole says, is “the magic is in the detail”.

Xhibit Interiors. Call 0412 481133, or visit xhibitinteriors.com.au

The Magic is in the Detail

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I am incredibly passionate about all things property. I love working with my clients to create beautiful functioning office spaces for people to thrive in, or dream home interiors for owners to relax in. The joy that people get out of having their homes decluttered and beautifully organised is just priceless. It’s a privilege to be invited into the homes and businesses of my clients

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to transform your interior space! Or visit us on xhibitinteriors.com.au

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Agonised laughter in a staffroom black comedy

By Helen MUSA

A PLAY about one of Australia’s most underrated professions is about to take the stage at The Playhouse, and it’s bound to have primary school teachers falling about in agonised laughter.

“Chalkface,” written by Angela Betzien, is being touted by Sydney Theatre Company and the State Theatre Company SA as “a love letter to teachers”, but when I catch up with Jessica Arthur, Sydney Theatre Company’s resident director, she’s more inclined to describe it as “a black comedy”.

Betzien, now an internationally-known writer of plays such as “The Hanging”, “Egg”, “Helicopter” and “Children of the Black Skirt” and a core writer on “Total Control”, has not written comedy before, but ac cording to Arthur, the subject has been on her mind for a while, since a lot of her best friends are teachers who have been telling her for years about the issues raised.

Set in the here and now in a staffroom of a public primary school, it’s a sort of naturalistic piece that works around on the old “newcomer” theme, where a

bright-eyed and bushy tailed new graduate with a masters, Anna, played by Stephanie Somerville, comes into the staffroom.

There she encounters a veteran teacher, played by Catherine McClements, who’s been there for more than 20 years and has a low opinion of her colleagues. The sparks fly.

“It’s very fast paced, and we jump around,” Arthur says.

Dramatically there is the older teacher facing off against the young one, but there are all the other characters of the staffroom too, played by Ezra Juanta, Michelle Ny and Nathan O’Keefe.

Primary school teachers, Arthur says, are assailed with stereotypical views, the best-known being that it’s a piece of cake because of all the holidays.

Not so. The questions of burnout,

inadequate resources and lack of funding, discipline and getting reports done all surface, although Arthur assures me that “at heart, it’s really beautiful”.

“What the teachers are doing, which is essentially essential, is something quite beautiful and deep, even though teachers may not feel supported as they should.”

A strange kind of humour about how we cope permeates the play, she says, and it

feels very true, because we laugh at things that are hard.

The message behind “Chalkface” is that every child is different, so that schools need to cater for this and it questions how we are teaching, how our system works, how to bring out the best in students and whether specialised learning plans are the way to go.

As well, with the antagonists – the office administrator, and the principal – there is some commentary on hierarchy and division.

A nice touch, she says, is that one of the characters is the kindy music teacher and that allows for light relief.

So far, Arthur reports, the recognition fac tor has been very strong in audiences, with a lot of “oh, that happened to me” reactions, especially regarding the messy things, such as kids throwing up in class.

“There’s a lot of muck in there,” she says. “But it’s very, very funny… it’s Angela’s first comedy and she’s done a great job.”

Is there a happy ending? Of course she’s not about to say, but it certainly is about hope, about putting teachers front and centre, about throwing light on the system about what a place of learning can be.

There are no answers, but it offers a real conversation, she says, adding mysteriously that in the play there is “a bit of a mystery involved when Anna stumbles across something that doesn’t seem right”.

“Chalkface”, The Playhouse, November 9-12.

INSIDE ‘Lotus’ back for cringing privilege in paradise

NICK OVERALL

“Chalkface”... the recognition factor has been strong in audiences, with a lot of “oh, that happened to me” reactions.

Photo: Prudence Upton

DESIGN Jodie leads the design festival into a golden age

By Helen Musa

IF Craft ACT has anything to do with it, the nation’s capital is about to undergo an alchemical transformation with the advent of the 2022 Design Canberra Festival.

Running until November 20, it neatly dovetails with the Canberra Art Biennial, which we covered some weeks ago, and it signals the ambition to have Canberra known as a global city of design.

CEO and artistic director of Craft ACT Jodie Cunningham, herself a noted designer, says the festival, which is the primary outreach event for the 51-year-old craft organisation, will feature more than 359 events, including talks, art and architectural tours, public art activations and children’s workshops, all designed to transform the CBD, Braddon and Dickson.

There will be international collaborations with Italy, NZ, Uruguay and Finland and an astonishing exhibition of light work, “Aurora” by Wellington artist Tyler Jackson, that will transform Commonwealth Place until November 27.

“The concept is alchemy, which originally transformed lead into beautiful objects and there’ll be lots of gold around,” Cunningham says, pointing to the golden-tiled pillars outside the North Building in Civic Square.

“How can we and should we transform our world through design?” she asks,

pointing out that the idea is inspired by the symbolism of gold, which also links nicely to Craft ACT’s covid-thwarted golden anniversary last year.

With that in mind, a golden-bronze signa ture work, “The Stills”, has been commissioned from 2022 designer-in-residence, Lucy Irvine.

A panel discussion “transforming Canberra” at the Shine Dome on November 5 will see architectural author Elizabeth Farrelly in discussion with urban movers and shakers such as Malcolm Snow, from the City Renewal Authority, and Johnathan

Efkarpidis, from the Molonglo Group.

Activities are already beginning on Civic Square, where the Second Space gallery outside the CMAG has been transformed into a festival hub shop full of goodies including a limited-edition range of “General Assembly” brooches created by contemporary jewellers Blanche Tilden and Phoebe Porter.

There’ll be exhibitions in the Canberra Theatre, a symposium at the CMAG, laneway activations, jazz every Friday night and a public celebration with music, street food and live music in Civic Square from 2pm-7pm

would be taking Design Canberra visitors there, I dash across to the studios that Harriet Schwarzrock shares in Queanbeyan with Matt Curtis, to get a preview of the “hot work” she’s doing as she prepares the glass canes that will be transformed into a neonglass artwork that “breathes” like the heart.

“It’s my neon and plasma work that has the most scope for transformation,” Schwarzrock says, as she explains the

into the electro-magnetic field, which transforms them into plasma.

It’s named after plasma in the blood, “a lovely link I think because I’m interested in circulation,” she says, referring to her famous glass/neon “responsive” sculptures.

2022 Design Canberra Festival, November 5-20. Curtis Glass Art, Queanbeyan, will be open to the public, 10am to 4pm on November 12.

CANBERRA QUEANBEYAN YASS COOMA GOULBURN

ARTS

Chopin’s friends plan a big night Big band concert of swing hits of the ‘40s

By Helen Musa

AFTER a three-year break, the Friends of Chopin Australia are back on the podium celebrating 50 years of Polish-Australian diplomatic relations with – what else? – a concert called “Chopin Vive”.

Billed as a spectacular evening of Chopin masterpieces, it’s the first in a series of recitals over the next 12 months and features the talent of Konrad Olszewski from Melbourne playing works by Fryderyk Chopin, Karl Tausig and Karol Szymanowski.

Long-time Friends’ president Ben James says the idea is to reconnect with “our friends (our au dience) and our mission” and that subsequently Penelope Thwaites will perform in February with friends from the CSO, and Alexander Yau and emerging musicians in May.

I caught up with Olszewski by phone in Melbourne.

Born in Australia to Polish parents, he was brought up in Melbourne, started playing at about age six and, as a young musician in 2005, gave a recital in Zelazowa Wola, Poland, Chopin’s birthplace, in the midst of snow.

He completed his master of music under Glenn Riddle, at the University of Melbourne, where he received the JS Bach Prize, the Lady Turner Exhibition Prize and the Searle Piano Faculty Merit Scholarship.

Now working as a freelance soloist and associate artist, his day job is as a repetiteur for Melbourne Opera. He is also an in-demand

accompanist, for which he has received the Barry Bowen Accompanist Award and has twice won Best Accompanist in the National Liederfest. He also plays jazz.

Olszewski says there’s a special art to being an accompanist – an ability to sight read.

“In accompanying, the art is to devote yourself to the harmony, of course, but also you need sensitivity to the soloist.

“You have to follow whatever is required.

Chopin said you should always listen to singers as that is the very best way to understand how to play melody.”

There is a huge difference, when it comes to playing solo music, as he will be doing in Canberra.

“You have more freedom to express whatever possibilities you wish. You have to let yourself go to some extent, you have to cross the boundaries as far as possible and that means you need more time to practice,” he says.

He won’t be using a score when he performs here, which will add to the sense of freedom –“the music can speak if you don’t have to refer to pieces of paper”.

He is familiar with Canberra, having performed for the Friends of Chopin Australia in the past, and in early August this year played with a violinist for the inauguration of the Embassy of Latvia.

Olszewski is quick to point out that he won’t just be performing works by Chopin in “Chopin Vive”, he will also perform works by Tausig and Szymanowski as “part of the culture”.

Specifically, he will open with Chopin’s famous “Funeral March” and his “Nocturne in E flat ma jor” Op. 55, No. 2, but will then go on to play the grand piano extravaganza ,”Réminiscences de ‘Halka’ de Stanislaw Moniuszko” Op. 2 by Tausig, who had impressed Franz Liszt at age 14 with a performance of Chopin’s “Heroic” Polonaise.

After interval, Olszewski will play Szyman owski’s “Masques” Op. 34, a musical triptych involving three masked literary characters, Schéhérazade, Le Bouffon and Don Juan, before a suite of Chopin’s etudes and preludes, and winding up with two “grandes valses brillantes”.

A fine way, Ben James says, of celebrating the creative contributions of Polish-Australians and the strong bonds of friendships with Australia.

“Chopin Vive”, All Saints, Ainslie, 7pm, Saturday, November 19.

By Helen Musa

JOHN

Morrison’s Swing City Big Band concert spectacular will feature 15 musicians and singers playing big band hits of the ‘40s while showcasing the talents of jazz singers Gregg Arthur and Jackie Cooper. Morrison, James’ big brother, is recognised as one of Australia’s leading jazz drummers. Canberra Theatre, November 12.

THE 2022 Canberra Short Film Festival is running at Dendy, Smith’s Alternative and PhotoAccess, November 4-19. Themed screenings include sessions on “Gender Politics & Sexuality”, “Iranian Nights”, “First Na tions’ Stories” and “Fright Night”. The awards night is at Dendy on November 19 and a finale at Smith’s on November 20. All details at csff.com.au

THE historical comedy-drama “Dreaming of the Meridian Arc” opens the 26th Japanese Film Festival at Palace Electric, November 16-20.

CANBERRA Symphony Orchestra, in consultation with Government

House, has cancelled the Summer Prom planned for December 3 because of persistent rainfall and the likely condition of the grounds.

TASMANIAN artist, writer and curator Julie Gough and Australian pianist and composer Andrea Keller have been announced as the ANU HC Coombs Creative Arts Fellows for 2022 after three years of restrictions. The Fellowship was established in 1964 and previous recipients include Sidney Nolan, Arthur Boyd, Don Burrows, Don Banks and Canberra’s Judith Clingan.

CANBERRA Community Chorale and Kompactus Chamber Choir will present “Jubilate Deo” by the contemporary American composer Dan Forrest, taken from the traditional Psalm 100 text, “O be joyful in the Lord all ye lands” but set in seven different languages. Wesley Uniting Church Forrest, 5pm, Sunday November 6.

DANISH-born comedian, broad caster and writer Sandi Toksvig, is probably best known for having taken over from Stephen Fry as host of BBC2’s popular quiz show “QI”. She will present “Sandi Toksvig Live!” at Llewellyn Hall on November 12.

Peter ColemanWright AO

Graham Abbott Emma Matthews Rachelle Durkin

Featuring

Pianist Konrad Olszewski… “The music can speak if you don’t have to refer to pieces of paper”.

John Morrison.

Buffalo and goat down by the water’s edge

THERE’S a first time for everything and, for me, it was buffalo momos and a dish with boiled and pan-fried goat giblets at a recent visit to Lakeside Gurkhas on the Kingston Foreshore (right on the water), which specialises in Nepalese cuisine.

Lakeside Gurkhas (formerly Lakeside Restro) has momos down pat. These bite-sized dumplings are addicting, and we discussed how fabulous it would be if Lakeside Gurkhas offered them as a happy hour special with a cold beer or glass of wine.

First up with our shared lunch were steamed chicken momos (other options are vegetable paneer or buffalo – all $12 for six pieces or $20 for 12). These perfect, soft parcels of harmonious flavours picked up on the amazing homemade tomato chutney, which looks as vibrant as it tastes.

Next up were the Dirty Chilli Momos and we opted for the buffalo ($15 for six pieces or $23 for 12). None of us had had buffalo before but

we’ll be back for more. These momos are deep-fried and then smothered with onion, capsicum and homemade chilli sauce. They surprised, delighted and – trust us – there’s no need to panic about eating buffalo.

With our mains, the chow mein Nepalese style with chicken ($22) was a mixture of goodness. The stir-fried noodles were the right consistency and who doesn’t love a heap of mixed veggies whipped up in the wok?

Our gluten and dairy-free Nepalese lamb salad ($24) was a pleasure on a plate, although we would have preferred all the fat rendered. The chops were marinated in a secret concoction and then chargrilled for a smoky flavour. The roasted pumpkin added depth and the chilli mustard dressing was a winner.

The Bhuttan set ($22) featured goat giblets with onion and Nepalese spices. It would be a bit nervewracking for some to order these traditional snacks on a platter, but the giblets were soft and tasty. We loved the crunchy soybean salad with thin

slices of red onion and the textures of the beaten rice and the rice puff. We dipped the small chunks of giblet into a sauce with a wonderful flavour profile.

Chicken was the main protein for another chilli dish that had a kick but didn’t overpower ($23). This popular chicken chilli dish is lip smacking.

Lakeside Gurkhas also offers a Nepalese take on fish and chips ($23) with famous spices from Malekhu, on the banks of the Trishuli River, halfway between Kathmandu and Narayan gadh. The Gurkha soup ($22) sounds marvellous – Himalayan-spice infused authentic soup with thin noodles, veggies and lamb dumplings.

We dined in the large outdoor area directly on the water. Lakeside Gurkhas has a large indoor dining area also. The wine list is compact but very reasonably priced.

Service is with a smile.

Is ‘elite’ medal a better guide to wine than gold?

I RECENTLY attended the awards night of the Canberra International Riesling Challenge, which returned after a twoyear, covid-induced pause.

This was the 21st Challenge. Ken Helm, the creator of the event since inception, told me: “They thought it would last six months, not over 20 years.”

The future of the Challenge looks to be set: on the night Wolf Blass, a legend of the Australian wine industry, now 88, pledged a $350,000 dona tion to the Challenge.

Mr Blass spoke about how he was lobbied by many South Australian colleagues in the early days to have the Challenge held in the Clare Valley, but he resisted and said that “this event became a proud institution and the glass has never been empty”.

I tried to interview Mr Blass during the post-award drinks, but the level of noise in the room at the Realm was reverberating and was causing problems with his hearing aids, so alas our discussion was cut short. But he did tell me that he now runs three foundations and takes a keen interest in developments in the Australian wine industry, with the Canberra connection holding a special place for him because of the friendships he has developed here over the years. I only hope that I’m as spry at his age.

The top award on the night was won by Singlefile Winery from WA for its 2022 Singlefile Great Southern Riesling. The wine was also named the best dry Riesling and best Australian Riesling out of more than 400 wines tasted by the judges. I was lucky enough to taste this wine in the company of Frank van de Loo, the winemaker at Mount Majura Vineyard here in Canberra. He described the wine thus: “It’s gorgeous, delicate. It has a long finish that makes it great drinking and it has some power.”

I could only agree, although my favourite tipple from that night was a 2003 St Hugo Eden Valley Riesling, a past winner. It was ageing as well as Wolf Blass! There was no hint of the harsh petro leum finish you can get from some aged rieslings and its depth and complexity were outstanding.

One of the controversial elements of this year’s Challenge was the decision to no longer give gold, silver and bronze medals.

Instead, what’s described by the organisers as a “descriptor scale” has been adopted. These categories are: elite, excellent, premium and commended.

The media release issued by the Challenge says that this “allows the Challenge to better recognise and acknowledge the quality of the wines, provide better guidance for consumers and a marketing tool for producers.” Hmmm. I’m not sure that these descriptions will be universally welcomed by consumers. But, dear readers, I’d love to hear what you have to say about these new descriptors. Please get in touch (via editor@citynews.com.au). It was also good to be able to personally congratulate Frank van de Loo for winning the best riesling from the Canberra District for the 2022 Mount Majura Vineyard Riesling.

But I’m not sure what descriptor was given to this wine, albeit it is representative of the continued excellence of riesling produced in our region.

A student at a management school came up to a pretty girl and hugged her without any warning.

The surprised girl said: “What was that?”

The guy smiled at her: “Direct marketing!”

The girl slapped him soundly.

“What was that?!” said the boy, holding his cheek.

“Customer feedback.”

Wolf Blass… a legend of the Australian wine industry pledged a $350,000 donation to the Challenge.

Return to privilege in paradise

BINGE’S biting satire “The White Lotus” has returned for a sublimely cringeworthy second season this week.

One might label this voyeuristic dramacomedy as something of a human zoo.

Strange exhibits from all walks of life make their way to “The White Lotus”, a pricey resort that’s supposed to provide the perfect, paradisia cal getaway.

The audience gets to observe the holidays of these bizarre, yet eerily familiar characters crash and burn.

No generation, age, sex, gender or any other trait is spared.

The swimming shorts, polo shirts and sunscreen are firmly packed in their bags alongside their anxieties, insecurities and dysfunctional secrets.

Whereas season one took the audience on a trip to a Hawaiian getaway, season two visits another White Lotus resort in Sicily, opening up a new Pandora’s box of debauchery and drama.

It once again has proven itself among the sharpest social commentaries out there and one well worth booking a ticket for.

THIS month it’s Amazon Prime Video’s turn to throw a high-brow sci-fi series into the streaming wars.

That’s exactly what “The Peripheral” is – an ambitious eight part show that wants to bend minds and pull heartstrings.

It comes from the same creators as “West world”, the trippy series about a simulation of the wild west where people live out their deepest fantasies.

“The Peripheral” takes that virtual reality gimmick and goes even more off the deep end with it.

Chloe Grace Moretz plays Flynne Fisher, a young woman living in rural America in 2032.

Along with her brother, a retired US Marine, Fisher makes cash from testing out virtual reality hardware for big companies, including extremely realistic and violent video games.

We’re dropped into the story when one of these simulations turns out to be a dystopian London in the year 2099, one that’s so realistic it seems almost like a vision of the future.

Fisher’s thrown an ethical curveball when she witnesses a murder in this strange alternate reality. Premonition? Or just another violent VR experience?

Premise alone I’m sure will be enough for many readers to decide whether this is all up their alley or not.

It’s early days for the show, which is releasing one episode a week, but for sci-fi aficionados the set up has potential for some rewarding pay-offs.

For everyone else, “The Peripheral” may best be left where its title hints at.

VIEWERS who found last year’s “Dr Death” a nail-biting experience may well be in a cold sweat watching Netflix’s new film “The Good Nurse”.

Jessica Chastain plays real-life hero Amy Loughren in this unnerving thriller about a nurse who discovers her seemingly endearing col league is covertly murdering his

patients.

It’s a true crime story that’s as terrifying as it sounds. New Jersey nurse Charles Cullen is believed to have killed hundreds of patients over the course of 16 years by administering lethal injections.

That was until Loughren uncovered his secret and bravely risked her own life to bring him down. “The Good Nurse” tells the tense tale of how she did it.

In real life Cullen was known to be incredibly charming. Loughren even became friends with the serial killer before discovering his sinister secrets.

Like “Dr Death”, this is a medical nightmare that’s fascinating and disconcerting, to say the least. Suddenly, that daily apple seems a lot more appealing.

Dougal Macdonald’s review of “The Good Nurse” is at citynews.com.au

Warm, pleasant, but flawed amusement CINEMA / reviews

By Dougal MACDONALD

“Mrs Harris Goes to Paris” (PG)

DEPENDING on where one seeks it, reliable information varies regarding how often Paul Gallico’s novel about London char-lady Ada Harris’ (Lesley Manville) must-have-at-all-cost yearning for a dress as lovely as Lady Dant’s (Anna Chancellor) 500-quid Christian Dior gown, has been filmed.

The best answer is “several”. And, in the end, it doesn’t really matter.

This time, director and (with three others) co-writer Anthony Fabian has crafted a pleasant, warm, although in some details flawed, amuse ment that’s almost, but not quite, a comedy. What matters is, is it worth seeing? And the answer, unsurprisingly, is “yes”, but with controlled expectations.

In the northern summer of 1951, Ada’s convic tion that her husband is alive and will eventually get home from the war is unshakeable. While she waits, she’s saving to go to Paris (with exteriors sometimes, played, apparently, by Budapest; that’s movies) to buy a copy of the gown from the Dior shop.

Culturally and socially a fish out of water, off she goes, eventually to be welcomed by the toiling seamstresses at the Dior atelier who will, in time, make her a gown of greenish hue that delights her before breaking her heart in a mishap that’s nobody’s fault but enough to persuade the great man (he died in the following month) to build her a deep-red replacement.

Carrying the film’s 115 minutes is no sweat for Ms Manville who, since her first role at age 18, has accumulated 116 titles including a long string of multiple-episode TV series. While play ing Ada is unlikely to lead to an award (she has won 14 out of 43 nominations so far including one Oscar) watching her in her early sixties doing that is an agreeable experience.

The journey from wanting a gown to finishing it in time for Ada to wear at a function that’s a bit above her social level isn’t all roses (although several bouquets of truly splendid English roses do grace the film). And the grand occasion is, as you might expect, a successful end to a pleasant enough tale.

At all cinemas

“The Woman King” (MA)

GINA Prince-Bythewood’s film set in the year 1823 impresses rather than entertains. Its chief

virtue, which is also its chief burden, is that it tries, with some success, to tell a fictionalised true story.

Dana Stevens’ screenplay for “The Woman King”, from a story by Maria Bello, is the founda tion of this intensely vigorous action movie built around a political power struggle that still had far to go (the US fought a long civil war over slavery some four decades after this film’s events, the residues of which still permeate parts of the land of the free and the home of the brave).

In 1823, the western country of Dahomey (now Benin) was one of the most powerful states in Africa. When Nawi (Thuso Mbedu) refuses a marriage proposal, her father gifts her to King Ghezo (John Boyega). There, she joins the Agojie; an all-female warrior unit led by Nanisca (Viola Davis) who in time will become the Woman King who sits beside Ghezo. Izogie (Lashana Lynch) and Amenza (Sheila Atim) train Nawi in soldiering as the Agojie people prepare for war with neighbouring tribes over their belief that selling their people into slavery is wrong.

Watch it and be troubled by how it deals with its racial core (from a dramatic viewpoint, not its race or ethnicity). The message it delivers is powerful – with the right tools, an ant can take down an elephant.

At all cinemas

Jennifer Coolidge makes a return as Tanya in the second series of “The White Lotus”.

GARDENING Wattle they do without mistletoe?

WIRELEAF mistletoes, which are blooming now, are epiphytic plants. That is, they are native to Australia and found on sheoaks and wattles in our region.

Mistletoe is parasitic and relies on its host plant for water and minerals but has its own chloro phyll and therefore makes its own sugars to grow.

Its flowers are red to orange and hang down gracefully with a delightful scent. It then produces pink, white or red berries.

The mistletoe bird, which is also known as the Australian flower pecker, is attracted to the berries and the birds transfer the seed to other trees providing extra habitat for the species.

The mistletoe flowers in summer and is a delight to see when spotted on a bush walk. Butterflies such as

SOIL fungal diseases are causing havoc with all sorts of different plants this season with more water than most plants need.

If the garden beds are boggy and plants not growing well, the air spaces in the soil need to open up to give the roots room to grow and breathe.

Aerating the soil with a fork can be time consuming and not possible in some garden beds. An alternative is to use products that improve the soil with microbes, sea kelp and rock minerals. This helps activate what good minerals are already in the soil, alleviates compaction and increases aggregation in the soil.

These types of soil boosters are suitable for all natives and exotics and, by using on edibles, can maximise yield and growth as well.

FUNGAL diseases can also be seen on the leaves of plants such as grapevines. The most common fungal attack is powdery mildew and blackspot on ornamental and

of the stem, leaves and fruit. Over

sulphur spray will help from early shoot growth to bloom. An added bonus wettable sulphur is also a miticide and prevents blister mite in grapes as well.

WITH the threat of frost quite slim, now’s the time to get all the summer crops growing in the garden, such as basil, cucumbers, eggplants, tomatoes and zucchinis. Buying seedlings will get your seeds off to a good start. Dig over the soil where you want to plant seedlings, water in and sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the seedlings to keep slaters and earwigs at bay.

GARLIC will be ready to harvest now, although timing is essential for harvesting. When about 50 per cent of the leaves are going brown from the ground up, then it is time to pull and store it.

I grew Monaro purple this year.

stems), too. They grow about four to six weeks before the bulb is mature. The stems can be stiff or curly and can be removed to benefit the garlic bulb itself and used as a green vegetable with a mild-garlic flavour.

IF dahlias have been left in the ground over winter, there should be signs of growth. They can be dug up with a fork and carefully divided and replanted. Use a fertiliser low in nitrogen and high in potassium and phosphorus.

jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au

Wireleaf mistletoe… its flowers are red to orange and hang down gracefully with a delightful scent. Photos: Jackie Warburton

HOROSCOPE

Your week in the stars

By Joanne Madeline Moore

7-13,

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

Finances, joint ventures, secret deals and trust issues are on the table. But don’t spoil a potentially productive week by being gung-ho and reckless (especially on Wednesday). Slow down, think before you speak and consult with loved ones and colleagues before you make any important moves. Tuesday’s Lunar Eclipse highlights hiccups in your financial management. Strive to be less impulsive and extravagant, and more cautious with cash and credit.

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)

This week’s Lunar Eclipse (in your sign) emphasises your practical side. So do your best to handle current situations in a suitably sensible and pragmatic fashion. When it comes to a romance, work partnership or joint venture, avoid getting stuck in a boring rut. Innovative Uranus pushes you to find creative ways to express yourself personally and within relationships. But don’t believe everything you hear! Keep your Bulldust Detector switched onto high.

GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)

With the help of the Lunar Eclipse, use the power of your fertile imagination and trusty intuition to get to the bottom of a problem that’s been bothering you. If you listen to the wisdom of your inner voice (and pay attention to the symbolism in your dreams) it will point you in the right direction. You’re also keen to communi cate creatively with work colleagues or do a favour for a close friend. But don’t get carried away and promise more than you can deliver.

CANCER (June 22 – July 23)

The silvery, changeable Moon is your power planet, and many sensitive Crabs feel emotionally volatile and vulnerable around the time of the Full Moon. Tuesday’s Lunar Eclipse is in earthy Taurus, when you’ll feel more grounded (and less moody) than usual. But Saturn and Uranus could disrupt a relationship. So try to be extra careful and consistent in the way you communicate with others (especially children, teenagers, colleagues and close friends).

LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)

Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune are transiting through your partnership zones. So accept extra relationship responsibilities with grace and good humour, as you show other people what you are really capable of. But – courtesy of the Uranus opposition and the Saturn square – expect some disruptions and dilemmas at home and/or work. Things will gradually settle down if you choose diplomacy over drama, encouragement over criticism and acceptance over judgement.

VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)

Are your aspirations ambitious enough? This week there’s no room for false Virgo modesty or passive procrastination! The planets stimulate your thought processes and encourage you to come up with a cracking plan and stick to it. Begin with a dream and then work hard to make it a robust reality. But remember mighty Mars is reversing through your career and life direction zones (until January 12) so you’ll have to be extra patient and persistent.

LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)

Stylishly elegant Librans appreciate quality and luxury, but don’t overdo it or you’ll end up being the most beautiful bankrupt on the block! This week Saturn, Uranus and the Lunar Eclipse all stir up your money and self-esteem zones. So it’s time to get your finances in order, and be true to the authentic you. Sunday is the best day of the week, when Venus (your patron planet) and Pluto turbo-charge love, passion, pleasure and play (especially at home).

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)

If you stir up grievances with an old adversary, you could find you’ve bitten off more than you can comfortably chew! When it comes to a frustrating problem, avoid quick fixes. You’ll find a satisfactory solution if you act on your hunches and look for the facts that are hidden beneath the surface. The Sun, Mercury and Venus are all visiting your sign. So confidence is in and complacency is out, as you go after what you want with passion, purpose and pizzazz.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)

Tuesday’s Lunar Eclipse highlights your daily routine and relationships with work colleagues but expect some surprising developments and stressful moments. Resist the urge to be argumentative, extravagant and super self-indulgent. Try to ground your fiery energy and calm your mind. Some meditation, contemplation, yoga, chanting or Tai Chi could be just what the doctor ordered! The weekend stars encourage intense relationships and creative family projects.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)

The Lunar Eclipse shines a bright (and sometimes unforgiving) spotlight on partnerships of the romantic, platonic, business and family variety. You are enter ing a period of nurturing old relationships and establishing new ones. So it’s time to focus on friendship, shared hobbies and joint ventures. As birthday great Robert Louis Stevenson observed: “A friend is a gift you give yourself.” But tread carefully when it comes to group activities and financial matters.

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)

This week’s stars could stir up your restless and reckless side, as you unleash your Inner Rebel. (Try to do so in appropriate ways that don’t upset loved ones, antagonise authority figures or endanger your personal safety!) A professional or personal challenge could also test your mettle. Aim to approach problems with a fresh perspective. Be inspired by singer-songwriter Neil Young (who turns 77 on Saturday): “One new feature or fresh take can change everything.”

PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

Hidden tensions could bubble to the surface with a relative, neighbour or colleague. Be extra diplomatic and try not to take criticism personally. Social media is also a potential minefield, as the planets stir up your communication zone. So be careful you don’t send the wrong message to the wrong person at the wrong time! Heed the wise words of birthday great Joni Mitchell: “There are things to confess that enrich the world, and things that need not be said.”

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2022

Across

3 Which polygons have ten angles and ten sides? (8)

7 To which animal family does an ox belong? (6)

8 Name another term for Heaven. (8)

9 Which musical direction suggests “in a leisurely manner”? (6)

10 What do we call one who is afflicted with a multiple personality disorder? (8)

11 Which term is known as fate, or destiny? (6)

14 Name a hot spring that sends up fountainlike jets of water and steam. (6)

17 To be more frothy or foamy, is to be what? (8)

18 To execute by decapitation is to do what? (6)

19 What are periods of three years? (8)

20 Which term designates a waiter? (6)

21 Name a word expressing denial. (8)

Solution next editionDown

1 Who made the first flight of a powered aircraft in Australia? (7)

2 What is a checked cotton cloth? (7)

3 What is given in part payment? (7)

4 Which term describes insatiable greed for riches? (7)

5 Portending evil suggests what? (7)

6 Name the Australian president of the International Court 1964-67, Sir Percy ... (7)

11 From which doomed planet did Superman come to earth as a baby? (7)

12 Sonja Henie was renowned for doing what, on ice? (7)

13 Which term describes that which is obsolete? (7)

14 What do we call household waste? (7)

15 Name a prepared food of custard-like consist ency. (7)

16 Quito is the capital of which South American republic? (7)

AT citynews.com.au

CHARITY COMPLIANCE TAKES

Kirra recently joined the committee of a not-for-profit organisation and came to see me, confused about the role of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and Access Canberra.

“I am not surprised you're confused; it is confusing," I said.

Firstly, your organisation has to register with Access Canberra and have your rules approved and receive a certificate of incorporation as an incorporated association.

"The next thing is to register the organisation with the ACNC as a charity.

“Once this registration is received and your charity wishes to receive tax-deductible gifts you will need to get approval from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to become a deductible gift recipient (DGR). That is, provided your charity satisfies the necessary requirements for this based on the nature of the organisation and its charitable activities.

"It is also relevant to note there are some types of charities that have to be registered by another government department before application is made to the ATO.

"The approval may take some time depending on whether or not you can self-assess. You may, at this stage, need to make changes to your rules if the ATO requires you to do so. If this is the case you will have to notify both the ACNC and Access Canberra about the rule change.”

Kirra said: “Now I understand why I am so confused!"

But there's more, I said, listing a few other important things she needed to know.

"If you are changing the address you do this only through the ACNC, which notifies Access Canberra," I told her.

"Every time a committee member resigns or is appointed or positions on the board change, you need to notify the ACNC.

You need to do this after every AGM as well.

"As you know, your charity will have a public officer and when the public officer changes this needs to be notified to the ATO and Access Canberra as the ACNC does not keep records of public officers. The public officer is the person who signs the BAS and tax returns, if these are required.

“The annual information report is also submitted to the ACNC online and not to Access Canberra. If the association closes down it needs to notify Access Canberra.

“For completeness and in case your association ever decides to change to a company limited by guarantee, the legal requirements are quite different.

"A company limited by guarantee has to be registered with ASIC and ACNC and the ATO, but not with Access Canberra. The company must also notify the ACNC of all changes of directors.

"Any change to the company’s constitution needs to be notified to ACNC. Certain other requirements for the company are based on ACNC governance standards. So, if your organisation does follow this route, you will need to refresh yourself on all necessary requirements.”

Kirra said: “Thanks, Gail. While it's all very confusing, I now have a much clearer picture. I think…”

If you need assistance with the incorporated association of which you are a member and its tax status, contact the friendly team at Gail Freeman & Co on 6295 2844.

Disclaimer

This column contains general advice, please do

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