‘The ACT juvenile suicide rate was below the national average between 2013-17, but in the last five years has increased to the second highest in Australia.’ JON STANHOPE & KHALID AHMED expose the ACT government’s shocking neglect of mental health.
JUNE 27, 2024
Powers to muzzle integrity reports need attention
MICHAEL MOORE
Planning pales as ideology trumps evidence
MIKE QUIRK
Annoying acronyms are only TBE
CLIVE WILLIAMS
JOHN WATERS is back with the ‘true horror’ play The Woman in Black
By Katarina LLOYD JONES
In an ideal ACT, there would be regular electorate community events run by MLAs, where they talk to the community about issues that are coming up and provide an opportunity to bring issues into the parliamentary conversation.
So says Peter Tait, convenor of the Canberra Alliance for Participatory Democracy (CAPaD).
In the lead up to the ACT election in October, Peter says CAPaD, a volunteer-run organisation reliant solely on donations, has been hosting public meetings and collecting data on what the public expects from its representatives.
“People are pretty clear [about] what it is they want from their MLA,” Peter says.
“The main things that they want, [is] someone who communicates quickly and clearly, is accessible, they want someone who’s prepared to be challenged and to review their position, they want genuine consultation and quality engagement with the community.
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“The words that kept coming through were, ‘we want to be listened to’, so they don’t just come and talk to us, or listen to us and then not do anything.
“They were really supportive of things like deliberative forums and participatory events.”
In the research, Peter says, there was an idea of a scorecard that could be publicly available somehow, where people can look up what their representatives are doing.
Streaming 25 Cover: John Waters in The Woman in Black.
Photo: Justin Nicholas. Story Page 23.
“There are already some people that do this, like political gadgets that regularly publish how people vote [...] what people are spending their money on, those sorts of things, which is a step towards that sort of tree of accountability,” he says.
The second meeting taking place on June 30, will be dedicated to discussing “good candidates”, for example, whether the promises made are consistent with community needs.
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The third conversation will take place in September and will focus on policy and program planning decisions, and how it can be ensured that candidates will listen to the community.
Peter says CAPaD does not seek out specific data on which policies the community holds a particular grievance to during these meetings, rather, it is their view that the policy issue is whether we have good or bad
It isn’t just the public wanting to be more engaged with their representatives, with Peter saying a few years ago, CAPaD interviewed several of the MLAs elected in 2016 who said they, too, wanted to be more directly engaged with the community.
“They wanted people to come and talk to them and they wanted to know more clearly what their constituents
“But they were, if you like, constrained by the mindset that, well, we go down to the local shops two or three times a year, we send out letters or newsletters or emails from time to time, occasionally they’ll run a survey, but that’s sort of where they stopped.
“But what we’re aware of is, particularly through deliberative democracy mechanisms like citizens’ assembly, citizens’ juries, you can have a maximal, interactive, participatory way of citizens being involved.”
In a healthy democracy there must
be participation, he says.
Parliaments make the ultimate decision about what does and doesn’t happen, but, Peter says wiser decisions could be made if people are more actively involved in the decisionmaking process.
“For, say, particularly contentious issues, I mean, light rail to Woden, we’ve probably lost that one because concrete is being poured, but that’s an example of an issue that maybe if 10 years ago there had been a participatory democratic process involved, we might have come up with a different answer,” he says.
“There’s a whole suite of ways of getting good government, but what we discovered in setting up CAPaD is that it’s about who we elect to be our representative in the parliament.
“One of the strands is electing people who are going to be more personally and directly accountable to us, and will help engage us in the political decision-making processes as far as citizens can be involved.
“Public servants, the parliamentarians and the public, they each have to be prepared to engage, but also to open space for the other to engage.”
The next CAPaD Democracy in Action meeting will be in Curtin on June 30. Register attendance online at humanitix.com/democracy-in-action. More at canberra-alliance.org.au
For the second time in so many months there has been an attempt to stymie the ACT Integrity Commission.
First it was the Education Directorate, and then an unnamed individual asked the Supreme Court to stop a report regarding the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT).
The court has dismissed the application pending an appeal.
The commission must be able to do its job! After two years of investigation by the Integrity Commission, a report on Operation Luna was due to be handed to the speaker on June 19.
There is an outside chance that the integrity commission’s Operation Luna brings down findings that clear everyone involved. However, considering there was an attempt to stop the report being published – the conclusion would have to be that the commission has done its job effectively in exposing inappropriate conduct.
Commissioner Michael Adams KC and his organisation have been charged with bringing conduct that lacks integrity into the full light of day. The act that governs the conduct of the integrity commission ensures procedural fairness. Anyone who is identifiable in the report has an opportunity to suggest corrections prior
The ACT Integrity Commission... “The commission must be able to do its job!”
to the report being submitted to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. Publications by the speaker will have parliamentary privilege. As such, any aggrieved parties will not be able to sue for defamation. This helps explain why moves are made in the Supreme Court prior to publication. However, there is a broader community interest at play. Provided procedural fairness has been applied, the integrity commission ought to be able to expose corruption or lack of integrity where it occurs as quickly as possible.
Although it is appropriate that legal processes are available to anyone in our society to be used for their protec -
Although it is appropriate that legal processes are available to anyone to be used for their protection, it might be that the legislation is too lenient in an area that seeks to root out corruption. Restricting the powers of individuals to muzzle such reports needs to be examined.
tion, it might be that the legislation is too lenient in an area that seeks to root out corruption.
Restricting the powers of individuals to muzzle such reports needs to be examined.
No doubt the ACT government is feeling nervous about the report. Corruption or lack of integrity in a portfolio ought, at least to a reasonable degree, to land back on the minister who was responsible at the time of the failure in integrity. Even more so if a minister or the minister’s office were in some way involved.
In a previous column, regarding the Integrity Commission’s investigation into tenders for construction at the Campbell Primary School, the spectre was raised of the role played by Minister for Education Yvette
Berry or her office.
In that case, the head of the Education Directorate, Katy Haire, launched legal proceedings in the Supreme Court as far back as September. She sought to have the investigation stopped, with no report and no findings, by accusing the integrity commissioner of bias. That appeal will not be heard until November 25.
The Canberra Liberals have questioned the government on this issue extensively. The Leader of the Opposition, Elizabeth Lee, says the Liberals “uncovered that the ACT taxpayers are footing the legal fees for this action and that the chief minister and attorney-general kept vital information from the deputy chief minister because of her active role in the investigation”.
The Supreme Court has moved much more quickly in the case of the CIT and Operation Luna. This is probably because the report was completed and ready to be handed to the Speaker on June 19.
The Minister with responsibility for CIT from 2020 is Chris Steel. However, unlike the Campbell Primary debacle, in the case of the CIT there is a board that has responsibility for
oversight of the organisation. This does mean some of the responsibilities are at arm’s length from the minister.
What is on the public record is that Operation Luna specifically examined senior public officials relating to processes to procure consultancy services worth more than $8.5 million awarded to “complexity and systems thinker” Patrick Hollingworth.
It is really challenging to imagine just how a contract of this magnitude could ever have been considered for services that fit into the category of “complexity and systems thinking”.
In marked contrast, the overwhelming number of ACT public servants who work hard and act with integrity ought not be dragged down by the few who lack the appropriate scruples.
Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an in dependent minister for health. He has been a political columnist with “CityNews” since 2006.
“Our mission is the same as it was when I started the business almost 30 years ago; keep quality timber out
★
DR MURRAY MAY says the scientific evidence for removing wood heaters altogether is overwhelming. “However, the Canberra Liberals plan to reverse the decision to phase out wood heaters. Can you believe it?”
The scientific evidence for removing wood heaters altogether is now overwhelming.
However, the Canberra Liberals actually plan to reverse the ACT government’s decision to phase out wood heaters. Can you believe it?
Wood heaters are essentially a community wide version of public smoking, yet smoking is now banned in offices, restaurants and public venues.
Wood smoke is linked to deaths and diseases, including from cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, strokes, cancers, dementia and greatly aggravating asthma.
The health costs of residential wood heaters in Greater Sydney are more than $2 billion annually, according to a Sydney Air Quality Study fact sheet 2023).
In Canberra, the estimated annual equivalent cost of deaths from wood heaters is from $57 million to $136 million, depending on how severe the winter is (Medical Journal of Australia, 2023).
The smoke from wood heaters is not just sending harmful emissions to neighbours and the wider community.
A large US study involving 50,000 women found that more frequent use of indoor wood heaters led to greater risk for the users themselves.
For example, people who used their wood burner on more than 30 days a year had a 68 per cent increased lung cancer risk compared with people who did not burn wood.
Public health physician Prof Fay Johnston, from the Centre for Safe Air at the University of Tasmania, said of the US study: “The message for policymakers and the public is clear. Wood heater smoke is not safe. Interventions to reduce exposure in homes and neighbourhoods should be a priority.”
“Wood heaters are essentially a community wide version of public smoking, yet smoking is now banned in offices, restaurants and public venues.”
Image: Spare the Air, California
The Friends of the National Arboretum Canberra say Warm Trees – trees dressed in bright scarves – will be back from July 3. The Friends will also host free screenings of a 30-minute documentary of the arboretum’s first 20 years on July 7, July 21 and July 28 at the Bugang Room in the Village Centre, 10am-2pm.
The Australia China Friendship Society (acfs.org.au) will host a talk by former trade commissioner Alex Olah titled “A statistical comparison of the USA and China” in the Catchpoles Room of the Southern Cross Club, Jamison, 7.30pm, July 3. $2 donation at the door.
The Canberra Liberals appear to have bought into the spin from the wood-heater industry that newer wood heaters are better for the environment. In fact, these heaters are not a great deal better than those from 20 years ago. The existing wood heater standard does not reflect real-life emissions; this limits its usefulness as a tool for reducing air pollution.
In the NZ towns of Alexandra, Arrowtown, Clyde and Cromwell, wood heaters are the single most
important source of air pollution. These towns required all heaters with AS/NZS 4013 ratings over 1.5 g/kg to be removed by January 2012 and required all new installations to have stricter emissions ratings of 0.7 g/kg.
Despite this, all four towns continued to have multiple exceedances of the NZ 24-hour air quality standard for PM2.5 particulate pollution. Australia should learn from the Danes. The Danish Consumer Ombudsman has already acted against the greenwashing of wood heaters and wood burning. In 2023, 23 companies were charged with violating that
Shane Brookman is a Canberra based optometrist who has been helping people see
He is passionate about sharing the gift of sight with those who need it most.
country’s Marketing Practices Act with what it considered deceptive environmental claims about wood burning. The Ombudsman stated that “marketing must therefore not give the consumer the impression that burning wood in a certified wood heater is less harmful than it is. Further, wood heaters can no longer be marketed as being carbon neutral, because it is misleading.”
Dr Murray May has worked long-term on environmental health issues in the federal public service and at UNSW Canberra.
The Bold Bandannas, a Relay for Life Team raising funds for cancer research, prevention and support, has a stall at Bunnings, Majura Park, July 6, 10am-4.30pm selling homemade preserves, pickles, chutney, lemon butter and sugar-reduced preserves, plus a range of handsewn items, including children’s dress-up clothes, hand knitted doll’s clothes and teddies, and knitted baby items.
Free yoga classes in Gungahlin for seniors over 60 are held Tuesdays at 10am at Gungaderra Homestead, Harrison. One-time registration costs $10. Register at sdmission.org of email sdmission.aus@gmail.com
By Katarina LLOYD JONES
“Life can be hard, but there is always humour as well,” says local author and GP Susannah Begbie.
This way of thinking perfectly sum marises Susannah’s writing.
Her debut novel, The Deed, starts out with a wealthy, but dying, farmer who is “cranky with everything, but with his kids in particular,” she says
“So he’s got four adult children, and they’ve all deserted the farm, and he doesn’t think they deserve their inher itance, and so he sets them a task.
“The four of them must build his coffin together, from scratch, in four days.
“So, one day for each child, and if they succeed, then they inherit the property, which is worth about $20 million. So it’s worth their while to make an effort. And if they fail, they lose it all.”
Susannah says she spent 10 years writing The Deed, writing it part-time while she maintained her career as a GP, working as a locum in rural communities for a month or two, and then returning to writing for a month or two.
to each task.
“I do writing or I do medicine, and some things come out of one into the other,” she says.
why did that happen or how did that happen or what’s that all about?
do that, and what’s that all about?
“So I think that kind of curious brain is part of both of those jobs, but
Susannah says she had no idea where to start when it came to writing a novel, so she just started by playing with words, and writing whatever
“I think maybe for about the first four years, I was working out what writing a novel was, what that looked like. And then for about six years, it was writing a novel,” she says.
“And it was fantastic. It was just fantastic to have unlimited time. No one was expecting anything. I didn’t
She also enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Professional Writing at the University of Canberra in 2006, which she credits to teaching her “the craft”
“I had fantastic teachers, who are writers in the community in Can-
“We’ve got a really vibrant writing community, and people who write fiction, non-fiction, poetry, they’re everywhere. We don’t know they’re there, but they’re everywhere in Canberra.”
established by Hachette Australia and the Richell family.
She says she was then contracted for two more novels through Hachette, but she is keeping the plotlines close to her chest, saying she never tells anyone plot ideas until it’s all finished.
Even when working on The Deed, Susannah says she only had two people help her, one a carpenter, for the technicalities of building a coffin, and the other was a lawyer who helped with the details of wills.
Now that it is out on the shelves and Susannah can reflect on the whole process, she says she really enjoyed writing it, and hopes readers enjoy it, too.
“It’s a book about rural Australia. It’s a book about inheritance and succession planning, and it’s a book about family,” she says.
“The people who have read it report that they have both laughed out loud and cried, and that it’s a page turner, they couldn’t stop reading it,” she says.
“I’ve had multiple people tell me that they read it in a day.
This way, she says she can avoid
“In my job as a GP, I’m an observer. That’s part of what I do and the other
“And that part of it is the same for writing, because in writing I’m always asking that same question, why would that happen, and why would somebody
Once Susannah completed the manuscript for The Deed, she had it edited and started submitting it to agents and entering it into competitions, being fortunate enough to win the 2022 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers,
“Initially, I was really flattered, but then I thought, well, hold on, guys, that took me 10 years to write, don’t do it in one day, at least make it two, make it worth my while!”
All in all, Susannah says after completing The Deed she reckons she could build a coffin herself, maybe not in four days, but definitely in less than 10 years.
Canberra is no longer an exemplar of city development.
High housing costs, insufficient social housing, inadequate land supply, poorly managed redevelopment, insufficient city maintenance, inadequate provision of public transport and cycling infrastructure – indicate the current planning, development and transport strategies and their implementation are deficient.
To improve the quality of life of all Canberrans, those seeking election should commit to an independent review of the strategies.
Social, economic, political and demographic changes have diminished the effectiveness of the planning framework provided by the National Capital Development Commission.
The changes reduced the dispersal of Commonwealth offices to the town centres (designed to reduce commuting time and support businesses at the centres) and the ability of local centres, especially those outside inner Canberra, to deliver a range of facilities services close to homes. The latter has been detrimental to those with low mobility and has been a constraint on the share of trips made by walking and cycling.
A major response was the introduction of infill policies to reduce travel by placing housing close to employment, to make use of underutilised
social and physical infrastructure and to widen housing choice.
A review of residential and employment location policies is urgently needed.
An underlying objective should be to improve access to jobs, education, health services, shops, hairdressers, recreation, open space, cafes, restaurants, clubs, pubs and gyms throughout the city.
The appropriateness of the current 70 per cent infill policy needs investigation.
How well is it delivering its aims?
Has it contributed to increased prices for houses throughout Canberra and increased low-density, car-dependent development of the region?
How well does the policy meet housing preferences and how much has it reduced travel and widened housing choice?
Could more be done to disperse employment, facilities and services to the town centres and to improve the functioning of local centres?
To lower greenhouse emissions, accidents, pollution and parking land, current transport strategies seek to reduce car use. They have had little impact.
The 2026 targets are for 16 per cent of work trips to be by public transport and 14 per cent cycling and walking. At the 2021 Census, public transport
attracted 6 per cent of work trips and cycling and walking 6.1 per cent (10.9 per cent worked at home).
For transport strategies to be more effective a better understanding of travel behaviour is needed. The choice of transport mode is influenced by convenience, comfort, time, income and cost.
For governments the challenge is to provide transport infrastructure that maximises benefits to the community within budgetary constraints, balancing its priority against competing needs in areas including health, education, housing, recreation and cultural facilities.
and ride facilities; parking supply and charging policies; residential and employment location and the technology on the inter-town public transport route (IPTR).
Mike Quirk is a former NCDC and ACT government planner. For transport strategies to be more effective a better understanding of travel behaviour is needed. The choice of transport mode is influenced by convenience, comfort, time, income and cost.
Within the transport budget governments need to determine the relative priority given to increasing the frequency and coverage of the bus network; road and cycling infrastructure; electrification of the bus-fleet; bus priority measures (including extension of transit lanes); park
The most contentious issue is whether light rail or buses should be operated on the IPTR. The government is implementing light rail while the Liberal Party is proposing a busway.
The government has not justified its prioritisation of light rail and has not analysed the merits of bus rapid transport (BRT). Independent analyses have found light rail for the Civic to Gungahlin stage was a poor use of public funds and BRT would have been a superior option.
Key questions include:
• Does light rail increase patronage significantly more than a highquality bus service?
• How essential is light rail to increasing density given the high demand for higher-density housing at the Belconnen, Tuggeranong and Woden town centres and Kingston, areas not served by light rail?
• Has increased working from home reduced the need for the transport capacity provided by light rail?
• Has light rail diverted funds from
potentially more cost-effective transport strategies such as increasing the frequency and coverage of the bus network and other community needs?
• Could the delay in the Woden extension to 2033 diminish advantages it may have had over bus alternatives?
A comprehensive review of the strategies would assist in the justification of infrastructure priorities and development policies and improve the community’s understanding of the cost and benefits of alternative strategies.
The structure of government in the ACT, combining state and local functions, should assist good governance, but too often belief has triumphed over evidence.
Perhaps the threat of the election of independents in the mould of a David Pocock or a Michael Moore and the move to the centre by the Liberals could result in the Barr government removing its blinkers and earplugs and adopt evidence-based planning and transport policies.
You have probably figured this out already, but all journalists, from the most celebrated editor and columnist to the humblest first-year cadet, every single one of us, loves Donald J Trump. Adores him. Can’t get enough of him.
And why? Because you can’t either.
Together, we made him. And what a superb creation he is. From the garish orange hair to the shiny blue suit, the expanding belly and the long red tie reaching down to his tackle, he’s the Trump that keeps on trumping.
What’s more, I promise you – the best is yet to come.
We did it once before, a couple of generations ago, with the creation of “Tricky Dicky Nixon”. That was a long-term project that didn’t start paying off until his second dash for the presidency in the late 1960s. Sure, there was the delicious implosion after his run to be governor of California in 1962 when he held his “last press conference” and threatened that we “wouldn’t have Nixon to kick around any more”.
We had a good chuckle at that one. We let him stew for a while in a New York law firm. But with the departure of JFK and Lyndon B Johnson, we brushed him off and set him in pursuit of the Oval Office once more.
When he reached it, he really paid off in spades.
Watergate was a brilliant dénouement, not just for the grubby characters it threw into the limelight – scoundrels such as John Dean, Gordon Liddy, Bob Halderman and Mark Felt who played the role of “Deep Throat” – but the young journos Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward who gradually exposed it and forced him out of office in 1974.
We sold more papers and more TV views than ever before. You lapped it
up. It elevated The Washington Post to the highest reaches of journalism and gave the entire industry a glow of satisfaction. Indeed, it made our craft seem almost respectable. It didn’t matter that Richard Milhous Nixon was really no worse than 90 per cent of the characters who ran for the top job. He was a family man, a foreign affairs expert and, until those “final days”, a sober, well-read bloke. But he looked the part of the villain that we made of him, and we kept the pressure on till he broke completely.
Like Nixon, Trump is bereft of personal morality, caring only to climb up the castle wall of political favour hand over hand, not realising that we journalists have tended the poisoned ivy that supports him.
Exactly half a century on, the Donald Trump story has had a different flavour, though there are some similarities.
Like Nixon, Trump is bereft of personal morality, caring only to climb up the castle wall of political favour hand over hand, not realising that we journalists have tended the poisoned ivy that supports him.
Indeed, we selected him back in 2016 as Nixon’s successor the moment he showed his ruthless hatred of anyone seeking to beat him to the next level of public office.
His grasp of foreign affairs might be confined to the relative charms of Miss World contestants in (or out of) their skimpy bathing suits. He can’t spell “infrastructure”; he can’t
even pronounce “statistics”, though he does have a coyote’s cunning in picking nasty labels for his opponents: “Sleepy Joe”, “Crooked Hillary”, “Low-Energy Jeb”, “Ron DeSanctus”, “Crazy Bernie”.
And he loves the sound of his own voice.
That’s what will carry him through to November 5, provided some gunhappy dingbat doesn’t get him in his cross-hairs. But will he really trump an opponent whose only fault seems to be that he’s still in the political game at 81 years?
I hope not. That would be carrying the joke one step too far. Obviously, we gave it a go in 2016 and got away with it… just before he did something really silly like disband NATO. We can’t risk that again.
Or can we?
Stay tuned… you know you will.
robert@robertmacklin.com
“You can’t take over the world without a good acronym” – CS Woolley
Acronyms, derived from the Greek words akros meaning “topmost” and onoma meaning “name”, have become common in modern communication, serving as efficient tools for conveying complex concepts in abbreviated forms.
One of the earliest known examples is “SPQR” (Senatus Populus Que Romanus), used in ancient Rome to signify the Senate and the People of Rome. However, it wasn’t until the early 20th century that acronyms began to proliferate.
During World War I, acronyms such as “RADAR” (RAdio Detection And Ranging) and “SONAR” (Sound Navigation And Ranging) emerged as vital technologies. And, of course, it was a lot easier to say RADAR or SONAR than use the full form.
World War II further accelerated the use of acronyms, with terms such as “D-Day”, “V-E Day”, and “V-J Day” entering common usage. The D in D-Day stood for the Day any military operation started, V-E Day stood for Victory in Europe Day, and V-J Day for Victory in Japan Day. Additionally, the Manhattan Project spawned acronyms such as “A-bomb” and “H-bomb” with the birth of Atom
bombs and Hydrogen bombs making warfare potentially apocalyptical.
The post-war period from the 1950s saw an explosion of acronyms in various sectors, driven by advancements in science and technology (S&T) and bureaucracies. Organisations such as NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) adopted a wide range of acronyms for their day-to-day work.
The digital age from the 1990s with the rise of computing and the internet introduced a new range of acronyms, with terms such as HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol), WiFi (Wireless Fidelity), and FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) becoming integral to everyday communication.
Today, acronyms permeate virtually every aspect of our lives, from business and finance (eg, CEO – Chief Executive Officer, NYSE – New York Stock Exchange, FTSE (pronounced Footsey) for the Financial Times Stock Exchange), to social media and texting (eg, LOL – Laugh Out Loud or Lots of Love, BRB – Be Right Back, ROFL – “Rolling On the Floor Laughing”, and LMAO – “Laughing My Ass Off”).
In addition to the ones mentioned above, I have listed a few other acronyms, many of which have become
• GIGO – Garbage In, Garbage Out (referring to data input and output)
• ID – Identity
• IMEI – International Mobile Equipment Identity (your phone’s identifier)
• IPHONE – Internet Phone
• JPEG – Joint Photographic Experts Group
• LASER – Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation
• LGBTIQA+ – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer/Questioning, Asexual + any other orientations. In other words, anyone who is not heterosexual.
• MRI – Magnetic Resonance Imaging
words in their own right, with the users often unaware of what they stand for:
• AIDS – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
• ASCII – American Standard Code for Information Interchange
• ASIO – Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
• ASIS – Australian Secret Intelligence Service
• ATM – Automatic Teller Machine
• COVID-19 – COronaVIrus Disease of 2019
• FOMO – Fear Of Missing Out
• FOOSH – Fall Onto Out-Stretched Hand (a common cause of wrist injuries)
• GIF – Graphics Interchange Format
• PIN – Personal Identification Number
• RAM – Random Access Memory
• RSVP – Répondez S’il Vous Plaît (French for Please Reply)
• SCUBA – Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus
• SIM – Subscriber Identity Module
• SNMP – Simple Network Management Protocol
• TASER – Thomas A Swift’s Electric Rifle
• TARDIS – Time and Relative Dimensions in Space
• UNESCO – United Nations Edu-
cational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
• VIN – Vehicle Identification Number
• WD-40 – Water Displacement, 40th formula
• WWW – World Wide Web
• ZIP – Zone Improvement Plan (American postal codes) There’s not a lot of humour related to acronyms, but here’s a few offerings:
• Did you know that DNA is an acronym for National Dyslexia Association?
• CHEVROLET is an acronym for most engine problems... Cracked Heads, Every Valve Rattles, Oil Leaks, Electrical Troubles.
• What’s the difference between the FBI and ClA? Conspiracy acronymists say one killed MLK, the other killed JFK.
• Personally, I’m fed up with LOL, ROFL, and LMAO. Time for all acronyms to be banned in the US, UK and NZ.
Clive Williams is a Canberra columnist.
Curtin Dental is all about providing long-term, holistic dental care and ensuring consistent “continuation of care” for their patients, says co-owners and dentists, Tiffany Tam and Niran Pathmaperuma.
Established in 1972, Curtin Dental has been able to maintain its longevity through having not just long-standing relationships with patients, but longstanding relationships with staff too, says Niran, who has been at Curtin Dental for 20 years.
“We have staff members who have been here for 27 years,” says Tiffany, who celebrates 12 years at Curtin Dental this year.
“Even the original practitioners and their families still come here for treatment.”
This focus on the long-term is impor tant, says Tiffany, because the mouth is a sensitive area, and many people find visiting the dentist anxiety-inducing.
When patients see the same dentist continuously, they become familiar with them and their practice style, she says, easing any nerves that may normally prevent someone from getting their regular check-ups.
“Each time when the patient comes in, they have the option of seeing the same
dentist again, and instead of coming in and seeing a different dentist every time, treatment is done with the long term in mind,” says Tiffany.
Niran says it is also important to see the same dentist consistently to ensure the best treatment is being provided.
“When you have continuity of care, the treatment is thinking in the long-term best interests of the patient.”
The more comfortable people feel, the more likely they are to regularly see their dentist, which is important for their overall health, Tiffany says.
“To put it in a nutshell, oral health is connected to some systemic diseases, and it’s related to your nutrition,” says
“If you don’t have good oral health, you will have malnutrition and other diseases that would then contribute further to other diseases.”
“There have been links made between your oral health and diabetes, heart disease, and there’s even more recent studies about links to dementia,” Tiffany
“And then there’s your social wellbeing,” says Niran.
“Being able to go out, have a social life, being able to smile, being able to talk, all that stuff is affected.”
Niran says the wide range of treatment options similarly ensures patients can go to the dentists they already know and trust for more than just their general check-ups, with services such as root canal therapy, dentures, veneers, recessive gum correction, and oral surgery, among others services, being available.
“You name it, we got it,” he says.
“We can provide anything, in terms of dental treatment, that the community requires.”
Growing up in Canberra, Tiffany says she loves what she does every day because she loves being able to help people in her hometown.
“It’s nice to get to know the person
behind the teeth and just hear all their stories as well,” she says.
“As Tiffany said, it is good to be in a position to be able to help people when they need you, and also to get people’s feedback, saying ‘thank you’ and ‘we really appreciate it’, that’s the thing that keeps us going,” says Niran, who has called Canberra home for more than 20 years.
“It’s not just fixing a hole in someone’s tooth or a gap in their mouth; there’s a person attached to those teeth and we aim to provide long-term care.”
Niran says Curtin Dental operates out of a purpose-built space for dentistry too, meaning it is spacious enough for all the equipment, staff and patients.
“Rather than trying to fit into a shopfront, this space is made specifically to be a dental practice,” he says.
This spaciousness at the facility contributes to the overall feeling of openness at Curtin Dental, he says, and allows them to see many patients at a time without it being cramped and intimidating.
Tiffany says all five of the dentists at Curtin Dental are graduates of an Australian university, so patients can be assured they are getting treatment that follows Australian regulations and standards when they visit.
Curtin Dental, 20 Strangways Street, Curtin. Call 6285 2222.
“The ACT juvenile suicide rate was below the national average in the period 2013-17, but in the last five years has increased to the second highest in Australia.”
JON STANHOPE & KHALID AHMED expose the ACT government’s neglect of mental health.
In which Australian jurisdiction are people with a mental health condition most likely to not see a health professional for reasons of cost?
The answer is the ACT.
In this column we raise sensitive and distressing issues.
In the past, we’ve highlighted the deterioration in the ACT’s performance or outcomes, on a range of economic, social and service delivery measures compared to other jurisdictions.
Perhaps the most confronting point of reference is the inequity within the Canberra community, raising moral questions about how we treat fellow Canberrans who are vulnerable and marginalised.
Our approach to these issues is evidence based and data driven, and our intent is to identify and highlight that which is out of the ordinary, should be questioned, and/or should not be accepted.
The same goes for the explanations, excuses, spin, misdirection and outright falsehoods of those seeking to defend or justify disparate outcomes in service delivery.
The issues we raise can be confronting, particularly in a “tribal” political environment, in which we are loath to accept that those with whom we associate, or support politically can do any wrong, and that anyone else is ever right.
However, our concern is for those Canberra residents who have suffered and continue to suffer through poor service delivery and neglect. We are
also concerned that across a range of issues there is little or no reason to be confident that change for the better is either guaranteed or being actively pursued.
That brings us to mental health and why people in the ACT are most likely to not see a health professional for reasons of cost. The data in Chart 1 is drawn from a 2024 Productivity Commission Report and draws on an Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) survey.
It reveals that Canberrans with a mental health condition are twice more likely than the national average (the highest rate in Australia) to not see a GP, 35 per cent more likely to not see a psychologist (the highest rate in Australia) and 33 per cent more likely (the highest in Australia) to not see a psychiatrist, because of the cost.
With the ACT having the highest average incomes in Australia, these results are both unexpected and counterintuitive.
It is possible that, because of the relatively higher socio-economic status of Canberrans, as measured by average incomes and education levels, they are more aware of their mental health status. However, the self-reported incidence rates do not suggest the existence of any such disparity.
This was not the first or the only survey that has identified a sensitivity within ACT households to out-of-pocket costs for health care. The higher average incomes compared to the national average mask a relatively higher incidence of financial stress, and inability of ACT households in the bottom two income
Chart 1: Proportion (%) of people with a mental health condition who delayed seeing or did not see a health professional (general practitioner, psychologist, psychiatrist) in the past 12 months due to cost reasons; 2022-23
quintiles to raise short-term funds was incidentally reported in the 2012 taxation review.
In addition, the ACT has a relatively higher proportion of households with a mortgage, which coupled with higher dwelling prices and rents, has resulted in financial stress in the ACT being relatively greater.
To make matters worse there has been a severe shortage of mental health professionals with some closing their books. While the shortage is nationwide, the situation in the ACT is among the worst.
Alarmingly, as reported in CityNews in 2021, Dr Fatma Lowden, then chair of the ACT branch of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, pointed out the relationship between an increased risk of self-harm in the ACT and the under supply of mental health professionals. She pointed to a high risk of self-harm in a particular risk group.
Distressingly, the data published by the Productivity Commission in its 2024 report confirms Dr Lowden’s expressed concerns. Overall, the suicide rate in the ACT has trended upwards since 2013, when it was 14 per cent below the national average, to being close to the national average in 2022. Most disturbing is the trend increase in the suicide rate of Canberrans aged
5-17 years.
Chart 2 reflects the rolling four-year average rate of juvenile suicide from 2013-17 to 2018-22 for all Australian jurisdictions.
The suicide rate of young people in the NT is a national shame, although it has reduced markedly in recent years. The ACT juvenile suicide rate was below the national average in the period 2013-17, but in the last five years has increased to the second highest in Australia behind the NT. The national average has remained unchanged.
Dr Lowden stressed the importance of the community mental health systems working optimally and identified a lack of funding as a primary reason for the “dilapidated” state of community health services in the ACT.
The expenditure data for the ACT for 2021-22 is not available, as the territory was apparently unable to provide the information to the Productivity Commission. The increase in ACT government expenditure on mental health services from 2019-20 to 2020-21 was 2.3 per cent against a national average increase of 3.8 per cent, and was the second lowest in Australia. Per capita funding in the ACT, ie, once adjusted for changes in population, was the lowest of all states and territories (Chart 3).
It is important to clarify two points to ensure that any discussion is not misdirected.
The ACT’s per capita expenditure is relatively higher than the national average. That is to be expected, given its diseconomies of administrative scale, which are recognised by the Commonwealth Grants Commission and compensated for in the GST distribution.
The data presented relates to states’ and territories’ expenditure. There may be a case for overall national investment by the Commonwealth, however, that is not relevant at the state/territory level when comparing expenditure levels.
We do not suggest that a mere increase in funding would address the problems highlighted by the professionals and reflected in the data. There clearly needs to be a focus on designing and targeting services in consultation with frontline professionals.
The charts published here unarguably and distressingly highlight the low priority which the ACT government has given to the issues we have raised.
Jon Stanhope is a former chief minister of the ACT and Dr Khalid Ahmed a former senior ACT Treasury official.
I recently came across –again – a stolen sharps container near a very public pathway at the Molonglo River Reserve Corridor.
Trying to report it to Access Canberra, I was dismayed to be told the ACT no longer accepts anonymous reports from the public. Fix My Street received too many reports they said.
Instead of taking that as a sign of demand by concerned, time-poor citizens, the ACT has decided to force people to waste time registering, getting a log-in or phoning and waiting to lodge reports, often to people who have no sense at all of Canberra’s geography.
I’m not going to touch a yellow, used-sharps container that says “Danger”, and I’m trying to ensure no other walkers, dog walkers, children, cyclists or horse riders potentially encounter the risk.
Yet again, the ACT shows disregard for actual public service delivery. No wonder Canberrans throw up our hands and put up with dirty, litter-strewn, vandalised roads, parks and infrastructure.
There’s hardly a skerrick of “public service” mentality left. If the government doesn’t care enough, why should we?
G Nielsen, via email
The ACT government has just handed over a plot of land, including our community pool, to Geocon and said, “do what you like”.
I thought they were meant to look after the pool and fix up the change rooms so they weren’t a health hazard. Who monitors these contracts? Why couldn’t the ACT government keep the pool area and give the rest to Geocon?
Now, apparently, if we are to believe what we hear on the grapevine, we are to get a 25-metre pool attached to apartments. It is NOT what the community wants. Again, the
developers just get their way. Time for a new territory government – one that wants to listen to the community.
Penny Moyes, Hughes
Well, aren’t the up-and-coming university students of today fortunate that Ric Hingee is no longer involved in any selection of graduates! (“Sick of the protesting students’ antics”, letters, CN June 13).
Imagine someone holding that position who has no knowledge of world history and his selection is based on his preconceived idea that these students wouldn’t want to learn and work with colleagues.
What “aggressive demonstrating” have you witnessed, Mr Hingee? The turmoil in Palestine you mention has been occurring for 76 long years and decades before Hamas was formed. Today’s youth is fully informed and will, in fact, make intelligent, fair and unbiased decisions that obviously Mr Hingee was unable to make with his preferred choice of employing robots!
June Kirvan, via email
When I saw a headline about a tunnel for light rail to Woden I thought – a breakthrough! No more worries about bridging the lake! No pesky gradients or sharp curves! No waiting
for traffic lights! No running over pedestrians! And the tourist attraction of gliding through the limestone caverns under the Parliamentary Zone!
Imagine my disappointment when I read on and found it would only be a tiny tunnel (or ditch)!
Come on ACT government, be brave! You don’t care how much it costs anyway. And there’s that nice boring machine that doesn’t seem to be doing much down at Snowy 2; I’m sure they’d be happy to lend it to you. What could go wrong?
Richard Johnston, Kingston
I am writing in respect of Hugh Selby’s article “Why the increased, rezoned land rates are wrong” (CN June 6).
We have lived at the same address in Kaleen since the house was built 45 years ago. The land is just shy of 1000sqm and over the years, with several extensions, the dwelling itself is now about 300sqm. Therefore we are caught up in the increased, rezoned land rates changes.
We have a large organic garden (more than 30 fruit trees and many vegetable plots) that takes up the majority of the balance of our property.
Over the past few years we have explored options to downsize, however, even if we need to get paid assistance, have determined that nothing would give us the same benefits as we currently enjoy, that is the produce we
grow and give away, and well as keeping us active and mobile. As such, we want to be carried out of here in a box!!
Our son, who is in real estate, has suggested that in no way are we able to build a second dwelling on the land (without major demolition/ renovation to the current dwelling).
We are now members of the SKIN (spending the kids’ inheritance) club, having to get assistance through the Home Equity Assistance Scheme after being scammed of our life savings several years ago.
Therefore, I totally agree with Hugh’s suggestion that the legislation should be amended to make it clear that the lessee applying to redevelop/subdivide their block will be charged an appropriate fee.
Victor Oates, via email
Letter writer Ian Pilsner seems to be applauding bullying. I detest it.
The driver on whom a policeman visited such behaviour (Janine Haskins, letters, CN May 9) was driving in Canberra in the right-hand lane. Grounds for a reprimand perhaps, no more.
Police are part of our community, and unless facing a violent situation (verbal or physical) should model behaviour to which we should all aspire.
Oh, and Mr Pilsner has seen “keep left unless overtaking” signs in Canberra (as opposed to the open highway). Where please?
John Griffin, via email
Re Jon Stanhope’s column “Territories labour under Canberra’s ‘colonial’ yoke” (CN June 20).
The Commonwealth rhetoric leading up to the abolishing of the Norfolk Island parliament in 2015 was that Norfolk Islanders wanted all the benefits but didn’t want to pay tax.
The reality, like most things in life, was a little more nuanced. We opposed the destruction of our democracy because we knew the imposed model didn’t work.
It hasn’t worked in the Indian Ocean Territories since 1984. Forty years is time enough to fairly state the neocolonial governance model will never work.
The governance model doesn’t even work for the taxpayer. Hundreds of millions spent per year (mostly on mates’ consulting businesses); ensuring high investment with little return.
In Norfolk Island the population since June 2016 has risen by 36 per cent, a direct result of removing local immigration management to be replaced with, well nothing. Imagine if the population of Australia had increased by 36 per cent in less than a decade?
Norfolk Islanders are now drowning in a sea of land rates. The brilliance of replacing a sustainable governance model with a local government model, and removing the previous revenue streams.
Now we are blessed with a broke coun -
cil (in administration) and roads that have dramatically worsened since the ill-advised removal of the Norfolk Island government in 2015. The land rates are damaging the culture and the environment as locals are forced to either subdivide or sell.
It is time for the Commonwealth to reintroduce democracy to the non-selfgoverning territory of Norfolk Island.
Brett Sanderson, Norfolk Island
We wouldn’t be able to agree on anything!
My ego would normally be inflated by Max McGregor (CN,June12) including me in his list of potential members of a “Letters to the Editor Party” at the next ACT election.
I fear though he might have been indulging in a scintilla of satire. As a group, I doubt if the personages Max named would ever be able to agree on any significant topic (although consistency and community of purpose are hardly key criteria in modern politics).
Yet Max may have a point in relation to the ACT’s present situation. As Mark Twain astutely observed: “Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason”.
Eric Hunter, Cook
Party of perennial scribes not the solution
Max McGregor’s proposal for a new ACT political party (City News, June 13) certainly has merit when viewing the dross we have
been obliged to tolerate since the imposition of so-called self-government.
Over more recent years residents have had little choice but green-veneered amateurs wagging socialist-based laborites in an electoral marathon as to which can be the most prodigal with public monies before crossing an increasingly remote finishing line of economic stability.
On the other hand the Far From Being Liberal self-styled opposition has for decades shown its fear of being foisted with the reins of government by pre-selecting mealymouthed candidates ever unsure of what their party symbolises and how to influence voters to rid the territory of its chronic political contagion.
I’m not convinced, however, that a party of perennial scribes is the solution.
In the Qantas lounge of Canberra Airport recently I overheard two journalistic types, possibly ABC, discussing local media publications with specific reference to “letters” writers and how both the daily and weekly journals appear to use a common stable of authors.
Being a customary reader of these publications, I couldn’t help but privately concur with their contention but, a stable though it may be, hacks such as Douglas, Eric and Jack seem more distantly related to thoroughbreds named Winx, Makybe Diva and Black Caviar than they are to Boxer in George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Please spare the Assembly and the populace from such senescent ruminants.
John Murray, Fadden
Letter writers Carole Ford (CN June 6) and Janine Haskins (CN June 20) cite the incapacity of people with dementia in a well-intentioned argument in favour of extending euthanasia laws to allow the killing of people.
The experience to date is that euthanasia can be very quickly normalised so that once killing is allowed there is no logical stopping point.
When Churchill and Roosevelt committed to the Normandy invasion in World War II they were commanding 45,000 young Allied service personnel who would give their lives over the following 10 weeks so that nations of the world could live in freedom.
Conversely, we must commit to dying a natural death so that the vulnerable in our nation who are aged or disabled will have their inalienable dignity respected and protected in all circumstances. If not, how will we respond within a few years when the baby boomer generation requires intense aged care at an unprecedented level?
John L Smith, Farrer
Enduring both unwanted suffering and lengthy and extensive palliative care at the end of your life instead of seeking access to voluntary assisted dying is now seen as something that should be put up with and accepted because it is also about “enabling those near and dear to express their love” at that time of your deterioration (“How intolerant our society has become”, letters, CN June 13).
A recent full-page obituary in the Sydney Morning Herald for Lynne Spender, “influential feminist, teacher, author… editor and creative industries leader”, noted how she had been a supporter of VAD and had also watched how her mother died: “Her pacemaker seemed to prolong her life and she literally starved to death… None of us has ever really recovered from this heartless imposition”.
The obituary advised how Spender had recently accessed VAD in NSW, where the system, unfortunately, imposes cruel restrictive time parameters on those with eligible terminal conditions: “Enduring late-stage
pancreatic cancer, Spender remained at her home… supported by family, friends and a palliative care team”.
When choosing VAD in the ACT, you can have others with you if you wish. Whether they are “near and dear” is up to you. There is no need to die alone, as many have had to experience in the past when organising to end their lives to escape unwanted levels of existing or looming suffering.
The education of the general community about VAD in the ACT and the associated training of health professionals will address “coercive control” issues. This would also include situations where family members and others oppose and seek to interfere with a person’s clear wish to seek VAD support.
I moved to Weston in early 2020. This was soon after the closure of the Commonwealth Bank branch at Cooleman Court.
It took until late last year before the bank finally placed an ATM at this shopping centre again, saving many of its frustrated customers a trip to the next-nearest machine at Woden Plaza.
However, the joy was short-lived: some eight weeks ago, the Commonwealth Bank’s ATM at Cooleman Court, while looking perfectly ready to serve, does nothing but display a notice saying: “Transaction not supported” when customers enter their cards and details.
The ATM at our shopping centre hasn’t been serviced for many weeks despite having been reported twice – in person – for being “out of service” to CBA staff at the Woden branch.
This begs the question of how many other unserviced Commonwealth Bank ATMs there are in Canberra, or indeed, countrywide?
Paul Roberts, Weston
An interesting suggestion, Max McGregor (“Letters to the Editor Party anyone?”, City News June 13), but I have already tried something similar back in March 2008.
The idea was to put together an alliance of smaller parties and independents to run under one banner, similar to the newly established Independents for Canberra Party today.
I was asked by numerous people, representing different organisations, to help set up such a party, which would remove a majority Labor Party that found little need to consult with the community.
That majority was removed in the next election, but the problem was that the so-called independents wanted to run under their own names for ego purposes, rather than as part of an alliance.
I suspect the same would apply today for a “Letters” party and for any independents party. You need the support of a wellknown, current MLA or parliamentary representative such as David Pocock, to succeed and I wish him well.
I have since moved on, but the Community Alliance Party, now changed to the Community Action Party, still lives on after more than a decade since it was first established and I am sure the current chairman would welcome any suitable letter writers as possible candidates in the next ACT election.
Ric Hingee, Duffy
Letter writer Ray Peck (CN June13) raises the issue of invasive plants.
But really, the worst invasive species on the planet, dispossessing thousands of other species around the globe, is the entire 9 billion human species.
Until we start limiting our own procreation, many other species, both plant and animal, will continue to lose habitat to tar and cement jungles, and be driven to extinction.
Elaine Staples, Campbell
Ray Peck’s letter (CN June 13) points me to several options on how to combat invasive species in Canberra’s nature reserves.
I have exhausted myself over the past years writing to each Environment Minister drawing to their attention the neglect and lack of invasive weed removal and highlighted observed loss of flora and fauna due to this neglect. Nothing has improved. Yearly slaughtering of kangaroos, bashing joeys with a mallet, and leaving joeys to starve if they are lucky enough to escape takes precedence over controlling invasive weeds in the ACT.
This is the preferred policy of the Labor/ Greens parties and although invited to view the devastation only one minister has ever bothered to accept the invitation.
Julie Lindner, Farrer
There are so many elements that go into making a wedding a dream come true.
It often involves driving from one end of town to the other – sometimes beyond – to find a breathtaking wedding dress, the best catering, the most beautiful venue or exclusive honeymoon deals all in a time-crunch for the lead up to the big day. Luckily, Canberra’s home to many experts who know how to bring dream weddings to life, and to save future brides and grooms on stress and time, “CityNews” has spoken with some of the region’s leading wedding experts.
important as they keep everyone calm and are trained to be constantly scanning for important moments, making sure nothing is missed.
“It’s like telling a story, I want to set the scene,” she says.
“This is how it looked at the beginning, in the middle and during the ceremony, and get all those details.”
Hello Ro Photography, call 0421 959558 or visit hellorophotography.com
business, Studio Moda, was
“I have a lifetime of experience in creating wedding bridesmaids dresses,” she
perfection. I began when I was a small child, in Poland, I was sewing by hand and developed my talents, and I
She says Studio Moda has a big selection of wedding fabrics, but people are more than welcome to bring their
“I love creating and designing, people are welcome to come in with their ideas and pictures and I’ll happily design it for them,” she says.
“We have lots of colours, it doesn’t have to be traditional white, and we have laces and silks.”
Hanna came to Australia 54 years ago, and says in ‘82 she set up her first shop in Civic.
“Now I have Studio Moda, and I love
seeing the smile on people’s faces when they put their dress on and it just makes them speechless,” she says.
“It is just me here doing this work, so I know everything’s made to perfection, and what I’m doing is more than enough to make me happy and passionate.”
Studio Moda, 5 Townshend Street, Phillip. Call 0411 542249, or visit facebook.com/ hanna.coady.7
From the first sketch to the final polish, each piece of jewellery is meticulously crafted, says Venetia Major, owner of Venetia Major – Bespoke Jewellery at Hall.
“We specialise in custom designed and handmade jewellery with a focus on unique wedding and engagement rings” she says.
“Specialising in custom designed and handmade jewellery, Venetia Major is your passport to a world of unparal leled beauty, with a focus on creating custom engagement and wedding rings that transcend the ordinary.”
“Venetia possesses a rare skill, transforming your unique vision into a breathtaking reality.
“From the first sketch to the final pol ish, each piece is meticulously crafted to symbolise your love story.”
“Choose from an array of ethically sourced diamonds and precious gems, select the perfect metal, and tailor every intricate detail to match your style.
Venetia says their diamonds are of the highest quality, and expertly set to radiate brilliance for a lifetime.
“Your love is unique, and so too should be your ring,” says Venetia.
“Book a design appointment or pop into the workshop in Hall.”
Venetia Major – Bespoke Jewellery, 3/8 Victoria Street, Hall. Call 6230 9587, or visit venetiamajor.com
Total Body Contouring’s owner Christy Christensen says their services are for everyone.
“Our services are not only for brides, we often treat grooms and guests to look great on that special day with family and friends,” she says.
“If you want to look good and feel great on your wedding day, call us today for a free consultation to learn about weight loss, skin toning and skin
“The services include Cooltech fat freezing to slim down your areas of concern and currently offered from only $320 per session, ONDA to tighten the skin and reduce cellulite, and we also offer Ultraformer III, the most advanced non-invasive face lightening, tightening and contouring available.”
New services now on offer include the Venus Viva, a non-surgical, skin resurfacing device that utilises NanoFractional radio frequency technology, facial lymphatic drainage massages, says Christy.
Dermal filler injections, anti-wrinkle injections and collagen stimulators are also now available, she says, done by the new in-house doctor.
Christy says Total Body Contouring is about building body confidence without surgery.
“We give a personalised experience and journey,
“Don’t wait until the last minute, you need to start treatment up to three months out for some treat-
Christy says as a team, satisfaction comes from the results achieved through the Total Body Contouring
“But, most of all, it’s the smile on our clients’ faces when they see the results for themselves,” she says.
Total Body Contouring, Shop 3/22 Franklin Street, Griffith. Call 6239 7347, or visit totalbodycontouring.com.au
Cooltech, also known as fat freezing, is a popular, non-surgical treatment that makes it possible to reduce fat deposits by up to 25%. The applicator design gives you more than DOUBLE the treatment time and far exceeds the results of any of its competitors. The advantages of Cooltech are, among other things, that the treatment is very effective, almost painless and far more gentle on the body than, for example, surgery.
Venus viva offers effective treatments to target skin damage and reduce wrinkles. Using NanoFractional technology combined with Radio frequency to the skin, this process stimulates fibroblasts, activating to production of new collagen, resulting in diminished skin damage and a visibly firmer, more even complexion.
You will notice a naturally smoother, more radiant looking complexion. With minimal down time, the unique pin pattern delivers targeted energy to deeper skin layers allowing the surrounding healthy tissue to heal with improved skin texture.
Lymphatic massage is a specialized massage technique designed to stimulate the flow of lymph, the clear fluid that circulates through the lymphatic system. Benefits include:
• Detoxification: Helps remove toxins and waste products from the body
• Reduced Swelling: Beneficial for conditions like lymphedema, where there is localized swelling due to fluid retention.
• Improved Immune Function: Enhances the body’s ability to fight off infections by improving lymph flow.
• Relaxation and Pain Relief: Can provide relaxation and alleviate pain from conditions like fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome.
OPENING HOURS: Tue – Fri 9:30am – 6:00pm Sat 10:00am – 4:00pm
New injectable services administered by our qualified and experienced doctor including:
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• Package offers on most services available
“The Ainslie Group, specialise in making your wedding dreams come true with affordable options for every budget,” says catering and events manager Leanne King.
“Our ‘Build Your Own Wedding’ approach allows you to have the flexibility and as much or as little involvement as you wish.”
Leanne says whether planning for an intimate gathering of 30, or a grand celebration of up to 250 guests, the Ainslie Group’s versatile packages can be tailored to suit all needs.
“We believe in simplicity and transparency. Our standard catering prices apply across the board, meaning no extra fees or high rates for special occasions,” she says.
With a focus on inclusivity, Leanne says Ainslie Group caters to all dietary requirements, ensuring
every guest enjoys a perfect dining experience.
With 20 years of expertise in the functions and events industry, Leanne says they can craft a flawless event, complete with optional extras such as photobooths, DJs, and decorations.
“Situated on secure premises, with additional venue facilities, your guests can enjoy additional amenities such as a lounge, café and live sports to entertain them outside of your event times,” she says.
“Our motivation is simple: turn dreams into reality.”
Ainslie Group, Ainslie Football & Social Club, 52 Wakefield Avenue, Ainslie. Call 6248 8422 or visit ainslie group.com.au, or, Gungahlin Lakes Golf & Community Club, 110 Gundaroo Drive, Nicholls, call 6242 6283.
Making your wedding dreams come true with affordable options for every budget.
Our “Build Your Own Wedding” approach allows you to have as much or as little involvement as you wish. Whether you’re planning an intimate gathering of 30 or a grand celebration up to 250 guests, our versatile packages can be tailored to suit your needs.
Leveraging 20 years of expertise in the functions and events industry, we believe in simplicity, transparency and inclusivity, ensuring every guest can achieve a flawless event.
Our motivation is simple: turn dreams into reality! Achieve unforgettable memories and enquire with the Ainslie Group.
Visit our website or scan the QR code to view our packages and enquire ainsliegroup.com.au
Diamonds Manuka co-owner and gemologist Robert Hunt has been in the jewellery business for more than 30 years, says his partner and store co-owner, Elaine Hunt.
“Our expert team at Diamonds Manuka can help you choose the perfect engagement or wedding piece to celebrate your unique love story,” says Elaine.
“We can help you select an exquisite solitaire, trilogy or They can also assist with the creation of unique designs, Elaine says, and stock a wide range of handmade diamond jewellery from which a special piece can be chosen, as well as a wide range of coloured gemstones, including sapphires
“We specialise in engagement and wedding rings, and are here to help you make your dreams come true,” Elaine says.
There are two VIP double passes to be won to see The Parade fashion runway at Canberra Fair at the National Convention Centre.
Danielle Cleary, founder and creative director of Canberra Fair, says the prizes include Canberra Fair entry, a reserved VIP seat for the fashion runway, a Canberra Centre gift bag with vouchers valued at $40, and the opportunity to win a two-night getaway at Outrigger Fiji Resort.
Danielle says to contact her via email, danielle@ danielleclearyevents.com, with the subject line “Win” for a chance to win the giveaway.
The Canberra Fair will take place 10am-3pm on July 28.
A day of spectacle is planned and Danielle says
attendees can experience, explore and shop at premier wedding, event, travel and lifestyle exhibits, learn the latest beauty and fashion trends from stunning fashion runways, browse Chandeliers To Die For, and enjoy food trucks, gin tasting, aerial artists, music and more under a giant naked tipi.
“Whether you’re newly engaged, preparing for an event, looking for a getaway, love food, gin and music or just have a passion for fashion, come along for all the fun of the fair,” she says.
Canberra Fair, National Convention Centre, 31 Constitution Avenue, Canberra. Call 0427 666584, email danielle@ danielleclearyevents.com or visit canberrafair.com.au
Grafting allows a variety of trees, shrubs and plants to grow successfully outside their natural habitat and in a wider variety of soils.
Grafted plants are a clever way to grow plants that cope with our clay soils and rootstocks.
Grafting is done while stems are dormant in winter, but the root stock must have compatibility with the scion for success.
Most, if not all, fruit trees are grafted to manage their overall growth and therefore have more space for more produce. Fruit trees generally grow 3-5 metres and when grafted on to a different dwarfing rootstock the growth of the overall tree will only be about two metres by two metres, but importantly the fruit production and fruit size still remain the same.
Growing a variety of apples on one tree is possible by grafting on to another tree. With stone fruit, a budding technique is preferred and is done in the warmer months when there is growth on trees. Budding is also a
useful technique for espalier stems and creates new branches and stems to control. A little research will be required to see which type of grafting technique is required and what rootstocks and scions are compatible, but with a little practice, it’s easy to become hooked on grafting and budding all sorts of plants together.
AS we near midwinter, the wattles are beginning to flower. While most are yellow, the stand-out is the beautiful cream-coloured winged wattle (Acacia alata var. Biglandulosa).
This wattle is one of the first to flower and a good example can be seen in the National Botanic Gardens.
It grows to two metres tall and is a great habitat shrub for small birds. Wattles are good for the soil and can fix nitrogen through bacteria in its roots.
There are a wide variety of wattles suitable for our climate and start flowering now and through to spring. They attract bees and flower around the same time as most fruit trees do, so planting a few around the orchard will encourage good insect activity when it’s needed most.
NOW’S the time to get out any seed packets that are hidden away to see if they are viable to grow in spring.
Place a few seeds into a jar of water. If the seeds
float they’re probably not viable. If they sink to the bottom, then there’s a good chance of germination when sowing the rest of the seed.
Most seeds need a temperature of around 23C to break dormancy and to get a head start with any seed growing through winter, a heat mat will be required.
A good start would be Asian greens, beetroot and lettuces, but wait to sow summer crops such as tomatoes, capsicums and eggplants until at least August or September.
Prepare soil where you want to grow asparagus and remember it needs a permanent spot to grow in the garden and doesn’t like to be moved. Sprinkle a little lime on the soil.
Look out for self-seeded male spears as they are fatter and tastier and don’t have berries.
jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au
• Liquid feed potted colour and bulbs.
• Continuously harvesting leafy greens will encourage new growth.
• Purchase camellias while they are in flower.
• Hard prune all crepe myrtles to encourage better flowering.
By Helen Musa
For a former “Ten-Pound Pom”, you’d have to say actor John Waters has done pretty well for himself.
A household name in Australia – 20-years in Play School, Claude in the tribal-rock-love musical Hair, Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar, countless TV series such as Rush and Rake, and, superlatively, in his own tribute show to John Lennon, Looking Through A Glass Onion – there are few people who will not have encountered him.
In this post-covid era, when all performing artists took a hit, Waters and fellow muso Stewart Arietta have given up the John Lennon show in favour of a new one aimed at the baby boomers – Radio Luxembourg Live, which celebrates the songs of the British pop invasion, think the Moody Blues, Kinks or The Who. He suspects there will be plenty of younger takers, too.
However, right now he’s reprising a role he first played 18 years ago in the mystery thriller-shocker The Woman in Black, adapted to the stage in 1987 from the book by Susan Hill.
The title is perilously close to that of The
But unlike The Woman in White, which was based on the true story of a woman’s incarceration, The Woman in Black is all fiction.
It tells the story of a lawyer, Arthur Kipps (Waters), obsessed with a curse that he believes has been cast over him and his family by the spectre of a Woman in Black.
Kipps hires a sceptical young actor (known as The Actor) to help him tell his terrifying story so to exorcise the fear, but not long into the story both find themselves caught up in the sinister world of Eel Marsh House.
“The play began in Scarborough but it has become a massive worldwide success,” Waters tells me.
“Stephen Mallatratt was asked to adapt it to the theatre and it has been done brilliantly for two men – one of them is the old man who trying to work out how to tell the story that happened 30 years previously, and Daniel Macpherson is the young actor who helps me act out the story.”
“He plays me as a young man and I learn how to play all the other characters that have affected my life.”
The setup is starkly simple, he says, two men in the 1950s talking about what happened in the 1930s.
It’s more or less an empty theatre in Robin Herford’s production, but it soon enough has the audience setting on the edge of the seats with the aid of a handful of props and costumes and with the help of atmospheric lighting by lighting designer, Kevin Sleep,
who recreates the atmosphere of trains, houses and offices, eerie marshland lighting and, of course, the obligatory fog.
There are some “very scary” sound effects by Rod Mead and Sebastian Frost, who have recreated the sounds of horses’ hooves, a road accident, spooky footsteps and screams, but no music.
“It’s a fantastic exercise for two actors –we tell the stories by going in and out of the many characters we talk about. Sometimes we talk about what they do, but at other times we go back into the action.
“This play is all about being absolutely terrified – it’s astonishing. The audience becomes a bit more freaked out more and more,” he says.
Of course, it’s set in a bleak, misty milieu, the imaginary village of Crythin Gifford, somewhere in the north-east of England.
“It’s remarkable how much we can recreate on a bare stage,” he says, “It’s up to Daniel and myself to paint the picture.”
Waters played the role 18 years ago and while he didn’t remember the lines, he certainly remembered the experience. It takes it out of an actor, he reports.
“The audiences’ emotions are very palpable. This is true horror. This does something on stage which is normally only achieved in movies,” he says.
The Woman in Black, Canberra Theatre, July 9-14
When John Frost’s new production of the musical Chicago moves into Canberra Theatre in September it will by no means be the first time Canberra has seen this musical.
Actually, it won’t even be the first time Chicago has been presented in Canberra Theatre.
That honour goes to local company Tempo Theatre, which
presented a production of Chicago there 40 years ago, in 1984.
Chicago as a musical was the brainchild of Broadway singer/dancer Gwen Verdon, who had read a 1926 play of the same name, that was set in Chicago in the jazz age and based on the lives of two real life Chicago murderesses who, upon release from prison, exploited their notoriety by touring the American vaudeville circuit as a double act.
Verdon was quick to recognise the play’s potential as a musical
ground but by 1975 Chicago was ready and opened on Broadway, directed and choreographed by Fosse and starring his wife as Roxy Hart. Another Broadway star, Chita Rivera, played Velma Kelly. The show with its themes of corruption, justice
and show business was an immedi -
Sydney Theatre Company in 1981. It was directed by Richard Wherrett and famously starred Nancye Hayes as Roxie Hart and Geraldine Turner
Jason Donovan’s father, played the celebrity lawyer, Billy Flynn, and Judi Connelli was Matron “Mama” Morton.
Canberra saw its first production of Chicago in 1984 when Tempo Theatre joined forces with the Canberra Theatre Trust to present an ambitious production.
Peter Williams directed, with Lola Nixon as Roxie, Angela Ayers as Velma and Val Lehman – of Prisoners fame – as “Mama” Morton. Local actor Dez Kavanagh played Billy Flynn and Leigh Chambers choreographed.
The production used costumes by Roger Kirk, and the cast boasted a who’s who of local actors, among them Judy Burnett, Janet Carey, Lea Francis, Trevor Findlay, Vesna Hindley-Noble, Stephen Pike, Helen Poulos, Shirley Thomas, Sandie Griffin, Lorraine Francis and Julie McElhone.
Since then, the Canberra Philharmonic Society has presented three separate productions of Chicago
Arts Centre in 1994, directed by Sue Belsham and choreographed by Michelle Heine with musical direction by Ian McLean. Barbara Denham played Velma, Sue LakeHarris was Roxie with Judi Crane as the formidable matron.
In 2003 Stephen Pike directed a production for Philo in the Erindale Centre which was choreographed by Katelyn Keys. Jo Murray played Roxie and Jessica Taylor, Velma.
Bronwyn Sullivan was “Mama” Morton, with Damian Haas as Billy Flynn. Ian Mclean was again the musical director.
Philo’s third shot at Chicago was in 2017, also in the Erindale Centre, and directed by Jim McMullen.
Vanessa De Jager played Roxie and Kelly Roberts, Velma. Shell Tully took on the role of “Mama”. Chris Ronan was the musical director, and Emily Appleton and Hannah Carey shared the choreography.
Anne Somes directed the other local production for Free Rain at the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre in 2012, with musical direction by Leisa Keen and Ian McLean conducting his third Chicago. This time Roxie was played by Jenna Roberts and Hanna Ley was Velma. Sarah Hull was cast as “Mama” Morton and Adrian Flor as Billy.
Fosse died in 1987, so for the 1996 Broadway revival a new
a close associate of Fosse, who choreographed her production “in the style of Bob Fosse”. This version was premiered in Australia in 1998 in a production produced by John Frost with Caroline O’Connor and Chelsea Gibb playing the roles of Velma and Roxie. John Diedrich played the lawyer Billy.
For his 2009 revival, Frost teamed Caroline O’Connor, reprising her role as Velma, with Sharon Millerchip as Roxie Hart. Craig McLachlan played Billy Flynn with Canberra actor Damien Birmingham memorable as Roxie’s long-suffering husband, Amos. Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Alinta Chidzey played Roxie and Velma for the 2019 revival with Casey Donovan as “Mama” Morton and Tom Burlinson as Billy. Poised to razzle dazzle Canberra in 2024 , Lucy Maunder and Zoe Ventoura will play the merry murderesses, while Anthony Warlow will prove “there’s a little bit of good in everyone” as Billy Flynn. Interestingly, Maunder and Ventoura both have Canberra connections. Lucy’s father, Stuart Maunder, directed a production of Evita for the Canberra Philharmonic Society in 1988, and Zoe’s mother is Ruth Osborne, the retiring CEO, artistic director and much admired
Netflix has dropped its newest bunch of Bridgerton episodes, capping off the show’s third season with a characteristically smutty thud.
Quite literally.
Two of the show’s actors have revealed they broke furniture while filming one of the show’s infamous sex scenes.
This particular one is the longest sex scene in the show’s history, clocking in at six whole minutes.
I think there’s another name for that at this point.
Actress Nicola Coughlan, who plays Penelope Featherington (the most Bridgerton-esque name one could possibly imagine), and Luke Newton who plays Colin Bridgerton, teased the amusing mishap on social media a few weeks back, posing with the broken bed in an Instagram photo. A stroke of marketing genius indeed.
Bridgerton fans love this stuff and it’s all part of why this racy show races its way to Netflix’s number 1 spot every time new episodes come out.
For those who have no idea what all this guff is about, Bridgerton is a hugely popular series set in the early 1800s amidst the English marriage market. It follows the eight siblings of the Bridgerton family, a well-todo brood that are out on a quest for love.
But don’t mistake it for a sophisticated period piece.
Bridgerton is a soap opera in regency-era
course.
Bridgerton, one of Netflix’s biggest shows, just got two huge boosts of marketing thanks to this tactic and it’s clearly working.
The series has already been renewed for
even, longer, longer ago in a galaxy far, far away.
It follows two Jedi and their investigation into a series of sinister crimes in the High Republic, an era where the space wizards
After a bit of browsing at Meet Gather Collect, a cool homewares and gift store in Aranda, a friend and I popped into neighbouring Two Before Ten for a bite to eat.
Aranda is the birth home of Two Before Ten, which now has a whopping 13 locations across Canberra and the region, as far as Murrumbate man.
Two Before Ten moved into Aranda’s old shops around 14 years ago and, over time, has contrib uted to what is now a true community hub.
It operates an onsite bar (10 Yards) and its café, which are housed side-by-side in the same huge, hipster-style space.
Two Before Ten also operates a roastery for its well-known coffee blends and it has beehives, fruit trees and an expansive urban garden with an impressive array of veggies, fruits and herbs. So it’s all happening.
We were lunching and agreed several items on the compact menu caught our eye.
I began with a watermelon, apple and mint juice (cold pressed, $7) which hit the spot.
From the specials boards I settled on the mushroom omelette, attracted in part by the reference to greens from the onsite garden (fresh for the picking).
The button mushrooms tucked inside the piping-hot omelette were thinly sliced and roasted with thyme (also from the garden). It features whipped goats’ cheese and, as promised, plenty of garden greens. The omelette, served with a thickish slice of toast, is a satisfying breakfast or lunch option ($24).
My friend was originally going to order the Portuguese chicken wrap ($24) but decided on
could be seen when plated. The flour tortilla was loaded with omelette, cheese, rasher bacon, chilli aioli and smoky barbecue sauce (not enough to be overpowering). Also healthy greens picked from that amazing garden and herbs, too.
Although high on taste, the moisture from the omelette and cheese made the wrap uncomfortably soggy, so most was placed to the side so my friend could concentrate on the goodies inside. Also on the specials, for those with a sweet tooth, were sticky date waffles ($23). The lemon-herbed roasted chicken sanga sounded yum ($23).
Two Before Ten roasts its own beans and each blend has its own flavour profile. We had coffees after and, while we weren’t sure which blend was used, we both agreed we’d ask for coffees with more intense flavour next time. Two Before Ten also makes a spiced chai mix and a hot chocolate mix.
As night falls, Two Before Ten goes to sleep and 10 Yards comes to life, offering quality fresh produce and wines from the local region. It, too, has a casual, laid-back vibe.
On imdb, where users can rate television shows out of 10 stars, it’s currently sitting at a paltry 3.6.
One of these reviews even goes as far as to say: “Jar Jar Binks was a museum masterpiece next to this”. Binks, of course, being the loathed CGI alien sidekick in 1999’s prequel Star Wars film The Phantom Menace.
These opinions from general audiences sit in sharp contrast to the reviews from critics, who have labeled The Acolyte a bold new take in the saga.
So who’s right?
Well it may not come as a surprise to some that The Acolyte has infused identity politics into Star Wars more than ever before, a factor that will always split audiences apart.
More than that though, this seems like a textbook case of franchise fatigue.
It’s been happening with Disney’s other mega franchise Marvel, with producers recently conceding that they should listen to the fans and make less movies and TV shows.
Disney CEO Bob Iger this year said the aim is to reduce quantity and focus on quality by “slowly decreasing volume”.
It sounds like it’s high time they did the same for Star Wars.
Nobody hates Star Wars fans as much as Star Wars fans, after all.
Winter is icummen in, Lhude sing Goddamm, Raineth drop and staineth slop. And how the wind doth ramm! – Ezra Pound ‘Ancient Music’
It’s time to stay indoors and let four authors take you to faraway places.
Local author Sulari Gentill will take you to the town of Lawrence in Kansas in The Mystery Writer, where Theodosia Benton arrives unexpectedly to stay with her lawyer brother Gus.
Theo is supposed to be studying law in Australia at the ANU but she wants to be a writer and hopes to find the freedom to follow her dream in the US.
Gus encourages Theo to find somewhere to write each day and she discovers a local coffee bar, Benders, to work on her historical mystery, set in the 1920s in Canberra. There she meets Dan Murdoch, an established author, who becomes her mentor and eventually her lover, while promising to send her manuscript to his agent, Veronica Cole.
But someone murders Dan and Theo discovers she’s the prime suspect. Gus and his friend Mac, an IT expert, join forces to protect Theo as attempts are made on her life. Then Theo disappears.
At the same time an online group of conspiracy theorists are preparing to save the world from depravity and evil by creating The Shield, led by the mysterious Primus.
The Mystery Writer is complex, intriguing and completely unpredictable, full of twists and turns as the two lines of the plot eventually converge.
GAVIN Strawhan will take you to NZ in his debut novel, The Call, which won the 2023 Allen and Unwin Fiction Prize, which centres around the terror created by bikie gang members deported from Australia.
Auckland police officer DS Honey Chalmers, recovering from a near fatal, brutal attack, has returned home to the remote coastal town of Waitutu to care for her mother, Rachel, who is struggling to overcome the early symptoms of dementia.
Honey is convinced she was attacked by members of the Reapers bikie gang, after she cultivated an informant, Kloe Kovich, the
partner of one of the gang members. Kloe has disappeared and Honey fears she is dead.
But the Reapers are not convinced and follow Honey to Waitutu.
Through flashbacks, Strawhan slowly builds suspense towards a terrifying ending. It is an impressive debut.
OR let Andrew Taylor take you back to Restoration England in The Shadows of London, the latest in his James Marwood and Cat Lovett novels.
Taylor is a celebrated crime writer and was awarded the CWA’s prestigious Diamond Dagger Award for sustained excellence in crime writing in 2009.
The Shadows of London is set in 1671 and Cat Hakesby (née Lovett) is now a widow and an architect. She has been employed
to restore the ruins of an old almshouse but building work is suspended when a murdered, disfigured body is found on the site.
Cat knows she needs James Marwood’s help or she will be financially ruined. Marwood works for Lord Arlington, the principal Secretary of State and the most powerful man in the country after the King.
Marwood decides they need to identify the dead man to uncover the motive for his murder but, as they investigate, they uncover corruption at the heart of government and a plot to place a young vulnerable French woman, Louise de Keroualle, in the King’s bed.
Taylor has said that part of his motivation for writing The Shadows of London came from Dr Linda Porter’s Mistresses, which reveals the more important women who shared Charles ll’s bed. Porter’s chapter on Louise de Keroualle describes how her seduction was part of international politics.
For Taylor, de Keroualle was a defenceless young woman barely out of her teens and her seducer a powerful man twice her age. Charles’ pursuit of her was supported by some of the most influential men in Europe. Taylor argues she was as much a victim as those used and abused by Jeffrey Epstein.
OR you could relax with the latest cosy crime novel from Elly Griffiths, The Last Word, a sequel to The Postscript Murders (2020). The beautiful Natalka, the ex-monk Benedict and the elderly ex-BBC presenter Edwin return to investigate the mysterious deaths of a number of authors, all connected to a sinister writer’s retreat near Hastings.
The Postscript Murders may be cozy but it’s also cleverly plotted and filled with empathetic, likeable characters. If you enjoy TV programs such as Poirot, Midsummer Murders and Father Brown, this is the book for you.
Australian rock legends Eskimo Joe will be joined by Dan Sultan, fresh from winning Best Adult Contemporary at the 2023 ARIA Awards, at The B, Queanbeyan, July 7.
Judith Clingan and Wayfarers Australia are cooking up an Elizabethan feast which also involves 16th century instrumental music, dramatised excerpts from Shakespeare, and 16th century dances accompanied by a renaissance band. At the pavilion on Gladstone Street, Hall, July 6.
Back by exceedingly popular demand is Garry Starr in Greece Lightning, the most ridiculous show of the year, as he tackles all of Greek mythology. The Q, Queanbeyan, July 6.
Australia’s (and Canberra’s) top guitar quartet, Guitar Trek – Tim Kain, Minh Le Hoang Matt Withers and Callum Henshaw – plan to play a “wildly eclectic” selection of pieces from all corners of their repertoire.
Wesley Music
The National Opera Chorus is staging a fun afternoon of operatic favourites under the baton of conductor Louis Sharpe. Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture 15 Blackall St, Barton, June 30.
Canberra Choral Society and the National Capital Orchestra, with guest choristers from The Llewellyn Choir and four soloists, will perform Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, also conducted by the busy Louis Sharpe. Llewellyn Hall, July 6.
encouraged to contemplate how they might react if they came across actual scenes or situations like those being displayed. Manning Clark House, 11 Tasmania Circle, Forrest, until July 13.
On the first Saturday of July, Dostoyevsky is always celebrated as part of the annual summer White Nights in St Petersburg. Now, to mark its own production of Crime and Punishment, The Street Theatre’s director Caroline Stacey has invited writer Subhash Jaireth and Canberra actor Karen Vickery, both Russian speakers, to discuss interpretations and adaptations of the famous novel. At The Street, July 6.
By Joanne Madeline Moore
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
Have you been feeling like a tired and lacklustre Ram, with too many activities crammed into your timetable? Avoid work functions and social events this week. The Sun, New Moon and Venus are in your home zone, so rest and relaxation (at Casa Aries) are just what the doctor ordered. You could be asked to do some volunteer work or contribute to a humanitarian project. As birthday great Princess Diana said: “Everyone has the potential to give something back.”
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)
Bulls can too easily get bogged down in a boring old rut. This week the New Moon encourages fresh ideas, exciting connections and lively communication. And with Mars and Uranus still moving through your sign (plus a Mars/Saturn link) it’s also time to break a few rules and ruffle a few feathers – in a planned, responsible way. So your mantra is from birthday great Princess Diana: “I don’t go by the rule book… I lead from the heart, not the head.”
GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)
The New Moon shines a spotlight on your current bank balance as well as money mistakes you’ve made in the past. If your finances are in a mess, then it’s time to sort them out. Venus is also visiting your $$$ zone, which increases your extravagant and gullible side. Be careful you don’t indulge in a ‘comfort shopping’ spree that you later regret. Slow down and think things through. Remember… good things eventually come to Geminis who wait!
CANCER (June 22 – July 23)
Sensitive Crabs are ruled by the silvery, changeable Moon, so you can’t help but be affected by this week’s New Moon in Cancer, as it stirs up your emotions. Plus Mercury and Pluto agitate professional partnerships or financial insecurities. But becoming overemotional and unreasonable won’t help matters. Instead, tune into the magical promise of the new moonbeams as you learn to love yourself, celebrate your strengths and follow your dreams.
LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)
This week Pluto opposes Mercury (in your sign) so your bossy, demanding, Diva side could take over. If you sweat the small stuff, then you’ll end up feeling tired and emotional by the end of the week. It’s time to de-stress, as the New Moon lights up your spiritual/solitude zone and you meditate, contemplate, ruminate and relax. You might just enjoy it! Plus pay close attention to a developing situation, and the symbolic messages in your nightly dreams.
VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)
With the New Moon activating your hopes-and-wishes zone, it’s time to articulate (and write down) your goals and dreams for the future. Then you can put them into action. But don’t let a loved one or workmate manipulate you on Wednesday, as they try to persuade you to do something against your better judgment. Have the strength – and common sense – to stand your ground and say: no (with a firm smile). Friday and Saturday favour disciplined, productive work.
LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)
Polite Librans are the peacemakers of the zodiac. And you’ll certainly require your diplomacy skills this week. Pluto opposes Mercury, so a relationship with a child or friend could be particularly frustrating. The best way to handle the situation is with plenty of patience and understanding. The New Moon activates your career zone, so don’t be a Libran wallflower. Speak up and promote your talents! If you procrastinate, then a golden opportunity could pass you by.
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)
The Neptune and Saturn trines boost your Scorpio creativity and productivity. But Wednesday’s tempestuous Mercury/Pluto opposition highlights your inclination to jealous, possessive, bossy or overbearing behaviour – especially at home. So do your best to loosen your intense grip on a loved one, otherwise you’ll just drive them away with your dramatic pronouncements and demanding antics. The New Moon highlights travel and/or education plans.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)
Sagittarians can easily become preoccupied with the busy distractions of daily life, full of noisy notifications and garrulous gossip. This week the Sun, New Moon and Venus light up your intuition-and-secrets zone (in the perceptive sign of Cancer), so aim to spend some quality time on your own. Slow down, meditate, contemplate, and listen to the quiet voice within. Your motto is from birthday great Princess Diana: “I work on instinct. It’s my best advisor.”
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)
This week (courtesy of the Mercury-Pluto opposition) an obstacle could be placed in your path. Or you could be drawn into a power struggle with a relative, friend or work colleague, especially involving money and/or trust. Don’t stress and obsess! Sometimes hurdles help you slow down and see the path ahead more clearly. And the Mars/Saturn link will help you adjust your compass and tweak your plans. A proactive, sensible approach brings benefits.
AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)
The New Moon activates your work and wellbeing zones, so it’s a good week to start a job, launch a business, begin a new diet or embark on a rebooted exercise program. With Venus also in your daily routine zone, it’s time to harmonise, compromise and cooperate with the main people in your day-to-day life. Pluto (in your sign) opposes Mercury on Wednesday, so expect some intense thoughts and powerful conversations. When it comes to finances, be practical.
PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)
Tuesday’s Mercury/Neptune trine is fabulous for visionary thinking, creative pursuits and spiritual insights. With Neptune slowly meandering through your sign, you intuitively know what is right for you – even though you may appear confused to others. Don’t let your work colleagues (or peer group) push you around or persuade you to do something you don’t believe in. Saturn (in your sign) encourages you to be sensible and stay grounded.
Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2024
1 Name the composer who is remembered for his oratorios, especially the Messiah, George Frederick ... (6)
7 Which person is devoted to the welfare of others? (8)
8 What is an account book of final entry? (6)
9 Name a SE Queensland town renowned for its peanut-producing area. (8)
10 What are light low-powered motorcycles equipped with pedals for starting and assisting the motor? (6)
11 Who are under medical or surgical treatment? (8)
14 Name one of Australia’s most well-known marsupials. (8)
18 An habitual criminal is known as a what? (6)
19 What is an encumbrance or disadvantage that makes success more difficult? (8)
21 Name a panacea or cure-all. (6)
22 Name the northernmost of the Great Lakes. (8)
23 What are javelins also known as? (6)
1 What is an official stamp, indicating a standard of purity in gold and silver articles? (8)
2 Name an Australian returned soldier. (6)
3 Name a plant of the delphinium family. (8)
4 To deprive one of consciousness, is to do what? (4)
5 Which member of the clergy is employed as an assistant to a rector or vicar? (6)
6 What is an armed guard known as? (6)
12 What are cavalry soldiers called? (8)
13 Who wait on ship or aircraft passengers? (8)
15 Name a device used for calculating. (6)
16 What is a mechanical contrivance called? (6)
17 What is Australian English, humorously and affectionately regarded? (6)
20 Who was the first son of Adam and Eve, who murdered his brother Abel? (4)
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