CityNews 231109

SALUTE TO THE WOMEN DRIVING CANBERRA

WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2023

How the Libs missed the moment to be moderate

MICHAEL MOORE

No business like Show business for Adelina

Rhododendrons put on a show

JACKIE WARBURTON NOVEMBER 9, 2023

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NEWS / International Men’s Day, November 19

Empty shoes bring home the message on men

By Lily

PASS PAUL Withall, president of the Zerosuicide Community Awareness Program, has extended an invitation to Australia to be present at “the largest visual presentation of men’s suicide in the world”.

In last year’s event, one shoe was laid down on Parliament House’s ACA Lawn for each man or boy who had died by reported suicide.

Paul says that’s 2358 empty shoes.

“But, we laid down 2500 as road toll deaths and drug overdoses are not always reported as suicide,” says Paul.

“Last year was our first year doing this display at Parliament House… it’s a very powerful image.”

Paul says there are typically three reasons for men to attempt to end their lives – family or relationship breakdown, loss of access to or contact with children, and financial reasons.

“Men are four times more likely to die from an attempt to end their own lives than women are,” he says.

“Everyone knows men’s suicide rate is higher, we are currently losing between 40 and 50 men every week.

“We are endeavouring to create

Last year’s display of shoes and, inset, Paul Withall… “Australian men are in dire need of a Minister for Men, that’s what I’m hoping to achieve.” a ripple effect of positive awareness through education on this situation, for International Men’s Day, November 19.

“This is not a protest, but a memorial for the families to have recognition of their loved ones, and where people come together and have conversations about reducing the number of male suicides.”

Paul, now 46, admits he tried to take his own life at the ages of 14 and 17, which is helping drive his fight and

INDEX Arts & Entertainment 35-38 Crossword & Sudoku 39 Dining & Wine 38 Gardening 34 Keeping Up the ACT 9 Letters 12-13 News 3-13 Politics 4 Streaming 36

passion for change.

“I’m just driven, I have people who are pushing me, supporting me,” he says.

“I’m a showy, carnival man for work, so I’m pretty raw and I’m not afraid of much, and if I stop now I’ll let all these people down.”

Paul says while it is important to curb the issue all together, stopping the rising numbers of attempts is the bare minimum.

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“Clearly the services, phone numbers and systems already in place are not working,” he says.

“Australian men are in dire need of a Minister for Men, that’s what I’m hoping to achieve.

“With the suicide rate climbing every year, it is about time our government started working on a solution.”

Paul says when a man has had enough, made up his mind, there’s often no changing it.

“Phone numbers don’t stop men committing suicide, because men bottle things up, afraid of feeling weak and being judged,” he says.

“As a support person helping many people daily, I come up against a brick wall every day in getting help and services for men, and the support groups I work with all have the same problems.

“When ladies need help it is so easy for them to get accommodation or referrals to services, and that’s terrific, yet it’s almost impossible to get the same for men.

“So, we have put together a list of things a Minister for Men could do, to help the entire society.”

Paul says there has been more than $1 billion spent on women leaving domestic violence situations, but not $1 spent on men for the same.

“There is also not one refuge in Australia where men who are leaving a domestic violence situation can go with their children,” he says.

“Domestic violence stems from problems in life or relationships, or even substance abuse. Putting funding in place for men, to have a real voice, or funding towards education or counselling services, can help curb this issue.

“Blaming a gender causes further division, further hate, and more isolation, when the focus needs to be on support.”

Paul says it’s true, men can cause issues at home, but helping to give men a voice, and putting services in place, or encouragement to check on their welfare, can make all the difference.

“In a promising start, 12 senators have confirmed they will be attending this year’s display, with members of parliament from all sides,” he says.

“Some will be giving speeches, too.

We’re holding two events, November 16 from 10am to 4pm on the ACA Lawns at Parliament House, and then on International Men’s Day, November 19.

“This year we will be laying down one shoe for each male that died by suicide in 2022, and this will surpass the 2500 deaths of last year.

“This cry for help is real, please take five minutes of your day to visualise the sheer number of male suicides in Australia, every year.

“By dealing with the issues facing men in today’s society, we build a stronger, safer environment for women too, for everyone.”

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POLITICS / drug decriminalisation

How the Libs missed the moment to be moderate THE Canberra Liberals missed the best opportunity to let the ACT electorate know they were no longer the right-wing conservative force that has cost them previous elections.

Indications over the last three years of a more moderate Liberal Opposition under the leadership of Elizabeth Lee were blasted out of the water.

The strident approach they have taken opposing drug decriminalisation legislation was simply falling into a trap set by Labor. It was possible to be much more tactical. The legislation moves emphasis of drug policy for personal use from the criminal justice system to the health system.

As an attempt to improve her standing with small businesses, Lee argued that she had heard from business owners who were worried they would not be able to take action if they had drug-affected customers.

She could have just explained that the legislation allows police to issue an on-the-spot fine or, where appropriate, to charge the person if they consider the offence warranted a more forceful approach.

In 1992 the ACT Assembly enacted very similar legislation regarding cannabis. It moved from a criminal offence to an on-the-spot fine at the same level as the current legislation.

The strident approach the Canberra Liberals have taken opposing drug decriminalisation legislation was simply falling into a trap set by Labor.

The world, as we know it, did not end.

This 2023 legislation has a significant improvement in that it encourages those who use such drugs for personal use, to consider treatment.

Lee had options that would have allowed her party to be seen as less conservative. She could have shown the sort of leadership that we saw decades ago from Kate Carnell. This would mean supporting the legislation perhaps with some minor amendments to be negotiated with the government.

The presumption is that she could not get the numbers in the Liberal party room to support the legislation.

She had another alternative. A more sensible approach would have been

to allow a “conscience vote”. Having the Canberra Liberals split on an issue like this would have taken no-one by surprise.

Even two of the current Cartoon: Paul Dorin MLAs from within the party room would have been enough to illustrate that the party is changing. If Lee was one of them, it would have been even more powerful.

There are nine elected members of the Liberal Party. Surely, at least a couple could see their way to supporting such sensible legislation.

There is a precedent. Jeremy Hanson took a different approach to Lee in the recent referendum.

Under the Hare-Clark electoral system, it is possible for voters to support a specific candidate from the list.

Lee could have provided options for those voters who are fed up with more than 23 years of Labor government,

and looking down the barrel of almost three decades.

The third option was to go reasonably quiet on the legislation. Let it go through without the Abbott-style oppose, oppose, oppose. There could have been a soft statement along the lines that we have real doubts about the legislation. It is going to be evaluated in two years, and following that evaluation the legislation ought to be reconsidered.

Such an approach would have seemed sensible and moderate.

Instead, the leader of the opposition argues: “The Canberra Liberals strongly fought against its introduction. We did not support the legislation then; we do not support it now and we have committed to repealing this law in government”.

Lee was conveniently kept in the dark about the federal Liberal Party’s attempt by shadow attorney-general, Michaelia Cash to overturn ACT

laws. In this case, at least, Ms Lee was also strident in supporting territory rights saying she did not agree with the federal party’s plans and was “very concerned” at any attempt to diminish territory rights.

Actions by the Canberra Liberals that push them further to the conservative side of politics undoes attempts by the opposition leader to position the party as moderate. It also opens the opportunities for a more moderate group of candidates to fill the space between the Liberals, on the one side, and the Labor and Greens parties on the other.

There should be a lesson for the Canberra Liberals from the election of David Pocock to the Senate. Canberra Liberals have a year to go to convince voters they have finally become more moderate. It is not looking good!

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.

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OPINION / voluntary assisted dying

What’s different about ACT assisted dying laws?

Voluntary assisted dying is finally being considered in the ACT. How would it differ from state laws? BEN WHITE and LINDY WILLMOTT explain.

THE first ACT voluntary assisted dying bill in more than 25 years has been tabled in the Legislative Assembly.

• nurse practitioners can be involved in assessing eligibility • protections for patients in institutions that object to voluntary assisted dying.

This was possible after the Commonwealth lifted the ban on territories making laws about assisted dying in December last year. This meant the ACT and NT could join the six Australian states that have now passed voluntary assisted dying laws.

As with all parliamentary debates about voluntary assisted dying in Australia, this will be a conscience vote. But what will ACT parliamentarians be voting on?

In some ways, the ACT bill reflects the Australian model: • detailed eligibility criteria are reviewed by two independent and trained health practitioners, • patients need to make three requests at various points, • there is an oversight board scrutinising cases, along with offences, to protect patients, • health practitioners’ conscientious objection is protected.

But ACT bill has three new features: • no specific time frame until death

No specific time frame until death Reflecting the national approach, voluntary assisted would be available for adults living in the ACT with decision-making capacity who seek this choice voluntarily and without coercion. They must also be suffering intolerably.

But discussion will no doubt focus on the fact that the ACT bill does not contain an expected timeframe until death.

Australian states have normally required an expected death within six months, with an extension to 12 months for neurodegenerative conditions. Queensland has 12 months for all conditions.

But in the ACT, the relevant criteria is silent on time to death and requires only that the condition is “advanced, progressive and expected to cause death”.

Reasons for this policy choice include that a timeframe is arbitrary, it exacerbates suffering for terminally

ill patients and was not supported in public consultation.

This new feature must be seen in context. Voluntary assisted dying eligibility criteria work together so all of them must be satisfied before a person can access voluntary assisted dying.

The ACT bill requires the person’s condition be “advanced” and this is defined to include requiring that the person is in the “last stages of life”. Because this criterion must be satisfied too, just having an illness that will cause death is not enough to access the service.

Our research has shown that because eligibility criteria work together, removing the time frame to death is unlikely to affect which conditions will allow people to access voluntary assisted dying.

Nurses involved in assessing Australian voluntary assisted dying laws have to date required that both health practitioners assessing eligibility be doctors.

The ACT bill contemplates that one practitioner could be a nurse practitioner. When introducing the bill, Minister for Human Rights Tara Cheyne said nurse practitioners must have relevant experience and at least one year’s endorsement after qualifying before they can undertake that role.

Cheyne pointed to the ACT’s small health workforce; and a key challenge of existing state voluntary assisted dying systems has been finding sufficient numbers of practitioners to assist patients.

Protecting patient access A third key difference is how the ACT bill deals with institutions that may object to voluntary assisted dying, such as faith-based hospitals.

There is growing evidence this is a problem in the first states to pass voluntary assisted dying laws such as Victoria. Later states – SA, Queensland and NSW – have dealt with this issue specifically in their law.

Those states generally protect access for permanent residents in facilities, such as aged care residents, but offer less protection for non-permanent residents, such as a patient in a hospital.

The ACT has opted for a simpler approach that does not distinguish between permanent and non-permanent residents, giving stronger protection for the latter.

The default is that voluntary assisted dying can be accessed in facilities unless that is not reasonably practicable.

The ACT bill also regulates this more robustly by requiring institutions to develop minimum standards for how they will comply with these

laws and creating offences for noncompliance.

What happens next?

The bill was referred to a parliamentary committee for further consideration. This happened for Australian state voluntary assisted dying laws and provides opportunity for reflection on the bill.

Some will object to these features in the ACT bill because they are different from the Australian model.

Such objections also arose when states after Victoria made decisions that their law would be different.

But it is difficult to argue the ACT should blindly follow what other states have done. There is evidence that access to voluntary assisted dying under those laws is challenging and local considerations may also mean different approaches are needed.

We anticipate robust consideration of the bill by the committee and then parliament. If passed, the usual 18-month implementation period is proposed which means ACT residents could have access by 2025.

Ben White, Professor of End-of-Life Law and Regulation and Lindy Willmott, Professor of Law, at the Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology. This article is republished from The Conversation.

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NEWS

builds on No business like Show business for Adelina Jo her success

By Lily

PASS ADELINA La Vita believes everyone has a memory of the Canberra Show.

“When I was young, my siblings and I used to get $20 from my uncle to spend at the Canberra Show, and that was a lot of money back then,” she says.

“The first thing we used to do was buy a great big showbag.

“Then you could go on a couple of rides, too. Sideshow Alley for us was a highlight, and the dodgem cars as we got older.

“As a child, I have these wonderful memories, and I think that’s what the Canberra Show can do.”

So, as she settles into her role as CEO of the Royal National Capital Agricultural Society (RNCAS), she’d like to help other children and families to create similar memories.

Adelina, 53, says she took her daughter, Ruby, to the Canberra Show in 2008.

“I was a single parent then, so I really felt the costs back in 2008,” she says.

“We understand the prices are increasing and people are feeling the economic pressures of inflation.

“I want to really look at how we can make it easier for parents to afford

to come, and I think we have a model where membership is an option.

“I think that’s a really good offer in terms of being able to pay once, but come multiple times over the weekend, to make sure those kids are still able to make those really important, amazing memories.”

But only two weeks into her role, she says she’s feeling both honoured and fortunate.

“I’m the first female CEO in RNCAS history, since 1927,” she says.

“It’s pretty exciting because it’s quite an old institution, and it’s a privilege and responsibility that I won’t be taking lightly.

“I think it says a lot about where the Society wants to go, it says a lot about the people who are governing the Society. I think we’re ready to take that step into becoming more equitable, embracing diversity and really looking at driving this organisation forward.”

Outgoing CEO Geoff Cannock has got a wealth of experience, Adelina says, and her early focus will be on getting that knowledge from him to herself.

“This is like his second home,” she says.

“I am very lucky to have him still here to help me transition.

“It’s great to be working for Canberra again, for the Canberra community.”

Most recently, Adelina, 53, has worked in the not-for-profit sector, but has more than 30 years of experience, with a deep understanding of events

and marketing.

“My background includes working with local and federal government, global brands, tourism and not-forprofit both nationally and internationally,” she says.

“I just came from the Food and Grocery Council of Australia, some other jobs I’ve done include being the global head of digital marketing for Adidas in Germany and the Netherlands, and I’ve previously worked on Floriade and Enlighten, which encouraged my creativity.”

Born in what used to be Woden Hospital and growing up on the southside of Canberra, Adelina says she found herself following in the footsteps of most Canberrans.

“I went to Weston Creek High School, and the University of Canberra to study graphic design,” she says.

“We as Canberrans grow up, we move away, then we often come back,” she says.

“I lived overseas for 12 years, in London, Germany and then Amsterdam.

“I went overseas in 1998, came back to Australia to have my daughter, Ruby, and then left for overseas again in 2002.

When Ruby was a baby, she spoke German before she spoke English.”

“But my marriage breakdown brought me back to Canberra, and I’m really glad I did come back, Canberra fed my soul at a time that I really needed it. Ruby, and I moved back here in 2008.”

THE 2024 ACT Australian of the Year is Joanne Farrell, a champion for women in the construction industry and the founder of Build Like A Girl.

Adelina La Vita… “As a child, I have these wonderful memories, and I think that’s what the Canberra Show can do.”

Photo: Lily Pass

In 2020 Jo founded Build Like A Girl, a not-forprofit program that supports and encourages women to work in a trade Joanne Farrell. industry.

ACT Senior Australian of the Year is Ebenezer Banful OAM, a prolific volunteer and tireless multiculturalism advocate dedicating countless hours to helping other Canberrans understand Ghanaian and African values and promoting multiculturalism wherever he can.

The 2024 ACT Young Australian of the Year is Caitlin Figueiredo co-chair of the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition and an innovative changemaker devoted to ensuring young people have a say in politics.

The 2024 ACT Local Hero is Selina Walker. A Ngunnawal woman, Selina is a respected emerging elder and leader whose integrity has supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and reconciliation across the ACT. The four winners will represent the ACT at the Australian of the Year Awards on January 25.

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BRIEFLY Age of criminal responsibility to rise to 14 THE ACT Legislative Assembly has legislated to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 14 from mid-2025. The government describes it as an “Australian first”.

The Justice (Age of Criminal Responsibility) Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 will initially raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 on commencement – and then to 14 from July 1 2025.

The government says: “The reforms will ensure a child or young person who engages in harmful behaviour is diverted away from the criminal justice system and provided with the therapeutic supports they need to address the underlying causes of their conduct and enable them to change their life trajectory.”

“Children in our community, especially those engaging in harmful behaviour, need our care and attention, not to be locked away in prison,” says AttorneyGeneral Shane Rattenbury.

Cubans turn on a fiesta THE Australia Cuba Friendship Society ACT is hosting its family friendly Cuban Latin Fiesta at the Woden Valley Uniting Church, Curtin, from 6.30pm on Saturday, November 11. Organisers promise a Latin DJ and music, Latin performance, Cuban drinks, Chilean wine, Mexican beer, Spanish sangria and Turkish food. Tickets are $20, children under 15, free.

citynews.com.au

CityNews November 9-15, 2023 9

THE GADFLY / Palestine

The only means left to decide the winner is force AN older man, grey-haired, was quite firm in his manner as he spoke to the ABC TV reporter on Palestine’s West Bank of the Jordan. He was an Israeli, he said, and was claiming the building site because “God gave us this land”.

He fingered what seemed to be a real estate contract tucked under his left arm as the reporter stumbled over his next question.

I can’t remember the question. I was preoccupied by the insight the older man had provided to the horror now taking place in Gaza.

It revealed that beneath the reams of journalistic analysis and the political posturing on both sides of the conflict, the real cause of the death and destruction is simple: it is a throwback to the absurd biblical contest between the gods of yesteryear.

The Israelis favour their “Yahweh” while the Muslims plump for “Allah”.

And each claims that their champion performed “miracles” in Jerusalem, the so-called holy city, that give them preference over the other.

These include claimed events such as prophets rising to heaven.

The problem for the participants is that the issue, by its very nature, is insoluble. Both are spiritual concepts – “beliefs”, if you will – that defy

The Israelis favour their ‘Yahweh’ while the Muslims plump for ‘Allah’. And each claims that their champion performed ‘miracles’ in Jerusalem, the so-called holy city, that give them preference over the other.

Left, “Bibi” Netanyahu, of Israel, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, of Saudi Arabia. rational discussion and compromise.

The only means left to decide the winner is force. And once that starts, it quickly descends to the level of vile inhumanity.

That’s the process we’re watching now.

It doesn’t help that the Israelis count the evangelical Christians of the US – whose religion owes much to its Israeli background – so they have the big guns of Washington on their side.

The Muslims have some pretty fearsome weapons, too. Not only do they have the fanatical mullahs of

Iran feeding weapons into the hands of the frontline troops, they have the princes of Saudi Arabia with the power to wreak chaos in the world’s economy with the manipulation of international oil prices.

These guys play for keeps. The Israelis have “Bibi” Netanyahu, who is prepared to turn his country from democracy to autocracy to save him from a jail sentence for corruption.

On the other side, who could forget the reaction of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who dealt with his academic critic by having him chopped up in a friendly embassy.

Not that physical “death” matters all that much on both sides. Each belief contains the escape clause much beloved of military commanders everywhere. They promise “eternal life” on some other plane of existence.

Oddly though, there seems to be much wailing and gnashing of teeth when they do make that transition in a blast of bomb fire.

None of this is to suggest that the Israelis and the Muslims are any different from the rest of humanity.

Britain under the Tudors and the Stuarts, for example, was a moveable feast of bloody violence between Protestants and Catholics… and the Irish “troubles” of the 20th century took a terrible toll.

However, this is a time when climate heating demands that we work together to solve a truly existential problem for our species.

The clash between ancient notions of the relative merits of gods – with the evangelicals and the mullahs feeding the ammunition to both sides – is a complication we don’t need.

Yet such is the power and influence of these exotic beliefs that no one is prepared to confront the opponents with their seemingly insoluble dilemma.

I was still pondering the problem when the grey-haired Israeli on the West Bank turned, slightly revealing that “contract” tucked under his arm.

It looked a lot like the Old Testament we used to have at home when I was growing up in Brisbane. “An eye for an eye,” I thought. “A tooth for a tooth”. robert@robertmacklin.com

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WHIMSY

When life’s a total washout, don’t look to the Bard “There is a time in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.” –William Shakespeare

I learned there’s a whole IT industry out there building convincing websites and fabricating glowing Google reviews to order.

THIS article is a cautionary tale for anyone unfortunate enough to have their property flooded.

In April, I had a flood experience and it certainly did not lead on to fortune. Quite the opposite in fact.

Our small, one-bedroom, groundfloor flat in Sydney was flooded when a hot water tap was turned on by something falling against it. Hot water flowed through the flat for several days before steam set off the smoke-detector alarm.

I learned of the flood problem from my brother who had gone to check on the flat for me. At the time, I was on a train between Yass and Melbourne with intermittent phone coverage, so I asked him to go ahead and do what was necessary to deal with the problem.

He went online and found a flood remediation company that claimed 4.9 Google stars out of five and 158 glowing reviews. Its website claimed that for 27 years they had been delivering fast, reliable, and affordable water damage restoration to Australian homes and businesses.

It promised to be on the scene within 60 minutes. They were there in 30.

that NRMA had no knowledge of the company my brother had engaged, and I should get them to stop the remediation work as soon as possible. NRMA’s approved remediation company would then take over the work.

I soon learned that the Terms of Trade included financial penalties for termination before four days – and before “the IICRC dryness standard” had been reached (which could take a week – or up to 20 days). Despite repeated requests for a rough estimate of the ongoing cost I could not get one; I was referred back to the very complex Terms of Trade. I reiterated NRMA’s demand that they stop work.

After three and a half days, the company pulled out their 11 air

William Shakespeare… his advice doesn’t apply to flooded households.

The company’s project manager said that they worked all the time with my insurer, NRMA, and that NRMA would have no problem with them starting on the remediation work.

But they could not start work until my brother had agreed to their “Terms of Trade” – which ran to six A4 pages. During a brief train stop in Albury, I gave my brother the go-ahead to do what was necessary.

He agreed to the Terms of Trade and the flood technician started work.

After I got to Melbourne and had phone coverage again, I was eventually able to get through to NRMA Claims (it was Saturday night).

The NRMA Claims person told me

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blowers and two dehumidifiers. In due course I received two invoices totalling $12,953.44. I was given seven days to pay the main invoice of $12,623.44.

I queried the main invoice because it contained inaccuracies and was padded with lots of unverifiable charges. I got no response. The company followed up with threats to refer the matter to a debt collection agency and their legal team, incurring additional costs.

They eventually offered a compromise – if I paid within five days, the cost would be discounted by 30 per cent to $8836.41 otherwise, they would withdraw the offer and I would incur additional costs.

At that point I paid because they were pressuring my brother for payment, and it was affecting his health.

I have since reported the company to NSW Fair Trading to try to protect future flood victims from similar exploitation but NSW Fair Trading has a backlog of several thousand cases, so nothing is likely to happen anytime soon – if ever.

The consumer lessons to be learned from my experience are: not to engage a flood remediation company without first clearing it with your insurer, and

don’t believe what service companies’ websites tell you – or what you read in their Google reviews.

I learned there’s a whole IT industry out there building convincing websites and fabricating glowing Google reviews to order.

For the record, I am still waiting for an insurance payout.

Meanwhile, an engineer and a lawyer are talking at a Trump $10,000-a-plate fundraising dinner.

The lawyer says: “I can afford to be here because a fire burned my house down, and the insurance company gave me a generous payout.”

“That’s a coincidence,” says the engineer, “I’m here because my house was washed away in a flood and my insurance company gave me a generous payout, too.

The lawyer comments: “That’s very interesting – how did you start a flood?”

Clive Williams is a Canberra columnist.

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CityNews November 9-15, 2023 11

LETTERS / 1

Let loose to: editor@citynews.com.au

Woolies plans shock Hawker Village shoppers THE ACT lurches from planning disaster to planning disaster as developers sweet-talk their way through the ACT’s rules and regulations, with their tantalising dollars smoothing the way.

It falls to under-resourced residents’ associations and similar voluntary community groups, often without a trained media spokesperson, to do what they can to mount a challenge.

Consider the current situation of the Hawker Village shopping centre. This is a smallish, low-rise shopping centre in the middle of an entirely residential area.

In addition to the current Woolworth’s Metro supermarket, the centre has several food businesses, a post office, pharmacy, an adjacent medical practice and several allied health practices.

The shops and services are well-patronised by older people and those with mobility difficulties, as well as by visitors from other parts of Belconnen, who are attracted by the accessible and convenient parking.

Discussions with shoppers and local residents suggest there is a very low level of awareness about plans by Woolworths to purchase, via direct sale, the 3748sqm ACT government-owned, open-air car park between the shops and Springvale Drive.

This would be the first step towards Woolworths’ proposed major redevelopment – “major” meaning not only “significant” but also “massive”.

The proposal is for a full-line supermarket (similar to that at Westfield Belconnen, 2.4kms away), additional retail shops and basement parking. The land currently used for the parking area would be incorporated into this development.

The current car park, with its trees and shrubs providing an important visual and sound buffer between the centre and the residences on Springvale Drive, would disappear – and with it, the convenient, street-level parking, which is intrinsic to the popularity of these suburban shopping centres.

The ACT’s planning system is seemingly designed to minimise community information and consultation for processes such as the transfer of public land to private ownership via a direct sale.

This process has allowed Woolworths to run their own show, with no government involvement.

What about an expanded Metro

The Hawker Village car park… its trees and shrubs provide a visual and sound buffer.

Photo: Karina Morris supermarket without encroaching on to the car park? Woolworths is not required to say.

Limited and methodologically questionable “community engagement” activities, conducted for Woolworths, partially during the July school holidays, resulted in a report whose predictable conclusions were crafted to support the company’s financial interests.

As the government considers the direct sale application, the fact is that many members of the community are saying that they have heard nothing about this proposal and are shocked when they are told what it involves.

There is a feeling of disbelief that anyone would seriously propose to replace convenient, open-air parking with basement parking, which is completely out of keeping with the character of a small suburban centre such as Hawker Village.

Karina Morris, Weetangera

Would it have been the Voice of activists?

I AM grateful to Jon Stanhope (“How ‘yes’ means ‘no’ for the ACTgovernment”, CN October 26) for his well documented criticism of our territory government, in this case regarding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander predicament.

Like Jon Stanhope I voted “yes” in the Voice referendum. But, while I felt it was the right thing, I voted with the reservation that government action had been tried and why was it going to succeed this time, and concerned that, if approved, the Voice would be that of political activists.

The only Aboriginals I see regularly are those I visit because they ask the St Vincent de Paul Society for help. I try to show solidarity and friendship with them with the hope that

their prospects for a better life will improve.

On that matter, I differ with Jon Stanhope, at least in the case of the younger generations. Despite all the adversity that Aboriginal people face, the buck stops with them. There is goodwill towards them.

Here the aspirations expressed by Senator Jacinta Price ring true. She appeals as a leader and it is not out of the question that she will become prime minister, thereby providing an Aboriginal voice without changing the constitution.

John L Smith, Farrer

Proud Canberrans on Voice I REFER to Sue Dyer’s letter (“Proud to be a Canberran”, CN October 26), waxing lyrically about the ACT being the only jurisdiction in the country to poll a positive vote on the Voice and quoting Chief Minister Barr as saying it was due to “the fact that Canberrans took the time to engage with the issues”.

Bunkum! I predicted in a letter to the media, before the referendum, that the ACT could be expected to vote about 63 or 64 per cent for the Voice, in line with the way they vote Labor/Greens in elections.

Ms Dyer and others may pat themselves on the back for being so much more clever than the rest of the country, but maybe it just shows again the “Truman’s World” that is Canberra.

Max Flint, Erindale

The talk is that tradies routinely use drugs COLUMNIST Michael Moore’s article “Reforms not the end of the world as we know

it” (CN November 2) is overly optimistic about the decriminalisation of drugs.

He mentions several well-known drugs, including cocaine, heroin, MDMA and amphetamines; and advocates the continued possession of these “in small quantities”.

I wonder if Mr Moore is aware of the talk on the grapevine that some “tradies” use drugs routinely.

Particular mention is made of amphetamines, which are not only a powerful stimulant when your job begins at 7.30 am or earlier, but can cause paranoia, hallucinations, confusion, irritability and mood swings. Amphetamines are also reputed to give the user almost superhuman strength, and to make drivers who use them a menace, even a danger, on the roads.

I’m not so sure that relaxing the policing of drug use, especially by drivers, is such a wise move.

Dr Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

When opportunity knocks, where are Libs?

MARIA Greene (“Like nappies, governments need changing regularly”, Letters, CN November 2) is right about the lacklustre Canberra Liberals apparently being doomed to stay in opposition forever.

If they keep supporting the same narrow conservative policies, they will of course get the same result, particularly with the ACT electorate, which is known to take a progressive stance on many issues.

Another recent example of this is provided by deputy leader Jeremy Hanson who, in a TV interview, said the Liberals if elected would wind back the phasing out of wood heaters, as announced by the ACT government.

With over 60 per cent of Canberrans supporting the phasing out of wood heaters, why would the Liberals go against this and support the 10 per cent of Canberrans who still use wood heaters, creating a major air pollution problem for the wider community?

The resultant air pollution has very large associated health costs which are well known in the academic research community, including the multi-university Centre for Safe Air (safeair.org.au), which brings together air pollution and medical researchers across Australia.

As the Centre for Safe Air has stated: small improvements in air quality can drive large population health and economic benefits.

In the ACT, wood smoke pollution often

exceeds WHO and Australian recommended levels.

When opportunity knocks, why do the Liberals adopt the same retrograde head-in-the-sand approaches, bound to guarantee electoral oblivion, yet again?

Murray May, Cook

‘Healthy’ e-scooters offer high risk of injury TRANSPORT Canberra recently described e-scooters as “sustainable transport”, even though they have a larger carbon footprint than most alternative transport modes.

Now Transport Canberra claims that escooters “provide a healthy travel choice”, even though they offer a high risk of injury and less health benefits than walking or bicycling.

Such claims erode the credibility of Transport Canberra, and of the ACT government.

Leon Arundell, Downer

The hand-me-down horror of Halloween I FEEL I’m not alone, with the hounding knocks at my door on an evening that has escalated rapidly from senseless, disturbing and evil greed. Halloween.

Another hand-me-down tradition thrust upon us from the US with its ghoulish, disgusting, skin-crawling sights, as neighbourhoods flock to this unimaginable cult.

Is it a wise decision for parents to let their children parade along the streets alone, some dressing up but, more than often, just carrying a pillow case and being obnoxious?

As this Halloween greed escalates, and our children do not get what they want, could it lead to violence and property damage? These are the questions that we need to face in giving into these “trick or treat” demands!

How did it all come to this? It doesn’t matter these days what our very young children witness from their innocent eyes, it seems.

What unseen scars and real nightmares cling disturbingly to our children in seeing hideous houses dressed up and clad in their Halloween displays.

It all stems, of course, from television and those so-called children’s games that influence our society on what a disgusting, thoughtprovoking, sad world we are living in!

Valarie Jones, Tuggeranong

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LETTERS / 2

Let loose to: editor@citynews.com.au

Is there a new cultural breeze at Red Hill shops?

FEW would dispute Canberra is educated and culturally sophisticated. It prides itself on its galleries, theatres and music scene.

The arts have been fostered by some strong advocates, such as Jon Stanhope who managed to expand the range of sculptures coalescing with its citizenry. This sculpture program extended into the suburbs and may have reached new heights in Red Hill.

There, a new development has taken hold after the government sold off the Red Hill public housing estate, which has been redeveloped into “The Parks”.

In preparation for this new era in fancy housing, the Red Hill shops have had a facelift with a new supermarket moving in and new paving and benches provided by the government.

While concerns have recently been raised about the maintenance of that paving (“Ministers ignore woman injured on footpath”, CN October 26), a new cultural breeze has arrived there, but could almost be overlooked.

The new benches, although hard iron, are all painted in red (get it?). However, the pièce de résistance is a new sculpture erected in front of the main entrance, just two steps in front of the welcoming red bench.

It is crafted from plastic materials, very inviting and representative of modern square bins. The visitor sitting down to wonder at this offering is kept alert by the hard iron bench and encouraged to seriously contemplate what may be the answer to

I am advised the government carries its own insurance cover and I believe that it then relies on the fact that most incidents would not be reported or claims made against it.

Most of us have experienced a nil response from the government and it’s no wonder we are reluctant to report an issue. But it is important that Canberrans make the effort to report any dangerous areas they notice.

It only takes minutes on the online “Fix My Street” resource. While this is no guarantee that issues will be attended to, it does give some form of protection to individuals suffering future incidents. It could be your mother or relative that is involved.

Ken Griffiths, via email

Dada anyone? Marcel Duchamp’s 1917 “Fountain” (Photo: Alfred Stieglitz) and Ben Heubeck’s salute to modern art at Red Hill shops.

Marcel Duchamp’s famous “Fountain”, which he submitted to the Society of Independent Artists in 1917. About a hundred years later we may be witnessing the renaissance of the Dada tradition in some Canberra suburbs.

Ben Heubeck, Red Hill

Make the effort to report dangerous hazards I REFER to Peter French’s letter (“Ministers ignore woman injured on footpath”, CN October 26).

I, too, had a trip in recent years due to a lack of maintenance to a footpath. However, in my case there were painted “signs” in the

area where it happened.

This indicated to me that the government had been made aware of the danger. It is its way of marking/warning of possible issue areas.

I needed surgery, as did the elderly lady in Dr French’s letter at Red Hill. I contacted my solicitor, who proceeded with a claim against the government.

The immediate result was for the government to again mark the area with white paint.

I was advised by the closest householder that it was some years since they had brought the matter to the government’s attention and, ultimately, it was another two and half years before the area was rectified.

All we get is neglect from this government PETER French’s letter (“Ministers ignore woman injured on footpath”, CN October 26)rang many bells for us. My husband and I have lived in Red Hill for over 30 years. The footpath situation has been disastrous for all of that time.

Being in our seventies, we are of course noticing it more these days. It has also been exacerbated in the last couple of years by “The Parks” development, which has meant an increase in traffic, which is fine if you live in The Parks, but if you are in any of the adjacent streets, that have no footpaths at all, you are often obliged to walk on the road. Given the increase in traffic, this can get quite dangerous.

Endeavour Street going to Cygnet is a case in point; no footpath, a corner that makes visibility impossible, and dusty, slippery verges with exposed tree roots. Or alternately, plantings on the nature strip that make it impossible to walk there.

We pay more than $6000 a year in rates, more than in some eastern suburbs of Sydney. What we get for it is neglect from this all-too-comfortable government. Bring on the Teals in Canberra!

Libby Porter, Red Hill

So many contractions, what are they doing?

DO the Greens/Labor team in the ACT know what they are doing? They keep contradicting themselves.

Their latest bombshell move is they have legalised drugs even though it is known they can kill or destroy brains. Yet they have banned cigarettes in all indoor settings and some outdoors. Anyone caught having drugs, it is a $100 fine, drive less than 15km over the limit and it is a $316 fine.

There’s pill testing at music festivals, even though most people who die at concerts are from drug overdoses not dodgy drugs.

Young people can’t drive until they are 16, yet they think they know what they are doing to be responsible to vote at 16.

When we get to all-electric vehicles, will they ban petrol vehicles coming from interstate into the ACT? Vi Evans via email

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CityNews November 9-15, 2023 13

WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2023

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EXERCISE CLASSES AVAILABLE 14 CityNews November 9-15, 2023

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2023 advertising feature

Meet the women leading the way in business FROM health to beauty, law to art, Canberra is home to many diverse and experienced businesswomen passionate about sharing their expertise with the community.

This week, “CityNews” speaks with some of these women, who offer stories and insights from their respective fields.

Michelle

Sofia Leia,

helps others to put their best foot forward

PRINCIPAL podiatrist at Canberra Podiatry Michelle Prophet says she has the expertise and passion for helping others to put their best foot forward.

“My journey began long before I opened my own business in 1997,” she says.

“Prior to that milestone, I worked alongside my father, Stephen Prophet, a renowned orthopedic appliance consultant, and together we crafted orthotics and shoes, laying the foundation for what would become a thriving podiatry practice and eventually inclusive of a physiotherapist, David Kennard.”

Michelle says her business is a hub for all aspects of podiatry and physiotherapy, where she and her team offer a wide range of services.

“My own special interests within the field are biomechanics, with a particular focus on gait and posture analysis, as well as podopediatrics (the assessment of children), sports podiatry, and a dedicated emphasis on dance and ballet,” she says.

“We’re proud to highlight the unique strengths and passions of our dedicated team members.

“Jake, our senior podiatrist, is a true enthusiast in all aspects of podiatry. Mai comes highly

&

Principal Podiatrist Michelle Prophet. recommended for her proficiency in wound care, laser therapy, and providing comprehensive treatments, our remarkable practitioner Mia is our youngest podiatrist, based at our Queanbeyan clinic, and our friendly reception staff Eva at Canberra Podiatry and Chrissie at Qcity Podiatry, are always ready to help.”

Canberra Podiatry, 4 Chifley Place. Call 6281 1200, or visit canberrapodiatry.com.au

long-term friends in law

M LEGAL is a law firm that specialises in property and immigration law, say principal lawyers Sofia Maniam and Leia Mathai.

“We began in 2018, and have jointly 40 years of legal experience from corporate, government and private law firms,” they say.

“Being women in business is empowering because you have the ability to create a business from the beginning upwards.

M Legal principal lawyers Leia Mathai and Sofia “Also you have to wear Maniam. multiple hats, which makes for quick thinking.

“This business gives us flexibility and “It also means being brave, because enables us to spend quality time with our to take the leap of faith and go out on families, which keeps us grounded, and in your own requires a tolerance, to risk, and our view, makes us better advisers. optimism, that you will succeed.”

“We set up a business with each other Sofia and Leia say they run a client-friend- as long time friends, and have had a good ly firm, and know that clients can’t always experience, we complement each other.” commit to a 9-5 office hours schedule.

“This business gives us autonomy, and M Legal, Suite 29, Level 3/490 Northbourne we get to grow a firm that we are proud of Avenue, Dickson. Call 1300 709920, or visit based on our strong values,” they say. m-legal.com.au

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Principal Podiatrist – Michelle Prophet Podiatrists – Jake Foley, Mia Taig & Mai Boonrung

Physiotherapist – Dave Kennard CityNews November 9-15, 2023 15

WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2023 advertising feature

Rebecca

offers a caring approach to pain

ARTHRITIS, Pain Support & ME/CFS ACT has been supporting the community since the mid 70s, says CEO Rebecca Davey.

“Women bring a unique lens to business,” she says.

“Ours is a caring organisation – we are about supporting our clients both physically and emotionally.

“This means we adopt this ethos in all areas of the business.

“For women looking at starting a business, I’d tell them to be themselves.

“Women offer a different way of viewing the world and relating to their clients, so be true to yourself in all things that you do.”

Rebecca says Arthritis ACT is more than an allied health service, and it’s more than an information service.

“We work with individuals to help them personally deal with their pain and fatigue on a holistic basis,” she says.

“We offer a wide range of practical and emotional supports to people living with persistent pain and debilitating fatigue of any source.

“This includes occupational therapy, physiotherapy, exercise physiology, art therapy and counselling.

“Pain and fatigue affect every part of us, social, emotional, spiritual and physical, and our service considers all these aspects of an individual’s life in helping them plan a way to find a way forward “People deserve the help they need, no one should have to battle persistent pain or debilitating fatigue alone.”

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

Raffy

drives hard make a positive impact

CAR Mechanical Services (CMS) has been operating since 2008, with a goal to provide top-notch automotive services while promoting sustainability, inclusivity and community involvement, says CEO Raffy Sgroi.

“To be a woman in business means breaking barriers, shattering stereotypes and proving that gender is no limit to success,” she says.

“To be a woman in a leadership role in the automotive industry is to challenge conventions, drive innovation and be a trailblazer in a traditionally male-dominated field.”

Raffy’s advice to any other women looking to start their own business is to believe in their own vision.

“Persevere through challenges and never underestimate your abilities,” she says.

“Surround yourself with a supportive network, seek mentorship and be unafraid to take risks.”

What sets CMS apart, Raffy says, is the unwavering commitment to creating a profit-for-purpose enterprise.

“We’re not just here to generate profits, we’re here to make a positive impact on our community and the world,” she says.

“We work tirelessly to leave a legacy of positive change.

“We want to see more young females exploring this career option and breaking stereotypes.

“It’s our vision for a business that’s not just successful but meaningful, where every action is driven by a desire to do good and contribute to a better future for all.”

Arthritis ACT CEO Rebecca Davey.

Car Mechanical Services, Unit 2, 82 Kalgoorlie Crescent, Fisher. Call 6162 4111, or visit carmechanicalservices.com.au

Car Mechanical Services CEO Raffy Sgroi.

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Contact us: 02 6162 4111 www.carmechanicalservices.com.au Visit Us: Unit 2/82, Kalgoorlie Crescent, Fisher ACT

16 CityNews November 9-15, 2023

citynews.com.au

MEET OUR PAIN MANAGEMENT EXPERTS Linda Clee – Physiotherapist

Blake Dean – Exercise Physiologist

Linda is an experienced physiotherapist having worked clinically in private practice for over 20 years, in rehabilitation settings and in community based aged care. Having owned and operated her own clinic for over 10 years, Linda offered a range of different therapy options, and has refined her skills and service offerings to ensure a functional focus to therapy; that is holistic and promotes overall wellness. A dancer in a past life, Linda loves to add a bit of fun in her programs, often throwing in rhythm and co-ordination challenges that are good for the body and the mind.

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

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

Sophie Bullock – Exercise Physiologist

Jacqui Couldrick – Physiotherapist

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

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

Jacqui has a particular interest in hip and knee osteoarthritis.

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

Emil Terbio – Exercise Physiotherapist

Holly Hazelwood – Exercise Physiologist

Physiotherapist Emil comes to us with a wealth of physiotherapy experience and knowledge from the public hospital system and also private practice. Emil works closely with our team of Exercise Physiologists on a coordinated approach to improving your pain and overall wellbeing. Emil has a special interest in neurology and improving the lives of people living with neurological conditions.

He’s also mad keen on soccer and will support you with all sports related injuries and injury prevention.

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

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

Dorothy Johnston – Exercise Physiologist Dorothy is a dynamic Exercise Physiologist with specialist training in pilates and tai chi. She has experience is working with young people with disability, with sporting teams (her passion being AFL) and with the elderly. Dorothy has an indepth understanding of chronic pain and disability and will work with you to find those daily wins that make your life easier.

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Enquire or book today 1800 011 041

WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2023 advertising feature

Kerstin

enlightens people on legal options

Tania McIntosh and her team at Re-seal Bathrooms.

Tania’s

one-stop-shop for bathroom solutions

LAUNCHING her business 16 years ago, director of Re-seal Bathrooms Tania McIntosh says it marked the beginning of her journey in professional growth.

“Seeking continuous improvement, I achieved a diploma in business management, significantly enhancing my skills and knowledge,” she says.

“Re-seal Bathrooms specialises in comprehensive bathroom solutions.

“From essential maintenance tasks like re-grouting and tile replacement, to complete bathroom renovations.

“Recognising a notable gap in the market, I identified a unique opportunity to offer a one-stop-shop that could do it all.

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suffice for every shower. Thus, we provide honest guidance and free assessment to tailor our approach, ensuring cost effective and enduring results.”

Tania says she promotes diversity and wellbeing in her workplace and community by embracing inclusivity and fairness.

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Call 6176 0026, or visit reseal.com.au

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

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

“To address wills and estate planning is for most people an uncomfortable topic, and they KJB Law’s estate planning special counsel, Kerstin Glomb. put it in the ‘too hard basket’.

However, I find people feel a lot “It’s about working out who the right people of relief to have started the process.” are to look after their affairs, and structuring their Although it can be uncomfortable, Kerstin says documents to reflect their wishes and concerns. estate planning is something everyone should think “There’s nothing better than hearing clients say about, and KJB Law takes pride in helping ease the they’re happy to have their documents in place, burden, make clients comfortable, and run smoothly. they’re comfortable and, most importantly, they “I guide my clients through different options on how understand what they’ve signed.” they may structure their documents, and what they should address, so they can take charge and protect KJB Law, Ground Floor, 10 Corinna Street, Woden. themselves and their loved ones,” says Kerstin.

Call 6281 0999 or visit kjblaw.com.au

Looking for peace of mind for your future?

Simplify your move into village life

KJB Law draws on decades of experience, helping you create a Will and Estate plan that stipulates all your wishes and concerns.

Retirement village contracts are often difficult to navigate. Jo Twible will simplify the process, explaining the details of your contract, to help you with a smooth transition.

We are able to assist with:

Jo Twible’s services include:

• Wills and Testamentary Wills • Power of Attorney • Self-managed super funds • Advice on potential claims against estates • Advice for blended families

• Retirement village entry & exit • Aged care entry • Residential & Commercial Conveyancing

Kerstin Glomb Estate Planning Special Counsel

• Commercial Leasing • Sale and purchase of businesses

kjblaw.com.au kjblawcanberra

18 CityNews November 9-15, 2023

Jo Twible Principal

For successful results in a cost effective manner call

6281 0999

or email kjblaw@kjblaw.com.au Ground Floor, 10 Corinna Street, Woden

citynews.com.au

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Recognition for years of Excellence Starting from our dining room 16 years ago with just three staff, a 4-year-old, and a 6-year-old, we’ve come a long way. Today, we proudly operate from our office and showroom on Newcastle Street, Fyshwick, employing a dedicated team of 16 staff members.

Launching our business marked the beginning of the journey in my professional growth. My most profound learning moments transpired during Re-seal’s daily operations. As a self-made entrepreneur, I tirelessly built and sustained our business. From strategic decision-making to adept enterprise management, I acquired through hands-on experience. Recognising a gap in the market, we identified a unique opportunity to offer comprehensive bathroom solutions.

What was lacking was a company providing honest and accurate advice tailored to each bathroom’s specific circumstances.

Over the past year, our most significant achievement has been successfully navigating the after affects brought about by the global pandemic and adapting our operations to thrive in this new environment.

I led our business through a transformative period, implementing agile strategies and progressive solutions to adapt to the changed environment and industry.

Over the past 16 years, our business has undergone substantial financial expansion, culminating in the establishment of a fully-fledged showroom and a fleet of up to 10 company vehicles in operation. My continuous hands-on involvement has provided the opportunity to closely monitor our financial trajectory, facilitating timely adjustments to sustain not only profitability but also robust growth.

I promote diversity and well-being in my workplace and community by embracing inclusivity and fairness.

My workforce reflects a variety of backgrounds, and I provide ongoing diversity training.

In my community, I engage in local charity support, most recently sponsoring the FOCUS ACT One + One charity ball for the disability community. We have also sponsored the local children sporting teams.

Dedicated to offering customised solutions, we stand apart from companies focusing on specific services. We provide honest guidance

and free assessments, ensuring costeffective and enduring results.

Our commitment to exceptional service, meticulous attention to detail, and unwavering customer satisfaction sets us apart. Our services encompass a wide range of bathroom needs, from essential maintenance tasks like re-grouting and tile replacement to complete bathroom renovations.

We’re also committed to innovation, exploring technologies and sustainable practices to expand our product and service offerings.

I was nominated for the Businesswoman of the Year Award, which has been an honour. It validates my efforts and motivates me to further invest in our business growth for our team and the Canberra community.

Tania McIntosh

Director of Re-Seal Bathrooms

Call (02) 6176 0026 3/80-82 Newcastle Street, Fyshwick

Visit reseal.com.au admin@reseal.com.au

SCAN FOR AN INSTANT ONLINE ESTIMATE

WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2023 advertising feature

Alison Wombat Cards and Gifts owner Monica Rolls.

Monica

celebrates all things Australian

STARTED as a small market stall selling homemade greeting cards, Wombat Cards and Gifts has grown into a shop that celebrates all things Australian, says owner Monica Rolls.

“I’ve had a passion for Australia, its people, landscape and animals since I was a young girl living on a farm,” she says.

“I’ve now been able to turn that passion into a business.

“But if you have a dream, follow it before you turn 70, you’ll have more energy.”

Monica says as a small, family business it’s sometimes hard to stand-out, but she’s proud of her family and her own hard work.

“I just wanted to be a successful small business owner, and I had to learn not to be afraid to make big changes,” she says.

“Now, after Floriade and the Murrumbateman Field Day, we are getting a lot of compliments on our range of stock, and people who are passionate about everything Australian.

“We have quite a varied range too, lots of things that would make perfect gifts for anyone in the family.

“There’s always something unique to be found.”

Wombat Cards and Gifts, shop 2, 31/35 Nettlefold Street, Belconnen. Call 0423 786222, or visit wombatcardsandgifts.com.au

Find all your Christmas Gifts at Wombats!

Gifts fo r all the Family

helps to make a lasting difference

DECLUTR began in 2016 when director Alison Abernethy realised people need a whole lot more than just a home organiser.

“I give people the mental and emotional space to live their lives,” she says.

“I think women have a lot to offer, we bring a different perspective. I have both men and women on my team, and I find women interact with clients differently.”

Alison says her advice to women who might be looking at starting their own business, is to just go for it.

“Don’t spend hours agonising over it, just try it and you’ll be surprised,” she says.

“I declutter people’s lives with a different perspective, I work with my clients to realise clutter is always a symptom of something else.

“Lots of my clients have had some sort of tragedy in their life, and things get out of control, so I come in to help and offer both mentoring and coaching once the clutter is gone, to address the underlying issues.

“I love the fact that I can go and see a client, and at the end of the two hour session I know I’ve made a difference in their life.”

Alison says she works with lots of people who are socially isolated too.

“So, knowing someone comes in regularly to make a difference in their life is very uplifting, I get a lot of joy out of knowing I make a difference.”

Declutr. Call 0412 299359, or visit declutr.com.au

Declutr director Alison Abernethy. Photo: Tracy Lee

Is clutter causing you unnecessary stress? Alison can help you to D E C L U T R SYSTEMS TO SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE Whether working with clients in their homes or businesses, Alison aims to help create systems that allow people to live their lives without clutter and stress.

DECLUTR can help you organise a cupboard,

a room, a garage or a whole house. We’ll work with you to identify what you need, what you don’t, what’s junk and what’s precious.

Heaps More Gifts in Store

We won’t just do the job and walk away though, DECLUTR can schedule regular check-ins to help you stay or get back on track.

Call Alison on 0412 299 359 Visit declutr.com.au HOME * OFFICE * SYSTEMS * DIGITAL

Wander into Wombat Cards & Gifts Unit 2, 31-35 Nettlefold Street, Belconnen

Open Tuesday to Friday 9am-4.30pm Saturday 9am-3pm

Scan to download my free ebook!

0423 786 222

(Opposite AUTO ONE)

wombatcardsandgifts.com.au 20 CityNews November 9-15, 2023

Scan to Shop online citynews.com.au

THAT BEAUTIFUL SHOP

advertising feature

‘Your home should be an environment that gives you a sense of belonging and reflects and inspires your life’

Virginia offers inspiration to create beautiful spaces VIRGINIA Ransom, owner of That Beautiful Shop in Moss Vale, started her business in 2016 offering pre-loved furniture, décor and upholstery.

“I love classic and timeless interiors, and I gradually included custom Australian-made sofas, armchairs and bedheads together with window treatments,” she says.

With a background as a fashion designer, Virginia says her love of beauty, colour and fabrics is an important element in her styling.

“The famous painter, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, said ‘there are quite enough unpleasant things in life without the need to manufacture more’,” she says.

“My primary focus is to work with my clients to further develop their own style of decorating in their home environment.

“I like to incorporate the use of colour and favourite items, then restore and re-upholster existing furniture if needed, as well as include new items to freshen and update their home.

And, Virginia says, of course, comfort is

Virginia Ransom… “Good service and happy clients are of primary importance to me and my business, and many have also become friends.” always a key element.

“Your home should be an environment that gives you a sense of belonging and reflects and inspires your life,” she says.

“Our role is to help you to create beauti-

A beautiful painting?

ful spaces with quality furnishings.

“Our suppliers and makers share our priorities of quality workmanship and timely delivery.”

Virginia says she has now added

original art in her shop, her own as well as from other artists.

“It’s some years since I painted regularly, and it was time to get back into the studio,” she says.

“There is a shortage of art in the Moss Vale retail area, and I see it as an obvious progression to showcase beautiful, affordable Australian art and sculptures with my furniture settings in the shop.

“Galleries internationally are finally realising the importance of showing art with furniture instead of hanging pieces in otherwise empty rooms. After all, art needs to sit comfortably with the furnishings in the room, whether home or office.

“Fine art can complete a room and turn it into that special place called ‘my home’, a place of physical and emotional comfort, imbued with a sense of peace and belonging, something which has never been as important as now.”

Virginia says she has helped clients in Canberra, Parkes, Wagga Wagga, the Gold Coast and as far away as Melbourne.

“Good service and happy clients are of primary importance to me and my business, and many have also become friends.”

That Beautiful Shop, 406 Argyle Street, Moss Vale. Call 4868 1234, or email info@thatbeautifulshop.com

Or a cane setting for the sunroom?

Whatever your decorating needs, come and see us for art, Australian-made sofas and armchairs, rugs, curtains, blinds, upholstery and so much more.

406 Argyle Street, Moss Vale E: info@thatbeautifulshop.com T: 02 4868 1234 Open Wednesday to Saturday, or by appointment citynews.com.au

CityNews November 9-15, 2023 21

WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2023 advertising feature

Natasha Kim

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

loves transforming and renovating property

KIM Persson has been working in the renovation industry since July 2015.

“My business, Renovation Matters, opened in December 2021 to help customers maximise their sales results when selling, or help upgrade their homes to their choice and lifestyle if they are wanting to stay,” she says.

“I love property, I always have and I get the biggest kick out of the amazing transformations we do, seeing our before and afters.

“I also enjoy the gratification of happy and satisfied clients. If anything is not completed to a customer’s satisfaction I will help adjust and change it until they are happy.”

Kim says she finds being a woman in business invigorating, challenging, educational and very rewarding.

“It’s wonderful to meet so many people in all the areas of business, including customers, suppliers, co-workers, business partners, networking groups and support staff,” she says.

“I have been fortunate enough to find great tradesmen and women who take pride in their work and do a fabulous job for me and my clients.

“I encourage other women who are looking at starting a business to follow their passion. Don’t expect it to be a walk in the park, running a small business is challenging in many ways, however also very rewarding.

“Seek help when required, and try to get a good balance of work and free time.”

Renovation Matters. Call 0427 696662, or visit renovationmatters.com.au

elps women fix their h money relationship

WOMEN With Cents was started in 2016 by Natasha Janssens, as a financial education platform for women.

“The focus now is less on financial literacy, and more on the psychology behind money and spending,” she says.

“I grew up in eastern Europe, in what was Yugoslavia, and came to Australia by myself at 18.

“I had to figure out everything to do with money on my own.

“I became an accountant, but I decided I wanted to do something to help people manage their money better, so I then became a financial adviser and mortgage broker.”

When Natasha was pregnant and joined in mothers groups, she says she realised how male-dominated finances were.

“My mothers’ group started a Facebook to discuss our money and questions, and we’d meet up in person, too,” she says.

“I even wrote a book, ‘Wonder Woman’s Guide To Money’, but I realised something was still missing, so I became a behavioural money coach.

“People don’t talk about the money they earn because they fear judgement.

“Childhood trauma can often impact the money-related decisions we make as adults, because women are taught to put others first, always.

“We all know how to budget, it’s not a lack of knowledge.

“So, now I help women realise what shapes their relationship with money, so they can learn and become more confident.”

Women With Cents. Visit womenwithcents.com.au

Natasha Janssens.

Money Coaching For Women Transform your life, one dollar at a time FINANCIAL CLARITY

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womenwithcents.com.au 22 CityNews November 9-15, 2023

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MAXIMISE YOUR PROFIT WHEN SELLING Fix Up - Profit - Pay Later

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

BEFORE

AFTER

NOW IS THE TIME… Phone Kim on 0427 696 662

SCAN ME!

RM explainer video

hello@renovationmatters.com.au

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2023 advertising feature

Christy

b uilds body confidence without surgery

TOTAL Body Contouring has been established in Canberra for a few years now, but new-owner Christy Christensen only recently took over.

“The community and customer base around the brand appealed to me, as we have so much to offer for the next phase of growth and service offerings,” she says, with 15 years of experience backing her up.

“Total Body Contouring is a place to redefine your silhouette. We help people achieve their goals from reducing cellulite and fatty tissue, assisting with muscle growth, through to lymphatic drainage, and facials that reduce acne scars.”

Christy says Total Body Contouring is about building body confidence without surgery.

“We give a personalised experience and journey, everyone is different,” she says.

“First, we set up a consultation to make sure you get the right specialisation for your needs and wants.

“With industry certification for all our services, your safety comes first.

“We give full transparency to everyone so there are no hidden extras or inflated prices.”

Christy says as a team, satisfaction comes from the results achieved through the Total Body Contouring services.

“But, most of all, it’s the smile on our clients’ faces when they see the results for themselves,” she says.

Total Body Contouring, Shop 3/22 Franklin Street, Griffith. Call 6239 7347, or visit totalbodycontouring.com.au

Anna Lucy, &

Total Body Contouring owner Christy Christensen.

Anna Neilan, left, and Lucy Stramandinoli.

directors who love the law

LUCY Stramandinoli and Anna Neilan are the all-female directors of boutique family law firm Neilan Stramandinoli Family Law. “We each bring with us over 20 years’ experience working in family law,” they say.

“We know from being mothers and directors of a busy law firm that it is hard juggling a work/life balance, raising family while also working in the stressful and complicated area of family law.”

Lucy says she studied law while raising her young children.

“That was so much hard work,” says Lucy.

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

Anna’s children were little when she and Lucy set up the firm.

“We have known each other for over 20 years having worked in opposing firms and together,” says Anna.

“We support each other and share the same values

and work ethic.”

In relation to setting up the firm in 2017, Lucy says it was a lot of hard work starting from scratch.

“But choosing the right business partner who shares the same goals and morals as you do makes the load a lot easier,” says Lucy, “It has also meant that we could create a work environment and choose staff who share our goals and morals, which makes for a very happy, productive and meaningful place to work.”

Anna and Lucy say that it is important to support women lawyers coming up in the profession.

“We had strong role models and mentors and it is important to support our staff as they develop from being young lawyers to more senior lawyers,” says Anna, “it’s about finding your tribe.”

Neilan Stramandinoli Family Law, Suite 2, Ground Floor, 11 London Circuit, Civic. Call 6152 0493, or visit nsfamilylaw.com.au

Working for the best possible solution At Neilan Stramandinoli Family Law, we pride ourselves in our proven track record, our commitment to excellence, and expert knowledge of family law. We understand how difficult and emotional family law matters can be, we are compassionate and empathetic, guiding you towards the best possible solution for you.

For separating couples:

New or existing relationships:

• Parenting arrangements • Dividing property and superannuation • Family violence matters

• Best arrangements for your children • Protecting assets and yourself • Preserving entitlements

Lucy Stramandinoli Family Lawyer

Anna Neilan Family Lawyer

For a fixed fee initial appointment phone us on 02 6152 0493 nsfamilylaw.com.au Email: info@nsfamilylaw.com.au Suite 2 Ground Floor 11 London Circuit, Canberra City 24 CityNews November 9-15, 2023

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Canberra’s Most Trusted Non-Surgical Body Sculpting, Beauty and Health Clinic Fat loss With Cooltech®

ONDA With Coolwaves®

Cooltech, also known as fat freezing, is a popular, non-surgical treatment that makes it possible to reduce fat deposits by up to 25%.

ONDA is an award winning and the world’s first and only body shaping device to use revolutionary new Coolwaves technology – and is set to change the way in which non-surgical body shaping procedures are delivered.

The advantages of Cooltech are, among other things, that the treatment is very effective, almost painless and far more gentle on the body than, for example, surgery.

The Latest In Non-Invasive Full Body Contouring and fat freezing – Cooltech® Many people find that despite a healthy lifestyle, they can have a hard time getting rid of fat in certain areas of the body. This can be extremely frustrating for the individual and lead to not feeling comfortable in their body. Stubborn fat deposits can be genetically determined and therefore be extremely difficult to get rid of.

Cool waves bypass the uppermost layers of skin tissue, helping deliver more energy/heat directly to where it is needed: the subcutaneous fat cells. This new technology helps dramatically reduce the heating of the surface tissue by focusing heat in the subdermal fatty tissues, with 20% more heating of the fat than laser and RF fat reduction technologies while keeping the skin cooler and more comfortable.

Additionally, ONDA Coolwaves has no consumables, no downtime, and offers faster treatment in fewer sessions. Not available elsewhere in ACT.

The Latest Telsa Functional Magnetic Stimulation for the whole body and Incontinence Treatments TESLAFormer Treatment builds bobt muscle in the areas you want and leads to burning fat as muscle forms.

The TESLAChair offers the latest technology to battles incontinence and weakness in the pelvic floor muscles. It is an effective treatment for conditions that form after child birth, sexual dysfunction and pelvic/ lower back pain and stress making it a versatile machine capable of resolving multiple issues of the body. This treatment also enables better circulation within the targeted muscles which helps those with circulatory problems.

ONDA RESULTS

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2023

Simone

aims to get people on to e-bikes

SWITCHED On Cycles was started in 2008 by Simone Annis, with the aim of bringing good quality, but affordable, e-bikes to Canberra and getting more people out of their cars and riding more often.

“We design, sell, repair and service e-bikes, and we can also turn your existing bike into an e-bike using our retrofit kits,” she says.

“I want to make a difference to people’s lives, my experience is that cycling makes me happier and healthier, and when I can empower others to do the same it makes me happy.

“I want to make a difference, however small, to global warming and facilitate others to do so. I do this by helping people overcome barriers such as health, age, finances and distance, all of which stop people riding a normal bike.”

Simone says being a woman in business is an advantage in the cycling industry where traditionally – and still – very few women work.

“Owners of bike shops and their staff are often from a sports cycling background and are usually young men,” she says.

“I have an understanding of the barriers faced by women when it comes to cycling, from making a purchasing decision which meets their needs, to maintaining a bike or using a bike to commute.

“My advice for other women is to do things in a way that works for them, and don’t be scared of asking others for help.”

Switched On Cycles. Call 6262 6234, or visit switchedoncycles.com.au

Switched On Cycles owner Simone Annis.

E-BIKES ARE GREAT FOR COMMUTING. SAVE ON PARKING AND PETROL. Live a healthier and more sustainable life Switched on Cycles is a local Canberra business designing, importing, selling, customising, servicing and repairing e-bikes since 2008.

Wanda Aimee, &

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

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

“Aimee has stuck with me in the job for almost eight years now,” she says.

“She’s amazing, a great support, and family is always number one.

“When I started accounting, I had a family and young kids and sometimes it was hard, but then when the kids and I grew older, I found the courage to start my own business, I felt like it was hard because I was a woman.”

Wanda says at the time, accounting was a male-dominant industry, but here she was, a woman determined not to let anything talk her out of her ultimate goal of owning and running her own business.

“It turned out to be the best decision I Wanda Wojciechowska, left, and daughter Aimee. have ever made,” she says.

“After some time, I was able to find a ing the personal service they deserved. work-life balance that suited me well.

“My meetings with clients are a friendly get “I highly recommend any woman out there, of any together. It’s like doing a puzzle to get them out of age, who may share the same dreams and goals to a sticky situation, and my clients leave smiling and go ahead and pursue them, you never know just how satisfied,” she says. rewarding it can be.”

Wanda says she branched out on her own because WW Accounting. Call 0400 083938 or visit she found, in previous jobs, the clients weren’t receiv- wwaccounting.com.au

We’ll get it sorted Your financial affairs and tax may seem complex to you, however for us it’s all too easy, because we’ve been helping people with their tax for over 20 years.

Let us take the stress out of accounting for you, so you can get on with running your business.

We offer a 2 day trial free of charge, and a 7 day trial for $70. And we give you your money back if you buy a bike from us. We can also turn your existing bike into an e-bike.

Our services include

10%

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Red Hill, Canberra Admin@wwaccounting.com.au switchedoncycles.com.au | facebook.com/switchedoncycles | Call Simone 0450960545 26 CityNews November 9-15, 2023

citynews.com.au

advertising feature

Sandy’s

STEPHANIE’S BOUTIQUE: ELEVATING COMFORT & CONFIDENCE

‘happy’ store has more to discover

IN the heart of Manuka, ACT, there exists a hidden gem that has been transforming the lives of locals one undergarment at a time.

Stephanie’s Underwear Boutique stands as a beacon of comfort, quality, and confidence in the realm of intimate apparel.

CHARLIE & Chums’ owner Sandy Borgo says there’s plenty to discover in her store.

“We’ve got garden accessories, ponchos, a new range of umbrellas, mugs and new handbag hooks that are decorated with blue wrens, dragonflies or cockatoos.”

She says the store has added even more to its range of practical accessories and decorative pet-themed gifts.

“We’ve got a lot of dog bowls that are square and rectangle-shaped for water and food, which makes it easier for the bowls to sit up against a wall and they come in three colours,” she says.

“We’ve got some cheese boards and knives, picnic items, wine coasters and there’s plenty more stock coming soon.

“There’s toys for cats and dogs, pet hair brushes and brooms, bookmarks, bags, painted mugs, figurines, sculptures, leashes, collars and much more.”

Sandy says the store is also now better set out, with dedicated sections for garden, wall art, pet supplies, giftware and more.

“People tell me that the store makes them feel happy. I have people who can come in and spend an hour just looking around.”

Charlie & Chums, Tuggeranong South.Point.

Call 0402 097580 or visit charlieandchums.com.au

The secret of beautiful women

Charlie and Chum’s owner Sandy Borgo.

LARGER NEW STORE WITH A LARGER RANGE FOR YOU

With a keen focus on perfect fitting underwear and personalised bra fitting services, Stephanie’s store has earned its reputation as a haven for those seeking comfort without compromising style.

The importance of perfectly fitting underwear cannot be overstated. Ill-fitting undergarments can lead to discomfort, posture issues, and even skin irritation.

Stephanie’s meticulous attention to detail, with Fil’s 30 years experience in bra fitting, ensures that every customer leaves with undergarments that not only fit flawlessly but also enhance their natural contours. The result? A level of comfort and ease that allows individuals to carry themselves with confidence, knowing that they are supported in all the right places.

One of Stephanie’s Boutique greatest achievements is their unparalleled expertise in bra fitting. Unlike the onesize-fits-all approach often seen in mass-market stores, the team at Stephanie’s takes the time to understand each customer’s unique body shape and size. The personalised fitting services ensure that every woman leaves with a bra that provides the perfect blend of support, comfort, and style. This attention to detail sets Stephanie’s Boutique apart, as it caters to the individual needs of each customer, promoting not only physical comfort but also a boost in self-assurance.

Beyond the physical benefits, Stephanie’s

The owner of Stephanie’s Boutique Lingerie, Fil Barilaro, in her store at the Manuka Arcade.

Boutique also offers an extensive range of high-quality, carefully curated brands. From luxurious lace to everyday essentials, the store boasts an array of options that cater to various tastes and lifestyles.

Stephanie’s Boutique is more than just a store; it’s a testament to the power of personalised care in the realm of intimate apparel. In a world where comfort and confidence go hand in hand, Stephanie’s expertly curated selection and fitting services have become a cornerstone destination for beautiful women across ACT. For those seeking the perfect fit and a boost in self-assurance, Stephanie’s Boutiques the destination of choice.

Stephanie’s Boutique Manuka Arcade Stephanie’s Boutique Lingerie is located in Manuka Arcade and welcomes you to call in and browse the wide range of new season stock, make an appointment for a personalised fitting or pick up the perfect Christmas gift or gift voucher

MASKS

PLUS THE ALL NEW WARMIES & SNUGG UPS RANGE

Come out & browse our larger store today!

M A S S IV

E

RANGE

SouthPoint, Opposite Target Sandy 0402 097 580 citynews.com.au

Manuka Arcade, Manuka www.stephaniesboutiquelingerie.com.au 6295 0469 stephanies@vergola.com.au

CityNews November 9-15, 2023 27

WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2023 advertising feature

Jane

embraces the opportunity to help others

STARTED in 2019, Cercis Property is a real estate agency offering property sales and property management services, says property consultant Jane Yang.

“I have the opportunity to help others achieve their dreams of home ownership, the adventure of closing deals, the challenge of navigating a dynamic market, and the fulfillment that comes from using skills to create a positive impact in my community and the lives of my clients,” she says.

“Being a woman in business means harnessing unique perspectives and strengths to lead, innovate, and drive positive economic growth.

“Our commitment is to empower women through a family-like environment that champions difference and innovation, fostering unique perspectives that drive business success.”

Jane’s advice to other women looking to start a business, is to find a niche market and act to drive change.

“Women in real estate or practically any other industry bring a unique blend of empathy, market tuition, and a nurturing approach to client relations,” she says.

Cercis Property, Shop 121/27 Eastlake Parade, Kingston, or Shop 19/77 Northbourne Avenue, Turner. Call 0401 539788, or visit cercis.com.au

Bethany Freeman-Chandler, left, and Gail Freeman.

Gail Bethany, &

Cercis Property consultant Jane Yang.

offer wide-ranging services

GAIL Freeman and Co is a family business, a firm of chartered accountants that specialise in taxation, superannuation and financial planning, says director Gail Freeman.

“I first started the business in 1987,” she says.

“My daughter, Bethany Freeman-Chandler is a senior accountant at the firm, and helps to make up a team of amazing people.

“Being able to work together as a mother-anddaughter team is really special.”

Gail specialises in tax and superannuation, she says,

and Bethany focuses on accounting and computer programs.

“We have different strengths, so we can help a wider variety of people,” says Gail.

“I love what I do, every day, and I find working with a team who are really special makes life so much easier.

“The work is ever changing and I’m always learning, and both of those things work for me.”

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Call us now to see how we can help on 6295 2844 | www.gailfreeman.com.au | info@gailfreeman.com.au 28 CityNews November 9-15, 2023

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2023 advertising feature

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leading the way in indigenous health care

WINNUNGA Nimmityjah is an Aboriginal community controlled health service, says CEO Julie Tongs, and there are 144 Aboriginal community controlled health services nationally.

Julie has been the CEO of Winnunga for 25 years, and says her vision has always been for Winnunga to be a leader in the provision of primary health care.

“Winnunga is a leader in providing comprehensive primary health care and is pivotal to the overall health system in the ACT and surrounding NSW region,” she says.

“Winnunga clients come from 324 suburbs.

“In the 21/22 financial year Winnunga provided 92,000 occasions of care to 8295 clients.”

Julie says this included COVID-19 vaccinations, testing clinics, telephone consults, walk-in services to GPs, as well as psychologists, psychiatrists, podiatrist, optometry, physiotherapy, dieticians, drug and alcohol help and mental health nurses.

“In 2019, just before COVID-19 lockdown, Winnunga commenced a large-scale building project, which was quite challenging,” says Julie.

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Clients come from all walks of life, Tongs says.

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Winnunga Nimmityjah CEO Julie Tongs.

Helen

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“I have two sons with ADHD, and when my eldest was diagnosed at six-years-old, I was struggling – not only with how to support him but also with how to support myself.

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

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2023

Julia

Sarah’s

m akes a ‘creative difference’ to people’s lives

JULIA Landford established her business, NatureArt Lab, in 2017.

“NatureArt Lab is a unique, purpose-led arts and environmental education business that, over the past seven years, has made a significant difference to many people’s lives,” she says.

“We are contributing to environmental sustainability, building communities and championing health through our connections with nature and creativity.”

Julia says, as a “nature lover, artist and environmentalist”, she’s honoured to have NatureArt Lab win the 2024 Telstra Best of Business Award (ACT) for Building Communities.

“We now have a talented team of around 30 artists teaching a range of high-quality art and photography courses, all inspired by nature,” she says.

“We have created communities that are local, national and international to nurture creative connections with nature.

“I am particularly proud to be a woman in business, because I can work with like-minded businesses in our region to help make a difference.

“I’m also passionate about environmental sustainability and ensuring that all businesses in the Canberra region are thinking about how their business can minimise its impact on the environment and biodiversity loss.”

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Call 0414 342839, or visit natureartlab.com.au

NatureArt Lab owner Julia Landford.

Unleash your creativity with NatureArt Lab

healing journey through art

MARRAWUY Journeys is a rich tapestry of contemporary Aboriginal storytelling through art, says founder Sarah Richards, who was named Indigenous Businesswoman of the Year 2023.

“Marrawuy means red kangaroo in the language of my country, the Ngiyampaa language,” she says.

“The red kangaroo was the totem of my ancestor, Richard King, and because the kangaroo is uniquely unable to leap backwards, it is a potent metaphor for resilient and forward momentum.

Sarah has always painted, but says she paused her art while she studied for an accounting degree.

“A bad break-up made me re-evaluate where I seek my happiness, and that was through art,” she says.

“I moved to Canberra from the Gold Coast in 2012, and I made peace with the absence of Marrawuy Journeys founder Sarah Richards. traditional stories in my knowledge pool, because business people. My advice is my favourite quote, my great grandmother was part of the stolen ‘I’m not sure how, but I will’, so trust in your own generation. abilities.”

“It’s been challenging to navigate full-time Sarah says there is a workforce mental health crisis work, parenting, study and health, so to be named for Australians.

Indigenous Businesswoman of the Year 2023 was “My aim is to help to heal the country,” she says. overwhelming, but it’s recognition of my hard work, “Through Marrawuy Journeys, I create opporand lets me share my story.” tunities for others to embark on their own healing Last year, Sarah chose to invest in her own journeys, through the power of art.” business full-time.

“It is scary being in charge of your own payslip, but Marrawuy Journeys. Call 0421 418638, freeing as well,” she says. or visit mjourneys.com.au “Aboriginal people can be, and are, successful

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For more information email info@mjourneys.com.au or visit www.mjourneys.com.au 32 CityNews November 9-15, 2023

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PLUMBING

Rhododendrons… They can look a little ordinary most of the year but when flowering we know why we plant them. Photos: Jackie Warburton

Skeletonised leaves… the work of a Callistemon sawfly, a large caterpillar that can decimate the foliage of a bottle bush in no time.

Rhododendrons put on a show RHODODENDRONS are coming into flower and, as an evergreen, tropical, large shrub, it can fill a space in a large garden.

They are extremely slow growing but long lived and, once they’re established, they really put on a flowering show.

Rhododendrons are shallow rooted and grow well under large conifer trees where the pH is perfect for them or under large trees with overhanging branches to provide dappled light in the summer. They like excess water with good drainage and lots of mulch.

While they can look a little ordinary most of the year, when flowering we know why we plant them.

They like an acid soil and grow well with camellias, gardenias and other acid-loving plants.

To encourage more flowering next season, deadheading the flowers can be done by twisting the old flower heads off with your fingers and then the plant will send up new shoots.

I have also chopped some old rhododendrons to 30 centimetres from the ground and they bounced back with new, compact growth.

There’s a native rhododendron that grows in Canberra and flowers in summer

called Rhododendron lochiae. It’s at the Botanic Gardens for all to see.

WITH all the rain of the last few years, some rhododendrons may have pest issues.

Thrips and red spider mite will have leaves looking pale and curled with distinct silvering on the upper side of the leaves, while the thrips chew on the undersides leaving black droppings.

Spray the underside of the leaves with neem oil to minimise pests. A repeat spraying may be required. But, importantly, don’t not spray for pests when plants are flowering.

Thrips are about one to two millimetres long with narrow bodies that are difficult to see with the naked eye. Once there is a thrips infestation it can be difficult to eradicate, but removing infected leaves and placing them into the green bin will help keep the pests down.

THE Callistemon sawfly (Pterygophorus sp) is in abundance at the moment. It’s a large, pointy tailed caterpillar that’s easy to see. It can decimate the foliage of a bottlebrush in no time and skeletonise the leaves. The top half of the bush is left with bare sticks and if the population of insects builds up, the shrub will eventually die.

They also like to eat eucalyptus and melaleucas.

Fortunately they don’t sting and are not harmful to humans or animals.

If more than 50 per cent of the shrub is affected, then trim the damaged leaves. Give them to the chooks or place them in the green bin, but

not the compost.

Hand pull any caterpillars and place in soapy water. This will lessen the population and, hopefully, help to get flowers next season.

If the shrubs are too big to manage, try the organic insecticide Diapel, which kills only caterpillars and is safe for beneficial insects such as ladybirds and bees.

One Callistemon that grows without this pest is the stiff bottlebrush (Callistemon linearis). It has slender leaves and is resistant to the callistemon sawfly. It grows well, to two metres, in full sun.

It’s also drought and frost tolerant. Its bright red flowers cover the entire bush in late winter to early spring and it’s a delight for the wildlife as well. jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au

Jottings…

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• Plant potted colour in the garden for flowers at Christmas.

• Keep on top of weeds and hand pull before they flower.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Dinner wines put the focus on First Creek

INSIDE

RICHARD CALVER

Shkspr, compleat, in short, revised and abridged

By Helen

MUSA IT’S a long title, but the moment you read “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised]” or its alternative, “The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr (abridged)”, you know you’re in for some fun.

For the 1980s play, by American theatremakers Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield, hits the spot with Bard lovers and haters around the world – and seems the perfect recipe for pre-Christmas fun.

“It’s not important that I’m a female,” says cast member Alex McPherson. “The show was written for three men, but our director, Ylaria Rogers, decided to cast a woman.”

That’s meant just a bit of rearrangement in allocating lines to take full advantage of having her in the cast.

McPherson was pretty well born to play this part. The daughter of Liz de Toth, a stalwart director and actor with Canberra Rep, the young Alex first performed at Rep in 2008 in “The Odd Couple” and has been performing on and off ever since.

And no, she doesn’t get to play Juliet, tell-

The Players, from left, Callum Doherty, Ryan Street and Alex McPherson. ing me: “I play the nurse, and come to think of it, that may be the only woman I play.”

But the fact she’s a young mum has been used to full advantage in their version of “Macbeth”, performed with very bad Scottish accents, when Macbeth, not knowing that his nemesis Macduff was born by Caesarean section, believes the witches when they tell him that “none of woman born” shall harm him.

“It’s better coming from me, who has had

Photo: Karina Hudson

a child, so I get Macbeth’s line, it feels like ownership,” McPherson says.

She’s been bringing her son to rehearsals now he’s of an age where he can see her perform, but as to whether he is likely to tread the boards, that’s another matter.

“I have my fingers crossed, but he comments so much on what we should and shouldn’t be doing that I think he could be a budding director, not an actor,” she says.

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So, what’s the “narrative” of the play?

“It’s such fun; we do all the things we have to do as actors – for instance, I die about nine different times. I have never been allowed to overact in my entire time on stage, so I’m enjoying myself,” she says.

The set-up is that three individuals, just ordinary people, have decided to perform all of Shakespeare in one go. They don’t know as much about the Bard as they think they

do, so things go wrong.

“They’re just people who act out various parts in different ways.”

Occasionally a play, such as “Romeo and Juliet”, is done in full, over 10 minutes and with some Shakespearean language.

“Othello” is done as a rap number, and there are football games, notably one covering the entire span of “The Wars of the Roses.”

And there’s a TV cooking show.

Shakespeare buffs will be unsurprised to learn that this is from “Titus Andronicus”, which contains one of the most notorious cannibalistic meals in all theatre history. I recall a production at Sydney University once when audience members in the front row fainted.

Although the play was written for American football, it has been changed in Australia to AFL, but not in this case, where the cast members, pretty un-sporty, had to Google the subject.

“No, we haven’t made it Aussie Rules… if we had to classify it, we’re doing ‘theatre kids’ footy’,” McPherson says, assuring me that it’ll be easy to understand.

There are many different ways of addressing the themes and concerns of Shakespeare, with some sections done in Shakespearean language and others not, but all for fun.

“The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised],” Canberra Rep Theatre, Acton, November 17-December 2.

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To book, scan the QR code, go to cso.org.au/concert- experience or call CSO Direct on 02 6262 6772 (weekdays 10am–3pm)

CityNews November 9-15, 2023 35

STREAMING / ‘The Crown”, the final series

Here’s the controversial ‘Crown’, for one last time NEXT week “The Crown” returns for its sixth and final season and that also means one final round of heated controversy.

The series is infamous for attracting swathes of naysayers whenever release day rolls around.

Last year Dame Judi Dench and former British Prime Minister John Major took aim at the series, labelling it as “sensationalism” and “cruelly unjust”.

But that hasn’t stopped the show’s creator and writer Peter Morgan hitting back. He recently told “Variety”: “All the criticism about ‘The Crown’s’ attitude to the royals comes in anticipation of the show coming out.

“The minute it’s out and people look at it – whether it’s Judi Dench or John Major – they instantly fall silent.

And I think they probably feel rather stupid.”

Morgan has a point. Any criticism of the show hasn’t stopped it winning 21 Emmy awards and becoming one of Netflix’s most popular series.

Season five managed to rack up 1.1 million viewers on its first day alone and across its first week garnered a staggering 107 million viewing hours worldwide.

With season six promising some

Australian star Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana in the sixth season of “The Crown”. of the most controversial moments in modern Royal history, it seems that viewers are as hungry for “The Crown” as ever.

The trailer, which scored close to two million views on YouTube in its first 24 hours of release alone, has hinted that the final season will dive into the tragic death of Princess Diana (played by Aussie star

Elizabeth Debicki) and its aftermath.

Of course, this has already angered critics.

One scene in the trailer, underscored by a haunting rendition of “Mad World” by Tears for Fears, appears to show Diana returning as a “ghost”, whipping up all sorts of fury that the show is “insensitive”.

But Morgan has been quick to

address the backlash, saying they never intended for the appearance to be “supernatural” but rather her “continuing to live vividly in the minds of those she left behind.”

Though it might be “sensationalist” in some aspects, throughout the show’s near decade of streaming it has always

managed to bring audiences back huge numbers, including it was rumoured, the late Queen Elizabeth II herself. Apparently, Charles is less keen though.

Undoubtedly the show sensationalises for the very reason of stirring up the huge amounts of attention it receives. This has resulted in cries for “The Crown” to have some sort of disclaimer that it’s “fictional”, but actress Claudia Harrison, who plays Princess Anne, says audiences are smarter than that.

“To think people are genuinely sitting down thinking this is a documentary and that everything they see is fact, I feel uncomfortable with that,” she told “The Guardian.”

“Patronise an audience at your peril.”

Morgan also says the ending of the popular series has been changed to acknowledge the death of Queen Elizabeth II, an event which caused the final season to go on a filming hiatus out of respect.

This will have been no easy feat, as the series is set to end around 2005, close to 20 years before her passing last year.

“We’d all been through the

experience of the funeral so because of how deeply everyone will have felt that I had to try to find a way in which the final episode dealt with the character’s death, even though she hadn’t died yet,” Morgan told “Variety”.

One can only wonder what that original ending looked like and how it would compare to what audiences will get now.

The first four episodes of the final season will officially drop on November 16, while audiences will have to wait until December 14 for the second half.

But as with all things popular in the age of streaming, this might not actually be the end of “The Crown” entirely.

The show’s writers have bounced around ideas of a prequel set well before the era of Elizabeth II but say it would “need a unique set of circumstances” to happen.

I’d wager a strong viewership of season 6 is all the “unique circumstances” Netflix will need.

CABARET / “Triceratop”

Loneliness of the last dinosaur

By Helen Musa

THE title of the coming cabaret at The B, “Triceratop” is just that, singular.

For Adam Deusien’s new adult cabaret is not a kiddies’ dinosaur show, but an adult queer cabaret, presented as part of The Q’s 2023 “Q the Locals” program.

Artistic director of the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre Jordan Best says they have received funding from a philanthropic foundation to pay the artists involved in the 2024, season of “Q the Locals”.

The identity of the foundation will be revealed later in the year, but Best believes that it’s a confirmation of The Q’s track record of supporting local producers and performers, begun by Stephen Pike and reinvented as “Q the Locals” by Best.

“We are working towards more programming that comes from the region so that we don’t have to rely so much on touring productions,” she says.

“And also it’s partly in response to covid – there is less chance that locals are going to get locked out.”

It also fits in with the “supported risk” approach, she says, where productions in development can enjoy the solidity of having a venue behind them.

It’s been a bumper year for “Q the 36 CityNews November 9-15, 2023

Adam Deusien… takes on the persona of a unique, lonely individual – the last dinosaur ever.

Locals”, with Christopher Carroll’s “Smokescreen”, Ruth Pieloor’s “Demented”, David Cole’s “The Waltz” (which has been picked up in a revised version by the Bondi Pavilion Theatre) and Rachel Pengilly’s personal tale of the 1868 Arran stowaways, “Legacies”.

“Triceratop” is the brainchild of Adam Deusien, until recently the manager of new work at Canberra Theatre and now pursuing an independent artistic career.

A multi-talented director and physical theatre maker, he is also artistic director of Lingua Franca and works with Local Stages, Bathurst’s performing arts development program as a director, producer and dramaturg to present work in regional Australia.

In “Triceratop”, Deusien takes on the persona of a unique, lonely

individual – the last dinosaur ever – who, queer, has never fallen in love.

Billed as a re-imagining of prehistory, Deusien’s character depicts a once-thriving dinosaur society doomed by its own arrogance to ignore the impending climate disaster that would eventually wipe them out of existence. This show has a keen contemporary edge.

Following his solitary life from his lovelorn teenage years to life as a modern “lizard king”, the playwright-actor mixes cabaret, storytelling, performance lecture, sci-fi and a camp showbiz style to narrate the story of the last days of civilisation.

“Triceratop”, The B Bar, The Q, November 24-25. Recommended for ages 16+. citynews.com.au

MUSIC

Mick: I still think of Charlie MICK Jagger says he still thinks about The Rolling Stones’ late drummer Charlie Watts when creating music as he would “always bounce things off him”.

The Stones’ new studio album “Hackney Diamonds, which has topped the Australian and UK charts, is their first collection of original songs for 18 years and the first since the death of 80-year-old Watts in August 2021.

The 12-track offering features appearances from the late drummer as well as a host of stars including original member Bill Wyman, Lady Gaga and Elton John.

In an interview with “The Guardian”, Jagger said: “It’s a couple of years now, and I still think about Charlie a lot…

“I miss his laconic humour. His taste in music. His elegance. His don’t-care attitude – he didn’t get intense. Keith and

I get a bit intense…

“But Charlie wouldn’t, and it rubs off a bit – I’m not as intense as I used to be.”

The drummer formed part of the band’s original line-up alongside remaining members, guitarist Keith Richards and Jagger, who now perform with Ronnie Wood and Steve Jordan, the band’s drummer since Watts died.

Watts had played on a number of early samples which were then finished after his death, including the tracks “Mess It Up” and “Live By The Sword”, which feature on the record.

“I think about him when I’m playing, and what he would have played; whether he’d have liked this song, because I’d always bounce things off him,” Jagger reflected.

“I’d be playing him the silly pop songs of the moment, and he’d love all that.”

The 80-year-old singer admitted he has not found the loss of his friends any easier as he gets older, adding: “There’s a lot of

Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger says he misses Charlie Watts, who died in 2021.

Photo: AP

people around your age, they’re dying all the time.

“I don’t have any friends older than me, only one. Apart from the band, all my friends are much younger.”

Jagger, who has eight children, added that becoming a father in his late 20s meant he has been conscious of his mortality for a long time.

He had a son, Deveraux, with his girlfriend Melanie Hamrick when Hamrick was aged 29 and he was aged 73.

Reflecting on fatherhood, he said: “The more children you have, the more laissezfaire you get about them, to be honest.

“And it depends on the child – they have their own personalities and you can mould them to a certain extent, but you see their likes and dislikes and encourage them to do things they gravitate towards.

“It’s fun to have children, at any age. But if you’re working, and always away, you don’t get to enjoy it quite as much.”

Asked how he feels about the band continuing to perform, Jagger said: “How long can you really do it? It’s like asking: how long can someone go on playing for England? Not long, is usually the answer.”

He added: “I do think about it. But I write all the time. You’ve just got to keep writing, and now everyone (in the band) can see they can record quite easily.

“It was only three weeks in the studio.

It’s not difficult. Too much angst went into recording before. If it’s no good, it’s no good; if that track doesn’t work, another one will do it.”

–AAP

ARTS IN THE CITY Sgt Pepper taught the band to play?

“The Woman In Me” has been praised by critics as a compelling account of Britney Spears’ rise to fame.

(AP PHOTO)

Britney’s memoir a big hit BRITNEY Spears’ memoir “The Woman In Me” has sold 1.1 million copies in the US alone through its first week.

“I poured my heart and soul into my memoir, and I am grateful to my fans and readers around the world for their unwavering support,” Spears said in a statement released by Gallery Books, a division of Simon & Schuster.

The sales figures include pre-orders, print sales, e-books and audiobooks.

“The Woman In Me”, released at the end of October, has been praised by critics as a compelling account of her rise to global fame and her ongoing struggles, notably the conservatorship that for years granted her father control of much of her life.

The singer’s highly-anticipated book, for which she did little publicity beyond posts on her Instagram page, was the top seller of

last week.

But it’s not the year’s fastest seller. Prince Harry’s memoir “Spare”, which came out in January, sold 1.6 million US copies in its first week.

The audio edition of Spears’ book, read

by Oscar-nominated actor Michelle Williams, appears to be a key factor in the book’s initial success.

Williams’ reading has been highly acclaimed, and according to Gallery, is the fastest selling audio release in the company’s history. The publisher did not immediately announce a specific sales figure for the audiobook.

According to Circana, which tracks about 85 per cent of the print market, “The Woman In Me” sold just under 418,000 copies, far below first week Circana numbers for former President Barack Obama’s “A Promised Land” and former first lady Michelle Obama’s “Becoming” among other memoirs. –AAP

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BLAMEY Street Big Band is preparing for a performance featuring big-band versions of classic Beatles songs. Conductor Ian McLean says the Beatles utilised a piccolo trumpet to bring “Penny Lane” to life and now Andrew Hackwill has gone a few steps further with swinging arrangements of tunes including “Eleanor Rigby”, “Lady Madonna”, “Hey Jude”, “A Hard Day’s Night” and “With a Little Help from my Friends”. Harmonie German Club, November 18.

WINHANGANHA (“Remember, know, think” in Wiradjuri) is a journey of archival footage and sound, poetry and original composition commissioned from Wiradjuri artist Jazz Money by the National Film and Sound Archive. ACT gala premiere screening, Arc Cinema, November 15.

MARIAN Hosking’s “Tree to Brooch” exhibition presents a collection of more than a dozen silver brooches depicting different

Lisa Keen and the Blamey Street Big Band… Harmonie German Club, November 18. species of leaves, nuts or flowers.

Bilk Gallery, Carwoola, November 10-December 16.

CANBERRA’S Australian Rugby Choir will present an afternoon of male-voice singing under the baton of musical director Shilong Ye, in its “Time Travel” annual concert.

Southern Cross Club, Woden, November 12.

APEIRON Baroque will next feature early music alongside Australian poetry with presentations

citynews.com.au

from local poets Kimberly Williams, Peter Searles, Penelope Layland and Jacqui Malins. It’s the first in a series of cross-concerts mixing early music with presentations from a wide variety of non-musical disciplines.

Wesley Uniting Church, November 2.

ARTSNATIONAL Molonglo Plains has given a cash award of $1000 and another $1000 towards the hire costs of the Queanbeyan Bicentennial Hall where 35 young musicians and singers from Marie-Cecile’s Music Studio will be given the chance of a lifetime to perform in a professional venue. The B, Queanbeyan, November 12.

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Phone: 02 6257 6666 5A Beltana Road, Pialligo, ACT www.coolcountrynatives.com.au CityNews November 9-15, 2023 37

WINE / First Creek

Dinner wines put the focus on First Creek A WINE dinner at Walt and Burley, on the Kingston foreshore, was memorable.

Fish cakes… piping hot and crispy on the outside.

Smoked duck salad… glazed with a combo of citrusy orange

Photos: Wendy Johnson and salty and tangy hoisin.

DINING / Bookplate, National Library

Bookplate has got the story right on lighter meals THE floor-to-ceiling Leonard French stained-glass windows at the National Library of Australia are stunning and stylish.

Bookplate is lucky to have them as a major design element of the café and there’s no doubt they’re a drawcard for Canberrans and visitors alike.

So, too, is the massive outdoor and sun-drenched terrace with picture-perfect views of Lake Burley Griffin and Patrick White Lawns.

It was a glorious warm, spring day – the type of weather that entices you to go for a long walk. We were peckish and, as we were passing Bookplate, we stopped for a leisurely lunch.

Bookplate offers an all-day brunch menu including a basic bacon and egg roll ($15), avo toast ($16) and granola ($16). I would have chosen the Shakshuka ($24.50), always finding baked eggs with chorizo soul-satisfying, but I was more in the mood for lunch.

We ordered wine and food inside, sat in a beautiful spot outside and were efficiently served our meals.

My three fish cakes were moist and full of flavour. The dish is super generous and

excellent value at $22. The cakes were piping hot and crispy on the outside. The side salad – featuring fennel, parmesan, walnut and peppery rocket – was fresh and inviting.

The yuzu gel was punchy and lifted the dish tremendously.

One friend went for the house-made pot pie of the day. It, too, was piping hot and loaded with chunks of meat. The fresh mesclun green salad was a lovely addition ($20).

Another friend, very adventurous with his food, opted for the smoked duck salad ($25). The duck was glazed with a combo of citrusy orange and salty and tangy hoisin.

The presentation was unique and not quite what was expected for a “salad”. The slices of duck (and plenty of them) were plated on one side and the rocket salad featured thick slices of red onion and julienned carrots (not quite what was described on the menu but tasty enough). The half-chargrilled lime was squirted on top of the tender duck, elevating it a level or two.

Bookplate is relaxing and light meals are great for those in the area who want something smaller with a quality coffee

And on to Margot Bar for a red sangria. or tea. Toasties are $12 or $13, and the lemon, raspberry and ginger loaf sounds scrumptious ($9).

After lunch we wandered along the water and settled in at Margot Bar for a bit, enjoying one of its red sangrias ($16) – not too sweet. This small espresso and wine bar, right on the water, continues to evolve with a slightly broader food offering. We were told a new container bar will soon open.

First, the owners of First Creek Wines, situated in Pokolbin – the heart of the Hunter Valley, were unable to attend the dinner that featured their wines.

The Silkman family sent their apologies. They were ably represented by their distributor’s representatives though. Mark Davis and Rory Fitzpatrick from Joval Wines poured and explained the characteristics of the wines during the course of the evening.

First Creek is a one of the main suppliers of wine to Walt and Burley and Danilo Acioli, the general manager, indicated that this was the second time that an arranged, five-course dinner had featured the wines.

My 2020 edition of the “Halliday Wine Companion” shows First Creek to be a fivestar winery, with emphasis on the quality of the semillons produced.

The Hunter Valley semillons are excellent, but the only hint of that varietal on the night was in the sparkling that was provided on arrival, an entry level wine made up of 70 per cent chardonnay and 30 per cent semillon.

The night featured many other white varietals although a flight of shiraz was served with the main course.

Instead of semillon, the first course of a Kingfish Ceviche Tostada was accompanied by the 2022 Limited Release Gruner Veltliner.

This is an unusual wine for the Hunter Valley as it is usually grown in the cold-climate areas of Austria and Slovakia. It is also a varietal that is grown in the Canberra District.

The Carpenters, who founded Lark Hill, are reputedly the first to have planted Gruner Veltliner in Australia. It does well at the altitude of the Lark Hill winery: 860 metres, level with the observation deck on Black Mountain Tower, a level of intoxication that one of the guests on the night appeared to have achieved as his public displays of affection for his partner went up a notch with each wine served.

In a testament to the effects of terroir, the

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memory of the crisp acidity of the Canberra Lark Hill varietal was in contrast to the First Creek Wine. The First Creek had a minerality, and a distinctive melon flavour. It was an ocean apart from the local wine but still complemented the lime-flavoured ceviche.

The next surprise was the 2022 Limited Release Fiano.

This is a strongly flavoured Italian varietal that is grown in many parts of Australia and at its best produces flavours of pear and honey; I’m not a fan of the sometimes waxy texture you get from this varietal. The Fiano was served with scallops on a corn puree. We were not sure that the wine matched the flavour profile given the sweetness the corn provided, with a small level of funk in the first mouthful of wine that dissipated as the wine came to room temperature.

The star of the evening came from the flight of three chardonnays that were served with roasted quail on a lentil base.

The quail was well cooked, juicy and was complemented by the third chardonnay of the flight in particular, the Silkman 2019. It was perfumed with violets on the nose and possessed a mouth-filling complexity that blended well with the roast bird.

Dessert saw yet another white varietal in play, a Verdelho but in liqueur form, the 6 Barrels Liqueur Verdelho. This was an intensely sweet wine and perhaps my taste buds were jaded at this point, but together with the chocolate delice there was just too much sweetness.

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HOROSCOPE Your week in the stars

By Joanne Madeline Moore

PUZZLES

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General knowledge crossword No. 906

November 13-19, 2023 ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT

Expect some highs and lows this week! Venus promises improved relations with a partner, friend or colleague. But the Sun-Uranus opposition highlights hiccups in your financial management in the form of a large bill, an unexpected expense or a retrospective tax debt. Which reinforces the importance of having a smart savings plan and a well-stocked emergency fund. So strive to be less impulsive and extravagant, and more cautious and thrifty.

HOW TO AVOID THE TAX GRINCH AT THE CHRISTMAS PARTY

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)

Bulls prefer to plod along in a methodical fashion but, this week, you could experience unexpected dramas and disruptions! The Sun opposes Uranus (in your sign) so daily life will be rather unpredictable. If you prioritise and are mentally flexible, then you’ll handle the hurly-burly with less stress and strain. Romantic relationships and platonic partnerships are also in a state of New Moon flux. The more adaptable you are, the better the final outcomes will be.

Chen came to see me confused about fringe benefits tax (FBT) liabilities for his staff Christmas party.

GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)

You could become anxious, as your daily routine is disrupted in some way. Or your enthusiasm for a work project could overtake your ability to knuckle down and get the job done. If you promise more than you can deliver, then other people will just end up disappointed. So slow down and listen to the wisdom of your inner voice – it will point you in the direction that’s right for you. The weekend favours strenuous physical activity in the great outdoors.

CANCER (June 22 – July 23)

This week a child, teenager, friend or lover could shock you by making a surprise move, or a group project could suddenly veer off in an unexpected direction. If you keep your adaptability muscles well-flexed, then you’ll adjust to the constantly changing landscape accordingly. Peace planet Venus is visiting your home/domestic zone, so stop sulking and stewing over a perceived slight from a family member.

It’s time to cooperate, compromise and sympathise!

LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)

Leos love to be Top Cat but this week you need to ask yourself: “Am I leading others or just bossing them around?” If you power ahead without considering other people, then you’ll create unnecessary chaos and disruption. Do your best to accommodate the needs of those around you. Life will also run more smoothly if you proactively incorporate a spiritual ritual into your domestic routine.

Something like yoga, tai chi, chanting, meditation or creative visualisation.

VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)

When it comes to the way you think, blast out of a boring rut and jump into an exciting new phase. Use your imagination and think outside the box. The Sun, New Moon and Mars are activating your communication zone, so stop avoiding issues and start discussing what you really want and need. You can’t expect other people to magically read your mind! For some clever Virgos, a joint venture or creative online project has the potential to really fly.

Across 1 What is a man’s soft felt hat? (6) 8 Name the eleventh sign of the zodiac.

(8) 9 Who produces a newspaper? (6) 10 Who invented a photographic process?

(8) 11 Which parts of skulls enclose brains? (6) 13 What are Italian dishes of fried rice, and well flavoured? (8) 16 Name the food of the gods of classical mythology. (8) 19 Name the host city of the 2012 Olympic Games. (6) 22 To be unfriendly or hostile, is to be what? (8) 24 Which antelope can leap up to nine metres? (6) 25 Name a legendary city of South America. (2,6) 26 What are ladies stockings called? (6)

Down

Solution next edition

2 What is an amendment to a document, etc? (5) 3 Name the Italic language spoken in ancient Rome. (5) 4 From which parts of ships were many miscreants hanged. (8) 5 What is a stopper, as for the hole of a cask? (4) 6 The East, is known as the what? (6) 7 What is a volume printed from sheets folded twice to eight pages? (6) 12 Name the Biblical king of Israel of the ninth century BC. (4) 14 Which male horse is kept for breeding? (8) 15 Who was responsible for the Overland Telegraph Line, Sir Charles ...? (4) 17 Name a laundry appliance used for pressing water out of cloth, etc. (6) 18 What is used for cleaning the barrel of a rifle? (6) 20 Kathmandu is the capital of which South Asian kingdom? (5) 21 Name a synthetic acrylic textile fibre. (5) 23 Which colloquial term means goodbye? (4)

LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)

Your patron planet Venus is transiting through your sign which boosts your natural Libran charm, but it can also increase your obsession with perfection. With the Sun, New Moon and Mars marching through your self-esteem zone, it’s time to boost your confidence, be the authentic you, and celebrate your so-called flaws! As poet (and birthday great) Marianne Moore observed (and Morticia Addams would agree): “Your thorns are the best part of you.”

FREE PUZZLES EVERY DAY AT citynews.com.au

Sudoku hard No. 354

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)

This week the Sun, New Moon and Mars are transiting through your sign, and the Sun-Uranus opposition could disrupt relationships and rattle your Scorpio resilience. But it’s time to bounce back, as you demonstrate (and celebrate) your strengths – including courage and persistence. Your motto is from birthday great, painter Georgia O’Keeffe: “I’ve been terrified every moment of my life – and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.”

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)

Sagittarians can be feisty folk. But don’t allow yourself to be drawn into a heated exchange this week (especially involving colleagues, clients or customers). It would be better to watch the fireworks from the sidelines. With the Sun, New Moon and Mars in your privacy zone, slow down and chill out as you relax, rejuvenate and contemplate. After some soulful reflection and quality ‘me-time’ you’ll start to see things from a refreshingly different perspective.

If you need guidance on FBT or any other tax related matter, please contact the experts at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd on 6295 2844.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)

It’s time for an unexpected pivot! Clever Capricorns should examine all possibilities, especially ones that come from left field. With the Sun, New Moon and Mars in your hopes-and-wishes zone, it’s important to have ambitious long-term goals that you’re working towards. You’ll have to be patient though, as you focus on bringing your dreams down to earth via a practical plan. Then – when everything is in place – you’ll know the perfect time to pounce.

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

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2023 citynews.com.au

Solutions – November 2 edition Sudoku medium No. 354

PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

Are your aspirations for the future ambitious enough? The current stars favour ruminating over big-picture ideas. And there’s no room for false modesty or passive Piscean procrastination as you enjoy talking, texting, posting, promoting, socialising and circulating. Uranus stimulates your thought processes and encourages you to come up with a cracking plan, and then pursue it. An unwelcome surprise could unsettle you, so hold tight and expect the unexpected!

Solution next edition

Crossword No. 905

The Sun/Uranus opposition suggests a house move, family fiasco, uninvited guests dropping in or some other kind of domestic drama. And some Aquarians could experience disruptions at work. Whatever happens, strive to get the balance right between your public life and your private responsibilities. The planets also push you to reinvent a professional relationship. Just be careful you don’t get carried away and throw the baby out with the bathwater.

“There's no special legislation concerning Christmas parties," I told him.

"The general principles concerning entertainment apply to both FBT and income tax.

"The most important thing to understand about FBT is that it only applies to employees – past, present or future – and does not apply to your clients. So, if FBT is payable on your Christmas party then it should be tax deductible to the extent that it is subject to FBT. "The calculations are complex and you need to separate the costs that apply to your clients and the costs that apply to your staff.

“You also need to be aware that any benefit under $300 a head is regarded as a minor benefit and is not subject to FBT. "If the Christmas party is held on your business premises, the situation is slightly different. If you invite only your staff and their associates then there is no FBT to be paid for your staff regardless of the cost.

"However, if the cost for each associate exceeds $300 then the whole payment for that person is subject to fringe benefits tax. It should also be tax deductible. If you also invite some clients, then the cost per client is not subject to fringe benefits tax, nor is it tax deductible.

Chen said this year they planned to celebrate at a restaurant.”

“If you go to a restaurant or other venue away from your business premises, the situation will be different," I told him.

"If the cost exceeds $300 for each person, the full cost will be subject to FBT as it will also be for their associates. It will also be tax deductible.

"There is a second method of calculating FBT called the 50/50 method but, as you are not using this, I don't propose to discuss it further.

“I know that some of your staff are employed in other states and I assume that some or all of these staff will come to Canberra for the party. The $300 minor benefit cost also includes their travel and accommodation if it is solely to attend the party. If they come for work purposes their travel should not be included.

However, if they bring a partner or other associate, those travel and accommodation costs will be included in the $300 threshold.”

“Lastly, the good news is that the cost of any Christmas present is regarded as a separate benefit so is also subject to a $300 minor benefit exemption. This means that you can provide each staff member with a meal costing less than $300 and a gift costing less than $300 and also provide the same for their associates. These amounts are not tax deductible nor can GST be claimed, if any, but they are also not subject to FBT.” Chen said he hadn't realised how complex this was. He'd intended to raise some general questions about client entertainment but felt he'd better digest what was covered so far.

Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd 02 6295 2844

Unit 9, 71 Leichhardt Street, Kingston ABN 57 008 653 683

(Chartered accountant, SMSF specialist advisor and Authorised Representative of Lifespan Financial Planning Pty Ltd AFS Lic No. 229892)

info@gailfreeman.com.au | www.gailfreeman.com.au Follow us on Facebook @gailfreemanandco

Connect with me on Linkedin bit.ly/3bcXEZl

CityNews November 9-15, 2023 39

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