Election clock’s ticking, watch what happens
MICHAEL MOORE
Tricks and treats of social media campaigning ANDREW HUGHES
Manipulative rotter who can turn on the charm
HELEN MUSA
Picking the right trees takes time and thought
JACKIE WARBURTON
Winemaker NATHAN BROWN markets what he makes, and now he’s in the running for recognition
Nathan Brown, 40, is a one-man winery. He sources and buys the grapes, makes the wine then sets out on the demanding task of selling and marketing it.
Owner of the award-winning Lin ear Winery, he says: “Vintage is like eight days a week once [it] starts; once there’s ferments going, you’ve got to be here every day for two and a half months, like, it just has to happen.
“The hardest thing in the wine industry is to sell wine, it’s easier to make than it is to sell, it’s building a brand, it’s building a relationship with customers and getting people to understand and trust what you do, whether that’s restaurants or direct to customer sales and people that you meet along the way to try your wine.”
He says the only external help he uses is a truck that travels throughout the region bottling about 90 per cent of Canberra’s wineries.
He says he would definitely like to expand his one-man team eventually, but is cautious, as he wants to be sure the growth is sustainable.
A former chef and owner of the popular Pulp Kitchen restaurant for
Arts & Entertainment 27-30 Crossword & Sudoku 31 Dining 29 Gardening 26 Keeping Up the ACT 12
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five years, the now father of two decided his plans to start a family and late nights in the hospitality industry weren’t stacking up.
“I’d always loved wine and obviously I was very closely related to it with what I was doing for work and so the timing actually just worked out perfectly,” he says.
He opened Pulp Kitchen for the last time on Valentine’s Day 2017. Two weeks later he was in a winery working on a vintage.
This led him to studying wine science at Charles Sturt University in 2018, and eventually the launch of
Since 1993: Volume 30, Number: 19
Six years on, his label Linear has won him a place as a finalist in the Young Gun in Wine Awards list of
“With Young Guns, it’s not just about your wines, it’s about your brand, it’s about what you’re doing in the industry, it’s about, you know, where you’re headed and what you’re
“So to get your wines looked at by a panel of people who are in the industry, and are in the know, and to come through that process and be included
Only two ACT wine makers were featured in the awards – the other is
Nathan acknowledges that Canberra doesn’t jump to the front of people’s
“People can easily drive from one side of Canberra to the other without seeing a vineyard or a winery,” he says.
Nathan’s winery itself is relatively hidden, located just off Spring Range Road, but he says the Canberra wine industry will be buoyed by the focus on climatic conditions and alternate varieties.
In the regions of Tumbarumba, Gundagai, The Hilltops and Murrumbateman, where he and other Canberra-based wineries source their fruit, alternate varieties such as the Austrian grüner veltliner and
Spanish tempranillo are two varieties gaining popularity, as they suit the warmer climate.
“In Australia, we just went out and we planted all the common varieties everywhere,” he says.
“All these new varieties that are kind of popping up in Australia now, we call them alternate varieties, it’s because we’re really starting to think about the climate and where things should be grown and how things should be grown.”
Nathan says it is these alternate varieties that are the key to Linear wines, and what made his 2023 vintage season so exciting.
He also makes fiano, grenache and shiraz, with fruit sourced from The Hilltops, and gewürztraminer, chardonnay, Gamay En Carbo and pinot noir sourced from Tumbarumba.
He says he is working on a grenache, syrah, and mourvedre (GSM), and that a sangiovese will be making a comeback in his 2024 vintage.
Nathan says Linear can be found in most of the independent bottle shops in Canberra and some restaurants.
The winners of the six trophies – the Young Gun of Wine, Best New Act, People’s Choice, Winemaker’s Choice, Danger Zone, and the Vigneron – will be announced on June 18. People’s choice voting is at younggunofwine. com/peopleschoice
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It is now less than six months to the ACT election. Watch how things change.
You are about to be bombarded with election material through your letterbox, at shopping centres and electronically.
You will be encouraged to vote for the major parties (who have the lion’s share of campaign money) arguing that they are the only ones who can form government. The reality is that a powerful crossbench can ensure that government is transparent, responsive and acts with integrity.
There are excellent candidates from all parties and independents. The Hare-Clark electoral system allows voters to pick and choose candidates from across the ballot paper – irrespective of the party affiliation. This worries the major parties who refer to this type of voting as “undisciplined”.
The Labor Party and the Greens will be making announcements of amazing things that they will be doing. Of course, these will often be things that they ought to have done previously.
After all, it has been more than two decades since Labor came to power in late 2001. Some of the announcements made previously were not delivered until after another term had passed.
The Liberals will be telling you how hopeless the current government
Canberra with a fresh, conservative government. With Elizabeth Lee as leader, you can expect a little less conservative than would have been the case at the last election.
The Liberals can also be expected to push hard on financial management and relentlessly pursue the failure of the government to retain the Standard and Poors AAA+ credit rating. This will cost the community dearly.
The Greens will attempt to justify their cosy coalition with Labor by pointing to the things that they have achieved through the accord they signed just after the last election. They will point to environmental and social justice issues where they really have made a difference. However,
Canberra needs to see significant change in the ACT Assembly. With education and health that have moved from Australian leader to the bottom of the pile under Labor stewardship, it really is time for a change.
they will also attempt to identify differences with the government by launching attacks on Labor candidates.
Independents will be arguing that it is time for a more accountable government. What is needed, they will argue, is a strong middle ground crossbench that sits neither more conservative than the Liberals nor left of Labor and the Greens.
Tom Emerson, an independent candidate running with the Independents for Canberra Group, told a town hall meeting in Turner recently that he had never heard anyone saying: “I want to vote for Labor because they have done such a good job on health”.
He reiterated the message referring to the Labor-Greens track record on the tram, on education, on city services and on planning.
The independent argument will be more along the lines, “you don’t want
to vote for Labor-Greens coalition, can’t bring yourself to vote for the Liberals. There is a real alternative in voting independent. Most independents in Canberra will also point to the success of Senator David Pocock and the “teal” independents federally.
Then there will be the attack tactics.
The government will argue that small parties and independents are just a front for the Liberal Party. The Labor Party will push the idea that independents are just trying to get disaffected Labor voters into the fold so that they can eventually vote for a conservative chief minister. This is why they constantly ask independents to identify who they will support.
However, it would be ridiculous for any independent to name who they will support before the outcome of an election. If Andrew Barr was nominated, for example, and there was a massive swing against Labor –it would leave the candidate in a very awkward position. The same would apply if Elizabeth Lee’s Liberals were in the same boat.
The Independents for Canberra Group have been prepared to support candidates who will work cooperatively with others. A series of
candidates told the town hall meeting in Turner that they really wanted to do politics differently.
They will listen to the community, “really listen” and form a view based on how they should vote. When they have not been able to support a view presented – they will take time to explain their reasoning.
It will be interesting to see how many candidates can remain focused and positive when the attacks are launched by the parties that are feeling threatened.
Canberra does need to see significant change in the ACT Assembly. With education and health, to name just two areas, that have moved from Australian leader to the bottom of the pile under Labor stewardship, it really is time for a change.
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.
ME/CFS and other fatiguing illnesses are very poorly understood, hard to diagnose, and even harder to live with disease.
ME/CFS has been known of for decades now, there is even evidence of historical figures including Florence Nightingale having lived with this condition. Long COVID is of course a very recent disease with a very unknown pathway.
It doesn’t matter what your debilitating fatiguing condition is, the effect on the person living with it is devastating.
Whilst there is a clinic at the UC hospital that may assist some living with Long COVID, there are no dedicated health services other ME/CFS ACT, a part of Arthritis, Pain Support and ME/CFS ACT, to assist people living with the multitude of long term, devastating fatiguing illnesses.
We offer many services including self-help programs, programs to help you link up with others who are in a similar situation as you, as well as a full suite of Allied Health supports for those of you who need assistance.
We also have a program for teens and young adults who are living with fatiguing illnesses and a parallel program for their carers. We offer many of our services online for those that cannot leave the home, we have practitioners that can visit you at home, and if you are feeling good,we have programs at both our Bruce and Pearce offices that you can attend.
If you are living with ME/CFS or other fatiguing illness, struggling to get a diagnosis, are a carer or friend of someone with a fatiguing illness, or would just like to know more about what we do, or speak to one of our peer support workers or Allied Health staff, call us, email us, or drop in and say hello.
Living with or supporting someone with ME/ CFS is hard. We are there to help. Likewise if you are someone who would like to financially support the work that supports people living with fatiguing illness, please also call us on 6251 2055 to help us continue this work.
Learn practical skills for dealing with common problems of these conditions with post-external malaise (an out of proportion increase in symptoms after physical or mental activity)
Whether they believe in ghosts or not, Canberra author JJ Carpenter says every Australian seems to know a supernatural story.
There’s something inherently ghostly and spiritual about Australia, she says, and even though she doesn’t know how to define a ghost, she is sure they are real.
“When I was a kid, it was absolutely terrifying, I would wake up in the mid dle of the night and there’d be someone sitting at the end of my bed, and I wouldn’t be able to move,” says JJ.
“You don’t think about them as ghosts when you’re a kid, it’s just something that’s sort of happening.”
This month JJ published her first book, a ghost story titled The Corner of Her Eye.
Canberra author JJ Carpenter… “I do love my day job, but writing, it’s the passion, it’s the thing that has been consistent through my whole life… so no more waiting.”
This is not the first book, having started writing at the age of six, but she says it is the first to be published.
In the novel, Charlie White, a young professional woman from Sydney, suddenly develops a life-threatening allergy to peanuts.
Charlie’s allergy is based on JJ’s own experience of developing a severe allergy to shellfish, which she says
saw her have “many brushes with death”.
“What I always want to do, when this is happening, is run away and move to the country, so I wrote a story where the main character could do that,” she says.
JJ says she visits sites for research, as well as utilising libraries and ar-
Photo: Sarah Graue
chives, this way the stories are rooted in history.
The Corner of Her Eye is set on a sheep station homestead in rural NSW, inspired by several ruined, preserved and operating stations across Australia that JJ has visited.
However, once Charlie moves into the 1920s cottage on this homestead,
she quickly realises she is not alone.
The book then follows two timelines, present day and the 1920s-30s, says JJ, and delves into the idea of purgatory and spirits who are not
With the second book, which JJ says she is in the editing stage of, the focus shifts to the early 1800s, particularly convict labour in the construction of the Great North Road.
JJ is not announcing the total number of books in the series yet, but says she is hoping to have the third one written by the end of the year.
“Each book has its own sort of mini story inside; they’re looking at different parts of our history, but they all
“It’s all planned out. There’s no fumbling in the dark with this series.”
JJ says she has come to realise how overlooked our history is, and how much history has been lost to poor record keeping, giving the example of the Waterfall Sanitorium in NSW, which was the first purpose-built centre for tuberculosis patients.
“When they changed hands they lost all of their handwritten records, so we don’t even know everyone who died there,” says JJ.
“I get into a rabbit hole, I just get really excited about, what was it like for people living back in those times? And, how can I bring some of the history out? But it is obviously historical
fiction, so I get that creative licence to fill some of the gaps.”
JJ says she had always wanted to write and publish a novel of her own, but it wasn’t until a difficult year in 2023, where she lost some people close to her, that she decided to bite the bullet and go on long-service leave, and commit to writing full-time.
“It just kind of made me reassess what’s important to me in life and, life is so short,” she says.
“I do love my day job, but writing, it’s the passion, it’s the thing that has been consistent through my whole life… so no more waiting.”
JJ says although she wrote the first draft in just six weeks, it has been a long process of research, writing, editing and marketing, as she created her own publishing house to release the novel through.
“You need the conviction to just jump into it, don’t wait for someone else to tell you to do it, because if you get pushed into it, you won’t have the conviction to see it through,” she says.
“It’s gonna be hard, it’s gonna be tough, but if it’s something that you love, that’s the reward.
“If you still like your book by the time that you hit publish, you should be okay.”
Order the book at jjcarpenterauthor. com. A Kindle version is available on amazon.com.au
A woman came into my clinic for a consultation about her hearing aids, telling me her hearing aids were 4 years old and she had never found them to be of much help. She said the salesperson quoted her $14,000 for a pair of hearing aids, however, the monthly special of 20% discount meant they cost her $11,200. So, she ‘only’ paid $11,200 for hearing aids that did not help her. Sadly, I hear this all too often.
Here are some things to do to avoid this type of problem:
1. Visit your GP. If you or someone you know has a problem with their hearing, visiting your GP to check for wax in the ears, and to get advice is a starting point.
2. Qualifications. Always check the qualifications of the person you are dealing with. A person without professional qualifications has no business advising you about your hearing. They need to belong to a professional association with a Code of Conduct, so you know they are acting in your best interests, not their own.
years. If you are not sure about their advice, then seek a second opinion. The wrong hearing aids can be an expensive waste and could lead you to stop wearing them. You should always have a trial of hearing aids to ensure that they are right for you.
6 Pensioners and eligible DVA card holders often have entitlement to free services. If you are covered by a government concession, then let the clinician know (even though your clinician should ask). Eligible clients may obtain free hearing tests, consultations, and free hearing aids (referred to as fully subsidized hearing aids).
“A person without professional qualifications has no business advising you about your hearing. They need to belong to a professional association with a Code of Conduct, so you know they are acting in your best interests, not their own.”
– Dr Vass
These hearing aids are appropriate for many people, however if you have great difficulty hearing in background noise (for example a restaurant), then you may want to consider partially subsidized hearing aids. This is when the government pays a certain amount, and you pay for additional features and benefits. Your decision should be based on the following:
you are dealing with a qualified clinician, then they belong to a professional association. The best contact is an independent complaints body referred to as Ethics Review Committee. You can email ethics@auderc.org.au and view the website www.auderc.org.au. You can make an anonymous complaint and your complaint will be handled in a confidential and professional manner. If you are in the ACT, contact the ACT Human Rights Commission email human rights@act.gov au and the website www.hrc.act.gov.au
3. Independent advice. You should get independent, professional advice.
4. There are a wide range of hearing aids out there. Finding the right hearing aids for your communication needs can be challenging. Hearing aids vary in price and performance. Bluetooth® connectivity and rechargeable hearing aids are available on most hearing aids, along with apps that allow you to control your hearing aids from your mobile device. Be aware that just because a hearing aid is more expensive, that doesn’t mean they are the best hearing aid for you.
5. Just as hearing aids vary in performance, clinicians may also vary in performance due to training, experience, and skills. Make sure that you are comfortable and confident in their advice. You are likely to be with this clinician for the life of your new hearing aids, typically 4 to 5
(a) Can you afford the more expensive hearing aids? Don’t go into financial stress if you can’t afford them. (b) Are you clear on the free vs partially subsidized features & benefits? Never believe someone who tells you the free hearings are not good or of poor performance, this is simply not true. (c) If you try the partially subsidized hearing aids and are not happy, then return them. Do not keep hearing aids because you think the failure is yours or that you will improve over time. If the hearing aids are not working for you in the trial period, then they will not work for you in a year or two.
7. If you have a complaint, then seek help. Your clinician should be able to help you through most of your needs. Sometimes, a problem may be beyond the expertise of even the best clinician. However, if you have a complaint there are things you can do. If
It’s a warning often provided to tourists arriving in Australia and planning tours of the bush: “beware the drop bear”.
The elusive creature – a ferocious, koala-like hybrid – is said to hurl itself on to unsuspecting prey beneath trees in which the marsupial shelters itself.
Embedded in our cultural folklore, even the illustrious “Australian Geographic” online magazine has written of the potential dangers.
“Drop bears are less likely to attack people with Australian accents, according to experts at the University of Tasmania,” it reported just a few years back.
Might this unusual beast be the inspiration behind yet another unsolved Antipodean mystery: battered, discoloured, stuffed bears adorning gnarled trees on regional roads in various parts of the country?
Or is there an even darker side to “teddies in trees”?
The Canberra region may boast one of the nation’s earliest and mostrecognised examples of this mystifying phenomenon.
Heading east from Queanbeyan on the Kings Highway there’s both remnants and new additions to the curious practice of teddies attached to trees, a feature for potentially as long
as four decades.
After so long, the origins, continuing motivations and even those involved are shrouded in intrigue. Inevitably, with source material scarce, the accompanying whispered tales and urban myths have grown ever more elaborate.
Marital deception, macabre cult rituals, haunted houses, even a nudist camp, all feature.
A single bear attached to a tree along the notorious stretch to mark a tragic road accident is, though, the most recurrent theme.
While a logical explanation – not dissimilar to when flowers and
crosses are left beside roadways to mark such things – why it’s been so long-lasting adds another layer to the
The who and how also varies considerably, from a young child to a
The closest probable explanation I’ve unearthed is a 1987 accident in which a 17-year-old motorbike rider was tragically killed in the vicinity of where the first bear appeared.
More were added and, as the tales go, council stepped in to remove them. That only resulted in many, many more popping up in protest.
Over time, numbers have waxed and waned but the collection has never entirely disappeared.
Some suggest this manifestation could be connected to “Pooh Bear’s Corner”, the tiny, moisture-replete cave tucked into the side of Clyde Mountain filled with not just Winnie but stuffed animals of all persuasions. However, its back story isn’t a secret.
A local mum kicked it off in the 1970s to keep the kids amused on the trip to the coast. And many a parent has subsequently admitted to stopping with excitable little ones in tow to add to the stash (this one included).
More recently there’s been the appearance of rocking horses and unicorns (and one dinosaur thus far) further along the same mountain road, perhaps a left-over from covid
lockdowns.
Other tree-laden examples to be found along various Aussie byways and highways range from bras to bikes, thongs to undies.
The inspiration behind many of the modern instances are often known: whether it’s a remembrance for someone who died of cancer or the blue trees throughout regional landscapes, painted to bring awareness to mental health and suicide.
Such unusual monuments can also become quite the tourist attraction, in the manner of other things quirkily Aussie as evidenced by the Big Cockatoo and the Big Prawn.
Similar specimens though – some also unexplained and a source of bewilderment to residents and visitors alike – are dotted around the world.
A common sight beneath ski lifts in North American resorts are “undergarment trees” bearing gaudy items cast off by emboldened skiers.
Shoefiti is another – shoes tangled around electricity wires – with unsubstantiated associations from foretelling events such as marriages to covert signals for underworld operations.
Perhaps it all stretches back to
pagan rituals such as Ireland’s May Tree – a centrally-placed tree decorated with ribbons, colourful cloth and shiny items to welcome the northern summer.
Or maybe it’s just the Smiths keeping up with the Joneses!
Alternatively, some like our own example, may be an expression of memory that becomes a collective, community memorialisation. And even in the absence of adherents knowing what it is they’re marking, they instead bring their own sense of meaning to it.
A communal thing that’s still individual – as individual as the teddies that adorn the trees.
Then again, maybe the fairies are to blame for a cultural phenomenon that grows ever more mysterious as years roll on.
Nichole Overall is a social historian and journalist. She can be heard cohosting the CityNews Sunday Roast program, 9amnoon, on 2CC.
This far out from an election campaign communication strategies are focused largely on a few key methods to get the messages out there.
Number 1 is media, just because it is the easiest and cheapest method to get the word out in a credible way. Number 2 is social media, and number 3 is a tie with government communication campaigns, and events-based methods such as meetand-greets or town halls.
For the ACT Labor Greens coalition this is somewhat easier as they have the power of setting narratives as a government. Those narratives turn into policies, the communications of which are often funded through gov ernment communications campaigns.
This is often the source of much contention when it comes to funding of election campaigns, and all sides are as guilty as each other of abusing this.
Sadly, this impact means that some very good government campaigns, such as health or road safety, are often seen as less credible than they should be.
There is no doubt that being in government is an absolutely massive advantage in Canberra from a comms perspective. It is a form of a comms gerrymander, regardless of who is in power.
As for the media influence, we are
had around 30 in her team.
But what happens if you aren’t the government? Increasingly that’s where many campaigns, due to reasons of cost, turn to social media.
When social media works, it works brilliantly. It can amplify, influence and engage mass audiences like nothing else before it.
But it is still a form of word-of-mouth communication. So that effectiveness works off our credibility as people. And it can be platform-specific, so tight narratives thought about in the confines of
Nearly all the local campaigns are using social and digital media now, keeping their big spend free for when the campaign kicks… but this is where they have it wrong to a certain
a strategy and policy room can become completely wild on an app.
The Voice is a prime example of social media in a campaign in a modern context. The “Yes” campaign had plenty of really great content made by influencers who supported the campaign. Individually, they had an impact. That is if you watched them without any other distractions
This is 2024. That rarely happens. We have distractions. Heaps of them. Influencers influence us in ways usually specific to us. So what I might see as a good watch, you may see as dog water, to use a term from one of my kids.
Slowly the message starts to get diluted and, all of a sudden, what should have been influencing people becomes an ugly distraction, and the amplification works now in a negative context and less so a positive one.
And influencers being influencers means they are making content
consistent with their broader brand, less so that of a campaign, and now we have competing messages trying to support the same campaign, and a tight narrative becomes the Wild West with little direction or credibility.
Getting back to the local campaigns. Nearly all are using social and digital media now, keeping their big spend free for when the campaign kicks off properly in around 12 weeks. But this is where they have it wrong to a certain extent.
ACT Opposition Leader Alistair Coe told the CityNews Sunday Roast on 2CC on April 28 that people need to be persuaded now, when the noise is less, when perhaps they are prepared to give more time to the message.
An Insta story isn’t going to do that. It is going to get lost in the feed. Nor is a snazzy Facebook ad, again, it will get lost in the feed. A TikTok? Leave that for the cat and dancing videos. And keep in mind how more and more people are perceiving social media; for many, the digital tobacco in society is only full of disinformation and hate. A place monsters use to find lambs.
Anything big on message needs to go big on noise. If I had been the Liberals announcing a transport
policy, I would have dropped some coin on running some ads about that. Not a lot, but enough to remind people about our viability as an alternative government and to keep identification strong amongst the base.
It’s what social media can’t do, but what you have to do if you want to change where you sit on London Circuit.
There are many great political campaigns run on social media, but the difference between them and the also-rans is that the great ones are also usually well-run, focused campaigns with sound policies that the comms back up, not vice versa. Only social media will tell though if the parties running in the ACT election this year have understood that message.
Dr Andrew Hughes is a lecturer in marketing with the Research School of Management at ANU where he spe cialises in political marketing and advertising, and the use of emotions in marketing and tourism.
Reader LEON ARUNDELL is grumpy at the way he thinks the ACT government is creatively meeting its emissions targets.
Greenhouse emissions in the ACT in 2020 were about three times as great as they were in 1990. The ACT government claims that it met its legislated emissions target for 2020. That claim is based on creative accounting.
Emissions are called Scope 1 emissions if they occur within the ACT. They are called Scope 2 emissions if they occur outside the ACT, from producing electricity that is used within the ACT. They are called Scope 3 emissions if they occur outside the ACT, from producing other goods and services that are used within the ACT.
The CSIRO and the Universities of Sydney and NSW estimated that Scope 3 emissions made up 83 per cent of the ACT’s carbon footprint in 2018.
ACT Greenhouse Gas Inventories don’t include Scope 3 emissions. They show that in 1990 the ACT caused two million tonnes of Scope 2 emissions and one million tonnes of Scope 1 emissions.
The ACT’s legislated interim emissions target for 2020 was, “to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the ACT [ie Scope 1 emissions] to 40 per cent less than 1990 emissions by June 30 2020.”
So the 2020 target was 0.6 million tonnes of Scope 1 emissions.
The 2020 inventory reports zero Scope 2 emissions and 1.5 million tonnes of Scope 1 emissions.
On that basis, we exceeded our legislated target by 150 per cent.
But the recent State of the Environment Report claims that “the ACT met its legislated 2020 emissions target.”
That claim assumes that the 1990 baseline for emissions “in the ACT” included both Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.
The report says that the January 2019 Orroral Valley
bushfire burned almost 90,000 hectares. I estimate that it caused 1.5 million tonnes of greenhouse emissions.
The 2020 inventory report says that changes to methodology for native forests “consist of including in the inventory for the first time the effects of forest fires and subsequent vegetation regrowth”.
But the 2020 inventory report excluded emissions from the Orroral Valley bushfire. It reported a total of minus 97,000 tonnes of emissions from land use, land use change and forestry.
If the report had included emissions from the Orroral Valley bushfire, it would have reported about three million tonnes of Scope 1 emissions.
The government would not have been able to claim that it had met its legislated target, even if it included both Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions in its 1990 baseline.
The 2021-22 inventory explained that, “emissions associated with the 2019-20 bushfires were excluded from Australia’s national inventories under the natural disturbances provision”.
The Morrison government used the natural disturbances provision as an excuse to exclude emissions from all “large, infrequent bushfires that are beyond human control,” irrespective of whether they occurred as a result of natural causes or – as happened in the Orroral Valley – as a result of human activity.
That policy carries the bizarre implication that, if we allow small bushfires to rage out of control, we can exclude their emissions from our emissions inventories.
Leon Arundell has degrees in science and environmental studies. He worked for nine years in the Australian Greenhouse Office.
Grumpy is an occasional 300-word (or less) column available to any reader. Submit to editor@citynews.com.au
Julie Tongs, CEO of Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services, is the guest speaker at the next meeting of the Narrabundah Probus Club, at the Harmonie German Club, 11.15pm, May 14. Visitors are welcome.
Man from the memorial
Matt Anderson, director of the Australian War Memorial, is guest speaker at the next meeting of the Yerrabi VIEW Club, at the Eastlake Club, Gungahlin, 11am, on May 16. Interested ladies and visitors are welcome. More from 0419 698091 or email dotric65@gmail.com
Books for all occasions
The upcoming book sale at St Ninian’s at Lyneham is promising “secondhand books for all occasions”. It will feature fiction and non-fiction from top authors, plus books on cookery, gardening, manuals, children’s and magazines. All that plus fresh scones baked on the premises. At St Ninian’s Uniting Church hall, 9am-1pm, May 17 and 18.
The Transport Canberra office in Alinga Street, Civic, is unattended virtually all day and every day.
I can attest to this as someone who walks past the office most days of the week including the weekend.
The attached photo would attempt to suggest otherwise. On one occasion, international visitors, who were in the office asked me for assistance as they had waited for 15 minutes or more and no staff appeared.
They were lucky ones as it is possible to wait much longer.
This is yet another example of incompetent public transport management in Canberra by the government.
Perhaps the most glaring example of such mis-management is the blatant fare evasion by many passengers, mostly school students and young people more generally, costing the government hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.
Bus drivers are totally fed up with the situation and the total lack of action by Transport Canberra.
young, not only in financing their debt, but also the impact it had on their ability to get bank loans for a house deposit and the like.
I asked whether Canberra academic Prof Bruce Chapman, the architect of HECS, still thought that it was fit for purpose under current economic conditions.
The silence from Prof Chapman, newspapers and journals, the ABC and other media organisations, was deafening until just recently. Congratulations to CityNews in seeing that this was an issue worth address
In early 2020, nearly 80 per cent of Namadgi National Park was burnt, 22 per cent at a high to very high fire severity.
Former Fire & Rescue NSW Commissioner Greg Mullins has said: “Hotter temperatures and drier conditions, driven by climate change, are the root cause of these fires.”
The 148 bog and fen complexes within the Namadgi fire area form part of what is known as the ACT High Country Bogs and Associated Fens community and are listed as endangered. They are also home to threatened species including the Broadtoothed Rat and the Northern Corroboree Frog. Sadly, most of these bogs were affected by the fire.
Fortunately, the Ginini wetland was not burned, and it was most heartening to read that now, after five years, the first observation of Northern Corroboree frogs has been made there (“Frogs make a comeback”, CN April 25).
While the work of scientists overseeing the recovery plan of the frog is to be commended, unless the world stops burning
or at least offset our personal household and transport emissions. And join a local climate active group of like-minded people.
As Desmond Tutu said: “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
Ray Peck, Hawthorn, Victoria
Canberra man Donald Morley sentenced to nine years in jail for murdering his elderly wife (ABC news, April 29). Only in Canberra!
Well done, Justice Mossop; how could you convict this elderly gentleman of murder? I call it a mercy death, not killing.
Had the couple been aware of the impending voluntary assisted dying legislation, I am sure they would have chosen to take this path together.
Now, after 69 years together, on his own and convicted of a love crime! That’s what it was. Love that stops the pain and suffering.
Killing involves malice yet he was helping her to go peacefully. Where is your humanity?
L Saunders (Letters, CN April 24) criticises the health minister for “anything Christian [being] in the firing line”. But this is just part of modernity that has shunted religion and the supernatural to the margins.
Technology now shapes how we live and stimulates our imagination with its seemingly endless potential. One need not be a Christian or even a theist to grasp the significance of this transformation. One author asserts that man has lost his sense of his own significance.
Rejection that our person is complete in body and soul manifests itself most pungently today as the priority of feelings over the authority of the body.
To give an example in our sexual nature, pornography which is the sexual revolution pushed to its end, takes the mysterious, creative sexual act and depersonalises it by making it a commodity for third-party consumption. It turns the embodied human person into a piece of meat. And the increasingly violent nature of pornography reinforces this process.
I was driving to work at about 11am, adhering to the speed limit of 90 km/ph on a dual carriageway that becomes the Monaro Highway after bypassing Fyshwick.
There was minimal traffic and I was driving in the right lane. Suddenly, I saw flashing lights behind me. I knew I wasn’t speeding and was confused as to why the officer was stopping me.
I panicked and pulled over, on to the grassy median strip to my right. The police car stopped in the right-hand lane, which meant that only one lane of the dual-carriageway was operational.
The police officer approached me in my car and advised that he had his body camera on, then telling me, in no uncertain terms, what I had done wrong. And, yes, I had done the wrong thing by not moving into the left-hand lane (as is the “unless overtaking” traffic rule), and further, by not pulling into the left-hand side of the road when the police car activated its lights.
He then began a barrage of abuse towards me, repeatedly saying: “You are not a good driver” and telling me what kind of penalties apply to the traffic offences I had committed and reiterating that it was a period of double demerit points. It was blatant, abusive behaviour.
Meanwhile, I effectively had a panic attack, burst into tears, began shaking and
between humour and crudity. It was a delight to chuckle though Clive’s selection of incongruities; even more so was the fact that any four-letter words to be found were proper nouns rather than vulgarities.
Eric Hunter, CookThe article “Highest taxes, poorest services by a country mile” (CN May 2) by Jon Stanhope and Khalid Ahmed reveals that the state of the ACT’s economy, as reflected in taxes, has deteriorated markedly since the advent of the Barr Labor-Greens government.
Estimates of the cost of light rail Stage 2B to Woden range from $5 billion to between $8 and $10 billion, depending on “unforeseen” engineering and construction problems. The solution: don’t have a bar of yet another government led by Andrew (chief minister and treasurer) Barr.
Dr Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin
pressed on with the abuse.
After apologising profusely for my “poor driving”, he let me go without a fine. For that, I was appreciative, but felt so humiliated and distressed.
I subsequently Googled whether police should treat people with some form of respect.
What I came up with was: “Law enforcement officers should respect the communities they serve as much as they respect the one in which they live”. Further, qualities of a police officer are “sensitive and inclusive, treating everyone with dignity and compassion”.
While I dodged two infringement notices, I was traumatised by the experience. I do hope I am not “targetted” by the
views of what occurred. Maybe the AFP could review the body camera footage?
Janine Haskins, CookClive Williams column on humour (“Funny or offensive?”, CN May 1) certainly tickled my fancy.
Of course, some humour is designed to offend: usually though to make people think about an element of societal unfairness. But, especially, to “offend” those people who are responsible for that unfairness.
There is, however, a world of difference
Between 2012-13 and 2022-23, payroll tax collection rose by an astonishing 36 per cent, land tax by 21 per cent; and the total per-capita tax take by 24 per cent in just two years.
The most significant new government outlay in recent years has been the light rail project. Construction began in Gungahlin in July 2016; the cost was $675 million for just 12 kilometres; and the first service to Civic was on April 20, 2019. The cost and length of time are surely inordinate, but these became even worse.
The 1.7 km Stage 2A of light rail, from Alinga Street, Civic to Commonwealth Park, will cost $577 million (with a 50 per cent share paid by the federal government) and will not be opened until 2028.
If the Barr government is re-elected on October 19, the tax load will be even greater.
Is our local government starting to resemble a tragedy following the recent student members’ revolution on narcotics shamefully endorsed as government policy. Surely, there is more in life than growing narcotics in your yard and rejoicing in the absence of fear of being apprehended by the police and facing consequences, as was the case previously.
This is an example of a government in decline, as is the wet-lettuce-leaf approach being taken on other drug possession and useage. This nonsense is already failing in other countries such as the US, but we blunder on and persist. Why? Who is actually promoting this as an election winner?
John Lawrence, Flynn
There’s no shortage of experts in Canberra. In every suburb, there are businesses with years of experience. Their skills encompass everything, from finance, jewellery, travel or home improvements.
“CityNews” speaks with a variety of experts, passionate about sharing their skills and services.
With winter on its way, it is the perfect time to join a group exercise class, as group classes discourage the drop in motivation common in the colder months, says Kirra Rankin, owner of Capital Hydrotherapy and creator of Hydrolates.
“The physical benefit happens because you’re being consistent, it’s not what you’re doing that is making you fitter and stronger, it’s the fact that you’re doing it regularly,” says Kirra.
For those looking to engage in a new activity or improve their wellness overall, Kirra says Deep Water Running Interval Training (DWR-IT) and Hydrolates (Aquatic Pilates) are great options, because they target a range of fitness components in one routine.
Before joining a class, Kirra says everyone receives an initial assessment, allowing the team
well looked after, they’re either not being challenged, or they’re being challenged too much,” she says.
Everyone is placed in a group that matches their abilities, Kirra says, and they don’t have any more than four to eight people in a group class. This way, everyone can feel comfortable and looked after.
“It is specific, small, group training,” says Kirra.
Capital Hydrotherapy, 8/2 King Street, Deakin. Call 6156 2223 or visit capitalhydrotherapy.com.au
Dentist Dr Henriette Macri-Etienne
is a multi-award winning dentist, recognised in the industry for her special expertise in treating patients with dental anxiety and dental phobia.
She says Integrated Dental Canberra has both state-of-the-art equipment, such as the ability to produce same-day, high-quality crowns in-house, and a unique “comfort menu” designed to relax patients and provide a “spa-like” experience.
The practice has a team of dentists skilled in the latest, high-end treatments and cosmetic dentistry, such as veneers, as well as general dentistry and links to allied health practitioners to assist with related treatments and therapies.
unpleasant. We aim to create a dental spa feel to our practice and space.”
“Our team takes a holistic view, which allows us to consider the whole person, not just their teeth and mouths,” she says.
“This means we consider a whole range of factors such as anxieties, fears, shame and avoidance. These are things we all experience at different times in our lives around a range of issues and there is no judgement attached to them. But with care, we can tailor treatment plans to people’s needs.
“Our passion is to change the old paradigm that dentistry has to be painful and
In addition to simple empathy, compassion and human kindness, Integrated Dental Canberra has a broad menu of “comfort” options, including warm pillows, weighted blankets, noise-cancelling headphones, a full range of pain management options, a range of relaxation therapies and alliances with allied health practitioners.
Integrated Dental Canberra, 5/16 Moore Street, Canberra. Call 6249 8551 or visit integrateddentalcanberra.au
• General and high-end state-of-the-art dentistry, including veneers and on-the-spot crowns
• Highly-trained dentists with special expertise plus ...
• Our core focus on health and wellness, not just dental treatment
• Award-winning expertise in dental anxiety and dental phobia with a commitment to patients’ comfort
Come & experience the difference. Scan the QR Code to BOOK ONLINE
How do we overcome motivational barriers heading into winter when our habits haven’t been formed already? How do we motivate ourselves from doing nothing, to doing something?
• Motivation is context dependent. Barriers and enablers to exercise are complex and fluid. We need to understand our barriers and adapt accordingly.
• Research indicates that “most” people aren’t getting enough exercise.
• As a society, we aren’t hitting the physical activity guidelines and the environment is a big barrier.
• We are heading into winter, whether we like it or not- let’s set up a plan to make regular exercise a habit!
• Regular exercise- as in most days of the week. It doesn’t need to be hard & painful - movement is supposed to help you, not hurt you.
• Your movement plan needs to be consistent, sustainable with small attainable & achievable goals.
• We are setting up a habit. It needs to be meaningful. Let’s start small, to get us off the couch, and out the door.
• Potentially, over-simplifying is a motivator using low to moderate intensity exercise at the beginning (let’s get you to lace up first!) and then build capacity for higher intensity in the latter stages.
Keep it meaningful and enjoyable.
• We need to build a positive experience, if we are going to lace up day in, day out.
• Let’s reframe our motivation to move; from “I have to exercise” to “I get to move today.’
• What movement makes you happy and experience joy? Is it being out in nature?
• Is it working out with friends? Is it the post-exertion endorphin rush?
Does it help your sleep quality?
• Does it help you focus for the next 2 hours?
• “Meaningful” is very individual.
• Understanding what motivates you, and what your barriers are will help find your joy
Write it down & reflect.
Create a simple Habit Planner by drawing up 7 days of the week on one A4 piece of paper then inserting a space titled ‘reflection’ and also a space titled ‘motivation reminder’
• I’d recommend putting it somewhere visual (fridge or bathroom mirror)- and highlight your session once you’ve completed it. One day at a time is the key.
• The reflection and motivation section is important for long-term adherence.
• Take 1 or 2 minutes to zoom out, and understand YOUR bigger picture.
Flexible schedule (flip it).
Your plan needs to be fluid. If you have a big work day, “flip it”, and move your “planned” session to the next day.
At Capital Hydrotherapy, one group of supportive women pops into my mind. We have a loyal tribe in our SUPER advanced HYDROLATES & Deep Water Running class who have been working out for years together. They have a WhatsApp group and keep each other accountable. Happy, meaningful & consistent movement choice.
OUR VISION: “ TO CREATE AN ACTIVE, STRONG COMMUNITY ” Aquatic Pilates Activate. Strengthen. Thrive. REPEAT
INDIVIDUAL & GROUP SESSIONS AVAILABLE NOW
6156 2223
reception@capitalhydrotherapy.com.au
capitalhydrotherapy.com.au
8/2 King Street, Deakin ACT
Join a group, and surround yourself with like-minded supportive people.
• Research indicates that group exercise has many benefits, both physiologically & emotionally.
• You will feel more connected in the exercise class adhering to consistent sessions (which ultimately is where the physiological magic happens), and be motivated to arrive on time, sticking to turning up- you will love the benefit to your mental mood!
Be organised - get your gear & equipment ready.
• A visual cue can be helpful. A Swiss ball in the dining room. A yoga mat in the study room. Your running shoes ready to go. Set yourself up for success... especially for those days that are harder.
• Let’s be real, so we can develop some long-lasting habits.
• If your movement habits haven’t already been formed, how will you overcome barriers heading into winter?
• If you’re currently doing no formal movement plan - how will you motivate yourself this winter?
Ex-Government Furniture owners James Fullerton and Taylor Radnell have 50 years of experience between them in working with secondhand furniture, says James, and the business itself has been operating for more than three decades.
Well recognised in Canberra, James says the Ex-Government Furniture team can help navigate the increasingly complex world of office furniture for those starting to work from home.
“Say, for example, you’re in the public service, depending on what department you’re from, your chair could range from $500 to $2500 each,” James says.
“Chairs aren’t just chairs any more, there’s a whole bunch of particular mechanisms, they’re ergonomic, and it can be pretty complicated.”
James says they have chairs for every budget, with their cheapest chair being $1 and their most expensive $3500.
James says he and Taylor can point out why there is such a gap in price, and assist with finding a chair that matches the aesthetic for a much cheaper option.
He says they also have sit-stand desks, storage units and safes, anything needed to set up a home office, James says.
“If people have started to work from home, we’ll talk you through it,” says James.
Ex-Government Furniture, 6 Yallourn Street, Fyshwick. Call 6280 6490 or visit exgovfurniture.com
Car Mechanical Services co-owners Raffy and Charlie Sgroi have been in business for 15 years, with Charlie having more than 40 years of mechanical experience.
But, Raffy says their services extend beyond providing expert mechanical help to Canberra drivers.
“In the last five years we have really focused on being a profit-for-purpose business, which is for us to create a legacy, and not just make money but do something good,” says Raffy.
In order to give back to the community, Raffy says the Car Mechanical Services team is committed to improving the sustainability of their workshop, providing mentorship programs for young people, and creating an inclusive environment.
“In the last couple of years we had a few girls come in and do work experience and hopefully they will pick up an apprenticeship,” she says.
“We also do work experience and a little bit of career coaching for neurodiverse kids.
“As we know it can be difficult for them to find a path in the industry, it might sound very noisy, very disruptive, so we try to create positions for them to thrive and do whatever they can.
“When you see these kids come in and show their passion, it’s a big joy.”
Last year, Car Mechanical Services was also the winner of the sustainable small business of the year award, one of the first automobile companies in Canberra to do so, says Raffy.
Car Mechanical Services, 82 Kalgoorlie Crescent, Fisher. Call 6162 4111 or visit carmechanicalservices.com.au
South Pacific Hemp store manager Sue Booth says at South Pacific Hemp they go to great lengths to source only the best hemp products.
“We get to know the story and origin behind each wholesaler, we pride ourselves on knowing these individual companies’ stories and telling our customers exactly where the products originated,” she says.
“The global market for hemp is predicted to nearly quadruple in value between 2020 and 2027.
“This is because of hemp’s hardiness across a wide range of climates, its ability to grow in and improve poor soil, as well as absorb more carbon dioxide than any other crop, and that every part of the plant is useful.”
Sue says she also takes pride in having vast knowledge about the different hemp products and uses.
“We have a green hemp healing balm that is good for arthritis, psoriasis, bruising, nerve pain and
eczema,” she says.
“Or, we have a popular hemp and cherry balm or black sheep, which can help with nappy rash, inflammation, bites and stings.
“The store also has a range of clothing and linen, fabrics, bedding and cushions all made to promote wellbeing.
“Hemp protects your skin by naturally filtering UV light. It also resists bacterial growth and breathes excellently, preventing odours and has four times the strength of cotton and it won’t weaken when washed.”
Sue says hemp gives years of wear, while its breathing ability, antibacterial and antiviral properties help promote good sleep.
South Pacific Hemp, 84 Wollongong Street, Fyshwick. Call 0431 318898 or visit southpacifichemp.com.au
It’s important to break up the regular weekly routine of just going to work and going home again, says Dale Harris, owner of Dale’s Ballroom, and for those looking for an exciting evening out, Dale’s Ballroom hosts a social dance class every Monday evening, except public holidays.
“The social dance is for absolutely anyone and everyone,” she says.
“One of the great things about it is the fitness. You don’t realise how much exercise you’re doing, you’re constantly on the move.”
While there is limited tuition at the social dance, Dale says she is happy to chat with anyone who wants to learn more about organised classes.
Dale is an expert in many styles of dance including tango, foxtrot, quickstep, Viennese waltz, and cha cha, samba, jive, rumba and paso doble.
Dale, who has more than 25 years’ experience teaching dance, started dancing at the age of six, when she developed an interest in ballroom dancing.
She’s since received many qualifications in ballroom dancing and is also a championship adjudicator who travels interstate to judge ballroom competitions.
Dale says she encourages anyone to come and learn regardless of age or experience.
“We have people of all ages coming in for the classes,” she says, with adult classes on Wednesdays, starting at 7pm, and junior classes every Thursday from 5pm.
She says classes cover Latin, New Vogue and standard dances.
Dale’s Ballroom Dancing, 6/38 Reed Street North, Greenway. Call 0407 066110 or visit dalesballroomdancing.com
Specialising in floor heating products and services, P.A.P. Heating Solutions says it has the experience and expertise to provide the floor-heating system for any application.
From commercial to domestic buildings, the company offers a full design, quotation and installation service for in-slab heating and under-tile heating.
“No other heating system provides the all-round benefits of floor heating,” says a P.A.P. Heating Solutions spokesman.
“It is efficient to install and run and is generally maintenance free as it doesn’t require cleaning or replacement of filters.
“Floor heating is absolutely silent and is also versatile, it can be incorporated into almost any building product.
“There are floor-heating systems perfect for carpeted, tiled and polished concrete floors and many timber floors.”
P.A.P. Heating Solutions is the Australian importer, distributor and designer for ELEKTRA Heating Cables.
The ELEKTRA DM20 Twin In-Screed Heating Cable is an “in-floor heating cable” that is installed on top of an existing floor in a cement screed or self-levelling compound of about 6-8mm thick and can be installed under many different floor surfaces that radiate heat easily, such as tiles, slate, stone, low-pile carpet and some wooden floor panels.
“The ELEKTRA DM20 is a ‘quick response’ heating system and if the room has effective thermal insulation it may be used as the primary heating system,” the spokesman says.
“It’s especially popular in bathrooms and toilets where it provides warmth underfoot and keeps towels and floors dry and free of mould.”
He says ELEKTRA DM20 is silent and invisible, has no ducts or vents, no maintenance or cleaning, is efficient and cost effective, and has individual room thermostat controls.
P.A.P. Heating Solutions, 23 Winchcombe Court, Mitchell. Call 6242 9310 or visit papheatingsolutions.com.au
Now’s
Winter is just around the corner and with the south coast only a two-hour drive away, it’s a great time to avoid the crowds and enjoy some milder autumn weather down
Nearly all Summerfield villas are now sold, a testament to the fact that the over 55s Summerfield estate at Braidwood offers an outstanding lifestyle, and real value, says sales director Jane Mackenzie-Ross.
She says freehold villas (not lease or licence, but total ownership) and no exit or entry fees are a key attraction to residents buying at Summerfield.
Currajong Retreat offers an escape into nature without forgoing luxurious comfort, says creative manager Lara Forsdick.
Only two and a half hours drive from Canberra, and 45 minutes from the beaches of Merimbula and Pambula, Lara says Currajong Retreat is the perfect way to spend some time reconnecting with both the bush and the beach.
Lara says the accommodation itself is a spacious tent with a built-in ensuite bathroom, kitchenette, lounge, bed and a private verandah with an outdoor bath that overlooks the river running through the property.
“We’ve got three tents, they’re situated along the river bed with really beautiful private views,” says Lara.
“We do an all-inclusive stay, so in your booking you also receive a breakfast hamper, as well as a cooked dinner according to your
dietary requirements.”
Lara says Currajong Retreat is situated on a 40-hectare angora goat farm, and guests can interact with the goats if they choose to.
“They really love the kidding season, where we have lots of baby goats and they get to interact with them,” says Lara.
“Obviously, animals you can’t tell them what to do at what time, it’s all dependent on the season, but all our animals are super friendly.”
Access to the river is also available Lara says, with swimming and a range of other outdoor activities sure to keep guests entertained.
Currajong Retreat, 83 Big Jack Mountain Road, Burragate. Call 6496 7072 or visit currajongretreat.com
Unplug, unwind, escape –just a short journey to your sanctuary in the trees.
At Currajong Retreat, experience more than just a stay; discover a seamless blend of comfort and connection to nature with our allinclusive accommodation.
Awake to the soothing sounds of the Towamba River, breathe in the crisp air surrounded by expansive open spaces, and enjoy every convenience at your fingertips.
Book your escape now and discover why Currajong Retreat is not just a destination – it’s a feeling that stays with you long after you leave.
“Be assured, the spacious three-bed, two-bath, two-car, light-filled designer villas with their sun drenched sunrooms, offer great value in price compared to Sydney and Canberra,” Jane says.
lifestyle of the estate with its excellent com munity facilities, coupled with the vibrant thriving town of Braidwood with so much to
do, simply makes Summerfield a wonderful place to live life to the full.”
For those who have not visited historic Braidwood, Jane says it has so much to offer, including arts and crafts, cafes and restaurants, clubs, a first-class golf course and friendly people.
Each Sunday during May there are Open Days to inspect the estate with Jane, or, for those who would like a midweek viewing or would like to come and stay overnight in the Hospitality Unit – Jane says just call so it can
Bannisters Mollymook has two properties within 800 metres of each other, says marketing manager Loren James, allowing guests to enjoy three dining options and a spa across two different locations.
“This time of year the crowds are sort of gone, so it’s the perfect time to enjoy everything in the local area,” says Loren.
“Even though it’s not great swimming weather, it’s still lovely to go for a walk on the beach, bushwalks, things like that around the area.
“Milton is just a few minutes away with lots of boutique stores and cafes, so there’s plenty to do in the local area this time of year.”
Loren says Bannisters is running a special Taste
of Mollymook package, which includes two-nights’ accommodation at Bannisters by the Sea or Bannisters Pavilion, a la carte breakfast daily, a two-course dinner at Rick Stein at Bannisters, including entree and main (excludes shellfish), a two-course dinner at The Rooftop Bar & Grill, including entree and main (excludes shellfish), and a welcome drink of house wine, sparkling or beer at Bannisters Pool Bar. The full terms and conditions can be found on the website.
Bannisters Mollymook, 191 Mitchell Parade or 87 Tallwood Avenue, Mollymook, NSW. Call 4454 7400, or visit bannisters.com.au
Lilli Pilli Sublime is a destination unlike any other. We offer holiday accommodation in a spacious, delightfully decorated 4 bedroom house with rumpus/games room, and a Moroccan themed outdoor kitchen area with BBQ.
LPS is nestled in the stunning surrounds of Lilli Pilli Beach Estate in an idyllic position overlooking natural bush land on the outskirts of Batemans Bay, NSW.
The weather at the coast is always warmer than Canberra winters, says owner and manager of Lilli Pilli Sublime, Angela Noakes.
“You will especially enjoy it out on the north-facing deck with the birds and sounds of the bush and the sea. In fact, it’s not uncommon to have to strip down to a T-shirt,” she says.
Angela says there are many beaches nearby, with the closest only a 300-metre walk away, as well as national park walks, botanical gardens, kayaking, the Clyde River boat cruise, golf, bike rides and the Batemans Bay Pavilions.
Angela says Lilli Pilli Sublime provides linen and towels, and beds are made up ready for guests to arrive, so all guests need to do is get there and unpack.
“We also provide baby items, cot, baby change table and baby bath, high chair, baby walker, stroller and toys,” she says.
“We are family friendly and dog friendly, so book now and take a well deserved break and chill out at Sublime.”
Angela says bookings can be made for three nights for just $999, a reduction from the normal price of $2137.
Or a one-week stay can be booked for $2500 plus a free night, instead of the normal price of $4800 for eight nights. A two-week stay for $5000 with an extra two free nights is also available, which would normally cost $9128.
Lilli Pilli Sublime, Batemans Bay. Email lillipillisublime@me.com or call 0412 800857.
ENJOY A TASTE OF MOLLYMOOK
Revel in the best wining and dining on the South Coast this Winter. The Taste of Mollymook package includes:
A two-night getaway at Bannisters by the Sea or Bannisters Pavilion for two with an à la carte breakfast daily, a two-course dinner at Rick Stein at Bannisters and a two-course dinner at The Rooftop Bar & Grill, both from a select menu.
On arrival sit and enjoy a welcome drink at Bannisters Pool Bar overlooking the ocean.
Wheelers Seafood Restaurant is not only a restaurant, but also a bar and takeaway shop, best known for its oysters, says owner Jacqui Foley.
“The Wheelers family themselves have been farming oysters for more than 40 years, and the oyster shed is onsite,” she says.
“We source as much local fresh seafood as we can possibly get a hold of, and our chefs create really exquisite meals that are simple, but fresh, and really good quality.
“The restaurant itself seats about 120, so it’s quite big and suitable for weddings or functions. By day it’s gorgeous with the sun pouring in, and by night it’s cosy and intimate.”
Jacqui says the building has old railwaybridge timber, which adds substance and character, and it’s got some handmade dry stone walls that help the building to be “quite a standout”.
“We host wine dinners, fundraising breakfasts and live music. Our website is the best place to see what special events are coming up,” she says.
“I just love the people, looking after them and being part of special celebra tions, no matter what the occasion is. I love creating beautiful experiences for people, and I’ve really connected with a lot of locals and tourists alike over the years.”
Wheelers Seafood Restaurant and Oyster Bar, 162 Arthur Kaine Drive, Pambula, NSW. Call 6495 8420, or visit wheelersoysters.com.au
Owner John Grant reopened Granties Maze in 2015 after 30 years of closure.
He says the maze, in Foxground, is only about two hours by car from Canberra. It features rides and attractions for people of all ages.
“Over the years, I intend to keep adding new attractions,” he says.
The main attraction is a maze consisting of 2000 trees that have been planted to create a network of paths and hedges.
“It’s designed as a puzzle through which one navigates with the objective of solving the puzzle
and winning a prize – an ice cream,” says John. There’s also mini-golf, pony rides, electric kids’ cars, archery and playground equipment. All rides are activated by coupons purchased at the office. All unused coupons can be reused on the next visit.
Granties Maze is open every day except Wednesdays, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Open 9am-4pm on weekdays and 9am-5pm on weekends.
Granties Maze, 25 Donovan Road, Foxground. Call 0407 284888 or visit grantiesmaze.com.au
Contemporary Australian cuisine featuring a fusion of flavours and the freshest local produce. Serving Wheeler’s own Merimbula Lake oysters. An extensive hand-picked beverage menu. Fresh seafood to-go, delicious takeaway, all-day coffee & cake.
Oaks Ranch is a luxury, 14-room boutique hotel, restaurant, bar, event and conference facility and golf course, says general manager Josh Tyler.
“We are situated on the south coast, five minutes from Broulee Beach on 300 acres, flanked by the Tomago River and Candlagan Creek,” he says.
“The Oaks Ranch first opened in 1970. The current owners closed the hotel in June 2021 to renovate and elevate the property’s offering, before we reopened in February 2022.
“Our conference and event facilities offer everything from boardroom-style to cabaret conferencing, weddings and events with a large alfresco breakout area, stunning views west across the property to the Deua mountain ranges.
“The venue has high-speed, reliable wifi, a dropdown data projector with audio surround, flipcharts
and a whiteboard.”
Josh says the restaurant and bar, Arlo, is a refined casual eating experience, influenced by Australian, Asian and European cuisines.
“For conferencing we offer full or half-day delegate packages, a selection of house-made sweets and savoury snacks for our morning and afternoon teas,” he says.
“Our conference lunches range from gourmet sandwiches on local artisan breads to dining in Arlo. We also offer barista-made coffee, specialty teas, and in-house breakfast for overnight guests.
“Oaks Ranch is a Spanish mission-style property, a rural oasis with a sense of tranquillity – and the sunsets are truly amazing.”
Oaks Ranch, 340 Old Mossy Point Road, Mossy Point, NSW. Call 4471 7403, or visit oaksranch.com.au
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It’s Canberra Tree Week and the right time to plan to plant a tree in the garden when most trees are deciduous, dormant and have no leaves.
If autumnal colour is what you are after in the garden, then choosing a tree at this time of year will ensure you get the foliage colour you like.
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Planting trees should be done properly to get them off to a good start. The hole for planting a tree should be double the width and depth of the pot and, if possible, try not to make the side of the hole flat and smooth.
Fill the hole with compost and mix with existing soil. Back fill the hole and tamp down the soil and water in. If the edges of the hole are rough, the water and roots will move better through the soil and help the tree to grow stronger. If this step is not done properly, the tree may be stunted and not grow well in rock-hard Canberra clay soils that hold moisture and cause root rot.
Planting trees for future shade and privacy is important as it will be there for a long time. Once planted, only fertilise trees in the growing period when they have leaves. Mulch in winter with organic mulch or compost.
ORNAMENTAL grape vines will be putting on all their autumnal colour now and can
vine’s (Vitis vinifera) have tendrils that are thigmotropic, that is when the vine touches anything, it grows modified stems to twine around supports for the plant to grow and stabilise itself.
In winter, pruning grape vines is crucial and should be done when the vine is dormant and there is no sap rising from the cut or wound. To assess if the vine has gone into full dormancy, do a test cut to see if the vine “weeps”. If it is, wait a little longer to prune.
I get best results pruning in autumn to early winter as Canberra winter weather in July and August can be too moist, giving an entry point
for fungal diseases.
If ornamental or eating grapes had fungal issues last season, then a winter spray of a copper fungicide or a wettable sulphur will work and also aids as a miticide to prevent blistering on the leaves in spring.
Apply a few times over winter and this will assist in preventing problems next season.
Ornamental grapes can be cut back hard to a few stems in winter to try and keep some of the growth down and help with air flow to keep any diseases at bay.
Eating-grape vines are pruned differently. They need spurs to grow flowering fruit and are pruned the same as wisteria.
Once grapevines are established, they are drought hardy and don’t need much water. If pruning in autumn, the stems will be more flexible and can be used in the garden to make shapes and sculptures for a bit of fun that will last for a few years if kept dry.
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• Remove spent foliage on perennials, cut up and place in the compost bin.
• Keep Asian greens, kale and winter vegetables watered and add seaweed solution.
• Remove growth on asparagus and dust the garden bed with lime and mulch.
• Final watering for succulents until spring.
“What a rotter,” actor Toby Schmidt says of his character, Jack, the handsome manipulative husband in the play Gaslight, coming to The Playhouse soon in a production directed by Lee Lewis.
People of a certain age will have known about gaslighting well before it was used as a verb to describe the manipulation of women by men. But many don’t know it comes from Patrick Hamilton’s play, Gas Light and two famous noir films, retitled Gaslight.
Canberra Rep revived the play several years ago, showing that the chills and thrills were still there, so it’s no spoiler to say that the title also refers to what happens when the husband is ratting around upstairs in the Victorian mansion where he and his wife Bella live – the lights go down when he’s upstairs and
convinces her that she’s imagining it. Yes, what a rotter Jack is, but what a charming rotter, as Schmidt says with some relish, telling me: “The whole gist of the story is trying to leave the revelation as to how much of a rotter Jack is until as late as possible. It’s a huge magic trick.”
It’s been working its magic for
the nastiness of Thorold Dickinson’s 1940 British interpretation and, watching reruns on TV, I was totally taken in by the suave insinuation of Charles Boyer, who managed to turn Ingrid Bergman into a quivering mass of insecurity in George Cukor’s 1944 film.
Those two films, considered to
were first screened during World War II, but the updated version, adapted by Johnna Wright and Patty Jamieson in 2022, comes in the wake of the #MeToo movement and gives much greater agency to the central character, Bella.
Gone is the nice police officer (Joseph Cotten in the 1944 movie)
and his place is the heroine herself, now far from mentally incompetent and able to work things out for herself.
“It was only updated a couple of years ago… it gives a third dimension to remove the clunky character of the detective so that Bella can work out what’s going on by herself. It was different in its day, when people thought it took a man to solve problems.”
Missing from both the movies is the housekeeper, a plum role for veteran actress Kate Fitzpatrick. She comes with the house the couple have purchased and as we learn it has a dark past, adding an extra noir element of sheer horror.
Of course, Schmidt is quick to say, The 1938 play and both the movies have that strong psychological element too, enhanced by the Victorian Gothic setting and a hint of something supernatural – or maybe not.
“Of course, the term gaslighting has become a word for any sort of personal manipulation,” Schmidt says.
“But the way we perform it involves a certain suspension of disbelief – you go to the theatre to be surprised.”
As for playing an arch-villain, he reminds me that when the movies came out it was wartime and people were ready for villains.
“He’s a compulsive liar with the ability to believe his lies and to be able to be a different person for different people, so he’s very convincing.”
“In the modern version the ambiguity is stretched as far as we can until the last five minutes… We’ve had two seasons of audiences holding their breath,” Schmidt says.
“Jack’s a highly ambitious man coming from before World War I, but the story is in keeping with true crime series on Netflix and the interviews you see with scammers, there’s a public fascination with people who live triple and quadruple lives.”
But in our version, the heroine Bella exposes him and, he says and Geri (Geraldine Hakewill) does it so well, the part really becomes her.
“The adaptation makes the play less conventional, but we’ve kept the sumptuous design in the late Victorian era of gas lighting,” he says.
“It’s quite breathtaking, so when the curtain goes up, quite often the set gets a round of applause.”
Gaslight, The Playhouse, May 15-19.
Proudly sponsored by 14-15 May 2024
For several years now the ratings of Doctor Who have been on a downward slide.
Tennant was piloting the Tardis, the show has lost around five million of its average weekly viewers and those numbers continue to fall.
screwdriver to this iconic sci-fi series, which has been host to lukewarm fanfare now for too long and struggled to define itself in a new age of television.
have just that up its sleeve or stashed in its wallet.
season and it’s streaming on Disney Plus.
official co-producer of the Time Lord’s tales, having pumped around £100 million ($A190 million) into the franchise.
the iconic blue telephone box spinning through space, screams “We have money now”, with a slick coat of CGI paint that is a serious step up from previous seasons.
ing Doctor Who into another of its flagship brands to sell to subscribers.
and Star Wars reboots and with a show that’s now up to more than 800 episodes with plenty more in the works no less, what’s Disney not to love here? The BBC is also
From what’s been seen so far, the Doctor certainly hasn’t escaped some “Disneyfica -
This new season appears a lot funnier, lighthearted and less high-concept than its
Open every day during school holidays from 10am to 4pm Cafe open from 10am to 3pm
recent predecessors in a bid to open up its
So far fans have only had one episode of the latest take on the character, a Christmas special that aired in December, which many labelled as “promising” and refreshingly “fun” compared to recent iterations.
But who’s playing the iconic role this time?
For those who missed it, RwandanScottish actor Ncuti Gatwa is up front and centre, the first black and queer actor to ever
Of course, that invited some backlash which Gatwa recently fired back at ahead of
“I feel like anyone that has a problem with someone who’s not a straight white man playing the character, you’re not really, truly a fan of the show,” he told Variety in an
Despite his critics, Gatwa has thus far shown he may indeed have what it takes to redefine the Doctor and the actor’s recent popularity makes him a smart casting choice
Gatwa will be a familiar face to anyone who’s been watching Netflix’s comedy hit Sex Education, last year’s box-office smash Barbie, and more recently Steven Spielberg’s new war epic Masters of the Air. Quite the
Gatwa is also one of the youngest actors
to play the role at 31-years-old. That’s not as young as Matt Smith who took on the gig at 26, but still certainly far younger than most of the Doctors that have come before him. The oldest actor to play Doctor Who was also the very first: William Hartnell who appeared in 1963 at age 55. Goes to show just how much the average age has come down since then.
For the next few years it looks like Gatwa will be sticking around, too. He’s indicated that he wants to do at least three seasons in this new take on the “Whoniverse”.
From the age of the dinosaurs to far-flung sci-fi futures, the show’s producers and long-time creative lead Russel T Davies are promising plenty of out-there adventures and some sly pokes at other popular TV shows.
“Oh my Bridgerton” exclaims the doctor’s companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) when entering a regency-era mansion in the new trailer.
All of it seems to point towards a younger, more upbeat, more self-aware version of Doctor Who that aims to pull in a new generation to rejuvenate the long-running show.
Is this the right direction?
Time will tell.
A Slightly Isolated Dog, who’ve previously been here with performances of Don Juan and Jekyll & Hyde, are back at The Q with The Trojan War, in which its performers, armed with awful faux-French accents, romp through Homer. The Q, Queanbeyan, May 14-15.
Bungendore artist Annie Lok’s Rabbit Holes series is the latest exhibition to be showcased in Queanbeyan’s No Name Lane Outdoor Photography Gallery, off Monaro Street. The show features seven works from Lok, who constructs her pieces from photographic and AI-generated imagery. Lok says: “Each work is a choice, as the viewer, like Alice, follows the white rabbit down the hole and explores the Wonderland beyond.”
A Slightly Isolated Dog play The Trojan War.
My Mother Made, All Saints Church, Ainslie, May 12.
Subject to Change is the major production for QL2 Dance in 2024. With 26 young Canberran dance artists at the forefront, it is a triple bill of new dance works created by Australian choreographers Alisdair Macindoe from Melbourne, Gabrielle Nankivell from Brisbane and Ruth Osborne, retiring artistic director of QL2 Dance. The Playhouse, May 16-18.
National Opera plans to mark Mother’s Day with an afternoon of music and memories called Things
Rebus Theatre has announced a partnership with Canberra Theatre Centre that offers a work-ready program for young adults with neurodivergence or intellectual disabilities, to culminate in front-of-house roles at the theatre centre this year and next. The first group in the program, Expressive Pathways, starts in July. Enrolments to rebustheatre.com/programs by May 13.
The Street Theatre has announced that author and dance artist Emma Batchelor and writeractor Thea Jade have been selected for its 2024 residency program,
aimed at artists on the early to mid-career cusp.
Canberra poet, mediator and lawyer Vesna Cvjeticanin, who regularly presents at Smith’s and 2XX, has traced the journeys of 12 migrant women from Romania, Afghanistan, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Peru, North Macedonia, Chile, Bosnia, Malaysia and South Africa in her new book, An Unexpected Life. Available on Amazon.
Artistic director and pianist Kathryn Selby joins the Goldner String Quartet in Luminaries, to perform together in the quartet’s farewell season, performing Shostakovich, Mozart and Tchaikovsky. NGA James Fairfax Theatre, May 17.
Dining reviewer WENDY JOHNSON takes in three very different eating experiences in Bowral.
It’s amazing that the Southern Highlands (Mittagong specifically) is the “Australian stage” for Thailand’s Michelin-starred Paste Bangkok. Sister restaurant Paste Australia promises and provides a palate-tantalising adventure.
We were also excited by a new tapas bar in Bowral, The Parting Glass. Our third experience – Onesta Cucina – has been in Bowral for over 15 years.
Paste Australia is one of the best dining experiences I’ve had in a long time. Each dish looks divine and tastes divine. It’s no wonder the restaurant has received a Chef’s Hat by the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2024 and Australian Good Food Guide 2024.
Multiple set menus are available, starting from $105 for two people.
The watermelon salad, a signature dish from Bangkok, was a plate of perfection. It was created with ground salmon, fried shallots, and Huon River trout caviar.
through (lemon myrtle and mountain pepper). The duck was carefully plated atop a bright pool of vibrant citrusy juices.
Our fresh sorbet – a grand finale – was a piece of art, painted with ruby red and orange colours.
Glass and the garlic prawn and betel leaf skewers were succulent and made our taste buds sing. The chilli glaze was sweet, but the lemon cut through ($20).
cheeks we had our hearts on were all gone.
Equally gorgeous were scallops with lychee (so fresh on the palette), sea urchin and young coconut.
So succulent was the salt and pepper duck with Australian native ingredients shining
The Parting Glass had been open about six weeks on our visit and the young, enthusiastic team were wonderfully friendly and eager to please. I fell in love with the signature Bees Knees cocktail, created with Bee Pollen Tanqueray Gin, Yuzushu, citrus and honey ($21). It was a beautiful way to kickstart our tapas experience.
We were intrigued with the rabbit and quail profiteroles, served with crème fraiche and Vandouvan quince ($20). They were fun and delicious. Another delightful share plate was the juicy, earthy Portobello mushrooms ($22).
The Parting Glass is a welcome addition to the main street, with a refreshingly different approach and a funky interior.
, which has been in Bowral forever and a day. The interior is dark overall and formal, in line with the cucina’s promise to provide a traditional, fine-dining Italian dining experience.
While we’d heard good things about Onesta, we had some issues (sad face). It took so long for us to be served that the beef
The figs and prosciutto married well with truffle honey and an intense basilico ($27.50).
The braised meatballs were so salty we couldn’t finish them (we mentioned this but were still charged $26.50).
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Autumn is beloved by Canberra schools as a time for large-scale fundraisers, such as the coming Artshow@Radford, marking the 40th anniversary of Radford College’s dedication in 1984.
With more than 300 artworks including paintings, ceramics, glass, sculpture and woodwork, the show will kick off with a jazzy opening featuring music played by the student band that, under the baton of school photographer Alan Lee, has been playing at the art show for more than 15 years.
This year’s judge, Robert Stephens from Aarwun Gallery, will be on hand to announce and present the awards of prizes for Radford art students and artists from the wider community.
The highlight will be the $2000 first prize for the artist whose work impresses Stephens the most, which is given in memory of Jonquil Mackey, a media and photography teacher at Radford who died in 2018.
Her daughter, Bridget Mackey, will screen a video at the opening in honour of her mother.
Second prize is $1000 and third prize is $500, with student art prizes to the value of $500 and a People’s Choice award.
I caught up with the president of Radford’s Parents and Friends Association, Stephanie Hinton, parent of a year 1 student, who told me the art show was a way of bringing the
community together and that funds would be used to support small-scale projects such as a greenhouse for kindergarten students.
The show was important for the school to meet the needs of the Belconnen community, she said.
Describing the gala opening as “quite a landmark on the school calendar”, Hinton said there was always an atmosphere of friendly competition among the 50 or more exhibiting artists drawn from the broader Canberra region, not just from Belconnen.
The registration fee allows up to four entries each and, if last year’s show was anything to go by, Hinton said there would be
Although the bulk of the art works would be by adult artists, the junior and senior school art prizes were aimed at encouraging students to think about celebrating Radford’s 40 years and what it meant to them.
Artshow@Radford gala opening, TB Millar Hall, 1 College Street, Bruce, May 17. The exhibition continues on May 18 and 19.
Beechworth is a town in northeast Victoria that has immense charm and, within its vicinity, around 30 producers of wine.
The town and its surrounds range from 550 metres to 800 metres above sea level. It has a high number of sunshine hours but the elevation means grapes that like cooler climes thrive.
We were staying in Rutherglen, which is flat and seemingly vast, where brown dominates and big bold reds are made, along with memorable fortifieds.
But on the afternoon of the second day of this sojourn, we decided to drive to Beechworth to get another perspective on wine and wine making and to escape the smoke haze from a bushfire reduction burn that covered the Rutherglen area.
In 2017 I had visited Pennyweight Winery and had enjoyed the peace and serenity of the garden surrounding the cellar door facilities and I said to my friends that a visit to this winery would show them great views across the plains towards the southwest of Beechworth and give them an opportunity to taste some premium stuff.
Plus, the first time I went to this winery, I was setting off on the Beechworth-to-Bright bike ride and didn’t get to go through much of their list. Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you wanted but I wanted to try again.
There is a connection between
Rutherglen and Pennyweight: it’s operated by the fourth and fifth generation of the Rutherglen’s Morris family. They weren’t in attendance on the day of our visit but the charming cellar door manager settled us at a table in the splendid garden.
We had a view of trees that were displaying delightful red, russet and copper hues but, alas, we were not stoked that the air was also full of smoke from local burning off. And that sparked the thought of the question: what do you call a woman who puts her credit card statements straight into the
There were three wines on taste, at no cost unlike the previous winery in Rutherglen we attended where a charge of $10 per head had been levied. We had failed to bring food and none was on offer so we tried the three wines but each would have been enhanced with food.
The first was a 2022 Pennyweight Beechworth Semillon Sauvignon Blanc that is $38 a bottle from the cellar door. There was not a lot on the nose, perhaps with the schnoz tainted by the surreal smoke, but
the finish was surprisingly long and dry. It was a pleasant if unspectacular blend.
The second was a real attention grabber, the 2022 Pennyweight Beechworth Gamay. This is a varietal that is notably grown in Beaujolais and is renowned for its light-body and full fruit flavour. Here, the aroma of strawberries was strong and this flavour came through on the palate but without any overpowering sweetness. This is a summer wine rather than an early autumn drink and it would go well with summer fruit and heady cheese. This taste sparked the appetite, which was already unruly. The third wine was a fortified: the Pennyweight Gold. The dominant grape is the Palomino, a grape used in Spain for the production of sherry (we can’t call it that any more – in Australia it’s now known as apera). This honeyed sweet wine had a luscious flavour that suited the day, the glorious garden and my otherwise jaded taste buds. I bought a bottle – $45.
I was glad others were driving as we wended our way back to Rutherglen. After tasting on an empty stomach, it was like when the cartoonist died at home, details were sketchy.
By Joanne Madeline Moore
May 13-19, 2024
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
The week starts off with Mercury and Mars both transiting through Aries, so try to be clear and proactive in the way you communicate with others. A financial matter needs to be sorted as the Sun, Venus, Jupiter, Uranus and then Mercury move through your money zone. Friday looks tricky though, as friction develops between you and a friend or colleague, possibly involving money. The weekend is wonderful for exciting beginnings and sudden adventures.
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)
Most Bulls like life to hum along smoothly with no adjustments required and no jolting surprises. This week, prepare for some big ch, ch, ch, changes and modifications as the Sun, Venus, Jupiter and Uranus all link up in your sign. Inspiration for the week comes from journalist, novelist, screenwriter, film director (and birthday great) Nora Ephron: “Don’t be frightened: you can always change your mind. I know - I’ve had four careers and three husbands.”
GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)
This week make sure your restless mood and short attention span don’t lead to reckless behaviour and a loose tongue. Slow down and think twice before you tell tall tales or spread secrets and salacious gossip. Passing on unverified hearsay could lead to unexpected consequences with an angry relative, a cranky colleague or a frustrated friend. You’ll find a tablespoon of tact, a dollop of discretion, and a pinch of patience will get you through.
CANCER (June 22 – July 23)
The planets encourage you to put more energy into pursuing your dreams. No side-stepping, Crabs! It’s time to set ambitious goals – and then pursue them with plenty of creativity and drive. But Mercury and Pluto could increase tension in a relationship within your peer group. Your intuition is switched on big time, as you tune into those around you and uncover some important information. But don’t let a controlling person lead you astray.
LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)
This week the Sun (your power planet), Venus, Jupiter and Uranus all activate your career zone. So charm, confidence and plenty of chutzpah will take you far along the road to professional success. And the positive Venus/Saturn link (on Monday and Tuesday) is particularly good for business plans, long-term relationships and socialising with work colleagues. But avoid being a cranky Cat on Friday, when the Mercury/Pluto square boosts your stubborn side.
VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)
Venus, Jupiter, Uranus and the Sun are connecting in (and shaking up) your aspirations and adventure zones. So don’t be too conscientious and virtuous, Virgo! It’s time to take some calculated risks, colour outside the lines and jump outside the squares. Your motto is from writer (and birthday great) Nora Ephron: “Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel… I hope you will find some way to break the rules and make a little trouble out there.”
LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)
The Venus/Saturn link (on Monday and Tuesday) is good for matters involving work, health and pets. But the major astrological focus is on joint finances, business and/or work, as the planets provide the extra power and passion needed to boost your professional profile or fast-track your finances. Keep it real, Libra! You’re keen to splash some cash around, but make sure your bank balance is in a healthy state before you start spending up big.
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)
This week relationships are unpredictable and family dramas will keep you on your toes. Maybe it’s time to simplify your life, cull some of your commitments or give a fair-weather friend the flick? Look for creative, unconventional solutions that suit you and please others. Some strategic compromise may be necessary! As Voltaire (a fellow Scorpio) wrote: “I may disagree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.”
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)
The Sun, Venus, Jupiter, Uranus and Saturn are revving up your daily routine zone. So a work matter, a health issue or a family ‘situation’ could cause some sleepless nights. The planets are pushing you to dig deep, accept extra responsibilities and take on challenges with plenty of Sagittarian aplomb. A domestic drama also needs to be handled in a sensitive and sensible way, as you do your best to sort things out. Clear communication is the secret to success.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)
The positive Venus/Saturn link (on Monday and Tuesday) is good news for financial plans, business matters and long-term relationships. When it comes to a child, teenager or close friend you’re on a mission to correct their mistakes and change their behaviour. But you’ll get a lot further if you criticise less and encourage a lot more. And the greatest realisation this week is that you really can’t change anyone. They can only initiate transformation themselves.
AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)
You’ll feel restless this week and the danger is you’ll go overboard and throw the baby out with the bathwater. Uranus imbues you with a sense of urgency, but self-discipline and gradual modifications are what’s required at the moment. It’s also important to strive to get the balance right between your personal and professional lives. Be inspired by birthday great, actress Cate Blanchett: “I live my life parallel with my work, and they are both equally important.”
PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)
Pliable Pisceans can sometimes be too passive and indulge in too much procrastination. With Saturn transiting through your sign, you’re currently facing some challenges, but that’s no excuse to give up. This week Saturn links up with Venus, which encourages you to accept responsibility for where your life is going – and make some sensible, strategic changes. As writer (and birthday great) Nora Ephron wrote: “Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.”
Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2024
4 What is a loose, sleeveless cloak? (6)
7 Name a large heavy kind of terrier. (8)
8 How many disciples were sent to preach the gospel? (6)
9 What is a numbat? (8)
11 What are shooting stars known as? (7)
13 What is the use of an enclosure, as in loading or unloading cattle at a railway station? (7)
15 Which musical directions suggest “in a leisurely manner”? (7)
17 Name a unit of magnetic flux. (7)
20 Which instrument measures the distance passed over by a motor vehicle? (8)
23 To be condemned, is to be what? (6)
24 What are cartilages also called? (8)
25 Who is one to whom a lease is granted? (6)
1 Tom Sawyer’s friend was known as Huckleberry ...? (4)
2 What is a non-historical story handed down by tradition? (6)
3 Name a unit of power. (4)
4 What is a base unit of measurement of length? (5)
5 Who are the daughters of one’s sisters? (6)
6 Name a very renowned tennis player, Rod ... (5)
9 What is a temporary refuge granted to political offenders? (6)
10 Name a town and shire in central Queensland, west of Blackwater. (7)
12 Which spacesuit device detects a change in some function of the wearer? (6)
14 What are Hindu religious teachers called? (6)
16 What is an area of a city in which a minority group lives in conditions of poverty? (6)
18 Name the positive pole of a battery. (5)
19 Name the official Canberra residence of the Prime Minister of Australia. (5)
21 Columbus is the capital of which US State? (4)
22 What is a sharp-pointed duelling sword? (4)
Recently, I have spoken to clients who have had very complex issues that, at first sight, did not seem to have a clear answer.
These included issues related to taxpayer residency, primary production losses, visa status as it related to tax, Medicare levy surcharge and other areas that involved legislation additional to the Income Tax Assessment Acts.
The additional legislation is often something that we are not familiar with. So for these clients, I usually recommend that we, as the taxpayer’s agent, apply for a Private Binding Ruling.
Any Private Binding Ruling is binding on the ATO only for the taxpayer who has applied for it. Even if you have checked the register and have found one that seems similar to your circumstances, you do not get the protection of a Private Binding Ruling if you use it.
So how do you apply for a Private Binding Ruling? You can use the online form Number NAT 74957. There are also some other forms for specific circumstances such as primary production losses. The standard form is easily found via Google.
You have to list clearly the facts and circumstances of your issue and make sure that what you have said is complete and accurate. If your tax agent does the ruling you also need to include any research and analysis relevant to the issue, including legislation, public rulings and case law. It is not something that most people can easily do without professional help.
If you need a ruling and you are applying yourself you can write a letter to the ATO setting out the facts and asking the ATO to rule. If the question is so complex that an easy answer cannot be found, it would be wise to get a tax professional to apply on your behalf. If, during your research, you find a public ruling or a tax determination on the topic that you are looking for, you can rely on that information. In addition the ATO also issues summaries known as ATO IDs. You can rely on an ATO ID assuming that the facts in your situation are not materially different to those in the ATO ID. If the ID is later found to be incorrect you will not be charged a penalty but you will be required to pay any underpaid tax.
It is also possible to get an oral ruling from the ATO as an individual. And if you get an oral ruling, get the name of the tax officer so that if you are challenged and you are forced to rely on the oral ruling you get the protection from an oral ruling, which is that the ATO is bound to assess your tax liability in accordance with that oral ruling. I have had people on many occasions tell me they rang the ATO for advice and then tell me the advice they were given and I know that it is incorrect.
This is usually because the person making the call has not actually provided the ATO with all the facts and the ruling has been given on the basis of the facts provided.
In addition, the taxpayer does not know the name of the person who gave them the information and as I have found out they frequently haven't provided their name either. This makes it very difficult to rely on the oral information provided.
As you can see there are many different ways you can get advice from the ATO on these complex issues that may arise in your return. It is best to consult a tax professional to complete the application for you so that you can securely rely on the ATO ruling.
If you need help with a Private Binding Ruling application or any other tax related matter contact the expert team at Gail Freeman and Co-on 02 6295 2844.
Disclaimer
This column contains general advice, please do not rely on it. If you require specific advice on this topic please contact Gail Freeman or your professional adviser.
229892) info@gailfreeman.com.au | www.gailfreeman.com.au
