CityNews 230720

30 Liberal pledges shape an alternative to Barr

MICHAEL MOORE

Shameful anniversary we shouldn’t celebrate

JOHN MINNS

Hitting the wall, but not the wine

RICHARD CALVER

Wattle we do without them?

JACKIE WARBURTON

Bill’s petition to spark action on myna bird pests

By Lily PASS

TWO years ago, the ACT government declared Indian myna birds a pest species.

In an interview with “CityNews”, president of the Canberra Indian Myna Action Group (CIMAG), Bill Handke said at the time he had fears the government might see the declara tion in itself as a solution to the myna problem.

Now, two years on, he says that is ex actly what’s happened, so he’s started a petition to the Legislative Assembly calling for more action.

“Government agencies have not taken any action in controlling this pest,” says Bill.

“So far, all action has come from backyard trappers, who see this as an essential task to protect our local wildlife from the threat posed by Indian mynas, but we need a landscape approach.

“That means we need the ACT government to do their bit, especially on public land.”

Since CIMAG’s founding in 2006, Bill says more than 79,000 mynas have been removed from Canberra, through 2800 members setting traps in their backyards, “but backyard trapping just doesn’t have enough impact”.

“We need the government to develop an action plan to reduce myna numbers in public areas, such as cafes, restaurants, industrial areas, building sites and schools,” he says.

“The reason why mynas hang around these areas is because there’s always food scraps, so one of the practical things they could do in school holidays, for example, would be to have a janitor set up traps.

“If the kids aren’t there accidentally

feeding them, they’ll certainly come into the trap because they’re after food they used to rely on the school for.

“There’s other things like sitting with businesses to talk about what they can do to stop mynas around cafes, which means closing the skips and getting staff to make sure they clean the tables promptly when somebody leaves, rather than leaving scraps on the table.

“We hope that the government can

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actually see the value in doing this.”

Bill says the traps aren’t hard to set, and target mynas very well.

“The trap is designed with narrowing tunnels so that small birds like mynas can get in, but big birds like magpies, currawongs and crows don’t get caught,” he says.

“We also use dog food as bait, because mynas are feeding on dry pet food in people’s yards every day, and that means we don’t get seed or honeyeaters like rosellas and parrots.”

After the mynas are trapped, Bill says they are euthanised with carbon monoxide, “it’s the most humane method – quick, painless and stress-

Bill says he thinks the reason the ACT government hasn’t taken action yet, is because it sees other pests like rabbits and foxes as more of a problem.

“And, the government doesn’t fund the environment too well at all,” he says.

“Only three per cent of the last budget went to the environment, and as a consequence there are weeds and pest animals everywhere.

“It’s so important to maintain a really good environment. The role of biodiversity in an environment is really important in keeping that environment soundly balanced, and if you have introduced animals they can infiltrate at high densities without any natural predators or controls, and the rest of that ecosystem degrades.

“When the ecosystem degrades, there’s a knock-on impact in a whole range of other aspects of environment and life, so it’s important to maintain a really good environment and that means managing threats, and they’re not being managed well by the government.”

Bill’s passion and knowledge is driven through his time as a keen bird-watcher, and his previous job as a general manager for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestries.

“Even though I don’t have the scientific qualifications in the area, I’ve been on the periphery of, or at the centre of those big issues for a long, long time,” he says.

“Lived experience is good, and even if you don’t have scientific qualifications, you learn from scientists and read their articles on their findings.”

Bill says under ACT Legislative Assembly rules, the government is required to respond to a petition if it has more than 500 signatures.

As at going to print the petition had more than 1110 signatures, but Bill hopes to receive more than 2000.

“Please sign, and please ask the same of anybody you know who treasures our native wildlife and our natural environment,” he says.

Sign the petition via indianmynaaction.org.au or use the QR code.

Bill Handke with a myna bird trap… “Designed with narrowing tunnels so that small birds like mynas can get in, but big birds don’t get caught.” Inset: The Indian myna bird.

30 Liberal pledges shape an alternative to Barr

OVER a quarter of a century is simply too long for any political party to be in power. If Labor is elected again in October next year it will mean 27 years of being continuously in government.

But what’s the alternative in the ACT?

What do the Liberals really stand for? Have they lost their ultraconservative stripes? What sort of government would they really deliver? Any possibility of teal style independents forming a government in the ACT is remote.

Acting Leader of the Opposition Jeremy Hanson said: “People argue they have no idea what the Liberals stand for. This is not true. The Canberra Liberals have made more than 30 commitments since the last election.”

The most significant is about the light rail. The Liberals are committed to halting the expansion of light rail prior to stage 2B. Halting the light rail will give a Liberal government enough money to effectively budget for the promises they have made.

The commitments include establishing a royal commission into health, increasing the powers of the Integrity Commission, through to

Jeremy Hanson… “The Canberra Liberals have made more than 30 commitments since the last election.”

reversing the drugs bill and review ing sentencing and bail.

some policies that voters agree with and some that they oppose. In some cases, there will be a single policy (or perhaps multiple ones) that are so intolerable the party in question will never receive your vote.

However, along with the tram, addressing the health system in Canberra remains a fundamental question of contention for many voters.

The July leaflet “Our CBR” (letterboxed to all Canberrans) is the government’s sales job on its budget.

Why is it amongst the worst performers? These are questions that have not been answered to any satisfactory extent and which a royal commission can be expected to address. Instead, the government pursues more big-ticket items and long-term expenditure in buildings by committing a billion dollars to a new northside hospital and expanding the current Canberra Hospital. Additionally, the budget committed to “the roll out of four health centres delivering community based services in South

Tuggeranong, West Belconnen, Inner South and North Gungahlin”.

Spending money on capital works does not attack the root cause of the problems with the health system in the ACT. An effective, seriously independent inquiry is way overdue. On health, the Liberals have also committed to establishing a gynaecology oncology unit, contracting private providers to reduce the extensive colonoscopy wait lists and waive the increase in payroll tax for general practitioners.

The Liberals have committed to taking on planning issues in the ACT. It is hard to believe that they will do worse than the current government run by Labor and the Greens. There are a range of policies commencing with a promise of more transparency and effective consultation. In practical terms, building a Molonglo town centre and police station and reversing the transfer of money from buses to the trams. They agree to keep the Canberra City Stadium on the table.

Of concern to environmentalists will be the policies of the Canberra Liberals that promise to reverse ending the gas supply and will keep

the city open for petrol cars and the sale of new ones. However, they will take a new approach to improving Canberra’s lakes and waterways. In housing there is a commitment to release more land for housing including that land currently held by CSIRO. They will launch a feasibility study into West Tuggeranong for housing and establish a specific minister with responsibility for housing affordability. There will be an easing of tax and regulation on rental properties.

There is still over a year to go before the next election and the Liberals are beginning to position themselves as a sensible alternative government. However, there will be many who are yet to be convinced that they provide a better alternative than Labor and the Greens.

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

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Love it or hate it, Vegemite spread is here to stay

THERE are roughly 22 million jars of Vegemite manufactured in the original Melbourne factory every year. According to the Vegemite website, around 80 per cent of Australian households have a jar in the cupboard.

The cultural status of Vegemite is so enduring that, in 2022, the City of Melbourne Council included the smell of the factory at 1 Vegemite Way, Fishermans Bend, in a statement of heritage significance.

Vegemite first hit Australian supermarket shelves in 1923, but it took a while to find its feet.

Indeed, the now classic spread may have failed into obscurity as “Parwill” if not for a very clever advertising campaign in the second world war.

Vegemite has German U-boats to thank for its invention.

When World War I began in 1914, Australians were big fans of Marmite, the British yeast extract spread.

As the Germans began sinking ships full of British supplies to Australia, Marmite disappeared from the shelves. Due to the conditions of its patent, Marmite could only be manufactured in Britain.

As a result, there was a gap in the

market for a yeast spread.

Fred Walker, who produced canned foods, hired food technologist Cyril P Callister to create a homegrown yeast spread using brewer’s yeast from the Carlton Brewery.

Callister’s experiments produced a thicker, stronger spread than the original Marmite. Callister’s inclusion of vegetable extracts to improve the flavour would give the spread its name, Vegemite, chosen by Walker’s daughter from competition entries.

Australians were wary of Vegemite when it first appeared on grocery shelves, perhaps due to brand loyalty to Marmite.

To try and combat this, Walker renamed Vegemite “Parwill” in 1928 as a play on Marmite: “if Ma might, Pa will”.

This rebrand was short-lived.

Australians were not any more interested in Parwill than they were in Vegemite.

In the 1930s, Walker hired American advertiser J Walter Thompson. Thompson began offering free samples of Vegemite with purchases of other Kraft-Walker products, including the popular Kraft cheese.

Kraft-Walker also ran limerick competitions to advertise Vegemite. Entrants would write the final line

Vegemite

of a limerick to enter into the draw to win a new car.

It would take another world war, however, before Vegemite became part of Australian national identity. World War II also disrupted shipping supply routes. With other foodstuffs hard to come by, Vegemite was marketed as a nutritious replacement for many foods. One 1945 advertisement read: “If you are one of those who don’t need Vegemite medicinally, the thousands of invalids and babies are asking you to deny yourself of it for the time being.”

With its long shelf life and high levels of B-vitamins, the Department

of Supply also saw the advantages of Vegemite. The department began buying Vegemite in bulk and including it in ration kits sent to soldiers on the front lines.

Due to this demand, Kraft-Walker foods rationed the Vegemite available to civilians. Yet the brand increased advertisements. Consumers were told Vegemite was limited because it was in demand for Australian troops due to its incredible health benefits.

One ad told Australians: “In all operational areas where our men and those of our allies are engaged, and in military hospitals, Vegemite is in great demand, because of its value in fighting Vitamin B deficiency diseases. That’s why the fighting forces have first call on all Vegemite produced. And that is why Vegemite is in short supply for civilian consumption. But it won’t always be that way. When the peace is won and our men come home, ample stocks of this extra tasty yeast extract will be available for everyone.”

This clever advertising linked Vegemite with Australian nationalism. Though most could not buy the spread during the rationing years, the idea that Vegemite was vital for the armed forces cemented the idea that Vegemite was fundamentally Australian.

Buying Vegemite was an act of patriotism and a way to support Australian troops overseas.

In the postwar baby boom, Vegemite advertisements responded to concerns about the nation’s health and the need to rebuild a healthy population.

This emphasis on Vegemite as part of a healthy diet for growing children would remain the key advertising focus of the next 60 years.

The ear-catching jingle was composed in the early 1950s, first for radio and then later used in the 1959 television ad.

The link between Australian identity and Vegemite was popularised internationally by Men At Work’s 1981 song Down Under, with the lyrics “He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich”.

The 1980s also saw the first remake of the 1950s television campaign, re-colourising it for nostalgic young parents who had grown up with the original.

In February 2022, the first international arrivals welcomed back into Australia post-covid were greeted with a DJ playing Down Under, koala plushies and jars of Vegemite.

On Vegemite’s centenary in 2023, the unassuming spread is now firmly cemented as an Australian cultural icon. Love it or hate it, Vegemite is here to stay.

Hannah Viney, researcher, Monash University. This article is republished from The Conversation.

“A rose in every cheek”... HANNAH VINEY looks at 100 years of Vegemite, the wartime spread that became an Aussie icon.

World War II advertisement.

“Australian Women’s Weekly”, Trove.

A second opinion on hearing loss

An elderly woman with hearing loss came to my clinic for a second opinion, after she had recently been to a hearing aid sales person. I found the cause of her hearing loss was simply the fact that she had build-up of wax in her ears, the salesperson had failed to inspect them. You might be surprised how often this happens!

Here are some things to do to avoid getting ripped off:

1. A visit to the GP may save you from being ‘sold’ something when your only problem is wax in your ears.

2. Look for someone who is independent and can offer you unbiased advice, not just give you a sales pitch.

3. There are a range of hearing aid prices. Finding the right hearing aid might save you money and it will also give you the best chance of success.

4. Hearing aids can be expensive.

Recently I was told by two different patients that they were quoted $16,000 for a pair of hearing aids. This seems a ridiculous amount of money to pay and is most likely not appropriate for the majority of people (or possibly anyone).

5. If you are a pensioner or partpensioner, or a DVA gold or white card holder, you should carefully consider if you want to use the free-to-client government hearing aids or if you’d like to top-up to a different hearing aid.

The free-to-client hearing aids are appropriate for many people, however if you have great difficulty hearing background noise (for example in restaurants) then you might trial the top-up hearing aids, but only if you can afford them. There are a range of top up options and prices, if you are disappointed after a trial, you should return them and trial the free-toclient hearing aids.

If you get the feeling the person you’re dealing with is just trying to sell you something, then take a step back and get a second opinion.

“In an unregulated market there is a lot of opportunity to take advantage of people. Yes you have read correctly, there is no licensing of people who sell hearing aids.”

– Dr Vass

– you need professional advice, not a sales pitch

BRIEFLY

Warm clothes at ‘reasonable prices’

ST Ninian’s Uniting Church at Lyneham is offering “warm winter pre-loved clothing” for all ages at “very reasonable prices”. The sale also includes jackets and suits, blankets, doonas, towels and linen. As always, the kitchen will be serving house-cooked scones. It’s at the church hall, corner of Mouat and Brigalow streets, 9am-1pm, July 28 and 29.

Health consumer course

THE Health Care Consumers’ Association is offering free consumer participation training in being a community voice in the health system. In the online, two-day course, participants will learn about health advocacy, systemic advocacy and how to become a consumer representative on a health service committee. It runs from midday-2pm, August 4 and 11. Register on Eventbrite, or email reps@ hcca.org.au or call 6230 7800.

Betty’s touch of tartan

BETTY Johnston, from the House of Tartan, which specialises in custom and family tartans, is guest speaker at the next lunch meeting of the Weston Creek VIEW Club at Canberra Southern Cross Club, Woden, from 11.30am on August 1. Lunch costs $38 and interested ladies welcome. RSVP to 0408 864616 by July 27.

Share your community event, email editor@citynews.com.au

is on and Hepatitis

The World Health Organization has set a target to eliminate hepatitis by 2030, tying in with the theme for this year’s World Hepatitis Day, July 28, “Hepatitis can’t wait!”

Hepatitis ACT executive director Sarah Ahmed says this is an important opportunity to give visibility to, and raise awareness of viral hepatitis, along with driving better outcomes for people affected by viral hepatitis.

World Hepatitis Day is one of only eight official health days declared by the World Health Organization.

However, Sarah says business as usual is not going to cut it.

“We’re so close to 2030 now, we need significantly more investment to resource the sector to reach that goal,” she says.

“We cannot afford to wait any longer, too many people are still dying from complications arising out of viral hepatitis and it’s not okay, it’s not acceptable.”

Since October 2022, Hepatitis ACT has offered finger-prick testing for hepatitis C.

“You no longer need to go to the doctor, get a referral and a blood test at a pathology lab, sometimes waiting weeks for your results. Come into our office in Turner, get a quick finger-prick blood test done and have your results back within the hour,” says Sarah.

Hepatitis ACT has recently completed

100 tests on their point-of-care testing (POCT) machine. The aim is to have 250 tests completed in the next three months.

“It’s important to know your status as viral hepatitis affects your liver; if untreated it can develop into liver cirrhosis or liver cancer. Liver cancer is currently the fastest growing cause of cancer related deaths in Australia,” says Sarah.

“A doctor is available on Thursday afternoons to conduct follow up testing on those service users who have tested positive.

“Hepatitis ACT has a great relationship with O’Connor Capital Chemist located across the road from our office. This ensures

that medications will be available as soon as prescriptions are issued.”

Sarah says she can’t stress enough the importance of looking after your liver, and clearing the stigma that surrounds viral hepatitis.

“The liver performs over 500 functions in our bodies. If you can get tested and prevent your liver from being damaged, why not do a simple finger-prick test?” she says.

“There is a lot of fear and confusion surrounding viral hepatitis. When people say ‘hepatitis’ an image pops up in everyone’s head, and it’s usually the wrong one.

“Anyone can get viral hepatitis, it doesn’t

discriminate. The biggest concern with the stigma around hepatitis B and hepatitis C is people not getting tested or delaying treatment. The longer people live with chronic viral hepatitis, the more their liver is getting damaged and the greater the risk of liver cancer.

“An example of fear around viral hepatitis is risk of transmission through spit. The likelihood of saliva containing a substantial amount of blood and it passing into the recipient’s bloodstream, such as through an open wound, the eyes or mouth, is so small that the risk of hepatitis from spitting is near zero.”

Sarah says having an understanding of the risks will help break down the fear and stigma.

To help prevent the spread of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and other blood borne viruses (BBVs), Hepatitis ACT runs a Needle and Syringe Program (NSP), offering clean injecting equipment to their service users in a safe, respectful, judgement-free environment.

“The NSP is the frontline for harm reduction and paves the way for referrals and connection to counselling, health/ medical needs, social and other supports,” says Sarah.

“Not only do we prevent and minimise the risk of BBVs and infections from spreading to the community through sterile injecting equipment and education, we also provide free clothing, food, bread, toiletry packs, free naloxone, POCT and support for pretty much everything else.

“Workforce development is another service provided by Hepatitis ACT. Tailor-made presentations are delivered to organisations, community groups or health organisations, aimed at educating staff on what viral hepatitis is, how it is spread and what testing and treatment options are available.”

Sarah encourages people to contact the Hepatitis Infoline on 1800 437222 for more information about the testing and treatment options available, or hepatitis in general.

“Globally, 325 million people live with hepatitis, with more than 1.1 million lives lost each year,” she says.

On July 28, Hepatitis ACT raises its collective voices to call for more action for people affected by hepatitis. Supporters of World Hepatitis Day are lighting up landmarks across Canberra green in honour and acknowledgement of those affected by viral hepatitis and also to raise awareness and demand urgent action from our decisionmakers to give the ‘green light’ to prioritise the elimination of viral hepatitis by 2030.

Old Parliament House, John Gorton Building, Shine Dome, National Carillon and the National Museum of Australia will be among many Canberra buildings and monuments that will be lit up green for World Hepatitis Day.

Hepatitis ACT is located at 36 David Street, Turner (opposite the O’Connor shops). More information at hepatitisact.com.au or call 6230 6344.

‘It’s important to know your status as viral hepatitis affects your liver’

The Hepatitis ACT team, from left, Kareen, Sarah, Smruti, Cáitleen, Hayley and Julia.

What’s going on when your mind races at night?

How do I stop my mind racing and get some sleep? Sounds familiar? ALEXANDER SWEETMAN may have some answers.

MARTIN turns off the light to fall asleep, but his mind quickly springs into action. Racing thoughts about work deadlines, his overdue car service and his father’s recent surgery occupy his mind.

As he struggles to fall asleep, the hours start to creep by. He becomes frustrated about how he will cope tomorrow. This is a pattern Martin has struggled with for many years.

But what’s going on when your mind is racing at night? And how do you make it stop?

In bed, with no other visual or sound cues to occupy the mind, many people start to have racing thoughts that keep them awake. This can happen at the start of the night, or when they awake in the night.

The good news is there are effective ways to reduce these racing thoughts, and to help get some sleep. To do this, let’s take a step back and talk about insomnia.

If you are like Martin, you’re not alone. Right now, up to six

in every 10 people have regular insomnia symptoms. One in 10 have had these symptoms for months or years.

Insomnia includes trouble falling asleep at the start of the night, waking up during the night, and feelings of daytime fatigue, concentration difficul ties, lethargy or poor mood.

Just like Martin, many people with insomnia find as soon as they get into bed, they feel alert and wide awake. So what’s going on?

The more time we spend in bed doing things other than sleep, the more our brain and body start to learn that bed is a place for these non-sleep activities.

These activities don’t just include worrying. They can be using a mobile phone, watching TV, eating, working, arguing, smoking or playing with pets.

Gradually, our brains can learn that bed is a place for these other activities instead of rest and sleep. Over time the simple act of getting into bed can become a trigger to feel more alert and awake. This is called “conditioned insomnia”.

less time awake in bed with racing thoughts.

1. Re-learn to associate bed with sleep

Stimulus control therapy can help rebuild the relationship between bed and sleep. Follow these simple steps every night of the week:

• Only use your bed for sleep and intimacy. All other activities

preferably in another room.

• Only go to bed if you are feeling sleepy (when your eyes are heavy and you could easily fall asleep). If you are not feeling sleepy, delay getting into bed. Use this time to do something relaxing in another room.

• If you are still awake after about 15 minutes in bed, get out of bed and go to another room. Do something else relaxing until you are feeling sleepy again, such as reading a book, listening to the radio, catching up on some chores or doing a crossword puzzle. Avoid anything too stimulating such as work or computer gaming.

• Repeat the above two steps until you are asleep within about 15 minutes. This can take several cycles of getting in and out of bed. But during this time, you body’s natural need for sleep will increase, and you will eventually fall asleep within 15 minutes of getting into bed.

• Get out of bed at the same time each morning, no matter how much you slept the night before.

• Avoid long daytime naps,

which can make it harder to fall asleep that night.

Over several nights, this therapy builds the relationship between bed and sleep, and reduces the relationship between bed and feeling alert and having racing thoughts.

Distract yourself with fond thoughts

Negative thoughts in bed or worrying about the consequences of losing sleep can make us feel more alert, worried, and make it more difficult to sleep.

So try something called “cognitive refocusing”. Try to replay a fond memory, movie, or TV show in your mind, to distract yourself from these negative thoughts.

Ideally, this will be a memory you can recall very clearly, and one that causes neutral or slightly positive feelings. Memories that are overly positive or negative might cause an increase in alertness and mental activity.

3. Relax into sleep

Relaxation therapy for insomnia aims to reduce alertness and improve sleep.

One way is to progressively tense and relax muscle groups throughout your body, known as guided progressive muscle relaxation therapy.

You could also try breathing exercises, soothing music, visual imagery or other relaxation exercises that feel right for you.

Part of relaxing into sleep is avoiding doing work in the late evening or screen-based activities right before bed. Give yourself a “buffer zone”, to allow yourself time to start relaxing before getting into bed.

4. Worry earlier in the day

Schedule some “worry time” earlier in the day, so these thoughts don’t happen at

night. It can also help to write down some of the things that worry you.

If you start to worry about things during the night, you can remind yourself you have already written them down, and they are waiting for you to work through during your scheduled “worry time” the next day.

5. Know waking in the night is normal

Knowing that brief awakenings from sleep are completely normal, and not a sign of ill health, may help.

Sleep occurs in different “cycles” during the night. Each cycle lasts for about 90 minutes, and includes different stages of light, deep, and dreaming (REM) sleep.

Most of our deep sleep occurs in the first half of the night, and most of our light sleep in the second half.

Everyone experiences brief awakenings from sleep, but most people don’t remember these the next morning.

6. What if these don’t work?

If these don’t work, the most effective next step is “cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia” or CBT-i.

This non-drug therapy targets the underlying causes of insomnia, and leads to longlasting improvements in sleep, mental health and daytime function.

You can do a self-guided online program, or access it via your GP or a psychologist. More details, including links to online programs, are available via the Sleep Health Foundation.

Alexander Sweetman, Research Fellow, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University This article is republished from The Conversation.

“The more time we spend in bed doing things other than sleep, the more our brain and body start to learn that bed is a place for these non-sleep activities.”

Nominations open for annual heritage awards

GARY KENT National Trust (ACT) President

WELCOME to our occasional National Trust column on Trust activities and ACT heritage issues.

The Trust is delighted to announce that nominations have opened for our 2023 Heritage Awards. You will find full details elsewhere on this page. We encourage entries of projects and activities both small and large.

You will also find information about the 2023 ACT Heritage Symposium, with the theme “Planning for Heritage”. Please consider submitting a paper or just come along to hear a range of expert and com munity views on this important topic.

The symposium is organised by the Trust, the Canberra Archaeological Society, the Canberra and District Historical Society and ICOMOS.

THE 2023 ACT Heritage Festival earlier this year was a great success. Many of the events were organised by the Trust, including the inaugural ACT Heritage Oration, presented by Max Bourke AM. You can find the text of Max’s thoughtprovoking address on our website at nationaltrustact.org.au

and wishes him and his fellow council members well in their new roles.

THE Trust continues to work on important heritage issues affecting the ACT. We are carefully watching discus-

I APPEARED, on behalf of the Trust, before the ACT Legislative Assembly Committee Standing Committee on Environment inquiry into ACT heritage arrangements, and explained the Trust’s call for substantial

Heritage Symposium 2023 Planning for Heritage

Saturday, 14 October 2023

Change in the built and natural environment is both inevitable and necessary. Factors such as land development, increased housing demand, climate change and regulation of land use, can have a significant impact on heritage values and heritage places and landscapes. Join us for the 2023 ACT Region Heritage Symposium to explore this.

Call for papers

You are invited to offer a paper, or a short five-minute vignette, related to the above. Proposals should include a title and a brief abstract. Please send your proposals or inquiries to info@nationaltrustact.org.au

Campbell, Kingston, Dairy Road and Oaks Estate, with more under development.

The Trust welcomes your views on current issues that you suggest we could take up. Please write to me: president@nationaltrustact.org.au

Papers due: Friday, July 28. nationaltrust.org.au/event/2023act-region-heritage-symposium/ This symposium is supported with funding made available by the ACT Government.

National Trust (ACT) Heritage Awards 2023

Nominations are now being sought for the 2023 National Trust of Australia (ACT) Heritage Awards. The Trust’s Heritage Awards recognise projects that make a significant contribution to preserving or promoting the heritage of the ACT.

We welcome nomination of any project which promotes the conservation of, or fosters public knowledge about, places, objects and issues that are significant to the heritage of the ACT.

How do I nominate a project?

For further details including suitable project types and nomination forms, please look at the Trust’s website: www.nationaltrust.org.au/act-heritage-awards-2023/

Nominations close at 5pm on Friday, 11 August 2023.

Proud supporters of the 2023 Heritage Awards

National Trust president Gary Kent presents Tidbinbilla Pioneers Association with an Outstanding Contribution heritage award on March 8.

Do the Ashes matter?

temperature lowered but sharp memories of fracas remained.

When cricket’s simply not cricket, old chap

Match-fixing scandals (1990s-2000s)

CRICKET’S darkest hour came with a series of match-fixing scandals that shook the sport’s foundations.

WHY is it, I wonder, that we care so much about the fate of our national men’s cricket team in the contest for that small terracotta urn said to hold the ashes of a burnt bail from an obscure country match against a visiting British team in 1882?

And is it really that important anymore?

I suspect your answers to both will depend on how much you played or enjoyed watching the game in earlier days, so I should confess immediately that from about age seven I practised hitting forward defensive shots against a cricket ball inside one of mum’s old nylon stockings tied to the washing line in the backyard.

And when I saw it had frayed sufficiently, I’d belt it through the toe-hole and watch it soar over the Burton’s fence next door. Mr Burton was a kindly man who lost all his hair in the war; and he’d toss it back to me with a grin: “Six and out, Robbie”.

Saturday mornings were all cricket. We Methodists didn’t have a team so I became a Presbyterian, a wicket-keeper and an opening bat.

My father and I would sit around the big wireless far into the night listening to Johnny Moyes call the matches from Lords and other famous English grounds. And we once went to

the ‘Gabba and saw Lindwall and Miller demolish a West Indian innings; then Miller hit Valentine out of the ground, right over my head; the umpires had to find another one just like it.

Naturally, I wanted to play for Australia, but newspapering and cricket practice didn’t mix and the furthest I progressed was a Sunday match in scratch teams of state and grade players. I opened the batting with Sam Trimble, the Queensland captain. We were chasing about 120 and he scored 97 while I somehow accumulated 27 at the other end.

By then I was a traditionalist, rightly appalled by stories of the infamous Bodyline scandal when Jardine tried to curb Bradman’s brilliance by having his fast bowlers pitch the ball short so it reared at the batsman’s unprotected head and shoulders.

The issue became deadly serious when captain Bill Woodfull was felled by a bouncer and the popular Bert Oldfield suffered a fractured skull. The Australian Cricket Board of Control sent furious public cables to the British cricketing authorities, and they responded in kind. Prime Minister Lyons met with the board and outlined “the severe economic hardships that could be caused if the British public boycotted Australian trade”. Gradually, the

Next came Kerry Packer’s World Series coup, the inside story of which I recently discovered researching and writing the soon-to-be-published biography of Packer’s managing director, Trevor Kennedy, “Casting His Net”. More recently we had to endure the ball-tampering scandal that I suspect will haunt Steve Smith forever, or until he writes his memoir.

By contrast, the women’s game at Test level is played with a generosity of spirit – and a genuine pleasure in its execution – that warms the cockles of the traditional viewer. Meantime, the English men’s team, inspired by Kiwi coach Brendan McCullum have exploited the Australian dilemma brilliantly.

But there’s something so angry and small-minded about the crowd’s heckling that it diminishes the great game itself. Even the players’ extravagant embraces when wickets fall seem tinged with spite.

All is not lost. While ever there’s a captain like Pat Cummins there’s hope for the future; but until then, I fear, Oscar Wilde, a fellow Anglo-Irish luminary has encapsulated the chronicle in a nutshell:

“Each man kills the thing he loves; by each let this be heard; some do it with a bitter look, some with flattering word. The coward does it with a kiss…”

robert@robertmacklin.com

ON the topic of cricket again, the controversial dismissal of English cricketer Jonny Bairstow in the second Ashes test was clearly within the rules of the game, but many fans (particularly irate members of Lords) claim that it was not in “the spirit of the game”.

The controversy has since been exploited to scratch an itch in other areas of the England/ Australia relationship – like republicanism. I note that King Charles has wisely kept out of it. Anyway, this time I thought I would look at some past controversies.

The Bodyline Series (1932-1933) –England vs. Australia

THE bodyline series between England and Australia was a prime example of the game being played contrary to the spirit.

Seeking to counter the extraordinary batting prowess of Australian batsman Don Bradman, England devised a strategy that involved aiming the ball directly at the body of the batsman, instead of the traditional line and length.

This aggressive tactic, known as “leg theory”, resulted in a barrage of bouncers aimed at the batsman’s upper body, causing serious injuries and heated confrontations on the field. The hostile nature of the play drew criticism from players, officials, and the public, and led to significant changes in cricket laws and regulations.

The Underarm Bowling Incident (1981)

– NZ vs. Australia

IN a highly controversial moment during a OneDay International match, Australia’s captain Greg Chappell instructed his younger brother, Trevor Chappell, to deliver the final ball of the match as an underarm delivery, rolling the ball along the ground instead of bowling it in the air.

With NZ requiring six runs off the last ball to tie the match, this underarm delivery ensured the ball could not be hit for a six, effectively sealing Australia’s victory.

The incident, although within the rules of the game, was widely condemned for its unsporting nature. The cricketing community and the public expressed outrage, prompting changes to the rules, specifically prohibiting underarm bowling in limited-overs matches.

Several prominent players, including Hansie Cronje, Saleem Malik and Mohammad Azharuddin, were implicated in various match-fixing and spot-fixing controversies.

These individuals were found guilty of conspiring to influence the outcome of matches by accepting money from illegal bookmakers. The revelations shocked the cricketing world, eroding public trust and tarnishing the integrity of the game.

Cricket authorities responded by implementing strict anti-corruption measures, including the establishment of the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit.

Sandpaper Gate (2018) – Australia vs. South Africa

DURING a Test match in South Africa, captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and young batsman Cameron Bancroft conspired to use sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball, aiming to gain an unfair advantage.

The incident was captured on camera and immediately sparked outrage among fans, players, and officials.

The trio faced disciplinary consequences, with Smith and Warner receiving one-year bans and Bancroft receiving a nine-month ban from international and domestic cricket.

The incident exposed a darker side of the Australian team’s win-at-all-costs mentality, leading to introspection and soul-searching within the cricketing community. (In my view, Smith and Warner as mature cricketers should have been handed life bans for deliberate cheating.)

So, in conclusion, while cricket prides itself on fair play and sportsmanship, it has not been immune to times where the spirit of the game has been compromised by members of all the main cricketing nations.

The bodyline series, underarm bowling incident, match-fixing scandals, and ball-tampering controversy, all serve as historic examples of deviations from cricket’s cherished values and “the spirit of the game”.

I should add that I may be limited to just one more article on cricket. My wife says she will leave me if I don’t stop being obsessed with cricket. To be honest it bowled me over and knocked me for six.

Clive Williams is a Canberra columnist.

“While ever there’s a captain like Pat Cummins there’s hope for the future,” but is the Ashes series really that important anymore, asks “The Gadfly” columnist ROBERT MACKLIN.

Cricket has never been without controversy, writes “Whimsy” columnist CLIVE WILLIAMS.

Australian batsman Bill Woodfull evades a bodyline ball.

When the judge trashes an innocent reputation

SOMETIMES jury trials are replaced with judge-alone trials.

The task for the judge sitting alone is to find either that the charge is proved beyond reasonable doubt, or that it hasn’t been. There is no middle position.

Judges must give detailed reasons in which they demonstrate that they have followed all the instructions that they would have given to a jury (if there was one), properly noted and evaluated all the evidence and submissions before them, and applied the law to those facts to reach their decision.

Juries do not give reasons for their decisions: deadlocked, guilty, not guilty.

So far so good.

The problem at the heart of this article is when a judge in a criminal case acquits the accused but then trashes their reputation.

Such an excursion is improper, not only because it goes beyond the judge’s task, but also because it is an abuse of power.

What it achieves is a lifelong, “authoritative” libel of an acquitted accused for which he or she has no remedy.

A convicted accused can appeal. An acquitted person has no recognised route to have the offending words removed from the judgment or to achieve any form of correction.

The ACT’s Judicial Council was established in 2017 to consider complaints about the behaviour of judicial officers. www.actjudicialcouncil.org.au

The Judicial Commissions Act 1994 sets out a comprehensive regime for the composition of the council, how it can enquire, to whom it reports.

Any person (they are mostly selfrepresented litigants) may complain about a matter that relates to the behaviour of a judicial officer (section 14). “Behaviour” does not encompass conduct, but conduct can include behaviour. The jurisdiction of this council is too restricted.

The composition of the council is the chief justice, the chief magistrate, a lawyer and a community repre -

sentative. If the complaint is made against the chief justice or the chief magistrate then another judicial officer must take their place while the matter is investigated.

Why is there no one from the ACT Civil & Administrative Tribunal on this council? Why is there only one community representative, rather than several?

More concerning is that a repeated outcome is the referral of the complaint – with a recommendation – to the head of jurisdiction, that’s the chief justice or the chief magistrate.

The investigator overseer becomes the doer or the “do nothing” with the outcome. What’s more, the council does not report what the head of jurisdiction does with the referral.

The referral makes sense, the overlap of functions does not. The heads of jurisdiction should not sit on the council.

The council deals with allegations of bias, failure to give a fair

hearing, discourtesy, speaking in a threatening tone, failure to recuse, unfamiliarity with the law and failing to properly weigh evidence.

Basic complaint review includes reading the relevant transcripts and listening to the audio recordings of the “in court” proceedings. It stops there.

The council’s jurisdiction, confined to “behaviour”, doesn’t include the conduct of improperly including irrelevant but damaging material in a written judgment.

A judgment – however bad it might be – once delivered is final. The judge has exhausted his or her powers. This is termed “functus”. The wording can’t be changed, save for the most obvious “clerical” style error.

All that is left is to appeal. But an acquitted accused cannot appeal. They are left without any remedy.

Some ACT judges do not see that this is a problem. Respectfully, I think they are wrong.

There is an immediate, partial solution and another, longer term, better solution.

Without any change to the law the chief justice can:

1. make it quite clear to colleagues that “trashing acquitted

accused” is to cease; and, 2. The ACT courts can return to the pre-internet age when only some judgments were published. The majority were delivered to the affected parties and a copy kept in court records. As has been done interstate the “offending” judgments can be removed from online sites. Treat it as a form of harm minimisation. Alternatively, and additionally, there can be a statutory change that allows an affected party to apply for an offending judgment to be “republished” with the offending material removed. This, I suggest, would be a proper function for a justice-seeking Judicial Council.

Hugh Selby is a former barrister. His free podcasts on “Witness Essentials” and “Advocacy in court: preparation and performance” can be heard on the best known podcast sites.

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A convicted accused can appeal. An acquitted person has no recognised route to have offending words removed from the judgment or to achieve any form of correction.

“A judgment – however bad it might be – once delivered is final. The judge has exhausted his or her powers. This is termed ‘functus’.”

Donor families arc up at social media constraints

FOLLOWING

the tragic death

of my daughter, Brontë, in 2020, she generously donated several of her organs.

This resulted in four people becoming recipients, and from what our family has been told, they are now living healthy happy lives due to organ donation. It provides some comfort, knowing that Brontë lives on in the lives of others.

I was also fortunate to meet one of Brontë’s recipients; no longer suffering from Type 1 diabetes, nor on dialysis every two days. Meeting this recipient was extremely validating regarding our decision to donate Brontë’s organs on her behalf.

However, recently I was stunned to read on a Facebook site (for donor families and recipients in Australia) that the site is at threat of being shut down by Donate Life.

Comments have been flowing in, with some donor families stating they would have reconsidered donating organs of their loved ones if there were such restrictions placed on being able to access and contribute to the Facebook sites.

As donor families, we did not “sell” our loved one’s organs; we agreed to provide them in pure goodwill and good faith.

Like many other donor families, the chance to meet the recipients of our loved ones was a significant contributing factor in making the “yes” decision to donate our loved one’s organs.

I implore people to make a noise about this; if not, I fear organ donation will radically decrease if such sanctions of Donate Life are imposed.

Janine Haskins, Cook

My answer to the cull question is simple…

MY questions about the scientific evidence for the ongoing culling of the ACT’s kangaroo population and its ultimate goal, were not answered by the responsible ACT minister (written several times).

I wonder then, what is driving this senseless slaughter? Just a few thoughts: land development brings in big bucks; kangaroo meat for the pet food industry is booming (hard to get anything else at the supermarket) – also brings bucks; job creation; ongoing habit; ignorance…

Conservation of the Canberra Grassland Earless Dragon (Tympanocryptis lineata) is an oft touted reason. As a scientist and ecologist, I find this difficult to reconcile. Again – where is the evidence? Also, population genocide of a native species in the name of “conservation” for another, is typically not the answer.

I concur that the natural habitat of this little lizard is severely reduced and highly fragmented – indeed some 99 per cent of Australia’s temperate grasslands are now lost. But roos and lizards have co-existed in native habitat for millennia. And, this particular dragon also spends a fair amount of time sheltering underground in spider and insect holes.

It’s clear from the 2009 Recovery Plan for the earless dragons, that grazing from stock and rabbits (ie invasive species) in the ACT has a far more detrimental ongoing impact than any potential impact from kangaroos. (Note, this Recovery Plan is also in urgent need of review – should occur every five years).

But the ultimate foe for the dragons, is the destructive clearing of native habitat. Whatever the government’s reasoning (not yet well-explained), the Barr Labor/Rattenbury Greens combo has lost my ACT vote (after 30+ years). That’s my answer!

Dr Gina Newton, Hughes

Cull should have the Greens worried

THE ACT Greens should indeed be worried about next year’s election. Their unwavering and ongoing support for the annual kangaroo slaughter will reflect at the ballot box. “Killing kangaroos with joeys in their pouches or young standing nearby is morally indefensible and completely reprehensible”. Thank you Greens senator, Mehreen Faruqi.

Alex Kucharska, Griffith

Let the kangaroos do their job

THE most environmentally friendly inexpensive solution to the weed attack in our nature parks are the kangaroos.

The more the Labor-Greens government kills

them, the worse the weed problems become.

Stop the killing, stop the use of heavy vehicles and mechanical slashing of weeds; no more cloven-hoofed cattle and sheep in our nature parks.

The kangaroos nurture our native grasslands and microfauna. They have been doing it a whole lot longer without the destructive environmental impact of the Labor-Greens government.

C Stevens, via email

Time for a review of culling kangaroos

AN independent review of culling kangaroos in Canberra’s Nature Reserves is well overdue.

The cost to Canberra’s taxpayers would run into millions of dollars over the 15 years of this cruel and unproven program.

The quantity of resources and studies that have been ongoing to justify the cull is mind blowing. Website after website has been developed producing reams and reams of reports and information related to this topic.

Add to that the cost of shooters each year and now the cost of darting kangaroos with GonaCon vaccine.

If those resources had been directly applied to physical maintenance and weed removal from the nature reserves, they would be in far better condition than they are today

For years now many of the reserves are left in a state of total neglect. Weeds are left to seed and spread. Weeds pose a far greater threat to the local flora and fauna

than kangaroos. Isn’t it time that supposedly intelligent humans realised their attempts to interfere and control nature nearly always lead to poor outcomes.

With three years of above average rainfall and a diminishing number of kangaroos to graze in the nature reserves more expenditure will be needed to mitigate the impending bushfire risk this coming summer. Oh, and think of the savings that could have been for the poor taxpayer if wiser decisions had been made!

Julie Lindner, Farrer

Paul’s definitely an on-earth kinda guy

I AM writing in relation to Robert Macklin’s article (“Give us this day our daily hypocrisy in parliament”, CN July 13).

As someone who is almost 68 and has been an atheist for the past 48-50 years, in the first instance I would like to say that I agree with much, if not all, of what Robert has said in his column.

While I don’t support “prayers”, I am fascinated by the wording of “The Lord’s Prayer” where it says “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”. Personally, I live “on” earth, not “in” earth and, as such, I would replace this wording with this “prayer” as follows: “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven”. (As an aside, I have heard some people believe that hell is in the centre of the earth, which is an absurd notion.)

Paul Myers, Karabar, NSW

Restore axis and take the tram to Narrabundah

A FORMER ACT Labor health minister, Wayne Berry, “dug in” on the former Royal Canberra Hospital site on Acton Peninsula, and installed a fine, north-facing hospice there, in a preserved heritagelisted building.

A subsequent Liberal government, on advice, abandoned the hospice in favour of its current remote siting on south-facing Menindee Crescent, Russell (technically Barton).

Unfortunately it is right on, and blocking the Causeway Axis, a very important transport and spatial element in Griffin’s plan, extending from Russell Hill to the western end of Captain Cook Crescent, Narrabundah.

In time, the hospice should be relocated to a better connected, sunnier site – even back to the peninsula isthmus.

That would enable the reinstatement of the Causeway Axis, and the installation of a very useful tramway from Russell Hill (tramline-linked via Constitution Avenue to Civic) to tramforgotten Narrabundah – on the axis alignment, over a riparian trestle bridge with cafes, etcetera (our “Pontev-eco”), along the existing historic The Causeway in Kingston, and splendid Sturt Avenue (the latter two roads were constructed as dual carriageways in recognition of their Causeway Axis alignment, and related

potential for development).

Eventually, that tramline could be extended from Narrabundah, via magnificent Captain Cook Crescent, to Manuka, and then connected to the Civic to Woden line, via Canberra Avenue.

Jack Kershaw, Kambah

Commissioner had the measure of Morrison

AFTER the release of Commissioner Holmes’ well researched and thoughtful robodebt report (“Commissioner flays ‘crude and cruel’ robodebt”, citynews.com.au July 8), Scott Morrison MP was quick to criticise her for not understanding “the processes of government”.

This was a bit rich, coming from a former

senior minister, treasurer and later prime minister, whose idea of government and governance was too often about what he thought he and others could get away with doing – or not doing – for the benefit of mainly party and factional politics, and the Coalition at the next election.

The list is long, but arrogant leadership, risk-taking, shortcuts and abuse of process led to, inter alia, the blatant rorting of multi-billiondollar national grants programs, persisting with a poorly thought through and illegal robodebt scheme. Many of these quests were pursued relentlessly and in relative, if not total, secrecy.

Media coverage about the Royal Commission report has shown that Commissioner Holmes understands Scott Morrison much better than he understands himself and his personal projections.

She certainly deserves a top Australia Day Awards honour, while Scott Morrison must surely never even be nominated.

Sue Dyer, Downer

Global heating will sort out population problem

VI Evans (Letters, CN July 6) wrote: “The human population is getting out of control, but short of doing what China did with the one-child policy, there is not much we can do... I do not agree that the decline in food production would be due to extremes of climate change.”

I strongly suspect that the global heating we have already set on track (not any “extremes”) will take care of the population problem, for example by large tracts of food-producing land in southern and south-eastern Asia being flooded by rising sea levels and rendered useless.

“The main problem with crops” is not “the arable land being taken over by... solar panels and... wind turbines”. It is the continuing degradation of broad-crop farming land by repeated use of phosphate fertilisers that cause leaching of other plant nutrients from already-weathered and depleted soils and the relentless expansion of already too-large urban areas such as Sydney and Melbourne swallowing up some of our most valuable agricultural land.

Power lines, including high-voltage trunk lines, exclude the use of actual or potential farmland over very small total areas.

Modern wind turbine blades can be

recycled or converted into biodegradable refuse; and new-generation solar panels are also at least recyclable. Neither will decompose in situ and drop toxins on the crops or soils below.

Dr Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

Do we just lie back and think of England?

VI Evans’ response of July 6 (CN, Letters) may be pedantically correct in that she didn’t “exactly” (sic) assert that human population controls of some sort were necessary to stop the planet from being overrun.

Vi certainly implied it and now says there’s not much we can do about it. Do we therefore just lie back and think of England (as per the Victorian-era advice to aristocrat brides)?

Seriously, it is an issue we better start concentrating on, because it’s based on the evidence of climate scientists around the globe. Furthermore, Vi is definitely astray when she dismisses concern that climate-induced food production shortages will create immense future problems.

Solar farms and wind turbines don’t necessarily impinge on agricultural or grazing lands – land formations can be quite different for these different usages. Where they are similar and not compatible, decisions may have to be made by governments as to which usage is most beneficial for the long term future. Either way, unchecked population growth is a vital factor in the climate-change equation.

Eric Hunter, Cook

Shameful anniversary we shouldn’t celebrate

negligence, and high levels of selfharm. The leaked “Nauru files” catalogued around 2000 incidents that illustrated this happening. About 100 Australians employed in it became whistle-blowers. There were 14 deaths

MOSTAFA Azimitabar is, by any measure, a talented person. Known as Moz, his self-portrait reached the finals of the Archibald Prize.

He’s a musician as well, performing with rock legends such as Midnight Oil and composing his own songs.

Recently, he starred in a documentary film titled “Freedom is Beautiful” and was also an executive producer on it. It received a standing ovation at the recent Sydney Film Festival. This is a person who surely would make a valuable contribution to Australian society. But current government policy is that he will not be allowed to do so.

Moz is a Kurdish democracy activist who had to flee Iran 10 years ago to seek safety. Because he arrived by boat, Australia locked him up for eight years for no crime – first on Manus Island and then in hotel detention in Melbourne. This month Federal Court judge Bernard Murphy found that, while legal, his detention in hotels “lacked ordinary human decency”.

After 2737 days in detention, Moz was finally released on a temporary

bridging visa. But the government still has shown no signs of providing him or many others in his situation with permanent settlement in this country. Moz will speak at a protest in Canberra on July 23 to share his experiences of the last 10 years.

The protest is happening because this month marks 10 years since Kevin Rudd’s government ruled that those arriving by boat to seek asylum would never settle in Australia.

On July 19, 2013, at a press confer ence with PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, Rudd said that: “From now on, any asylum seeker who arrives in Australia by boat will have no chance of being settled in Australia as refugees.”

Since then, Rudd has denied that this policy was meant to continue indefinitely and said that it should not have been renewed after one year. He argued that: “At the expiration of 12 months, if we were not able at that stage to identify an appropriate place where asylum seekers could be located, then Australia would have had a responsibility to locate them elsewhere, including Australia, if other places could not be identified.”

Although the original agreement with PNG did provide for reviews after 12 months, there was no suggestion in it, or in other statements made by Rudd at the time, that Australia retained responsibility for the asylum seekers or that they might be resettled here.

In the offshore detention system after 2013, overwhelming evidence piled up of serious abuse, medical

Whether or not it was Rudd’s intention that offshore detention should last for only one year, the fact is that every government since, including the current one, has refused to allow any of the thousands of people sent offshore to the camps on Manus Island or Nauru to settle permanently

More than 1000 people medically evacuated from Nauru and PNG are now in Australia on bridging visas, which must be renewed every six months. Many of these are young people – but their visas do not allow them to study after the age of 18. There are still 80 people in PNG who were in the Manus Island detention centre. The Australian government denies any responsibility for them. And despite the arrival in Australia of all remaining refugees from Nauru, the Albanese Labor government will continue to spend up to $350 million a year to keep the Nauru detention facility open.

About another 9000 people in Australia are denied permanent visas because they failed the so-called “fast-track” assessment process intro -

duced by the previous government. Until granted permanency after the last election, the Nadasalingham family from Biloela were in this category. Under “fast-track”, success rates in asylum applications plummeted. It is no wonder. The process involves a 60-page form, only five additional pages of supporting material are allowed and there is just one – often 15 minute – interview. Appeals do not take into account any information not in the original application and there are no new interviews. The ALP’s Federal Platform calls for the abolition of the “fast-track” system. But, in government, they have not done so. If the system is unfair, as Labour recognises, then surely those who have been the victims of it should be dealt with differently now. Most of these people have no pathways to permanent resettlement anywhere. Like those who were on Manus Island or Nauru they live in limbo. It is time to give people who have been stuck in limbo for up to a decade, a permanent home right now!

John Minns is emeritus professor of Politics and International Relations at the ANU and a member of the Refugee Action Campaign in Canberra, which is holding a public rally – “Refugees in Limbo: 10 years of trauma” – at the intersection of Northbourne Avenue and London Circuit, 1pm, July 23.

JOHN MINNS looks back at the decade since thenPM Kevin Rudd ruled that those arriving by boat to seek asylum would never settle in Australia. And every successive government has agreed.

Mostafa Azimitabar… locked up for eight years. Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP

ORGANISING a funeral, creating a will or investing in an estate plan can be an uncomfortable reality, but throughout Canberra there are compassionate experts who can help ease the burden.

“CityNews” speaks to professionals who offer peace of mind when it comes to some of life’s most difficult decisions.

experts to ease a difficult burden

Working towards peace of mind

DDCS Lawyers was founded in 2007, but welcomed three additional partners in 2023, says new partner Theresa Dowling.

“DDCS Lawyers practices in family law and wills, estates and business succes sion,” she says.

Finding a beautiful resting place for loved ones

CANBERRA Memorial Parks’ CEO Kerry McMurray says in the past 12 months, they have been listening to the community.

“We now have an olive grove, which is a burial plot at the head of which there is an olive tree planted, and a special plaque,” he says.

“There is a lot to look forward to in the next 12 months too, with new, bespoke ash memorialisation products at Gungahlin.

“We’re also progressing a memorial hall and condolence lounge in Gungahlin, to provide a full service offering to the Canberra community.”

He says they are new additions to their existing products and services including cremation, traditional burial, natural burial and memorialisation options to honour and celebrate community

members across three beautiful parks at Woden, Gungahlin and Hall,” says Kerry.

“We strive to help the whole community in planning for their end of life or to honour the life of a loved one in a way that reflects their personal needs and wishes.”

Featuring a private viewing room accommodating up to 25 people, Kerry says the Gungahlin crematorium incorporates features which meet the diverse needs of Canberra’s communities.

“The Gungahlin cemetery offers natural burials in a beautiful bushland environment, which let people’s remains decompose sustainably and return to nature,” he says.

Canberra Memorial Parks. Call 6207 0000 or visit canberramemorialparks.act.gov.au

“Myself and partner Phil Davey, as well as senior associate Claire Gralton, practice exclusively in wills, trusts, enduring powers of attorney/enduring guardianship, probate and deceased estate administration, estate litigation including complex probate matters, and elder law.

“We are specialists in our chosen field of wills and estates law in both the ACT and NSW, this is what we do, this is all our team does, and we do it well.”

Theresa, who has been working in the industry for 16 years, says the team brings a powerful blend of experience combining the practice of law and academic credentials.

“I have a masters’ degree in wills and estates; and we are consistently awarded recognition in ‘Doyles’ Guide’, which is a comprehensive and independent directory which showcases Australia’s best firms and lawyers,” she says.

“Our lawyers are some of Canberra’s best and we pride ourselves on being

DDCS Lawyers partner Theresa Dowling.

Conveying emotion through flowers

BLOSSOMS of Canberra aims to convey emotion and heartfelt understanding through customised floral tributes, says owner Tania Hancock.

“We offer a personalised service with care and empathy in your time of grief, to help you to reflect on your loved one’s life,” she says.

“For funerals we can do customised wreaths, funeral sprays and casket covers.

The store can also deliver flowers to homes and hospitals, says Tania.

“People can order online, or they can come in personally and choose something,” she says.

Tania studied floristry at CIT and has worked at the Canberra Hospital florist, and says she’s always had a soft spot for “dabbling with flowers”.

“The most rewarding part is the emotion that flowers convey,” she says.

Blossoms of Canberra, 68 Comrie Street, Erindale Shopping Centre. Call 6231 0822 or visit blossomsofcanberra.com.au

Enlightening people on legal options

TAKING the first step in estate planning is often an enlightening experience, with many people being surprised to find out what they’re actually worth, says KJB Law’s estate planning special counsel Kerstin Glomb.

“I have clients who believe they do not own much, but when we walk through their financial circum stances during our initial meeting – which includes discussing superannuation and life insurance – they are surprised to find out the value of their wealth and what they have to organise, so it’s distributed to the person/s of their choice,” she says.

“To address wills and estate planning is for most people an uncomfortable topic, and they put it in the ‘too hard basket’. However, I find people feel a lot of relief to have started the process.”

Although it can be uncomfortable, Kerstin says estate planning is something everyone should think about, and KJB Law takes pride in helping ease the burden, make clients comfortable, and run smoothly.

“I guide my clients through different options on how they may structure their documents, and what they should address, so they can take charge and protect themselves and their loved ones,” says Kerstin.

“It’s about working out who the right people are to look after their affairs, and structuring their documents to reflect their wishes and concerns.

“There’s nothing better than hearing clients say they’re happy to have their documents in place, they’re comfortable and, most importantly, they understand what they’ve signed.”

KJB Law, Ground Floor, 10 Corinna Street, Woden. Call 6281 0999 or visit kjblaw.com.au

KJB Law’s estate planning special counsel Kerstin Glomb.

Canberra Memorial Parks

provides Canberrans with a choice in honouring and celebrating life

• Our natur al burial area at Gungahlin lower environmental impact.

• Gung ahlin Crematorium at publicly owned crematorium in the including a private viewing room –ideal for intimate ser vices.

• Eternity Memorial G arden, Woden Cemetery, is a newly opened area where ashes can be laid-to-rest and loved ones memorialised.

• The new Olive Grove development at Gungahlin offers a premium lawn burial option to complement our range of burial products

www.canberramemorialparks.act.gov.au

To make an appointment to explore end-of-life options for yourself or your loved ones, contact Canberra Memorial Parks on (02) 6207 0000

Passionate care for emotional loved ones

GRAVE Keepers’ owner Karen Doyle says she has been maintaining and restoring old grave sites for 19 years.

“On top of grave cleaning and leaving flowers, we offer gold leafing, lead lettering, black and white letter refurbishing and brass plaques,” she says.

“I did a four-year course to become a qualified stonemason, and now I’m just so passionate, I absolutely love doing this for people.

“Sometimes it’s too hard emotionally for a family to visit a grave, or sometimes they just live too far away to clean it up and regularly maintain it, so I understand when people come to me, they’re struggling.”

Karen and her sons, offer weekly or fortnightly

“They are the muscle for me,” she says.

“We make sure to take progress photos, before and after, to send to the families we help, and they really appreciate that.

“I’ve been lucky that I’ve been able to travel around Australia doing this work, and I’m still considered a baby in the industry; my mentor is 83.

“I’ve been lucky enough too, that I have cleaned the only Australian pilot grave in Arlington.”

Grave Keepers. Call 0448 329200, or visit gravekeepers.com.au

CAROLYN Jamieson says she is the “dedicated” location supervisor at Tobin Brothers Funerals.

“With a warm smile and empathetic nature, I have become a familiar face in the community, providing solace and support to families during their most challenging times,” she says.

“I absolutely love hearing stories about a loved one and finding a personal touch that we can bring into their celebration of life, to make it truly memorable.

“I take immense pride in alleviating the stress of grieving families and helping them navigate the difficult journey with compassion and care.”

Carolyn says among the many funerals she has arranged, one stands out as particularly remarkable.

“I had the privilege of organising the farewell for a military hero who valiantly fought in the Battle of Long Tan,” she says.

“The funeral procession was led by a rider less Light Horse, with boots placed backwards in the stirrups, paying homage to the fallen soldier.”

Carolyn says she is not only a professional in her field but a caring individual who goes above and beyond to ensure that every farewell is a personal and meaningful tribute.

“Through dedication and compassion, Tobin Brothers Funerals brings comfort to the grieving families we serve.”

Tobin Brothers Funerals, 101 Nettlefold Street, Belconnen, or 310 Anketell Street, Tuggeranong. Call 6295 2799, or visit tobinscanberrafunerals.com.au

Carolyn Jamieson, dedicated location supervisor at Tobin Brothers Funerals.

A before, left, and after photo of a grave that has been restored by owner Karen Doyle.

The dance floor was Tony’s happy place. So when he died, we made sure he was remembered in his own special way. We found a vintage jukebox full of his favourite songs and turned his final goodbye into a ballroom. Tony was, as he so often had been, the star of the show.

The best way to say goodbye is just the way they would have wanted.

Tobin Brothers knows how.

Hubert Lawyers & Mediators help take the discomfort out of making a will, says wills and estate planning lawyer Ashilpa Khanna.

“When death occurs, a common misconception is the spouse takes control of the estate and its assets, which is not generally the case,” she says.

“If you don’t make a will, the law effectively does it for you.”

Ashilpa is urging people to create a will, to secure a plan for the future.

“For families, a relative dying without a will causes significant strife, since a will names the legal guardians of the person’s children,” she says.

“But to better cushion any sudden tragedies, I firmly believe everyone should have an estate plan and it all starts with a will.

“Lawyers are trained to understand and interpret the

allows you to make informed decisions. Lawyers are bound by strict rules to ensure that a certain standard of practice is maintained.”

Ashilpa says perhaps most importantly, a lawyer will ensure that your will is correctly executed and witnessed in accordance with the relevant rules of your jurisdiction.

“At Capon & Hubert Lawyers & Mediators, great care is taken to provide expert and honest advice, ensuring each client is aware of the legal process and any upfront fees,” she says.

“We will always use common sense, respect, courtesy and good judgement when dealing with clients.”

Capon & Hubert Lawyers & Mediators, First Floor, 32-38 Townshend Street, Phillip. Call 6152 9203 or visit chsol.com.au

Learn more

tobinscanberrafunerals.com.au

Principal Ken Hubert with wills and estate planning lawyer Ashilpa Khanna.

Week that puts faces to invisible stories of pain

ACCORDING to Chronic Pain Australia, more than 3.6 million Australians are affected by chronic pain.

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

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

However, National Pain Week 2023, running from July 24 to July 30, is looking to shine light on the condition and encourage people to seek support and advice from others, rather than suffer in silence.

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

Exercise options to suit all abilities

ARTHRITIS ACT can support people no matter what type of chronic pain condition they have, says CEO Rebecca Davey.

“National Pain Week is a good time to reflect on the impact chronic pain has on our community, with more than 50,000 people in the ACT suffering from some form of chronic pain,” she says.

“It’s important to remain active at all ages, to condition muscles that protect against injury”, and Arthritis ACT has solutions for people of varying abilities.

“Across National Pain Week, Arthritis ACT is offering a suite of talks and programs, while also introducing a new self management and mindfulness program that will start soon,” says Rebecca.

“We understand that chronic pain can impact people from head to toe, from arthritis to endometriosis, and we know these people face discrimination for their invisible pain, because they appear fine on the outside.

“But that’s only the start. Arthritis ACT offers services such as exercise physiology, disability support and meal

“No task or question is too big or small for us.”

Arthritis ACT, Pain Support & ME/CFS ACT, 170 Haydon Drive, Bruce. Call 1800 011041 or visit arthritisact.org.au

injury

BAKER Deane & Nutt (BDN) Lawyers have been serving the Canberra and Queanbeyan region for more than 160 years, says partner Richard Baker.

“Our practitioners are client focused, strong communicators and possess the necessary knowledge to work successfully across both ACT and NSW jurisdictions,” says Richard.

“Additionally, for personal injury matters, we offer free initial consultation and if there’s no win, there’s no fee.”

Throughout their long operation, Richard says the firm has amassed a wealth of knowledge and assisted thousands of clients to obtain compensation for injuries suffered due to no fault of their own.

“If you’ve suffered an injury and have needed either time off work or medical treatment it is likely that a claim for compensation can be made,” he says.

Unfortunately, Richard says, there are many circumstances where people have been injured and might not realise they’re entitled to compensation.

“Whenever an employee suffers an injury in the course of their employment, sometimes even when they’re travelling to or from work, a workers’ compensation claim may be made,” he says.

“This includes employment-related disputes resulting from bullying and harassment. Commonly, employees may seek advice in relation to their rights within the context of employment law, without realising that they may also have a remedy via workers compensation, provided they’ve suffered either a psychological or physical injury.

“Our primary focus is to obtain the best possible outcome for our clients, having regard to both the strength of their claim as well as their personal circumstances.

“We’re equally comfortable representing the interests of our clients in informal settlement conferences as we are formal court hearings.”

Baker Deane & Nutt, 260 Crawford Street, Queanbeyan, 6299 3999 or level 1, 1 Farrell Place, Canberra, 6230 1999. Visit bdn.com.au

Richard Baker Partner

Amber Lawrence Solicitor

Taso Nicolaidis Solicitor

Experienced legal team offers support for personal

CEO Rebecca Davey.

BDN partner Richard Baker.

TAKE CHARGE OF PAIN

National Pain Week Activities

Free education talks - All presentations delivered via Zoom

Mon 24 July – 12:30pm

Tues 25 July – 12:30pm

Mindfulness and Chronic Pain – Find out how Mindfulness can assist in chronic pain management

Enhancing Well-being – Osteopathy and Breathing Retraining – Dr Imogen Collyer

Fri 28 July – 12 noon Understanding Pain and Medications – Dr Geoffrey Speldewinde

8 week program 1

Self Help Course for ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Chronic pain and Long COVID

• Learn practical skills for dealing with these common problems with post-exertional malaise

• Commencing Thurs 27 July at 11:30am (small fee applies)

8 week program 2

Mind Your Pain – Focusing on Mindfulness to assist chronic pain conditions

• Learn how to practice mindfulness from the comfort of your home.

• Commencing Wed 2 August at 12:30pm (small fee applies)

To register for any of these sessions - Please call 1800 011 041 or email info@arthritisact.org.au

“We have a green hemp healing balm that is good for arthritis, psoriasis, bruising, nerve pain and eczema,” she says.

“Or, we have a popular hemp and cherry balm that is a really great healing balm, or we have black sheep, which can help with nappy rash, inflammation, bites and stings.

“We even have hemp seed oil slow-release pain patches, that really just sell themselves, they’re great for nerve pain and back pain, too.”

Sue says hemp has strength, medicinal and nutritional value, and was first cultivated more than 10,000 years ago.

“The store also has a range of clothing and linen,

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

“Hemp gives years of wear while its breathing ability, antibacterial and antiviral properties help promote good sleep.”

But, Sue says, they also have fun new products such as a pot plant holder to further highlight what hemp can do.

“It’s made locally, with hemp and coconut fibres so it’s all natural, and it comes in a variety of colours.”

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

Pain relief in all areas of the body

WILSON Lo started Bruce Sports Medicine six years ago, but says he’s been practicing in sports medicine for 22 years.

“On site we have sports doctors, physiotherapists, an exercise physiologist, sports podiatrist, dietitian and an orthopedic surgeon,” he says.

“We cover all areas of the body which can cause pain.

“Our practitioners will assess a patient to determine the diagnosis firstly because treating the pathology, which is the source of the pain, is the most important factor.”

Wilson says the sports doctors will take a history and examination and may order investigations such as imaging or blood tests to work out the diagnosis.

“I’ve worked with elite sporting teams for over two

the ideal set up for an athlete with different practitioners communicating and coordinating rehabilitation,” he says.

“Pain relief may involve prescription medication, various injection therapies, soft tissue therapy, mobilisation of joints and exercise programs, either in our rehabilitation gym such as the GLA:D program, or at home,” he says.

“Treating the diagnosis may involve surgery as well. However, we work closely with many other practitioners across Canberra, so if the best treatment program for you involves external practitioners we will happily liaise with them to give you a comprehensive program.”

Bruce Sports Medicine, 9 Victoria Street, Hall.

Booth.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT INSIDE

Hitting the wall, but not the wine RICHARD CALVER

Old-school news snappers’ photos on display

By Helen MUSA

THE devil’s in the detail for the Canberra Museum and Gallery’s new exhibition, “Capturing Canberra: CMAG’s Press Photography”.

Based around the 2018 acquisition of 3560 silver gelatin photographic prints of Canberra digitised, accessioned and catalogued by CMAG staff during lockdown, this show is the first time these photos have gone on display – 139 in all, drawn from between 1913 and 1994, before the digital era.

Most are sized at a modest A5, although a selected number have been blown up to create focus, but the photos demand a careful look, as they represent the work of generations of press photographers based in Canberra.

Many of the images were featured in articles, news and front pages of “The National Times”, “Australian Financial Review”, “The Canberra Times” and “The Sydney Morning Herald” and a section titled “The Men and Women Behind the Camera,” also features audio recordings of photojournalists Rick Stevens, Graham Tidy, Rob Little and Lorrie Graham (the first female cadet

photographer for the “SMH” and eventually pictures editor and chief photographer at “The National Times”).

Is it art? Well, it doesn’t have to be, as this is a social history exhibition, but after a long career spent working with brilliant press photographers, I confess to a strong admiration for their work.

Unlike many art photographers, who have time to consider the background, subject and circumstances, press snappers often have seconds to decide what to shoot.

A walk-through of the show with senior curator, social historian and geographer

Hannah Paddon, confirmed my inclinations. The works have been grouped under a series of themes, with three-dimensional displays and hands-on activities to accompany the two-dimensional photographs.

There is, for instance, an immersive mock darkroom where you can develop and enlarge photographs the old way. Graham Tidy’s Nikon jacket, media passes and a complimentary letter from Dame Pattie Menzies feature in one showcase. There’s a fun newsroom where you can write your own story and caption. And there’s the pride and joy of the exhibition, rare vintage

press cameras, including Graflex, ThorntonPickard, Leica and Nikon.

There are also smaller sections, one on images of Canberra disasters well before the hospital implosion, one on the Fairfax newspaper dynasty from which many of the photos came, and one on what’s written on the verso (backside) of photos.

Paddon tells me that the aim was to show the breadth and depth of stories enhanced by the “huge skills” of the photographers while also showing places and people.

The “Early Canberra” part of the exhibition begins with Lady Denman announcing the name of Canberra on March 12, 1913, but the walk-through quickly enough takes us to “Building Canberra”, pictures of the powerhouse under construction, the earliest days of Government House and a 1959 photograph of Roy Grounds’ the Australian Academy of Science “Shine Dome”.

An enlarged image shows workers preparing the grounds of the new Parliament House but there are less glamorous buildings too, such as a hostel where we see a 183cm public servant trying to fit into a 120cm bathtub.

In “Science and Technology” there are images of experiments in sport science, the Tidbinbilla Tracking Station and rather ancient computers and in “The Great Outdoors”, we see a real family picnic basket loaned by local historian, John Davenport and a blown-up photo of boats

on Lake Burley Griffin when it was touted as Canberra’s prime tourist destination.

Paddon assures me it’s perfectly fine to jump around this exhibition – so there’s no sacred order of progress.

So, jumping around, a fun section is “Politics, Parliament and Public Servants”, where we see familiar figures such as a younger Gough Whitlam addressing a joint sitting of parliament in 1974, and three women politicians, including Ros Kelly, dressed up to the nines, Gareth Evans beaming over plans for Parliament House and Rosemary Follett taking office as the ACT’s first chief minister in 1989.

“Captivating Images” shows two Aboriginal cadets at Duntroon in 1984, an attack on the Iranian embassy in 1992, a cat (later rescued) stuck in Parliament House and a 1972 picture of a chef at Parliament House creating a sculpture of a brown dog in margarine.

My favourite section is the one on “Activism”, taking in anti-nuclear protests, images of women chained to the bar of the Civic Hotel agitating for the right to drink there, a protest at the Causeway Hall and, most dramatic, anti-Vietnam War demos, with an impressive picture of students burning fake draft cards.

“Capturing Canberra: CMAG’s Press Photography”, Canberra Museum and Gallery, until January 28.

the steps of the Supreme Court, Canberra.

Photo by Bill Errington, June 7, 1972

Hitting the long wall, but not the Heritage wine

A RECENT trip to the UK saw my son and I walk Hadrian’s Wall. We walked more than 100 kilometres in a week.

It was mostly walking in the English summer rain but was educational and historic, with some aspects of the preservation of the 2000-year-old Roman culture uplifting, others depressing.

A number of the sites along the route are being well looked after by English Heritage, a charity that manages more than 400 historic sites.

It relies on entry fees to monuments and museums and other revenue raising, such as the sale of specifically made traditional wines, with government subsidies set to be eliminated this year, albeit the charity transitioned from a government department.

Some Hadrian’s Wall sites are well maintained and the Wall’s history taken seriously. Others are literally sheep pens, framed by the Wall’s ancient stones where hardy sheep can shelter from the winds that blow down from the Arctic or across from the Irish Sea.

One of the places we visited was the historic Chesters Roman Fort and Museum. This was one of a series of

restored and the museum has many well-preserved artefacts. The proximity of the River Tyne makes for a lovely bucolic outlook. It was worth the entry fee.

At the Chesters gift shop were two by the Lyme Bay Winery based in Devon. The winery claims to be the largest producer of mead in the UK, and the sole supplier of mead to English Heritage although none was

on taste at Chesters.

Lyme Bay is one of the many UK wineries taking advantage of better growing conditions (which many attribute to climate change) with the winery producing a pinot noir from British-grown grapes. Pinot doesn’t like to be overheated.

The blackberry wine reminded me of cough syrup, sweet and sticky and with

a slightly unpleasant syrupy finish.

It’s made from an unspecified red wine grape, blackcurrant syrup and granulated beet sugar. Its suggested accompaniment is berry desserts. This is one traditional wine that would not be a loss to the nation if production ceased.

On the other hand, the ginger wine was pleasant and had a clean finish. Real ginger is absent, with the ginger kick coming from ginger powder and “natural” ginger flavour. Again, granulated beet sugar is used to make this a sweet wine but the 14 per cent alcohol by volume gives it a bit of a kick. It would be good in warding off the cold and it’s understandable that the English would drink this even in summer for the purposes of warming their insides: on one day of our walking journey, the maximum July temperature was 14C.

Tradition may well be left behind by the explosion in new British vineyards: “Daily Wine News” on June 26 reported that the British wine industry has increased grape plantings by 74 per cent over the past five years and that there are now 943 vineyards spread across Great Britain. Maybe soon the British will be growing wine that a Roman emperor would salute?

The Chesters Roman Fort’s bath house restoration.

Photo: Richard Calver

Blackberry wine… reminiscent of cough syrup.

English Heritage ginger wine… pleasant with a clean finish.

Enviable role of envious Salieri

By Helen MUSA

That’s complete fiction, of course, but in the hands of British playwright, Peter Shaffer, it made for a rattling good stage play in 1979, followed by a 1984 film directed by Miloš Forman, which won eight Academy Awards.

Now Canberra Rep is staging a new “Amadeus,” directed by Cate Clelland.

Jim Adamik has scored the enviable role of envious Salieri. Shaffer has written Salieri as both narrator of and chief participant in the story, told on the last night of his life.

The play is predicated on the idea that Mozart, chosen by God as the vessel for divine music, was in day-to-day life, a snivelling kid.

What instantly impresses about the play is its sheer theatricality, seen in the device of the narrator who

steps in and out of the action and two characters called the “Venticelli”, played by Michael Smith and Justice-Noah Malfitano, represent the citizens of Vienna, who move in social circles and inform Salieri and the audience of what’s going on.

Adamik sees Salieri as having blocked Mozart from achieving success at court, so that hunger partly drove him to his death, “but with a

decent helping from Salieri”.

Adamik knows the difference between stage and film versions, having been captivated by the film when he was an early teenager.

“The play is impressionistic and the film is realistic, but they tell the same story of crazy-mad ambition, set to extraordinary music,” he says.

“It was made for the theatre, but if you loved the film you’ll love the

play, and vice versa.”

Apart from Salieri, there are many memorable characters, Mozart himself, played by Jack Shanahan; his wife Constanze, played by Sienna Curnow and Emperor of Austria Joseph II, Neil McLeod, all genuine historical figures.

What fascinates Adamik is that Salieri’s belief in God is so strong that he decides to take on the Almighty as an adversary.

“To believe in this omnipresent being and then make a choice to go to war against him is an extraordinary thing,” he says.

“He had prayed to God to let him be a composer, wanting to praise him through music, working hard, but instead of God choosing ‘worthy me’, he chose Mozart, a shitty, sniggering fool, and Salieri can’t believe it.”

Like Salieri, Adamik is working hard, exploring a range of emotions from elation to jealousy and despair and perhaps coming close to melodrama, while waking up in the middle of the night thinking of his lines and treating his dog on walks around Cooleman Ridge to a sample recitation.

“This, after all is a play, where I don’t shut up,” he says.

“Amadeus”, Canberra Rep Theatre, Acton, July 27 (preview) to August 12.

The Australian String Quartet.

String quartet promises a musical florescence

ARTS IN THE CITY

By Helen Musa

THE Australian String Quartet,is coming to town with “Florescence”, Dvořák’s String Quartet No.14 in A-flat Major, Haydn’s String Quartet in B minor, Purcell’s “Fantasia” No.6 in F Major and Justin Williams’ “Movement for String Quartet”. Gandel Hall, NGA, 2pm, July 23.

MONIQUE Langford, who designed the sets and costumes for National Opera Canberra’s 2022 production of “Alcina” and Heartstrings Theatre Company’s 2023 revival of “Urinetown”, has won the Opera Foundation’s $20,000 Berlin Music Opera Award and will be off to work on productions for the Deutsche Oper Berlin’s 2023-2024 season.

TWO solo exhibitions that

represent new artistic pathways in glass for contemporary artists are Lisa Sammut’s take on glass, light and video intertwining in a circular logic, and Zoe Brand offers new works in glass and gold in “What Gave You That Idea?”. Canberra Glassworks, July 26- October 8.

HANS Zimmer’s film scores can be experienced in concert with the George Ellis Symphony Orchestra at the Canberra Theatre on July 28. Highlights include “Gladiator Suite”, “The Lion King Orchestra Suite” and “Drink Up Me Hearties Yo Ho”, from “Pirates of the Caribbean”.

AFTER two seasons of “Shortcuts to Familiar Places” at the Canberra Theatre Centre and Dancehouse Melbourne, Canberra dance artist James Batchelor’s work will tour to ImPulsTanz – Vienna International Dance Festival later this month.

“AMADEUS” is the story of envious court musician Antonio Salieri, who connives at the downfall of and maybe even poisons

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Jack Shanahan as Mozart, left, with Jim Adamik as Salieri.

Photo: Karina Hudson

DINING / The Old Canberra Inn, Lyneham

The inns and outs of lunch around the fireplace

IT was a cold, rainy, blustery Canberra day and we were looking for lunch around a fireplace. That took us to The Old Canberra Inn, established in 1857.

This family-friendly pub promises great, fresh, pub food, sourced locally, in a cosy building older than the capital itself.

The Old Canberra Inn is known for its rotating craft beer taps (some local and all independent Aussie-made). We’re not big beer drinkers so headed to the wine list, surprised at how icy freezing it was (affecting the flavour for sure).

Food is divided into small plates, large plates, burgers and house specials. Kids will be happy with $12 meals (cheeseburger,

schnitzel, fish or veggie lasagne).

We initially intended to go the pub-grub route but several small plates looked scrump tious, so we decided to order several to share.

First up was crumbed haloumi ($15), crunchy on the outside and although this moreish style of cheese tends to be salty, this was overly so. The crumb was perfect, however, and the romesco sauce was smokey and a welcome addition.

While we didn’t ask that the hand-cut chips be crispy, we didn’t expect them to be, well, soooo soft. The roasted capsicum aioli was creamy, rich and slightly sweet.

Crispy eggplant rolled out next ($14) with a hugely spicy glaze. The gochujang was punchy, colourful and sticky, with a slightly fermented taste.

We loved the lamb kofta meatballs ($17). This dish is served with hummus and flatbread. We’re hummus fans through and through, but found this version slightly gritty pronounced flavour and, despite our best efforts, we couldn’t pinpoint it. The hummus didn’t get a big tick from either of us.

House specials include a chargrilled roo striploin with rendang coconut cream, green beans and papaya pickle ($29), Also a vegan

FABULOUS FOOD

curry ($21) and a don’t-count-the-calories barbecue pack. For $32 this includes chorizo, house-smoked beef brisket and free-range pork belly with mac and cheese and a chipotle slaw. Too challenging for us.

The service style at The Old Canberra Inn is to order at the bar, quoting your table number, and then the staff bring your dishes to you. We had to ask for plates and cutlery

toasty warm on a miserable day. As we were leaving, the musos were coming in. The inn is known for its live music, and rightly so.

Crumbed haloumi… perfectly crumbed with smokey romesco sauce. Crispy eggplant… with a hugely spicy glaze.

Photos: Wendy Johnson

‘Bird Box’ on new flight of fancy

IN 2018 Netflix’s original thriller flick “Bird Box” took the world by storm.

The horror hit starring Sandra Bullock was watched by 45 million accounts in its first seven days alone, carving itself out as Netflix’s most popular original movie at the time of release.

It was the film’s simple but effective premise which made it such an internet sensation, that being a mysterious race of monsters that drive people to insanity by merely being looked at.

“Bird Box” charted the story of a family in the resulting post-apocalyptic world who board up windows, blindfold their faces and anything else they can to avoid even the smallest glance at these terrifying creatures.

Are they Aliens? Demons? “Bird Box” left an intriguing question mark about what these monsters actually are and it resulted in a new spin-off series that’s now streaming.

“Bird Box Barcelona” dives even deeper into the dystopia, this time following a father and daughter and their scurry for survival in the decimated streets of the famed Spanish city.

It seems like this newest instalment might also be the beginning of a wider franchise.

There’s now rumours Netflix is producing a number of spin-offs based on “Bird Box” that will track how humans across different countries and cultures battle for survival.

Although unlikely, it’d be great to see a blockbuster of this size brought down under. Magpie Box?

THIS month famed director Steven Soderbergh has a new series streaming on Binge.

From “Ocean’s Eleven” to “Erin Brockovich” to “Magic Mike”, the American filmmaker has had a solid run at keeping audiences glued to their screens, but his profile was sent through the stratosphere during the covid pandemic with his 2011 film “Contagion”.

It made headlines around the world for its eerily accurate prediction of how modern society would cope with a global pandemic. Almost a decade after its release, audiences flocked back to the film during lockdown.

All this is to say that Soderbergh has managed to keep his finger on the cultural pulse, knowing what puts eyes on screens and it looks like his

TELEVISION

newest series “Full Circle” is about to do the same. Set in New York, this crime thriller surrounds a botched kidnapping of the child of an uber-rich family who oversee a Manhattan culinary empire.

There’s been no skimping on the cast either, with “Homeland” star Claire Danes as the victim’s mother, and who’s supported by Dennis Quaid and Timothy Olyphant among a talented ensemble of characters whose lives wrap and weave together as the mystery unfolds.

Crime mini-series have come to represent some of the best telly out there, because from the very get-go the plot has been written with an ending in mind, rather than being dragged out over multiple seasons.

The stage is set for Soderbergh to deliver another winner.

THE sci-fi rom-com sub-genre is one that’s rarely explored but when done right proven a powerful way to tell a story.

Take Spike Jonze’s 2014 film “Her”, about a man who falls in love with an AI companion or

/ Emmy awards

Netflix’s anthology series “Black Mirror”, with an episode that has explored the idea of dating in virtual reality.

Now Amazon Prime Video has taken a stab at it, with “Robots”. In this peculiar prediction of tomorrow, humans have robot doubles built to carry out mundane and undesirable tasks.

The film follows gold-digger Elaine (Shailene Woodley), and womaniser Charles (Jack Whitehall), an unlikely duo forced to team up and track down their automoton counterparts when they go missing.

While the film starts strong, it later suffers from the pitfalls of the standard rom-com affair, losing its potential for some interesting social commentary in the process.

It’s a shame because the premise does have so much fun potential, unfortunately though “Robots” turns out to be about as creative as its title.

‘Succession’ leads nominees for Emmys

“SUCCESSION”, the drama of a cutthroat fight for control of a family media empire, has led the nominees for television’s Emmy awards with 27 nods for the show’s final season.

Nominations for the highest honours in television were announced as Hollywood was in the throes of labour tensions that may delay the Emmys ceremony beyond its normal September date. Film and TV writers walked off the job two months ago.

When the Emmys do take place, two-time best drama winner “Succession” will vie for the trophy again alongside fellow HBO show “The Last of Us”, a dystopian video-game adaptation that landed a second-best 24 Emmy nominations.

“Thank you to the Television Academy for sending us off in such style,” said “Succession” supporting actor nominee Alan Ruck. The show about the dysfunctional Roy family ended its four-season run in May.

Other best drama nominees were “House of the Dragon”, “Andor”, “Better Call Saul”, “Yellowjackets”, “The Crown” and “The White Lotus”. “Ted Lasso”, another double Emmy winner

for best show, will compete for best comedy against “Abbott Elementary”, “The Marvelous Mrs Maisel”, “The Bear”, “Barry”, “Jury Duty”, “Only Murders in the Building” and “Wednesday”. Lasso was the most-nominated comedy with 21 nods.

For limited series, the list includes Netflix’s “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”

and “Beef “as well as “Obi-Wan Kenobi” on Disney+. “The White Lotus” won the category last year but this year was moved to the drama race.

HBO, a unit of Warner Bros Discovery, outpaced all networks with 127 total nominations. Netflix landed 103 nods.

In acting categories, “Succession” patriarch Brian Cox will compete with two of his warring TV sons – Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin – for best drama actor. Sarah Snook, another Roy sibling, is considered the favourite to win best drama

Previous Emmy winner Jason Sudeikis, cocreator and star of “Ted Lasso”, was nominated for best comedy actor for the third season of the fish-out-of-water story on Apple TV+.

First-time nominees Jeremy Allen White of “The Bear” and Jason Segel of “Shrinking” are also among those who will compete for best comedy actor.

In the comedy actress category, voters nominated “Mrs. Maisel” star Rachel Brosnahan, “Abbott Elementary” creator and star Quinta Brunson, “Dead to Me” actress Christina Applegate, Natasha Lyonne for her starring role in “Poker Face” and Jenna Ortega of “Wednesday”. –with AP

“Bird Box Barcelona”... follows a father and daughter and their scurry for survival in the decimated streets of the Spanish city.

Chris’ Trees

So, wattle we do without them?

WATTLES or acacias will start flowering over the next few months and can bring colour to a winter garden, a reminder that spring is getting closer.

The golden wattle ( Acacia pycnantha), native to large parts of south-eastern Australia, grows well in Canberra.

It’s a popular choice for a medium-size tree that grows up to eight metres. When mature, it has phyllodes instead of leaves, with brightyellow, fragrant flowers.

The golden wattle is also the national floral emblem and celebrates its 35th anniversary on Wattle Day, September 1.

If garden space is limited, look for a grafted species of wattle. A popular choice is the Cootamundra Wattle “Goldilocks”, a grafted standard that grows two metres tall and wide. It’s a terrific feature plant with its fern-like evergreen blue foliage and a weeping habit.

Grafting wattles is becoming more popular to increase the longevity of the fast growing, short-lived species. The “Goldilocks” hybrid has sterile seed, unlike its parent tree that is, unfortunately, considered a weed in many areas, including

our own region. It spreads into local bushland, invading healthy ecosystems. Not recommended for the garden, but it’s important to remove any plants that have self-sown before they flower and set seed.

All wattles are legumes and can be useful for windbreaks, sheltering more delicate plants in the garden. They are not fussy about soils provided they are not waterlogged and positioned in full sun to part shade. Keep the water up to them in summer and prune after flowering.

GUINEA fowl and peafowl have been a part of some suburbs in Canberra for more than 30 years. In Narrabundah, the community fought to keep the local peacocks around in their suburbs and gardens a few years back.

Having large-footed birds, or even chickens, can be challenging as their preferred choice for a dust bath is the bed the new seedlings were planted in! And their poop is everywhere.

Physical barriers are the only solution for anyone with peacocks eating the garden. Speaking from the experience of managing a flock of 15 or so birds in the past, they can make a mess in a short amount of time.

They eat just about anything, and their omnivore diet is varied from grains, grasses, fruit, flowers, insects and any garden plants that take their fancy. In late spring, their mating call can be quite loud at night. It lasts for about six weeks before the males calm down.

There are only three species of this pheasant family, Congo Peacock, Green Peacock and Blue Peacock – the one we see most commonly in Canberra. A large bird, native to India and Sri Lanka, it grows to a metre in length and the train of feathers is even longer. The peacock’s prized feathers are dropped in summer and can take a few years to fully regrow.

Peafowls roost in groups during the night in tall trees and, in a domestic environment, can live up to 50 years. Although lovely to look at, they’re not good companions or protectors, just big-footed eaters and unfortunately their numbers are decreasing due to the increase of the number of foxes in suburbia.

jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au

Jottings…

• Keep the water up to rhododendrons and azaleas leading up to flowering.

• Plant berries and currants in acidic, well-composted soil.

• Clean garden tools and blades on the mower before spring.

• Feed garlic with lots of nitrogen until two months before harvest.

A Blue Peacock… although lovely to look at, they’re not good companions or protectors. Photos: Jackie Warburton

Cootamundra Wattle “Goldilocks”... a terrific feature plant with its fern-like evergreen blue foliage and a weeping habit.

HOROSCOPE PUZZLES

Your week in the stars

By Joanne Madeline Moore

24-30 July, 2023

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

Prepare for a topsy-turvy week! The Sun, Mercury and Venus are in fellow-fire sign Leo, so you’ll feel like powering ahead with all sorts of creative projects. But Venus is in retrograde mode, and Uranus is squaring Mercury. So, rushing ahead with impulsive impetuosity could backfire badly. To reduce stress levels and the likelihood of making mistakes, enthusiasm must be balanced with caution, and fiery haste tempered with plenty of patience.

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)

With Venus (your patron planet) in retrograde mode until September 4, it will be difficult to balance head and heart, especially when it comes to family members. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try! Loved ones could throw you off balance, scramble your sense of certainty or press your emotional buttons. But try to deflect their efforts with your earthy sense of humour and Taurus style. Talking things through with a sympathetic friend is the healing balm you need.

GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)

Family relationships and close friendships look complicated, as loved ones debate a wide range of controversial topics. If you have a problem that’s bothering you, avoid making a rash decision. Slow down and let your intuition be your guide. Wisdom for the week is from birthday great, Swiss psychoanalyst Dr Carl Jung: “Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens.”

CANCER (June 22 – July 23)

You’ve been talking about saving for something big (like a car, holiday, house deposit or home renovations) for a while. With Venus reversing through your finance zone (until September 4), resist the urge to be extravagant with cash and careless with credit. In an uncertain economic climate, be a canny Crab who is cautious with money. Plus do an inventory on your inner wealth, as you nurture your self-esteem and consolidate your core values.

LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)

Venus (planet of love and money) is reversing through your sign for the next six weeks. So, expect a tricky time when you may feel as if an area of your life is stalling or even going backwards. Weigh up the pros and cons of any big choices you make. And – if you can – delay making important decisions until after September 4, when you’ll be thinking more clearly. As actress (and birthday great) Helen Mirren reminds us: “We write our life story by the choices we make.”

VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)

This week Mercury (your patron planet) links up with retrograde Venus, so you’ll feel argumentative, restless and/or stressed. The Sun, Mercury and retro Venus are visiting your solitude zone, so you’ll also feel like being on your own. Privacy and self-reflection are paramount, and activities like meditation, contemplation and yoga are recommended. Your mantra comes from birthday great Kate Bush: “There’s an awful lot you learn about yourself when you’re alone.”

LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)

With vivacious Venus (planet of love) in retrograde mode, the next six weeks is not the ideal time to join a dating site, start a romance, propose, move in together, get married or renew your wedding vows. If you can, be patient and wait until after September 4. Expect to be more introverted and your social life will be much quieter than usual. You’re in the mood to pursue solo leisure activities like walking in the park, reading a book, journal writing or listening to music.

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)

Venus is retrograde for the next six weeks, which will boost your temperamental tendencies, and you could end up alienating an authority figure (like your boss) or a loved one (like your partner). Hopefully you won’t put too many noses out of joint, as Jupiter encourages you to be more philosophical when communicating with others. Sometimes you need to lose a minor battle in order to win the war! The weekend is a good time to socialise with friends.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)

Are you feeling restless, Sagittarius? The planets stir your gypsy gene and find you dreaming of greener pastures and foreign adventures. You’re also longing for closer connections with your international friends. But retrograde Venus stymies progress over the next six weeks. Travel could be delayed or cancelled, and new friendships will develop slowly. So, plenty of patience and persistence are required if you want to achieve long-lasting results.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)

The planets are stimulating your intrigue zone, so no secret is safe as you uncover clues and pick up on cues that other people miss. Be careful what you unearth because you could stir up current issues or problems from the past. Lust and loot also loom large, as you work through matters involving trust, intimacy, shared possessions or joint finances. Be extra patient, as retrograde Venus complicates communication, frustrates plans and stymies progress.

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)

For the next six weeks Venus is reversing through your relationship zone. So, expect other people to annoy, puzzle or frustrate you, as they make odd decisions, stir your emotions, and confuse your mind. Don’t try to work out where they are coming from! Aim to be understanding and open-minded. As Swiss psychiatrist (and birthday great) Dr Carl Jung reminds us: “The shoe that fits one person pinches another. There is no recipe for living that suits all cases.”

PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

This week looks rather shambolic. Retrograde Venus disrupts your daily routine, and your patience could wear thin with a stressed work colleague, a frustrating family member, an unpredictable friend or an annoying acquaintance. For some Fish, a rushed romance could see you jump from the frying pan straight into the fire. Other Pisceans could upset a nosey neighbour. So slow down, calm down and think (carefully) before you speak and act!

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2023

General knowledge crossword No. 890

Izzie came to see me upset at not getting a tax refund this year. Worse still, she had just received her tax assessment and she has a debt of $5000.

"I don’t know how I can afford to pay it,” she said in despair. Looking at her assessment, it appeared that the problem was her HECS-HELP debt.

"The process for repaying a HECS+HELP debt is through your weekly tax installments," I said.

Across

1 What is the leather or cloth covering for the lower leg and ankle? (6)

7 Which term describes the countries in the West? (8)

8 Name an arithmetical calculating device. (6)

9 Name an Australian island State. (8)

10 To be less difficult, is to be what? (6)

11 What is another term for a rebellion or revolt? (8)

14 Which term suggests “in the open air”? (8)

18 Which extraneous radio noises are caused by atmospheric disturbances? (6)

19 Name an alternative term for an edible snail. (8)

21 What was the former name for Commonwealth Day? (6)

22 Who makes out a will? (8)

23 Which long bands of silk, etc, are worn over one shoulder or around the waist? (6)

Solution next edition Down

1 Name the hairless area of bone between the eyebrows. (8)

2 What is a plan or procedure for achieving a desired end? (6)

3 Which platforms, stages, or the like, are used for public speaking? (8)

4 Name the fifth book in the New Testament. (4)

5 What are standards of perfection or excellence? (6)

6 What is a flag or banner, as of a nation? (6)

12 Name the males of domestic fowls. (8)

13 Which extended masses of ice move very slowly? (8)

15 Who was the first surgeon to use antiseptics in surgery, Joseph ...? (6)

16 Which term describes baked dinners? (6)

17 What are the grounds of a university called? (6)

20 What is a movable barrier, as a swinging frame in a fence? (4)

FREE PUZZLES EVERY DAY AT citynews.com.au

"When you started your new job, you should have completed a new TFN declaration and answered question 9(a): 'Do you have a HELP debt?' by ticking the 'yes' box. Likewise for a Financial Supplement debt, you need also to tick the 'yes' box.

"By not completing a new form, then tax continues to be deducted at the rate without a HELP debt and you'll end up in the same situation that you are now – with a large tax debt at the end of the financial year.

“I also recommend that you check your salary for the next couple of pay periods to make sure the extra tax is being taken out. I have known pay offices to not process the TFN declaration correctly, so it's up to you to make sure that your tax deduction is now correct.

"In the 2024 tax year you start to pay back your HELP debt when your salary exceeds $51,550. Repayments are on a sliding scale based on your taxable income after adding back any investment loss. This is why the repayment can only be accurately determined after you have lodged your tax return."

Izzie said she had told the pay office of the HELP debt, but that was all.

"I didn’t fill in any form as I thought it was all taken care of. It will be hard to repay that amount out of my salary. I think the best thing to do is to get a part time job and that will cover me for the current year as well," she said.

I warned her that that was another area fraught with possible problems. "You see, as your income exceeds $130,000 your tax rate on additional dollars earned is 39 per cent up to $180,000 and 47 per cent after that, including Medicare levy.

"If all you do is complete a new TFN declaration form and tick 'no' for question 8 for your part-time employer, which says: ‘Do you want to claim the tax-free threshold from this payer?' Even if you do this correctly you will still be undertaxed because the tax is deducted at a rate which is lower than the rate you need to pay.

"So I suggest that you contact that pay office in writing and ask them to deduct 40 per cent of your earnings for tax. That should be sufficient to stop you having a large bill at the end of the 2024 financial year and I would hope that you even get a refund, assuming that you have repaid your current debt.” “Thank you Gail,” Izzie said. “Now I understand where it all went wrong. I won’t make the same mistake again.”

If you have any queries on your HELP debt or taxation on a second job, contact the expert tax team at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd on 02 6295 2844.

Disclaimer

This column contains general advice, please do not rely on it. If you require specific advice on this topic please contact Gail Freeman or your professional adviser. Authorised Representative of Lifespan Financial Planning Pty Ltd AFS Lic No. 229892.