FUSE32 : RISE UP, THERE'S AN ANGEL INSIDE EACH OF US (Girl Cover)

FUSE

MADE IN AUSTRALIA FUSEMAGAZINE.COM.AU DEC 2012 / JAN 2013

LIFE LOVE 32 24 EQUALITY

feast CHRISTMAS

EAT, LOVE & BE MERRY TOP QUEER CARS OF THE YEAR AVOIDING CHRISTMAS FINANCIAL STRESS XMAS IDEAS TO IMPRESS!

GETTING YOUR SKIN INTO SHAPE THIS SUMMER

+ CANBERRA SPRINGOUT PRIDE FESTIVAL PHOTOS

> RISE UP : THERE’S AN ANGEL INSIDE EACH OF US

ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF

BECOMING A PARENT

CONTENTS

FUSE MAGAZINE MADE IN AUSTRALIA DEC 2012 / JAN 2013

LIFE LOVE 32 EQUALITY EDITOR Alexander Thatcher ASSOCIATE EDITOR Yasmin Element

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POLITICAL EDITOR Simon Copland

FUSE FEATURES

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Christopher Powell PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Linda Djumlija CONTRIBUTORS Scott Malcolm Jacqui Bushell Rose Pappalardo Stuart Poole Melisa Paz Keiran Rossteuscher Di Simpson Hedda Murray Michael Klim Keiron Goatcher

RY MERA XMPY SNEW & HAAPR FROM YE E FUSE TH AM TE

PHOTOGRAPHERS Arno Lily Chen Doug Robinson Lynx Clark

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‘Tis the season... naturally. Do you know what you’re going to cook this Christmas? Maybe it’s time for something that’s not only delicious, but also kind to your body and soul. In this very special Yule feature we look at the history of Christmas and how to celebrate it with glorious and nutritious food!

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Are you thinking about becoming parent?

For this journey to be one filled with joy, it’s important to know all your options — and the pitfalls where possible. We’ve put together a vital informative guide to help you get started on the right path.

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What’s in a word? In a world full of red tape and tick boxes, Hedda Murray looks at trying to survive without a “word” to define her relationship of the past 28 years.

FUSE REGULARS 26

WWW.FUSEMAGAZINE.COM.AU 40 All rights reserved. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. The appearance, mention or likeness of any person or organisation in editorial or advertising in no way suggests sexual or political orientation. Photographs used to illustrate editorial do not depict the real lives, behaviour or sexuality of the models. Opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the FUSE publisher, editor or staff. Any health, fitness or dietry advice contained in this magazine is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician and a fitness/health professional before changing your diet, doing any exercise program, or taking any supplements or remedies of any kind. Submissions of text, photographs or any other material will be taken as consent to publish said material.

Let’s face it, some people are almost imposible to buy for. In this issue we have put together a whole bunch of fab Xmas gifts that are bound to impress those special people in your life.

FUSE OP.ED

CONTACT FUSE 0412 309 992 hello@fusemagazine.com.au fusemagazine.com.au PO Box 3577 Manuka ACT 2603 Published + designed by: Lithium Innovation Pty Ltd lithium.net.au ISSN 1836-8387

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Editor’s Rant The Flicks What’s On Talent : Photographer Interview Round Up : News & Politics Fab Things : Xmas Shopping Grooming : Summer Skin Money Shot : Surviving Christmas Out & About : Cube Nightclub Fitness : Abs and Butts!

Top Queer : Cars of the Year Out & About : Canberra SpringOut Health : Back to the Future Stargazer : Your Horoscope FUSE Community Directory Dear Rose 1

EDITOR’S EDITOR’SRANT RANT

d YULE TIDINGS Alexander Thatcher Editor

When I was younger I used to view astrology with a degree of skepticism. But hey, a girl’s got a right to change her mind.

Over the years there have been way too many coincidences between events occurring in my life and astrological predictions to dismiss the fact that something is going on.

During the month of November — while we were putting this issue of FUSE together — Mercury was retrograde, which it does several times a year. During this time Mercury starts travelling in an apparent backward motion. While Mercury is retrograde, for around three weeks, you miss appointments, your computer equipment crashes, things get lost, and you find the car you just purchased is a lemon. You hate your haircut, the lamp you bought shorts out and there are countless delays, cancellations and postponements. It’s a drama queen’s nightmare.

So if during the last few weeks of November you had issues around machinery, computers and communication, you can blame Mercury retrograde.

Here in the FUSE office, Mercury retrograde hit us with its full force — you name it we had it, major computer issues, communication dramas and everything was late. Thank (add your deity here) for my partner who keeps numerous data backups and is a computer whiz kid, he was pretty much fixing things (or not!) for three weeks solid.

FUSEMAGAZINE.COM.AU Check out the FUSE Magazine website for daily news, videos, special online features, what’s on listings, the latest community up dates on our popular message board, the FUSE business directory and more!

ADVERTISE WITH FUSE Interested in advertising with FUSE? Call us on 0412 309 992 or email hello@fusemagazine. com.au

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Lucky nothing in life stays the same and the holiday season is on our doorstep. In our Christmas issue this year we have a whole bag of goodies for you. Our foodie, Jacqui Bushell writes about Christmas past and has designed a ‘kind’ Christmas dinner that’s bound to impress everyone at the table p22. We have a whole list of fabulous ideas for those last minute gifts on p13 and Scott Malcolm gives some avid advice on avoiding Christmas financial stress, which includes using some old twine p19.

We also have a fantastic feature on p26, ‘So you want to be a parent’. For some same-sex couples having a baby and starting a family is the most wonderful gift they could receive. So we thought it was high time that somebody put together an article that covers all the options and looks at any pitfalls that may need to be anticipated on the wonderful journey to parenthood. Written by Di Simpson a family law specialist, this is a must read for anyone looking at being mums or dads.

As this is our last issue of 2012, I’d like to personally thank everyone that works so hard to make FUSE possible, our staff, contributors, supporters and of course you, our readers. May you all have a wonderful and safe holiday season and we’ll see you in 2013.

Enjoy, Alex

NEVER NEVERMISS MISSAACOPY COPYOF OFFUSE! FUSE! Subscribe to FUSE and have it delivered for only $7 per issue. For more details visit fusemagazine.com.au or scan this QR CODE.

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BLOOD DONATION PLEDGE FUSE magazine wants to let the Australian Government and Red Cross know just how much under utilised and safe blood is available, so we have set up a pledge page at change.org — ‘Gay Blood Donation Pledge’ where you can pledge your gift of blood if Australia’s blood donation guidelines are changed.

You’ll find the ‘Gay Blood Donation Pledge’ link on our website fusemagazine.com.au or scan this with the QR CODE reader on your smart phone.

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MOVIES LIFE OF PI OPENS 1 JANUARY

FUSE MOVIE PICK OF THE MONTH!

THE HOBBIT : AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY 3D OPENS 26 DECEMBER Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) must go on a quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was conquered by the dragon Smaug. Unexpectedly approached by the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Bilbo agrees to join a company of dwarves led by legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield. The journey takes them through treacherous lands swarming with goblins and orcs, deadly wargs and giant spiders, shapeshifters and sorcerers and ultimately leads Baggins to finds a magical gold ring tied to the fate of all Middle-earth.

A man named Pi tells a story that occurred when he was 16. When his family decides to move their zoo from India to Canada, Pi winds up as the only human survivor of the tragic sinking of a cargo ship. On the sea in a lifeboat, he’s accompanied by the other survivors—a zebra with a broken leg, a hyena, a female orangutan and a 450-pound aggressive Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. The hyena eats the zebra and then the orangutan. After the tiger eats the hyena, Pi tries catching fish to feed the tiger so he won’t get eaten himself.

When officials from the Maritime department don’t believe his story, Pi changes it. This time, he’s adrift in a lifeboat with his mother, a sailor with a broken leg, and the ship’s cook, who kills the sailor and Pi’s mother.

THE FLICKS LES MISERABLES 26 DECEMBER When Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is released from prison after serving 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread, he breaks parole to create a new life for himself, but has to evade Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe), who’s determined to bring him to justice. This is the movie version of the Broadway musical, with libretto by Alain Boublil and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, based on Victor Hugo’s novel.

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ZERO DARK THIRTY OPENS 31 JANUARY Following the September 11 attacks on the United States, a decade-long hunt began for Osama bin Laden, the head of the Islamist militant group al-Qaeda.

The movie follows the efforts of top secret CIA intelligence forces, who rented a home in Abbottabad, Pakistan near the compound where bin Laden was believed to be in hiding. The official code name of the mission was Operation Neptune Spear and on May 2, 2011, a special force of Navy Seals carried out a raid that brought the terrorist down.

FREE MOVIE TICKETS FUSE has double passes to give away to Dendy Cinemas.

Email us and tell us what you think of FUSE, comment on an article or sign up to the FUSE website and you could win these great Dendy movie tickets • email: hello@fusemagazine.com.au • www.fusemagazine.com.au FREE MOVIE PASSES KINDLY SUPPLIED BY DENDY CINEMAS CANBERRA LEVEL 2, NORTH QUARTER CANBERRA CENTRE, BUNDA STREET, CANBERRA CITY 261-263 KING STREET, NEWTOWN • SHOP 9, 2 EAST CIRCULAR QUAY, SYDNEY PORTSIDE WHARF, REMORA ROAD, HAMILTON • 108 JONSON STREET, BYRON BAY WWW.DENDY.COM.AU

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WHAT’S ON

PREMIER LADIES NIGHT SATURDAY 15 DECEMBER 2012 TRINITY BAR 28 CHALLIS STREET, DICKSON Attention ladies of Canberra. Lady Bones is bringing something for the fairer sex of our nation’s fabulous capital. Buck wild parties especially for the girls with local DJ’s and interstate guest sets from the finest lady DJ’s Australia!

CANBERRA

CELEBRATES NEW YEAR’S EVE IN THE CITY 31 DECEMBER 2012 Civic will raise the roof on New Year’s Eve with the Bass in the Place dance party as part of Canberra’s New Year’s Eve in the City celebrations.

From 9.00pm Garema Place will play host to the top mixing talent of Timmy Trumpet, a DJ/ Instrumentalist ranked amongst the top 10 DJs in Australia, as well as DJ Chris Fraser, Runamark and DJ Rawson.

But it’s not New Year’s Eve without fireworks – state of the art pyrotechnics will light up the sky at 9pm and midnight, set to soundtracks specially produced for New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Eve in the City, which also features a family concert headlined

by Diesel at Civic Square, is proudly presented by the ACT Government and sponsored by PRIME Television, Mix 106.3 and FM 104.7. The event is alcohol and glass free to encourage a safe and friendly atmosphere.

For more information, visit events.act.gov.au/nye, phone Canberra Connect on 13 22 81 or follow EventsACT on Twitter and Facebook.

For more info check out events.act.gov.au/nye

RENT : THE MUSICAL

Catch ‘Teen Spirit’ at the Trinity Bar, where Lady Bones has decided to wind the clock back to a simpler time. A time when your biggest worry was getting home from school in time to catch Home and Away. Prizes will be given out for the raddest costumes and they be pumpin nutin’ but 90’s choons from 8pm-10pm.

LADY BONES, bringin’ the heat. facebook.com/ladybonesinc

WHAT’S ON! WANT TO KNOW WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING, CHECK OUT OUR ‘WHAT’S ON’ SECTION AT WWW.FUSEMAGAZINE.COM.AU

6 – 22 DECEMBER AT THE CANBERRA THEATRE Everyman Theatre is proud to bring to Canberra audiences one of the most iconic and popular musicals of our generation. Based loosely on Puccini’s La Bohème, Jonathan Larson’s RENT tells the unforgettable story of a group of young artists learning to survive, fall in love, find their voices and live for today.

Tickets: canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 02 6275 2700

NEW YEAR’S EVE AT CUBE 31 DECEMBER 2012

MO CUBE RNE DETA YE S PAGEIL 30

It’s going to be a huge night, so come and party like it’s the end of the world (because it might be) at CUBE nightclub with DJ Pete and Matt. Open 9pm. Entry $29.

Includes two free drinks before midnight! More info on page 30.

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TALENT

SHOOT ME Here at FUSE we are always keen to support and encourage artistic GLBTI community members and with each issue we try to use a different photographer for our covers.

This month we were lucky enough to have talented photographer Arno shoot for FUSE32. Arno, who considers himself a vagabond, has been a keen photographer from a young age after he inherited his very first camera from his grandfather.

When we asked him about his favorite subject matter, you could almost hear his heart beat faster as he said ‘People, people and people. Oh, did I mention people?’ Passionate about the workings of his camera and the images he produces we thought we’d ask him a few questions about his joy of taking photos.

DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR FIRST EVER PHOTO? I don’t remember last week too clearly, so unfortunately ‘the first’ is lost to the mists of my memory. I’m thinking however, it was probably for my school newspaper.

WHO IS THE MOST STRIKING PERSON YOU’VE SHOT? The most striking person is usually the most recent one. For me it’s about getting to know someone, through conversation, personality and look. My latest model, Erik Max, has great features. He is confident with delicate poise and a hint of mystery.

WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES A GOOD MODEL? Presence. The perfect face and body can be mastered with good computer skills, but the human spirit is the spark that makes us look and say ‘Oh, hello, who is this?

FUSE COVER BOY JOACHIM MILNER BY ARNO

SO YOU ALSO DO A LITTLE VIDEO WORK, WE SAW YOUR ‘MODEL PROFILE’ OF JAMES PHILLIPS — BEAUTIFUL WORK AND WHAT AN AMAZING GUY! TELL US A BIT ABOUT THAT. Phillip is actually a friend. He’s creative and very generous.

We’ve worked on a few projects together, so there was a space to explore other areas of visual expression. New digital cameras make it possible to shoot video also, which allows an easy crossover. Phillip has a very dreamy quality about him, subtle and delicate, yet masculine and confidant, which we could explore in video format a lot better than in a single image. There is more space with video and I just love the extra layers in a moving image.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE IPHONOGRAPHY? I think it has a place like any form of artistic expression and in time the masters of it will be astoundingly loved. There is no such thing as lesser or greater forms of creating art — it’s more of a question of good or bad use of the tools. One day when I grow up I might even give instagram a try myself.

IF YOU COULD SAY ONLY ONE LAST THING, WHAT WOULD IT BE. Don’t hesitate: do, live, ask, thank, apologise, celebrate, contemplate. Once in a while it might just be fun!

w

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To see more of Arno’s work head over to the FUSE website at fusemagazine.com.au or arno-image.com

ERIK MAX BY ARNO WWW.FUSEMAGAZINE.COM.AU

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NEWS & POLITICS

By Simon Copland

ROUND UP) ACT ELECTIONS ACT voters went to the polls on October 20 to elect a new Legislative Assembly for the next four years. The election saw a swing to the Liberal Party, with the Greens losing out. Whilst the Greens saw their members Meredith Hunter, Caroline Le Couteur and Amanda Bresnan knocked out of office, the Liberal Party saw new members Andrew Wall and Giulia Jones elected to the Assembly. The ALP has two new faces, with Yvette Berry replacing Meredith Hunter in Ginninderra, whilst Mick Gentlemen replaced the retiring John Hargreaves.

The election result saw the Liberal Party on eight seats, the Labor Party on eight seats and The Deputy Chief Minister, Andrew Barr gives his the sole Green, Shane Rattenbury speech at ACT Labor headquarters on election night. sitting in the balance of power.

After two weeks of negotiations, Rattenbury signed an agreement with the ALP to give Katy Gallagher four more years in the Chief Minister’s chair. The agreement placed Rattenbury into the cabinet (being given the Territory and Municipal Services portfolio amongst others) and resulted in a number of policy agreements.

Some of the big-ticket items include the laying of light rail tracks by 2015, funding to clean up the territories lakes and waterways and a commitment from both parties to legislate for same-sex marriage in the territory as soon as possible.

CHLOE SEVIGNY TALKS TRANSGENDER Actress Chloe Sevigny is taking trans* issues to the small screen as she plays a trans* person in a new six part series called Hit and Miss. Sevigny plays an Irish assassin who is in transition from male to female. Whilst Sevigny said that playing a trans* person was a large part of her role, there is much more to her character than just that: ‘It’s more about her and this family that she kind of falls into, these children she kind of inherits and how she learns to cope with being in a parental role,’ she told Huffington Post.

Hit and Miss is currently showing on the ABC or you can grab it on DVD! 8

MATRIX DIRECTOR COMES OUT AS TRANS* You can’t call them the Wachowski brothers anymore. Hollywood now has its first major transgender director. The codirector of The Matrix and the hotly anticipated sci-fi blockbuster Cloud Atlas is now Lana (formerly Larry) Wachowski.

A promotional commentary for Cloud Atlas, starring Tom Hanks and Halle Berry and codirected by her brother Andy is Wachowski’s first public appearance after undergoing a 10 year transitioning process from male to female.

See the clip on fusemagazine.com.au

TASMANIA TAKES THE LEAD ON TRANS* AND INTERSEX RIGHTS The Tasmanian Government is taking a world lead on trans* and intersex rights, becoming the first Government in the world to specifically protect intersex people in their anti-discrimination legislation. Their new bill will also be amended in its current language to place transexuality under a new banner of “gender identity”, increasing protections for the trans* community.

Tasmanian transgender rights advocate, Martine Delaney, said about the laws: ‘By using the broad and inclusive term “transgender” and by creating the new grounds for discrimination, “gender identity”, the government is signalling to transgender people that it considers discrimination against us to be as serious as other forms of bias.’

‘Transgender and intersex people are very vulnerable to discrimination and I’m proud Tasmania is leading the world in protecting us from discrimination.’

WWW.FUSEMAGAZINE.COM.AU

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE HEADED TO THE ACT With the elections finalised and a commitment from both the ALP and the Greens, same-sex marriage legislation will be introduced for the ACT within months. This will make Canberra the first state or territory in the country to pass such a bill, adding momentum to the movement around the country.

We asked both the Deputy Chief Minister Andrew Barr from the Labor Party and MLA Shane Rattenbury from the Greens about marriage equality in the ACT:

“

During the Territory election campaign we outlined our vision for Canberra to become the most LGBTI friendly city in Australia.

We are committed to legislative and social equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) Canberrans.”

“As part of that commitment, we made it clear that we would support State and Territory same-sex marriage legislation if the Federal Parliament did not support marriage equality.

We will honour that commitment early in this parliamentary term. The unsuccessful Tasmanian legislative model will be the starting point of our approach but we will consider minor amendments to address concerns raised by the LGBTI community during the Tasmanian debate.” Andrew Barr

“

I am delighted the Greens and the ALP have agreed to move forward with a Territory-based marriage equality bill.

My preference was for the Commonwealth Parliament to update marriage laws so that all Australians would have the same opportunity to get married, but their failure means the ACT must act to ensure equality. I look forward to supporting the legislation when it comes before the Assembly, and seeing the first weddings for gay, lesbian and intersex couples after that.” Shane Rattenbury

‘‘

Ugandans want that (anti-gay) law as a Xmas gift. They have asked for it and we’ll give them that gift.

Uganda’s Parliamentary Speaker Rebecca Kadaga

‘‘

Four More Years The tweet from Barack Obama after his re-election in November. The Tweet was re-tweeted over 800,000 times — a Twitter record.

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NEWS & POLITICS

US VOTES : ELECTION DAY SEES VICTORY FOR MINORITIES The United States voted for a new President on the 6th November. The election, saw President Barack Obama up against former Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney. Obama, who was considered vulnerable due to tough economic circumstances in the country, beat Romney with 50.6% of the vote to 47.9%. Obama took a 332 – 206 electoral college lead, only mildly less than his 2008 haul. Whilst many expected the incumbent president to win, the breadth of his victory was impressive, giving him much broader approval from the electorate than many anticipated.

In other votes across the day, progressives and Democrats won numerous victories all across the United States. In the Senate, Democrats increased their numbers to 55 out of 100. Whilst they did not take back the House of Representatives, Democrats took back close to ten seats, chipping in to the Republican majority.

Election Day also saw a victory for minorities in the United States, particularly women and members of the LGBTI community. In the House of Representatives, the Democratic caucus of 200 will now have a minority of white men for the first time ever. Women saw their ranks rise to their highest ever levels in the US Senate, with twenty women now heading into their chamber. One of these women, Senatorelect Tammy Baldwin (pictured) from Wisconsin, will now also be the first ever openly gay or lesbian person to enter the Senate.

THIS MONTH’S IDIOCY UGANDA WANTS ANTI-GAY LAW FOR CHRISTMAS! Uganda’s parliamentary speaker Rebecca Kadaga said she wanted to pass as a “Christmas anti-gay law gift” for Ugandans. The bill proposes the death penalty for gays and presents an array of jail terms for convicted homosexuals, including life imprisonment.

Denounced as “odious” by U.S. President Barack Obama, some international donors have threatened to cut aid if the legislation becomes law.

Existing legislation already outlaws gay sex, but the new bill also prohibits the “promotion” of gay rights and punishes anyone who “funds or sponsors homosexuality” or “abets homosexuality”.

In Arizona, Kyrsten Sinema, age 36 became the first openly bisexual member of the Congress. Sinema fought a close battle, with her election being declared a full week after polls closed.

At a state level, in Oregon, Tina Kotek will become the first ever lesbian speaker of a state House of Representatives. Kotek will take the speakers gavel after Democrats took control of the state house. In Colorado, Democrats elected the first ever gay speaker to their state House of Representatives, state Representative Mark Ferrandino (Picitured).

The election of Ferrandino follows moves from Republicans to block civil union legislation in the state in early 2012.

Voters in four states also went to the polls on the question of same-sex marriage, with marriage equality winning in each case. Maine became the first state to actively legislate marriage equality from the ballot box, overturning a ban on same-sex marriage from 2009. In Washington and Maryland, voter’s upheld state legislation that legalised same sex marriage, whilst in Minnesota, voters rejected a measure that would have made marriage equality unconstitutional.

The US election also had some unexpected quirks. In Colorado, voters approved of a measure that will now make marijuana legal, making it the first state to do so. In the Virginia Senate race, a write-in-campaign saw Hank the Cat take 3rd place, receiving 7,000 votes. In Georgia’s 10th Congressional District, a similar campaign saw Charles Darwin come second in the ballot with 4,000 votes.

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BOB HAWKE BACKS MARRIAGE EQUALITY Marriage equality advocates have welcomed support on a ‘fair go for marriage’ from former Labor Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, saying it reflects strong support for marriage equality among Labor Party members and voters. Mr Hawke became the first Australian Prime Minister to publicly support marriage equality during a joint interview with another former PM, John Howard.

Australian Marriage Equality national convener, Rodney Croome, said: “The majority of Labor members and voters who support marriage equality have found a voice and a champion in Bob Hawke.”

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NEW YEAR’S EVE IN THE CITY! DIESEL

FEATURING FIREWORKS AT 9PM IN CIVIC SQUARE AND MIDNIGHT FREE ENTERTAINMENT FROM 7PM UNTIL LATE CALL CANBERRA CONNECT 13 22 81

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EVENTS.ACT.GOV.AU/NYE

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XMAS SHOPPING

TOP 4 ALBUMS

Music is the gift tha t keeps giving, check out the FUSE website for our fabulous Xmas giveaways!

NIKE+ FUELBAND FITNESS TRACKER Want to buy something really cool for Xmas — this new product from NIKE is the perfect gift for a sports minded person or someone who needs motivation! The Nike+ FuelBand measures physical activity throughout your day and translates movement into data, revealed in numbers via rainbow LEDs. This complex technology is hidden within a softly rounded shell made of thermoplastic elastomer, merging the digital and physical worlds. $198.00

{FAB}

mynikeid.com.au

thIngs

LETS’S FACE IT, SOME PEOPLE ARE HARD TO BUY FOR. HERE ARE SOME FABULOUS XMAS IDEAS THAT WON’T FAIL TO IMPRESS! MOPHIE JUICE PACK AIR We do a lot with our iPhones; hooking up on grindr; checking facebook, taking photos; making calls... the list goes on.

We’ve all had that, OMG I’m running out of batteries. This is why the slim Morhie Juice Pack, which doubles battery life, and is also a sleak soft-touch phone cover, makes an awsome gift. $79.95

CARLY RAE JEPSEN KISS Carly Rae Jepsen’s single ‘Call me Maybe’ has been a phenomenal success, but this pop sensation has a whole lot more to offer with her new debut album, Kiss. Including collaborations with Justin Beiber and Owl City, this is a must have pop gem from a very spunky gal!

JAY BRANNAN ROB ME BLIND Jay Brannan came to our attention with his Shortbus cameo and song ‘Soda Shop’ and debut album Goddamned. A brutally honest romantic, Jay has a silky smooth voice. His second album, Rob Me Blind, is most certainly a labor of love that’s instantly relatable to any gay boy who wears his heart on his sleave.

DIANA KRALL GLAD RAG DOLL store.apple.com/au

Vocalist, songwriter and pianist, Diana Krall sings jazz with a smoky and sexy voice.

Her new album is smooth, confident and rich in rhythm — definitely stuff this in someone’s stocking!

MUMFORD & SONS BABEL

GUCCI PASSPORT CHIC — ONLY FOR THE REAL COOL KIDS If your looking for something super chic for someone very special. With it’s newest collection of city-themed accessories, ‘Passport Chic’, Gucci has added a modern twist by making it’s traditional Gucci green, neon!

The collection includes iPad case, shoes, bags, G-Timeless Sports watch and sunglasses. The City Collection is available at select Gucci boutiques and online. gucci.com/au

Not a folk music fan, well we think that Mumford & Sons will change your mind. Their new album Babel, which was the fastest selling album of the year in both the UK and the US, is indie-folk at it’s very best. And to make it even more cool you can buy it on vinyl, which sounds very lush!

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XMAS SHOPPING THIS MUST BE THE PLACE If you haven’t yet seen This Must Be The Place starring Sean Penn, you may have already seen the poster — which features Penn looking mournful and somewhat like a gayer version of Robert Smith from The Cure.

The story is about 50-year-old former rock star Cheyenne, who still dresses ‘Goth’ and lives in Dublin off his royalties. The death of his father brings him back to New York, where he discovers his dad had an obsession: to seek revenge for a humiliation he had suffered. Cheyenne decides to pick up where his father left off.

This is a beautifully filmed and humorous story about a very eccentric man — who like many queer people, lives on the fringe of what is considered “normal” — as he goes on a of life-changing journey.

MY BIG FAT GYPSY WEDDING S2 Discrimination is something we know all too well in the GLBTI community, but they say that gypsies are the most discriminated against group on earth. My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding enters into the world of 21st Century gypsy weddings, where ancient traditions meet outrageous fashions in an ostentatious culture clash.

Gypsy girls often get married soon after their 16th birthday. The weddings are visual spectacles: brides and their families compete to have the most flamboyant dresses that sometimes weigh more than the bride herself. Gaining rare access to this fascinating community, the series uses the prism of the weddings to reveal a culture where marriages between cousins are acceptable but having children out of wedlock is still taboo and divorce is unheard of.

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thIngs TO WATCH

Here are four DVDs we think will make great gifts this year or help fill some of those holiday hours when you can finally chill out and spend some much needed time on the couch.

THE SAPPHIRES

If you need a movie that’s going to make you feel totally fabulous then The Sapphires is perfect. Based on a true story, this is a big hearted, put-on-a-show crowd pleaser. Set in the heady days of the 60s, the film is about four young singers from a remote Aboriginal mission, who are discovered by a kindhearted, soul-loving manager.

Plucked from obscurity, the spirited women with powerhouse voices are given the opportunity to entertain troops in Vietnam. Catapulted onto the world stage as Australia’s answer to The Supremes, their journey of discovery offers them not only the chance to find love, experience loss and grow as women. This is a movie you’re bound to watch over and over again.

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TODD AND THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL S2 Todd and the Book of Pure Evil is hilarious, crude, and has plenty of attitude. The best way to describe this series is to say that it’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer on acid with sex, metal, and gore! It also tackles lots of youth issues — including queer youth — and blends scathing humor with some serious topics to get the point across without coming off as preachy.

With the show in its second season it’s been pretty successful — so if you like crude comedy horror with lots of diversity, you really can’t go past this one for hours of great TV entertainment.

You’ll find all these titles at JB HIFI, online or at all good DVD outlets. FUSE also has two copies of each title to giveaway, see fusemagazine.com.au for details.

WWW.FUSEMAGAZINE.COM.AU

Tilley’s

Devine Café Gallery

HAPPY HOLIDAYS & MERRY CHRISTMAS For over 26 years Tilley’s has been a gathering place for the gay and lesbian community. It’s famous for its breakfasts, lunches,dinners and its fabulous coffees. Tilley’s attracts not only ‘regulars’ but visitors from overseas and interstate who enjoy the all-day menu specials, and oh such lovely cake!

Internationally renowned for legendary blues, jazz and classical concerts, Tilley’s continues to attract artists of international calibre who prefer the intimacy of a warm theatre atmosphere clad in red velvet, brass and dark timber booths. With a fully licensed bar, one can enjoy champagne with breakfast, or in the evening savour our broad range of wines, spirits or boutique beers on tap.

THE CALL IS YOURS! TILLEY’S CAN DO IT FOR YOU! CORNER OF WATTLE & BRIGALOW STREETS, LYNEHAM Serving you breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days • Monday to Saturday: 9am – 10pm Sundays: 9am – 6pm • To reserve your favourite table or booth phone us on 6247 7753

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‘Tis the season... naturally Do you know what you’re going to cook this Christmas?

Maybe it’s time for something that’s not only delicious, but also kind to your body and soul. In this very special Yule feature we look at the history of Christmas and how to celebrate it with glorious and nutritious food!

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‘Tis the season... naturally If I was Santa’s therapist I’d probably have him on medication, be considering bipolar as a diagnosis, prescribe a low glycaemic diet, lot’s of exercise and possibly some behavioural therapy.

Let’s face it, Santa’s not really a very good role model.

I suffer from Christmas maladaption syndrome.

As a child, once I got over the sad fact that there was actually no Santa — who seemed to have a decided preference for kids in rich countries — the discrepancies between the marketing hype, cosy families, joy, gratitude, singing cherubs versus reality, kicked in. Big time. So, as a political statement I utterly rejected Christmas and ignored every bit of hoopla, wouldn’t sing to the fa la la, lol de lol songs, bought no tinsel and ate no special food.

But there was a problem however…

I got sad, as I missed Christmas.

By Jacqui Bushell Visit Jacqui online at puretherapies.com.au

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CHRISTMAS FEATURE Christmas is culturally one of our most insanely stressful periods, but despite the consumerist frenzy and total madness, there are many things I just love about Xmas.

The conclusion of another year; new beginnings; the mental, spiritual and physical clearing out, and all that excitement in the air. In addition to all that, I get to plan a huge Christmas dinner menu that is utterly indulgent from the most delicious ingredients I can imagine and then share it with my loved ones.

This holiday time is ancient, way way back past the ‘European’ concept of Christmas, which is only a pretty modern invention (when you’re speaking over 10,000 years!).

December 21 is the marking of the Winter or Summer Solstice, depending which hemisphere you’re living in. No wonder we can feel the energy of it building, it’s genetically encoded in us. We’ve been celebrating this time, literally for ages. The solstices are the two big fire or solar festivals of the ancient year. They’re a way of recognising and honouring the changing seasons of the earths’ cycles. Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year and the shortest day. It celebrates the returning of the light, that the darkest time contains a flicker of illumination and great hope of the suns’ reappearance. Summer Solstice is the longest day and shortest night, which in Australia signifies the Christmas/ New Year period and long, balmy, frangipani tinted evenings.

Summer Solstice and Christmas coming together is a time of gratitude, plenty and joy in community. It’s about connecting to our sense of the wider cosmos. Over Summer, the earth pours forth great abundance, ripening food crops, creativity and love juice on all levels. We celebrate the brilliance and warmth of the light, are more active outdoors and outwardly focussed. This rising energy is good for tackling issues, bringing light onto problems, inspiring yourself and others and diving into your great well of creativity. May the sun illuminate your whole gorgeous being!

This should also be a ‘pause’ time, a moment for us to stop, breathe and listen to what’s evolving in our life, our soul self and our world. Within this brightness is the kernel of the returning winter. From this time onwards the days will get a little shorter, until we come to the harvest of Autumn, then the journey within to Winter’s dark.

So at this time is there something you’d like to nourish, to bring to fruition in the New Year? Maybe consider what it is you’re ripening and if you need to do some weeding, literally or metaphorically, to clear space. What would you like to cull from your life.

CHRISTMAS DRINKS Often it’s the simple things in life that can bring the most pleasure. This pomegranate mocktail is fabulous, but we we won’t judge if you add a splash of Vodka... cheers!

• 1 lime • 30ml soda water (or Vodka if you just can’t help yourself) • 60ml pomegranate juice + optional seeds Squeeze 1 slice of lime into a glass (add ice if desired).

Add the pomegranate juice. Next add in the soda water (or Vodka) and stir. Garnish with fresh raspberry as shown On a practical level, dear to my own heart, how do we survive the food frenzy and parties without needing a three-month liver detox? If there’ll be a family feud of Sicilian proportions as a consequence of saying ‘no’ to Nan’s grog laden, cream and custard filled trifle, then keep your portion small and one serving only. I know it’s good, but really is it worth two weeks of gut cramp, brain blur, liver ache and mood swings bigger than Tarzan’s leaps through the jungle? Let’s get a little more original and tasty than that and keep our bellies both entertained and happy!

CHRISTMAS WRAPPING TIP! Scrap the paper around pressies this year. Think of how many tonnes are bought and thrown away. Too many trees! Try wrapping your fab gifties in huge banana leaves. You can grab these off the tree or buy from Fijian or Indian markets. They’re foldable, snazzy and compostable. Or get super creative and sew together a range of leaves or strips of bark off a paper bark tree.

Survive parties by keeping your alcohol intake low. The carbs in alcohol turn off the enzymes which tell you when you’re full, so you can easily over eat. Particularly when you’re only getting a little mouthful of those snack nibbles at a time. If you’re having alcohol then make sure you drink plenty of water to keep your brain and body from going into ouch mode. Same if you’re doing the big Xmas dinner dairy, sugar and stuffing bonanza. B vitamins will help with the stress and late nights and maybe grab some Swedish bitters off the shelf while you’re at it – They’ll support your enzymes to help break down the stodge before it sets like concrete in your arteries.

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A

Christmas Feast to live for!

With the help of healthy food guru Jacqui Bushell, these recipies are kinder, healthier options for a spectacular Christmas feast, everyone will enjoy. For more Christmas feast recipes from Jacqui, visit fusemagazine.com.au May no being ever go hungry and may we all live passionately, vibrantly and in beauty.

Have a wonderful Solstice and delicious Christmas!

GOAT CHEESE BALLS WITH ROAST PLUM CHUTNEY 100g soft goat cheese or sheep fetta 125g finely chopped mushrooms 130g roasted hazelnuts 1 teaspoon fresh lemon thyme 1 teaspoon chives & pepper to taste Fry the mushroom in a little olive oil for a few minutes, until soft.

Crush the hazelnuts roughly, leaving them with a good crunchy texture, not finely ground. Mix the mushrooms, cheese, 90g hazelnuts and herbs together. Form them into little balls and roll in the remaining crushed hazelnuts.

PLUM CHUTNEY 3 blood plums cut in half with seed removed 1 small red onion finely diced 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

CHRISTMAS TREAT OTT (OVER THE TOP) BALLS 2/3 cup cashews. Process cashews into a paste 70g dates soaked in a little boiling water 1 cup walnuts crushed 1/2 cup almonds crushed 1/2 cup raw cocoa nibs crushed Finely grated rind of an orange 1 large tablespoon coconut palm sugar 1 large tablespoon cocoa powder 20g cocoa butter melted Topping 50g cocoa butter 20g cocoa powder 15g coconut oil Pinch salt Pinch vanilla powder 25g coconut palm sugar Puree dates and cashew paste together, mix in the rest of the ingredients. It’s a very stiff mixture. Roll into little balls and chill in the freezer while you make the topping.

Melt the cocoa butter over low heat and the rest of the ingredients, stirring well together.

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Roast the plums at 180C for 30 minutes until soft. Fry the onion over low to medium heat in a little olive oil for 15 minutes, then add the roughly chopped, roasted plums, about 1/4 cup water and balsamic.

Stir fry another minute before removing from heat.

TAMARI SPICY NUTS 1 cup almonds 1 cup raw cashews 2/3 cup brazil nuts 1/2 cup sunflower seeds 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds 4 teaspoons tamari 3 teaspoons honey, dark agave or coconut palm sugar dissolved in a little hot water 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 1/2 teaspoon each ground coriander and cumin 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder Mix nuts and dry roast in a frying pan over low heat for 5-10 minutes, until lightly browned. Stir frequently to prevent burning. Mix the coating ingredients together in a bowl and pour it over the nuts in the frypan, mixing well until the nuts are lightly coated.

Gently heat for a minute or so until they are crisp and dry.

Store in an air tight glass jar.

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CHRISTMAS FEATURE

At Christmas two things are guaranteed, prezzies and delicious nut roasts for the vegetarians.

LIME & CHILLI PANNACOTTA

This is a real family favourite. Our meat eating friends always try a small helping – well, it’s Christmas after all – and without exception eat more of it than we do and go on about how fantastic it is before explaining why they could never actually be vegetarian themselves!

There are heaps of variations and Nut Wellington is practically good.

Give this recipe a try this year, it’s a real winner.

CHRISTMAS NUT LOAF 3 cups bread crumbs 1 cup chopped walnuts 1 cup pistachios or unsalted cashews 400g red lentils or chickpeas (Cooked in vegetable stock with garlic and thyme) 1 clove of minced garlic 2 onions finely chopped 3 tablespoons chopped oregano 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary 1 tablespoon lemon thyme chopped 3 tablespoons dry sherry (optional) 3 eggs Salt and pepper to taste Dry toast the breadcrumbs in a fry pan until crunchy and browning.

Empty the crumbs into a bowl then dry roast the nuts for several minutes until you can start to smell them cooking. This brings out more flavour. Transfer them to food processor and blend to bread crumb consistency.

Add the nuts to the breadcrumbs and cooked lentils. Fry onion, garlic and herbs in a little oil until soft and transfer them to a mixing bowl.

Add in the beaten eggs, seasoning and then the lentils and nuts, combining well.

Pour this mixture into an oiled and floured loaf tin. Sprinkle some further crushed nuts on the top before baking; try pine nuts, walnuts or cashews. Bake 35 minutes at 180C. Serve with traditional gravy or Cranberry sauce.

750ml cream For a healthier option use 400ml rice or soy milk plus 350g creamy yoghurt 150g coconut palm sugar or ordinary palm sugar Zest of 2 limes, finely grated 1 large red chilli 1 1/2 tablespoons agar powder 110ml boiling water Wash the chilli, remove the seeds and cut in half lengthwise (don’t use the really hot ones, you only want a slight ‘ting’ on the tongue not first aid treatment). Gently simmer the milk with the grated rind, sugar and chilli for 15 minutes. In a separate saucepan, simmer the agar in the boiling water for five minutes and ensure it is fully dissolved.

Mix the milk and agar solution together and beat in the tofu and yoghurt. You may need to puree this to get it sufficiently smooth. Strain the mixture through a sieve to remove the rind and chilli, and then pour into moulds. Set in fridge. When firm, dip the mould in hot water for about two seconds and invert over your plate. You may need to ‘break’ the suction by gently sliding a knife a little way down the side.

ORANGE VANILLA REDUCTION Gently simmer the juice of 6 or 7 oranges with 2 vanilla beans for 1 1/2 hours, until the sauce is reduced considerably and quite thick. Strain out the vanilla pods. Add 4 ‘cubes’ of palm sugar, approximately 125g, and melt over low heat.

Spoon some of the orange reduction sauce over the pannacotta and top with roughly chopped, dry roasted pistachios which have been gently stir fried with some coconut palm sugar – It makes it like ‘praline’ but without the cane sugar toffee.

All these recipes and more can also be found in Jacqui’s wonderful cookbook A Loving Spoonful: Gluten, Dairy and Sugar Free Vegetarian Cooking. It will be available late January 2013. Pre orders for Xmas are being taken online at puretherapies.com.au 21

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MONEY SHOT

By Scott Malcolm Scott is the Director of Money Mechanics

AVOIDING CHRISTMAS FINANCIAL STRESS

WELL HERE WE GO AGAIN… IT IS ALMOST CHRISTMAS; THE TIME OF YEAR WHERE EXPENSES CAN GET A LITTLE OUT OF CONTROL. BUT IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE A GREAT TIME WITHOUT COMPROMISING ON THE FUN AND STILL AVOID THE POSTCHRISTMAS FINANCIAL STRESS AND HERE IS HOW YOU CAN DO IT!

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF PRESENTS

CHRISTMAS CARDS & WRAPPING

Try the ‘Tacky Sack Challenge’ this year. Each year my partner and I have a Christmas stocking challenge with a set time limit at the Canberra Centre and a set dollar value to get items to a theme we have agreed on. It can be great fun ducking from shop to shop in our 20-minute timeframe and can keep costs of presents low!

Rather than buying Christmas cards, make them (or get your kids involved) or send e-cards, write a letter or phone people for a catch-up. With the money you save, you could make a donation to a charity and invite your friends to do the same. Get organised and purchase your Christmas ’stuff’ for 2013 in the post-Christmas sales where they are up to 75% off the ‘Christmas season’ price!

Agree on a maximum expenditure with the people you’re doing presents with.

Limit the cost of presents by having a ‘Secret Santa’ for your group of friends or your family. My family has done this for the last five years and it saves money (buying one bigger present rather than a whole bunch of smaller stuff).

Give homemade presents, get your baking on in the kitchen or if you have a green thumb maybe get some nice flowers or plant seedlings from the garden. Or even offer the gift of time to help out someone with a project or job you know they need done, be it baby-sitting, dog walking or even cleaning or gardening!!

Be personal with your gifts: put a photo of you and the recipient inside a picture frame, or fill a cheap mug with the recipient’s favourite chocolates.

Use reward cards wherever possible to make that present even more affordable.

SCOTT’S CHRISTMAS CHANGE Using old twine, recycled news or craft paper to wrap your prezzies not only looks great, it’s cheap, is better for the environment and will look really impressive under the Xmas tree.

Use recycled material, cloth or tea towels to wrap your presents, you might just be suprised on how good they’ll look and it’s close to free!

THE CHRISTMAS FEAST Stock up in advance on nibbles and drinks with long use-by dates (nuts, soft drinks, etc) whenever they are on offer, this will help to spread costs over the year. If you have time, it’s often much cheaper to make those Xmas snacks and nibbles yourself, plus you’ll probably get something much nicer then shop brought stuff which is full of nasty preservatives, colours and sugar!

If you are hosting guests for a Xmas get-together, ask them to contribute a dish – this spreads the workload as well as expense. Remember to plan your meals, snacks and drinks beforehand bearing in mind the numbers of people you expect. Then take a list with you to the supermarket and stick to it!

START PLANNING NOW FOR CHRISTMAS 2013 We all know the date for Christmas 2013 so get planning today. Put a little aside every month throughout next year to make next Christmas more affordable.

Buy crackers, decorations, cards, wrap and even presents in this year’s post-Christmas sales – you’ll pay less and be on top of Christmas next year!

Spread purchases across the year in advance (presents and non-perishable food and drink, especially if they’re discounted) to avoid one big bill next December.

Thanks for reading the Money Shot in 2012 I hope it has helped you make the most out of your hard earned cash. All the best for 2013. Start your journey to being free around your money and creating wealth with understanding!

If would like to ask Scott any questions, you can email him at scott@money-mechanics.com.au or call 02 6257 5557. (http://money-mechanics.com.au) Scott Malcolm is Director of Money Mechanics who are authorised to provide financial advice through PATRON Financial Advice AFSL 307379.

The information provided in this article is of a general nature only. It has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs.

Before acting on this information you should consider its appropriateness having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs.

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SO YOU WANT TO BE A

PARENT? A WONDERFUL THING HAS BEEN HAPPENING OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS: MORE AND MORE LOVING COUPLES IN SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIPS HAVE BEEN STARTING FAMILIES. For many gay or lesbian couples, the journey to parenthood has been one of great joy but unfortunately for some, becoming a mum or dad has proven to be difficult and sometimes painful.

Like many other people you may also be considering becoming a parent and before you embark on this wonderful journey it’s important to know all your options and the pitfalls, so they can be anticipated and avoided where possible.

Here is a quick guide to help you get started on the right path for you.

By Di Simpson

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Di Simpson is a director at Dobinson Davey Clifford Simpson Family Law Specialists.

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FEATURE

ASSISTED CONCEPTION Lesbian couples can readily access the services of fertility clinics both in the ACT and elsewhere to assist them in having a child. If sperm is to be provided by a known donor, it’s vitally important that a formal agreement is entered into, to set out the expectations of all parties as to the role, if any, the donor will play in the life of the child.

People change their minds and an agreement will not prevent the donor making an application to a court in pursuit of a relationship with the child. This risk does not apply if anonymous donor sperm has been used.

Sadly, sometimes relationships end. A child born to a same sex couple from an assisted conception will be considered the child of the couple and both are parents under the Family Law Act. The person carrying the child or the person with the genetic connection to the child will not have primacy, for those reasons alone, in any parenting application before the court. In these cases, the best interests of the child will be the paramount consideration when making orders for that child.

SURROGACY ARRANGEMENTS In the ACT, The Parentage Act 2004 permits altruistic surrogacy arrangements, whereby a person conceives and delivers a child to be raised by other people. There are however significant limitations.

The Court will consider an application for parentage orders under a substitute parent agreement if:

1. the child is conceived as a result of a procedure performed in the ACT;

3. there is a substitute parent agreement, other than a commercial agreement, under which the two substitute parents have indicated their intention to apply for a parentage order for the child;

2. neither birth parent is a genetic parent of the child;

4. at least one of the substitute parents is a genetic parent of the child; and 5. the substitute parents live in the ACT.

The Court must be satisfied that the order would be in the best interests of the child; that the birth parents have freely and fully consented (or are now dead or cannot be located); there was no payment or reward (other than expenses reasonably incurred); and that the parties have had appropriate independent counselling (independent of the doctor or institution carrying out the procedure).

This ACT surrogacy framework therefore excludes:

• overseas surrogacy arrangements,

• arrangements whereby one of the birth parents has a genetic connection to the child;

• arrangements where the substitute parents have no genetic connection to the child; and

• surrogacy for a single parent.

OVERSEAS AND COMMERCIAL SURROGACY Although popular, there are some sound augments for opposing commercial surrogacy arrangements. The risk of exploitation of vulnerable women, especially in economically disadvantage countries, is significant.

It is also difficult to ensure that the financial benefits of the surrogacy arrangement actually flow to the surrogates and that women give free and informed consent to any arrangements made. Presently it’s not known how states guard against the risk of “baby farming” in circumstances where the truth about the families of origin may be concealed?

In Australia, commercial surrogacy is prohibited and criminal sanctions apply. All states and Territories with surrogacy legislation have included provisions dealing specifically with commercial surrogacy. In the ACT, Queensland and NSW, the prohibitions against commercial surrogacy have extra-territorial effect. Residents of the ACT who seek commercial surrogacy overseas are at risk of prosecution in the ACT. Despite these provisions, “fertility tourism” is thriving. Often people take these steps when other fertility remedies in this country have failed or are not available to them — it’s becoming apparent that commercial surrogacy arrangements are now occurring regularly, especially with gay male couples.

Careful consideration of the overseas surrogacy agreement needs to occur. I recommend obtaining advice about the effect of the agreement and the risks arising from such both in Australia and in the country in which the procedure is to occur.

Pregnancy is not without risk. The Agreements often express obligations around the “health” of the child and measures relating to termination in certain circumstances. Who is responsible for the child if a party changes their mind?

Who takes care of the child if born with a disability or health condition not otherwise detected in genetic or other screening? The “what ifs” are many and often grim.

Bringing the child back to Australia may create challenges: If one of the “parents” has a genetic link to the child (providing the sperm for the artificial conception process), that may be sufficient for immigration purposes. That parent is commonly named on the birth certificate for the child (along with the birth mother).

At this time in Australia, commercial surrogacy is prohibited and criminal sanctions apply.

Continued >

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Formal recognition of the parenting relationship with the child is important. In a practical sense, enrolling a child in school, obtaining medical assistance and a myriad of other day to day parenting tasks require proof of the parenting relationship.

The Family Law Act does not define “parent”. The Act contains provisions to address parentage of children born as a result of artificial conception procedures (*section 60H). That provision assigns parentage to persons in a relationship at the time of the artificial conception process. If the surrogate mother is in a relationship at the time of the birth of the child, that woman and her partner, at first instance, will be presumed to be the parents of the child. The donor of genetic material is expressly excluded as a parent.

*Section 60HB of the Act recognises parenting orders made under State or Territory surrogacy legislation.

WHAT WILL THE COURT DO? The Family Court has taken quite different approaches to parenting applications made by Australian parents of children born in international surrogacy arrangements.

In two recent decisions, involving the same family, two Judges responded differently to the same set of facts (Dennis and Pradchaphet [2011] FAM CA 123 and Dudley and Chedi [2011] Fam CA 502). An Australian couple travelled to Thailand and participated in a formal surrogacy arrangement with two different women. Three children were born as a result and the male applicant was the sperm donor for each pregnancy. The birth mothers were not the genetic mothers of the children. The applicant’s partner had no genetic connection to the children.

In the first case, the Judge made a finding of parentage for the male applicant, based on a DNA test in evidence. The applicant’s partner could not be declared the parent of the child as none of the possible legislative pathways applied. However, a person does not need to be a parent to seek parenting orders. Usually, the Court is required to direct parties to participate in counselling before it will make a consent order about parental responsibility or a child living with a non-parent.

In this instance, the court recognised the futility of requiring that counselling process occur, given where the birth mother lived and the evidence before the court about her decision not to have a relationship with the child.

Orders for the children to live with the applicants and for equal shared parental responsibility were made. However, a different Judge subsequently heard the other application concerning the twins. The Judge noted that under the Queensland legislation at the time of the procedures, surrogacy arrangements were illegal.

Subsequent Queensland law (The Surrogacy Act 2010) permitted surrogacy arrangements, but not commercial surrogacy agreements.

The Judge was critical of aspects of the evidence before him and inferred that the surrogacy arrangement was commercial.

While the Judge granted the parenting Orders sought by the couple (residence and parental responsibility orders) as being in the best interests of the children, he didn’t declare the male applicant to be a parent.

Noting that the actions of the applicants “appeared to be illegal” the Judge referred the matter to the Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for consideration. It is understood that the DPP declined to take the matter further.

In another Family Court decision in 2012, (Ellison and Anor And Karchanit [2012] Fam CA 602) the applicants also engaged in a surrogacy arrangement in Thailand.

An unknown egg donor was used and one of the applicants (Mr Ellison) provided the sperm. Twins were born. The other applicant, Mr Ellison’s partner, had no genetic connection to the children.

The applicants were also from Queensland, and it was apparent that at the relevant time, the surrogacy arrangement was illegal. The Judge dealt with the possible criminality of the arrangement differently and granted certificates, under the Evidence Act, to the applicants, to prevent the use of their evidence in the Family Court proceedings in other proceedings.

The Judge made a series of recommendations about the development of best practice in these cases.

Mr Ellison sought a declaration of parentage arising from the DNA testing results.

That declaration was made.

However, there was no order that could be made by the Court to also declare his partner to be a parent of the children

ADOPTION It appears that state based adoption legislation may provide the final solution for those parents and children who cannot obtain parentage orders under either surrogacy legislation or the Family Law Act. Unfortunately, there is still some resistance in our communities to same sex couples starting families.

Judges have to apply the law as it stands. Challenging remaining inequities is a matter of continuing legal reform. It’s important to note that becoming a samesex parent is not straightforward or without some legal risk or uncertainty. So whatever your plans, it is prudent to talk to an experienced family lawyer early in the process. Making the right choices for your circumstances and gathering the evidence you will need to obtain parentage or parenting orders will be easier with forward planning.

Di Simpson is a director at Dobinson Davey Clifford Simpson Family Law Specialists. If you would like more information or assistance in regards to becoming a same-sex parent she can be contacted on 02 6212 7600 or via email at mail@ddcsfamilylawyers.com.au

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29

OUT & ABOUT

FACEBOOK Join Cube on facebook! www.facebook.com/cube.canberra

NYE2012

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DJ Pete & DJ Matt with guest appearances by DJ KIZ Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night

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♥ FREE ENTRY AND HAPPY HOUR There is nowhere else you should be! Come and join us at Cube nightclub. We do free entry and happy hour every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night until 11pm.

OPENING HOURS • THURSDAY 9PM-5AM • FRIDAY 9PM-5AM • SATURDAY 10PM-5AM • SUNDAY 10PM-LATE 33 PETRIE PLAZA CIVIC, CANBERRA CITY CUBENIGHTCLUB.COM.AU

♥ HALLOWEEN PARTY AT CUBE!!

This year’s Halloween was a great event; it is clear that Halloween is becoming a bigger event in Oz and it is great to see such a huge following.

Cube and its extended family would like to take this opportunity not only to congratulate, but to also thank the organisers of SpringOut for all their hard work in organising and creating a month filled with GLBTI events and activities, bringing a greater understanding and more recognition to the larger community.

And a big congratulation to Diversity ACT, on an amazing launch. We are excited and look forward to what the future will bring.

For more CUBE photos and our event lineup check out our cubenightclub.com.au or join us at facebook.com/cube.canberra

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OP.ED

civniilolesnbian lioavgee equality

umare-rsex

samefacto

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ga y

WE’RE SUCH CLEVER THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO LANGUAGE. WE THINK IN WORDS AND, WITH COMBINATIONS OF THOSE WORDS, WE EXPRESS MUCH OF OUR EMOTIONS AND LIVES, BOTH TO OURSELVES AND TO EACH OTHER. Words give us the trivial shopping list and equally give us the profound, the joyous and the painful. We talk, write, think, listen and read in words. Sometimes it’s complicated, sometimes not. But how do you express something that has no word? Hmmm, it’s tricky. ... LET’S TAKE THE WORD ‘MARRIAGE’.

For queer folk such a word does not really exist in any meaningful way, a relationship is not described with that word, never has been. There is no socially agreed word for us — no word, no meaning, no expression, nothing. The words ‘married’ and ‘de facto’ are the socially approved words used by heterosexual couples: their lifestyle in a word. What we have that they don’t have is a clinically demographic description – ‘same sex couple’ — a phrase which describes the number of people involved and that they are both of the same sex. Where’s the deep resonance, the emotionally profound heart beat?

This awkwardness and clumsy lack of precision applies across the board. For example, there is no word to describe a queer person whose partner dies — widow or widower are not legally our domain. There is no socially agreed word for the grieving partner, sometimes accepted into the family, sometimes left out in the cold. Tragically, in terms of words, they are frozen out by language, their relationship is no more and never was, the best they can be is ‘single’. Simple.

Now that can really hurt.

Having no words can also lead to unexpected strife in unexpected places.

I have found that not ticking a box offering the options: married, de facto, divorced, widow, widower, single, has led me into odd conversations with professional people that refused to believe their tick boxes are not up to scratch.

‘We’ve been together about 28 years.’ ‘Wow!’ they all say, ‘I notice you haven’t ticked a box here – you’re de facto then?’ ‘No, I’m not de facto, that implies a choice not to marry and we’ve never had that choice.’ ‘But you have to be something [and it has to be something from my list].’ I don’t set out to be perverse; I just don’t tick those sorts of boxes.

Once, some years ago, a married psychologist told me that she needed to tick a box for the file, ‘Just for the file, nothing more’. She would call me de facto because she wanted to take notes outlining the relationship I had to my partner and she had no word for relationships that have no words.

‘Describe me as married then, for the sake of the 28 years of devotion in my relationship.’ ‘Oh… no, but you’re not actually married, are you? I’ll just call you de facto, it’s nothing personal.’ Of course it’s not. I dished out my best beatific smile and nodded. Yes, I understand perfectly well, we’re the same but different, or not different but the same, you’re married and I’m not, I’m just something else, or some such phoney baloney, whatever.

word?

WHAT’S IN A

Hedda Murray is a freelance writer based in Canberra.

She has been in a same-sex relationship for 28 years (wow!), and thinks a word to describe this state of affairs would be handy.

The other situation was a doctor’s surgery a little while ago. Same deal, tick the box, I ticked nothing.

The married male doctor said, ‘You haven’t ticked anything, are you single?’

‘No, I’ve been with my partner for 28 years.’

‘Oh, that’s a long time. So you’re married?’

‘Well, no, my relationship is with a woman.’

‘Oh… really… mmm… well… mmm, so you’re single.’ ‘No, I’m not single, does it really matter?

I’ve got a bit of a sore throat.’

‘If you’re not married to a man then you’re a single woman aren’t you? And I must put some sort of marital status into the computer. You’re single, and that’s what you are… Now, tell me why you don’t like men?’

Many of us don’t want heterosexual words describing our intimate queer relationships.

It seems somehow tacky after generations of discrimination, murder and mayhem. On the other hand, many of us do passionately want access to these words as a means of gaining social acceptance using a language of equality and of giving relationships words that are valued by society, the power of words currently denied us.

But right now none of us have access to any words, these or others, and we remain wordless.

A commitment ceremony doesn’t give us a marriage; it gives us a commitment with a ceremony, what else is involved? A lifestyle?

No, there is no word to describe the lifestyle committed to in a commitment ceremony.

Frankly it is all woefully unworded (is that a word?), I mean wordless.

There are usually reasons for no words, and it often has to do with social values, credibility, power, gender and property. Being queer and wordless in our world is a real state of affairs. Having to cross a void where words do not exist is pretty tricky. But we all keep trying in our clunky way to create some sort of real world with real words. After all, we do now own the words queer and gay, and so who knows what words will be ours next!

By Hedda Murray

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FITNESS

YES YOU CAN!

By Quinten Brown

As summer approaches and we unpack the swimmers and party shorts for another year, we often become obsessed with two areas of the body: glutes and abs. I swear if aliens landed on earth they would probably assume that a firm butt and tight abs were reserved for only the select Alfa members of our society. It may sound crazy but just think of the way you look at someone with a perky butt and a rocking six-pack.

Despite this I believe with commitment anyone can join this so called elite club. It’s as simple as being aware of your overall diet, combined with a good exercise program — in fact this is the same formula that works for being in good shape generally.

There is a hitch when it comes to abs; you won’t get a visible six-pack unless your overall body fat is reduced. You can do all the sit-ups in the world, but it won’t make one bit of difference unless you lose those layers. Your mantra should be: nutrition, exercise and heaps of consistency! For some people this is not an easy task, but often all that is needed is support and someone to guide and encourage you to along the way. This can come by having an appropriate exercise partner or a professional trainer.

To help on your path to greatness, I’ve constructed four great abdominal and butt exercises that can’t fail!

x

ABS & BUTT

MASTER CLASS

BACK PIN CRUNCHES

HIP RAISES

Lie on your back, knees bent to 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor. Flex your butt and keep it flexed through each set (your pelvis should tilt slightly forward. Keeping your sternum up and head back slowly, reach your fingers to your knees as you attempt to sit up. You won’t get all the way up while flexing your glutes. Slowly lower yourself but avoid letting your shoulders rest back on the floor – repeat to failure.

Lying flat on your back, bend knees to 90 degrees with feet flat on the floor. Flex your glutes and raise your entire pelvis off the floor toward the ceiling by pushing with your heels. You will end up with only your head, shoulders and heels on the floor.

REVERSE AB CURLS

LUNGES

Lying on your back, curl your knees toward your chest keeping your heels toward your butt. You can place your palms on the floor by your side for stability. Curl right up so your butt leaves the floor, pause then slowly lower your butt almost getting back to the floor and repeat to failure.

Standing in a neutral position , take a large step forward with one leg and slowly lower your knee on the back leg toward the ground. Drop until the front knee gets to about 90 degrees. Flexing your glutes, slowly push back up stepping back into the neutral position. Repeat with other leg, and alternate for 10-15 repetitions. To increase intensity, try holding a dumbbell in each hand.

Remember to keep your sternum up and head in neutral position for the entire set.

Keep your head on the floor throughout the set.

Slowly lower without letting your butt touch the floor and repeat. To increase intensity, try lifting one foot off the ground and complete each rep with only one leg.

If you would like more information about achieving your fitness goals and nutrition, or just have some questions about rocking those abs, contact Quinten Brown at Flames Fitness on 02 6257 1483 or email him at q@flamesfitness.com.au 34

WWW.FUSEMAGAZINE.COM.AU

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TOP QUEER

TOP QUEER

CARS

OF THE

YEAR!

By Stuart Poole

I LOVE AUTOMOBILES AND EVERY TIME I CLIMB INTO A NEW CAR TO REVIEW IT MY HEART BEATS FASTER WITH ANTICIPATION. IT’S LIKE MEETING SOMEBODY NEW FOR THE FIRST TIME. WILL IT BE THE BEST RIDE OF MY LIFE OR WILL I HAVE WISHED I’D NEVER GOTTEN ON BOARD. Bad or good however, all cars have a place in my heart — the smell, those wonderful lines, fabulous colours, luxurious interiors and engines that make you marvel. For me each one has it’s own personality and a story to tell — cars are so some much more than just steal and plastic. So after another exciting year test driving for FUSE, I’m proud to present my five top queer cars of the year.

1

3

Top place is the Toyota 86. More bang for your buck than anything else on the market. It’s a sports car that can out-perform a Porsche at a fraction of the cost. Fact is I probably could have picked any Toyota for this number one spot. The Toyota Prius for it’s frugal running costs and clever design or even the New Corolla — not because it’s earth shattering, but because you’ll get years of reliable and economical motoring. The Toyota 86 starts from $30K.

2

The Bentley Mulsanne is a car that very few of us can afford, but what a car — it’s massive, presumptuous, majestic, and a marvel to behold. A true automotive wonder.

The fuel consumption figures are undisclosed, because “if you have to ask, you simply cannot afford it”. This luxury liner will reach 100 km/h in a blink over five seconds and cruise all the way to a top speed of 296 km/h, but you’d never know it.

OMG... the Bentley Mulsanne starts from $700K.

4

If you read my review last issue you’ll already know how much I loved the Range Rover Evoque. If you’re in the market for a high-end four-wheel drive then the Range Rover Evoque is definitely worth a test drive. It’s a stunningly luxurious vehicle which drives like a dream and is loaded with bespoke choices!

Models start from around $55K.

5

At number four sits the Hyundai i40 Tourer. While ‘Gangnam Style’ has been rocking the music charts, the Korean made Hyundai has been rocking the car sales charts. Not the most dynamic car, but this is a practical vehicle, with great looks at a budget price. From 32K.

AUNT DOROTHY’S

MOTORING TIP GET YOURSELF A LUBE JOB! Remember to have your car serviced well before you go away and check the tyres too. Lack of planning on your part won’t constitute an emergency in your mechanic’s opinion, especially if you leave it all until Xmas eve.

The Honda Civic means years of reliable motoring. It combines Japanese sensibility with flair and performance. The new Civic has styling that sets it out from the crowd. Efficient, fun and reliable — what more would you want? Starts from $23K. 37

“Circa give crazy-brave physicality, a slick, sexy, cabaret vibe” The Sunday Telegraph

26-28 MARCH

CANBERRA THEATRE

PHOTO JUSTIN NICHOLAS, ATMOSPHERE PHOTOGRAPHY DESIGN SOME COWBOY + GIRAFFE

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE AND CENTENARY OF CANBERRA PRESENT

Visit the CIRCA pop-up bar in The Courtyard Studio for three nights only!

is a Centenary of Canberra project, supported by the ACT Government and the Australian Government. Circa acknowledges the assistance 38Wunderkammer WWW.FUSEMAGAZINE.COM.AU of the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body and the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.

SPRINGOUT & ABOUT

SPRINGOUT FAIRDAY This year’s Fairday was hosted by the fabulous Vanessa Wagner, with over 1200 people enjoying a superb afternoon. The day was packed with entertainment, including the pet parade, music by from Jude Kohn and Qwire, and of course the Gangnam dance off — check it out on the FUSE website. Next year’s event will be Saturday 2 November 2013.

Photos by Doug Robinson & Lynx Clark.

Fayir da erra Canb

2013

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by Til hotos by P hen Lily C

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SPRINGOUT & ABOUT

Bucseh dan

s by son Photooug Robin rk D ynx Cla &L

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The AIDS Action Council

Provides professional counselling and support services which cater to your needs.

Drawing on years of counselling and client support experience, this free service is available to people living with HIV/AIDS and for people who want to discuss issues around relationships and sexuality. The service is also available for partners, families and friends.

We have a long history working across the range of issues that affect our community and if required can also make appropriate referrals to other agencies and programs after assessing your needs.

ŠCopyright AIDS Action Council of the ACT

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WWW.FUSEMAGAZINE.COM.AU

BACK TOFUTURE THE

I’M NOT A MORNING PERSON. Never have been and probably never will be. I don’t have a problem with mornings, I don’t resent going to work, it’s just it takes me a while to wake up and get going. The morning of October 17 was an exception when I heard on the news that the latest national HIV stats had been released overnight and positive HIV diagnosis reporting was up on last year – boy now I was awake!

In 2011 there were 1,137 diagnosis of HIV across Australia which is an increase of 8.2 per cent from 2010. Sixty-three per cent of these were gay and bisexual men. The report from the Kirby Institute indicates that an increase in HIV positive reporting has continued over the last decade.

In the office our computer screens lit up with articles and announcements about the numbers with the statistics dissected differently in each article and with every juicy morsel scandalised or highlighted for editorial effect. When the document that everyone was quoting was finally made public, we were presented with an incredibly complex document. Quoting numbers is easy, understanding them is an art form in itself.

After every set of numbers, the articles almost universally followed the same path of asking about the success of HIV education and health promotion campaigns as well as the virtues or challenges of bringing back the equally celebrated and maligned shock-tactic Grim Reaper campaign of 1987.

As a HIV educator and generally flawed human being, these supposed points started to get my back up and made me defensive. Marketing is an imperfect art simply because it’s about choices – do you choose Coca Cola or Pepsi? The use of social marketing or health promotion using advertising principles to motivate those choices is even more inexact.

In Australia we have access to some wonderful social, behavioural and clinical research around HIV, so whenever we approach a new campaign or marketing strategy we aren’t going in blind – we are drawing on a depth of research. Data covers sexualities, sexual practices, drugs, pleasure, risk, gender, identity, treatments, technologies, relationships, culture, religions, serostatus (positive, negative and unsure), stigma, language, STI and HIV screening as well as experiences around being HIV positive long term as well as recently diagnosed.

HEALTH

HIV IN 2012

At the end of these various articles were more often than not a quote saying that the return of the Grim Reaper advertising campaign was not appropriate, seems I didn’t need to get my back up after all.

IN 2011 THERE WERE 1,137 DIAGNOSIS OF HIV ACROSS AUSTRALIA, AN INCREASE OF 8.2% FROM 2010.

Receiving a positive HIV diagnosis is terrible and life changing. Our job is to ensure that as many people as possible have the information and resources available to make the choices that will help prevent the transmission of HIV. Shock and fear doesn’t give people choices so we are unlikely to see another Grim Reaper ad for HIV. Instead more targeted and sophisticated campaigns across a range of communication and media platforms supported by services and treatments that reduce the transmission of HIV are more likely.

To see some of the initiatives we are asking the Federal government to implement in regards to reducing HIV visit melbournedeclaration.com • By 31 December 2011, 31 645 cases of HIV infection had been diagnosed in Australia.

• An estimated 24 731 people were living with diagnosed HIV infection in Australia at the end of 2011.

• The number of new HIV diagnoses in Australia in 2011 was 1137, an increase of 8.2% over the number in 2010. The annual number of new HIV diagnoses has gradually increased over the past 12 years, from 719 diagnoses in 1999.

HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmissible infections in Australia Annual Surveillance Report 2012, Kirby Institute.

By Keiran Rossteuscher

Keiran is the AIDS Action Council’s Program Manager, Social Marketing

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STARGAZER DECEMBER & JANUARY

By Melisa Paz

YOUR HOROSCOPE

Happy festive season everyone! This is a great time of the year to set goals and start on new directions. December will give us all the energy we need to begin the New Year with the very best of attitudes. By December 13th Uranus will get direct which means that all of us will feel creative and intuitive — enjoy this amazing time. Uranus will also give us something special this month; providing us all with the best energy to make plans that can help us find the kind of freedom and independence we are searching for. On the other hand, by the third week of January, Mars will retrograde and that means that we may feel like all the enthusiasm we had has left us. But don’t worry, it’s all part of the flow of life. Enjoy the great creativity from December.

Aquarius

January 21 – February 18 By the first week of December you may feel a lot of pressure because of all the things you need to do. But don’t worry, the sun will be there giving you the energy to get everything done right on time, so it will be just fine. Tip: Keep calm and let Uranus lead your creativity.

Taurus

April 21 – May 21 This month you need to stop wasting time and start doing the things you really want to do. The next two months may be crucial when it comes to deciding the way you want the rest of the year to be. Tip: If in January you have the opportunity to take a trip — take it, you won’t regret it.

Leo

July 23 – August 23 By the second week of December you may well feel a little bit confused when it comes to love and relationships. Try your best to keep calm and let things flow on their own course. Tip: Take care of your finances; you will need some money for a trip by the end of January.

Scorpio

October 24 – November 22 Get ready for a great time when it comes to love, sex and relationships in December! It looks like your going to have a really enjoyable holiday season.

Tip: By January 3rd try focusing a little bit more on those things that require you to be rational instead of emotional.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20 These will be nostalgic months. You might feel like you’ve lost enthusiasm, especially in the second week of January, but that is only because the Universe is working towards giving you a nice surprise by the last week of January.

Tip: Try to take some time for yourself.

Gemini

May 22 – June 21 Things have been a little bit hard lately, but don’t worry, with the help of Uranus and the energy the Sun is giving you, you will have a lot of new ideas to put everything back on track.

Tip: Do some exercise; it will keep your mind busy and your body healthy.

Virgo

August 24 –September 23 Uranus is going to give you help in late December regarding possible issues to do with sex, so get ready for some creativity. Tip: Take care of what you eat. When you feel anxious, the best way to resolve it is with a open heart and not a open mouth.

Sagittarius

November 23 – December 22 You will meet someone special, so let your intuition lead you. By mid January listen to your co-workers, as one of them has something to say to you and you really need to pay attention!

Tip: Write important things down this month as you may forget to do things.

Aries

March 21 – April 20 It’s a good time to re-think how you’ve been managing your finances. Thanks to Uranus, it is time to work on your budget, you may find you have some extra money to enjoy the holidays.

Tip: New goals, new perspectives, follow your heart into the change.

Cancer

June 22 – July 22 The second week of December will be the perfect time for you to start listening to your heart more than your head. Let your instincts take control, especially when it comes to the work area. Tip: Keep an optimist attitude; you are doing a good job.

Libra

September 24 – October 23 Cycles are being closed, and you can’t wait to see what’s next, but be patient.

Mercury will be there helping you organise everything you need to make your new start! By early January you will feel that things are flowing nicely. Tip: Trust yourself; now is the time to listen to your heart.

Capricorn

December 23 – January 20 Jupiter is telling you to use more time to solve that work issue that has been on your mind. By December 15 try using Uranus’ creative energy to help you do it.

Tip: By the last week of January you will feel stressed out, keep calm, don’t worry and let the universe help you.

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COMMUNITY DIRECTORY AIDS Action Council The AIDS Action Council provides information, support and services.

More info: aidsaction.org.au

PFLAG-ACT A support and friendship group for parents and friends of LGBTI people.

More info email pflag.act@gmail.com

A Gender Agenda A resource for transgender, intersex, gender queer and gender variant people. genderrights.org.au

Long Yang A friendly social club for Asian and non-Asian gays and their friends.

Canberra: lyccanberra.org Sydney: sydney.longyangclub.org

ACTQueer A free email list for LGBTI people in Canberra and surrounding region. groups.yahoo.com/group/actqueer Bit Bent Youth Group Meet other young people, get support or just hang out. Mondays at Belconnen Youth Centre 6pm–8pm and Thursdays at the Woden Youth Centre 5pm–6.30pm.

Email: bit_bent@hotmail.com Canberra Gay & Lesbian QWIRE Want to be involved with Canberra’s own gay and lesbian choir? Singers and non-singers encouraged. More info: canberraqwire@yahoo.com.au Capital Queers Canberra’s Mardi Gras group.

More info at capitalqueers.com Dyke Dinner & Movie Group More info on FUSE website or see Canberra Lesbians on Facebook.

Fruits in Boots A social and support network for rural GLBTI members outside the ACT. Email: fruitsinboots@gmail.com Gay ACT Squash Group Wednesdays 6.30pm–7.30pm. National Sports Club, Mouat St, Lyneham. groups.google.com/group/gayactsquash Gaycrash Canberra Taking over the coolest Canberra straight bars one night at a time! facebook.com/gaycrash.canberra/info

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✪ Come and play at CUBE Nightclub!

CANBERRA HANGOUTS

Motafrenz GLBTIQ Car Club Contact Stuart Poole ACT Convener Motafrenz on 0420 523 238 or email act@motafrenz.org motafrenz.org.au

Cube Nightclub Canberra’s premier gay nightclub venue.

33 Petrie Plaza Civic, Canberra City. cubenightclub.com.au

Pink Tennis Gay & Lesbian Tennis Group meets Mondays 6pm–9pm at Turner Tennis Club, Cnr McCaughey & Condamine Sts.

Phoenix Pub The Phoenix is a chilled out friendly pub where everyone is welcome to drop by for a beer or some Drag Bingo!

21 East Row, Canberra City. lovethephoenix.com

Qnet — Queer Youth Cyberspace Qnet is an online community for GLBTI people under the age of 25. qnet.org.au Queanbeyan GLBTI Youth Support Make new friends and discuss issues.

Mondays 4pm–6pm at Axis Youth Centre, Campbell Street, Queanbeyan Park.

Radio Q Canberra LGBTI community radio show on 2xx 98.3FM 2xxfm.org.au Rainbow Bubs A playgroup and support group for same sex parents and their kids.

Email: hoogied@yahoo.com South Coast Pride NSW From Wollongong down to Merimbula come out, come out, wherever you are!

Email: southcoastpride@live.com Uni of Canberra LGBTI group A social group for all LGBTI students and staff. Queer Space is located at the UCSA building 1 at the Uni of Canberra.

Info email: sexuality@theucsa.org.au

Tilley’s Devine Cafe For over 26 years Tilley’s has been a gathering place for the gay and lesbian community. Warm and sumptuous, it’s famous for its food and fabulous coffees and cake. To reserve your favourite table or booth call us on 6247 7753.

Cnr of Wattle & Brigalow Sts, Lyneham.

Diversity ACT Do you need assistance or require support? Call the Diversity ACT GLBTI Support Services Phone Line on 1300 794 717 between 4pm-10pm. diversityact.org.au Ranch Men’s Lounge Canberra’s mens’ space. They are located at Unit 19, Molongo Mall in Fyshwick ACT. A safe venue for men who want to meet men. See ad p47.

Want to know ‘What’s On’ or be listed here, then visit us at www.fusemagazine.com.au

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AIDS Action Council of the ACT Living Well Services

Vitamins & Supplements Changes to our Vitamins & Supplements Service have led to more affordable options for all people with HIV. We now provide quality items at discount prices to assist you to take control of your health and wellbeing. A note from your doctor or an HIV Dietician stating your requirements is all that is needed.

For those people with a pension or Health Care Card, there is a small dispensing fee of $5 and for all others, including those in paid employment, products are available at 50% of our cost price.

For further information on either of these services, contact the Program Manager, Living Well on 6257 2855 or marcus@aidsaction.org.au

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DEAR ROSE

‘‘

Dear Rose, My boyfriend and I have been together for over five years.

I’m keen to pool our money into one account but he’s always been resistant. I think it makes sense and I always feel silly splitting dinner, shopping and rent! We are thinking of buying a house and having kids and I think our current arrangement will make things difficult.

Matty

Matty, @ Dear After five years a joint bank account for household expenses and savings sounds sensible. If you are both planning to venture into mortgages and children, joint financials will be a huge part of that equation. Whilst I understand your bf’s reluctance to give up his financial independence, having a joint account is pretty standard.

My partner and I do this and it works well. We added up all the household expenses, including, rent, internet, utilities, etc and deposit money regularly into our joint account. We set up direct debits from this account to pay bills so that you are “both” contributing. This starts you both putting money away in a non confrontational way with your partner feeling like he is still in control of his finances. Slowly but surely and over time you can start to add a whole host of expenses such as mobile phone bills, health insurance and your food bill and even including saving for a house deposit or a fund for the kids.

Remember, your own money comes into play as well; you also need to have financial independence and keep your own bank account/s for separate savings, for the things that you want to purchase. After all, if you had to get permission from your boyfriend to buy every little thing it would drive you nuts, and that would be a whole other Dear Rose letter!

‘‘

Dear Rose, I have been seeing someone for six months and he wants us to move in together. I’ve been burnt before and I’m not sure if I can commit, do you think I should let him go?

Worried

Worried, @ Dear I had a friend with a similar problem. Her partner wanted

her to move interstate — she had been burnt too. I asked her, ‘If you don’t go, will you ask yourself “what if this person is the one?” Will you regret it the future?’ The fact is, if we live without risks then we aren’t really living at all.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a practical girl, so I have always made it a rule when moving in with someone to always have a plan B, in case things don’t work out. So that being in the relationship is always your choice, not circumstance.

There is also nothing wrong with you saying to your boyfriend, ‘let’s just wait for a while and see how things go’.

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EMAIL DEAR ROSE WITH YOUR PROBLEM TODAY!

By Rose Pappalardo If you would like to write to Dear Rose email her at: dearrose@fusemagazine.com.au

‘‘

Dear Rose, I have been with my current girlfriend for four years and love her dearly. She has just been diagnosed with a serious degenerative illness. I’m not sure that I can cope with this and I’ve been thinking about ending the relationship to save us both pain in the future. But I’m worried she might not find anyone else to care for her as the disease progresses. Am I a bad person?

TC

TC, @ Dear I don’t think there is a person in the world

that does not feel for you, the dilemma you face is unthinkable!

First thing is know your enemy! Find out as much as you can about the disease and be absolutely clear how this disease will progress and what will be required.

The next thing you have to do is have a conversation with your partner and talk about all possibilities. See a social worker as soon as possible; they will have access to information and support systems. Do not be afraid to ask for help, the more people who are on board, the easier life for your partner and yourself will be.

Ultimately the decision to go or stay is yours, but if you do go, you can start the process of putting things in place for your partner.

If you stay you will have good days and crappy days, there will be moments you will actually walk out the door. And that’s ok, because you are a human being. Don’t kid yourself; there will be pain either way you decide, but being able to look yourself in the mirror, knowing you did as much as you possibly can, will be ultimately how you feel about yourself for the rest of your life.

Kylie Minogue Pop princess and gay Icon “Gay icons usually have some tragedy in their lives, but I’ve only had tragic haircuts and outfits.”

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Imagine a world without factory farming...

Few people realise that factory farming is the single greatest cause of animal cruelty on the planet today. Most pork, bacon, ham, chicken and egg products come from animals who live lives of abject misery in factory farms. These are highly intelligent animals who are forced to endure intense confinement and surgical procedures without pain relief. They have been denied the same protection from acts of cruelty that are

afforded to dogs and cats, despite having the same capacity to suffer. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Our choices can set them free. By refusing factory-farmed, consuming fewer animal products, or going meat-free, you can create a kinder world for animals.

Visit MakeitPossible.com and join thousands of other caring Australians who are making a world without factory farming, possible.

Watch the film.

Sign the pledge.

Inspire others.

Animals Australia, 37 O'Connell St, North Melbourne, Victoria 3051