Well written, well read
Barr’s tax grab takes its toll on the town
JON STANHOPE & KHALID AHMED
Payman upset exposes Labor’s structural woes
MICHAEL MOORE
Why insecurity is just as stupid as arrogance
ANTONIO DI DIO
There’s always room for a casuarina
JACKIE WARBURTON
Canberra soprano LORINA GORE is to reprise her show-stopping role as Ophelia in Opera Australia’s Hamlet
By Katarina LLOYD JONES
The National Carillon is a well-known landmark, but few people know that it is actually an instrument, and even fewer people know about those that play it, says Melissa Bray, author of a new book Australian Carillonists.
The carillon is a pitched percussion instrument, made up of a minimum 23 suspended bells, operated by ped als and a wooden keyboard, called a clavier.
Wires and cables connect the bells to the keys and pedals, resulting in an iron-clapper hitting the bell.
It is one of the world’s heaviest instru ments, and the largest in Australia.
There are only three in Australia, with the one in Canberra being a gift from the British government for the golden jubilee celebrations of the founding of the national capital.
“Belgium is kind of the home of ca rillon, there’s about 100 carillons there, and they released a book last year, and I thought this is something we need in Australia,” says Melissa, who doesn’t play carillon but is connected to the
The instrument is made up of the whole tower, and the National Carillon on Queen Elizabeth II Island, Lake
“The practice one is set up effectively like a xylophone, so it doesn’t sound outside, it just sounds for the
Royal Canberra Golf Club is preparing a history for its centenary in 2026.
The club’s Archives Committee is aware of some important photographs, which it has only in the form of newspaper cuttings or as photocopies. The committee is seeking the community’s help to locate such memorabilia and any other relevant items. Three photos of particular significance are:
• The finalists in the Women’s Championship final of 1972: Pam Crichton and Jocelyn Fitzhardinge.
• The action photo of fire raging and firemen doing their best fighting the blaze that destroyed the clubhouse in October 1995 (there is a press photograph by Peter Wells).
• A group photo from the opening of the Brindabella Nine course and new clubhouse in May 1997 that
We are able to assist in negotiations and/or represent you in:
• Matrimonial Property settlements
• Parenting Arrangements for Children
• Divorce
• Binding Financial Agreements
• De Facto relationship breakdowns
included Laurel Yeend, Doug Mackie and golfer Peter Thomson, who drove the first shot.
Julia Hoffman’s keen to hear from anyone who can help at jhoffman@webone.com.au
Jan Finley and Kay Johnston, from the ANU Classic Museum, are the guest speakers at the next meeting of the Yerrabi VIEW Club at the Eastlake Club, Gungahlin, from 11am on July 18. New members are welcome. RSVP to dotric65@gmail.com by July 15.
Got a community message? Send it to: editor@citynews.com.au
person who’s playing, so they can hear
“It doesn’t sound nice, but just to get the routine, so you know what you’re
Melissa says music can be written especially for carillon or other music can be arranged for it, most often pi-
“There was a guy, who they’ve named the room that you play in after, George Howe, he played for 33 years, and he was a pianist who improvised
“He would have the song in his head or on his piano music and just play it [...] and he loved playing well-known
George Howe OAM isn’t the only one who sought to modernise the carillon, with Melissa saying her son, Peter Bray, organised a Star Wars day
“When people play well-known music, the audiences love it,” she says.
“In the book, one of the carillonists talks about playing everything from
Another way Melissa says carillon can be made more accessible is by making them mobile, so they can be performed anywhere, from the Opera House to Uluru to the Great Hall in
“They’re kind of the size that they can be on the back of a truck and you can take it anywhere,” she says.
“In Europe they have a few, and often they break apart so you can make it smaller and take it wherever you want.
“Obviously, the biggest bell in there [the National Carillon] is six tonnes so you can’t fit that on a mobile carillon, so you’ve got the higher bells, but they can still play some amazing music.”
Melissa says carillons are mostly popular in the “low countries,” such as The Netherlands and Belgium, but there are also some to be found in Portugal, Germany, France and Spain.
The other two Australian carillons can be found in the town square in Bathurst and the quadrangle at Sydney University.
“Ours is the biggest. It’s got the biggest bells and is the tallest,” says Melissa.
“We’ve got 57 bells, Sydney has 54, and Bathurst, 47.”
At the moment the National Carillon is closed due to façade and instrumentation works being underway.
But, the National Capital Authority says initial planning has commenced to support the return of music and activities to the National Carillon on the completion of these works.
Australian Carillonists is available at Pop Canberra, The Book Cow, Paperchain, the Portrait Gallery, the National Library, and australiancarillonists.com. An e-book version is also available on Amazon.
Labor members are angry at the conduct of Senator Fatima Payman in “crossing the floor” and many relieved that she has left the Labor Party to sit as an independent.
This is despite a landmark motion passed at the Labor conference in December 2018 calling on the next government to recognise Palestine as a state.
The senator was in sync with the Labor Party, but not with the caucus. Labor has a structural problem rather than a problem with a single individual.
Caucus solidarity has served the Labor Party well for more than a century. It is very rare to see one of its members vote against the party. As Penny Wong has explained, she had to work for years within the party to gain support for gay marriage – a deeply personal issue.
Senator Payman could not have foreseen this situation when she agreed to stand as a Labor candidate. Her election preceded the war in Gaza. And no doubt she had been working within the caucus attempting to elicit a stronger response from the government on the actions of Israel emphasising the urgency for recognition of the state of Palestine.
Criticisms of Netanyahu, Israel and
The problem Labor faces is determining when an issue becomes of such seriousness that it deserves a conscience vote. As more and more diverse people become part of the Labor Party, the differences of opinion will become more challenging.
own government’s weak reaction to the war in Gaza must have been incredibly frustrating. However, she is not on her own here, as illustrated by the motion that passed the 2018 Labor conference in Adelaide in support of recognition of the Palestinian State.
recognition of Palestinian statehood in the context of such broad support. Instead, they have now given Senator Payman a platform that is widely understood and supported by so many Labor voters.
the Zionists are valid – just as are the criticisms of Putin and Russia in attacking Ukraine. However, no doubt I will be accused of anti-semitism. Such accusations help frame Israel and the Zionists as the victims.
Ordinary Palestinians are overwhelmingly the real victims. With the infrastructure of Gaza effectively levelled, the displacement of millions of people and the deaths estimated to be around 40,000 people including 14,500 children and 9500 women was too much for Senator Payman. As it should be for the rest of the world.
No matter what has happened in the past, this style of war is simply unacceptable. To leave the Gaza Strip in ruins, to use starvation and famine as a weapon of war, to leave millions without clean water, sanitation and shelter is outrageous.
The Israeli and Jewish lobby in Australia and internationally is incredibly effective. One indicator is the bill recently debated in the Federal Parliament to establish a commission to look at anti-semitism in our universities. The government has already asked the Human Rights Commission to examine racism in the universities.
Apparently, this is not good enough for the Jewish lobby; for them the inquiry must be specifically anti-semitism. In Australia, and particularly in our universities, it makes much more sense to examine racism wherever it occurs. What about racism against Asians or Aborigines or Sikhs or South Pacific Islanders or Muslims or the Sudanese or other Africans? Wherever it occurs, racism is unacceptable.
For Senator Payman, seeing her
Other factors were, no doubt, considered when the caucus reached a decision on delaying the recognition of Palestine. The lack of transparency on donations to political parties along with limited information on lobbyists, makes it hard to understand what goes into decisions made by the cabinet and by party leadership.
Labor has to consider at what point does caucus solidarity trump conscience. In the past, the caucus has allowed a conscience vote in cases such as abortion law reform and voluntary active euthanasia.
In both cases the right wing of the Labor Party, for example, held very strong views that largely originate in their Roman Catholic backgrounds.
On the other hand, the Labor feminists and those who support women’s right to choose, are found throughout the caucus.
It would also have been possible to consider a conscience vote on the
The problem Labor faces in the future is determining when an issue becomes of such seriousness that it deserves a conscience vote. As more and more diverse people become part of the Labor Party, the differences of opinion will become more challenging to manage.
Even though Caucus solidarity has served Labor well for more than a century, it is time for Labor to consider the issue of conscience and the role that it might play in allowing members of its caucus to express alternative opinions.
Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an independent minister for health. He has been a political columnist with “CityNews” since 2006.
Date: Wednesday, 17 July 2024
Time: 2 – 4pm
Location: Ginninderra Labor Club, 40 Lhotsky St, Charnwood
Program: See below for details
Afternoon tea will be provided
Please RSVP to: enquiries@actrvra.org.au
Roger Pallant
Secretary, NSW RVRA (Keynote Address)
Roger is a Board Member and the Secretary of the NSW RVRA, and he will talk about a survey conducted by the NSW RVRA of residents of NSW RVs dealing with psychological abuse in NSW RVs. The findings of the report (‘Ageing without Fear’) have generated interest at Local, State and National levels and led to many initiatives to deal with the issue. Roger will outline the survey findings and key strategies to mitigate the impact this issue is having on the quality of life of some RV residents.
Karen Toohey
ACT Human Rights Commissioner
Karen is the ACT Disability, Community Services, Discrimination and Health Services Commissioner. Karen will talk about the RV residents issues she deals with on a daily basis (including elder abuse and disputes with RV operators), and the remedies she has available to address these problems.
Emma Bragg
Tetlow Legal/ACT Law Society Committee Member
Emma is co-owner of law firm Tetlow Legal. She practises in the areas of Elder Law & Succession Law (the latter primarily about planning for the transfer of wealth from one generation to the next), and is a committee member of the ACT Law Society and Law Council of Australia in these areas of practice. Emma will talk about Elder Law and Succession Law and how to access appropriate legal advice in these areas, and more generally.
Jenny Mobbs
CEO, COTA ACT
COTA ACT works to improve the lives of older people in the Canberra community by providing services and programs to encourage older people to participate in the community (see www.cotaact.org.au). Jenny will describe the (free) services COTA provides including public and private housing advice, elder abuse advice and assistance accessing financial and legal advice.
You do not have to be an ACT RVRA member to attend the forum. For further information about the ACT RVRA: see the ACT RVRA website www.actrvra.org.au
The ACT RVRA appreciates the support of the Ginninderra Labor Club in providing the facility for our event
There was a time when the ABC’s 7.30 Report was the unmissable highlight of ABC programming.
Alas, those days of Mike Willesee, Richard Carleton, Kerry O’Brien and Leigh Sales are now but a fading memory.
The current version with Sarah Ferguson in the chair is virtually unwatchable.
It’s not her fault. She is a professional, socially pleasant person, I’m told by mutual friends. And were she properly managed and coached she might well join that elite crew who made 7.30 a winner.
But the ABC under Ita Buttrose and her executive team was falling to pieces.
Sarah follows a national news that has taken a dive ever since the wonderful Juanita Phillips departed. Its current occupant sounds like a BBC reject from the era when Ita was an up and comer at Kerry Packer’s Cleo.
The other news and current affairs programming is tired at best and weird at worst, not least the former powerhouse Four Corners with its recent half-baked story of alleged Chinese spies and a modern-day Don Quixote fighting wind turbines.
Sales is wasted on Australian Story and Paul Barry, who once cast his net across most media, has reduced his
focus to commercial “junkets” and the limitless excesses of Murdoch’s madhatters. But even he could not resist giving the ABC a slap in the kisser for its second-rate coverage of the Bondi shopping centre knife attack and other breaking news events.
The recent NSW floods brought forth a raft of articulate women stringers who put their lazy Canberra bureau prima donnas to shame… except, of course, for the courageous and insightful Laura Tingle, whom the suits instantly abandoned when she told the truth about her racist countrymen.
Sunday morning’s Insiders has lost its edge and simply parrots what everyone knows already or gets lost in the weeds where no one cares. And the seemingly endless David Speers’ interviews are more harrowing for the viewer than the interviewee.
Even Mike Bowers’ Talking Pictures segment is now so rushed it’s lost its former elan.
On any given day, the network’s viewing line-up is overwhelmed by repeats; most of the rest are BBC propaganda freebees such as Antiques Roadshow or Grand Designs, and even they are repeated ad nauseam.
On any given day, the ABC’s viewing line-up is overwhelmed by repeats; most of the rest are BBC propaganda freebees such as Antiques Roadshow or Grand Designs.
Moreover, they’re separated by multiple reruns of promos for other shows that are as dull as the shows they’re promoting.
Indeed, the occasional homegrown hit such as Back Roads or Hard Quiz was so wondrous to Ita and the suits that they exploited it to death.
HQ’s Tom Gleeson’s shtick – making cheeky critiques of Ita, the network and its audience – once taken in delighted jest, now generates an embarrassed silence.
Drama and comedy are something else. And sometimes it’s hard to separate them.
Typical is the recent Austin, which has all the hallmarks of a hastily assembled cast and crew built around the discovery of an autistic charmer, Michael Theo from a fairly typical
ABC venture, Love on the Spectrum. Add a couple of British “stars” in Ben Miller and Sally Phillips; raise a budget from the ACT government, Screen Australia, ITV Studios and Screen Canberra; shoot some of the thing in Canberra with the Hyatt for some handy “contra” and the rest in England, which doesn’t match with the antipodean footage, and away we go.
Trouble is, Ben and Sally don’t know whether they’re in a drama or a comedy so they just over-act and hope for the best. Turns out, the best is Michael Theo himself. His timing is exquisite and his deadpan delivery is exactly what’s needed to claim centre stage. But even he can’t compensate for the absurd plot and the madcap performances from Ben and Sally. At least they picked the perfect mirror for the network to screen it. Kim Williams, over to you.
robert@ robertmacklin. com
Driving tonight on my way to a thing at Sydney Uni, I remembered a moment in ‘85 being crashed to the grass in a perfect cover tackle on number two oval as I walked towards a girl at a party.
My fine assailant said: “She’s not your happiness. Go to the bar. Now”. Wise words.
Back to the present, in the car, and the phone rang. It was a doctor in distress and we had a good chat and agreed to catch up later. It rang again, another unwell doc from interstate, and I connected them with their local state service.
I have many odd hobbies, from collecting comics and Aussie crime fiction to growing beautiful kids and teasing Meikle on radio, but my constant for 28 years is looking after unwell doctors.
They are lovely people who face strange challenges and in recent weeks I’ve been the 24/7 national hotline as well. It was starting to make me feel useful in some way.
I hopped out of the car and entered the memorial service celebrating a special guy called Paul, whose ridiculous energy and humour made him beloved in our year, while we secretly envied his drive and phenomenal ability to stay up all night watching
“I remembered a moment being crashed to the grass in a perfect cover tackle as I walked towards a girl at a party.” Image: wikiHow
sport then slay an exam.
drinking, karaoke and loudness prepared him imperfectly for a lifetime of being a Serious and Brilliant ophthalmologist, deeply respected. There were about 20 of us from uni, many I had not seen for 35 years since graduation, having never once attended a reunion.
Why? How come everyone was a super duper sub-specialist? How come everybody was so slim and elegant and fancy? How come I’ve never fit in and why on earth did I come here tonight and think I belonged?
Well. They were warm and just as shy, and said hi. They were all kind and funny and lovely. They had all
met some of life’s crappy travails from lost spouses, and been tangled in life’s journey, like we were are attached to gigantic balls of wool tugged on by an invisible insanely evil cat.
They all loved Paul. What stupid insecurity had kept me from returning to meet these lovely people every year? Well, insecurity can bugger off – next time we have a reunion, I’m in! I don’t have to be hostage to stupid feelings we all have. My only responsibility is to enjoy this one life we’ve been given and as far as I can tell that comes from being kind and from turning up, preferably both. It was weird taking a call from a distressed doc during Paul’s memo -
Love is lifting your friends. Tackling them before they do Stupid, inviting them to do what’s right and reminding them that they are good enough.
rial, knowing what had taken him. It would have been so easy to say: “You bugger, why didn’t YOU call me when you felt this way?” to the beautiful soul we were saying goodbye to, but. But. Well. If only life was that simple, solutions were so simple. I wandered downstairs afterwards and running to the front door was one of my sons, currently diligently doing anything to avoid study. I held him a long time and said, what’s occurring? He said he’d just pulled a study all-nighter. Although mostly it was watching Man City with his mates for hours, and maybe hours training at the pub first.
Actually no study at all, but his mate had tackled him on the oval for some a very good reason although he couldn’t exactly remember it. Same pubs and corridor I’d spent time with Paul 40 years earlier. Same all-
nighter of non-study I used to do. I said: “Are you going to try out for that thing we talked about?” and he said: ”Nah, not sure I deserve it”. Sounded familiar. Who knows, maybe in 40 years he will learn that insecurity is just as stupid and destructive as arrogance, and that if we really want to help each other, the right answer is: “Have a go! You’re good enough! Try everything!”
Love is lifting your friends. Tackling them before they do Stupid, inviting them to do what’s right and reminding them that they are good enough.
None of us could save Paul, but we could gather and thank the stars for the joy of knowing him. Hug the people you love, often, and the next time they wonder if they should apply for something, or run for something, just say yes. Because they are good enough, and need to know it. Paul would approve.
Antonio Di Dio is a local GP, medical leader and nerd. There are more of his Kindness col umns on citynews. com.au
A woman came into my clinic for a consultation about her hearing aids, telling me her hearing aids were 4 years old and she had never found them to be of much help. She said the salesperson quoted her $14,000 for a pair of hearing aids, however, the monthly special of 20% discount meant they cost her $11,200. So, she ‘only’ paid $11,200 for hearing aids that did not help her. Sadly, I hear this all too often.
Here are some things to do to avoid this type of problem:
1. Visit your GP. If you or someone you know has a problem with their hearing, visiting your GP to check for wax in the ears, and to get advice is a starting point.
2. Qualifications. Always check the qualifications of the person you are dealing with. A person without professional qualifications has no business advising you about your hearing. They need to belong to a professional association with a Code of Conduct, so you know they are acting in your best interests, not their own.
years. If you are not sure about their advice, then seek a second opinion. The wrong hearing aids can be an expensive waste and could lead you to stop wearing them. You should always have a trial of hearing aids to ensure that they are right for you.
6 Pensioners and eligible DVA card holders often have entitlement to free services. If you are covered by a government concession, then let the clinician know (even though your clinician should ask). Eligible clients may obtain free hearing tests, consultations, and free hearing aids (referred to as fully subsidized hearing aids).
“A person without professional qualifications has no business advising you about your hearing. They need to belong to a professional association with a Code of Conduct, so you know they are acting in your best interests, not their own.”
– Dr Vass
These hearing aids are appropriate for many people, however if you have great difficulty hearing in background noise (for example a restaurant), then you may want to consider partially subsidized hearing aids. This is when the government pays a certain amount, and you pay for additional features and benefits. Your decision should be based on the following:
you are dealing with a qualified clinician, then they belong to a professional association. The best contact is an independent complaints body referred to as Ethics Review Committee. You can email ethics@auderc.org.au and view the website www.auderc.org.au. You can make an anonymous complaint and your complaint will be handled in a confidential and professional manner. If you are in the ACT, contact the ACT Human Rights Commission email human rights@act.gov au and the website www.hrc.act.gov.au
3. Independent advice. You should get independent, professional advice.
4. There are a wide range of hearing aids out there. Finding the right hearing aids for your communication needs can be challenging. Hearing aids vary in price and performance. Bluetooth® connectivity and rechargeable hearing aids are available on most hearing aids, along with apps that allow you to control your hearing aids from your mobile device. Be aware that just because a hearing aid is more expensive, that doesn’t mean they are the best hearing aid for you.
5. Just as hearing aids vary in performance, clinicians may also vary in performance due to training, experience, and skills. Make sure that you are comfortable and confident in their advice. You are likely to be with this clinician for the life of your new hearing aids, typically 4 to 5
(a) Can you afford the more expensive hearing aids? Don’t go into financial stress if you can’t afford them. (b) Are you clear on the free vs partially subsidized features & benefits? Never believe someone who tells you the free hearings are not good or of poor performance, this is simply not true. (c) If you try the partially subsidized hearing aids and are not happy, then return them. Do not keep hearing aids because you think the failure is yours or that you will improve over time. If the hearing aids are not working for you in the trial period, then they will not work for you in a year or two.
7. If you have a complaint, then seek help. Your clinician should be able to help you through most of your needs. Sometimes, a problem may be beyond the expertise of even the best clinician. However, if you have a complaint there are things you can do. If
“The government is in a bind. If it meets its revenue estimates, it will have been at a significant impost on households. If it falls short, its claims of budget recovery cannot be met.”
STANHOPE & KHALID AHMED despair at the community effects of the ACT government’s budget tax grab.
The ACT’s 2024-25 budget is underpinned by a forecast of an extraordinary growth in revenue.
In our initial commentary we pointed out that this was not good news for Canberrans on low-to-moderate incomes already suffering under extreme cost-of-living pressure.
As a rule, budgets are developed with clear regard to the prevailing social and economic circumstances. Governments with a progressive policy agenda, are typically mindful of the impact of the budget on disadvantaged and marginalised groups.
In the Australian federation, state and territory governments are unable to tax incomes, production or consumption, which remain within the purview of the Commonwealth government. Therefore, state and territory governments rely on taxing transactions, employers’ payrolls, mining, gambling and, to varying degrees, land.
The ACT is notably disadvantaged by the absence of mining and largescale manufacturing bases and by the ACT government’s commitment to eliminate transaction taxes as part of its taxation reform.
It goes without saying that governments must be mindful of the ability of individuals and entities to pay when raising revenue, and the needs of individual services when allocating expenditure.
Therefore, economic parameters driving the budget are changes in the Wage Price Index (WPI), the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and population growth.
Revenue growth above the WPI is likely to put pressures on households, particularly those already under financial stress due to increases in interest rates and inflation (CPI).
On the expenditure side, the costs of service delivery will be driven by a combination of WPI and CPI, and population growth. For quick
reference, Table 1 provides the ACT government’s forecasts of percent age changes in these key economic parameters.
It is notable that wages are forecast to rise by 3.5 per cent in 2024-25 and 2025-26, before decreasing to 3.25 per cent over the final two forward years.
In Table 2 we break down revenue into four categories: taxation; other own-source revenue; Commonwealth grants and returns on investments.
The first two, namely taxation and own-source revenue, broadly reflect the weight of revenue raising, directly or indirectly, on households and businesses. Together they comprise 50 per cent of total revenue in 2024-25 increasing to 53 per cent in 2025-26.
The table also incorporates the Compounding Average Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of each component as well as year-year growth in total revenue.
In 2024-25 total revenue is forecast to grow by 8.9 per cent over and above the 2023-24 estimate.
The ACT government cannot hold the federal government responsible for its budgetary woes and aggressive revenue raising.
Commonwealth grants increase at a healthy rate of 5.1 per cent a year, driven by both an increase in the relativity from population growth revealed in the 2021 Census, and the increase in mining revenue raising capacity in coal-producing states. Notably, royalty revenue from coal almost doubled from $10.9 billion in 2021-22 to $20.2 billion in 2022-23, a share of which the ACT received through the GST distribution.
In 2024-25, in the face of an anticipated wage rise of 3.5 per cent, the budget nevertheless forecasts an increase in taxation of 6.5 per cent. This “excess” taxation growth continues across the four years of the forward estimates with a budgeted CAGR of 6.6 per cent.
Payroll tax is the standout target
“The Greens-Labor coalition has expanded the scope of the Fire and Emergency Service Levy to include policing costs, a change that went unremarked by a compliant mainstream media.”
of the ACT government’s quest for revenue. It is budgeted to grow from an estimated $751 million in 2023-24 to $1.118 billion in 2027-28, at an average rate of 10.5 per cent annually. Utilities (Network Facilities Tax) will grow at 5.3 per cent per annum. These large increases will, of course, inevitably, be passed straight on to consumers – i.e you.
General rates are to increase at a compounding annual rate of 6.5 per cent. Duty on conveyances is forecast to deliver $302.1 million in 2024-25, increasing marginally to $302.8 million in 2027-28. Notably, this is more than the government was collecting when its now infamous tax reform agenda began.
Canberrans are surely more than entitled to demand of the Treasurer, Andrew Barr, an explanation, of how it is that rates are increasing at a compounding rate of 6.5 per cent despite the explicit promise made by him a decade ago, that as a quid pro quo stamp duty would be abolished.
Another prime example of the government’s doublespeak is reflected in its toying with the Police, Fire and Emergency Services Levy. The levy is estimated to deliver $105.2 million in 2023-24 but has been forecast by Mr Barr to grow at an astounding rate of 9 per cent a year over the budget and forward-estimates period.
Apart from stock growth, which is
Table 1: 2024-25 Budget key economic parameters – percentage changes in baseline forecasts
Source: 2024-25 Budget Paper 3; Table 2.2.1.
Table 2: 2024-25 Budget key revenue components forecasts
Source: 2024-25 Budget Paper 3; Table 4.1.1.
a relatively smaller contributor to growth, the growth in levy is from escalation at 4.3 percentage points above the wage price index.
If this sounds arbitrary, it is. It is deeply worrying and we feel genuinely sorry for those employed within the ACT government, most particularly the Treasury, who as true professionals spend their working lives seeking to implement principle-based financial management, but are forced to defend this tosh.
The rationale the government has provided for the above WPI (and arbitrary) increase in the levy on households is that “these increases reflect increasing ACT Policing expenditure as per the ACT government service agreement with the Australian Federal Police and increased police numbers.” (Budget Paper 3; Page 211).
This levy, originally called the Fire and Emergency Service Levy, replaced a tax on insurance policies, which only partly funded fire brigade services.
However, the Greens-Labor Coalition in the ACT has expanded the scope of this levy to include policing costs, a change that went unremarked by a compliant mainstream media.
In principle, policing costs should surely be funded from
central revenue. The imposition of a levy to fund the cost of policing, and then increasing the levy to match the increase in service costs opens the door to a very slippery slope. What is to say that the government could not introduce (say) a transport levy, or a school levy or a hospital levy?
The government is in a bind in this budget. If its revenue estimates are achieved, it will have been at a significant impost on households. If its revenue estimates are not met, its claims of budget recovery cannot be met.
As we noted in a previous article the budget provides for an annual increase in expenditure of 3.4 per cent. That is clearly not sufficient to maintain current levels of service. Having regard to the data in relation to population and wages growth and inflation incorporated in Table 1, we estimate that growth in expenditure in excess of 5 per cent will be required in order to meet existing services, let alone address the myriad gaps in service delivery being experienced by the working class, the poor and the elderly.
Jon Stanhope is a former chief minister of the ACT and Dr Khalid Ahmed a former senior ACT Treasury official.
By CHRIS CATASTROPHE , ACT Minister for Renewable Mistakes
I think we can all agree that there has been way too much coverage of the expensive corruption saga at the Canberra Institute of Technobabble.
As a dab hand at unfolding disas ters, I can assure you that the best thing to do is to forget what happened and move on. And certainly, don’t let it all come flooding back to you when you are in the ballot box in October. Look, the CIT is not the same as it was back when crazy mountaineers and gullible school teachers were running the place.
For starters, we don’t outsource to consultants any more. No, we’ve brought all our wanky advice in-house now, with cupping-rooms of expensive suits filling up what were once CIT classrooms. We need these shiny-bums to keep in line the old grumble-bum teachers, who still persist in doing things like teaching students practical skills. What these recalcitrant teachers don’t realise is that we are living in the 21st century. In a world increas ingly dominated by AI, who needs hands-on trades that only humans can perform? I mean, why repair a car when you can buy a new one from the
who we pay a fortune to fly up every week from Melbourne. Lucky Betty is both the CEO and a board member, so she gets to oversee her own performance!
Plus, there’s the umpteen others such as Hyphena Dash-Minus-Sign. She runs the boutique consultancy, Thought Orchard, which provides “trusted insights and advice to guide internal and external strategies that build better positioning.” Couldn’t be more different than that meaningless Think Garden blather.
So, you see, there’s nothing to worry about with the CIT! You have the Chris Catastrophe promise! Now, I need to go, as I have more pressing things to deal with. Like the 94 electric buses I promised for 2023. And the single $1.5 million electric fire-engine we got custom-built in Germany, that apparently is useless. Not to mention the $77 million our guys bungled on that dud HR system. Then what to do with the Hume recycling plant that suddenly blew up. Oh, and I think I said a few years ago, I’d do something about Kambah Village, didn’t I? And, bugger, those cost blow-outs with the tram… Phew! So many complicated wide-ranging challenges. I’m going to have to employ a seriously expensive Complexity and Systems Thinker to get through all of this before the election!
‘Hey, you look like Adam Sandler.’ ‘Yeah, I know.’
“Are you Robert Mitchum?” “Well, somebody has to be.”
– Robert Mitchum
“You’re Michael Caine!” “I know.”
– Michael Caine
Celebrity actor Adam Sandler relates: “I was in New Hampshire with my family at a pizza place. The kid working there goes: ‘Hey, you look like Adam Sandler.’ I said: ‘Yeah, I know.’ He goes: “What’s your name?” I go: ‘Adam Sandler.’ And he goes: ‘Whoa, that’s a coincidence!’.”
Some cultures adulate celebrities. That’s particularly the case in America. Some years ago, I had American friends staying with me in Canberra and they were hugely impressed by the fact that a friend had just had lunch with Olivia Newton-John.
In the UK and Australia, it’s of course considered impolite to show that you recognise a celebrity, who might be, for example, dining in the same restaurant as you.
your life,” – Brooke Shields
“I don’t feel we did wrong in taking this great country away from them. There were great numbers of people who needed new land, and the Indians were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves.” – John Wayne
“I think that the film Clueless was very deep. I think it was deep in the way that it was very light. I think lightness has to come from a very deep place if it’s true lightness.”
– Alicia Silverstone, actress
Norman Einstein.” – Joe Theisman, NFL football quarterback & sports analyst.
“Half this game is ninety per cent mental.” – Danny Ozark , Philadelphia Phillies manager.
“They’re the second-best team in the world, and there’s no higher praise than that.” – Kevin Keagan, England soccer team coach.
“Manchester United have hit the ground running – albeit with a 3-0 defeat.”
Being a celebrity usually implies a favourable public image, as opposed to someone who is merely “famous” or “notable”, or even worse – “infamous” or “notorious”.
A celebrity usually has a background in an area of public entertainment – such as movies, music, writing, or sports. Given the high-profile activities of the Sussexes, one might add them to the list.
Those with widespread press coverage and elite associations are termed “A-list celebrities”. Less popular persons and teen idols are referred to
as “B-list celebrities”, while ones with lesser fame still are termed “C-list celebrities”. The derogatory term “Z-list celebrity” typically refers to persons who have limited fame and recognition – often associated with reality TV shows or brief moments of public attention.
Lists of celebrities vary, but one 2024 (American) list of the top 10 celebrities based on their “influence, achievements, and global recognition” is as follows:
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
2. Lionel Messi
3. Elon Musk
4. Oprah Winfrey
5. Dwayne Johnson
6. Taylor Swift 7. Selena Gomez
There’s a tendency to attribute celebrities with capabilities outside the range of what they are best known for. It beats me for example, why anyone would pay to watch a celebrity actor or actress playing celebrity tennis.
Clearly, despite their fame, many celebrities are not the sharpest tool in the shed, as indicated by the following comments from movie stars, singers, and the world of sport:
“Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can’t help but cry. I mean I’d love to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and death and stuff.” – Mariah Carey
“Smoking kills. If you’re killed, you’ve lost a very important part of
“I get to go to lots of overseas places, like Canada.” – Britney Spears, American actress.
“The band never actually split up – we just stopped speaking to each other and went our separate ways.” –Boy George
“I’ve never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body,” – Winston Bennet t, University of Kentucky basketball forward.
“The word ‘genius’ isn’t applicable in football. A genius is a guy like
– Bob Wilson, sports commentator
“We’re going to turn this team around 360 degrees.” – Jason Kidd , American basketball coach.
“Sure, there have been injuries and deaths in boxing – but none of them serious.” – Alan Minter, boxer.
Clive Williams is a Canberra columnist.
SECURITY CABINETS
AUTHENTIC EAMES CHAIRS
MAP CABINETS
Calling it “a good process”, the chief minister has tried to sign away on stage one of the ACT Integrity Commission’s lengthy investigation into and reporting on the expensive and corruptly managed injection of “transformational” gobbledygook into the heads of many CIT staff.
Certainly the time taken would not have been helped by the commission having to wade through the many inept responses offered to it by the highly paid people called to participate in the inquiry.
However, it was not good to learn a little earlier that the former CIT CEO was allowed to clear out a day before the initial report was made public. Why could she not have been recalled to active duty to at least front the public via the Assembly’s estimates or some other special hearings process?
Or encouraged to make some other form of public presentation of explanation that would fill in gaps about why she did what she did and for so long, whether her highlevel executive team were keen converts to the cause or head-nodding lemmings, and what she believed was actually being achieved from this particular stream of contract expenditure.
Despite the cost and questionable content of the numerous “transformational change and thinking” contracts, CIT annual
reports only mentioned them briefly and vaguely.
Having paid someone more than $700,000 over two years while not carrying out any specified duties, the public deserves some direct and honest enlightenment instead of just being told about a well-timed retreat from the public payroll.
How many more ACT government financial decision-making and monitoring processes, internal and external to CIT, still require much more attention and explanation so that from now on, they too can be confidently relied upon as “good” ones for the territory?
Sue Dyer, Downer
Jon Stanhope and Khalid Ahmed’s article (“Barr tops his baker’s dozen of failed budgets”, CN July 4) should at the very least concern Canberrans, and will more likely raise alarm.
An unfolding budget wreck is more and more evident as time goes on.
If the Greens/Labor ACT government is voted in again later this year, what will happen with the mega-expensive tram project to Woden if a Coalition government is subsequently voted in at federal level?
With an “only too willing to help” Minister for Finance in Katy Gallagher replaced by a more reluctant minister, the ACT could well be between a rock and a hard place.
Not to mention ACT ratepayers.
Murray May, Cook
In early November, in CityNews, I expressed my concerns about the purchase by the Emergency Services Agency of a number of electric fire trucks, each costing twice as much as one normal one.
I said that there was no indication that a cost/benefit analysis had been done and that, in the event of a bushfire, I would prefer two normal firetrucks rather than one electric, especially as the environmental benefits of putting out a fire in half the time would far outweigh the benefit of going electric.
I was criticised for my stance by Braidwood mushroom farmer Peter Marshall. At least CityNews recognised a problem, which our other local paper didn’t when I first raised it with them.
Considering the article on the front page of the Canberra Times (July 1), perhaps Mr Marshall would be inclined to offer an apology as the auditor-general has the same concerns as me and the new electric fire truck is still sitting unused since May 2023. It’s another example of how the Barr/ Rattenbury government, along with the ESA, are wasting taxpayers’ money.
This government needs to go before we are all driven into bankruptcy.
Ric Hingee, Duffy
I refer to the article “Dutton’s nuclear build to cost up to $600 billion” (citynews.com.au, June 23) and the letter from Sue Dyer (CN July 4).
Of the seven sites identified by Peter Dutton, only one – Port Augusta in SA –could possibly provide the 1,800,000 litres per minute of water needed to cool a reactor core and prevent catastrophic meltdown.
Mr Dutton has revealed that multiple reactors will be built on some, if not all, sites, multiplying the water problem accordingly.
The CSIRO, organisations such as the Australian Energy Council and the Australian Energy Market Operator, and numerous energy experts have concluded that nuclear power is technically, economically and legally infeasible for Australia.
There is no capacity for uranium enrichment, and both state and federal governments prohibit the use of nuclear power. Nuclear power plants take 15 to 20 years, cost $9 to $12 billion to build, and have an average useful lifespan of 32 years.
In contrast, solar panels, either in solar farms and on rooftops, receive their energy from the giant nuclear fusion reactor at the centre of our planetary system, as alluded to by Richard Johnston (letters, CN July 4).
The sun’s energy is free to use, and will be “online” for about another five billion years.
We must now devise the most efficient and cost-effective means of capturing, using and storing the sun’s energy. This quest has
made great progress in recent years; but is really just beginning.
Dr Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin
Robert Macklin pins his far-left colours in his column criticising former and future US president Donald Trump (“Why we all can’t get enough of Donald Trump”, CN June 27), including fat shaming and other physical characteristics, yet nothing about current President Joe Biden’s vacant stare, open-gate mouth and unsteady gait. He fails to recognise that Trump was the only world leader to broker peace deals with Middle-Eastern Arab countries, lower the jobless rate and increase manufacturing in the US during his only term as president. He also kept the illegal immigrants out of the country, which has now been flooded with them in record numbers under the hapless Biden. When elected, all the far-left critics predicted Trump would start a world war, but no new wars were started, yet under Biden we have had the Russia/Ukraine and Israel/ Palestine wars escalate to massive proportions. Does Macklin really think that Biden, after the presidential debate, is really capable of running a country rather than Trump? Or is he like the other left-leaning media outlets that have hidden Biden’s physical and mental decline from all to see for years only to act surprised now, like it’s just a recent thing?
Ian Pilsner, Weston
The ACT Greens’ proposal to shut down thoroughbred horse racing in the ACT is a misguided approach that echoes their detrimental decision to end greyhound racing, which resulted in significant job losses, reduced revenue and limited entertainment options for ratepayers.
Horse racing is not merely a sport; it is an integral part of our cultural heritage and an economic driver, providing employment for hundreds of individuals, from trainers and jockeys to support staff and local businesses.
The closure of Thoroughbred Park would devastate our community, stripping away a source of enjoyment and tradition for many, while also causing financial harm. The revenue generated by horse racing supports vital community projects and services, contributing to the overall well-being of the ACT.
The Greens’ policies, driven by extreme views on animal welfare, fail to recognize the stringent regulations and continuous improvements within the horse racing industry aimed at ensuring animal safety and welfare. Instead of outright bans, a more balanced approach that promotes animal welfare through regulation and oversight would be far more effective. By opposing the closure of thorough -
bred racing, we stand not only for the preservation of jobs and economic stability but also for the protection of our cultural and recreational heritage. It’s time to find common ground that values both animal welfare and the significant contributions of the horse racing industry to our community.
Errol Good, Macgregor
Words and their meanings do change, though mostly because we’re too lazy to find out if there’s an existing alternative that fits better. Somewhat contradictorily, we also believe that what we learned growing up was the right way (no matter which older generation it was).
Clive Williams (CN June 27), eloquent though he is, has taken us down a bumpy road by overstating the word “acronym”. It once meant helping make our understanding easier by identifying a simple, everyday word from the initials of a longer phrase or title. “MAD”, derived from “Mutually Assured Destruction”, was a very apt example during the cold-war. Or you can do it in reverse. Take a common, easily remembered word, then contrive a title whose initials made up the word. Thus, a few years later, “SALT” became “Strategic Arms Limitations Talks”. This process became known as a “backronym”.
But it’s still lazy days. Now, a group of initials that don’t necessarily form a word, are nevertheless also called “acronyms”.
Clive instances “ATM” as one, but fails to mention the grammatical definition for this variation is actually “initialism” – more precise and descriptive than “acronym”. Grammatical change isn’t the end of the world, but it is significant if it detracts from the precise communication expected of professional writers – for instance, with the seemingly lost, but important difference between “regime” and “regimen”.
Sorry to be a pedant folks but it’s in my deoxyribonucleic acid (initialised of course).
Eric Hunter, Cook
Clive Williams suggests that “many find acronyms annoying” (CN June 27).
I am a big fan of acronyms. But I do find it irritating when people don’t know the difference between acronyms and initialisms, or when they lazily merge the two and call them all acronyms. An acronym is formed when the initial letter or groups of letters or sounds for two or more words are then pronounced as a word. So SCUBA is an acronym as are NATO, ANZAC, and NASA.
If you pronounce the individual letters, like MRI, USA, or HTTP, it’s an initialism rather than an acronym. Make sure you know your PIN (acronym) before you step up to the ATM (initialism).
And, for the record, Wi-Fi doesn’t mean “wireless fidelity” so is not an acronym at all.
Jimmy Yonder, Duffy
Clive Williams (CN, 27 June) rightly hints at the problematic use of acronyms. While acronyms provide efficient shorthand when used within a work domain or subcultural group, they can be excluding when communicated to people outside those groups. Indeed, arcane acronyms are often used to demonstrate that the speaker is part of an “in-group”. Unfortunately, many public servants feel compelled to use acronyms when writing to the public, when it would be more courteous to use fully expanded terms each time. Readers should not be forced to undertake an internet search to decode acronyms.
As a pedantic aside, most sources define acronyms as abbreviations which can also be pronounced phonetically as a word (e.g. TAFE and Laser). In contrast, abbreviations of terms where the letters are spelled out orally are initialisms (e.g. FBI and ATM).
Jonathan Miller, Curtin
I refer to the letter by Dave Rogers (CN July 4) about light rail operating costs (CN July 4) commenting on my letter of June 20.
First, he did not clearly state the $675 million for Stage 1 was the capital cost but, rather, he said the total cost of Stage 1 was $675 million.
The rest of his letter ignores the fact that the contract was for $1.78 billion (auditor-general’s figure), which included capital cost and 20 years of operations and maintenance costs (O&M).
The ACT government paid $350 million upon commissioning in April 2019, with the balance of capital and O&M cost paid in annual instalments over the next 20 years.
Although the contract itself has never been made public (ostensibly for confidentiality reasons), such contracts normally provide, within reason, for escalation of cost components over the course of the contract.
But we do not know for sure what the contract says, given the endemic propensity of the government not to disclose light rail costs or contract terms and conditions.
Max Flint, co-ordinator, Smart Canberra Transport
Why not save the trees on Commonwealth Avenue outside Albert Hall (the nicest part of Canberra if you ask me) and hook the light rail left into King Edward Terrace instead, taking tourists to the National Library, Questacon, the Portrait Gallery, the National Gallery and the Old Parliament House, before turning right on to Kings Ave and then State Circle?
Danny Corvini, Turner
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Be it a fluffy kitten, a loyal dog or a talkative parrot, for many people pets can seem like family members.
We always want the best for our loved ones, so it’s important to also look after our furry, feathered and scaly friends. In this feature we talk to some of the best people in the business when it comes to looking for a new pet or caring for the ones already part of the family.
Canberra Aquarium Maintenance has been providing marine aquariums, or, salt-water tanks, to the Canberra community for the past 10 years, says owner Anton Polak.
Recently, he says the team have also been engaging in sustainable, hobby coral propagation.
“We really care about the livestock,” Anton says.
“We have pest-free coral that have been propagated time and time again, so never seen surf, never seen sun and they tend to do a lot better, they thrive indoors.”
In addition to their pest-free coral, Anton says they quarantine all their fish for two weeks, as marine fish can become diseased easily.
“We offer healthy, pest-free fish. That makes
a big difference, because people’s whole collections can be wiped out,” he says.
“Other shops are following suit now, because they realised how important that is for the long-term viability of people’s tanks.
“You don’t want to spend $10,000 on a marine tank and then all your fish die because they weren’t quarantined.”
Maintaining and building aquariums is also a major part of the business, says Anton, and they can organise routine tank maintenance visits to residential and commercial sites.
Canberra Aquarium Maintenance, 7c/173 Flemington Road Mitchell. Call 0400 411185 or visit canberraaquarium.com.au
The team at Canberra Aquarium and Pond Maintenance has the expertise to help you achieve an ideal balance in creating a living piece of art and the perfect environment for your cherished fish.
Proudly servicing Canberra and the surrounding areas, our services extend to the maintenance of freshwater, tropical aquariums, marine environments, coldwater habitats, and Koi and Goldfish Ponds.
Our team, backed by over two decades of experience, is always ready to provide quality service.
• Aquarium Repairs & Maintenance
• Aquarium Builds & Rentals
• Aquarium Relocations
• Custom Made Aquariums
• Aquarium Supplies
• Pond Maintenance
• Aquascaping
• 24/7 Emergency Service
7C/173 Flemington Road, Mitchell 0400 411 185 | info@canberraaquarium.com.au canberraaquarium.com.au
Aviary offers a great time away with the birds
Parrots, finches, doves and quail are among the birds ready to interact at the Canberra Walk-in Aviary, says owner and manager Mick Logan.
The aviary is great fun for all ages.
Now is the best time to get up close and personal with a range of friendly, free-flying birds, he says.
“While not all birds will interact with you, visitors get the chance to observe, up close, species of birds that otherwise would be hard to see in the wild,” Mick says.
“We provide a small plate of food and a tub of mealworms and you can wander around and feed the birds.
“Provided the weather is fine, you
can have a great time feeding the birds, taking photos or just observing our feathered friends.”
The aviary is a 1000sqm planted walk-in enclosure that has more than 500 birds from about 65 different species from Australia and the world, Mick says.
“We accept student and senior concession cards,” he says.
The aviary is open every day, 10am4pm, with last admissions at 3.30pm.
Canberra Walk-in Aviary, unit 13, Federation Square, O’Hanlon Place, Nicholls. Call 6230 2044 or visit canberrawalkinaviary.com.au
Proudly family-owned since 1986, Discount Glass is the longest established glazing business in Belconnen, providing Canberrans all their responsive and planned glass needs for 38 years, says co-owner Olivia Rogan.
Discount Glass has rapidly gained a reputation for installing quality pet doors, which allow easy access in and out of the home for cats or dogs without compromising the home’s security, Olivia says.
Pet ownership has surged since the covid pandemic, and with Canberra’s cat containment laws, Olivia says this is a particularly popular service.
She says each pet door they install is unique to the needs of the pet and the layout of the home.
“Glass can make a big difference to the house in many ways people might not at first think,” says Olivia.
“We install glass that helps with comfort, safety, practicality and decorative purposes.”
On average, Olivia says Discount Glass measures, quotes and installs about 20 pet
Discount Glass, 4 Purdue Street, Belconnen. Call 6253 1099 or visit discountglass.com.au
For Sandy Borgo, owner of Charlie & Chums, dogs are so much more
“Dogs are always there for me and I for them,” she says.
“My dogs are my solace in life and I’m not the only one, many people find their pets are their best friends. They keep you active and give you happiness in life.”
Sandy’s love for dogs encouraged her to buy a particular keychain while travelling in Venice, and when she returned home she was inundated with compliments on it.
“Everybody just marvelled over it, they thought it was fabulous,” she says.
Sandy says that although it was from Venice she knew they must’ve had to buy it wholesale from somewhere.
“So I sat there and searched the internet,” she says.
“I started with that and jewellery and a small amount of pet products, in pop-up stores, and then progressed into a shop for four years.”
Sandy is now online only, but she still has a huge range of products available.
“I’ve got dog collars and leads, dog and cat wooden plaques, and bright metal dog and cat metal plaques,” she says. “The bright metal plaques list the pet traits.
“We have dog hooks and dog-treat jars.”
Also available is giftware, including spec holders, ladies’ ponchos, scarves and brooches, says Sandy.
Sandy says she also has sculptures of dogs and cats made from old 44-gallon metal drums, from the company
Charlie & Chums. Call 0402 097580 or visit charlieandchums.com.au
More than 3.6 million Australians are affected by chronic pain, according to support group Chronic Pain Australia.
Chronic pain is considered to be pain lasting longer than three months and although it can be a symptom of a known illness or injury, it can also exist without a clear reason at all.
This year National Pain Week runs from July 22-July 28 and aims to bring awareness to the condition and encourage people to seek support and advice from others, rather than suffering in silence.
In preparation for National Pain Week, “CityNews” speaks to some of Canberra’s experts in understanding and treating pain.
Arthritis ACT can support people no matter what type of chronic pain condition they have, says CEO, Rebecca Davey.
“It’s important to remain active at all ages, to condition muscles that protect against injury”, she says, and Arthritis ACT has solutions for people of varying abilities.
“Many of our programs are held as group programs. This helps keep the costs down for you, but it also means you get to meet other participants who are dealing with similar issues,” she says.
“Sometimes when we’re living with invisible disabilities or illnesses, you feel really isolated because you feel no one else understands. In our programs, everyone understands. Many people come to our programs and make lifelong friends with others who really do ‘get you’.”
Rebecca says Arthritis ACT has staff who are not only experts in their fields, but many are peers in that they also live with the conditions themselves.
debilitating fatigue.
“We also encourage loved ones to join this course with you, to help them to increase their understanding of the challenges that you are facing,” she says.
“This means we really understand where you are coming from, your fears, your hopes, and what you can do,” she says.
Arthritis ACT, Pain Support & ME/CFS ACT, 170 Haydon Drive, Bruce. Call 1800 011041 or visit arthritisact.org.au
Dr Trevor Law, sports medicine doctor of Global Health Plus, says feet are important for biomechanical balance, like the foundation of a building, and biomechanical assessment is a significant part of his assessment for any chronic musculoskeletal pain.
Trevor, who started his sports medicine practice in 1992, provides a range of services, including general sports medicine, custom-made foot orthotics and injections for injury recovery.
“The injections include cortisone, platelet rich plasma (PRP) and prolotherapy,” he says, and all injections are done under ultrasound guidance.
The choice of injection depends on the nature
of injury – acute or chronic, Trevor says.
“For chronic painful conditions such as osteoarthritis of hips, knees and ankles, PRP injection, joint fluid replacement injection or cortisone injection can be used with good results,” he says.
“For any pain problem, it is important to find out the underlying cause so that successful treatment is used for long-term effect.
“It is more effectively treated when the cause of pain is identified early before it becomes chronic.”
“The Walking Clinic was founded in 1978 by Richard Lee, my father,” says Ricky Lee, director and principal podiatrist of The Walking Clinic.
“We were the first podiatry clinic in the region, growing into a network of five clinics across the bush capital.”
The Walking Clinic has also opened a sixth clinic in Manuka.
“Every patient is given personalised attention and quality customer care.
“We understand that everyone’s needs and conditions are unique, requiring a bespoke approach to treatment.
“Listening, guiding and empathising with our patient’s needs and concerns delivers a treat-
ment journey focused on results, and improving the lives of those we engage with.”
Ricky says his aim is to deliver optimum foot health for all patients.
“Allowing them to either get back on their feet as soon as possible or maintain their health, allowing all to complete the things that they love to do,” he says.
“We want to help our clientele become painfree, and put smiles back on their faces.”
The Walking Clinic. Lyneham, 6249 1758. Belconnen, 6251 5149. Manuka, 6201 1788. Woden, 6282 5466. Kippax, 6133 9654. Garran, 6147 5797. Visit walkingclinicpodiatrist.com.au
Podiatrists at The Walking Clinic are here to help you , free from pain, free to move and free to play.
Tues 23 July, 11am-12pm
Understanding Foot Pain – a Step Towards Relief
Linda Clee, physiotherapist
Thurs 25 July, 1pm-2pm The Management of Joint Pain
Dr Roopa Gawarikar, joint pain specialist
Thurs 25 July, 2pm-3pm Solving Sciatica
Sophie Bullock, exercise physiologist
Fri 26 July, 11.30am-12.30pm Opioids and Chronic Pain
Dr Geoffrey Speldewinde, pain and rehabilitation medicine specialist
To register for any of these sessions – please call 6251 2055 or email info@arthritisact.org.au
In a native garden there’s always room for a casuarina. They range from large trees to ground covers.
The most common in our region is the large Casuarina cunninghamiana, or She Oak, which grows along our rivers, lakes and waterways. If space is at a premium and you still want to grow casuarinas, then a grafted plant will be easier. Cousin it (Casuarina glauca) will grow successfully here. It also grows well in pots. The National Botanic Gardens has a display of casuarinas.
Considered a long-lived plant, it grows best cascading over a wall with a spread about a metre wide. Botanically, the leaves of the genus Casuarinaceae are small scalelike teeth that grow in branchlets. They photosynthesise the same way as leaves do and this only occurs in this genius, which makes them easy to identify. They are dioecious and can be male or female trees except for Casuarina equisetifolia, which would only be successful to grow on the south coast or a warmer climate. But there are local species to try for large gardens or acreage, such as forest oak, black oak or drooping she-oak,
which is my favourite and worth growing as a large shrub or small tree.
It has lovely pendulous branches, with female cones that are decorative and stay on the tree for several years or the male tree that produces copious amounts of pollen and can be an attractive garden feature in the autumn.
NOW all the leaves have fallen and we are deep into winter, some of the bark from shrubs and trees can put on a show and none other than the Siberian dogwood.
It has many other common names such as red stem dogwood or even Sibirica, but botanically it’s Cornus alba. In spring, its new growth is lush and has lovely cream/white flowers in summer. It’s great for growing as an informal hedge. It’s also a good plant for reducing erosion and it doesn’t mind soggy feet making it a good plant for a rain drain or a boggy area of the garden. It grows well on the edge of a dam and will spread. It is most striking in winter when the leaves have fallen and the vibrant stems can be seen.
There is also a striking, yellow-stemmed dogwood (C. sericea) that grows up to three metres tall or can be pruned shorter. It’s a tough plant with year-round interest that’s most effective when planted en masse
KEEP watering rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias and any shrubs that are coming up to
flowering in late winter or early spring.
IT’S a good time to be dividing perennials such as shasta daisies, heuchera and any clumping perennials. They can be divided with a sharp spade, making sure there still are roots attached to the main stem of the plant. Then replant into the soil or a pot and water when new growth appears. Garden tools can get a clean while the digging has quietened down, and any wooden-handled tools can have a rub of linseed oil. Any machinery that gets used a lot in the warmer months, such as mowers and whipper snippers, can do with a service ready for spring and summer use. Prepare soil with a little lime for growing onions, beans and peas. They can be planted in late winter or early spring and will be ready to harvest in February. Don’t plant too deeply or over water until the weather warms up.
jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au
• Pick broccoli, silver beet, spinach to encourage more growth.
• Spray stone fruit with a fungicide to prevent shot hole and leaf curl.
• Add dolomite lime to keep the pH at 6-7 for apple trees.
By Helen Musa
Shakespeare’s Hamlet has got everything – a ghost, plenty of comedy, deep philosophical reflection and, in the spirit of Elizabethan theatre, it’s a riproaring revenge tragedy.
To an opera lover then, the prospect of see ing Australian composer Brett Dean’s opera Hamlet is nothing short of breathtaking.
But the production opening at Sydney Opera House on July 20, with Anglo-German conductor Tim Anderson holding the baton, will have even more fascination for Canber rans, as ANU School of Music-trained divas Lorina Gore and Catherine Carby feature in the principal roles of Ophelia and Gertrude.
Hamlet premiered in 2017 at the Glyndebourne Festival UK and has since been staged at the Adelaide Festival, New York’s Metropolitan Opera and most recently at the Munich Opera Festival.
Very much a product of the Canberra arts scene, Gore cut her teeth as a young girl performing at Daramalan College and with the late Stephen Pike’s cabaret venue Tarzan’s doing light musical theatre numbers and even a bit of rock ‘n’ roll.
With no exposure to opera in her family, it was a work-experience job while at school that brought her in contact with the art form when she enjoyed a week’s placement with Opera Australia in Sydney, spent time in the wardrobe and props departments, sitting in to see David Hobson rehearsing Gluck’s Orpheus and Eurydice and feeling sure he
was singing to her – she was the only one in the audience.
“I didn’t know people could sing like that without microphones,” she says.
Gore has since established herself as one of Australia’s leading sopranos working in contemporary music although she’s had her fair share of classics, performing Violetta in
La Traviata and Musetta in La Bohème, to name just two roles.
She first came to note in the UK singing the title role of Alban Berg’s Lulu and, back here, Honey Barbara in Dean’s earlier opera, Bliss, adapted from Peter Carey’s novel.
Hamlet is another thing altogether and librettist Matthew Jocelyn, who believes it is the greatest literary work of all, has taken sections from different versions of the work to give a contemporary take on the famous play.
Gore, of course, has the show-stopping role of Ophelia, complete with that stockin-trade of the operatic soprano, a fabulous mad scene where she appears covered in mud and weeds – “a very demanding role,”
“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in music, but the most rewarding,” she says.
“Brett’s music is so difficult that it’s amazing that I’ve come back for a second time.”
Mind you, her opposite number, British tenor Allan Clayton, as Hamlet, has done it five times and Gore’s Adelaide performance won her a Helpmann award in 2018.
The opera is directed by Neil Armfield.
“Neil is one of my absolute favourite directors, he has a way of bringing out the authenticity of works,” she says.
Armfield challenged them to interpret the work in different ways, so that when Hamlet tells Ophelia, “get thee to a nunnery”, maybe he wants to protect her or maybe to offend her, using the more Elizabethan
idea that nunnery was another word for a brothel – the ambiguity is in line with Dean’s score, which includes electronic music and cinema-like surround effects.
It’s fascinating to work with the subtle Clayton, she reports, but she’s just as taken with the performance of her stage father, Polonius, by Kanen Breen, who brings another level to the role, showing how Ophelia is controlled and dictated to by men.
Arguably, she says, drowning herself is the only independent thing she’s ever done and this production highlights the misogyny.
After a hard day’s rehearsal Gore sometimes feels exhausted, but works it off by sewing, something her mother taught her to do and that she’s kept up, even making clothes for her son Joshua when he was small. Returning to Armfield, she says the wonderful thing about his directing is that nothing is ever black-and-white. The same goes for Dean, so there is some hilarious music for the characters of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern; “a bit like Tweedledee and Tweedledum,” she says.
And although as in Shakespeare, not many people come out alive, it’s not all doom and gloom.
“It’s a very beautiful production,” she says, “Ralph Myers’ set is sleek and Alice Babidge has costumed the whole chorus in pale taffeta… It looks classy.”
Hamlet, Sydney Opera House, July 20-August 9.
Everyone has heard stories of nightmare roommates.
Whether rude, messy, creepy or worse, there’s nothing quite like a tale of someone reigning terror in your own home.
Well Netflix, as they do, has taken this idea and ramped it up to an extreme degree.
A documentary series on the platform called Worst Roommate Ever has hunted down the craziest true stories of bizarre and frightening roommates and assorted them into a collection of eight episodes.
In one of these stories, a young woman recounts the terrifying story of how her roommate tried to slowly poison her after getting on her will.
That’s just scratching the surface of this madness.
Another episode follows a group of teens who become the centre of a major investigation after discovering a suitcase of dismembered limbs.
I won’t spoil any more for those who want to watch, but there are plenty of these bizarre and baffling stories to get into, with the show just debuting its second season.
Unsurprisingly, the series has proven a major hit, tapping into a niche but very real anxiety about what someone might be up to in the room next door.
Might have to watch Friends or something after this one to restore some faith in living with others.
ARRIVING on Amazon Prime Video this month is one of 2023’s biggest flicks.
Songbirds and Snakes is the prequel to the hit franchise about teens fighting for their lives in a showdown designed to entertain the ruling masses.
The Battle of Songbirds and Snakes follows the villain of the original Hunger Games, President Snow, and is set during the tenth Hunger Games some 64 years before the first film.
At this point in the story, Snow (Tom Blyth) is a well-to-do 18-year-old in the capital who enforces the Games. His loyalties become strained when he’s tasked with
This blockbuster prequel opened to middling reviews compared to its predecessors, but fans of the franchise will likely find plenty of enjoyment in this entry to the saga.
Its release on streaming comes as Suzanne Collins, the author of The Hunger Games books, confirms she’s got another one in the works that will also be converted into a film.
The original quadrilogy of movies can be found on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and Stan. They’re well worth a watch or rewatch af-
and enigmatic charm. Rest in peace.
ALSO now streaming is one of the most lauded films of last year, The Zone of Interest. Nominated for best picture and the winner of best international flick, it tells the story of Auschwitz Commandant Rudolf Höss, who
tries to build a life with his family in a house right next door to the concentration camp.
A harrowing, fascinating and unconventional story, The Zone of Interest has well earned its praise and award nominations. It’s available on Stan and is one for when viewers are in the mood for something more sombre but is a masterpiece well worth watching.
The film is spoken in German and Polish, but don’t let that deter from what is sure to end up on many future lists of the most historic war films.
DISNEY Plus has gone shark crazy for Shark Week.
It’s releasing Shark Attack 360, Shark Beach, Baby Sharks in the City, Sharks vs Ross Edgley, Supersized Sharks, Attack of the Red Sea Sharks and Sharks Gone Viral.
Quite a list and all released in the space of just a few days, so for anyone interested in the prehistoric beasts it’s the place to be.
What about Jaws though, Disney? Wouldn’t want to put that one in the kids’ collection.
Elvis tribute artist Ben Portsmouth embarked on his career in 2005 when he formed the Taking Care of Elvis band. Praised by fans for his close resemblance to Elvis Presley, he will be at Canberra Southern Cross Club on July 17.
The Girl Who Glows, by Zeeko and Jo Turner, is a musical adventure for the school holidays made in Canberra about a girl who glows. Zeeko – musicians Jess Green, David Hewitt and Jess Ciampa – combined with theatre maker Jo Turner to cre ate a work Inspired by Julia Baird’s book Phosphorescence. Expect original songs, puppets, rapping platypuses, operatic tortoise frogs and mystical curlews on an epic trans-Australian journey. The Street Theatre, July 18-21.
Canberra secondary school students have shone in Musica Viva Australia’s National Strike a Chord competition. The Australian Music Prize of $1000 went to BAM, a
Elvis tribute artist Ben Portsmouth… Southern Cross Club on July 17.
from Narrabundah College and Canberra Grammar. The Junior Prize of $200 went to the Kingsland Cello Trio, students from Charles Weston Primary, Canberra Grammar and Canberra Girls Grammar. The novice winner of $400 was the ANU Junior Guitar Ensemble, classical guitar students from Telopea Park High School and Canberra High School. And, making it through to the Grand Final in August, is Syncopact, a marimba and percussion group from Canberra Girls Grammar, Mount Stromlo and Lyneham High School.
The National Gallery has announced a shortlist of five finalists
for the $60 million Sculpture Garden Design Competition, which called for designs to revitalise the threehectare garden. The winning design will be announced in October.
Canberra photographers Hilary Wardhaugh and Ian Skinner are among the 35 selected finalists in the Australian Photographic Society and Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre’s 2024 Mullins Conceptual Photographic Prize.
Canberra-raised filmmaker James Hunter’s short black-and-white bush psychodrama Nest was named one of the 25 “coolest” festival films in the world by MovieMaker Magazine and has been shown at international film festivals from Vancouver to Barcelona. Now, Hunter tells us, it is viewable online at youtube.com
Nicholas Thomas’ new book
Gauguin and Polynesia, with 100 full-page colour illustrations, comes at a most appropriate time, given the current NGA Paul Gauguin exhibition, curated by Henri Loyrette, former presidentdirector of the Musée du Louvre.
Loyrette has stated: “This is the first exhibition devoted to Gauguin and Oceania, a survey of his entire corpus as seen from his final destination, the Marquesas”. Polynesia was basically Gauguin’s home for the last 12 years of his life until his death in 1903.
Thomas reflects: “Major museums well aware that a Gauguin blockbuster will sell tickets as almost no other show can, try increasingly to have it both ways, vaunting the art, while inviting debate”.
In the international art world, Gauguin is a box-office hit with, at least, six exhibitions of his work in the last decade. How do galleries balance Gauguin commercial success with heightened public sensitivity to issues of gender, race and colonial appropriation?
The pictures of Tahitian women set against exotic colourful locales have certainly established the Gauguin image. The first Gauguin souvenir postcards were sold in 1913 and today Gauguin posters abound
and a major Polynesian luxury cruise ship is named after him.
Thomas, former ANU academic, now professor of historical anthropology at Cambridge University, contributed to the NGA exhibition catalogue as well as participating
in a major seminar.
In his preface to Gauguin and Polynesia, Thomas, writes: “Gauguin has become one of the most popular of all modern artists, but also been regarded with deep ambivalence, and is now censured, seen as a sexual predator in life and a colonialist in his art, guilty on multiple counts of cultural appropriation.”
A previous Gauguin exhibition at the Courtauld Institute in London had stimulated a Times newspaper headline, “You can’t enjoy Gauguin without guilt”. New York art writer Meredith Mendelsohn wrote in 2017: “While there are plenty of white, male artists whose troubling lifestyles can be understood somewhat separately from their art, the difficulty with Gauguin is that his behaviour is laid bare on his canvases.”
Which leads directly to the question: does the character of an artist matter when we are looking at his/her work?
Thomas says that his book “is interested in rescuing the art from the artist and from the myths that he invented around the meanings and ambitions of his work” and “tries to offer another way of seeing Gauguin, beyond the standoff”, ie between opposing artistic and historical camps.
Dr Lucina Ward, NGA’s curator of international art, has said through “the lens of the 21st century, we may know him for the wrong reasons – and we’re completely acknowledging that, and facing up to that.
By Helen Musa
There’s something in the air this winter as local theatre companies place stress on virtuoso acting.
This is exactly what’s going on with Echo Theatre’s new production of Bombshells by Joanna MurraySmith, coming up at The Q. Originally written for just one actor, the musical theatre star Caroline O’Connor, but under the direction of Jordan Best, it’s been transformed into a tour de force for six talented female actors.
The play has been around for a while, with the Melbourne Theatre Company’s 2001 production transferring to London in 2004 and four of the monologues from Bombshells televised by the ABC in 2003.
“I’ve opted to do it with six actors,” Best says.
“I thought it seemed to be quite extraordinary watching one actor, like watching a magic trick, but somehow I didn’t want to show off what clever actors can do, I wanted audiences to get lost in the characters.
“Joanna Murray-Smith’s writing is so complex. I asked myself, how can she write six well-drawn and distinctly different voices with different speech patterns?”
But there’s something moving about six actors bringing their own life experience into those characters, who range from a 64-year-old widow to a high school student.
The original production featured compositions by Elena KatsChernin, but Jordan has engaged
assisting with instrumentation.
Each character, she reports, exists in her own little world and it’s not a big blockbuster show, so doesn’t need a lot of space.
All the characters have chairs, but in different settings, for instance the cabaret singer Zoe creates a different atmosphere. Each character references another character in the script.
There’s a mother, Meryl Davenport, played by Amy Kowalczuk , recently seen as Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire. Her monologue reflects what happens in a non-stop 24-hour day. Familiar to anyone who has had children, it shows the judgements you put on yourself, the endless need for a cup of coffee and the inability to drink it. In short, it’s a perfect snapshot of exhaustion.
Then there’s Tiggy Entwhistle, played by Kate Harris, whose husband has left her. She’s giving a talk to a cactus appreciation society so it’s funny and also a little bit sad,
Sally Taylor plays Mary O’Donnell, a young student at a Catholic high school who’s about to enter a talent show, but forced to improvise, with hilarious results.
Ella Buckley plays Theresa McTerry, a disillusioned bride getting ready for the wedding and fantasising about what she hasn’t done, another funny-but-sad role.
Alice Ferguson plays 64-yearold Winsome Webster, a widow entering a new phase of life who starts reading for a young art school student.
Finally, there’s Zoe Struthers, played by Lainie Hart . She’s an American cabaret singer – the role was a showstopper for O’Connor and is likely to be the same for Hart. Hers is a monologue where she talks about all the relationships in her life but ending on a triumphal with the conclusion that you don’t have to tie your life to men.
Bombshells. At The Q, Queanbeyan, July 18-27.
There’s no point not talking about these things. [But] Gauguin is one of those artists in the 19th century, that if there were no Gauguin, 20th and 21st century art would be really, really different”.
NGA Director Nick Mitzevich has said that the NGA sees the exhibition “as an opportunity to connect artists across the Moana Pacific… and invite new perspectives to Gauguin’s life and legacy”.
Thomas, with more than 40 years of Oceania research, places Gauguin firmly in the framework of Polynesian history and culture, juxtaposing myth and colonial modernity.
Thomas is interested in “rescuing the art from the artist” and is “struck by a kind of disconnect between the image of Gauguin as an artist and the critical image of Gauguin that has become increasingly prominent in recent years”.
While Gauguin “was undoubtedly captive to stereotypes of the exotic and the primitive”, Thomas finds in many of his paintings a desire to engage with contemporary Tahitians.
Thomas examines Polynesian local beliefs, ceremonies, landscape and daily life in the context of Gauguin’s art and his
legacy, placing the female dress and textiles that women wore in Gauguin’s paintings in a contemporary context rather than “a prelapsarian past”.
He reflects, however, “Gauguin‘s marital relationships with young Polynesian women were certainly troubling, although within the French legal marital limits of the time, the bigger problem is… that certainly later in life, he is carrying syphilis and passing that on”.
Thomas ultimately neither celebrates nor condemns, noting that Gauguin’s work “is in the end somehow affirming, or irretrievably pernicious, is beyond resolution”.
Thomas delivers a meticulously researched, fresh perspective on Gauguin’s life and art within the Polynesian framework.
Gauguin’s largest surviving painting and self-described masterpiece, ‘’Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?’’ is perhaps ultimately the key reflection from Gauguin and Polynesia.
Gauguin and Poly nesia. By Nicholas Thomas. Head of Zeus. $79.99.
The vibrant world of Greek gastronomy is becoming increasingly abundant in Canberra, including at the relatively new Kivotos Wine Bar in Braddon, well worth a visit.
We shared the love with all dishes, immersing ourselves in full, intriguing flavours and wellexecuted food from start to finish.
I’m a big fan of high-quality Greek dips and none of us had tried one created with fava before ($14). It was super creamy and sensational with the organic yellow split peas whipped together with caramelised onion for sweetness and salty capers. We could not stop dipping.
Have some fun with the moussaka paddle pops ($18), so crunchy on the outside and lush on the inside. We adored the paprika labna and roasted pepper elixir.
Another winner of a dish was the slices of crispy fried zucchini and eggplant with special spices and the oh-so-popular kefalograviera cheese, salty, nutty and piquant ($16).
Saganaki – such a famous Greek dish – was pan-seared with a sensational pistachio dukkah and a honey vinegar, with the honey delicate
and subtle ($16). I would say it was just slightly dry in parts but that didn’t stop us from finishing every morsel.
For mains we could not go by the authentic Greek lamb chops, lusciously thick and beautifully pink with perky pistachios on top for texture ($34). They were served on a superior, fresh cous-cous salad with tomatoes, and we dipped the lamb in the accompanying smear of saffron-infused spiced yoghurt with gusto.
As a side we indulged – and I mean indulged – in to-die-for roasted lemon potatoes ($12). They were perfectly balanced with EVOO, garlic, bay leaf and oregano. The roasting was an art in and of itself.
The wine list is well thought-through and features traditional Greek and international varietals from some of the most sought-after wine regions in the country. We savoured the Psarades Pluto (2022) dry organic white wine – elegant and well-balanced with the right amount of acidity for the food we ordered.
On the recommendation from staff, we topped off our wonderful Kivotos experience with a gorgeous glass of chilled Mastiha, a sweet liqueur. It’s said that Mastiha is a resin secreted from the skinos tree, found only in Chios, Greece. Kivotos has a dry version and a slightly sweeter take on the Mastiha. It’s a lovely replacement for dessert, although the Greek donuts sounded delish, as did the baklava cheesecake and dark chocolate and olive oil mouse (all $16).
Kivotos has friendly and attentive service. The Greek music added to the ambiance and was at the right level. Kivotos has dining on two levels with my recommendation to select the lower level so the noise from the kitchen isn’t quite so prominent.
I reported some time ago that, despite the wine industry’s pleas, the federal government provided zero budget assistance to help growers tackle the economic damage caused by the current oversupply of red wine and the related increasing economic disadvantage in regional Australia.
But wind forward to June 12 and the Albanese government announced a $3.5 million Grape and Wine Sector Long-term Viability Support Package.
The two ministers who made the announcement, Agriculture Minister Murray Watt and Trade Minister Don Farrell, said the money was to support the long-term viability of the grape and wine industry and to respond to the oversupply of red wine.
The package will fund a range of activities that aim to build demand and new markets for wine both domestically and internationally, provide better data for growers to make decisions and diversify into alternative products.
In addition, the federal government announced that it will assist wine producers grow domestic sales and promote agritourism by supporting the Wine Tourism and Cellar Door Grant Program for another year. This program is aimed at allowing wine and cider businesses to share $10 million in funding to help attract visitors to Australian wine regions and promote agri-tourism.
and Wine Sector Working Group’s consultations.
The initial group’s related finding is that the number of grapevines, large 2021 vintage, global market trends and loss of the China market have all contributed to the current oversupply and lower prices through the supply chain. The group will provide a final report to government in July.
Much of the government’s messaging was about the re-opening of the Chinese market following the lifting of punitive tariffs in late March this year.
Minister Farrell said more than 350 Australian wine producers and businesses have re-established exports to mainland China since duties were removed.
He said that in one month since the lifting of the tariffs, Australia exported more than $86 million of wine to China. This is a good start to an uphill battle. In 2019, Australia sold just over $1.2 billion of wine to China, to capture a market share close to 40 per cent. But in 2023 this had fallen to under $1 million.
In one month since the lifting of the tariffs, Australia exported more than $86 million of wine to China. This is a good start to an uphill battle.
Under the program, wine producers can apply for grants of up to $100,000 on eligible cellar door sales made during the previous financial year. These announcements come on top of $2 million for affected Australian agricultural exporters to re-establish commercial connections in China and to continue to diversify into other markets.
The government’s actions appear to be based on input from a working group established to guide policy in the sector, feedback received during the Viticulture
I asked Fergus McGhie, president of the Canberra District Wine Industry Association, what the local view was of these announcements. His reaction was that they were not relevant to the local industry:
“It’s great to see the Cellar Door Grant extended, clearly the federal government is listening to the concerns of the industry.
“However, the majority of Canberra District wineries just aren’t big enough to get the grant and it means nothing to us at all. There’s a sales and production volume threshold that only a handful of our Canberra District wineries are able to meet.
“The funding to re-establish trade with China is also welcomed by the industry but here again, there will be little benefit to the local Canberra District wineries as most of us are too small to be able to export our wines.”
“Three groups spend other people’s money: children, thieves, politicians. All three need supervision.” –Dick Armey, US politician.
By Joanne Madeline Moore
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
The week starts with a Mars/Uranus spark that will rev you up in a positive, proactive way. So it’s the perfect time to explore and experiment in exciting new directions. Then the week ends with a Mars/Neptune link that encourages creative projects and spiritual pursuits. So it’s the ideal time to paint and pray, play music and meditate, sing and chant, practice yoga and dance up a storm. Sunday’s Full Moon pushes you to follow your professional dreams.
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)
Bulls love to feel stable and comfy, and sudden changes can catapult you into a state of catatonia. This week the planetary patterns shake up your comfort zone –especially involving a planned trip, personal project or educational matter. Uranus urges you to banish boredom and take a smart calculated risk, as you stir things up via a brand-new goal or a local community connection. Sunday’s Full Moon also encourages you to be bold and adventurous.
GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)
The Full Moon shines a spotlight on money, business, investments, taxes and joint finances, so make sure they are all in working order. And the Sun makes a fabulous aspect with Uranus, so an innovative financial idea could really take flight. Mars and Jupiter are transiting through Gemini, so be proactive about maintaining your sense of humour! Be inspired by comedian (and birthday great) Robin Williams: “Laughter can be many things – sometimes a medicine.”
CANCER (June 22 – July 23)
Calling all Crabs… the Sun is transiting through your sign (until July 22) which boosts your creativity and your moodiness. There’s a Full Moon in your relationship zone on Sunday, so it’s time to look after loved ones and nurture your inner self via meditation, contemplation and relaxation. Your quote for the week is from actress Selena Gomez: “I’m such a Cancer. I feel everything so intensely, which is one of my favourite things about myself.”
LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)
The Capricorn Full Moon highlights your health zone, so it’s a good week to try a detox diet or a disciplined new exercise routine. Mercury and Venus are both vamping through your sign, which boosts your Cat charisma and playful sense of fun. So it’s also a wonderful week to turn up the charm and call in a few old favours. However, too much happy hilarity (and no action) will just annoy others (who are doing all the work). So try to walk your talk.
VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)
You’ll feel compelled to connect with your inner world or help someone in need, as the planets highlight your spiritual, humanitarian and friendship zones. With Mars and Jupiter jumping through your career zone, decisive and dynamic action is required at work. So don’t waste your numerous talents with unproductive daydreaming that goes nowhere. If you worry and procrastinate, then promising opportunities and important connections will pass you by.
LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)
Expect some tension as the Full Moon stirs up old grievances with a family member or a work colleague. If you sit back and let others make decisions, then you’ll just feel powerless. So strive to be more self-sufficient, as you use your natural diplomatic skills to help smooth troubled waters. Getting the ratio right between your public and private lives is an ongoing challenge. But if anyone can juggle complex commitments, it’s a well-balanced Libran!
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)
It’s time for sensitive Scorpios to be clever, creative and communicative. But (courtesy of the Full Moon) it’s definitely not a good week to host a jolly neighbourhood reunion or bring up sensitive childhood issues with a sibling. The planets encourage you to let go of the past and stop worrying about the future. Focus on enjoying the here and now! Be inspired by music icon Carlos Santana (who was born on July 20): “The present is where everything begins.”
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)
This week the shimmering Sun’s transiting through your dream zone, while Mars and Jupiter (your patron planet) are revving up your relationship zone. So dreams and partnerships are highlighted at the moment. It’s important to nurture and develop them – but don’t get the two confused! Iconic singer Linda Ronstadt (who turns 78 on Monday) reminds us, “The thing you have to be prepared for is that other people don’t always dream your dream.”
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)
On the weekend the feisty Full Moon lights up your sign. So relationship dramas are likely – unless you can slip out of fussy Capricorn control-freak mode and, instead, try the gentle art of compromise. Other people are acting as a mirror, reflecting negative personal traits that you may be unaware of. Use these experiences to work on your weaknesses – and build on your natural strengths. As always, calm cooperation is the key to interpersonal harmony.
AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)
Aquarians are free spirits. And you could go missing in action this week, as Uranus and the Full Moon boost your tendency to detach or run away from difficult situations. Heading for the hills or escaping into a private fantasy seems appealing, but the current problems will still be waiting when you return. So you need to get the balance right between dealing with daily challenges, when they occur, and retreating into your own quirky inner world.
PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)
This week a fortuitous power surge could inspire fabulous creative ideas and spiritual insights. But do you feel dismally disorganised? Is a lack of a daily routine letting you down? If you confuse fact with fantasy, then you could end up with a complicated mess on your hands. So do your best to keep your feet on the ground! It’s time to tune into the strong energy of Sunday’s Full Moon in earthy Capricorn, as you try a more grounded and disciplined approach.
Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2024
2 Bucharest is the capital of which republic in SE Europe? (7)
3 What are small containers for holding tea? (7)
What is a dirty mark or smear? (6) 10 To settle a bill, is to do what? (6,2) 11 Name an inflammatory affection of the throat? (6)
12 Which unit of power is defined as one joule per second? (4)
13 What is a BB gun known as? (5)
16 Which products of certain seaweeds are used for soups? (5)
19 What are units of work? (4)
21 What are forms of expression peculiar to a language? (6)
22 Name a seaside resort on the English Channel. (8)
23 What is an aggregation of persons of the same ethnic family? (6)
24 To deprive of force, or strength, is to do what? (8)
25 What is another term for bailiffs? (6)
4 What is a children’s game in which participants ride up and down on the ends of a plank? (6)
5 Name the capital city of Georgia, USA. (7)
6 What is loss of memory known as? (7)
7 Name the absence of the micro-organisms that produce septic disease. (7)
13 What are some important horse races called? (7)
14 Which term describes a person who does not accept a particular faith? (7)
15 Name a Jewish day school providing religious and secular education. (7)
17 Name an alternative term for cartilage. (7)
18 Leo McKern was known as whom, of the Bailey? (7)
20 What is another name for a transgressor? (6)
Winnunga Nimmityjah AHCS is an Aboriginal community controlled primary health care service operated by the Aboriginal community of the ACT.
In Wiradjuri language, Winnunga Nimmityjah means Strong Health. The service logo is the Corroboree Frog which is significant to Aboriginal people in the ACT.
Our aim is to provide a culturally safe, holistic health care service for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of the ACT and surrounding regions. The holistic health care provided by Winnunga AHCS includes not only medical care, but a range of programs to promote good health and healthy lifestyles.
Our services include:
• GP and Nursing
• Midwifery
• Immunisations
• Health Checks
• Men’s & Women’s Health
• Hearing Health
• Dental
• Physiotherapy
• Podiatry
• Dietician (Nutrition)
• Counselling
• Diabetes Clinic
• Quit Smoking Services / No More Boondah
• Needle Syringe Program
• Mental Health Support
• Healthy Weight Program
• Healthy Cooking Group
• Mums and Bubs Group / Child Health
• Optometry Service
• Psychology and Psychiatrist
• Community Events
• Groups
Winnunga AHCS is a national leader in accreditation, was one of the first Aboriginal community controlled health services to achieve dual accreditation under RACGP and QIC standards. Winnunga AHCS has been at the forefront of setting a national agenda for quality improvement in Aboriginal community controlled health and continues to advocate locally and nationally for best practice standards in operational and governance areas of Aboriginal health services.
CLINIC hours | MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9am-5pm
Ph: 6284 6222 | 63 Boolimba Cres, Narrabundah www.winnunga.org.au
