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Archive digitises a million files of a nation at war

By Lily PASS

THE National Archives of Australia has reached a significant milestone, having digitised more than one million World War II records.

These include names, photos, enlist ments, movements, transfers, promo tions and fates, which are now being made available online free-of-charge.

Digitisation project manager Re becca Penna, 44, says the importance of these digital records is to commem orate or acknowledge the amazing sacrifices that people made.

“I also think they provide you with insight to what stories these records tell, and the impact of what they left behind,” she says.

“You can see struggling businesses writing to say they need the soldier back, or family letters saying they now have 200 sheep they can’t possibly shear without help.”

Rebecca says the paper records are now up to 80 years old, they are fragile.

“They are getting some age up, so digitising them also means we’ve got them forever,” she says.

“The paper records can just go back into their boxes in specially controlled

“People can still access the origi nals, but it just means that for people who can’t visit or are overseas, they can have access now, too.”

While the National Archives has been slowly digitising these records on and off for 20 years, Rebecca says dedicated funding in recent years has helped the process along.

allocated $10 million in funding to help the Archives digitise the remaining 852,000 World War II records, 200,000 had already been preserved.

“In addition to government funding, a further $1 million was donated by a long-time supporter and philanthropist, Barbara Mason,” says Rebecca.

“This donation is being used to dig-

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itise the photographic portraits stored on the World War II service files, helping the National Archives to put a face

She says they were fortunate over covid in that two digital providers, Micro Image and FujiFilm, were exempt from lockdowns and were able to continue the work.

“We got to a point where we’d have two staff coming in, getting trolleys of records and preparing them to go out for digitisation, and moving them into the quarantine room,” says

While it is expected the records will be accessed by family historians, having the digitisation has allowed for more data-specific research to be

“When you have a whole group of the records digitised, it opens up to people doing a search in the data that we have, like the titles we have on record or the place of enlistment, potentially researching how many people in Moss Vale, NSW, enlisted,”

“It sort of starts to now mean that people can do more studies into looking at multiple records at once. I think that’s the great thing about having this volume of records more accessible.”

The amazing thing, and what motivates Rebecca’s passion, is the stories she has come across.

“These records, 80-years-old, are

still having an impact on daily life now.

“There is one story that has really struck me in this process, it’s just bizarre, about David Richards.

“David was in the Royal Australian Air Force and he was undertaking a mission over Germany when he was shot down, but he parachuted out of his plane and survived, before he was eventually captured and put into a prisoner-of-war camp.

“That’s kind of a bit remarkable in itself. We found a couple of things in his file, he was writing from the POW camp, acknowledging receipt of a clothing parcel and tobacco from the Red Cross, but then it took on a whole other level.

“We then found a letter to The Caterpillar Club. What we found was there’s a club, The Caterpillar Club, that was set up by Leslie Irvin, a parachute manufacturer. The motto of The Caterpillar Club was ‘life depends on a silken thread’, and so the idea was you could join the club if you had come out of a plane that was catastrophic and survived, and you get this little, gold, caterpillar pin, with little ruby eyes.”

Rebecca says it’s been a wonderful opportunity for her as project manager, and she feels privileged to be a part of the process.

“I love history, I’m just excited by life and I’m proud to be a custodian of those records,” she says.

Archivist Rebecca Penna… “These records, 80-years-old, are still having an impact on daily life now.”

Photo: Lily Pass

Why you can’t do anything you put your mind to

argues that year of birth has proved a key element of success for some of the greatest entrepreneurs. Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, had opportunities simply by being born in the 1950s.

It’s a sad thing that children are subjected to this sort of nonsense. It sets targets that most invariably have no chance of reaching.

Hard work by an individual is a key ingredient of success. However, there are many confounding factors that enhance or undermine attempts at success.

There is ample evidence of the range of social determinants of health, for example. Equally there are also many social determinants of success.

Some migrants arrive as refugees with poor education, vaccine-preventable diseases and a culture of violence that will have all played a part in a traumatic background. There are expectations that such people will fit easily into an Australian culture, work hard and be a successful citizen. Against the odds, most do.

There are always some people who fail to meet expectations and other people who beat the odds. Those who beat the odds should be celebrated. However, too often they are held up as the pinnacle of what everyone can achieve. To do so is to set up expectations that cannot be met by many. When expectations are not met, people react in a myriad of

different ways.

Sometimes it is depression or other mental health issues. Other times it is violence. A disregard for authority and the rule of law may be seen to be the causes of failure to reach expectations.

Opposition to the referendum on the Voice to parliament is sometimes based on the expectation that Aborigi nal and Torres Strait Islanders should have exactly the same rights as other Australians. There is an expectation that hard work will mean success parallel to any other Australian. However, this fails to consider differences in upbringing, access to early childhood support and educational opportunities for many. There are those who have achieved outstanding results. The chancellor of the University of Canberra, Prof Tom

Calma AO, the Senior Australian of the Year, is just one outstanding local

Tom Calma has an extraordinary CV including being a diplomat in India and Vietnam. He was an Australian Social Justice Commissioner and founded the Close the Gap Steering Committee for Indigenous Health Equality in 2006. This Commission understood that more than hard work on the part of individuals was needed

Many people work hard to achieve success. It is challenging to reflect on the opportunities that have been there to support such hard work. Success takes both hard work and opportunity.

Malcolm Gladwell provides interesting insights into a range of opportunities in his book “Outliers”. He

The mid-1950s meant that entrepreneurs in the Information Technology space were simply at the right age to be engaged and have the opportunities as mainframe computers were replaced by the form that we are familiar with today. Bill Gates also had unusual opportunities as a teenager in having access to the mainframe computer at the University of Michigan.

However, Gates, like so many successful people, also had parents that could afford to offer support. He was able to study and remain engaged in computing, while others of his generation needed to work 12 hours a day in order to fund his university fees or to support their families.

An effective education system and good health remain a key element in providing opportunities for those who would otherwise struggle. This support is often provided by middle class parents and a culture of support of the family to achieve parental expectations.

Gladwell also explores culture in terms of “success”. He identifies certain cultural characteristics that may be measured by other cultures in terms of achievement. He argues that this is not something to be taken lightly.

When considering whether or not to vote in favour of the Voice to parliament, it is worth considering these ramifications for indigenous peoples in Australia. In my view, a “yes” vote will add some of the support that is needed for “success”.

Success can be measured, for example, in closing the gap in terms of economic achievement, education, health and active participation in community to the benefit of all Australians.

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

THE notion that “you can do anything you put your mind to” really goes up my nose!

Microsoft founder Bill Gates, left, and Prof Tom Calma.

There are always some people who fail to meet expectations and other people who beat the odds. Those who beat the odds should be celebrated.

‘Matrons’ who paved way for female police officers

THIS year marks a significant milestone for women in policing: the 125th anniversary of the first official recognition of a police matron in Australia.

However, women worked in this role for at least 50 years before receiving official recognition.

Known as “police matrons”, these women opened the door for other women to move into the police force as officers, yet their role is still unrecognised or dismissed as an extension of her husband’s policing duties.

While many Australians will have never heard of them, they were trailblazers for women in law enforcement.

During the Victorian era, it was considered inappropriate for men to touch a woman who was not their wife or an immediate family member. This made men policing women (at least of certain social classes) difficult, particularly if they needed to search a female suspect. To get around this, police began to call on women to search arrestees for them.

Initially, these might have been whoever was nearby – a woman living near the police station, for example. But quickly it was recognised that a “female touch” was also helpful for comforting lost children, talking to

female victims of crime, and occasionally soothing an unruly male arrestee. Neighbourhood women were not viewed as entirely suited for these more complex roles, but the wives of police officers were.

In Australia, the US and the UK, early police stations had both temporary holding cells (a lock-up) and a residence for a police officer. The officer living on site was frequently married –these women became police matrons.

Police matrons in the Victorian era searched female offenders, were responsible for lost or arrested children, kept watch over mentally unwell inmates.

They also performed tasks we would not generally associate with the work of a police officer. They cleaned and maintained the cells, mended clothes, and hosted clothing drives for the poor. The police stations sometimes doubled as neighbourhood medical centres. These were all tasks that fell to the police matron. They fit within assumptions of the period regarding the natural, nurturing role of women.

Because these tasks were viewed as “naturally” women’s work, questions regarding compensation were skirted. For decades, these were not formal appointments. The matrons were not sworn in, they did not have access to a

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police pension, and they did not have any authority over male inmates (or male officers).

A few received a modest stipend based on the number of searches they conducted or if they performed an extended psychiatric watch. These matrons would be on-call 24 hours a day, and diaries kept by early matrons show the long hours they kept. Yet their activities were viewed as an extension of their husband’s role, not requiring separate pay.

These women did not go on patrol or have powers to arrest. But there is evidence that police matrons performed tasks that align with current approaches to policing.

For example, a key role of male police in the early Victorian era was to prevent crime by being out in the community: an officer’s presence

alone would often deter offending.

Police matrons rarely worked outside of the station, but they did get to know the needs of their community and tried to identify causes of crime. They became advocates, trying to address what they saw as the root causes of crime: excessive consumption of alcohol leading to the violent breakdown of families. Matrons advocated for increased regulation of alcohol and for stations to provide sanctuary for domestic violence victims.

Today, these efforts would be understood as forms of problem-oriented policing: identifying a problem in a community and working with the community to devise solutions for the underlying causes of crime. We cannot go as far as claiming that police matrons started the movement

had to sign a waiver releasing the police department of any responsibility for their safety. Their tasks were similar to police matrons – they were responsible for women and children that came in contact with the criminal justice system. It wasn’t until 1979 that female officers in Australia could carry a firearm, though they were required to keep it in their handbag. Today, women make up over 30 per cent of police in Australia and have reached the highest ranks as police commissioners. Although Australians may not know much about the early police matrons, it was they who, more than 100 years ago, paved the way for all this to happen.

Alice Neikirk, Lecturer, Criminology, University of Newcastle. This article is republished from The Conversation.

Long before women police officers there came police ‘matrons’: ALICE NEIKIRK explains who they were and what they did.

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

Complacency alerts as AI

THE tech world often urges people to think of artificial intelligence like electricity, and one expert believes Australia is at risk of being left in the dark.

The public release of ChatGPT triggered relentless media coverage, and Australian AI expert Michael Kollo says perception is shaped accordingly.

“The media narrative in this country and many others has very much been tilted towards the risks and the dangers,” the CEO of Evolved Reasoning says.

Others have embraced the technology. In the United Arab Emirates, there’s a minister of artificial intelligence.

“They’ve seen the writing on the wall with oil and gas, so they’ve started to invest massively in AI,” Dr Kollo says.

A 2023 survey by the University of Queensland and KPMG shows less than half of Australian workers are comfortable with and trust using AI, and only a minority believe the benefits outweigh the risks.

“In terms of usage of AI, 37 per cent of Australian workers said they use

AI in their workplace,” Dr Kollo says.

“For China, that number was 90 per cent, for Singapore, that number was 68 per cent.”

In countries where efforts are being made to improve AI literacy, such as Finland and Estonia, more than half of workers reported using the technology.

The electricity analogy points to AI’s disruptive reach far beyond the tech sector, and its link with automation.

Economists at Goldman Sachs estimate that roughly two-thirds of occupations in the US are exposed to some degree of automation by AI.

“Although the impact of AI on the labour market is likely to be significant, most jobs and industries are only partially exposed to automation and are thus more likely to be complemented rather than substituted by AI,” they said in a report published in April.

The threat of automation is closely tied to productivity, Dr Kollo believes.

“On average across the economy, automation and its impact on the workforce happens very, very slowly... around 0.5 to 0.7 per cent of the workforce annually,”

“As long as you have two per cent (economic) growth or thereabouts, you keep your head above water.”

He believes automation can be managed ethically if workers are supported to reskill, enabling them to use AI to enhance their work.

“You’re not a fanboy of data and technology, all you’re doing is just asking very pragmatic questions about can this actually help me improve my life and on what grounds?” he says.

“The danger is that you stop looking for tools, that you basically

go ‘you know what, I’m just going to keep doing it the same way forever, and hoping that that’s going to be enough’.”

“As long as you think about it as an improvement of productivity, then I think AI will come very naturally.”

Dr Kollo says AI will transform the lives of Australians in the years to come.

And to make his point, he predicts the current generation of school students will be the last to be taught solely by human teachers.

“With language models, let’s say

that I can teach year three or year four science or maths... and as long as they are able to sit there and read the text and engage with it... then essentially it will customise to their rhythms and their needs,” he said.

“It will be patient and positive, it’ll do all the things that you want it to as it’s conveying that information.”

Developing something like human consciousness is way beyond the realms of current technology, but Dr Kollo says AI is able to replicate human language and engagement, and therefore elicit emotional responses.

“I’m not necessarily thinking about this as a kind of dystopian future where we’re being mindlessly controlled, but it does mean we have to create ... a space in our society for these digital agents - we might call them helpers,” he said.

“While I’m not sure that we’re going to be there in the next five years, I think ChatGPT was such a surprise in the capability it was able to demonstrate... I wouldn’t even want to guess how fast AI is going to develop.”

Evolved Reasoning is an education and an advisory company aimed at helping organisations adopt AI tools.

Dr Kollo will be a keynote speaker alongside former foreign minister Bob Carr and others at #CapTech2023, an event for start-ups, investors and venture capitalists, to be held in Sydney in October. –AAP

Artificial intelligence will likely have a significant impact on labour markets regardless of whether Australian companies are ready to embrace the technology, reports NICK GIBBS.

Australia is at risk of being left behind as artificial intelligence makes inroads into workplaces.

Photo: AP

ARCHITECTS ACHIEVE FIVE MBA AWARD NOMINATIONS

AS the anticipation builds for the highly regarded Master Builders Association (MBA) Awards 2023, one architectural firm stands out with an extraordinary accomplishment – AMC Architecture. With an impressive total of five nominations across diverse categories, AMC Architecture has firmly positioned itself as a frontrunner in the upcoming event.

The recognition not only underscores their outstanding design capabilities but also highlights their unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of architectural innovation.

AMC Architecture’s work spans a wide spectrum of projects, each demonstrating a unique blend of creativity, functionality, and aesthetic sensibility. With nominations spanning across multiple categories, including Tindal Lane, Fairbairn; Weetangera Townhouses; Defence Contractor Headquarters in Fyshwick; Macgregor Townhouses and 27 Scherger Drive,

Fairbairn, AMC Architecture showcases their versatility and expertise in various architectural domains.

The nomination for Tindal Lane, Fairbairn, exemplifies AMC Architecture’s ability to seamlessly merge modern design elements with the surrounding environment.

The Weetangera Townhouses nomination showcases their skill in

creating harmonious living spaces within the constraints of urban living. The Defence Contractor Headquarters in Fyshwick nomination is a testament to their adeptness at designing structures that cater to specific functional needs while maintaining architectural integrity.

The recognition of Macgregor Townhouses highlights AMC Architecture’s prowess in residential

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design, where they craft living spaces that prioritise both comfort and aesthetics.

Finally, the nomination for 27 Scherger Drive, Fairbairn, underscores their dedication to producing exceptional architecture that contributes positively to the local community.

Each of these nominations reflects AMC Architecture’s commitment to a holistic design approach, one that considers not only the physical aspects of a building but also its impact on its surroundings and the people who interact with it.

The firm’s expertise in integrating sustainability, technology, and innovative design solutions further solidifies their standing as industry leaders.

AMC Architecture’s diverse range of nominated projects showcases their ability to tailor their designs to different contexts, demonstrating a deep understanding of both architectural theory and real-world applications.

Above: Weetangera Townhouses. Photo by Projex. RIght: Defence Contractor Headquarters, Fyshwick. Photo by Image Aust.

INTEGRITY COMMISSION / Campbell Primary School

Manteena’s ‘not what minister’s office wanted’

and if so, how, before any decision was made to choose

FINALLY, we got a glimpse of the ACT Integrity Commission at work over two days of public hearings – its first in more than four years.

The commission is looking into whether public officials within the ACT Education Directorate (Education) failed to exercise their official functions honestly and/or impartially when making recommendations and decisions regarding the Campbell Primary School Modernisation Project between 2019 and 2020.

Lend Lease got the contract. The value of the project was $18 million.

The selection process was an expression-of-interest stage followed by a tender process. Manteena (a locally based firm) and Lend Lease (a larger, international company) were invited to tender.

A draft “tender evaluation” was prepared. The Manteena tender was more highly rated and was cheaper than the Lend

Lease tender.

Despite repeated findings that Manteena be preferred (albeit by lower margins as “reassess ments” took place) the contract was given to Lend Lease.

The ACT Auditor General was later critical of the process.

The Integrity Commission, led by Commissioner Michael Adams KC, is assessing whether there was inappropriate conduct at the bureaucratic or political level or both.

There were rumours – still being investigated by the commission – of union pushback against the use of Manteena. It was rumoured that this pushback was made known to the Education Minister Yvette Berry. Witnesses will later be called from the union. The minister, too, will provide evidence (whether in writing or spoken was not clear).

The sole witness to face two days of Commissioner Adams and Counsel Assisting (CA) Callan O’Neill’s public questioning was “John Green”. His real identity is subject to a suppres -

sion order in the interests of fairness to protect his privacy.

Green is an engineer who has worked for local government, the private sector, and – since 2011 – the ACT government.

The Campbell School tenders were submitted by late January 2020. Tenderers are told of the criteria they must address, and the weightings among those criteria.

The process begins with an assessment by a tender-evaluation team. The three members of that team are agreed by Education and Major Projects.

The questioning focused

on Green’s role with respect to the tender evaluations. Green recalled being updated through informal meetings with the evaluation team.

He also recalled an informal chat with the “short-term” acting head of Education. She told him that she had been summoned to the Education Minister Yvette Berry’s office to be told (he thought, probably by the minister’s chief of staff) that Manteena was not to get the contract.

He told her what was being done in the evaluation, that a report would be prepared, and it would come up for a decision. She told him to continue with the process.

He thought this minister’s office involvement was unusual. He hadn’t previously experienced a minister’s office interfering in tender evaluations. He decided to ensure “dotting ‘i’s and crossing ‘t’s”. He told the evaluation team of what he had been told of the minister’s office view.

Both submitted tenders were “over budget”. This is significant for what can happen thereafter.

Green explained various responses, ranging from rejection to accepting the new costing. In between, there were several approaches to cut the cost. He preferred “Best and Final Offer” (BAFO); however, there were other views held by evaluation team members.

Given that the Education Minister’s office had given a clear indication, and that both tenders were over budget, it was not a good idea to award the tender to Manteena and then try to pull down the cost to the budget figure. Green’s view was not accepted by some others.

Advice was obtained from the Government Solicitor about if BAFO could be used,

The CA pushed Green about his willingness to reject both tenders. Such a course would mean starting again.

There was a change in the evaluation team membership because one of its members withdrew, unhappy that the contract would not be given to Manteena. The whole team

On the second day of questioning, Green was asked about conversations with his head of department when she returned from leave. She told him that she, too, had been called to the Education Minister’s office and told that Manteena was not to get the contract.

He told her about his proposed use of the BAFO process and how it worked. She told him that she’d be the final decision maker, but he was to keep going with the process.

Asked if it was the Education Minister Berry who told his head, he couldn’t say.

The commissioner asked about how the decision maker was to be the head and not a delegate.

Green explained how delegations worked. There were various ways in which decisions could be made. Tellingly, his head did not have particular experience in procurement.

He explained that to use “spare capital works funds” to top up a budget, so that an above-budget tender could be accepted, required the agreement of the minister’s office.

He received a call from the education minister’s chief of staff (CS) that confirmed Manteena was not to get the job. He told the CS that more money would be needed. The CS told him: “Let’s not go for the cheapest bidder” – a remark that Green had previously heard from a union person.

The commissioner pointed to the issue for Green and the new evaluation team, “how do we deal with the minister’s office intrusion?” Green repeated that he would follow process, that he had a “sense of relief” that it would not be him making the final decision, but his departmental head would do so.

There were some spirited objections from other barristers as to the phrasing of questions from the commissioner. The purpose of those objections was to protect

their clients (whoever they were). This seemed to turn on whether the minister’s office had just a view or something stronger, that is, “do not give this contract to Manteena”.

This may have given us a glimpse into how “the minister’s office” is going to run its case.

Green said he regretted he ever told his teams about the political involvement. As he put it, “I over shared”. “I was being overly candid”.

He wasn’t then asked why he regretted his sharing that information. He should have been. For example, suppose he didn’t share that information, then he would have been open to later damaging criticism for concealing important information. It could be argued if he did not tell the team that he was deliberately setting up a sham process.

Once the BAFO closed, Green heard “fairly quickly” that Manteena was the higher scored. Manteena’s design was preferred and it was cheaper per square metre.

It was early June 2020 that the team’s report was finalised. The difference in price between the two tenders was just under $900,000. The Lend Lease tender still exceeded the target budget by nearly a half million dollars. Manteena was below the target budget.

Green told his head that Manteena was again preferred. The head said words to the effect: “that wasn’t what the minister’s office wanted. What are the options?” He suggested “overriding” the report. He would write her a brief to do something other than accept the report. She asked for that to be done.

Repeatedly, CA suggested that Green was the decision maker. Repeatedly, Green corrected him.

Apart from the repetition this approach is the more surprising as we learned that Green has earlier been questioned in a private hearing.

For the purposes of preparing their questioning of Green, once the CA finishes, the parties may see the transcript of parts or all of that private hearing. It is unlikely to be shared with us.

What Green did after his meeting with the head will be taken up on the next hearing date, September 6.

This is an edited version of legal commentator Hugh Selby’s two daily reports, which are published in full at citynews.com.au

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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HUGH SELBY summarises the revelations from the ACT Integrity Commission’s first public hearings.

Commissioner Michael Adams KC. Counsel Assisting Callan O’Neill.

He received a call from the education minister’s chief of staff (CS) that confirmed Manteena was not to get the job.

BRIEFLY Free course on money

THERE’S a free, web-based budgeting and money management course being held over three Tuesday evenings next month. The established CAP Money Course aims to help participants manage debt, save and have more control of their finances. Register by August 30 at capmoney.org.au or email capmoney@tbcchurch.com.au or call 0402 007551.

Chinese medicine

The Australia China Friendship Society (acfs.org.au) will host a talk on traditional Chinese medicine at the Southern Cross Club, Jamison, 7.30pm on August 30. Speakers are practitioners Xue Song Liu and Yang Xu. All are welcome. A donation (for Project Hope) of $2+ will be collected at the door.

Father’s Day stall

THE Bold Bandannas will be raising funds for cancer research, prevention and support services at its Father’s Day gift stall, Bunnings Majura, 6pm-8pm, August 31. The Relay for Life team will sell two new lines of shortbread and rum balls, plus preserves and its lemon butter crowd pleaser.

On the buses…

BUS tours will be the subject of the Gungahlin Day View Club’s August 23 meeting at the Gungahlin Lakes Golf Club Nicholls from 11.45am. Lunch costs $35. RSVP to 0413 923933 by 9pm, August 20. Guests and visitors are welcome.

IT COULD COST YOU YOUR LIFE or YOUR HOME

Today, Fluffy home owners, tomorrow, it could be YOU! Beware, investors, home buyers, land owners, home builders and renovators. Unjust ACT Government laws, rules & regulations will cost you.

Mr Fluffy home owners have paid with lost lives and lost homes.

We must make certain this does not happen to you next time the ACT Government need to fund a project such as the Light Rail tram system or a hospital (Calvary).

If you are concerned and want to maintain democratic values such as transparency and accountability, please sign the petition online for the promised Board of inquiry into the “Voluntary” Asbestos Buyback Scheme.

https://epetitions.parliament.act.gov.au/details/e-pet-018-23

Missing link: build office space at town centres

By Mike QUIRK

THE announcement of a collaborative National Capital Investment Framework reflects a renewed interest by the federal government in the planning and development of the ACT.

Such involvement is crucial given the importance of the Commonwealth to the growth and functioning of the city. The maxim of when the Commonwealth sneezes, the ACT catches a cold, rings true.

PM Anthony Albanese and Chief Minister Andrew Barr should seize the moment and commission a review of how best to accommodate growth while promoting liveability, affordability and long-term sustainability in the context of demographic, social, economic, environmental and technological changes. The Framework should be based on its outcomes.

There are many suggestions lacking a firm analytical base about how the city should develop. For example, think redevelopment policy, light rail to Woden or the airport, stadiums and the rebirth of the City to the Lake project including the sinking of Parkes Way.

A key element of the review should be an exploration of the potential to increase the amount of Commonwealth office space at town centres, a neglected part of policy since 1990. Up to then, office dispersal was a key element of Canberra’s “jobs to the people” post-war planning strategy with the location of offices determined by a centralised committee.

The functioning of the city, especially transport impacts, was a major consideration. The large Commonwealth office workforce provided an ideal lever to facilitate the strategy of strong subcentres.

The establishment of major government offices at the Belconnen, Woden and Tuggeranong town centres was the outcome of such deliberations.

The rationale for employment dispersal was that it provided major transport benefits including shorter journeys to work, higher use of public transport, reduced traffic congestion, opportunities for multi-purpose trips, lower fuel consumption and reduced parking and transport infrastructure requirements.

Employment at the centres reinforced the trading position of businesses and those employed at the centres have the opportunity to walk to shops, financial services, libraries, gyms etcetera.

FOR A JUST AND BETTER CANBERRA!

Written and authorised by Lorraine Carvalho C/O Po Box 127, Curtin, ACT 2605

Once offices were established they provided a base for ongoing growth of the centres. The loss of a major department at Belconnen, Woden or Tuggeranong would severely diminish the attractiveness and success of the centres and lead to increased traffic congestion, infrastructure costs and greenhouse emissions.

The responsibility for office location was transferred to individual departments as part of a neo-liberal agenda. Departments were able to negotiate directly with developers. The limited employment in the Gungahlin town centre and the significant office development

at the airport precinct are outcomes.

Between 2001 and 2016 the amount of office floorspace at the town centres increased by 186,000 square metres while the amount of space at the airport increased from 4000 square metres to 191,500 square metres. The amount of floorspace at the Gungahlin Town Centre in 2016 was 13,600 square metres.

The location of Commonwealth employment at the town centres was put in the too-hard basket by the ACT government, despite the clear benefits of the policy, with only limited efforts made to influence a disinterested Commonwealth.

The ACT government adopted a “people to the jobs” strategy placing additional housing opportunities at major employment centres and along major transport routes. The aims to reduce travel, car use and associated greenhouse gas emissions, to support public transport and encourage walking and cycling are also those of the employment dispersal strategy.

Other aims of the current ACT planning strategy are to make better use of existing social and physical infrastructure, to ease infrastructure demands on the fringe, to widen housing choice and contribute to a more diverse, vibrant, urban environment.

The re-introduction of the office location policy would improve the effectiveness and complement the current strategy. The successful implementation requires the identification and protection of sites at town centres for office development.

Some recognition of the changed employment parameters, especially increased working from home, is occurring with the ACT government establishing flexi-hubs in Belconnen and Tuggeranong Town Centres to reduce the need for ACT employees to travel to Civic or Dickson.

It would be prudent to review transport and land-use policies and to investigate the need for major transport investments, which could result in funds being diverted to projects including social housing, stadiums, convention centres, electric buses and national cultural institutions.

Employment dispersal assists in housing affordability and minimises “sprawl” by increasing the attractiveness of properties outside inner Canberra reducing demand for inner-city properties. In doing so it should assist the fuller consideration of redevelopment policies and proposals including whether the relaxation of RZ1 policies is necessary.

Increased working from home could assist the ability of local centres to provide a community focus by facilitating the provision of locally available goods and services. Successful centres would also reduce car usage and encourage walking and cycling. The revitalisation should be supported by improvements of in-centre infrastructure and pedestrian and cycling connections.

The review would assist in identifying the relative priority of infrastructure projects. The provision of all major projects should be supported by business cases. This would reassure Mr Albanese any project supported by the Commonwealth is a good use of public funds.

Mike Quirk is a former NCDC and ACT government planner.

The location of Commonwealth employment at the town centres was put in the too-hard basket by the ACT government, despite the clear benefits of the policy, with only limited efforts made to influence a disinterested Commonwealth.

When and where truth is hard to find

I THINK we can all agree that whatever happened when Brittany Higgins and Bruce Lehrmann entered the office of then Defence Minister Linda Reynolds in the early hours March 23 2019, the result today is a legal calamity.

Ask any lawyer and they’ll tell you that we are extraordinarily fortunate in having the best system in the world. They treat it with the kind of tremulous deference that priestly proselytes hold for the Vatican.

Until recently, they even copied their vestments, setting themselves above and beyond the mere mortals who came to judgement in their courts.

Their methodology is virtually sacrosanct. The accused is innocent until “proved” guilty. And that “proof” will emerge from the evidence, itself the subject of complex but wellattested rules that ensure fairness to both complainant and accused. It will be put before either a judge – a person of perfect objectivity – or a jury of 12 of the accused’s peers, selected at random but subject to limited appeal from either prosecution or defence.

Only then will the accused emerge as “innocent” or “guilty as charged”.

Who could ask for anything more?

Well, as the Cardinal Pell case so

graphically revealed, the “guilty” could indeed ask for a “higher” court to review the same evidence (on paper) and come to the opposite view.

Or, in the Higgins/Lehrmann case, one of the peers might break one of those precious evidentiary rules – or appear to – and the whole process would have to be repeated. Or not, as it turned out, because the prosecutor in this case was concerned that the ordeal was dangerous to the health of the complainant.

Then followed the inquiry conducted by one of those persons of perfect objectivity who so lambasted the prosecutor that his continuation in the post was “untenable” and he resigned.

Next, according to the Chief Minister of the ACT, Andrew Barr, we’ll have an inquiry into the inquiry since the judge “leaked” the findings of his

inquiry to two journalists, albeit with an “embargo” which, says Barr, he had no right to make. Will it never end? The short answer is no, not on the absurd proposition that the truth of the matter can be discovered from an adversarial system where each side tells a different story based on roughly the same facts and 12 spectators get to pick which narrative they prefer.

And certainly not when some participants – plaintiff or defendant – are wealthy enough to pay the best storyteller in town, while the impoverished opposition is stuck with a drone. There are, of course, much better sys-

BRIEFLY Cops swoop on hoon drivers

tems available than the adversarial one, but the lawyers are presently having such a fine time – and have infiltrated all levels of government and stations of the elite – so we’re stuck with it.

And that’s before we even touch upon the ancient presumption upon which the whole notion of crime and punishment rests – a human being’s capacity for free will. Do we really have some independent power to decide our actions beyond all that went before, urging us in one direction or another?

It is a conundrum that exercises the minds of our best and brightest. For while we cannot tell the future, in retrospect everything was inevitable (because it happened). And the more data we bring to the issue the less it seems we have the power to choose beyond a vanishingly small slice of options.

Perhaps that’s one reason at least for the over-representation of Aboriginal youngsters in the criminal justice system.

Perhaps that’s an argument for another day…

robert@robertmacklin.com

POLICE have issued 20 defect notices and 11 traffic infringements across two nights targeting hoon driving across the ACT.

Targeting Uriarra Road, Brindabella Road, Cotter Road, Paddy’s River Road, the Monaro Highway and industrial zones, including Beard, Fyshwick, Mitchell and Hume, police issued 20 defect notices, including two vehicles put off the road immediately due to serious defects, while one vehicle was identified as being driven under an existing unregistered vehicle permit.

Eleven Traffic Infringement Notices were issued, while police also conducted more than 370 random breath tests, with one driver found to be driving under the influence of alcohol, while a further 11 roadside drug tests were conducted.

Acting inspector Paul Hutcheson said police would target hoon driving in all areas across the ACT. “Public roads are not a drag way or a racetrack, whether in a suburban area or somewhere more secluded, and police will take action against people who drive in a dangerous manner on our roads,” he said.

Baker joins board

VETERAN Queanbeyan lawyer Bill Baker has joined the board of the Karabar Housing Cooperative, a small, independent, affordable-housing provider in the Queanbeyan region which has operated since 1986.

Set amongst landscaped grounds, Adria Care in Stirling is a warm and welcoming community of people from all around the world. We pride ourselves on cultural diversity and celebration, and offer a wide range of activities to cater for all interests. We provide care for Croatian and all other nationalities.

Adria Care fosters individuality and independence, providing support and assistance to enable residents to live in a comfortable and secure environment. It offers residential care for 42 residents, incorporating 2 respite rooms and special care. All rooms are single rooms with ensuite.

The village also contains 36 independent living villas. All villas have 2 bedrooms, a courtyard and a garden, and residents enjoy a peaceful and welcoming community lifestyle.

Our aim is to provide a caring, safe, home-like atmosphere, reflecting your rights to dignity, respect, privacy, safety and the best quality of life.

Contact our friendly staff today to arrange a personal tour.

Email: admin@adria.org.au

Address:

There are much better systems available than the adversarial one, but the lawyers are presently having such a fine time – and have infiltrated all levels of government and stations of the elite – so we’re stuck with it.

“The absurd proposition is that the truth can be discovered from an adversarial system where each side tells a different story based on roughly the same facts and 12 spectators get to pick which they prefer.”

The red meat question: how much is too much?

Is red meat bad for you? And does it make a difference if it’s a processed burger or a lean steak, asks KATHERINE LIVINGSTONE.

A juicy burger is a staple in many Australians’ diet. Yet research shows regularly eating red meat can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.

But is eating a beef burger worse for your health than eating a lean grass-fed steak? And how much red meat should we really be eating?

First of all, it’s good to clarify that red meat refers to all mammalian muscle meat. So that includes beef, lamb, pork, veal, mutton and goat.

Then we can distinguish red meat types by how the animal has been raised and how the meat is processed. Here are some key terms to know.

Conventional meat, also called grain-fed, is meat from animals that are grass-fed for part of their lives and then given a grain-based diet for the remainder. Most red meat available in major supermarkets is grain-fed.

Grass-fed meat comes from animals that have grazed on pasture for their entire lives. This means grass-fed meat tends to have higher levels of unsaturated fats than conventional meat, and is why some research suggests it’s healthier. Grass-fed meat is

also likely to cost more.

Organic meat is seen as a premium product as it has to meet government standards for organic produce. For example, meat labelled as organic cannot use synthetic pesticides or use hormones or antibiotics to stimulate growth.

Processed meats have been preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or by adding chemical preservatives. Examples include sausages, ham, bacon and hot dogs.

What is the nutritional value of red meat?

Red meat contains many nutrients that are important for health, including protein, vitamin B12, iron and zinc. Red meat is a good source of iron and zinc as they are more easily absorbed by the body from meat than from plant foods.

Red meat is often high in saturated fats, but this can range widely from less than 1 per cent to more than 25 per cent depending on the cut and whether it’s trimmed of fat or not. Minced meat typically ranges from 2 per cent to 9 per cent saturated fat depending on whether it’s extra lean or regular.

To limit intake of saturated fats, opt

for leaner mince and leaner cuts of meat, such as pork tenderloins or beef steak with the fat trimmed off. Processed meats, such as bacon, salami and sausages, contain beneficial nutrients, but they are also high in saturated fat, sodium and contain preservatives.

Is red meat bad for your health?

It’s widely reported eating too much red meat is bad for your health, because it can increase your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. But most of the evidence for this comes from observational studies, which cannot determine whether red meat intake actually causes the condition.

Most evidence is observational because it’s simply not ethical or feasible to ask someone to eat large amounts of meat every day for many years to see if they develop cancer.

So let’s take a look at the evidence:

Heart disease and type 2 diabetes

In a review of 37 observational studies, the authors found weak evidence of an association between eating unprocessed red meat and heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

But for processed meat, a recent review showed that for each additional 50g of processed meat consumed per day, the risk of heart disease increased by 26 per cent and the risk of type 2 diabetes increased by 44 per cent, on average.

Cancer

Leading international organisations have declared there’s strong evidence consumption of red and processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer.

For example, in a study of nearly 500,000 people, each additional 50g of red meat consumed per day increased the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 per cent. And each additional 25g of processed meat consumed per day, equivalent to a slice of ham, increased the risk by 19 per cent.

It also matters how red meat is cooked. For example, cooking a steak

over a high heat, especially an open flame, chars the outside. This causes chemical compounds to form that have been shown to cause cancer in very high doses in animal models, and some studies in humans have found an association with increased cancer rates.

How much red meat should you eat?

Our national dietary guidelines recommend the average adult eats a maximum of 455g of cooked lean red meat per week (or less than 65g a day, equivalent to one small lamb chop). This is also what’s recommended by the national Cancer Council. For heart health specifically, the National Heart Foundation recommends eating less than 350g of cooked, unprocessed red meat per week (or less than 50g a day).

The bottom line is that red meat can still be enjoyed as part of a healthy diet, if not eaten in excess. Where possible, opt for unprocessed or lean cuts, and try to grill less and roast more. Consider swapping red meat for lean chicken or fish occasionally, too.

Katherine Livingstone, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University. This article is republished from The Conversation.

Is eating a beef burger worse for your health than eating a lean grass-fed steak?

DNA tests expose scale of sham seafood

MORE than 10 per cent of the seafood sold in Australia is not what’s on the label and threatened species sometimes wind up on the plate, DNA tests suggest.

The national study, by the Minderoo Foundation, has exposed a serious problem with labelling and species substitution.

Researchers who DNA-tested 672 seafood products sold at Australian supermarkets, fish markets and restaurants found 11.8 per cent didn’t match what was on the label.

Shark and snapper species, and imported seafood, were most likely to be incorrectly labelled.

In Tasmania, a supermarket that purported to be selling imported stingray was actually selling critically endangered sportback skate from South America.

At a restaurant in WA, something generically labelled as shark was actually a piece of smooth hammerhead, a species classed as vulnerable globally.

Minderoo’s Dr Chris Wilcox, who co-authored the study, said vague labelling was a serious problem

alongside incorrect labelling.

Only a quarter of the products named a particular species, with most using vague or umbrella terms such as flake and snapper.

“Flake, for instance, officially refers to gummy shark but is often misused to describe any type of shark meat,” Dr Wilcox said.

“Fifteen of the mislabelled flake products were actually elephant fish, which are only distantly related to sharks.

“In one instance, we found flake served as battered fish and chips was actually school shark, which is classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list of threatened species.”

Not knowing what’s ending up on dinner plates is not just a consumer rights issue, but a conservation one, too.

“Australians are increasingly aware of the need to protect our ocean from unsustainable fishing and want better information about the seafood on offer so they can be confident in their purchase,” said coauthor Emily Harrison, who works on ocean policies at Minderoo.

“We know from previous research that consumers assume the checks and balances have already been done before the point of sale.”

Dr Wilcox said the results were timely, with the Australian government considering measures to prevent the importation of illegal, unreported and unregulated seafood.

“Overall, the research confirms the mislabelling rates in Australia are similar to other wealthy

Wendy’s burgers heading down under, again

By Jacob Shteyman

AMERICAN fast food chain

Wendy’s will soon be slinging burgers on Australian shores after the company announced its intention to develop 200 restaurants by mid-next decade.

The burger brand will land in Australia after 2025 after inking a deal with Pizza Hut owner Flynn Restaurant Group – the world’s largest franchise operator.

countries like the US, but points to a problem that really needs to be addressed,” he said.

“Consumers should be able to rely on the labels to represent what’s actually in the package.

“We wouldn’t accept that in other products so we shouldn’t have to accept it in seafood.”

The research has been published in the peer-reviewed journal “Scientific Reports”. –AAP

Wendy’s says there is strong interest from the Australian public for the brand, citing a positive reaction from Sydneysiders to a one-day pop-up event in 2021.

Wendy’s is the world’s third-largest burger chain, after McDonald’s and Burger King and is renowned in the US for its square hamburger patties and the Frosty – a viscous milkshake thickened with starches.

The company attempted an unsuccessful foray into the Australian market in the 1980s when its 11 stores were snapped up by Hungry Jack’s owner Jack Cowin. –AAP

Australian seafood lovers are frequently being swindled, with more than 10 per cent of produce something other than what’s on the label, a study shows, reports TRACEY FERRIER .

Wendy’s plans to eventually set up 200 of its fast food outlets in Australia.

Woolies a ‘done deal’ in Hawker development

IF columnist Michael Moore is looking for examples of shonky consultations (“Decision made, just the ‘consultation’ box to tick”, CN August 3) he need look no further than the self-interested “community consultation” being conducted in relation to Woolworths’ proposed expansion and adjoining redevelopment at the Hawker Village shopping centre.

This shopping precinct is an intermediate size – ie, smaller than the shopping centres at Kippax and Jamison – and is located in a residential area.

The proposals include purchasing the current surface parking area from the ACT government; replacing the modest-sized suburban supermarket with a much larger, full-line supermarket with basement parking; additional “specialty shops” on an upper level; and non-specified changes to other public areas.

The process allows the proponent (Woolworths) to conduct their own “consultation”, with seemingly no guidelines or directions. Conducted over a six-week period, including two weeks of school holidays, this consultation has been an object lesson in poor communication.

The only information available to

customers at the Hawker shops as notices provided by a local community group. Not even the Woolworths supermarket provided information to their customers about the consultation.

Many local traders had not been contacted or were unclear about what was being proposed. Initiatives included a limited letterbox drop to households in the immediate area; a presentation to a Belconnen Community Council meeting; one registration-only evening “workshop”; and two on-site afternoon information displays.

There was no media publicity about the proposals or the consultation. Importantly, there was no attempt to collect data by means of surveys of residents or shopping centre users.

The value of this type of community “consultation” must be questioned, as it clearly allows the development proponent to formulate a report to the ACT government (which has had no official role so far, but with whom discussions have clearly been held) to suit its own interests.

In this case, there is a strong suspicion that “the deal has been done” and that a “community consultation” such as this is a mere formality, rather than a genuine attempt to discern community views, prior to the lodging of a development application.

Karina Morris, Weetangera

Did Berry apologise to anyone in person?

DID ACT Housing Minister Yvette Berry apologise in person to any of the public housing tenants she had forced to relocate?

Certainly not to any of my friends living in public housing who have emailed me claiming Berry and Housing ACT treat them with contempt, but will not say so publicly for fear of being victimised by the minister and her department.

Here are some of their comments with names excluded:

• “Berry and her crew look down on us, the less well-off, with arrogance and disdain, attitudes not dissimilar to racial and religious bigotry.”

• “Political and bureaucratic conceit by unethical and incompetent elites.”

• “Why did it take an ombudsman’s report for Berry to treat battlers with decency and respect? We need a judicial inquiry into public housing.”

• “Barr and Co have moved to the far right, more interested in their developer mates and trams than the 20,000 plus people in public housing and the 1,600 homeless in Canberra.”

• “Berry and Housing think social justice is a horse in the fifth at Randwick.”

Sinead O’Neil, via email

A sad message from Henry and Will

NOT the regular letter to the editor, but a poignant one nonetheless. Brothers Henry (11) and Will (9) live in Deakin and their mum says they’ve been left devastated by the killing of kangaroos and their joeys in this year’s cull.

Included in this cull were two large kangaroo families that Henry, Will and their

parents used to encounter during regular walks up and down the reserve.

“In memory of those two families and all the others killed this year they drew and wrote this tribute and stuck it on the nature park sign at Red Hill, and took a moment to remember those killed,” says mum Natalie Baczynski

Douglas can’t have it both ways

I AM always an interested reader of the letters page in both “CityNews” and the “Daily Telegraph” and I was perplexed by two letters, one in each publication, both penned by your regular contributor, Dr Douglas Mackenzie from Deakin.

In the “Daily Telegraph” letter he writes about Canberrans continuing to vote in the Greens-Labor government, stating in his conclusion: “When will Canberrans wake up?”

The same week he wrote in his letter to “CityNews”: “Like my father, I have been a Labor voter all my life and despite his disapproval of many Greens-Labor policies and actions, the ACT Liberals have a lot of work ahead of them to win my vote”.

It seems like many, Douglas Mackenzie needs to wake up. After all, the Liberals cannot be worse than the current Greens-Labor government!

Andrew Sutton, Campbell

Civic Hotel followed the failed ‘alcohol cafes’

I READ with interest Wendy Johnson’s review of the Civic Pub (CN August 10). I appreciate her kind and encouraging reviews. However, I could not let the historical inaccuracy pass.

The Civic Pub did not open in the early 1920s. There were no pubs in the Federal Capital Territory then because the sale of alcohol was prohibited until 1928, thanks to King O’Malley.

After the 1928 plebiscite, in which voters overwhelmingly agreed to resume the sale of alcohol, the government experimented with “alcohol cafes” in Civic, Kingston and Manuka. That experiment failed miserably.

Eventually, in 1935 Tooheys were able to build two purpose-built pubs in Canberra.

Back to the present day – both pubs are, I believe, under the same management and there are distinct similarities in the tasty food offerings, thoughtful seating options and distinct décor. Canberra does have “real” pubs!

Nick Swain, Barton

All that matters is the algorithm and AI

JANINE Haskins (Letters, CN August 10) doesn’t understand why car thieves get harsher penalties than paedophiles and other sex offenders. Allow me to help Janine out. We are literally in the grips of a cultural revolution that seeks to overthrow Western civilisation, which whether it was religious or humanist secularist in nature, viewed human beings as having innate worth.

But this is not the case for the post-modernistcum-post-humanist society, when all that increasingly matters is the algorithm and AI’s freedom to see humans as nothing more than data factories.

As such, when we try, through the prism of religious or humanist secularist sensibilities, to understand why cars are now more important than innocent children, it makes no sense to us all.

But once we understand that the age of innate human worth is quickly coming to an end – albeit only in the minds of a sick but very influential few – what we see happening in the world makes perfect sense.

Vasily Martin, Queanbeyan

Canberra flight costs are sky high

Sponsored by

The Hotel Kingston in Griffith opened in July 1936. It has operated continuously and is doing a very busy trade these days.

The next to open, in August 1936, was the Civic Hotel, located on the corner of Northbourne Avenue and Alinga Street. It did good trade until it was demolished in 1985.

OUR chief minister keeps voyaging overseas to try and get flights in and out of Canberra when the locals would prefer he got some reasonable-cost interstate flights. Flight costs in and out of Canberra are way above what they should be.

Ben Gershon, via

email

Henry and Will in front of their “letter”... and the letter that’s affixed to the Red Hill Nature reserve sign.

Typical Barr – when facing blame, he shifts it

CHIEF Minister Andrew Barr’s protestations about the leaking of the Sofronoff Board of Inquiry report into the handling of the Brittany Higgins rape allegations are typical of his behaviour.

When the blame clearly lies with him and his government, shift the blame on to someone else.

Consider the following:

• It was the ACT cabinet, including Barr and his Attorney-General, who appointed Shane Drumgold as the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions.

• It was the ACT government that tolerated the obviously unsatisfactory (as now coming to light under the Sofronoff inquiry) performance of Drumgold in the DPP role.

• It was the ACT government that failed to notice the increasingly difficult relationship between the DPP’s office and the ACT police; and take steps to rectify the situation, a situation which fundamentally put at risk the whole integrity of the ACT judicial system.

When this dysfunctional situation was finally exposed by the actions of Drumgold in the Higgins matter, the ACT government was forced, under enormous political pressure, to finally stand up an inquiry into the matter.

Now, it is the ACT taxpayer who will have to foot the cost of the inquiry and quite likely the multi-million dollar cost of compensation to the defendant, Bruce Lehrmann, who is now suing the DPP’s office on the grounds of misfeasance in public office.

And Barr’s response to this is a serious suggestion to refer Sofronoff to the ACT Integrity Commission for the pre-emptive release of the report. One would think that Mr Sofronoff with his learned experience as a judge of the highest order would have been more than concerned with his findings from the inquiry and worried whether the ACT government, given the damning findings, would attempt to spin the report findings more favourably. His release of the inquiry shut down this pathway and this is why Barr is fuming.

One would have also thought that the ACT Integrity Commission, with its poor track record of reports completed to date, and with the increasing number of potential referrals related to various Barr government decisions, would have matters of higher order to consider.

Ron Edgecombe, Evatt

It’s time for a referendum date

WITH the Voice campaign now perceptively losing traction, it’s time for the PM to finally announce a referendum date or risk antagonising voters into voting “no” at the upcoming referendum.

Voters are now sick and tired of having the Voice forced down their throats on a daily basis.

As apparently a vast number of voters have already made up their minds one way or another, and the voting pattern to date would be hard to change, I can’t see how delaying announcing a referendum date would advantage a moribund Voice.

Instead of procrastinating, Albo should “do the right thing” by announcing the referendum date now and put an end to this never ending political charade.

Mario Stivala, Belconnen

Ideally, we’d have caring neighbours

MICHAEL Moore incorrectly reported the wood heater Your Say Panel Survey results (CN August 3). In fact, 52 per cent of the 1955 Canberrans surveyed supported a phase-out in the ACT, 19 per cent were neutral and only 27 per cent opposed it.

The panel survey also found that 28 per cent of Canberrans – more than 2.5 times the 11 per cent respondents owning wood heaters – were frequently or sometimes impacted by smoke from a neighbour’s wood heater. Complaints about the problem often remained unresolved.

Results from Asthma Australia’s Nationally Representative Survey were similar. Three-quarters of the general population (77 per cent) agreed that woodfire heaters should not be allowed in urban or built-up areas and over half agreed they should be phased out (55 per cent) or banned completely (54 per cent). Equally importantly, those who are exposed to woodfire heaters said they are largely unable to protect themselves from the smoke.

Dr Sophie Lewis, ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment, highlighted the inequity in current policy settings, which prioritise the rights of a small proportion of people to burn wood over the health costs for all Canberrans, especially those affected by wood heater pollution.

In an ideal world, we’d have a caring,

compassionate society where neighbours weren’t forced to breathe harmful pollution.

Dr Dorothy L Robinson, Australian Air Quality Group

Itwas the other way around, Michael

MICHAEL Moore (CN August 3) says we need to listen to people’s views more rather than just having “tick-the-box” consultations. I agree, but Michael needs to get his facts right as well.

He quotes a Your Say survey on wood heaters as follows: “Nearly 2000 people participated with just 27 per cent supporting the phasing out of wood heaters.”

What the published survey in fact shows is that 52 per cent of all respondents supported phasing out wood heaters, and only 27 per cent opposed this.

The Your Say survey results are therefore more in keeping with the current ACT Environment Commissioner’s recommendations to phase out wood heaters.

Murray May, Cook

Articles likely to offend shouldn’t be published

I AM happy a few readers took issue with columnist Robert Macklin’s article, “Give us this day our daily hypocrisy in Parliament” (CN July 13). I also found it offensive. I did not write to “CityNews” as I had taken issue with Mr Macklin about an offensive article he had written previously, and I was simply brushed off.

We live in a multicultural society in which everyone is encouraged to be respectful and understanding of each other’s culture, religion and so on. Even common courtesy dictates that. If Mr Macklin is unable to be respectful, I suggest future articles of his likely to cause offence not be published, or as a minimum be redacted.

Herman van de Brug, Holt

Aunty’s not happy with the editor (not ours)

MY aunt recently sent an email to the editor of “The Canberra Times.” This is what she wrote: “On 8 October 2014 the OECD declared Canberra to be the best place in the world to live. Does anyone remember this, I do, having lived here for over 50 years?

The Labor/Greens have been in power for 20 years and Canberra in many ways has declined.”

She gave it the title: “Do you remember?”

“The Canberra Times” completely altered the title and contents to make it look like my aunt was happy with the way the ACT has been going.

She rang the editor and he said they had every right to alter her comments.

What is the point of sending in comments if they do not end up yours? She told him that “The Canberra Times” was very left wing and the Liberals hardly get any good press.

Another question. What has happened to Canberra, it was not mentioned on any list of most desirable cities to live?

I have to admit I much prefer reading your magazine; you have great articles including what concerts are up and coming. Also you are not biased and print both sides of what is going on in the ACT. I have also lived here for 52 years and I think the place has declined as well.

Melanie Glover, Duffy

Worry less about mynas, more for kangaroos

IN answer to Errol Good about Indian Mynas, I can understand how he thinks about native animals and birds, which is commendable.

Providing nest boxes for native birds is exactly what Indian Mynas are looking for and they will kick out anything that is nesting inside.

In summer I wear a T-shirt that has a photo of an Indian Myna on it. The comments I get are that it’s a nice photo of a magpie! Unfortunately the general public wouldn’t know the difference between a mudlark and a magpie.

I would suggest we worry less about Indian Mynas and be concerned a bit more about the horrible culling of the kangaroos, which in other countries people cannot believe.

Mr Barr likes to spend money; how about he has a Shoo-Ross fitted to all ACT cars. It may be cheaper and not so cruel.

John

Hobbins,

via email

Sir has told the class umpteen times…

MARIO, have you not been listening in class again? (Letters, CN August 3).

Sir has told the class umpteen times that because the parliament has power to make

special laws in relation to a race of people, Mr Albanese wants the referendum to decide if it’s fair for members of that race to be able to tell parliament how those laws affect them.

It’s a matter of principle. How would you feel if Sir decided all the boys in the class had to have an apple – with no complaining – because he thought it was good for them, while the girls in the class were to be given money to buy whatever food – including lollies – they wanted.

Sir has also said that if the referendum decides a Voice is fair, then Mr Albanese wants the Parliament – not him or his government – to decide how the members of that race could make their views known to the members and senators. Parliament will no doubt at that stage have to decide many matters of detail.

Bill Bowron, via email

Go back to football, Senator Pocock

I SAW on the news that our illustrious Senator Pocock has come up with a brainwave. He has suggested that Parkes Way be put underground and then build a stadium on top with a group of houses as well. Did Senator Pocock give much thought to this? Did he consider doing a feasibility study, a cost benefit analysis, consider the practicality, the scale of the project and how long it would take?

We know from the Labor/Greens debacle of the trams how long it takes and the inconvenience to the populous.

The senator was a footballer, so he knows how big a stadium is and he wants to put it over Parkes Way.

Does this also include an enormous car park? Then there are the houses. How close would they be to the stadium? The structural work would have to be phenomenal to take the weight of the stadium, car park and houses.

Has he considered the cost and the fact the ACT is already in so much debt and climbing? Go back to football, senator, if this is the best you can come up with.

Vi Evans, via email

Luke Clews

Talking ’bout my generation – Boomers v Zoomers

“I am not young enough to know everything” –Oscar Wilde

THE Baby Boomer generation was in its early 20s in the second half of the 1960s, while the Gen Z generation was in its early 20s in 2023. How do the two compare?

There are societal changes between generations only 20 years apart, but the biggest societal change in many generations came with the advent of mobile phones from 1983 and personal computers from 1990. The internet also created enormous changes when it became publicly available on August 6, 1991.

Before 1990 in the Australian Public Service there were some computers, but only in specialist organisations such as the Defence Signals Directorate (now the Australian Signals Directorate), the Defence Intelligence Organisation’s Imagery Exploitation Centre (now the Australian GeospatialIntelligence Organisation), and the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

When I worked in Defence Security in the early 2000s, I came across our first laptop in a cupboard with the original receipt. It had been bought in 1990 to record vetting interviews. It was a Toshiba with a 100MB hard drive running WordPerfect software, and had cost Defence $10,000. I had it mounted in a glass display case

to show our staff that we actually had bought new computer equipment since 1990.

The Boomer generation had, and still has, some important skill sets. One is the ability to do mathematical calculations in their heads – thanks to rotelearned multiplication tables and doing mental arithmetic in school. Australians don’t

use cash much anymore, but it’s pointless giving $21.20 to a young shop assistant for an $11.20 item to get a $10 note in change as it just causes confusion.

Baby Boomers also have a wide range of general knowledge from reading newspapers and listening to the radio. They are good at fixing things because, when they were younger, consumer items were made to be repaired. The post-World War II austerity years taught people to make do with what they had. They also learned to handwrite legibly –except, of course, for doctors.

Consumer items in the 2020s are generally not made to be fixed and you often can’t buy replacement parts, so Zoomers are used to throwing out an item when it stops working or is no longer up to date.

Today’s consumers have become habituated to having to regularly upgrade mobile phones and computer software and hardware. We often have little choice as software upgrades often won’t work on older phones and computers.

Zoomers are financially better

off and educated differently. Their digital news input tends to be based on what they are interested in. Much of their interaction is digital. They are the drivers of inclusivity and wokeism.

They may not have as much general knowledge, but they can Google anything they don’t know and get a range of answers. They don’t need to handwrite because they can type or use transcription software. They don’t need to write essays because they can rely on ChatGPT. They don’t need to do mental arithmetic because their phones have calculators.

Today’s generation is much more aware of the fragility of the environment in a world wracked by climate change, pandemics, corporate greed and major power tensions, and think – probably rightly – that Boomers and successor generations (X and Y) are largely to blame for messing up the planet and putting their future at risk.

Today’s Zoomers exercise more at gyms but are fatter –mainly because they lead more sedentary lives, consume too much sugar, and eat highcalorie fast food.

There were few fat people back in the 1960s because they had a more frugal diet and walked more. People did smoke a lot back in the 1960s, even in government offices. My contemporaries who were heavy smokers – and did not give up smoking – have already died from cancer. Even so, the average lifespan of Boomers is likely to be greater than the average lifespan of Zoomers. With that in mind, remember birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that people who have the most birthdays live the longest.

Clive Williams

A Toshiba laptop from the 1990s.

Here’s help with home storage or moving homes

EVERYONE needs storage, whether it’s a drawer for home-office supplies or something larger for decluttering or downsizing.

Whatever it is, Canberra’s home to many services offering help while moving house, or storage options for onsite, offsite, in-the-home or backyard.

This week “CityNews” sources some of the stars of Canberra’s best storage solutions and moving services.

Storage to suit any environment

LEADING second-hand furniture store, Ex-Government Furniture, has plenty of storage options to suit any space, says co-owner James Fullerton.

He says the business, which has been operating for more than three decades, has become very well recognised amongst home improvers.

“We have all types of storage for home and offices, and recently we’ve received a lot of mobile storage options,” says James.

“There are under-desk mobile pedestals, as well as regular under-desk drawers, we have mobile sliding drawer units and garage storage that is always in demand.

“We also have metal cupboards and bookshelf units, buffets and hutches, new and traditional filing cabinets and lateral filing units that are good for tool storage.”

James says if people are looking for more secure storage options, Ex-Government Furniture offers a variety of safes.

“We’ve also just got in some furniture and storage for a home office, that doesn’t look office-y,” he says.

“With ongoing shipments, we are inundated with new items every week, and they are one-off, unique pieces of high-end furniture.”

There’s a huge range and we can work with customers to their budget.”

Ex-Government Furniture, 6 Yallourn Street, Fyshwick. Call 6280 6490 or visit exgovfurniture.com

AS the owner of Renovation Matters, Kim Persson says her love of renovating has seen her take her passion from a hobby to a successful business. With more than 40 renova tions under her belt, she’s got the experience and know-how to transform homes to the best effect.

“I can help people who are thinking of downsizing, or renovate a family home to get people money when moving into the next chapter of their lives.

“We can help with storage, get rid of clutter and we can do as much or as little as people want.”

Kim says she’s noticed a change in the current market.

“Times are changing and it’s important to strategise, to give your house an uplift, making sure the home is well presented,” she says.

“I’m hearing from some real estate agents that houses that are unrenovated or needing repairs are sitting on the market and not moving.

“It’s currently a buyer’s market rather than a seller’s market, so you have to be very strategic with the areas you renovate.”

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

“If you’re struggling with tough times, or finding it harder to pay the mortgage, we can fund improvements until settlement,” she says.

“If we are needed to help a client, there’s nothing we can’t do to help make the renovation a stress-free experience.”

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

Kim’s passionate about helping client’s profit

Large range of storage solutions available.

Renovation Matters operations manager Amy Gannon, left, with owner Kim Persson.

Jack offers professional moves with care

WITH a focus on care, professionalism, reliability and efficiency, JWS Removals is Canberra’s removalist of choice, says owner Jack Stafford.

Jack, who’s been specialising in furniture removals, logistics, as well as fine arts and antique relocations, for more than 10 years, established JWS Removals to fill a gap in the industry, offering a more personalised removalist service.

Being a small, privately-owned and operated business, Jack says he works with clients personally, from the quote all the way through to the unload.

“We pride ourselves on our professionalism and that’s why we don’t use labour hire, only quality, experienced removalists who know how to get the job

done right,” Jack says.

“We leave nothing to risk, using specialised furniture blankets, boxes, plastic furniture protective covers, trolleys, carpeted truck floors, felt pads for in-home floor protection and much more to ensure a risk and stress-free move.”

And, so there’s no hidden costs, JWS Removals offers in-person, no-obligation, free quotes.

This also allows Jack to see the furniture and valuables in advance so he knows exactly what protective materials are needed to make the move as quick and safe as possible, he says.

JWS Removals. Call 0448 401604 or visit jwsremovals.com.au

HOUSE to Home’s pre-pack to move services offer a streamlined and efficient solution for individuals and families looking to transition to a new residence, says co-owner Renee Le Grand.

“With meticulous planning and years of expertise in the moving industry, House to Home takes the stress out of relocation by handling every aspect of the move,” she says.

“Our pre-pack to move services begin with a comprehensive assessment of the client’s needs and requirements.

“A team of experienced professionals then carefully pack and label belongings, ensuring their safety during transit.

“This service is particularly advantageous for those with busy schedules or those seeking a hands-off

materials and techniques to guarantee the security of fragile items and valuable possessions.

“By entrusting the packing process to skilled experts, clients can focus on other crucial aspects of the move, such as settling legalities, changing addresses, and saying goodbye to their old home,” she says.

“The pre-pack to move services also extend to unpacking at the new destination, allowing clients to immediately feel at home in their new surroundings without the overwhelming task of unpacking.

“With House to Home’s commitment to efficiency, professionalism, and personalised attention, their pre-pack to move services ensure a seamless transition to a new chapter in life.”

JWS Removals owner Jack Stafford.

house or office move, says a Capital Removal spokesper son.

“Capital Removal, often referred to as one of the best removalists in Canberra, delivers peace-of-mind moves,” they say.

“We understand our clients’ needs and concerns, thanks to our 17+ years experience in Canberra.

“Whether moving interstate, or locally, Capital Removal can help with all of your furniture removal needs.”

The spokesperson says Capital Removal can help with both residential and commercial jobs.

“We pride ourselves on providing a courteous and

“We are Canberra’s largest removals company, with a team of over 30 staff and six trucks.

“Our team can provide the service and tips to make your move a smooth process. Whether you need help packing, or just want us to move the big items, Capital Removal will assist you every step of the way.

“We service Belconnen, Gungahlin, Woden, Tuggeranong, Weston, North Canberra, South Canberra, and the Molonglo and NSW regions.”

Capital Removal. Call 1300 724005, or visit capitalremoval.com.au

Carpet sale to decorate a new home

ENDEAVOUR Carpets is offering a “never before seen sale running until the end of August, offering $10 to $50 off per lineal metre from selected suppliers,” says co-owner Taylor O’Brien.

“Endeavour offers the largest range of top-quality floor coverings in Canberra and Queanbeyan, with options that will help keep the home warm in winter,” she says.

“Established in 1970, Endeavour is a family-run business and is proud of its personalised service.

enced team of specialists to make the customer experience as easy as possible.

“Our showroom is so great that other retailers send their customers to view our huge range of top-quality floor coverings,” she says.

As a member of the Independent Carpets group, Taylor says Endeavour Carpets can offer customers greater choice and the best available prices.

“As a family business, Endeavour Carpets appreciates that customers are spoilt for choice in

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YOU WILL BE IN GOOD HANDS!

Make the day that celebrates dad unforgettable FATHER’S DAY

Don’t know what to get dad this Father’s Day?

Don’t fret, because throughout Canberra there are plenty of businesses with items and experiences that’ll make for perfect gifts. Whether dad wants some classic sweet treats, or to fly a jet simula tor, “CityNews” has compiled a handy guide to help make him feel special this Father’s Day.

starting from the First Fleet, up until today,” he says.

“People should come and visit us as a big-city museum in a rural setting, we’re only slightly off the main road.

“We have a working gallows, people can use a real trap-door, but we also have fire trucks and tractors from history.”

Andrew says they have serving minimumsecurity prisoners working as guides.

“We have done risk assessments with them, and they are coming to the end of serving their

Andrew says he has been doing this work for eight years, having previously worked as a senior prison officer in the UK and in Canberra.

“My passion is the privilege I have been given to tell Australia’s history,” he says.

“I also set up displays in the reception area of some other correctional facilities too.” Cooma Correctional Museum, 1 Vagg Street, Cooma. Call 6452 5974, or visit correctiveservices.dcj.nsw.gov.au

JET Flight Simulator Canberra has a one-of-a-kind present for dads this Father’s Day, says owner Trevor Vickers, with three different ways to fly: a B737 jet, ICAROS active virtual reality, and a VR paraglider simulator.

“Visitors get to operate a full-size replica of a Boeing 737-800 cockpit and can choose from 24,000 airports around the world to fly into or out of,” he says, “providing the everyday person with the opportunity to pilot the world’s most popular commercial aircraft.”

“There’ll be an instructor who’s there to point out what all the buttons and levers do and when to use them, but it’ll be you that’s doing the flying.”

Trevor says sometimes people want to fly over where they’ve been on holiday, others want to do things like fly under the Sydney Harbour Bridge – and it’s all possible.

“Lots of dads have always wanted to fly a large plane. It’s a very memorable gift because it’s very unusual,” he says. But that’s not the only experience they’re offering, says Trevor.

Visitors also have the opportunity for a more fast-paced, virtual reality experience called “ICAROS” which he describes as a “completely different way to fly”.

“The way it works is that you lie on

a frame and just by shifting your body weight it steers you in the virtual world,” says Trevor.

“The sensation is more like flying with a wingsuit or like you’re Superman.”

“The third way to fly with us is with our new VR paraglider simulator,” Trevor says.

“Sitting in a standard paraglider harness, you soar over sand dunes, try catching thermals, or land as close as possible to the target.”

Jet Flight Simulator Canberra, 4 Montford Crescent, Lyneham. Visit jetflightsimulatorcanberra.com.au or call 0438 834026.

See and learn about:

• Officers, marines and convicts of the First Fleet

• Life and living conditions of convicts over the past 250 years

• Chains, manacles, tools, weapons, uniforms, prisoner clothing, and artefacts from more than 120 years ago

• Displays of escape attempts, prison revolts and riots

Home of classics and new favourites

THE big news at Lolly Swagman is Fantales are in stock, but they’re not sure how long for, says owner Ian Richardson.

“People are coming in and buying a 1kg bag, or just half a dozen, there’s no in between,” he says.

“It’s another example of big companies retreating, not investing in Australia, so we’re choosing to support locals wherever we can, giving opportunities to little businesses.

“We’re getting rocky road in from Just Sweets in Altona, working with Lagoon Lollies in Williamstown, and Blackebys Sweets in Adelaide.”

Ian says Lolly Swagman is home of the favourites you’ve always had, and the new ones you are yet to discover.

“Tastes evolve, your palate may change, so while

it’s good to revisit your old favourites, it’s good to experience new flavours as well,” he says.

“We have also tried new chocolate and traditional lollies from Scandinavia. We tried a Kexchoklad wafer bar, it’s vegan and not overly strong or rich in chocolate, but I’m the only one who liked it.

“My lolly knowledge goes back to my grandparents. All our staff are filled with extensive knowledge too. We know a lot and we’ve been through the shortages and stories; we’re prepared to share that knowledge which gives us the advantage. It’s the story, the connection and the memories that make it more than just buying a lolly.”

Lolly Swagman, 11 Old Hume Highway, Berrima. Call 4877 1137, or visit lollyswagman.com.au

Getting close-up and personal with animals

MORE hands-on than any zoo or park, Taralga Wildlife Park offers close-up and personal animal experiences, making it the perfect outing for the whole family, says owner John Stafford.

“Meet all our regular visitors’ favourites like Wilma the wombat,” he says.

“You’ll find Wilma wandering the grounds just waiting for a pat and some attention.

“Or get up-close with Rinnie, our super friendly dingo, or visit the friendship farm area that also features rabbits, guinea pigs and sheep.”

The park also has numerous species of kangaroos and wallabies, including two spectacular white kangaroos, more than 100 species of birds, including macaws, curlews, parrots, finches and endangered freckled ducks, as well as free-ranging peacocks.

With more than 50 exhibits featuring animals such as

dingoes, deer, antelope, camels, llamas and alpacas, John says there are plenty of animals and birds to see and feed.

Visitors can make a day out of the park, too, finishing it off at its cafe, which John says serves great coffee and cake or light lunch options until 3pm.

He says there’s also a good range of cafes and hotels in the area to enjoy a variety of food.

Taralga Wildlife Park is open 10am to 4pm, Thursday to Monday, and is open every day during school holidays.

Taralga Wildlife Park, 257 Bannaby Road, Taralga. Call 0419 014540 or search Taralga Wildlife Park on Facebook.

Rinnie the dingo.

Neem’s a good friend to the garden

NEEM oil is a popular product to use in the garden – it’s organic and safe around children, pets and plants.

Neem also has hundreds of biological, antiviral and anti-bacterial properties and can be an immune stimulant as well.

It can be used on foliage, bark and even the soils, but is most effective when it can translocate into the vascular system of the plants and insects chew on the foliage. Once the insects ingest it, it prevents the larvae from moulting and therefore cannot reproduce.

Neem is unharmful to beneficial insects, and it’s biodegradable, decomposes rapidly and effectively on soft-bodied insects, including aphids, spider mite, caterpillars, beetles, snails and slugs.

While costly, as little as two millilitres of neem oil for 200 millilitres of water is all that’s needed. However, overdosing on neem can lead to leaf burn and cause damage.

All parts of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica) can be used, but the seed is the most potent and the

insecticides.

Its added bonus is as a fungicide. As a preventative spray, it can suppress several common leaf-spot diseases such as powdery and downy mildews.

WINTER oils are generally petroleum based with paraffin their active ingredient. It’s a by-product of petrol, is low in toxicity and used only in winter on bare stems of fruit trees for harder-shelled insects such as cottony cushion scale, Californian red scale and beetles.

Australian-made eco oil is the safest to use in the garden and its active ingredient is 100 per cent plant oil and doesn’t contain petroleum. Eco oil smothers insects it comes in contact with. Eco oil and eco neem are compatible to mix together to do two jobs at once.

AT this time of year, citrus will look its worst if it’s been planted in the wrong spot. It really won’t like the cold and frosts that damage its fruit.

The correct position in the garden will guarantee a thriving, long-lived evergreen fruit tree. Citrus trees like a northern wall to grow up against and plenty of growing. The three ancestral citrus species, that originated from Asia and Oceania – mandarins, pomelos and citrons – have been cross bred to create oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruits and many more new varieties.

Yuzu, one of the latest new citrus, is suitable for Canberra. This prized citrus is cold tolerant, highly

Jottings…

also be used in the kitchen to add flavour to curries and stir fries.

A SMALL tree flowering now and right into the warmer weather is the old favourite, the winter rose or hellebore. Its dainty flowers sit above the ground in winter and are not bothered by frosts. There are double and single varieties available as well as many colours. It can be planted in the shade. jackwar@home.netspeed. com.au

Remove annual weeds, such as sticky weed and vetch, before they flower. Feed fruit trees with compost and organic matter. Add boron to the soil around apple trees for sweetness and crunch. Get seedling trays, potting mix and seeds ready for planting in a few weeks when the daily temperature increases.

The winter rose or hellebore… its dainty flowers sit above the ground in winter.

Photo: Jackie Warburton

Citrus trees like a northern wall to grow up against and plenty of winter sun.

Photo: Jackie Warburton

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

INSIDE Weaver’s slow burn amid the ‘lost flowers’ NICK OVERALL

The musical Boyds are back in town… to perform

By Helen MUSA

CANBERRA-born classical guitarist Rupert Boyd, his wife Laura and son Milo are enjoying a few private days with his parents and all his siblings for the first time in four years.

Covid took the wind out of the sails of the duo Boyd Meets Girl, but not so much that Boyd and his cellist wife couldn’t get out an album, “Songs of Love & Despair”, which forms the basis of their current tour of 16 different venues across Australia.

“We came here for a mini tour in 2022,” Boyd tells me, “but then Laura caught covid, so we only spent 45 minutes in Canberra.”

Boyd is a product of Ainslie Primary School, Campbell High, Dickson College and the ANU School of Music and comes from an artistic family, with his grandfather the legendary modernist architect, Robin Boyd.

“My parents are music lovers and I grew up hearing them playing Bruce Springsteen and Brahms, but I was the only one who actually played,” he says.

Luckily, Ainslie Primary School had an affiliation with the ANU School of Music and he started studying seriously from age seven.

On the positive side, he says, it’s an instrument that you can play solo and it still

of the best in the world… I didn’t appreciate that until I went to Yale and the Manhattan

School of Music, where it was not quite what I was accustomed to.”

He put it all down to ANU guitar maestro Timothy Kain and says: “I’ve never met a better teacher.

“After my bachelor’s degree at the School of Music, Tim told me I’d better go and look elsewhere.”

So, at age 22, thinking of taking a break from Canberra and heading for the big smoke, he looked to the US.

“At 22, I’d never left Australia before and I auditioned for the Manhattan School of Music via VHS… amazingly I got a scholarship and bought a one-way ticket.”

Boyd was initially all on his own. When he looked in the New York City telephone directory, he realised there was no one he could call. But he had enough money for a one to two-year master’s degree and he was surprised how similar the culture was.

“I was expecting to be more stumped,” he says. Nineteen years later, he’s still there.

“I had a grand time,” Boyd says. “I didn’t have a clue what I would do, but I knew I could get a one-year working visa after graduation.”

Then someone gave $100 million to the Yale School of Music for artist diplomas, so he applied, got in and moved to New Haven, coming back on weekends to New York City.

“I strung it out for four years teaching and finding gigs,” he says.

During this period, he’d met Laura, who’d

come from studying in Boston and was performing in a quintet, but like ships in the night, they’d meet in solo and guitar concerts. Eventually, having started dating in 2012, they put together a program in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The pair have long-since married and their son Milo, who’s just turned five, loves to dance and sing, but is not interested in playing.

“Laura and I will encourage him, but not force him. We want him to study piano in a casual sense, so that he can read music.”

As for the name, Boyd Meets Girl, well it beats their second choice, the Boyd Metcalf Duo, and as Boyd says, it’s “cheesy but memorable”.

The couple have toured the length and breadth of the US, have been to NZ, Nepal and India, where they found “such excitement about western classical music”. They’ve released two albums and run a concert and spoken-word series, “Gather NYC” every Sunday from October to May.

Boyd is now 41 and says: “When I was younger, I felt the world was my oyster… now I’ve made my home in Manhattan and survived and everything is pretty good.” Audiences, he believes, will see that in the concerts (“actually much more love than despair”), which are based on the new album.

Boyd Meets Girl, Wesley Music Centre, 20 National Circuit, Forrest, August 26.

Boyd Meets Girl… guitarist Rupert Boyd, his cellist wife Laura.

Hometown salute for Heide’s old news photos

By Helen Musa

THE medieval town of Hameln (Hamelin) in Germany is world-famous because of its legendary pied piper, but it also numbers among its native daughters one of Australia’s (and Canberra’s) leading photographers – Heide Smith.

The Mayor of Hameln, Claudio Griese, will open an exhibition, “A Master of Light and Shadows: Heide Smith”, on August 25 in the office of the local Hameln paper, “Dewezet”, where Heide worked in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Alas, with severe spinal problems plaguing her, she

won’t be making the long journey back.

“About a year and a half ago they contacted me and asked if I would like to do an exhibition on Hameln,” she says by phone from her home in Tuross.

“I had already donated 55 images of my old hometown to the Museum of Hameln and when the exhibition closes, the prints will be handed over to them, too.”

She doubts they will be showing much of her nonGerman work, rather concentrating on her early images of Hameln during the ‘50s and ‘60s, including images she snapped for the local paper.

Born Heide Soltsien in 1937, Smith took up a camera in 1948, passed through an exacting German photographic training, then began her career as an industrial photographer then photojournalist.

After marrying British army officer Brian Smith, she moved to England in 1963, then in 1971 the couple emigrated to Australia, eventually ending up in Canberra, where she and Brian ran a flourishing business while Heide snapped the good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful, also shooting landscapes and urban scenes.

“I am a GP – general photographer,” she always says.

In early 1998 they moved to Narooma and later Tuross, where she continued to take portrait photographs, travel Australia on corporate assignments, and publish seminal books such as “Tiwi: The Life and Art of Australia’s Tiwi People” and “Portrait of Canberra and of Canberrans, 1979 – 2012”.

From time to time, she sends “CityNews” glorious snaps of the panoramic views and the birdlife of the area. In Germany, Heide reminds me, “photography was called a trade – not art”, but she did enjoy supplying images of young people to magazines while also photographing townsfolk who may now look “quaint and old-fashioned”.

“Hameln is very famous because of the fairytale, but most German towns in those days, around 800 AD, were infected with rats and had to employ someone to get rid of them, so when the townspeople reneged on promises to give him a small fortune after the rats died, things went astray.

Another factor in the legend, she tells me, was the departure of many young people to the Balkans in search of fortune, perhaps explaining the tale of the

ARTS IN THE CITY

disappeared children.

Famous for its Renaissance buildings and much older ones too, Hamelin’s existence was threatened by a plan to sanitise the whole part of the city, but the townspeople fought for it and so now it’s very much a tourist town, something into which Heide’s exhibition will fit well.

Heide has not lived in Germany for many years, but she did return in 1994 after the German embassy in Canberra asked her to photograph the country after the unification of the east and west.

“Brian and I travelled together to Dresden and to many places I have never seen, resulting in the exhibition, “Germany Revisited” in 1995, launched by [then] Foreign Minister Gareth Evans at the High Court and later launched in Sydney at the Goethe Institute by Neville Wran.”

This photography trip was a grand mission, but Heide had begun as a modest apprentice by photographing personalities and landmarks around her hometown and it is those early photographs which piqued the interest of Hameln’s town historian, Dr Gesa Snell.

“The exhibition was not my idea, I was approached by them,” Heide says, but though notoriously unsentimental, she’s plainly pleased.

“It’s flattering for someone to come up with the idea of exhibiting your very old images and when you get to my age, you know you can’t live forever and it’s obviously quite nice that someone remembered. Yes, it’s nice.”

Simon, Art and that bridge

By Helen Musa

“THE Simon & Garfunkel Story” sees UK performers William Sharp, as Paul Simon, and Oliver Cave, as Art Garfunkel, telling the tale of how two young boys from Queens, New York, went on to become perhaps the world’s most successful music duo of all time, split, then came together in the 1981 Central Park reunion concert. Featuring ‘60s imagery video projections and a full band, the show includes hits such as “Mrs Robinson”, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “The Sound of Silence”. Canberra Theatre, August 25.

“TIM,” the novel written by Colleen McCullough and famous for the movie starring a young Mel Gibson, has been turned into a stage play by Tim McGarry. Briefly, Tim is a 25-year-old labourer with a mild intellectual disability who forms a life-changing relationship with Mary. A touring production directed by Darren Yap will be at Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre, August 25-26.

IN another adaptation, Perform Australia is staging the world premiere of “The Getting of Wisdom” based on Henry Handel Richardson’s novel, by Canberra playwright Elizabeth Avery Scott. The performers are all

members of a specialist high school program for Years 7-10, and Scott says: “It’s surprising how little the preoccupations of teenage girls have changed, more than a century after this story was conceived.” Tuggeranong Arts Centre, August 17-19.

THE second Australian Playwrights’ Festival has the theme, “Safe Spaces, Risky Ideas”. Speakers include playwrights Donna Abela and Noëlle Janaczewska, and director Wesley Enoch. ARA Darling Quarter Theatre, Sydney, August 25-27.

MUSIC for Canberra presents “Morning Melodies – Mélodies Matinales”, an orchestrated concert conducted by Louis Sharpe that takes listeners to the romantic streets of Paris, the countryside and the halls of historic châteaux. Wesley Uniting Church, 10.30am, August 26.

SUTTON Village Gallery in Camp Street is fast becoming the place to go on weekends, with the bookbinding exhibition “Reflections of a Philosophical Voyager” continuing until August 20, followed by Diana Reynolds’ Rule’s show of her original artwork from August 21-September 10, including the launch of her children’s book, “Eddy for Endangered Fauna”, on August 26.

Photos of Hamelin in the ‘50s and ‘60s by Heide Smith. Photographer Heide Smith.

DINING /

Where you’re served what the kitchen creates, but it’s worth it

PEONEE Restaurant is full of surprises. On Provan Street in Campbell, Peonee has been open a few months and entirely confident its unique approach to dining will continue to attract Canberrans wanting an innovative food experience.

Don’t expect a set menu (use the online menu as a guide only). Peonee’s surprises continue with its “blind” approach to dining.

Dishes are designed around the best produce Peonee can source on the day from the small producers it has established close and meaningful relationships with. You’re served what the kitchen creates but, trust me, the anticipation is worth the wait.

The lunch menu is $55 (two courses with the option of adding a third) and dinner $120 (five courses). Dishes are designed to share and combine Asian and French flavours and techniques. We were a group of six and agreed that all dishes – each a piece of art – were amazing.

After a brioche with clams crème fraiche and mullet row “snack” to start, we moved to a divine cuttlefish with a cream dashi sauce, turnip and curry leaves. Another dream dish was Jerusalem artichoke onion broth, finished with pretty pearl onions on top. What an amazing combination of flavours and the house made wholemeal sourdough with cultured butter is up there with the best.

The pork neck is a masterful creation and so luxurious it could be cut with a fork. Tastes were incredible and the apple purée cut through with flair. The elegant kingfish was created with daikon, nashi and Geraldton Wax, bursting with citrus and pine flavours.

Fans of witlof should hope and pray the salad

we indulged in is on the menu when visiting. It featured pork fat sauce and perky pickles. We worshipped every bite.

Desserts are to-die-for and must not be missed. They’re not overly sweet but tremble with excitement. Our caramelised yoghurt with citrus is a dish unlike any other I’ve had and the decadent dark chocolate praline with coconut cardamom was exceptional. One of our party was celebrating a birthday and Peonee surprised us with a special sweet plate we could easily share.

Peonee accurately describes itself as a “small contemporary eatery with an elegant, yet industrial feeling”. Service by highly experienced pros front-of-house and in the kitchen is meticulous, with full respect for noise control, and the place bursts with pride.

Beverages feature only Australian wines and spirits, which deserves a big round of applause. Again, Peonee is accurate when it describes its curated wine list as a “true expression of the terroir, variety and season”. Opt to pair dishes with wines or non-alcoholic beverages. Dine indoors or out.

After dinner, we were presented with a printed description of the dishes to take home as a keepsake. Nice one.

WINE Some like it hot, but what to drink?

THE winter blues can be cast aside by eating hot spicy food that reminds us of the beauty of warmth.

Chilli is exercise for the insides. Recently, I dined at Dosa Hut in Civic with a friend and we ate well, especially enjoying as our first choice the fish curry with the contrast of the crisp fish and the creamy sauce.

We were somewhat more tentative in our decision-making with the drinks because it is often difficult to get a wine that matches well with a curry.

I’m a fan of red wine with ripe fruit flavours such as complex pinot noir or tannin-laden cabernet sauvignon, but these varietals tend to clash with the flavours in many Indian dishes. It seems that this problem is given more prominence when the drinks solution lies elsewhere: the coolness and refreshing taste of beer is the go-to drink with Indian curries.

Dosa Hut has Kingfisher beer on tap and its malty lager taste cleans the palate as well as complement-

ing the spiciness of the food.

And even though I’m a wine writer, my recent sojourn in the UK has reinforced my liking for beer, not just for taste but on a value-for-money basis. And you don’t fuss with a beer: pouring, swirling it in your glass before you taste and pontificating before you swallow. It’s just beer.

The wine choice by the glass at Dosa Hut features a NSW winery, Kosciuszko Wines. The winery is located in the Tumbarumba wine region.

On a day out to Jugiong a few years ago now, I recall that Kosciuszko Wines were on taste with a great number of other local wines at an excellent tasting room in the town.

The cool-climate wines on display reflect the vineyards of Tumbarumba, that are sometimes snow-bound, located west of the Kosciuszko National Park at altitudes from 500 to 900 metres.

At Dosa Hut, the matching with fish curry was the Kosciuszko chardonnay, 2021. It has a good crisp finish, somewhat fruity and has enough body to pair with the creamy, lighter curries. I prefer an off-dry riesling with Asian food, especially where chilli is involved because the residual sugar reduces the fire of chilli.

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The red wine offered by the glass was a Kosciuszko Tumbarumba Pinot Noir 2021. The pinot had enough vibrancy to fit well with the dahl that was soft and not too spicy; a good protein hit of lentils.

Any red that is low tannin should match with dahl but my favourite with Indian food, especially where there is a tomato influence, is a grenache. The juiciness and lightly spicy flavours in this varietal match curries that are often acidic. I’d suggest a local Collector Night Watch Grenache 2019 that costs around $40.

I believe that the essence of the matching process with Indian food is to ensure that the flavours in either the food or the wine don’t swamp the other element: it is a process of matching and melding, avoiding a clash. If that’s too much trouble, order beer.

Many Indians don’t trust wine as an appropriate drink with their cuisine and prefer a good belt of whisky to go with the food (although the lower the alcohol in a wine the lower the heat, so low-alcohol wines might match with a curry).

I finished the meal with a scotch (my friend was driving) and that was a real treat, another drink that I’m a fan of. It turned up the internal heat even further.

The inventor of the air conditioner has died. His funeral was attended by thousands of fans.

Cuttlefish with a cream dashi sauce, turnip and curry leaves.

The kingfish… created with daikon, nashi and Geraldton Wax.

Dark chocolate praline… with coconut cardamom. Photos: Wendy Johnson

Annual group exhibition

Art in Miniature

Opening by Helen Musa

Sunday 27 August 3pm

Exhibition runs 26 August - 28 September 2023

Yarralumla Gallery and The Oaks Brasserie 36 Robert Boden Grove, Yarralumla ACT

www.artinminiature.wordpress.com art_in_miniature

Slow burn amid the ‘lost flowers’ STREAMING

By Nick OVERALL

AMERICAN Sigourney Weaver gives her all at putting on an Australian accent in Amazon Prime Video’s new drama series “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart”.

Does she pull it off? Well, it’s hit and miss but it’s a testament to the actress that her performance in this seven-part mini-series is no less enthralling because of it.

Weaver plays June Hart, a fiercely protective owner of a flower farm that doubles as a safe haven for women escaping violence.

Among those who find refuge at the farm is June’s granddaughter – the eponymous Alice – a nine-year-old left orphaned after causing an accident that kills her saintly mother Agnes, and her abusive father Clem.

The following episodes span years, charting Alice’s recovery and how she comes to know her reclusive grandmother, who is imbued with rich intrigue thanks to Weaver’s committed performance.

For those who aren’t familiar, it might not be hard to guess “Alice Hart” is based on a novel of the same name, penned by Aussie author Holly Ringland.

The plot is a sprawling and stunning slow burn. Spanning years, this is a deep dive into a young woman’s psyche and how she comes to terms with her childhood trauma. Viewers should

exploration of domestic violence and abuse.

The cinematography here is an absolute highlight. Dazzling shots of storms, seas and sunsets paint an awe-inspiring picture of the Australian landscape.

It’s great to see an Aussie setting captured vividly on the international streaming stage and I’d wager “Alice Hart” could be well in line to sweep next year’s award season.

THERE has not been a more dramatic and controversial fall from grace for a modern musician than Kanye West.

A winner of 24 grammys and a seller of more than 160 million records, the American rapper carved himself out as one of the world’s most successful artists.

But in the last few years West, or “Ye” as he prefers to be known, has stirred up a furore through a string of increasingly provocative social media posts and publicity stunts.

These moments would result in Adidas cutting ties with West, a move that reportedly lost the

ART / people’s

choice

company more than half a billion dollars as a result of unsold “Yeezy” shoes.

It was only so long before this mounting uproar would make its way into a documentary, and “The Trouble with KanYe”, now streaming on Binge, is just that

Hosted by award-winning journalist Mobeen Azhar, the BBC doco paints a thorough timeline of the rise and fall of West. Among those interviewed are friends and colleagues who explain their own confusion and hurt over his descent into extremism. Azhar also investigates the rapper’s diagnosis of bipolar disorder, questioning to what extent his radical actions may be a result of deteriorating mental health.

“The Trouble With KanYe” offers a fascinating look at the downfall of one of the world’s most popular musical artists and releases ahead of the US election next year, where it’s rumoured “Ye” may even try his hand at running for president.

THIS month marks the unexpected return of an animated TV comedy hit.

“Futurama”, famously created by the same man behind “The Simpsons”, is back with an 11th season now streaming on Disney Plus after an almost 10-year hiatus.

The show follows the story of pizza delivery guy Fry, who accidentally sends himself to the 31st century while working late on New Year’s Eve, 1999. While this far-flung futuristic setting may be 1000 years from now, it certainly only serves to amplify a witty social commentary of our current age.

Take, for example, one of the new episodes titled “The Impossible Stream”, where Fry risks going insane while attempting to binge-watch every TV show ever made. Sound familiar?

Noni’s portrait wins people’s choice

By Kat Wong in Sydney

Artist Jaq Grantford has won the Archibald People’s Choice award with her portrait of “Play School” stalwart Noni Hazlehurst.

The winning work, titled “Through the Window”, depicts the 69-year-old actor and director staring at the viewer through fogged glass.

Inspired by Hazlehurst’s two-decade run as a presenter on ABC kids’ television show “Play School”, Grantford said she wanted to capture the warmth and passion the actor emanated.

“She’s a brilliant, brilliant actor, and a brilliant presenter, of course, we all love her in ‘Play School’,” she said while accepting her award at the Art Gallery of NSW on Wednesday.

“I was very excited to be able to get that nod to ‘Play School’ through the windows.

“When I was a kid I used to love guessing which window they would look through. And then when my kids were kids, I used to also love guessing.”

The portrait beat 56 other entries for the $5000 prize.

While Hazlehurst could not attend the announcement, she said she was thrilled for Grantford.

also for her unique and thoughtful storytelling ability,” she said in a statement.

“There is a warmth about her work which evokes a strong connection between the artist, the subject and the viewer.”

“Through the Window” is not Grantford and Hazlehurst’s first collaboration.

Grantford painted the Australian TV icon in 2017 for a portrait titled “The Story Teller”, which was later acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.

“She has a real magic about her,” Grantford said.

“To try to capture Noni on canvas was an absolute joy.”

While the premier Archibald prize and its sister award the Sulman are

is chosen by patrons who visit the exhibition during its opening two months.

This year’s prize was the result of votes cast by 15,542 visitors.

In 2023, the Archibald Prize went to 29-year-old Julia Gutman whose multimedia portrait of singersongwriter Montaigne took the $100,000 award.

For the first time, there were more works by women (30) than men (27) selected as Archibald finalists. There were also more entries than ever from Aboriginal artists.

The Archibald finalists’ paintings will be exhibited at the Art Gallery of NSW until September 3 before touring various regional galleries until August 2024.

Sigourney Weaver in “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart”.

Artist Jaq Grantford has described painting Noni Hazlehurst as an absolute joy. (Nikki Short/AAP PHOTOS)

HOROSCOPE PUZZLES

Your week in the stars

21-27 August, 2023

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

On Tuesday and Wednesday be on alert for confusing information, fake news and dodgy deals. Mars (your power planet), the Sun and retrograde Mercury are highlighting your health-and-wellbeing zone. So, it’s a suitable week to revise your fitness routine and choose exercises that you really enjoy. Be inspired by actress Blake Lively (who turns 36 on Friday): “I really don’t like the gym. I like experiences, so I take any chance to ride a bicycle or go on a hike.”

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)

Jupiter and Uranus are in your sign, plus the Sun, Mars and Mercury are visiting fellow earth sign Virgo. So, it’s time to be the practical and productive Taurus you were born to be. But don’t just focus on facts and figures. Jupiter and Venus push you to expand your creative horizons, as you strive to make the world a better and more beautiful place. Be inspired by birthday great Mother Teresa: “The world is hungry not only for food, but also for beauty.”

GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)

Put on your problem-solving hat! Retrograde Venus and retrograde Mercury reignite your desire to help a friend, neighbour or family member in a creative and hands-on fashion. So, you’re keen to tackle a problem (at home or within your local community) in a strategic and (uncharacteristically) patient way. Your motto is from birthday great Mother Teresa, who was born on August 26, 1910: “Love begins by taking care of the closest ones – the ones at home.”

CANCER (June 22 – July 23)

Courtesy of the Sun, Mercury and Mars, the buzzword is communication. Your Crab curiosity is piqued, and you’re keen to connect and converse with a wide range of stimulating people, especially within your local community. But remember Venus is retrograde, and Mercury turns retro on Wednesday night. So, relationships will be complicated, and communication will be increasingly tricky. Smart Crabs will slow down, shut up, listen and learn!

LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)

Expect a rather wonky week for relationships and finances, as Venus reverses through your sign and Mercury starts reversing through your money zone. So, love and money are a precarious mix at the moment. Clever Cats – aim to be super patient with your partner, extra kind to your family and oh-so cooperative with your work colleagues. And keep spending to an absolute minimum, as you curb shopaholic tendencies and stick to a strict weekly budget.

VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)

Mercury (your ruler) starts reversing through your sign on Wednesday night. Mercury is the planet of clear thinking, communication (talking, texting and writing), transport, travel, commuting, commerce, computers, media and the internet. So – when it’s retrograde – it’s not a good time to: sign contracts; start a job or business; buy a phone, computer, car or home; launch a website; install new software; go on a business trip or embark on a holiday.

LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)

Do you have ridiculously unrealistic expectations about a close relationship? This week Venus (your patron planet) is in retrograde mode, and Mercury turns retrograde on Wednesday night. So, it’s time for a major reality check as you reassess the past, and then bring your full attention to the here and now. Focus on the wise words of birthday great, Mother Teresa: “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)

Scorpio is the sign of deep transformation. And this week – with Venus and Mercury both in retrograde mode – it’s time to do anything with an ‘re’ in front of it … revise, rehearse, review, remember, return, recover, reconnect. Especially in areas involving career, colleagues, peer group, hopes, goals and dreams. Wisdom for the week comes from birthday great Tori Amos: “Sometimes you have to do what you don’t like to get to where you want to be.”

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)

Revisit your career goals and take steps to make them a reality. But, when it comes to close relationships, keep your cool. And avoid the temptation to over-talk and overreact. You can’t control what others say but you can control your responses. There could also be some tension between shining brightly at work and fulfilling your responsibilities to family and friends. If anyone can juggle, multitask and have fun, it’s a versatile and humorous Sagittarius.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)

Pluto is still transiting slowly through your sign, which amplifies your ambition and boosts your drive to get things done. But Venus is in retrograde mode (and Mercury is about to turn retrograde) so progress will be slow. And the Sun/Saturn opposition could put you in a cranky and bossy mood, as challenges frustrate you and other people don’t do what you want them to do. Just remember, Capricorn, the only person you can control is yourself!

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)

Have you been questioning your purpose in life? Or do you feel as if you’ve got the worries of the world on your shoulders? Take a step back and view things from a wider perspective. Doing good deeds will leave you with a warm inner glow. So, think up some dynamic ways you can help those who are less fortunate – whether locally, nationally or internationally. As Yoko Ono (a fellow Aquarian) observes: “Helping yourself is connected with helping others.”

PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

The Mars/Neptune and Sun/Saturn oppositions could drain energy and sap confidence, so pace yourself and prioritise projects. Don’t commit to an ambitious new plan unless you have the time and motivation to follow through on your wellmeant intentions. If something can be put off until another week – or completely ditched – then do so. Communicating with loved ones also looks frustrating, as Mercury starts reversing through your relationship zone.

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2023

Across

1 What is the bowl-shaped depression at the mouth of a volcano? (6)

8 To leave one’s native country to settle in another, is to do what? (8)

9 When one is becoming old, one is doing what? (6)

10 Name the chronic inability to sleep. (8)

11 When one rides a pushbike, one does what? (6)

13 Where do some operations take place? (8)

16 What are large outdoor fires? (8)

19 Name a person with a high degree of skill in a certain subject. (6)

22 Name a strong, lustrous white metallic element, symbol Ti. (8)

24 What is another name for a stoat? (6)

25 Which term describes religious ardour or zeal? (8)

26 To struggle roughly, is to do what? (6)

Solution next edition Done

2 Name a particular type of football. (5)

3 What do we call a test of patience or endurance? (5)

4 To record officially, is to do what? (8)

5 What is a preference that inhibits impartial judgement? (4)

6 To be punctual is to be what? (6)

7 When one withdraws one’s labour, one goes on what? (6)

12 What is a traditional social unit in Scotland? (4)

14 Which term suggests a right of way? (8)

15 Name another word for a profligate. (4)

17 Who “asked for more”? (6)

18 Name a vessel for holding wine, or the like. (6)

20 Which light shoes are used for dancing? (5)

21 Which term pertains to the kidneys? (5)

23 Name the mythological goddess of the rainbow. (4)

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Sudoku hard No. 348 Solutions – August 10 edition

No. 893 Sudoku medium No. 348

CHARTERED

Solution next edition

Ari looked very worried. He called to explain that he'd forgotten to pay his employees' superannuation a few months ago.

"I couldn’t work out how to do it with the new system and it took me a while to work out what I needed to do," he told me.

"So I rang the ATO and they told me I had to pay the superannuation guarantee charge (SGC). What is that?”

I broke the news that, unfortunately, by not paying the superannuation on time, regardless of the reasons, the legislation says the SGC has to be paid.

"Currently you have to pay superannuation for your employees known as the Super Guarantee (SG) at least once a quarter," I told him.

"Although some businesses may have to pay it more frequently. In your case, your employees’ SG needs to be paid by January 28, April 28, July 28 and 28 October each year until new requirements come in.

"Starting on July 1 2026 the SG will need to be paid at the same time as employee wages are paid.

“Just by way of background, from July 1 2023 the rate is 11 per cent of ordinary time earnings (which excludes overtime) it increases on July 1, 2024 to 11.5 per cent and then on July 1 2025 it increases to 12 per cent. At this stage there are no further increases legislated. Super has to be paid to the employees’ chosen superannuation funds.

“So if it is not paid on time, SGC comes into play. The superannuation component has to be recalculated using the wages paid including overtime plus nominal interest plus an administration fee. The nominal interest currently is at the rate of 10 per cent and is calculated from the beginning of the quarter that the superannuation relates to until the date that the SGC form is lodged.

"In addition there is an administration charge of $20 per employee.

"The sting in the tail is that this whole payment is not deductible in your tax return. The legislation does not allow for errors, it is black and white if the super is not paid on time the non-deductible SGC comes into play.”

I told Ari there was a form called the SGC statement which must be used to calculate SGC liability.

"The ATO recommends that you lodge this form online," I said.

"You will need to lodge a separate form for each quarter. So it is a messy and costly process. It is always preferable that you lodge and pay your SG on time.”

Whilst we are talking super I reminded Ari that employees are able to choose their super fund. There was now a system in place where a superannuation fund is "stapled" to an employee.

"So when a new employee commences with you, if they don't know their super details, you can contact the ATO to get details of their stapled superannuation fund," I said.

"This is so that employees do not get a new superannuation fund with every job that they have.”

Ari said: “I had no idea how SGC worked. I am in control and I will never forget to pay my employee's super on time again.”

If you need information on Superannuation, the SGC or any other tax related or financial matter, contact the expert team at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd on 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

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