Men’s cooking class teaches ‘old dogs new tricks’
By Elizabeth KOVACS
Tackling kitchen skills, food preparation and nutritional knowledge, district manager Don White says Men’s Kitchen is the best opportunity for men over 60 to learn valuable skills and recharge their social batteries.
“I’ve seen men who don’t know how to cut an onion,” says Don.
“I even had to tell one man to take the brown stuff off the top first before cutting.”
Many men over the age of 60 have hardly stepped foot into the kitchen outside of grabbing something from the fridge to eat.
Traditionally a “women’s place”, new widowers, carers or those find ing themselves alone for the first time may struggle with the fundamentals of cooking.
This is where Don can help.
Retiring 18 months ago, Don was inspired by work done by the Men’s Kitchen organisation in Sydney and, alongside association president Peter Watson, helped start up their own ACT branch at the beginning of 2024.
Woden and Curtin, and are opening a third kitchen in Hawker on May 8 to cater to the northside.
group of men will soon be donning their aprons,” says Don.
The three-hour sessions, hosted twice a month, are open to 20 men.
“We start by chatting about the day’s menu and looking at the differ-
“Usually, it’s a great chance for the men to have a good chat and catch up,
Following this, the men break into groups, tackling each task while watching a live demonstration from
“It’s not just a chance to cook,” says
“It’s a valuable opportunity to so -
“One fellow that I pick up from a home now has regular coffee catch ups with the men he meets at our ses -
Don says watching the program’s success has been a “gratifying experi-
“It’s such a welcoming environment to be in, and they keep coming back!”
According to Don, one of the hardest things he has had to witness is the decline in men’s nutritional intake after the loss of a partner, often resulting in the decision to move into a home to be
“This program gives them their autonomy back,” he says.
actually do things’ has been the most enjoyable thing.”
The meal, consisting of a salad or side meal, a main and a dessert is taught by a selection of instructors from all walks of life.
“The dessert usually includes ice cream, because the men love it,” says Don.
First timers come free to test the waters and are given a green apron upon entering the kitchen.
On their second time, the men are gifted a cookbook from a head chef in Sydney and their own apron.
“The presentation is a huge hit with the men,” says Don.
“We have had instructors, both professional chefs and home cooks from early 30s all the way to their 80s teach the men.”
Currently on the search for some more volunteers to offer up their expertise, Don says the role provides a huge level of fulfillment.
“You get to see the men working together as they learn kitchen skills,” he says.
“We are teaching old dogs new tricks.
“It’s more than just a cooking class.”
An instant success, the organisation runs two kitchens in Canberra,
“Thanks to the incredible generosity of the Rotary Club of Hall and the Rotary Club of Ginninderra, another
The Christ Church in Hawker will open its doors for a new batch of men to learn how to cook and prepare (as well as eat!) a full meal.
“Many men even go home and show their families what they’ve learnt, or cook for their wives.
“Hearing things such as ‘wow, I can
Anyone interested in participating in the classes or volunteering as an instructor, at either Hawker or Curtin, should contact Don at info.cn@menskitchen.org.au or call 0456 408003.
Since 1993: Volume 31, Number: 12
General manager: Tracey Avery, tracey@citynews.com.au
Senior advertising account executive: David Cusack, 0435 380656
Advertising account executive: Damien Klemke, 0439 139001
Editor: Ian Meikle, editor@citynews.com.au
Journalist: Elizabeth Kovacs, elizabeth@citynews.com.au
Distribution manager: Penny McCarroll Peter Stanley with his old new book, The Sherrin. Photo: Rod Henshaw. Story Page 6.
Arts editor: Helen Musa, helen@citynews.com.au
Production manager: Janet Ewen
Sofronoff: integrity commission pulls no punches
Challenging the ACT Integrity Commission has become commonplace for people whose actions come under scrutiny.
The latest is former Queensland Supreme Court Justice Walter Sofronoff KC.
Mr Sofronoff, who has also been a Queensland Solicitor-General, is familiar enough with legal proceed ings and has already stated that he will challenge the findings.
The Integrity Commission’s Opera tion Juno is an extensive examination of Mr Sofronoff’s actions after he was appointed under the ACT Inquiries Act to investigate whether the aborted Lehrmann trial in 2023 had been affected by political influence or interference.
The Canberra community should appreciate that the work of the Integrity Commission has demonstrated its ability to hold people in high office to account.
lawyer, and that the report is so carefully framed builds confidence in the work of the Integrity Commission.
in the integrity of that aspect of public administration constituted by the Inquiries Act as well as the particular assessments and judgements made in the Board’s report concerning the administration of criminal justice. Accordingly, the corrupt conduct is serious”.
It is appropriate that the ACT Assembly and the machinery of government operates, and is seen to operate, with integrity. This is why an Integrity Commission was established.
Sofronoff’s action was to substitute, in place of the chief minister, who had specific legislative authority and was answerable to the Legislative Assembly, employees of media organisations whose undertakings were uncertain in scope and legally unenforceable and who were effectively answerable to no-one without an interest”.
The ACT Integrity Commission pulls no punches in a report that is thorough and damning. Even judicial officers are not above the law. Although it will be challenged, a close reading of the report reflects an approach that prepared for a legal challenge.
The Juno Report finds not only “corrupt conduct”, but “serious corrupt conduct”. Arguments by Mr Sofronoff around public interest, do not stand up to serious scrutiny.
The corruption issues considered an approach of channelling information through Janet Albrechtsen, of
The Australian. And later, early copies being made available to her and the ABC’s Elizabeth Byrne. These journalists are not the subject of any adverse findings.
The key findings of “four connected but distinct areas of concern” include:
“This impugned conduct constituted the exercise of Mr Sofronoff’s official functions in a way that was not impartial, significantly compromised the integrity of the Inquiry constituting a breach of public trust and, in respect of his communications with Ms Albrechtsen, gave rise to an apprehension of bias that affected his findings about Mr Drumgold”.
The fact that this report is so strident, that it involves a high-level
Corrupt conduct. According to the report, “in making the communications to Ms Albrechtsen and (in respect of the report) to Ms Byrne, Mr Sofronoff acted to favour their interests as journalists to the detriment of the countervailing interests of the participants and the chief minister. Accordingly, this element of the definition of corrupt conduct is also satisfied”.
There was always a smell about channelling information to a particular journalist, and most importantly, doing so in secret. The attempts at self-justification fall on deaf ears. Mr Sofronoff has been too long in the public sphere to not understand the ramifications of what he was doing. Serious corrupt conduct. The report went further. “The Commission has concluded that this is likely to have threatened public confidence
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At a time when the separation of powers is under threat in many democracies, it is timely that the community is reminded of the importance of this separation and the role that it plays in protecting our freedoms. Laws are made by the legislature. The government is responsible for the implementation and the arms of the judiciary are there to review and ensure fair application to individuals. Current assessments of democracy in the US, as an extreme example, reflect the challenge to these principles and are a cause for concern in that country and internationally.
This issue is addressed by the report when it argues: “The inevitable effect, both legally and practically, of Mr
We now await the outcome of Operation Kingfisher regarding the Campbell Primary School modernisation. This has also been a case of a legal challenge by the head of the Education Directorate. It is notable that the courts recently refused to award costs to the complainant.
The Canberra community should appreciate that the work of the Integrity Commission has demonstrated its ability to hold people in high office to account.
Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an in dependent minister for health. He has been a political columnist with “CityNews” since 2006.
Stephanie’s Boutique Lingerie is located in Manuka and welcomes you to call in and browse the wide range of new season stock, make an appointment for a personalised fitting or pick up the perfect gift
The owner of Stephanie’s Boutique Lingerie, Fil Barilaro, in her store at the Manuka Arcade.
Walter Sofronoff… the report finds not only “corrupt conduct”, but “serious corrupt conduct”. Photo: Jono Searle/AAP
LEGAL OPINION / ACT Integrity Commission
Here’s where Adams got it so wrong on Sofronoff
“The errors of judgement made by Walter Sofronoff have been compounded now by the errors of fact finding and inference made by Michael Adams.”
HUGH SELBY thinks the integrity commissioner has got it horribly wrong.
This is an article about human frailties, particularly those of two old men who are in the public eye. Both have held judicial office. Both have run investigations. Both are in the retirement phase of life. Both are strong minded, self-confident and assured. But neither escapes unscathed.
My stance is that old Walter (Sofronoff) was stupid (as commissioner inquiring into the Drumgold allegations) in his interactions with a journalist, but meant no wrong.
“Corrupt” is not an apt descriptor. There is no evidence to rebut his explanations for what he did. There is simply no evidence that he set about to circumvent what he understood as his statutory duties. Nor is there evidence that he was “dishonest” or “lacked candour and probity”.
Those, though, are conclusions made by the ACT Integrity Commissioner, old man Michael (Adams), and his subsequent adverse findings reflect them. Take them away and
most important being the embargo placed upon materials that Walter supplied to two journalists. Those embargoes were honoured.
Fact wise there is the frequent phone contact between Walter with one well-known female journalist called Janet (Albrechtsen), of The Australian. Spoken and written information was given. That’s it, nothing more.
leaked another copy of Walter’s report to her. She used, she says, this leaked copy, not the embargoed one, to write her scoops.
phone calls with Janet are better characterised as like schoolyard gossip – absorbing but pointless. His hearings, unlike Michael’s, were all open and available on audio visual.
Walter gave Janet, so Michael found, a marked-up copy of his draft final report. That was mindbogglingly stupid, but it wasn’t corrupt because she couldn’t use it. It had no effect, none, on our legal system.
However, Michael’s reasoning process, as applied to those facts, went awry, very awry. He jumped from stupid actions to “serious corrupt conduct”.
That’s a big leap. To make it requires not only a sound foundation in facts (those being the facts which we all know) but a leaping technique that is acceptable.
As well, a second journalist (Elizabeth Byrne, from the ABC) received an embargoed copy of the final report.
Those Walter and Janet interactions were correctly found by yet a third old man, sitting as an acting justice of our Supreme Court, to cause others to reasonably worry about “an apprehension of bias” in Walter as he went about his inquiry task.
However, that judge examined Walter’s reasoning process and found it was quite sound. That is, the possibility of bias did not become actual bias.
It is public knowledge that Janet did the dirty on Walter by publishing lots of stuff about Walter’s report so
Michael’s report includes this extraordinary statement: “[Walter] took no action by remonstrance or otherwise to urge on Ms Albrechtsen that the embargo which applied to his disclosure should also apply to the other (leaked) copy.”
It is extraordinary because it reveals a lack of understanding about basic media working. Janet didn’t even have to tell Walter that she had a leaked copy. She did so only to tell him that she had abided by the embargo; ie, she could be trusted. This in turn rebuts Michael’s assertion that Walter’s trust in Janet was valueless.
I think Walter’s dealing with Janet were, from a third-party viewpoint, ever so stupid. That’s my simple view, informed by my own and others’ idiotic
Stupidity is just that. It can contribute to corruption, but it is not to be confused with corruption. For example, if Walter had given Janet that marked up final draft so that she could run an article, then that would have been a gross abuse of process, stupid, and corrupt because it would have been a clear interference with proper process. He didn’t.
Old man Walter came to Canberra, conducted investigations, had many open hearing days, issued and finalised his report in less than eight months.
All that evidence was reviewed and a proper reasoning process followed to produce a report that sadly, but rightly, condemned the actions of a fallible prosecutor. That report still stands, as it should.
Old man Michael beavered away for many months longer, asking all manner of questions in private interviews
It is not acceptable to use speculation to fill in missing facts.
It is not acceptable to claim an ability to sus out falsehoods based on “judicial experience” or just assertion. To do so is idle speculation and it has no place in reasoned decision making.
The process that Michael undertook is made clumsy by the failure of the legislation to spell out such basic concepts as an onus of proof or disproof, or even what degree of satisfaction an inquirer must reach to state a finding.
This partly reflects that the Integrity Commission “investigates”. The putting together of investigative and conclusionary roles is always beset with problems, sometimes, as in this case, fatal to the process.
The errors of judgement made by Walter have been compounded now by the errors of fact finding and inference made by Michael.
Squaring off with a Sherrin to settle a score at war
By Rod HENSHAW
It’s taken distinguished military historian and author Peter Stanley 30 years to get his latest tome on to the bookshelves.
It’s not that Prof Stanley is a slow writer, quite the contrary. The Sherrin, described as a novel of sport and war, was ready for the printing presses decades ago but was scotched when the publisher at that time folded.
It was only recently that the Canberra historian dusted off the manuscript and it’s seen the light of day, via Big Sky Publishing.
The Sherrin was born during Peter’s early days at the Australian War Memorial, where he started work
“So, it occurred to me that the relationship between the militia and the AIF, the two arms of the Australian Army, that rivalry could be expressed not just in abuse when they meet each other on the track, or whatever, but
“The idea of combining a subject that I knew pretty well – war – with
a subject I didn’t know at all – sport –would make sense in this case.”
While coming to grips with the intricacies of the mighty game of Aussie Rules would be a challenge for the uninitiated, the rich veins of material available to him during his time at the Australian War Memorial, made that part of his work a comparative walk in the park.
War correspondents, photographers and artists covering wars often find themselves at or near the centre of the action and their writings and images must be carefully crafted to accurately portray the reality of what they’re witnessing for their end consumers.
Not a great deal is written about those non-combatants who find themselves at the front line. Prof Stanley has gone to great lengths to fill that void, albeit in a fictional, yet believable story, complete with the tensions which inevitably arise. Again, his war memorial days played a contributory role in achieving that goal.
“The war memorial’s collections are created by these people. It’s the war artists’ paintings, the war photographers’ photographs and the war correspondents’ reports,” he says.
“These people were shaping the way we understood war. There are challenges in that because a war correspondent is employed to tell a good news story.
“The war artists are a bit more
ambiguous because they’re not told what to paint. They can put their own individual artistic stamp on it. So the whole point of fiction is drama, and here’s the drama because you’ve got different ways of representing war.”
So, what’s all this got to do with the game of Australian Rules and the Sherrin football? It comes down to an attempt to diffuse the many tensions that are evident between the AIF soldiers who volunteered to be there and the much-maligned militia personnel, or conscripts, who didn’t have a choice.
“These two forces were very different and there was antagonism between them. The AIF abused the militia as “Chockos” – they melt in the sun. They called them “koalas” because they weren’t to be exported or shot, so there was a lot of resentment there.”
Meanwhile, the correspondents were caught in the crossfire of this intense rivalry, which threatened to boil over on to the front line. In a desperate attempt to boost morale, the brigadier initiates a game of Australian Rules played with the island’s only Sherrin. That game would either simmer the tensions or intensify them.
The Sherrin, by Prof Peter Stanley, is available in bookshops now, but will be formally launched at the Book Cow, Kingston, 5pm, April 1.
Money Coaching For Women
A second opinion on hearing loss – you need professional advice, not a sales pitch
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
No costings, but federal Labor just loves light rail
“The Commonwealth’s largesse is a bad deal in that it foists a project on the ACT that we, quite clearly, cannot afford.” JON STANHOPE & KHALID AHMED reveal how the federal government is pork barreling the tram. But why?
The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts has confirmed that the Commonwealth Government has, to date, committed $343.9 million to Stage 2A of the ACT’s light rail project, against a total project cost estimate of $687.77 million.
The Department has itemised the project’s benefits as including:
• Improved passenger rail services.
• Reduced congestion and improved travel times.
• Improved connectivity between people with jobs and services, and goods with markets.
• Supporting a more integrated and effective transport system.
While this exceeds the level or depth of information that the ACT government has chosen to reveal to the residents of Canberra, it could not be reasonably claimed to justify the expenditure by the Commonwealth of $344 million and clearly does not meet the requirements and guidelines traditionally demanded by the Australian government as essential in the analysis and ranking of capital projects to be funded by it.
The obvious questions raised by the decision of the Commonwealth to fund light rail stage 2A include:
• Do the claimed benefits justify the costs (the $344 million to be paid by the Commonwealth or the total of $688 million)?
• Could some of the identified benefits, for example, reduced congestion, improved travel times and connectivity between people with jobs and services be achieved through other means at relatively lower costs?
• What goods will be transported on this 1.7 kilometres of the tramline, and how, as claimed by the Commonwealth, will their connectivity with markets be improved?
• What are the economic costs generated by road closures and business disruption etcetera as itemised for transport projects in the department’s cost-benefit analysis (CBA) tool?
• Has a CBA been undertaken by the federal Department of Infrastructure, and/or did it ask for one from the ACT government?
• If a CBA exists, why has it not been released, and what are the national security or commercial secrets that are presumably being protected by its non-release?
• If a CBA was not submitted by the ACT government, or prepared by the Department of Infrastructure, what was the basis on which the department concluded and presumably advised the minister, Catherine King, that the project met the criteria for funding from the
Sore ingrown toenails?
• How did the department and/or the minister determine that this project in the ACT was more beneficial and deserving of Commonwealth funding than project proposals in other jurisdictions?
Advocates of the project may ask why we are objecting to an apparently good funding deal for the ACT?
In response we insist, as we explain below, that it is in reality not a special gift for us, but rather a bad deal in that it foists a project on the ACT that we, quite clearly, cannot afford.
In any event, in principle, there should be rigour and objectivity in the allocation of public funds – and we had assumed that “whiteboards” and “coloured cells on a spreadsheet” were tools of the past.
There should also, of course, be transparency in respect of the allocation of public monies so that communities in, say, outback NSW or Queensland have a right to know why a project important to them received a lower priority than one in Canberra.
Needless to say, we were stunned by the recent announcement by Minister King that despite the absence of a CBA together with apparently no formal costing of stage 2b of light rail, ie from Commonwealth Park to Woden, having been undertaken let alone announced, that a federal Labor government would nevertheless make a significant contribution (presumably one half) to the project, which we believe will be costed at more than $3.5 billion.
The minister then went on to assert that any such support would be under threat were Labor not returned to power, thus revealing the apparent rationale for her decision to fund the project.
We make two relevant observations on Ms King’s comments.
Space considerations prevent us from providing detailed examples relating to the ACT and other jurisdictions where the Commonwealth Grants Commission adjusted/reduced the GST entitlement if a state or territory’s expense needs had been covered by a relatively higher (than its due share) payment from the Commonwealth and vice versa.
Minister King would know, if she has been properly briefed, that the ACT along with every state and the NT will ultimately get its fair share of capital funds, for state functions, through adjustments to its GST entitlements.
That is, of course, unless she or our other federal representatives can convince Treasurer Jim Chalmers to issue a direction to the Commonwealth Grants Commission to grant the ACT funding over and above our quota. Such directions are rare and would necessitate convincing Australians in other jurisdictions that the ACT deserved more money than its independently assessed share.
One can imagine how that would go over with not only the residents of remote and isolated communities across Australia but with the federal member of any marginal seat. In other words, as Minister King would surely know, whether a state or territory has a Labor or Coalition government is irrelevant to the quantum of Commonwealth funding that it receives.
While we support the demand by Minister King and her Labor Party colleagues that the Coalition release a CBA of its nuclear power generation proposal and an assessment of its costs and impost on households, we think it reasonable to expect the Labor Party to apply the same discipline and rigour to the ACT light rail project that is, in relative terms, larger than the nuclear power generation proposal.
What we have observed to date in respect of the light rail project is an extraordinary level of support from the Commonwealth (Labor) government albeit at a potential cost of abandoning due process, acting arbitrarily and being non-transparent; all criticisms it has levelled against its political opponents. This, for a project that was initially instigated by the ACT Greens through a power-sharing arrangement, but for which they have gone tepid in view of their own members’ resentment.
It is also not as if ACT Labor is overly enamoured of the project, noting that it has clearly delayed it as much as possible, is floundering in its efforts at explaining a string of billiondollar deficits, a mountain of debt rapidly approaching the $10 billion mark, maceration of services, and a denial of even small, highly needed expenditures.
Ms King on the other hand has reportedly asked Chris Steel to come back, whenever he likes, for more money.
Jon Stanhope is a former chief minister of the ACT and Dr Khalid Ahmed a former senior ACT Treasury official.
Commonwealth?
Infrastructure Minister Catherine King with Chief Minister Andrew Barr at the sod-turning to mark the start of stage 2a of the light rail construction in February. Photo: Lukas Coch/AAP
Climate catastrophists gave us a costly albatross
As former chief surveyor for the consulting engineer to Melbourne’s 1980s underground rail project and being familiar with alternative transport requirements, I analysed the ACT government’s 2016 Business Plan for the City-Gungahlin tram project.
Labor’s business plan only broke even by including an alleged “health benefit” of $50,000 resulting from passengers walking to the tram stops! The tram only came about because of political horse trading to get Greens candidate Shane Rattenbury into the minority Labor government.
Neither Rattenbury nor the Labor Party considered the cost to ratepayers. It was the apotheosis of “political correctness”, straight out of Yes, Minister.
In the early 19th century, in European cities with dense Industrial Revolution populations trams worked well enough when the only alternatives were a horse-drawn omnibus or walking.
When Canberra developed under the “garden city” concept, seen as a healthy improvement over former cluttered apartments, and when the motor bus was invented, a more flexible public transport system arose.
The major cost of an electric tram is its inflexible track work and electric power
supply restricting the tram to a fixed route.
Where buses share the existing road network with other traffic, there is substantial saving in infrastructure cost, as bus routes don’t need costly rail tracks to be convenient to most homes, schools and workplaces. Bus routes may be readily altered to account for passenger variations.
Climate catastrophists have saddled Canberra with a costly albatross that will make no difference to our world except keep property rates higher than they need to be.
Maybe in future, when Canberra is a tealLabor social paradise, where most residents live in congested, garden-free, Shanghai tower blocks, trams may become viable once again.
Residents will get a “health dividend” from climbing stairs at night when the wind is not blowing and instead of the garden city, will grow pot plants on their tiny balconies.
Tens of millions of Chinese do it!
Anthony Hordern, Jamison Centre
‘Madness’ proceeding with light rail to Woden
On ABC media, the chief minister claimed that the changes that the ACT government made to taxation arrangements in 2011-12 in relation to abolishing stamp duty on house and vehicle insurance by increasing general residential rates was revenue neutral.
He also claimed that, eight years on, this was a matter now rarely discussed.
There are a few issues with his claims.
Firstly these changes were by no means
revenue neutral as long-suffering home and apartment owners and also renters in Canberra will know.
ACT residential rates have increased exponentially since 2011-12, until around 2021-22 at about 7-10 per cent annually for average lots, with smaller (still above CPI) increases since then.
Moreover, as we are still only halfway through Barr’s changes to taxation arrangements, we can expect to see continuing increases to our rates until well into the 2030s. So much for his revenue-neutral claim.
Secondly, ACT residential rates notices, while they exclude stamp duty, now include a police, fire and emergency services levy as well as a safer families levy.
As columnists Jon Stanhope and Khalid Ahmed have previously pointed out in CityNews, the ACT is the only jurisdiction in Australia to include police in this levy category.
Critically, it’s been reported that the government intention is to fully fund ACT police through this specific levy category and that the direct consequence of that intention will be to see huge increases in this levy payable by ratepayers in forward years (as the funding costs of maintaining a police force increase).
As for Barr’s comment that this is a matter now rarely discussed, I beg to differ. Most ACT ratepayers await with trepidation their annual rates assessment notice and the additional significant cost to household budgets imposed by these annual increases.
In view of the overall structural deficits that the ACT budget is now facing for decades to come and the generally narrow revenue raising
capacity that the ACT has, would not it be prudent to now critically consider the ideological madness of proceeding with the light rail stage 2b extension from the lake to Woden.
Ron Edgecombe, Evatt
Assembly is failing by not demanding tram costs
The politicians present at the recent sod turning at the commencement of stage 2a of light rail – Andrew Barr, Katie Gallagher, Chris Steel, Alicia Payne and Federal Minister Catherine King – were effusive in their praise of the project almost to the point that it could be viewed as a solution to all urban issues.
Can their enthusiasm be justified?
Could other strategies have reduced car use and travel and provided housing in accessible locations at similar or lower economic, environmental and social costs?
Are improvements in bus and autonomous car technology and increased working from home, reducing the case for LR?
Their inability to provide evidence of why LR was adopted, unresolved cost and design issues with stage 2b and the massive expense and disruption of stage 2a suggest the project and possible alternatives have never been fully considered.
The recent support of the Legislative Assembly of the Liberal Party motion requiring the government to provide the current estimated cost of stage 2b, will be undermined by the government’s intention to exclude commercial in confidence information and, amazingly, not to provide the business case,
arguing it has not been finalised!
The government’s ongoing obfuscation means it cannot be determined if stage 2b is a sound use of funds. Hundreds of millions may have been spent unnecessarily on light rail and potentially far more if the project continues. Such funds could be used to address housing, health and education needs, to reduce debt or increase the coverage and frequency of the bus network.
Can the government put the interests of the community first?
Mike Quirk, Garran
When stage 2’s economic viability disappeared
We can learn a lot from reading both the 2019 City to Woden Light Rail: Stage 2A Business Case and the Auditor-General’s Report 8 of 2021.
From those docutments we are able to deduce that light rail stage 2a was expected to cost $268 million plus a bit extra, and to offer only $150 million worth of benefits. Stages 2a and 2b together were expected to provide less than $44 million worth of net benefits. Any prospect of stage 2 being economically viable disappeared when the transport minister signed a $577 million contract for construction and operation of stage 2a.
The Australian government got a much better deal from introducing pay parking in the Parliamentary Triangle. It increased Canberra’s public transport patronage by 2 per cent and generated $18 million a year in revenue.
Leon Arundell, Downer
BRIEFLY
Armando Corvini, 85, a recent nominee for the ACT Senior of the Year 2025 for his ongoing work teaching children abseiling, climbing and caving, will launch his memoir, A Climbing Life, pictured, at the Italian Cultural Centre, Forrest, 2pm on March 30 as part of the Viva Italia in Canberra festival.
The story of his perseverance and endless love for the mountains, the book starts in Trieste in Italy to the present day in Canberra. No bookings required, refreshments provided.
Thousands of books for sale
Promising thousands of books for all ages and tastes, the Woden Seniors Big Book Fair will be held at Woden Seniors Club, Corinna Street, Phillip, 10am-4pm daily over the weekend of April 4-6. In addition, there will be CDs, DVDs, jigsaws and games for sale, plus a selection of watercolour paintings.
Cash prize for short story
The annual EM Fletcher Short Story Writing Competition is open for entries. An initiative of Family History ACT, the competition selects the best short story on a family history/genealogy theme, and the winners receive $1000 first prize and $500 second prize. Enter before July 15 via familyhistoryact.org.au
THE GADFLY
Addictive Americans with a message for today
It’s rare to find a fictional TV series that is both historically accurate and utterly addictive.
Rarer still does such a program have an ending that might well throw a piercing light on the dilemma we face today.
It’s a big call, I know, but we’ve just finished the sixth season of The Americans and it comes awfully close to filling the bill.
It is not one for the kiddies. There’s quite a lot of rumpy-pumpy in a variety of beds in the Washington DC area. There’s also a murder rate that would give Agatha Christie a run for her money. But unlike Agatha’s discreet departures, the deed is invariably on screen and in stark detail.
It stars two breathtakingly good ac tors I’d never heard of – Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys. And the storyline is even more unlikely, coming as it does from a front-line American production company.
agent Stan Beeman moves in over the road with his nice wife and gay son, Paige’s age.
Keri and Matthew are Elizabeth and Philip Jennings, a thoroughly pleasant young couple with the regulation two kids, Paige the elder daughter and Henry two years younger. They live in a very nice neighbourhood and run a travel agency in the American capital.
In reality, they are Russian-born
It’s set in the 1980s of Ronald Reagan’s presidencies when the Soviet leadership changed from Leonid Brezhnev to former spymaster Yuri Andropov to the terminally ill Konstantin Chernenko until in 1985 when the controversial Mikhail Gorbachev stepped up.
Until then, Elizabeth and Philip had been wreaking havoc on behalf
of Stan’s FBI boss while Elizabeth had a running affair with the boss of a Communist gang of toughs. Both were amazingly talented make-up artists and changed identities via an astonishing range of wigs and beards almost daily.
But here’s the thing. The scripts were so brilliant that every viewer was on their side! Stan was so dumb he couldn’t see through them, and they went through so many scrapes – just escaping before the opposing
QUALITY AUSTRALIAN HEMP PRODUCTS
They went through so many scrapes – just escaping before the opposing forces moved in, silencing others just before they spilled the beans. The tension never let up.
forces moved in, silencing others just before they spilled the beans (often in a most grizzly fashion). The tension never let up.
Then young Paige got religion and told her Pastor Tim the true story of mum and dad. “Oh, no!” we thought.
“How could she?” Luckily Tim was a self-important chap and kept their secret. But they used “Centre” to get him a job in South America anyway.
By now we were taken inside the KGB’s Washington office and FBI Stan had fallen in love with honeypot Neena, the gorgeous secretary of the KGB boss.
But so had the boss’ own deputy and that sub-plot would come together with the progressive alienation of Philip and Elizabeth. He was fed up with the job and quite liked America.
She was still hooked on Russia. Stan was finally getting suspicious of the neighbours who for years had been charging about late at night killing people.
It’s at this point that the viewer is encouraged by more brilliant scriptwriting to change horses and barrack for Philip and boo Elizabeth who is trying to get cute little 17-year-old Paige to join the KGB. And when the forces of Russian decency are suddenly fighting the old-style “Centre” over Gorbachev’s policies of Perestroika, the battle is on.
I won’t spoil the ending for you. But history tells us that eventually the KGB murdered their way to victory for Vladimir Putin. Not very long afterwards an American, Donald J Trump came to Moscow in 1987 with an insatiable lust for women and real estate. He was sponsored by the KGB. Only after that did he develop an interest in politics.
robert@robert macklin.com
Why we really have to avoid effects of US tariffs
With the impost of tariffs, Australia will bear most of the costs, while the effect on the US will be minimal. Australia must do everything in its power to avoid the effect of US tariffs.
There is a lot of opposition to the US instituting 25 per cent tariffs, and one of the many arguments is that they will harm the US economy by increasing the price of imports.
But economists familiar with trade theory know this is untrue; as well as, no doubt, do Donald Trump’s economic advisers.
So, what happens if the US increases tariffs by 25 per cent? It all depends on the economic strength of their particular trading partner.
It is what is called the incidence effect.
For an economically strong country such as the US, the incidence effect can pass most of the tariff back on to its trading partner, the seller. So for instance, in a trade between the US and a weak trading partner, imposing a 25 per cent tariff could mean that the US price could rise only 5 per cent and the selling country would reduce its selling price by 20 per cent, for example. Hardly an inflationary effect for the US.
The US would benefit further since it is such a large market, because manufacturing would be moved to the
US behind the tariff wall. This would increase employment in the US.
However, there would be an even greater gain through the multiplier effect. For every factory commenced in the US, there would be increased employment through increased demand for goods of its suppliers and the supplies for building the factories. This increase of employment could be up to six times the number employed at the original factory.
Is China currently a weak economy? A good question. But Australia certainly is. For instance, the domestic price of Australia’s exports of aluminium from Australia to the US would fall by nearly 25 per cent, while the US price would rise hardly at all, as the tariff is passed back on to Australia.
Tariffs generally are bad for world trade, especially for the weakest trading countries. I have not mentioned flow-on effects including on floating exchange rates. The $A will certainly fall, which may not be a bad thing for exports, but will be for imports.
Tim Walshaw, Watson
Dutton couldn’t have saved us from tariffs
When is Peter Dutton and his sycophantic cheer squad going to realise that he is not an alternative to Albanese?
Dutton has one policy only – criticise, oppose and politicise everything the government has done or is about to do.
Look at the unnecessary fear mongering
about the alleged caravan terrorist plot –concocting his own highly fictitious version of events.
And recently, this delusional statement, how he would have got tariff exemptions across the line, if he were PM. Trump was never, ever going to concede these tariffs to anyone.
Tariffs are intrinsic to his MAGA statement, and he has too big an ego to back down, however damaging they are going to be for economies worldwide, including the US.
Much of the media gave Dutton’s empty rhetoric credibility, selling the story as, “Albo failed on tariff negotiations”, some suggesting that had he (Albo) faced up to Trump personally, instead of making a phone call, then the tariffs outcome for Australia would have been different.
Whoever did or did not make personal representation to Trump, the intended outcome still stands, with Canada, Mexico, China and the EU copping Tariffs, as much as 25 per cent, and now Australia.
Declan Mcgrath, via email
Only one election loser, the environment
The Albanese government’s “climate policy” is to approve four coal mine extensions, allegedly expected to produce 900 million tonnes of CO2, during their lifetime.
As this is totally incompatible with reducing global warming, it is the height of hypocrisy for the government to be pointing
the finger at the opposition, when it is doing the same by prioritising increased coal production.
What’s good for the goose, is good for the gander. Regrettably, it would now appear as though no matter who wins the upcoming election, there will only be one loser, the environment.
Mario Stivala Belconnen
How do you compare Sam with that fellow?
Bronwyn Halbisch (letters, CN March 13), “doesn’t want to see Sam Kerr’s face again” after “she disgraced herself, her position and Australian sport in general”.
Okay, but what does Bronwyn think about the former deputy prime minister, who “disgraced himself, his current position and Australia’s reputation” in Braddon on a certain evening in February, 2024?
How does Bronyn compare the former leader of the Nationals and his many instances of public missteps, political and social, with a young woman who helped raise the image of Australian female sport to new heights.
And how does Bronwyn compare Sam, who has apologised sincerely for her behaviour, with a man who, no matter how egregious his actions on so many occasions, has always found a way to sidestep his responsibility to act honestly and, as a national representative, to admit his mistakes?
Eric
Hunter, Cook
Perhaps all life depends on being a ‘leftie’
Ian Pilsner (Letters, CN March 20) asserts that “lefties like (Michael) Moore like to portray anything right of the far left as hard right”.
From Mr Pilsner’s perspective, anyone who is concerned about the state of the precious planet on which all human life, and perhaps all life, depends, is a “leftie”.
Mr Pilsner also wrote: “The push towards unproven climate change and the cultish morality that goes with it”. It is apparent that the writer is unaware that atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration has reached record levels, and is approaching the point of no return.
Earth is now warming at a pace 100 times greater than in recorded history. Heatwaves, such as that recently experienced by central and south-eastern Australia, are becoming more severe and longer, leading to drought and rampant wildfires. Warming ocean waters are supercharging cyclones, such as Tropical Cyclone Alfred, whose torrential rain and widespread flooding, are still lingering. Such scenarios are being endured in regions such as the Mediterranean states, western Europe, southern Asia and even parts of China. Even melting of the Greenland and Antarctic ice caps (Earth’s cooling system) is accelerating.
All nations must unite to reduce CO2 emissions and fight against potentially catastrophic human-induced global heating
Dr Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin
Hero’s not the reason Clive’s swimming strait
“A girl knocked on my door saying she was collecting for a local swimming pool; I gave her a two-litre bottle of water.” –Anon
There has been public focus on swimming pools in Canberra in the past year due to the question able goings-on surrounding the Phillip 50-metre outdoor pool and the on-again off-again plans for redevelopment of the historic Olympic pool complex in Civic.
Even so, swimmers are fortunate in the Canberra area to be well served with six 50-metre pools and a large number of 25-metre pools.
Australia has more than 500 50-metre pools while the whole of the UK, with 2.6 times our population, has around 50. The US has around 500 50-metre pools for a population 13 times that of Australia. Even small towns in Australia have swimming pools, so there’s no excuse for us not doing well in competitive swimming internationally.
Today, 50-metre pools are the benchmark for competitive swimming, while smaller 25-metre “short course” pools are mainly for general community use.
The combination of historical tradition, practicality, and athletic
Detail from Salvator Rosa’s Hero and Leander (1640-1649) a depiction of the Greek mythology of Leander’s nightly swim across the six-kilometre Bosphorus Strait to meet his lover, Hero.
standards has made 50-metre pools a cornerstone of modern competition swimming.
Swimming pools have a rich history dating back thousands of years, evolving from natural bathing areas to the standardised 50-metre pools we know today.
One of the earliest known pools is the Great Bath in Mohenjo-Daro (modern-day Pakistan), built around 2500 BC. This pool, made of brick and bitumen, was used for religious and social purposes.
Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans also constructed pools for bathing, religious ceremonies, or ath-
letic training. The Romans famously built luxurious heated baths (thermae), some of which included
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the tradition of public baths and pools declined in Europe, partly due to concerns about hygiene and morality. However, swimming remained part of military training and
Swimming pools regained popularity during the Renaissance as interest in Greco-Roman culture revived. Pools were often associated with spas and therapeutic bathing.
In the 19th century, swimming began to emerge as a recreational and competitive activity in Europe.
The first indoor swimming pool, St George’s Baths, opened in London in 1828. Competitive swimming became formalised, with the first swimming organisation, the National Swimming Society, formed in Britain. Pools started to be standardised, with basic dimensions established for competitions.
The revival of the modern Olympics in 1896 greatly influenced the standardisation of swimming pools. Early Olympic swimming
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events were held in open water, but pools became the preferred venue by the 20th century.
The establishment of the sports body FINA in 1908 helped standardise pool sizes and swimming rules. FINA adopted the 50-metre length as the standard for long course competition pools.
By the mid-20th century, international swimming competitions predominantly used 50-metre pools, solidifying their status as the gold standard. This length allows for even pacing in races and works well with the standard Olympic swimming events (eg, 100m, 200m, 400m, etcetera).
Open-water swimming is also popular in Australia, with groups such as the Bold & Beautiful in Manly having 0630 and 0700 daily 1500-metre swims from Manly to Shelly Beach and back.
Then there are numerous competitive ocean swims such as the Cole Classic, and challenge swims such as The Rip swim in Victoria between the Port Phillip Bay heads.
This year my challenge is to swim six kilometres from Türkiye to Greece across the Bosphorus Strait on August 24 – if I make the selection. Lord Byron
swam the Bosphorus Strait on May 3 1810 during his time in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul). Byron’s swim was inspired by the legendary story of Leander, who, according to Greek mythology, swam nightly across the strait to meet his lover, Hero. The swim is now held annually. If Whimsys stop after August 24, you’ll know I didn’t make it!
On a lighter note
Using a medium, a woman contacted her dead husband John and cried emotionally: “How are you darling?”
“Wonderful,” came the ghostly reply. “There’s plenty of sunshine and food, flights to interesting places, and lots of swimming – you know how I always loved the water.”
The widow sighed contentedly and said: “I can’t wait to join you in heaven.”
“I’m not in heaven,” John replied, “I was reincarnated as a duck.”
Clive Williams is a Canberra columnist.
VIVA ITALIA IN CANBERRA FESTIVAL
Buona giornata to the new Viva Italia Festival
Viva Italia festival director
Lyndall Heddle says it’s certainly a curiosity to have an Australian woman with no Italian heritage become as passionate as she is about the country.
“Siena has given me so much and this festival is not only a way to give back to Italy, but to acknowledge, celebrate and thank the wonderful Italian community we have in Canberra,” she says.
Watching her youngest daughter embark on a gap year in 2011, something sparked for Lyndall, who decided to also take her own gap year.
Dreaming of studying Italian and no longer constrained by children in the house, Lyndall took off on her own adventure to Siena in Tuscany.
What had initially started as a six-month visit was extended to 20 months, an experi ence that Lyndall says has “changed [her] life and outlook on life”.
“I discovered another way to live and in doing so found my long-lost self,” she says.
Returning to Canberra in 2013, Lyndall was quick to join as many Italian societies and clubs as she could and says she has been overwhelmed and honoured by the great warmth she experienced in welcoming her.
“I have made so many new friends here
and the Italian community has welcomed me so warmly,” says Lyndall.
“Starting the Viva Italia Festival in Canberra is my small way of giving back and, most importantly, saying ‘thank
you Italy’.
“It is also a way of sharing Italian culture with a much wider community, after all, what isn’t there to love about Italian food and wine, its art, its music, its culture and of
course the friendliness of the people.”
With a grant from Events ACT, Lyndall’s dream of celebrating Italy in Canberra was
“With our festival, everyone can have a chance to experience Italianness without leaving Canberra,” she says.
“Hopefully, it will also inspire people to experience Italy for themselves and have their own life-changing experience, after which you will keep returning time and time again to enjoy.”
The inaugural event starts on March 28 and will go until April 13. She says the program was designed to include signature events across Canberra as well as partnering with businesses keen to be involved with the festival.
Particularly excited about the opening night at The Jetty at Lake Burley Griffin, Lyndall says people will be able to enjoy typical Italian street food while dancing the night away to the sounds of the Viva Italia band from Sydney.
“What better location is there to showcase our beautiful city and enjoy a great Italian evening under the stars of the Southern Cross?” she says.
Other highlights include a special screening of the 1953 film Roman Holiday, starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck at the Palace Electric Cinema, a wine tour at Mount Majura Vineyard for a wine tasting and tour of the vineyard, a visit to Shaw
Estate in Murrumbateman to play bocce and other games while enjoying award-winning wines, Italian music at Smiths Alternative, Italian painting lessons (while sipping Italian wine) and a workshop to create an Italian glass tile at the Canberra Glassworks.
With three book launches taking place during the festival, Lyndall says the festival will bring real Italian pride and reverie to the community.
Home to many Italian migrants, Lyndall says it’s a special thing indeed to celebrate Canberra’s rich history with Italy.
“One of the most important events that we are hosting will be our Gala Dinner at the Realm Hotel on May 10,” says Lyndall.
Entertained by the National Opera Canberra and DJ Joe (who will be playing Italian dance tunes throughout the night), Lyndall says the highlight of the gala will be an auction raising money for a scholarship to send a student of Italian studies at the ANU to Siena to study for a month.
“It’ll be a real pleasure to foster a friendship between Siena and Canberra by being able to send a student over to learn more about the culture and language from a first-hand perspective.”
Lyndall says she is excited to welcome everyone to Canberra’s first Viva Italia festival.
Viva Italia Festival. March 28 to April 13. Visit vivaitaliaincanberra.com.au
Vivia Italia in Canberra Festival sponsors, from left, Angelo Cataldo, Mario Sanfrancesco, Lyndall Heddle, Emilio Cataldo and Don Capezio.
for food and all things Italian
Proud Italian son and owner of Sitting Ducks Catering, Danny Corvini is a sponsor for the first Viva Italia in Canberra Festival.
“It’s an exciting way to experience Italy and its culture without leaving the comfort of home,” he says.
Sitting Ducks Catering has been serving the community for more than 20 years, with Danny taking the business on five years ago.
“We are a strong team and our wait staff are well loved,” says Danny. Known for its canape menu, Danny says he and his team of “ducks” are proud to have been providing exceptional catering services to events throughout Canberra.
“With years of experience and a passion for food, we serve up delicious, creative and diverse menus for a wide range of events, no matter if it’s a corporate event, formal dinner or if you simply want restaurant-quality food at home,” he says.
Not limited by a select menu, Sitting Ducks has a wide range of menus, ensuring the right food fits the bill.
Outside of supporting his father, a recent nominee for the ACT Senior of the Year awards and author of memoir A Climbing Life (to be launched at the Italian Cultural Centre on Sunday, March 30), Danny says he is most excited about the opening night launch at The Jetty.
“Canberra has a large number of Italian migrants who now call Australia home,” he says.
“It’ll be a spectacular evening celebrating Canberra’s rich history with Italy.
“Get out and escape the everyday into a celebration of Italian culture.
Sitting Ducks Catering. 17b Bentham Street, Yarralumla. Call 6282 1631, email mail@sittingducks.com.au or visit sittingducks.com.au
At 85, Armando Corvini has lived an incredible life.
Nominated as the ACT Senior of the Year, Armando isn’t a man to let anything get him down.
Born in Trieste, Italy, and now living in Canberra, Armando has fostered a love of caving and climbing from a young age.
In 1994, his life changed as he knew it after losing his fingers and toes due to severe frostbite after climbing a mountain in Nepal.
Now, after many operations and life-changing decisions, Armando has written his autobiography with the help of close family friend Pamela Steele.
Armando’s book, A Climbing Life, is set to be launched during the Viva Italia in Canberra Festival on Sunday, March 30 at 2pm at the Italian Cultural Centre.
“We’ve known each other for 20 years and about five years ago we were talking and decided to write down his incredible story,” says Pamela.
“I looked down at his hands and thought, ‘how can we do this?’, so I offered to type if he spoke.
“Every Tuesday for five years, I drove to his house and sat in front of the laptop.”
According to Pamela, Armando’s story is one of resilience.
“If someone can’t type, there’s no reason why they can’t write their story,” she says.
“It’s been a privilege to be welcomed into their family and write it up.”
Armando now teaches young people how to climb and cave.
“A Climbing Life” Book Launch at the Viva Italia in Canberra Festival. 2pm, March 30. Italian Cultural Centre, 80 Franklin Street, Forrest.
The Dante Alighieri Society (DAS) of Canberra is passionate about the promotion of Italian Language and Culture in Canberra and is pleased to support two initiatives expanding Canberra’s opportunities to engage with Italian culture.
“We welcome the Viva Italia in Canberra Festival and warmly congratulate the organisers,” says president Franco Papandrea.
“We are also very pleased to join the students at Yarralumla bilingual Primary School to celebrate Dantedì (Dante Day) on March 25, as a tribute to the father of the Italian language.”
Established in 1957, the Dante Alighieri Society has been offering an authentic experience of Italian language and culture to the Canberra community for more than 65 years and is widely regarded as the best place to learn Italian in the national capital.
Offering the widest range of adult Italian courses available in Canberra at competitive prices, the society is the only place within the region where non-native Italian speakers can sit exams for the PLIDA certificate of Italian competency.
Thanks to assistance by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the society employs mother-tongue Italian-language assistants to support Italian classes in Canberra’s schools.
The society also provides subsidised Italian language courses for children attending schools where the language is not offered.
Membership of the society is open to anyone and members are provided with an extensive program of cultural and social activities including weekly social conversation groups, special events and social occasions.
The Dante Alighieri Society of Canberra. Italian Cultural Centre, 80 Franklin Street, Forrest. Call 5117 3996 or visit danteact.org.au
Prized duck and top waitress at Sitting Ducks, Shontelle Writer. Armando Corvini and Pamela Steele.
Dante Alighieri Society of Canberra with Yarralumla school students.
With more than 30 years of providing quality work clothes to the Canberra region and a team that’s backed with more than 90 years’ combined industry experience, Seears Workwear knows what working people are after, says owner Pat Seears, who runs the business with his son Shane.
Seears Workwear has its largest range of workwear stock ever – the biggest in the region, says Pat.
The store also has workwear for chefs, paramedics and firefighters, says Pat, who knows the needs of local businesses and supplies many Fyshwick businesses with their work uniforms.
Stocking work apparel such as high-vis workwear,
jackets, jeans, shoes and hats, he says: “Everything is the best quality from the best manufacturers.”
Located on Barrier Street, he says their stock includes safety work boots, leather shoes and steel-toed canvas shoes, from brands such as Puma, Rockport and Dunlop.
Seears Workwear can also assist companies through their corporate uniform services, which provide customised embroidery services for promotional clothing and business uniforms.
Seears Workwear, 60 Barrier Street, Fyshwick. Call 6280 4111 or visit seearsworkwear.com.au
Seears Workwear owners Pat Seears, right, and son Shane.
SCHOOL HOLIDAY FUN
Top spots to keep kids entertained over the hols
From educational tours to inflatable fun and country experiences, here are some great options for school holiday fun to keep children – big and small –entertained these autumn school holidays.
Revealing the history, geology, culture and wonder of the remarkable Kimberley region, the National Museum of Australia (NMA) is offering The Great Kimberly Wilderness virtual reality experience over the school holidays.
“Get ready to be transported to one of the world’s most breathtaking and pristine landscapes in the Great Kimberly Wilderness,” says head of commercial at the NMA, Jacqui Smith.
“Guided by scientists and traditional owners, this journey crosses stunning coastlines and majestic gorges, venturing deep into these
Narrated by Luke Hemsworth, the 35-minute virtual reality experience explores the striped sandstone domes of the UNESCO-listed Purnululu National Park and travels back more than 350 million years to the Devonian Reef, uncovering ancient geology that has shaped life
Nearly two billion years in the making, Jacqui
says students will see the historic, cultural and environmental significance of the Kimberley region.
“Throughout the film, students will explore themes of First Nations cultural connections to country, geological and environmental landmarks conserved within the UNESCO-Listed Purnululu National Park and remnants of the dinosaurs at Gantheaume Point 130 million years ago.”
Suitable for all ages, Jacqui says the headset is recommended for users eight years of age or older.
“There’s a special school holiday schedule to make it easy for families to attend, with sessions hourly from 9.15am to 4.15pm,” she says.
Booking before the activity is recommended at nma.gov.au/kimberley.
National Museum of Australia. Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula. Call 1800 026132 or visit nma.gov.au/kimberley
stay with a difference – in a
The Matthews family are the proud owners behind the Top Paddock Silo Stay – two silos that have been renovated into a threebedroom house.
“Our vision is to run a regenerative farm that looks after the land,” says silo stay co-owner Kylie Matthews.
After moving on to the 485-hectare property in 2012, the notion of creating a farm stay was inspired by a trip to NZ.
In 2022, the idea came to fruition, with Kylie’s husband spending every free moment building their holistic dream.
After a successful opening in March, 2024, Kylie says they are excited to share their dream with the public.
“We provide a unique farm stay with all the luxuries such as air-conditioning, a spa, two queen beds and three single beds,” she says.
According to Kylie, demonstrating the importance of caring for the land has always been a priority, using biodynamics and
Experience the rhythms of farm life
implementing a revegetation program.
“We’re trying to bridge the gap between the city and the country,” she says.
“We even offer farm tours for our visitors to experience life on the farm.”
The Top Paddock Silo Stay is pet friendly and Kylie says it is always best to book in advance to avoid disappointment.
“Forbes has a lot to do, and we love encouraging our visitors to see the region.”
Top Paddock Silo Stay, 138 Cooyong Lane, Forbes NSW. Call 0428 922499 or visit toppaddocksilostay.com.au
Enjoy spectacular sunsets on your peaceful, relaxing stay
Top Paddock Silo Stay is set within a regenerative beef cattle farm in the Wirrinya district of the Lachlan Valley, near Forbes. A perfect family getaway in a unique and luxurious farm stay.
• Modern kitchen and bathroom and air conditioned comfort
• Sleeps seven – 2 queen beds and 3 single beds
Book your stay online today
Or call Kylie 0428 922 499
Email hello@toppaddocksilostay.com.au www.toppaddocksilostay.com.au
rectional Museum offers the history of Australia through correctional eyes, says statewide museum manager Andrew Weglarz.
“We show the history of corrections in Australia starting from the First Fleet, up until today,” he says.
“On November 1 2023, we celebrated our 150th anniversary, we’re the oldest working jail in Australia.”
Andrew says people should think of them as a big-city museum in a rural setting.
“We have a working gallows, people can use a real trap-door, but we also have fire trucks and tractors from history,” he says.
Andrew says they have serving, minimum-security prisoners working as guides.
“We have done risk assessments with them, and they are coming to the end of serving their time,” he says.
“In 1957, a minister put all offenders
Cooma Jail, until reforms in 1984, so we have that history, too.
“We also have a show of Aboriginal history.”
He says the museum has been named the TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Award Winner for 2024, and has previously received a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor, alongside some fantastic reviews.
Andrew has been doing this work for eight years, having previously worked as a senior prison officer in the UK and in Canberra.
“My passion is the privilege I have been given to tell Australia’s history,” he says.
“I also set up displays in the reception areas of some other correctional facilities, too.”
Cooma Correctional Museum, 2 Vagg Street, Cooma. Open every day, 8.30am-3.15pm. Call 6452 5974 or visit correctiveservices.dcj.nsw.gov.au
Tuff Nutterz was started in 2019 with the idea of creating an environment where families could have fun and come together, says general manager Juan Gomez.
“It’s a day filled with excitement for children, their parents and even grandparents,” he says.
“The event features Australia’s biggest inflatable obstacle course – 300 metres long – and two other inflatable games, which are sure to provide an exhilarating experience for all ages.”
Juan says Tuff Nutterz is one of Canberra’s top-voted school holiday activities, and visits the ACT twice a year in April and September.
“We are very happy and lucky to be able to provide such an enjoyable family event,” he says.
“Tickets start at $25, with session times at 9am, 11am, 1pm and 3pm, and group discounts are available.
“We will have coffee, ice cream and yummy food available at our events, and you may bring your own food and drinks, too. Socks with grip soles are highly recommended.
“What I love about Tuff Nutterz is it’s a whole day out for the families, and away from screens, so everyone is able to share their experience together.”
Tuff Nutterz, corner of King Edward Terrace and Parkes Place
Established to teach excellence in musical theatre and to encourage young people to experience and form a love of live theatre, Pied Piper Productions director Nina Stevenson says they produce musical theatre shows that appeal to the whole family.
“We provide a professional and caring environment where those who have never performed can learn the skills and discipline needed to work in theatre,” she says.
“Six to 14-year-olds with little to no experience can be part of the junior workshops and those with some experience, aged 10 to 18 and over, can work alongside more experienced members of the group to hone their skills in the senior workshops.”
Priced for people to afford the family friendly musicals, Nina says the produc-
tions are all around 80 minutes duration.
“It’s short enough for even the youngest audience members to stay entranced by the music, songs and costumes,” she says.
Nina recommends families have a look into High School Musical 2 Jr, which will be performed during the April school holidays.
“We will have daytime and evening performances available to cater to all sorts of availability,” she says.
Tutored by highly experienced professionals, Nina says their students become well-trained musical theatre performers, some of whom go on to audition successfully for other theatrical groups.
Pied Piper Productions audition forms and bookings to pied-piper.com.au or call 6295 9172.
High School Musical 2 Jr leads, from left, Jackson Dale as Troy, Ellie Leiper as Gabriella, Abbey Heather as Sharpay and Edward Murphy as Ryan.
Zoo and aquarium promises adventure and fun
Adventure awaits at the National Zoo and Aquarium over the school holidays.
The Centre of Adventure education manager, Jessica Cartwright, says the National Zoo and Aquarium offers opportunities to “lose yourself in [their] enormous playground ‘Adventureland’”, while also learning about the zoo and its occupants in exciting new ways.
“Discover the zoo in a new way with our kids’ Discovery Trail by meeting up with roving dinosaurs and our prehistoric team in the Extinction Trail,” she says.
“Our keeper talks run daily and are a fantastic way to learn more about our animals and get answers to the questions you’ve been itching to ask.”
With trails such as the Kids Discovery Trail, the Extinction Trail and Adventureland alongside seeing all the animals in the zoo and aquarium, Jessica says there
are plenty of activities to keep kids and adults alike entertained for a whole day, or even two.
“Our memberships offer phenomenal value for our locals to visit the zoo on [their] own time,” she says.
Jessica also recommends families check out their school holiday program Zoocation, which will run each and every day during the holidays.
“Zoocation is a program where young ones will spend the day learning, discovering, creating and being outdoors!” she says.
“They’ll meet some fantastic animals, create pieces of art and discover the world around them.
“And, of course, every day ends at Adventureland!”
National Zoo and Aquarium, 999 Lady Denman Drive, Canberra. Visit nationalzoo.com.au or call 6287 8400.
Opening in 1988 with two buildings and a ferry on display, the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum and Gallery has since become a significant arts and culture hub for the Shoalhaven, says curator Jody White.
“With a world-renowned collection of maritime artefacts and historic vessels, as well as temporary galleries showcasing a diverse range of exhibitions throughout the year, the museum provides a ‘sense of place’ for the local community and offers historical and contemporary insight to our visitors.”
Recently winning gold in the Top Town Tourism Awards, Jody says the town of Huskisson offers stunning natural views and good food all just a quick drive from the sparkling coast.
nity hub, the museum provides an opportunity for visitors to explore their interests, discover something
new and be inspired by their experience,” says Jody.
“They can also explore our 1.4km mangrove boardwalk, which makes it easier to get up close to the mangroves, birds and sea creatures living in this beautiful patch of marine sanctuary.”
According to Jody, the rotating exhibit schedule means there’s always something new to see at the museum and, open every day of the year except Christmas.
Doubling as a community hub, the museum also hosts a twilight market on the first Saturday of the month until April, featuring live music, a bar,
APRIL FOOL’S FUN FEATURE
Here’s a special advertising feature with a twist of April Fool’s Day fun.
In each of the advertisements showing on this feature’s pages (and only in the advertisements) single letters of text are missing in a word.
To be in the running to win a free $1500 gift card for the Harvey Norman Belconnen store, all you have to do is find the missing letters and unscramble them into three words.
Here’s a clue: there are 21 letters to collect and once you have them, work out what they spell. Here’s another clue, they make three words (six letters, six letters and nine letters).
Once you’ve cracked the code, email your three-word answer with your full name, address, phone number, email and date of birth to tim@citynews.com.au by 5pm April 3. The winner will be judged on April 5 and contacted by phone. Entrants must be 18+. The judge’s decision is final. The prize is only applicable to be used at the Belconnen storefront.
Teaching confidence in learning to drive Matching
Revolution Driver Training in Canberra offers comprehensive driving lessons tailored for modern vehicles, says CEO Steve Lake.
“We utilise contemporary teaching techniques that incorporate technology and online resources to enhance learning,” he says.
“At Revolution Driver Training, we pride ourselves on having both male and female instructors, which fosters a comfortable environment for diverse learners.”
With a key focus on safety and responsible driving practices, Steve says Revolution aims to equip drivers with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate today’s roads responsibly.
“We are here to contribute to the overall safety of the community,” he says.
Steve says fostering confidence in driving cars is an honour.
“A lot of drivers come out of the courses surprised at how much space they need to keep in front of them when they drive,” says Steve.
“They come out feeling more confident and aware of what hazards to be looking for and what responses to implement.
“It is our goal to ensure that every new driver is given as much attention, motivation, skills and confidence to enable them to successfully commence their driving career.”
Revolution Driver Training. 83-101 Lysaght Street, Mitchell. Call 6147 6296 or visit revolutiondrivertraining.com.au
Owned and managed by podiatrist Jane Earl, Happy Fit Footwear is home to Canberra’s largest collection of podiatrist-approved and orthotic-friendly footwear.
“I personally select the shoes for their support and comfort, making sure that I am catering for feet of all shapes and sizes,” says Jane.
With a large selection of sandals, boots and sneakers across a range of brands, Jane says they are currently running discounts up to 50 per cent.
“We frequently have customers in the store who have been strug gling for months to find shoes,” she says.
“One very memorable recent experience, was a lady who was trying to find shoes to accommodate her orthotics and tricky feet.
“Our lovely staff listened to her needs, measured her feet and were able to show her several pairs of shoes that fit beautifully.
“She was delighted to leave with two pairs of stylish sneakers and we ordered in a third pair for her in another colour.”
Taking pleasure in knowing that
her customers are catered to for their every need, Jane says it is an honour at Happy Fit Footwear to find shoes that suit a customer’s needs and make sure they leave happy and satisfied.
Happy Fit Footwear, Shop 11, 11 Bougainville Street, Griffith and 10/146 Scollay Street, Greenway. Call 6176 3422 or visit happyfitfootwear.com.au
Happy Fit Footwear owner, Jane Earl.
APRIL FOOL’S FUN FEATURE
lolly shop stocks all-time favourite treats and the latest trending tastes from around the world.
“We’ve got American Reese’s, Hershey’s and candy corn, English bon bons and chocolates, sours and super sours, Dutch liquorice, Scottish tablet and our own Mrs Swag’s Fudge,” says Ian.
“We lost count at 1300 different treats and we know it’s more than that.”
Ian says sour is a popular taste at the moment, and they have a range of options, from the delightfully tangy to the tear jerking for adults.
He says freeze dried lollies are also big right now,
to Berrima.
“It’s a happy place with kids excitedly exploring for new tastes, older people reminiscing and sharing in the thrill of finding a favourite and the great stories that go with them,” he says.
“We often see people who’d come as children now bringing in their own children and sharing their experiences, which is lovely to be allowed to join in on. It’s nice to have that history.”
Lolly Swagman, 11 Old Hume Highway, Berrima. Call 4877 1137, or visit lollyswagman.com.au
LOLLY SWAGMAN
spectacle for the ages
Aviation enthusiasts are being asked to mark their calendars with the Temora Aviation Museum hosting its April Aircraft Showcase on Saturday April 12, promising a thrilling day of history, action and upclose encounters with legendary aircraft.
“We have an incredible selection of aircraft displayed,” says CEO Peter Harper.
“Including the Tiger Moth, Ryan, Spitfire, O-2A, Bird Dog, Mustang and visiting aircraft.”
With more aircraft to be announced, Peter says the day should be an unforgettable aviation celebration.
“Gates open at 10am, with a Flightline Walk from 10.10am to 10.30am,” he says.
while the Winging It session takes place.”
At 11am, Peter says the sky will come alive with a thrilling two-hour flying program.
“After landing, visitors can walk the flight line, take photos and chat with pilots.”
Visitors are also encouraged to try the full-motion Warbird Simulators for a hands-on flying experience.
“When it’s time to refuel, the Guardhouse Cafe will be serving delicious food and barista coffee from two locations,” says Peter.
“Before leaving, be sure to visit the gift shop to grab some Temora Aviation Museum merch at the Gift Shop and Hanger.”
Owner Ian Richardson.
Custom-made jewellery with a timeless elegance
From the first sketch to the final polish, each piece of jewellery is meticulously crafted to symbolise a story, says Venetia Major, owner of Venetia Major – Bespoke Jewellery at Hall.
“Specialising in custom-designed and handmade jewellery, Venetia is your passport to a world of unparalleled beauty, with a focus on creating jewellery that transcends the ordinary,” she says.
“Venetia possesses a rare skill, transforming your unique vision into a breathtaking reality.”
Venetia says customers can choose from an array of ethically sourced diamonds and precious gems, or supply their own, select the perfect metal, and tailor every intricate detail to match their style.
“Our diamonds are of the highest quality, and expertly set to radiate brilliance for a lifetime,” she says.
“Book a design appointment or visit the studio in Hall, only 19 minutes from the city!”
Venetia Major – Bespoke Jewellery, 3/8 Victoria Street, Hall. Call 6230 9587, or visit venetiamajor.com.au
Mechanics who value their customers’ safety
Nathan Lee, owner of JAWS Automotive, says he is committed to ensuring his customers are prepared for their journey ahead.
“At JAWS we offer ACT Roadworthy Inspections, mechanical repairs, log book services, 100-point safety check, as well as NSW Pink and Blue Slip inspections for motor vehicles, motorbikes, trailers,” he says.
Previously in the hands of a family business for a decade, the name JAWS was inspired by the initials of the previous owner’s father, says Nathan, who was also the tow truck driver for the previous owner before buying the business in April 2022.
“We are a small, old-school workshop that values our customers and their vehicle concerns [and] we try to help in any way we can if people are stuck needing a mechanic [at] the last minute.”
As part of the Phillip-Woden community, Nathan says they receive a fair bit of work from Lennock Motors, which is a large dealership that helps small, owner-operated businesses by sending work their way.
“We are, I believe, the only ACT Authorised Rego inspection station that does walk-in, on-the-spot rego inspections; all other authorised stations only do inspections by
market warranties, and pride ourselves on doing a job well done.”
JAWS Automotive, 4 Salamander Circuit, Phillip. Call 6285 3455.
Venetia Major – Bespoke Jewellery owner, Venetia Major.
APRIL FOOL’S FUN FEATURE
Describing herself as a people person, she loves her community of clients and says she enjoys creating a personable and joyful atmosphere, while providing a variety of professional beauty services.
In her beauty salon, Louise says she has some of the latest cutting-edge technology and skincare products to make her clients look and feel good.
“My passion is providing treatments with this new technology, I’ve made sure I’ve done the research, and have the best of the best that’s out there!” she says.
Louise says Deziner Beauty has had to expand floorspace to cater for this equipment, and she welcomes new and previous clients from Queanbeyan,
One of Louise’s most popular treatments for women and men is via her LED light-therapy bed, and currently has a special introductory offer of four treatments for just $100. Deziner Beauty also offers facelifts, body contouring, teeth whitening, a skin analyser, as well as waxing, make-up and traditional beauty services.
Centrally located in Cassidy’s Arcade, Lousie says “our team will welcome you with a smile, and serve you as you enjoy one of our premium beauty experiences.”
Deziner Beauty, Shop 16/18 Cassidy’s Arcade, 72 Monaro Street, Queanbeyan. Call 6299 5792 or visit dezinerbeauty.com.au
Celebrating their 60th anniversary this year, the Queanbeyan Players are returning to their roots with a presentation of The Pirates of Penzance.
“It is exactly 50 years since Queanbeyan Players first performed this great Gilbert and Sullivan musical,” says director Alison Newhouse.
“We have an amazing cast of 40 talented performers, with Paul Sweeney as the Pirate King, Tony Falla playing the Major General, Demi Smith as Mabel and Lachlan Elderton as Frederic.”
family,” she says.
With the production team made entirely up of women, Alison says their “girl power” is sure to make the performance a hit.
Working alongside are assistant director and choreographer Jodi Hammond, musical director Jen Hinton, production manager Brigid Cummins, stage manager Jill Young as well as costume and props experts Helen McIntyre and Mel McDonald.
Allison says the EssGee version of Pirates of Penzance will be a nice
For those looking to make a statement in their outdoor entertainment area this winter, Innovative Metalworx’s custom-made fire balls can do just that, says owner Cheryl Moulden.
Available in three different sizes, the “fire-pit alternatives” are hand drawn and hand crafted to create a bespoke product.
Queanbeyan Players, Pirates of Penzance.
“No two fire balls are the same and people can tell their own story on a sphere that lights up and warms an outdoor area,” she says.
“Once it’s yours, you fill them up with fire wood and let them blaze!”
Widely travelled, Cheryl’s fire balls have even gone to France to a returning diplomat who wanted a representation of the bush capital on it, with artwork including Parliament House, Telstra Tower and kangaroos.
“Another fire ball had a semi-trailer truck, dirt bikes and mountains on it for a 21st birthday present,” says Cheryl.
While Innovative Metalworx sells pre-designed fire balls, Cheryl says they don’t charge any extra for custom designs.
“We can also make custom-made fire pits and firewood holders,” she says.
“Our goal is to have our clients’ ideas transformed into a reality.”
Innovative Metalworx. Unit 1/43 Aurora Avenue, Queanbeyan East. Call 6232 9207 or visit innovativemetalworx.com.au
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• Supports lymphatic system
Some of the cast of Pirates of Penzance, from left, Tony Falla (Major General), Paul Sweeney (Pirate King) and Wally Allington (Samuel) with some of the pirate ensemble behind.
Deziner Beauty owner Louise McMahon.
Christy provides a total body contour
Named as one of the top three best weight-loss centres in Canberra for the second year in a row, owner Christy Christensen says Total Body Contouring is a place to redefine silhouettes.
“We help people achieve their goals from reducing cellulite and fatty tissue, assisting with muscle growth, through to lymphatic drainage, and facials that reduce acne scars,” she says.
Christy says Total Body Contouring is about building body confidence without surgery. The new Manuka salon, which features private treatment rooms and an extended service menu, is running a special on fat freezing with Cooltech, which Christy says requires no downtime and is surgery-free.
“Cooltech is one of the most advanced and non-surgical fat-reduction treatments available today,” she says.
Total Body Contouring is also proud to offer a range of injectable treatments, helping clients achieve natural-looking enhancements. Whether it’s anti-wrinkle injections or dermal fillers.
Christy says: “The experienced team tailors treatments to suit individual needs, ensuring clients feel refreshed and rejuvenated.”
Additionally, Total Body Contouring is the exclusive provider of the revolutionary Ultraformer MPT in Canberra.
“By stimulating collagen production, the Ultraformer MPT helps achieve a more youthful appearance with minimal discomfort and no downtime.”
With a team dedicated to non-surgical beauty solutions, Total Body Contouring continues to be the go-to destination for those seeking body confidence and rejuvenation in Canberra.
Total Body Contouring, Shop 3/22 Franklin Street, Griffith. Call 6239 7347 or visit totalbodycontouring.com.au
• Tailored protocols to address individual skin conditions and aesthetic goals.
• Enhanced Collagen Production
• Stimulates deep layers for improved skin elasticity and firmness.
• Comprehensive Reju enation
• Targets both superficial and deep layers of the skin for an overall revitalised appearance. Shop 3/22 Franklin Street, Griffith info@totalbodycontouring.com.au totalbodycontouring.com.au
SUNDAY
Total Body Contouring owner Christy Christensen.
IT Infrastructure Support and Cloud Services SECURE YOUR SUCCESS
The Importance of Servicing and Security in
IT
Solutions
In today’s digital world, security is crucial for all businesses, big or small. Without proper security measures, organisations face various risks like regulatory penalties, potential lawsuits from clients due to data
The
APRIL FOOL’S FEATURE
Metal shop that can do the lot
MetalMart is a one-stop metal shop, says owner Belinda Reynolds, who, backed with experience in the construction industry, took over the business in 2019.
MetalMart is a steel and scrap icon and has been successfully trading for more than 30 years in steel retail sales and scrap metal recycling.
“We are popular with a diverse range of steel users including farmers, steel fabricators, artists and the backyard handyman,” says Belinda.
“Whether it’s for domestic, rural or commercial applications, MetalMart has the products you need and if we don’t have what you are after we will do our best to track it down for you through our extensive range of suppliers.”
Belinda says MetalMart stocks an extensive range of brass and stainless steel products with a wide range of flat sheets in hot rolled, aluminium, zinc, steel plate perforated and stainless steel.
“Customers can come in with any idea and MetalMart can make it, too,” she says.
Belinda says it’s always a good time to look at cleaning up the yard.
“Don’t forget to clean up any scrap metal around your yard and we will pay cash for it!”, she says.
MetalMart, 53 Collie Street, Fyshwick. Call 6239 2422 or visit metalmart.com.au
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Jay leads the ‘interactive’ motley pirate crew
By Helen MUSA
When actor Jay Laga’aia steps on The Playhouse stage as The Pirate King in the Gilbert & Sullivan classic, The Pirates of Penzance, he’ll be doing what he likes best – interacting with audiences.
For this new show from Sydney’s Hayes Theatre, Canberra Theatre is even offering patrons game enough to sit on the stage a free drink and no wonder, as they might find themselves directly involved in the action as pirates, policemen or just the general public.
The New Zealand-born Laga’aia is, of course, a household name in Australia from years of appearances on TV shows such as Home and Away, Playschool and Bed of Roses, and internationally from the Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, where he played Captain Typho.
On stage, he’s played Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar as well as father lion Musafa in The Lion King and many other roles. When last we talked in 2011, he was coming to The Street Theatre for another thing
theatre, most recently touring as the slick DJ Vince Fontaine in Grease and playing roles at Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre.
“When people don’t hear about you, they
singing police recruits and Mabel’s sisters, all accompanied by their pianist, Fish Cake.
“We are everything to everyone and we seem to have pulled it off… the audiences watch this group of people do their quick changes and move into different roles. They love the idea that there is such a sense of fun,” he says.
Even the dedicated Gilbert & Sullivan fans to whom he talks, worried that they’ve pushed it all too far, respond that it’s exactly what G&S did in their own day – make fun of the ridiculousness of society.
“They would be so pleased with what you are doing,” people tell him.
When he was first asked to join the cast, Laga’aia, who had been in a cast of 28 for the show about 40 years ago, couldn’t get his head around doing it with four, so had to ask the director Richard Carroll what he had in mind. Luckily Carroll knew what he was talking about.
patriarch.
One of his sons, Tana, a recent NIDA graduate, has been cast as Peter in the 50thanniversary tour of Jesus Christ Superstar.
As for The Pirates of Penzance, the four actors on stage play everyone – Pirate King, Ruth, Mabel, Frederic and Major-General – as well as a motley pirate crew, a troupe of
“It’s very much a case of trust,” Laga’aia says. The end result is a fantastic show, and it’s interactive – you become part of it.”
In it, the audience becomes part and parcel of the crew, and it reminds him that in Shakespeare’s time most audience members were standing and engaging.
“Theatre is a people thing; theatre is precious,” he says.
The Pirates of Penzance, The Playhouse, April 2-6.
NOTICE OF PRACTICE RELOCATION
Date of Notice: 26th March 2025, Prof David Little, Children’s Orthopaedics, Woden Specialist Centre, Level 2, 90 Corinna Street, Woden ACT, will relocate on 30th July 2025
Unless otherwise requested, all health records held by Prof David Little, Children’s Orthopaedics will be located; Prof David Little, Children’s Orthopaedics Westmead Private Hospital - Suite 213, Level 2 Cnr Mons, Darcy Road, Westmead, NSW 2145
If you have been a past, or are a present patient of Prof David Little, you may request that a copy of your health record be transferred to you, or another practice of your choice.
Please contact us by phone or email to make arrangements for this.
Telephone: 02 8072 1384
Email: admin@childrensorthopaedics.com.au
AUTUMN SEASON - 29 & 30 MARCH 2025
* 3 KLAUS MOJE ST, WHITLAM, ‘Whitlam Climate-Wise Garden’, is a professionally landscaped garden that demonstrates sustainability and resilient planting. A booklet of the plants chosen is available to visitors. Open 10am - 4pm.
* COOK COMMUNITY GARDEN at the Southern end of Bindubi St, has 55 allotments tended by 46 very active organic growers. They are always on the lookout for keen gardeners to join, especially the younger generation. Open 10am - 2pm.
Both gardens are free entry.
See website for more information and a program of activities: opengardenscanberra.org.au
SUNDAY ROAST
Talking to the names making news. Sundays, 9am-noon.
DINING / Joe’s Bar, East Hotel, Kingston
Small bar celebrating big things
Joe’s Bar, East Hotel, is a small bar celebrating big things, including curious cocktails, good wines and contemporary Italian fare (excellent antipasto, share plates and pizza).
Four of us headed to Joe’s Bar to sit at one of the high-top tables outside, enjoying a balmy evening and sharing a few dishes to satisfy our souls.
At Joe’s, order at the bar, chillax and your drink and food are delivered to the table.
We love a solid soave, and the 2022 Borgoletto Fasolio Gino was dry, fresh and fruity (but not overly so). It’s bright light yellow in colour and perfect for summer ($17 a glass or $83 a bottle).
The burrata was one of the best I’ve had and a generous serve at $24. It was a feast for the eyes with the round mound of soft, fresh Italian cheese surrounded with salty prosciutto (some lightly fried and some not for variety), fresh fennel, balsamic, and vibrant green basil leaves. The texture of the burrata was belissimo
soft, fresh Italian cheese surrounded with salty prosciutto. Photos: Wendy Johnson fresh, bright red chilli.
these were perfetto – crispy and crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.
One of our party is mad about white anchovies and there was no way we were passing by the Alici ($15). The high-quality white anchovies were fanned on a wooden pizza board on top of fresh rocket, with slices of fresh, bright red chilli. Four mounds of pistachio pesto were carefully placed around the anchovies, as was crunchy crostini. The taste buds danced.
Polenta chips (10 pieces for $20) arrived next with our pizza order. We asked for the chips to be served after and as soon as our warm and friendly wait staff realised the issue there was an offer to take the pizza away. We refused, not believing in food waste, and it was no big deal, anyway.
Polenta chips are either fabulous or not, and
Last but not least was our pizza. Both rossa ($25 or $26) and bianca (all $25) are available at Joe’s Bar.
We chose the Francesco pizza bianca, named after energetic, vibrant and passionate executive chef Francesco Balestrieri (also of Agostini’s at East Hotel).
The pizza was loaded with hearty pork sausage, roast potatoes and spicy, spreadable pork paste (Nduja) made with wonderful spices.
All food at Joe’s Bar centres around the love of simple, but flavoursome food, created with fresh, quality produce and oodles of love. This is food designed to hit the spot.
Also on the menu at Joe’s Bar are share dishes such as arancini, calamari fritti, chicken wings, house-made focaccia, po tato fries with parmesan and oregano, and an antipasto selection ($12 to $42). For a sweet ending, dive into the tiramisu ($16).
No contest: rosé trumps sweet cabernet WINE
Four blokes over 60 agree to meet for lunch, but only three can make the date because one has a medical appointment.
This was a revisit to a Thai restaurant at the Kingston foreshore and this time we agreed to compare a couple of rosés, suitable for an end-ofsummer drink where the daytime temperatures are remaining over 30C.
Given we were down to three, I agreed to buy coffees afterwards and let the other two choose the wines. This limited and limiting planning reminded me of the question: how do you throw a party in outer space? You planet.
refreshing nature of the finish. But we did agree that Thai food went better with riesling.
One of my mates brought a Chateau Tanunda Dry Rosé 2022.
I’d visited the winery when I was last in the Barossa, a marvellous piece of architecture built from bluestone in the 1880s and fully restored. It is this building that features on the label. The wine is a blend of cabernet and merlot with a strawberry aroma and a bright pink/orange colour.
On first taste the acid predominated, but it softened after breathing and the crisp finish made it a good match with the oilier dishes, particularly the chilli prawns.
I later looked up this wine and it retails for around $22, a value-for-money wine given the quality and the
The other mate brought not a rosé but a Banrock Station Crimson Cabernet 2024.
He said that the rosé he had intended to bring was in a home storage area now blocked by the possessions of one of his sons, so he bought the cabernet instead from a major wine outlet that he visited on the way to the restaurant.
I thought of telling him a dad joke: “Did you hear about the cat who ate a lemon? Now he’s a sour puss”, but the remark seemed too apt and I just nodded at his story as I inspected the bottle.
This is an $8 Riverland wine with low alcohol (9.5 per cent) and a spritz.
When I first sipped the wine, I said to my mate that it was like tasting a plum and quince fruit bomb where the mouth explosion was unwanted.
He said he enjoyed the sweet finish and that it
would complement the chilli elements in the Thai food. It certainly clashed with the beef massaman curry, but did ameliorate the kick in the food with chilli, albeit the wine was not to my taste.
In my understanding, Banrock Station is owned by the large drinks’ retailer Accolade, a US entity that is the third largest wine company in Australia measured by revenue in 2024 (the first is Treasury Wine Estates, the second Pernod Ricard Winemakers). Accolade owns more than 50 brands, including Banrock Station. Its portfolio includes wine brands such as Hardys, Grant Burge Wines, Petaluma and St Hallett.
The smaller independent wineries, such as those that predominate in the Canberra District, should, in my view, be preferred by buyers both in terms of quality and for investment in the future of the industry.
I didn’t at the time share these thoughts with my friend who bought the Banrock Station, but will let him know that the intended light-hearted gathering where he brought the sweet and spritzy cabernet triggered this heartfelt reaction.
Chateau Tanunda in the Barossa Valley… built from bluestone in the 1880s and fully restored.
Making sense of murder in an adolescent world
When it comes to television shows about murder investigations sometimes it feels like everything has been done.
The scramble to churn out as much content as possible in this streaming era means crime series have become so prolific that it’s now exhausting – even for aficionados.
I’ve often found myself skipping over the latest big-budget murder shows that are splattered across my subscriptions. A glance at the gloomy trailer or a skim read of its description full of words like “gritty, absorbing and procedural” are enough to keep me scrolling. Been there, done that.
However, a new drama miniseries called Adolescence that’s just landed on Netflix has changed the game.
This four-part show from Britain offers a fascinating and undeniably disturbing premise that’s backed up by a stellar cast who bring it to life.
The subject of this show isn’t the usual notorious serial killer or a scorned wife out for revenge, but rather a 13-year-old boy.
The show opens with police storming the house of the Miller family, taking a young teen named Jamie into custody for the apparent murder of his classmate Katie.
Did he do it? And if so why? These are the questions his parents torture themselves with as the disturbing plot unravels.
In a figurative sense you could consider Jamie’s father Eddie (played by co-creator Stephen Graham) to be something of the
alien to him, the world of the internet and social media that his son grew up in but one that Eddie himself can never quite understand. Graham, who many will know from Peaky Blinders, says the inspiration for the show came from similarly horrific issues he was
“It’s harrowing for us as a nation and as a society to digest. I had this idea about wanting to bring that issue into the social consciousness with the format and the style of the one-shot.”
A special mention needs to be given to
a remarkable job. Even more intriguing is
that this is his acting debut.
It’s not just the writing of Adolescence that is such an achievement but also what it pulls off on a technical level.
Each of the four episodes are all shot in one continuous take, which charges the show with a relentless tension that makes it hard to look away. The feeling is one that’s often more like a stage show rather than a television show. Characters enter and exit scenes with such precision its easy to forget the program is a work of fiction. It must have taken an immense amount of work and rehearsals to pull it off and it’s well worth it.
What also helps the plot feel so fast-paced is the show’s commitment to telling its story over just four episodes. So many crime series these days feel so eager to stretch out their plot for as long as they can, stuffing it with so many red herrings that it becomes exhausting.
The stripped down focus on the core concept at hand in this crime show means there’s never a dull moment.
Many are already going as far as to call Adolescence a masterpiece and it’s for very good reason. It’s a compelling, creepy and all-too-real drama series and a major achievement for Netflix.
Owen Cooper who plays the disturbed and distressed teenager Jamie and Stephen Graham as his father Eddie in Adolescent.
/ reviews
Four crime fiction gems almost left on the shelf BOOKS
After Christmas, I started reading some of the remaining books on the review shelf and discovered four real gems.
Donna Leon first introduced her detective Commissario Brunetti, of the Venice Questura, in 1992. A Refiner’s Fire is the 34th mystery in the series.
Venice is plagued by gangs of teenage boys fighting at night, using social media to organise time and place. When a fight takes place near a police station, the gangs are arrested, their phones confiscated and their parents contacted. One boy, Orlando Monforte, remains when all the others have left with their parents and Commissario Claudia Griffoni takes him to his home.
When Orlando’s father makes a complaint against Griffoni, Brunetti investigates and discovers that Dario Monforte is the national “Hero of Nasiriyah”, who on service in Iraq, on a peacekeeping mission, saved two of his comrades when their base was struck by a suicide bomber. But is Monforte the hero the Italian government created?
Brunetti becomes involved in another investigation when a colleague is brutally attacked by a member of a teenage gang. Eventually the two strands combine in a night of violence and tragedy. Leon is an accomplished story teller and A Refiner’s Fire is literary crime fiction at its best.
Australian author Pip Fioretti is a newcomer in the world of crime fiction.
Her debut novel in the genre, Bone Lands, is set in 1911, in the arid north west of NSW, policed by a single mounted trooper Augustus (Gus) Hawkins, a traumatised veteran of the Boer War. One night he discovers the bodies of three young people brutally murdered on a road he would have been patrolling if he hadn’t been in bed with the local schoolteacher.
James Kirkbride and his two younger sisters Nessie and Grace are the children of Robert Kirkbride, who owns the biggest sheep station in the district. He’s rich and influential and his children are like “local royalty”.
Two detectives arrive from Sydney to investigate the murders but it’s Hawkins with his local knowledge who is determined to uncover the truth, revealing dark and
disturbing secrets in the process.
In Bone Lands Fioretti explores a brutal, violent time in Australian history. Bleak and shocking, it’s compulsive reading.
Equally bleak is Iain Ryan’s The Dream, the second in his series that he says are “directly inspired by the idea that Australia doesn’t have a hardboiled noir canon”. He believes Australian crime fiction tends to be “quite aspirational and ‘quiet’ ”. Peter Temple and Peter Corris would disagree.
In 1982, the glittering façade of Queensland’s Gold Coast is underpinned by a world of greed and corruption, as it prepares to host the Commonwealth Games. It’s the era of the White Shoe Brigade and corrupt Police Commissioner Terry Lewis.
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Ryan interweaves three plot lines involving a murder, missing police files and a stalled major development, Fantasyland. Ryan’s novel reveals a dangerous world dominated by men with money, who control the police and development projects with lavish parties, sex and drugs. The Gold Coast at the time was a developers’ dream but it was no paradise.
After all the sleaze of the Gold Coast, it’s a relief to enter the cosy crime world of British author Sally Smith, who sets her
debut novel A Case of Mice and Murder in London’s Inner Temple, where she practised as a barrister and King’s Counsel.
Smith sets her novel, the first in a series, in 1901, introducing her detective Sir Gabriel Ward KC, a barrister with “a highly trained analytical mind and a reputation for exceptional forensic objectivity”.
Gabreil is a confirmed bachelor, living and working in the Inner Temple. He’s a man of fixed routines and behaviour. But one May morning he discovers the barefoot body of the Chief Justice, Lord Norman Dunning, on the doorstep of his chambers, a carving knife in his chest.
However, the police can only enter the Inner Temple with consent and Sir William Waring, the Master Treasurer believes the crime should be “investigated internally by a senior member of our community”. He has chosen Gabriel because he has a cast iron alibi and because of his skills in cross-examination.
Gabriel is pressured to agree and work with a young police constable from the Met who has modern ideas about detection. With its intriguing insights into a different time and place, fans of Richard Osman and Richard Cole will welcome Smith’s entry into the world of cosy crime.
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A Refiner’s Tale cover. Bone Lands cover. The Dream cover. A Case of Mice and Murder.
A wheelie funny circus show
By Helen Musa
Coming soon to Queanbeyan, where the humble shopping trolley has been deified in song, is a show inspired by an equally iconic object – the wheelie bin.
Describing the globally-loved bin as their “transformational muse”, three circus comedians – Jamie Bretman, Jack Coleman and Morgan Wilson, all graduates of Melbourne’s National Institute for Circus Arts – transform rubbish bins to become cars, trenches, charity rocketships even musical instruments.
When I catch up with Bretman, co-founder of the team Trash Test Dummies, I find the word “circus” doesn’t quite cover it.
It’s more a physical theatre piece than pure circus, accounting for sell-out hit seasons at the Edinburgh Fringe, where it was runner-up in the Children’s Choice Award for 2016. It’s also travelled to 15 countries, easily comprehensible because it doesn’t involve language.
“It’s essentially for kids and their families, even their grandparents, although occasionally the 16-year-olds in the audience are too cool for school,” Bretman says, “So we work hard to keep our jokes up-to-date and evolving.”
That could involve trawling the hot topics of the moment and knowing what the youthful buzzwords are to keep the show as fresh as possible. As with the pantomime of yesteryear, there may also be a bit of double entendre for the grownups.
The entire show is performed in work overalls with no glitzy circus costumes and they’ll be wear-
Audiences to get ‘just desserts’ ARTS IN THE CITY THEATRE / Trash Test Dummies
Trash Test Dummies... “Bins can be evil if you chase people around with them, but if you put kids in the bins and give them a ride, that’s different,” says Jamie Bretman. Photo: Michael Aiden
ground than the other two, but that co-founder Coleman is more acrobatic, flipping, jumping and doing handstands, while American circus artist Wilson, who came to NICA as a fee-paying international student and stayed on, is more into balancing and juggling.
“We’re all complementary,” Bretman says.
“We learn tricks from each other… Jack does handstands on our heads. I tend to fall over a lot.”
In their final year at NICA in 2012, assisted by the late circus director Derek Ives, they spent three months working up a kind of cabaret show based around graffiti and found all sorts of surprising things about wheelie bins that he doesn’t want to tell me.
“We were the evil wheelie bins chasing the great graffiti artist around – we were evil
Singing cook Michelle Pearson will give audiences their “just desserts” in the show Comfort Food Cabaret. Diners will be serenaded by Pearson as she creates a three-course menu accompanied by a live band performing jazz, rock and pop. It has already been seen in Copenhagen at a three-Michelin-star restaurant, in London and Edinburgh and all over Australia. Two shows at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre on April 5.
Inspiring kids (and their equally guilty adults) to repurpose and recycle, comes Clutterbugs, a zany new picture book from Canberra author Maura Pierlot. It explores waste reduction and consumption and encourages young readers to be changemakers. With fun illustrations by Maya Bora, it is filled with playful rhyme and clutterbug characters.
Coro chamber choir makes a welcome reappearance with Days of Miracle & Wonder. The concert includes the Canberra premiere of Richard Rodney Bennett’s The Glory and the Dream, songs by Tallis, Britten, Whitacre and a work by Cuban composer Beatriz Corona. Wesley Music Centre, April 5.
National Opera has emerged from summer hibernation with news of its 2025 season. Among the highlights will be a condensed, narrated version of the Richard Strauss opera, Der Rosenkavalier, in July and, in time for Christmas in December, a family-friendly production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera Hansel and Gretel at Albert Hall.
With support from Bendigo Bank branches in Braidwood and Bungendore, the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council art awards have expanded to support and promote the region’s visual art talent. There’s a total prize pool of $25,000, and a top award of $7000. Registrations open at qprc.nsw.gov.au on March 31.
“Our circus is not conventional circus… It’s highly interactive, we involve the audience without getting them on stage, and it is narrative-driven.
“But we’re not evil any more. Bins can be evil if you chase people around with them, but if you put kids in the bins and give them a ride, that’s different – our bins are very clean.
“Every country and every culture has wheelie bins – they may have different dimensions and different colours, but the principle is the same – you wheel them in and out… we know far too much about bins, like how to ride them like a skateboard.
“That’s why this show is about rubbish.”
Trash Test Dummies, The Q, Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre, April 12-13.
April 5.
Musica da Camera’s first performance of 2025 will be Angels and Serenades, conducted by Brad Tham. Holy Covenant Church, Cook, April 5.
The National Capital Orchestra will perform the epic Symphony No. 5. by Shostakovich, whose works have been too rarely performed in Canberra in recent years. Snow Concert Hall, April 6.
Singing cook Michelle Pearson… Tuggeranong Arts Centre,
twinstitch.upholstery Like us on Facebook Call or email us today! 0422 073 665 61813511 toni@twinstitchupholstery.com.au
Shapes make things interesting
By Jackie WARBURTON
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While there are autumn bulbs to give colour, the shape of foliage can also play a big part in creating an interesting garden. One plant with unusual-shaped foliage that’s growing well in my garden is wax mallow (Malvaviscus arboreus)
It is herbaceous, meaning it completely dies down in winter and regrows in spring creating a mound to about a metre tall.
At this time of year it displays unusual and striking cherry red flowers that sit upright above the foliage.
The plant can be hard to come by, but look out for it at local plant sales such as Marymead and The Horticultural Society of Canberra.
are all tough and drought tolerant and many of its plants grow well in our climate.
Some hardy species to try of this family are Chinese lanterns, deciduous hibiscus or a native, the hollyhock tree (Hibiscus splendens)
Winter can be a problem with hollyhocks, so plant it in a sheltered spot or in a pot where it can be moved when the cold weather arrives. Its pretty pink flowers run from October to December.
The fruit matures in summer and the seeds are easy to germinate or can grow quickly from cuttings as well.
WITH the soil beginning to cool and the prospect of frost getting closer, it’s a busy time to get plants in the ground and growing before winter.
Vegetable seedlings need to be in, as do sweet peas and early spring
colour such as primula, pansies and poppies.
Green manure crops need to be planted in the next few weeks and garden beds to be mulched to reduce the risk of frost drawing moisture from the ground in winter and to keep the weeds down.
The coarser the mulch, the longer it takes to break down to let moisture into the soil to keep roots watered over winter.
I prefer pea straw or sugar cane mulch for vegetable beds and bark for garden beds. In general, the smaller the space the smaller the bark. Sugar cane mulch is good as the snails don’t like it and breaks down as well.
Water the ground before and after mulching for best results.
SOME short-lived native colour can also be planted this time of year and Scaevola, a pretty little ground cover, is a good choice. It’s either purple or white flowering and can be planted in the shade.
WHILE the weather is still warm, some fertilising can be done but be selective and fertilise plants that are evergreen and flower in winter and early spring such as daphnes, camellias, azaleas, banksias and grevilleas. All exotics can have a general-purpose
fertilisers, but a native-only fertiliser for the natives.
A REALLY pretty plant I see growing well in Canberra is geisha girl (Duranta repens). Its dainty flowers are rich blue and it has a graceful weeping habit where the tips of the branches are where the flowers form.
It will grow well in a pot in our winters or, if in the ground, it would need to be in a frost-free courtyard. It is important to prune hard after flowering to keep the plant compact and ensure flowering next year. The harder the pruning, the more vigorous growth and, in turn, more flowers. They like good drainage and water in the warmer months and when they are flowering.
jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au
Jottings…
• Add boron to the base of ap- ple trees to sweeten the soil.
• Keep planting beetroot, leafy greens and kale.
• Prune excess growth from pome fruits.
• Keep pear trees netted as fruit ripens.
Wax mallow… at this time of year it displays unusual and striking cherry red flowers. Photos: Jackie Warburton
Geisha girl’s dainty flowers are rich blue and it has a graceful weeping habit.
HOROSCOPE PUZZLES
By Joanne Madeline Moore
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
For the first time since 1861, Neptune is transiting through your sign! And (apart from a brief retrograde into Pisces from October until January) it will stay there until 2038. So (over the next 13 years) you could become an artist, writer or musician, take up volunteer work, and/or become more religious or spiritual. Your current motto is from writer (and birthday great) Maya Angelou: “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)
Venus (your ruling planet) is in retrograde mode (and so is Mercury) until April 13. So resist the push from other people to rush projects and get into a panic (especially at work). A friend, colleague or acquaintance could also cause you some aggravation and stress, as they misinterpret your true intentions. You’ll find steady leadership, careful consideration and wise decision-making are required this week, as you step up and be a positive role model.
GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)
This week retrograde Mercury, retrograde Venus and taskmaster Saturn are stirring up your career and life direction zone. And Neptune joins the Sun in your hopes-and-wishes zone. So, it’s time to be patient, review (and maybe redo) a work project, take on challenges, dream big dreams and develop a practical, long-term plan. Your motto for the moment is from this week’s birthday great, movie icon Bette Davis: “The key to life is accepting challenges.”
CANCER (June 22 – July 23)
Neptune is now transiting through your career/reputation/life direction zone, where (apart from a brief retrograde into Pisces) it will stay until 2038. So – over the next 13 years – many Crabs will find more meaningful, creative, compassionate and/or spiritual ways to make the world a better place. Your motto comes from environmentalist Jane Goodall, who turns 91 on Thursday: “Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.”
LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)
Despite Mercury and Venus being retrograde – causing some frustrations – there’s a fabulous link between the Sun (your patron planet) and Jupiter (planet of prosperity and confidence). So, it’s your time to shine, Lions – to show the world what you are truly capable of. Your motto is from birthday great, writer Maya Angelou: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive. And to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style”.
VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)
This week, retrograde Venus, retrograde Mercury (your power planet) and Saturn are all stirring up your relationship zone. So, it’s important to nurture and cherish your loved ones (and try to communicate clearly), even when it is difficult to do so. You could also lend a hand to a relative or close friend who is sick or experiencing financial trouble. Smart thinking, deep reflection and creative strategies will help you solve problems and alleviate stress.
LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)
Saturn, retrograde Mercury and retrograde Venus (your patron planet) demand that you roll up your sleeves and tackle any ongoing problems at work. Plus, improve your professional literacy through upskilling or via the mentorship of someone with smart and savvy connections. But be careful on the weekend, when your uber-perfectionist side could shift into top gear. Best productive plan for the week? Sort out the big stuff and don’t sweat the small stuff!
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)
Mercury and Venus are in retrograde mode (until April 7 and April 13 respectively) which can mean delays, cancellations and plenty of frustrations – especially involving your partner, children and/or friends. Perhaps a project is stalled, a child is experiencing difficulties, a friend reneges on a deal or an essential domestic appliance breaks down? Avoid getting into a Scorpio stew! Try to unwind by listening to music, walking in nature or swimming in the sea.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)
Neptune is now transiting through your creativity and leisure zones until 2038. So – over the next 13 years – many Sagittarians will connect with their inner muse via music, poetry, literature, acting, singing, art or dance. This week – with Mercury and Venus both reversing through your domestic zone – be particularly careful what you say to a stressed family member or a grumpy housemate. If in doubt, then be extra discreet, zip your lips and say nothing!
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)
Taskmaster Saturn (your boss planet), retrograde Mercury and retrograde Venus are all stirring up your zones of communication, education, local travel, community connections, cars and computers. So, you could encounter frustrating problems, breakdowns, delays or misunderstandings in these areas. Clever Capricorns will cool down, calm down, check everything twice and try to keep things in perspective. On the weekend, enjoy some quiet quality time at home.
AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)
Your money zone is being influenced by retro Mercury, retro Venus and pennypinching Saturn. So wise up Aquarius – it’s time to increase your financial literacy. More careful budgeting (and less spontaneous spending) will help life run more smoothly. Keep your feet on the ground, even though your head is in the stars. Saturn and Mars make positive late-week links to your ruling planet Uranus. If you are patient and proactive, then you’ll really start to make progress!
PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)
This week Neptune (your patron planet) transits into dynamic Aries – for the first time since 1861! Mercury and Venus are also both reversing through your sign which can mean delays, cancellations and plenty of frustrations – especially with relationships. Perhaps a DIY project is stalled, a family member is slowing progress, or your car or computer breaks down. Calm down Pisces – aim to be thoughtful and proactive, rather than impulsive and reactive.
Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2025
3 Name a medieval glove. (8)
7 Who is employed to tend a furnace? (6)
To what race does a native of Albuquerque belong? (8) 9 Name a legendary venerable magician and seer. (6) 10 What is the rotating part of an electric motor? (8) 11 Which ass is used as a beast of burden? (6)
To beat severely, is to do what? (8) 18 What is a place frequented by
(6)
makers? (6) 19 Which term describes one who is the quickest? (8) 20 Which term describes feeling of showing affection or fondness? (6)
21 Which term describes the beginning of existence? (8)
1 Who was the Moor of Venice? (7)
2 To frolic, is to do what? (7)
3 What is a repository for the seeds of cereal plants? (7)
4 Who invaded England in 1066? (7)
5 What is a discourse delivered before an audience? (7)
6 Name the wagons attached to steam locomotives. (7)
11 What is a porpoise-like creature? (7)
12 What is an agent of retribution? (7)
13 To be evanescent, is to be what? (7)
14 Which term describes something done vigilantly and attentively? (7)
15 Which term describes being deeply, seriously, or sadly thoughtful? (7)
16 Which term describes cells with the specialised function transmitting nerve impulses? (7)
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT
Jonno sees more work in new payday super
As an employer, Jonno isn't keen on the prospect of a new payday super regime, saying it seems that, annoyingly, he will have to pay super far more frequently. "Am I wrong, Gail,” he asked.
The draft legislation has a starting date for mandatory payday super as July 1, 2026. The Treasury released the draft legislation earlier this month and public comment ends on April 11.
"My answers to you are based on this draft legislation," I told Jonno. "I suspect that any changes will be minimal and that the framework will apply as currently proposed.
"The important thing you need to know is that super has to be received by the ‘clearing house’ within seven days from the payment of staff salaries.
"That will impact cash flows for all businesses that are used to using a different interval for super payments. The current clearing house will shut down when payday super starts and will be replaced by a new clearing house, of which no details are yet available except that it will be more ‘suitable’.
"The difficulty for my business is that I will have to pay it weekly which means 52 payments per year as opposed to the present four. Unless the new clearing house is super-efficient, that means a lot more time will need to be spent on wages each week.”
Jonno said: “That's exactly what I mean. I pay the boys weekly and this will make a big difference to my office staff.”
I told Jonno that was correct.
"It is also important to note that the draft legislation doesn’t mean that you have a week to pay the super," I said.
"It means you have a week for the clearing house or the relevant fund to receive the super. So depending on the bank you use and the super funds in question, you may have to pay super within two days of payday to be certain of the funds arriving in the clearing house on time.
“There are a couple of useful things that I can tell you, the first is that most of the payroll programs now have a payday super option so you can start paying it now, which will assist you in making sure you're managing your cash flow correctly in advance of the legal requirements. "The seven days in the legislation are seven calendar days and not seven business days, which does make it a very short period for you to comply.”
"If you find you've missed a payment there are a few changes which could be beneficial. The current situation is that if you pay staff super late then the super payment and all charges will be non-deductible.
"The new legislation proposes that the super will be deductible and any penalties and charges will not. So that is an improvement.
"Currently, if you pay super late the interest rate is a flat 10 per cent but going forward it will be pegged to the general interest charge rate, which is currently 11.42 per cent.
"This rate will be charged on a daily compounding basis so that will cost you more. Currently there is a $20 an employee a quarter penalty charged for all late payments. This will increase to a 60 per cent uplift which the tax commissioner has the discretion to remit.
"The $20 cannot be remitted under any circumstances. So you can see that there are swings and roundabouts in the proposed legislation.”
While grateful for my advice, Jonno said he still wasn't happy, but would start making the payments from next month so he had a really good handle on it when it became law.
If you need help with payday super or any tax, business or superannuation related matter, contact the expert team at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd on 02 6295 2844.
Disclaimer
This column contains general advice, please do not rely on it. If you require specific advice on this topic please contact Gail Freeman or your professional adviser. Authorised Representative of Lifespan Financial Planning Pty Ltd AFS Lic No. 229892.
