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■ Patti Newton and Peter Alexander were at the Princess Theatre for the opening night of Legally Blonde starring Lucy Durack (inset), Rob Mills and Cameron Daddo. More pictures on Page 11.
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GO SHOW GOLD RETURNS TO MELBOURNE: SEE PAGE 3
Page 2 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 15, 2013
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City Desk
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The hottest news about Melbourne’s A-listers
The Buzz $2 million for Arts Centre
Under The Clocks What a time for Rob Mills! ● Geoffrey Rush ■ Arts Centre Melbourne has welcomed the Victorian Government’s commitment of $2 million per year for the next two years, announced as part of the 2013 State Budget. The commitment will ensure Arts Centre Melbourne, Australia’s largest performing arts centre, is able to continue to deliver a diverse, year-round offering of performances and activities to the broadest possible audience. This will include main stage performances, regional and education programs, and low cost family events and programs. “This is welcome support from the Victorian Government as Arts Centre Melbourne shapes its ongoing programming strategy, particularly since the re-opening of Hamer Hall in July 2012,” said Chief Executive Judith Isherwood. “We are taking an industry leadership role to ensure a steady supply of high quality arts events and experiences to the widest possible audience. “We are continuing our longstanding commitment to provide the best performing arts experience to our ever-growing and changing audience. “We’re doing this by thinking creatively and broadly across the entire performance spectrum and complementing the work presented year-round by our stage partners.” Arts Centre Melbourne is a not-for-profit organisation which receives around 20 per cent of its operational funding from the Victorian Government and relies on its own commercial activities and the support of generous individuals to reach deeply into the community. Important Arts Centre Melbourne programming initiatives in 2013 include the Australian premiere of the internationally acclaimed theatrical masterpiece War Horse as part of a new Summer Season, the return of The Famous Spiegeltent, a new collaboration with the Melbourne Theatre Company to present the West End hit One Man, Two Guvnors, and a new curated Winter Season which includes the forthcoming Australian exclusive season of the ground-breaking 20th century opera Einstein on the Beach and a new exhibition profiling the career of world-famous actor Geoffrey Rush.
● Derryn Hinch and Annette Philpott were on the pink carpet for the opening night of Legally Blonde at the Princess Theatre on Saturday. More opening night photos on Page 11.
GO SHOW GOLD ● Green Room Award nominee Em Rusciano is pictured with presenter Rob Mills, who opened his season of Legally Blonde at the Princess Theatre on Saturday night, and will soon move on to Grease The Musical.
● Jeanne Pratt, Chairman of The Production Company, was also at the Comedy Theatre for the Green Room Awards. ● Normie Rowe and Frank Howson at the previous Go! Show Gold ■ Go Show Gold! is back again in 2013 with another sensational line-up featuring some of the artists that became household names back in the sixties through their appearances on the iconic 60s show GO!, which was the first national pop program to go live to air in Australia. Demand for the return of another GO!! Show Gold concert has been incredible and fans will love the line-up that will feature at The Palais Theatre on August 10 On stage together for the next GO!! Show Gold will be Normie Rowe, Johnny Young, Ronnie Burns, Colleen Hewett, Glenn Shorrock, Brian Cadd, Ronnie Charles, Dinah Lee, Ross D Wyllie and Tony Worsley. The evening will feature the songs that made these artists house-hold names in Australia along with duos from Brian Cadd/ Glenn Shorrock: Ronnie Burns/Johnny Young and Brian Cadd/Ronnie Charles which will guarantee a night of great memories, musical highlights and a chance to relive the past for the many baby boomer fans that come out in force to hear the music from the past they love There will also be a special tribute to both Ian Turpie and Darryl Cotton who both performed in the 2012 GO!! Show Gold and have passed away over the past 12 months. The Go!! Show hit the television airwaves in 1964 to become the must-watch music show for a new generation of teenagers. It was a ground-breaking phenomenon when it first went to air 45 years ago, introducing live and local pop music for the first time. It hit television screens hot on the heels of the lifestyle shattering tour of The Beatles, creating the perfect vehicle for a stable of local teen stars and changing the lives of generations of Baby Boomers. GO!! Show Gold team has created a perfect reflection of the times. The energy and excitement of performers still at the peak of their talent transports the audience to the hysteria of 1964 – and the girls this time round may not scream, but will know all the hits word perfect! Rickets go on sale this Friday (May 17). Melbourne. August 10. Palais Theatre, St Kilda. Ticketmaster: 136 100 or www.ticketmaster.com.au
● Sarah Cuthbert, Mardi Cuthbert, Chris van Raay and Kaitlin Jempson were at the opening night of Phantom Of The Opera at the National Theatre, St Kilda. More pictures on Page 13.
What’s On In Melbourne
★The month of May 2013 is national ‘Tracky Dack Day’ where Melburnians come together to raise awareness of the huge need for emergency support for kids in hospitals - the kind of support that can’t go on a waiting list. Tracky Dack Day is the major fundraiser for TLC for kids, Australia’s only emergency response support for distressed kids in hospital and their families. Every day, kids in hospital are encouraged to change out of their PJ's and wear trackies or casual clothes to help boost their state of mind and give them a sense of normality. Schools, workplaces, day care centres and sporting clubs across the nation, are invited to nominate one day in May to hold their own Tracky Dack Day fundraiser to help kids in hospital.
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Page 4 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 15, 2013
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Mark Richardson ♥ Straight from the heart
E-Mail: mark@localmedia.com.au
BIRDS ARE IN SEAN’S NATURE
■ When you sit down to interview a 'twitcher', be prepared for the interview to be cut short. A twitcher is wired for sound, on call 24/7 hoping to receive a 'tweet' or a call to learn that a migrating bird took a wrong turn and landed in Australia; making it rare and a 'must have tick' against its name on a watcher's accumulating and prized list. But first a twitcher must hunt it down through a pair of binoculars. Following the news of a rare sighting two weeks ago in Australia that set twitchers, well, twitching, I caught up with our most famous twitcher and 10-year Australian birdwatching record holder (2002-2012) Sean Dooley; who best explains his 'habit' to non-twitchers as being, 'wildlife hunting for nerds - without weapons.' Sean's twitch began during primary school in Seaford North and officially outed himself as a bird-nerd during his early 20s performing comedy sketches at the Melbourne University Comedy Reviews. He has since written three books, worked as a comedy writer on TV shows such as Hamish and Andy and Spicks and Specks and is currently editor of Australian Birdlife, the membership magazine of BirdLife Australia. Although Sean doesn't twitch as much these days, he is flying the flag and hunting down our support to help save our endangered birds by raising awareness and educating the public through his writing, story-telling, lectures and regular radio appearances on ABC Radio and 3RRR. Just in case a 'tweet' comes through about a rare sighting that you just can't resist to see Sean; what is your Porch Thought For The Day? If you take the time to notice birds, they bring so much joy to your life and they are such amazing creatures.
Twitching Porch Thoughts
We really owe it to them to do what we can to make sure they keep on singing for our children and their children. What drives your passion for birds? Birds are the only regular contact we have with a natural world. They are the one creature that you can see stepping out into your backyard. It's hard to see a mammal or a reptile but birds are in your face and a reminder that we are part of the natural world. It is important to have a connection with them. What do you love about birds? They are incredible creatures. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colours and they sing in a multitude of voices. They also fly which is also pretty inspiring for us ground creatures. How many birdwatchers and twitchers are currently active in Australia? Australia's peak birdwatching conservation body - Birdlife Australia - has around 10,000 members. Around 1000 of its members are active 'twitchers' and up to 200 being totally obsessed. What occurred a couple of weeks ago that caused a great flutter in Australia's birdwatching community? A Forest Wagtail from overseas just turned up in Alice Springs. Normally this time of year, it should be
Off The Porch Thought For The Day Dean Ingwersen Woodland Birds for Biodiversity Project Manager, BirdLife Australia Nature and wildlife isn't 'out there', separate from us. Even in our capital cities we are surrounded by all sorts of amazing wildlife, from Powerful Owls living in city gardens to frogs in suburban backyards. Yet there is still a 'disconnect' for most of us. It can only take five minutes outside to reconnect with the natural world - it's amazing what you can find in a short time.
nesting in the forests of China or Japan. It was identified on the Saturday and by the following Tuesday, 30 twitchers had already flown to see it. Why did twitchers feel compelled to jet off to Alice Springs? The more experienced you become, the fewer options there are to see new birds. You have to go further afield. In 2002, you broke the Australian record sighting 703 species (720 by the revised 2013 international count list). What distances did you travel and who verified your sightings? I travelled 80,000 kilometres by car, 60,000 kilometres by plane and 2000 kilometres by boat. Most of the rare birds that I saw I had someone with me to back me up. What it came down to was being satisfied I had experienced the whole essence of seeing the bird. You need to be honest and reliable. Reputation, like virginity, can only be lost once. This is especially true in the birdwatching world and so far, fortunately, my reputation has remained intact. When you do go out these days, what runs through your mind in terms of changes to the environment and the future of our birds? I begin to understand what birds need to survive and where they live. I can't help but to become concerned. There's been a massive drop out of many different birds across so many types of landscapes and habitats. What major threats are our birds facing? Mainly habitat and tree clearances and also the draining of wetlands. Our woodlands birds are hanging on to reminiscent scraps of woodland. They are disconnected from each other. A fire in one area or a drought in another can wipe out the birds, or even a plague of foxes. In the past they could repopulate in adjacent areas, but now those adjacent areas are gone. What can be done to help save our birds? Tell stories about the birds and stories about conservation projects. Birdlife Australia really punches above their weight in terms of conservation impacts, particularly for birds. Their real strength is their volunteers who are bird watchers and invest their time to go out and survey and monitor the birds. The first level to save something is getting people to be able to connect and the second is to know what
● Sean Dooley Photo by Fiona Blandford we've got, what we have left and what conservation funding model is moving away from threatened species proneeds to be saved. Do you know of any success- grams so ongoing funding for this ful projects that are making a project is now in jeopardy. How can community memdifference threatened species? Over the past few years one of bers join in the fight to ensure BirdLife Australia's successful our birds keep on singing for our projects has been the beach nesting children and their children? Volunteer in one of their projects bird's project, working with communities all along the coast to protect the through the threatened bird network or breeding habitat of Hooded Plovers offer your time to help conduct surand other shore beach nesting birds. veys or even help spread the word. We need to find new recourses of funding How has it succeeded? Project Managers and hundreds of through government grants; benefacvolunteers go out during the summer tors or through donations. We owe it to locate nests, fence them off and to to our birds. stand guard to keep people and their ■ To help our threatened birds and to learn more about birdwatching, dogs away. This project has shown that moni- twitching, volunteering or to make a toring and overseeing their habitat has tax deductible donation visit increased the rate of breeding and www.birdlife.org.au. Follow Sean raising their young by 400 per cent. Dooley on Twitter @Twitchathon - Mark Richardson The Federal Government's
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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 15, 2013 - Page 5
Entertainment News
It’s All About You!
Melbourne
TOP COP TURNS Observer TO SHOWBIZ In This 92-Page Edition
● Paul Ditchburn has turned to showbiz
■ When Paul Ditchburn (pictured) retired from Victoria Police at the rank of superintendent, 32 years of service included working as a uniformed member, detective, and in areas responsible for undertaking research and developing policy. A recipient of commendations and the Australia Police Medal (APM) in the 2003 Australia Day honours, Paul says a highlight of his career was graduating from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, USA. Paul has always had an interest in entertainment, which commenced in earnest when he learnt guitar so that he could play at folk nights that were the rage in his teenage years. After retirement, Paul undertook acting courses, which resulted in appearances in many films, TV shows and commercials in speaking roles and as an ext r a .
Bloomsday in Melbourne
Highlights include playing Harold Holt in the Ray Martin Channel 9 documentary Who Killed Harold Holt?, comedy sketch work in Foxtel’s The Mansion, portraying lawyer Julian McMahon in an SBS documentary The Trial, and roles in corporate training films. Paul’s interest in theatre has now led him to be cast in big the musical, being presented by MLOC Productions from June 14-22 at the Phoenix Theatre, Elwood. Big The Musical is based on the 1987 movie Big, and tells of a boy, Josh Baskin, who wishes he was a grown-up. Paul plays the cameo roles of Josh’s father, Mr Baskin, and Rick Birnbaum, an executive with the MacMillan Toy Company. “I have always found theatre and performing to be a great way of relaxing, and developing new skills,” says Paul. “It is also fantastic for making new friends outside your normal circles.” Paul says that a highlight of Big The Musical is the range of ages in the cast. It means the show appeals to all ages at many different levels. Paul refers to himself as “only one small cog in the huge machine of the show”. He does, however, say that from his point of view “I can recommend the show to anyone who wants to see an entertaining, happy musical with some really exciting features.” Big The Musical can be seen on June 14, 15, 20, 21, 22 at 8pm and June 16, 22 at 2pm at the Phoenix Theatre, 101 Glenhuntly Rd, Elwood. Tickets: $32/$30/$28. Bookings: www.mloc.org.au Enquiries: 9808 9775 - Cheryl Threadgold
Rumours denied
● Kevin Dee (James Joyce) and Stephanie Lillis (Joyce’s daughter, Lucia) in The Seven Ages of Joyce, an original and provocative play being performed at fortyfivedownstairs during the Bloomsday in Melbourne Festival from June 1216. Photo: Maireid Sullivan of Lyrebird Media ■ Bloomsday In Melbourne celebrates at 1pm at fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, James Joyce from June 12-16 with a theatri- Melbourne. cal homage to Ulysses, the most celebrated Tickets: $40 full price, $35 concession; $33 novel of the 20th century. for groups of 6+. Four celebratory events include the Bookings: 9662 9966 or www.fortyfive Bloomsday 2013 Festival’s centrepiece the- downstairs.com atrical production, The Seven Ages Of Joyce Free Readings are also being presented on (apologies to Shakespeare), which refuses to June 12 and June 13 at 1pm in the Gallery at sanitise James Joyce, the most penetrating and fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane. Join witty writer of modern literature. the Bloomsday Players for expert readings Under the direction of Wayne Pearn, this of Joyce. musical bio-drama, which draws heavily on the Another festival event, the Bloomsday complete works of Joyce, will delight not only Dinner, will be held on June 15 at 8pm. Join Joyce buffs, but provide the ‘ah-hah’s’ for those the Bloomsday community at PJ O’Brien’s who find the text forbidding. Irish Pub, Southbank, for a two-course James Joyce was a rebellious, glee-filled, smorgasbord meal and entertainment. Drinks free spirit who rejected family, church and the at bar prices. Bookings: 9898 2900 (ask for establishment. He shocks and fascinates with his bold court- Bob). The fourth festival event, the Bloomsday ing of scandal, querying of sexual and social Seminar, will be presented on June 16 at givens and his unshakeable sense that only 3.30pm at fortyfivedownstairs. Titled The Shakespeare could match his genius. The Seven Ages Of Joyce, full of the music Obstetrician and the Psychiatrist Examine he loved, irreverently romps through his life and Joyce’s Ulysses, Dr James King and Dr Jo Beatson will bring their respective expertise the ‘cracked looking-glass’ of his fiction. The play gives a full account of his life from to discuss how Joyce writes about birth, death birth to death and draws from A Portrait of the and grieving. Tickets: $20/$15. Bookings 9662 9966 or Artist as a Young Man, Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, appealing to Joyce novices and aficio- www.fortyfivedownstairs.com For further Bloomsdale Festival informanados alike. Performances: June 13 (preview), June 14 tion: www.bloomsdayinmelbourne.org.au - Cheryl Threadgold at 7.30pm, June 15, 16 at 6.00pm and June 16
■ Entertainer André Rieu says the cancellation of this month’s Australian promotion tour is due to his busy schedule, and not illness. “The rumour that André had to cancel his trip to Australia because of illness spread in the Australian media and non-official websites,” his spokesman said this week. André contradicts the rumour in a personal statement on his website: “"This is not true. I'm in very good health,” Rieu is now promising to visit in August ahead of his October shows. ● More details on Page 7
City Desk: Derryn Hinch at opening night ..... Page 3 Mark Richardson: Straight from the heart .... Page 4 Melbourne People: In the picture ................. Page 6 Entertainment: Stiletto Sisters to perform ..... Page 7 Di Rolle: I love my job ................................. Page 8 Melb. Confidential: Wensite change ordered .. Page 9 Long Shots: Military honours ...................... Page 10 Pictorial: Legally Blonde opening night ...... Page 11 Photos: Green Room Awards ..................... Page 12 Phantom Of The Opera: Picture spread ....... Page 13 Yvonne Lawrence is on leave Jim Sherlock on DVDs Cheryl Threadgold writes on local theatre Julie Houghton reports
Observer Showbiz
Latest News Flashes Around Victoria
Drunk driver rams car ■ A drunk man's car went up in flames after he was involved in a road rage incident in which two cars clashed and ran off the Princes Hwy, reports the Geelong Advertiser. Jason Smith, of East Geelong, pleaded guilty to three charges stemming from the encounter on November 26 last year. He was bailed to appear in Geelong Magistrates' Court on June 11.
328 in disabled spots ■ Ballarat drivers were caught parking in spaces reserved for people with a disability almost daily last year. According to data obtained by the Ballarat Courier, 328 fines were given for the offence “stopped in a parking area for disabled people” during 2012.
Speed charge ■ Bendigo councillor Elise Chapman has had a speeding fine overturned after claiming she was forced to drive 20km/h over the speed limit by a car tail-gating her, reports the Bendigo Advertiser. “Ms Chapman was observed driving at 121kmh in a 100-kmh zone between Serpentine and Bridgewater on April 5 last year,” the newspaper reported.
Weather Forecast ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Wednesday. Showers, windy. 9°-14° Thursdday. A few showers. 10°-15° Friday. Shower or two. 11°-15° Saturday. Shower or two. 9°-15° Sunday. Possible morning shower. 6°-16° Monday. Becoming cloudy. 5°-17°
Mike McColl Jones
Top 5 THE TOP 5 REASONS WHY OUR POLITICIANS DESERVE A PAY RISE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Page 6 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 15, 2013
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People Melbourne
● Gale Edwards and Ken MacKenzie-Forbes were at the Green Room awards. More photos on Page 12
Send news to editor@melbourneobserver.com.au
Fax: 1-800 231 312
2000 expected at Lakeside
Legally Blonde opens ■ Gold 104.3’s Craig Huggins met with Legally Blonde star Lucy Durack at the show’s opening night at the Princess Theatre on Saturday night. The show also features a cast including Rob Mills, Cameron Daddo, David Harris, Helen Dallimore and Erika Heynatz. More opening night photos on Page 11. VIP list on Page 9.
● Fitness trainer Mel Hiatt is preparing for the 2000 people who will assemble for the Train For Thought group fitness exercise session at Lakeside Stadium this Sunday (May 19), aiming to raise $50,000 for the Headspace organisation.
Paper Tales
■ Artwork by Eolo Paul Bottaro will be exhibited at Montsalvat, Eltham, with an opening function being held tomorrow (Thurs.) from 6.30pm-8.30pm. The survey exhibition, with works from the past eight years, will be on display for a month. Eolo is heading a ‘Red Chair’ workshop sponsored by Nillumbik Shire Council.
Celebrity Apprentice launch ■ Channel 9 publicists Michelle Stamper and Emma Wells-Jones were at the Stokehouse restaurant in St Kilda on Melbourne for a luncheon to promote the Celebrity Apprentice program. The 2013 cast has seen Mark Bouris return as CEO, with his boardroom advisors being Dane Bouris and Deborah Thomas. Contestants include: Dermott Brereton, Peter Everett, Jeff Fenech, Dawn Fraser, Roxy Jacenko, Kym Johnson, Prue MacSween, Brian Mannix, Rob Mills, Stephanie Rice, John Steffenson and Layla Subritzky. Peter Berner and Prinnie Stevens have already been fired from the program.
PHOTO: FACEBOOK
● Nilaja Sun is performing a one-woman show, No Child, at Theatre Works. Cheryl Threadgold reviews the show, on Page 79 of this week’s Observer.
Dee Dee, Bonnie love the Saints
At Mr Hive
PHOTO: FACEBOOK
● Crown Media Relations Manager Tara Bishop was with Christian Wagstaff at Mr Hive for the Mothers Day luncheon hosted by Ann Peacock
■ 3AW broadcaster Diane ‘Dee Dee’ Dunleavy and daughter Bonnie were at Etihad Stadium on Monday night to witness St Kilda’s win aginst Carlton. The Saints 11.11 (77) defeated the Blues 9.14 (68), giving St Kilda their second win for the 2013 season, and placing them 14th on the AFL ladder. The ladder: Geelong Cats, Esendon, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide, Sydney Swans, Fremantle, Richmond, Collingwood, Adelaide Crows, West Coast Eagles, Carlton, North Melbourne, Gold Coast Suns, St Kilda, Brisbane Suns, Western Bulldogs, Melbourne, Greater Western Sydney. Harry Beitzel’s Footy Week is on Page 90.
PHOTO: FACEBOOK
Winners
● Kathy Kirby ■ Kathy Kirby of Western Health has won the Australian Nursing Awards Team Innovation prize. Western Health also won an award for its advances.
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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 15, 2013 - Page 7
Showbiz News
IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE?
THE BARREL ‘Never pick a fight with a man who buys ink by the barrel and paper by the ton.’
Stiletto Sisters
Briefs Passing
Printed Age ready for axe ● Joyce Brothers ■ Psychologist Joyce Brothers, a popular TV personality and advice columnist, has died, her daughter said. Dr Brothers was 85.
Stompers
■ Australia’s longest consecutive stair climb challenge will be held for the first time at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, June 16. The first event of its kind in Australia, Stadium Stomp MCG presents a unique fitness challenge. It is not a competition or a race, but a personal test of stamina and concentration. Stadium Stomp MCG provides entrants with the one-off opportunity to take on the 7343 steps on the top and bottom seating levels of the MCG and raise money for a nominated charity at the same time.
News Tips ■ E-mail your news tips to editor@ melbourneobserver. com.au
PHOTO: RICHARD CROMPTON
● Laura Slavin, CLOC’s leading lady, works by day as a doctor in a city hospital. ■ When Laura Slavin (pictured) takes to the stage, starring as Christine Daaé in the world’s first amateur production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic masterpiece The Phantom Of The Opera, she will be very useful on both sides of the footlights. When Laura is not using her stunning soprano voice to hit those (very) high notes in some of Phantom’s most famous and beautiful ballads and love songs, she is using her voice to diagnose, treat and care for the ill in her day job as a doctor at a large busy inner city hospital. With excellent time management and organisational skills, Laura was able to appear in musicals during her university years while studying at medical school, and then after graduating as a doctor. “A lot of people ask me how I manage to fit it all in,” Laura says. “ I think it is a combination of prioritising, loving all that you do, looking after your health, and also having the support of family and friends, especially now to help me with swapping shifts to enable me to get to rehearsals. And I am lucky to have a good memory, which has helped me in both medicine and theatre.” CLOC Musical Theatre’s The Phantom Of The Opera opened on Friday, May 10 at the National Theatre in St Kilda. The 12 performances include a matinees (Sunday May 19). Bookings can be made by calling 1300 362 547, or online at www.cloc.org.au - Cheryl Threadgold ● More on Page 79
Melbourne Observations with Matt Bissett-Johnson
● The Stiletto Sisters: Judy Gunson (piano accordion), Jo To (Double Bass) and Hope Csutoros (violin) will entertain at the next Surrey Music Café on Friday, May 31 at the Box Hill Community Arts Centre. ■ The Stiletto Sisters will appear in the next Boite Surrey Music Café, to be presented on Friday, May 31 at the Box Hill Community Arts Centre. ‘The Sisters’ are returning to their favorite venue by popular request to launch the 2013 Surrey Music Café season. Be enthralled by their seductive velvety serenading and virtuosic gypsy melodies as they entertain with love songs and romance from Hungary, Latin America and Europe. Doors will open at 7.30pm for an 8pm start. Wine, cheese, coffee and cake available for purchase. Tickets: $18 Bookings: online www.surrey music.com or 9262 6555
$134,000 back-pay for salon staff ■ More than 170 staff in hairdressing and beauty salons across Victoria have been repaid more than $134,000 in wages, as a result of an audit of the industry by the Fair Work Ombudsman. The campaign focused on apprentices and involved audits of 243 hair-and-beauty salons. Only 70 (29 per cent) of employers were found to be meeting all their obligations under workplace laws. Of the 173 businesses (71 per cent) in breach of workplace laws, inspectors found 99 businesses had underpaid 178 employees a total of $134,521. Businesses which underpaid workers were located across Melbourne's suburbs and in Ararat, Ballarat, Castlemaine, Churchill, Cobram, Echuca, Geelong, Kyneton, Mornington, Portland, Sale, Sunbury, Swan Hill, Torquay, Traralgon and Warrnambool.
Telstra, we call it theft ■ If a customer pays for goods or services, and the supplier does not provide them, most people would call it theft. If Telstra fails, it is usually answered with “we value your call, and your feedback is important to us”. Yet again, Telstra failed the Melbourne Observer. This time we lost all internet services in our vital deadline hours this week, from 11.30pm Monday until 7am Tuesday. We made a number of phone calls to Telstra’s alleged-Technical Support. One operator, Katrina, noted that our previous call with another, Blake, had not even been logged. Telstra will expect to be paid on time, in full, for its non-service. Not once, of their own initiative, has Telstra refunded a cent because of its continued breakdowns. More on P86
■ Fairfax Media Chief Executive Greg Hywood has told the International Newspaper Marketing Association that he is preparing the company to abandon printed newspapers entirely “in three, five or 10 years”. Rick Edmonds, researcher and writer for Poynter Institute, reports that Hywood said that The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald currently share 60 to 70 percent of content, according to Hywood, and that will go higher.
● Greg Hywood
Night from hell for ‘Sun’ ■ News Limited’s Sunday Herald Sun experienced ““catastrophic IT and production issues” at the weekend. For those newsagents who actually received copies, supp;lies were down by 30 per cent. Many stores in outlying and country areas received no copies at all. The Herald & Weekly Times Ltd, leed in Victoria by Managing Director (Editorial), Peter Blunden, was ● Peter Blunden hit on Monday for compensation by the Victorian Newsagents’Association: “Whilst we understand yesterday’s problems were not intended, these extra cost as a result of these problems, should not be worn by newsagents.” VANA said these costs include home delivery drivers, sub agents drivers and morning management teams. “Days like yesterday tell us all the importance of print media and its impact of the daily lives of Victorians,” the VANA spokesman said.
Singo’s $15,000 fine ■ This week is a good one to be a Melburnian ... especially when Sydneysiders have staged a sideshow where megamillionaire John Singleton is being fined $15,000 by NSW racing authorities for bringing that sport into disrepute. The sum of $15,000 is nothing to ‘Singo’. He could spill that much on a good day. If the NSW authorities want to be taken seriously, a fine with some ‘ouch’ is needed.
● John Singleton
Extra André Rieu show ■ International violinist André Rieu has announced he will play an extra show in Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena on October 18 “ due to populair demand”. The extra concert is part of his new worldwide And The Waltz Goes On tour. Tickets for André's second Melbourne concert went on sale on Friday (May 10).
Page 8 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 15, 2013
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To
Di’s very full dance card
Di For
Finding Yourself At Home Alone
● Pia Johnson ■ One of the great pleasures in life I find is being at home alone. I love it. I love reading and watching what I want on tele and doing some work at odd hours, doing the washing at 1am if I want to, I love having dinner when I want, or not having dinner. I love having a glass of wine if I want, or not. I love having my own opinion. It’s a real treat. And something I know not everyone enjoys. The pleasure of one’s one company is a gift. Prominent 19th century philosopher John Stuart Mill wrote “if the cultivation of the understanding consists in one thing more than in another, it is surely in learning the grounds of one’s own opinions.” Photographer Pia Johnson is a person who enjoys her own company. So much so she has a photographic exhibition coming up called Finding Yourself At Home Alone. Pia has taken many photographs of many people and her latest series of photographs takes us straight into the intimate area of self-portraiture. For my column I asked her for a photograph of herself and she commented how strange it was to take a picture of oneself! Pia says: “We understand home to be a safe and familiar place, surrounded by our belongings and cultural codes, home confirms who we are.” Turning these notions on their head, Johnson delves into a world where isolation and loneliness overwhelm, and the sense of identity becomes fragmentary. “This is my most revealing work to date,” Johnson explains, “Turning the camera onto oneself is very intimidating. At the same time it gave me more freedom to experiment and explore different spaces and the body in a way you can’t always do when photographing another person or model.” The exhibition at the Stockroom Gallery, 98 Piper St, Kyneton from July 11-August 4 , is the premiere showing of the full body of Pia’s work in this subject. The first image of the series was finalist in the US photography competition Onward Compe in 2012 selected by US photographer Todd Hido, exhibited at Project Basho in Philadelphia and utilised as the main image for that exhibition in the promotion. The fourth image was also featured in the D-Stop magazine as part of the group Portrait exhibition online. Pia Johnson is known for her series of close-up portraits of halfChinese, half-Australians: ‘Who’s the Chinese lady that picks you up from school?’(2009) Her work has been exhibited nationally, and she is collected by the National Gallery of Victoria. She also specialises in photographing Melbourne’s key performing artists and organisations, including Geoffrey Rush, Paul Grabowsky, Tim Rogers, Kate Kendall, Magda Szubanski, Virginia Gay and Paul Kelly, and her clients include the Australian National Academy of Music, Arena Theatre Company, Arts Centre Melbourne, Malthouse Theatre, Victorian Opera and many more. Photographs have appeared in a range of publications including Rolling Stone, The Monthly, The Australian, The Australian Financial Review and The Age. Johnson will also be embarking on an artist residency at Studio Kura in Japan in October. To read more visit www.piajohnson.com For more information about the exhibition contact Jason Waterhouse at Stockroom on 5422 3215. www.stockroomkyneton.com
I love my job! with leading Melbourne publicist DI ROLLE
■ There is so much going on in the world at the moment. It’s lovely to lose myself in what is happening in our wonderful town … at a glance here is just a few items on my dance card. Light in Winter - Fed Square free winter festival – is an absolute must! Directed by arts luminary, Robyn Archer, The Light in Winter returns for its seventh consecutive year, providing a warm embrace to Melbourne’s cultural diversity and artistic excellence throughout the month of June, with a free program of art, sculpture, design events, forums, film screenings and the much loved Solstice Celebration. In 2013, The Light in Winter brings together more than 20 multicultural communities, artists and designers to explore the theme of the voice and its power. Flowerchildren - the Mamas and Papas Story, featuring Casey Donovan as Mama Cass – is an absolute must see event! Magnormos brings back their award-winning original musical flowerchildren, for a limited season at the Comedy Theatre this month. The exciting musical tells the turbulent story of iconic group The Mamas and The Papas, tracing their spectacular rise to fame in 1966 and their tragic demise only four years later. With unforgettable melodies and tight vocal harmonies, Flowerchildren features a score of the group's timeless hits including Words of Love, Monday Monday, Dedicated to the One I Love, Creeque Alley and the iconic California Dreamin'. Penned by AFI Award winning writer, Peter Fitzpatrick, the musical explores the distrust, dangerous passions, and complex entanglements behind the group. Turn To Page 79
GRACE, BERNIE TO VISIT ■ Here is very exciting news about Grace Knight and the Eurogliders! Not only does Grace Knight have three shows coming up, but there are also three shows for the Eurogliders in and around Melbourne during July and August. It’s been a long time since Grace and Bernie were on the same stage. Grace will perform on July 18 at Wellers Kangaroo Ground; and July 19-20 Bennetts Lane – Melbourne CBD The Eurogliders will perform August 8, Chelsea Heights Hotel; August 9, Doncaster Shoppingtown Hotel; and August 10, Ferntree Gully Hotel. Eurogliders, one of Australia’s most successful live and recording bands of the 1980s, will return for three exclusive shows for National ALH Group. This legendary band spawned chart topping albums and singles This legendary band spawned chart topping albums and singles including We Will Together, Heaven (Must Be There), City Of Soul, Can’t Wait To See You and many more. The band toured worldwide including NZ, Japan, USA and Canada. The shows star Grace Knight on vocals (The Manic Ballerina) and Bernie Lynch on guitar. They ensure an action packed show full of the anthems they made famous. The band won multiple Countdown awards, and MTV awards in the US and UK, and was featured on an MTV New Year's Eve show, per-
Chinese man lays bare the sexual and material desires of two outcasts bound together in their erotic adventures. “Duras is one of the most popular writers of the 20th century in the genre of the sensual, dangerous and erotic. “Her courage in crossing the boundaries of that, which is sexual, feminine and racial, is legendary. “She was an absolutely fearless writer of truth and staggering beauty. This production follows in those footsteps,” says Carroll. The Lover is a monologue for Kate Kendall who plays both the 14 and 64 year-old Marguerite as well as taking on the roles of her lover, her mother, and her evil brother. Duras’s autobiographical novel The Lover was translated into 43 languages and won the coveted Prix Goncourt. It was also made into a film in 1992. By all accounts, The Lover is a sensuous, masterly, erotic and unforgettable story and production. The Lover runs for approximately 85 minutes and is performed in one act. Bookings: www. bellaunion.com.au or 9650 5699 Dates: May 30-June 16
● Grace Knight and Bernie Lynch forming to an audience Professor of French veloping this thrilling globally of 65 million. studies and literature, play. Go Live At Your lo- The Lover has been a “It is so exciting to cal with Eurogliders. sell-out play garnering be magnifying The For more informa- rave reviews since it Lover’s already powertion about the shows was first performed at ful force with music visit the Grace The Stork Theatre in and lighting. Knight website: 2007. “The music we’ve www.graceknight.com. Tickets are on sale chosen is sitting wonau or her Facebook now via www. derfully within sensual page. bellaunion.com.au realm of the play - perThe Eurogliders or 9650 5699. cussive symphonies Facebook page is I highly recommend from Carl Vine add atwww.facebook.com/ this performance. depth and strength to Eurogliders. Set in 1930s the passion, atmoSaigon, The Lover spheric oriental music tells the tale of a poor from Toru Takeyoung French girl mitsu enhance the poi■ One of my favourite falling in love with the gnant ephemeral sensuactresses is Kate son of a wealthy Chi- ality, while tango music breathes a cheekinese family. Kendall. Their affair destroys ness into the exciteI loved her in the TV series Stingers, for her family and unlocks ment and playfulness which she won a Logie powerful forces of ha- within the story,” says Award, and I love tred surrounding the Carroll. The theatrical tale watching her on lovers. of The Lover is a dis“I love the intimacy Neighbours. Coming from an ex- of this show. I love how turbing and intense through the fortensive theatre back- it evolves nightly and journey ground Kate has ap- over time and I love the bidden. The doomed affair peared in a lot of stage complexity of the char- between a poor 14productions as well as acters,” says Kate. year-old French girl and “There’s always TV. to be found and a wealthy 27-year-old She is about to per- more lovely that it hapform in the critically it’s with the audience. acclaimed one-woman pens I actually find it incredplay The Lover. personal and inAdapted from the ibly humbling.” international bestselling credibly The new season will novel by Marguerite feature a number of Duras, Kate will per- newly developed eleform in a new season ments: set design, muof the play in the New sic, and sophisticated Ballroom Theatre at lighting design includTrades Hall from ing original 1930s May 30. lights. Translated and Respected theatre adapted by the late director Greg Carroll Colin Duckworth, is delighted to be rede● Kate Kendall
The Lover
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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 15, 2013 - Page 9
Confidential Melbourne
Talk is cheap, gossip is priceless
INSURANCE CO. FORCED TO CHANGE WEBSITE
Bitch Melbourne’s Secrets
On the pink carpet
■ Potentially misleading content on the insurance comparison website of JustEzi Pty Ltd has led to the removal of online material, after concernjs were voiced by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. The concerns arose from a comparison tool that formulated ‘Ezi-Estimates’ for car insurance. The estimates ranked insurers by price, from lowest to highest, after the consumer entered certain details. ASIC was concerned that JustEzi had not received access to insurers’ data but based the estimates on a formulation created by the website operator. ASIC found the ‘Ezi-Estimates’ were significantly different to quotes offered by the relevant insurers. Oon many occasions the price rankings placed on the relevant insurers were inaccurate, ASIC said. ASIC found the estimates may be misleading because a consumer may consider: ■ an ‘Ezi-Estimate’ to be the same as a quote obtained from an insurer’s website ■ the ranking (on price) given to in-
surers to be the same as the ranking (on price) if the quotes were obtained from the various insurers’ websites. Deputy Chairman Peter Kell said the matter is part of ASIC’s ongoing work on comparison websites. “We have been targeting this area of the market to ensure that operators of comparison websites are providing accurate information and not misleading consumers,” Mr Kell said. “Comparison websites can be very useful for consumers and can stimulate competition, but these outcomes will only occur if the information is accurate. “ASIC can, and will, take the necessary action to ensure comparison websites comply with the law,” Mr Kell said. JustEzi has removed the comparison tool and ‘Ezi-Estimates’ from its website. The Commission acknowledged what it termed the “constructive approach” taken by JustEzi.
FINANCE OFFICER FACES 3 CHARGES PHOTO: LIZZIE JOYCE FACEBOOK
● Cameron Daddo ■ Cameron Daddo and Rob Mills, stars of Legally Blonde, dropped into the Mothers Day lunch at the Myer Mural Hall to perform some of the songs from the show that opened at the Princess Theatre on Saturday night. These celebrities accepted invitations to appear on the ‘pink carpoet’ for the big night: Bert and Patti Newton, Lisa McCune, Eddie Perfect, Peter Alexander, Rachel Berger, Damien Bodie, Marina Prior, Jason Coleman, Melanie Vallejo, Alison Whyte, Joel Creasey, Kimberley Davies, Adam Elliot, Neil Mitchell, Marg Downey, Kate Atkinson, Tony Bartuccio and Caroline Gillmerm Tommy Dysart and Joan Brockenshire, John Foreman, Lillian and Richard Frank, Chelsea Gibb, Jo Hall, Shane Jacobson, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, John-Michael Howson, Patsy King, Mike Larkan, Derryn Hinch, Lyall Brooks, Sam Ludeman, Colette Mann, Philip Brady, Suzie Mathers, Glenn Moriarty, Alex Papps, Nicki Wendt, Anne Phelan, Jemma Rix, Anne Wood, Brian Mannix, Andi Lew, Pete Smith, Gretel Scarlett, Annette Allison, Roland Rocchiccioli, State Arts Minister Heidi Victoria, Consentino, Geoff and Vivian Cox, Christie WhelanBrowne, and producers Howard Panter, John Frost, Stephen Found and Jason Marriner.
■ The former Chief Financial Officer of ABC Learning Centres Limited, James Black, has appeared in court,charged with three counts of authorising false or misleading information. The charges relate to information allegedly made available to an auditor from Pitcher Partners who was conducting the half-year audit review of ABC accounts. The3 Australian Securities and Investments Commiddion alleges Black gave – or authorised the giving of – three engagement letters between three ABCrelated companies and ABC Acquisitions Pty Ltd. The letters related to the purchase of three overseas companies by ABC. The three ABC-related companies were Learning Care Group (UK), Learning Care Group Inc (US) and ABC Developmental Learning Centres Ltd (NZ). Each letter is alleged to have contained false or misleading information about the terms of commission payments that ABC Acquisitions was to receive. ABC Acquisitions Pty Ltd is not a related entity of any ABC Learning Centres Limited company. ABC is reported to have issued an Australian Stock Exchange announcement referring to the acquisition of the overseas transactions involving Busy Bees Group in the United Kingdom, La Petite Academy in the United States, and Forward Steps in New Zealand. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail and/or a fine of $22,000. Black was not required to enter a plea. The matter will return to court on June 21. The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions is prosecuting the matter. ■ Eddie Perfect’s first play, The Beast, is to be staged in October by the Melbourne Theatre Company. “ This play does not set out to mock the good intentions of globally aware citizens, but, rather, to take a firm swipe at anyone that uses a cause as a banner to advertise their innate goodness,” says Perfect (his real name).
Whispers
Ped blitz
Class action against Telstra
■ Warrnambool law firm Maddens Lawyers has announced plans to launch a class action against Telstra in light of last November’s exchange fire that effectively cut off South West Victoria from the rest of the world. Maddens’ Commercial Litigation principal Brendan Pendergast is no stranger to taking on corporate giants; over the past four years, he has successfully settled four Black Saturday bushfire class actions involving electricity giants Powercor and SP Ausnet.
■ Police detected more than 1300 traffic offences during two operations focussed on pedestrian safety in Melbourne last week. State Highway Patrol members targeted hotspots in the Melbourne, Yarra, Boroondara, Stonnington and Port Phillip. Police discovered 86 pedestrian offences including disobeying traffic lights, walking improperly on road, and crossing within 20 metres of pedestrian crossing
Surplus!
Rumour Mill
Hear It Here First
$850,000 law suit ■ Actress Toni Collette and her husband David Galafass are being sued for $850,000, over the collapsed purchase of a $6.35 million property purchase. The couple’s legal team wrote to the vendors saying that legal team to say they could not proceed with the purchase and were unable to sell a property they owned. The case continues in the NSW Supreme Court.
● Wayne Swan ■ Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan has promised that he would return the Federal Budget within four years. He previously delivered the same promise for the 2013 Budget.
Beaten
Hot-desking at 3AW ■ Fairfax Media did a study of occupied desks in their many offices, and found that they only needed 40 per cent of the real estate they previously had. Fairfax newspaper and radio staff - including CEO Greg Hywood - are now ‘hot desking’. Any remnant of morale has gone out the window - which also has to be shared amongst staff.
Company loses licences ■ All Class Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd has lost its financial services licence and credit licence, after it went into liquidation. All Class’s AFS licence required that it be able to pay all its debts, and its total assets exceed its total liabilities.
E-Mail: Confidential@MelbourneObserver.com.au
● Rolf Harris ■ The Nine Network’s A Current Affair with its heavily promoted Rolf Harris exclusive was beaten on Monday night by the Seven Network’s Today Tonight program, 1.07 million people to 1.13m.
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Page 10 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Melbourne
Melbourne
Observer
Observer MILITARY SALUTE Ash On Wednesday
Victoria’s Independent Newspaper First Published September 14, 1969 Every Wednesday
Freemasons Award $250,000 in Educational Scholarships
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Contact Us Publisher and Editor: Ash Long Media Director: Fleur Long Features Editor: Peter Mac Columnists: Len Baker, Harry Beitzel, Matt Bissett-Johnson, David Ellis, Rob Foenander, Christina La Cross, Julie Houghton, Yvonne Lawrence, Nick Le Souef, Mike McColl Jones, John Pasquarelli, Terry Radford, Mark Richardson, Di Rolle, Aaron Rourke, Ted Ryan, Jim Sherlock, Cheryl Threadgold, Kevin Trask, Veritas Distribution: Sam Fiorini, phone 9482 1145
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● Sgt James Long of 1RAR (centre) with Fleur and Ash Long ■ Long Shots and Mrs Long Shots were ‘shouted’ a quick trip to Townsville at the weekend ... to celebrate Mothers Day, a very important fourth birthday (eldest grand-daughter Emma), and the Coral Day Parade at the Lavarack Barracks. The 1st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment welcomed generations of veterans including their former Commanding Officer and now Chief of Defence Force, General David Hurley. It was the 20th anniversary of the deployment of 1RAR in Somalia during the civil war, as well as the 45th anniversary of editor@melbourneobserver.com.au the Battle of Coralwith Ash Long, Editor Balmoral in Vietnam. The Townsville Bulletin “For the cause that lacks assistance, reports that 1RAR is the ‘Gainst the wrongs that need resistance next unit to be deployed to For the future in the distance, Afghanistan. And the good that we can do”
Long Shots
Short Shots ■ We flew ‘up’ with Virgin Australia and back with Jet Star ... we stayed at the Ridgemont Executive Motel in Townsville and recommend it (mention the Melbourne Observer) ... the temperature in Far North Queensland was a comfortable 28° ... we can be very proud of our Aussie soldiers, they are mighty patriots! The Melbourne Observer is printed by Streamline Press, 155 Johnston St, Fitzroy, for the publisher, Ash Long, for Local Media Pty Ltd, ABN 67 096 680 063, of the registered office, 30 Glen Gully Road, Eltham, Distributed by All Day Distribution. Responsibility for election and referendum comment is accepted by the Editor, Ash Long. Copyright © 2013, Local Media Pty Ltd. (ACN 096 680 063).
Observer Treasury Thought For The Week ■ “In the old days a comedian took a dirty joke and cleaned it up for radio. Today he hears a clean joke and dirties it up for television.”
Observer Curmudgeon ■ “Digging for facts is far better exercise than jumping to conclusions.”
Text For The Week ■ “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.” - Ephesians 6:10-20
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT COURT REPORTS Contents of Court Lists are intended for information purposes only. The lists are extracted from Court Lists, as supplied to the public, by the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria, often one week prior to publication date; for current Court lists, please contact the Court. Further details of cases are available at www.magistratescourt.vic.gov.au The Melbourne Observer shall in no event accept any liability for loss or damage suffered by any person or body due to information provided. The information is provided on the basis that persons accessing it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No inference of a party’s guilt or innocence should be made by publication of their name as a defendant. Court schedules may be changed at any time for any reason, including withdrawal of the action by the Plaintiff/Applicant. E&OE.
Bob Jones, Grand Master, and Frank Fordyce, President of the Board of Benevolence, with scholarship recipients. Each year, Freemasons Victoria award scholarships to secondary students of all levels and to those entering tertiary studies. This year, 102 scholarships were awarded, these scholarships ranged in value from $400 up to $7000. The 'Freemasons Victoria Scholarship' valued at $7000 per annum is awarded to one student for the tenure of their chosen course. The scholarships presentation took place at the Dallas Brooks Centre last We4dnesday (May 8) with approximately 350 students, parents, grandparents and school representatives in attendance. The evening also included an address by the winner of the 2008 Freemasons Victoria Scholarship, Dr. Claire Knowles, who has now completed her studies. After receiving the scholarship, Claire went on to proudly graduate with a Bachelor of Dental Science with honours. The scholarship funding allowed Claire to reach her full potential in her studies and maximise her educational opportunities and enabled her to provide free dental services to the community in a number of community health clinics, including a rural placement in Shepparton. This year's recipient, Sharni Burstin, is currently studying in Israel and will return to Melbourne next year to begin the Chancellor's Scholars program at the University of Melbourne Commerce. The Freemasons Victoria Scholarship Committee is governed by the Board of Benevolence which annually awards in excess of $250,000 in recognition of academic excellence. "It's a terrific night," says Deputy Grand Master Mr Hillel Benedykt. "My Father would be humbled and thrilled there is a music scholarship dedicated to him. “With his love of Freemasonry and music our family is grateful that this is the 11th year that the scholarship will be presented in honour of our father," says Hillel. The scholarships and bursaries currently on offer are awarded to assist students with fees for further education. Certain awards assist students in particular disciplines such as the Freemasons Victoria Environmental Scholarship, Harry Burt Memorial Architecture Scholarship or the Dr. Robin Gray Music Scholarship and the Eliezer Benedykt Memorial Scholarship in Music. The scholarships awarded by Freemasons Victoria through the Board of Benevolence are offered for continued secondary education, and entry into tertiary level study. To find out more about Freemasonry, how to become a member, or attend upcoming public events, please visit www.freemasonsvic.net.au or 'Like' our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ freemasonsvic for the most up to date information.
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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 15, 2013 - Page 11
Melbourne People
● Rob Mills, Lucy Durack and David Harris
● Alison Whyte and Lisa McCune
● Sam Ludeman and Mietta Gornall
● Jason Harvey and Kimberly Davies
Legally Blonde Opening Night Princess Theatre
● Jenni, Kess and Craig Huggins
● 'Bruiser' (Sparrow) & 'Rufus' (Luka) on the pink carpet
● Erika Heynatz, Lucy Durack and Helen Dallimore
Page 12 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 15, 2013
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Melbourne People
Green Room Awards At the Comedy Theatre, Melbourne
● Green Room Award nominess Nicki Wendt and Byron Watson
● Silvie Paladino and husband Greg Bird
● Andrew Pole and Troy Sussman
● Kirsten Von Bibra and Mark Williams
● Musical direction nominees David Piper and Vanessa Scammell
● Matthew Frank and Dean Bryant
● Todd McKenney and Andy Hallsworth
● Luke Gallagher and Michael Dalton
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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 15, 2013 - Page 13
Melbourne People
Phantom Of The Opera Opening Night National Theatre, St Kilda Photos: Emily McCoy
● Anne Caprackas and Simon Crean
● Mark McDowell, Rowena McDowell, Chris Bradtke
● Rob Hudson, Rosemary Kemp and Greg Alabaster
● Adam Bianco and Eric Di Florio
● Toby Truscott (playing The Phantom) and Bree Truscott
● David Dixon and Penny Dixon
● Paul Keelan and Tara Keelan
● Grant Alley (CLOC President), Rob Hudson and Sandra Davies (Administrator)
Page 14 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 15, 2013
■ My first recollection of seeing Tony Hancock was in the television series Hancock's Half Hour on the ABC in the late 1950s. I became addicted to the show and the sad but funny man with the black coat and homburg hat who lived at 23 Railway Cuttings in East Cheam. I followed his career in films and television for the next 20 years and I am still a big fan of his work. Anthony John ‘Tony’ Hancock was born in Hall Green, Birmingham, to Jack and Lily Hancock in 1924. When Tony was three, the family moved to Bournemouth where his father ran The Railway Hotel. Jack Hancock was an entertainer at variety concerts and ‘smoke nights’. Tony left school at the age of 15 to try his luck as a comedian but had no sense of timing and got into trouble over a dirty joke. He never told a dirty joke again in his life after that incident. In 1942 he volunteered to join the RAF and it was during this period entertaining the troops in Ralph Reader's Gang Show that he really learnt his craft. After the war he joined ex-Forces personnel and toured in a show titled Wings. This led to professional work in many pantomimes and variety shows. He shared a flat with Johnny Ladd, who later came to Australia and worked on Graham
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Whatever Happened To ... Tony Hancock By Kevin Trask of 3AW and 96.5 Inner FM Kennedy's In Melbourne Tonight. Johnny told me that they only had one key to their flat and when Johnny would come home late he would whistle in the street and Hancock would open the upstairs window and throw the key down to Johnny so that he could let himself in. Tony got a regular role in the radio series Educating Archie and the BBC were so impressed they gave him his own series, Hancock's Half Hour, written by the team of Galton and Simpson. The show began in 1954 and his co-stars were Syd James, Hattie Jacques, Kenneth Williams and Bill Kerr. The television series began in 1956 and ran until 1960.
● Tony Hancock Then Tony wanted to do his own series without his co-stars and this resulted in some of his classic sketches such as The Blood Donor and The Radio Ham. Hancock was drinking excessively and became depressive He seemed to dismiss people in his life including his writers. He made some films which included Orders Are Orders, The Rebel, The Punch And Judy Man, Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines and The Wrong Box. In 1967 Tony was in Melbourne to perform at the Dendy Theatre in Brighton for a threeweek season. Hugh Stuckey, the famous television writer, was given the task of keeping Tony away from
alcohol but someone spiced his drink and as a result Tony appeared onstage drunk. A week later he put on a special performance for the audience from that evening to apologise and give them a proper show. He was back in Australia the following year to do the ill-fated television series Hancock Down Under on the Seven Network and was appearing for the first time on television in color. Only three episodes were completed and Tony Hancock was not at his best. On June 25, 1968, Tony was found dead in his flat in Sydney from an overdose of tablets and alcohol. He left a note which read"Things just seemed to go too wrong too many times". He had been married twice during his lifetime. In 1972 the three episodes completed in Australia where cut together and shown by Channel Seven as The Tony Hancock Special. Tony Hancock seemed to be on a path to self destruction in his lifetime but there is no doubt that when he was at his best it was comedy genius at work. Kevin Trask The Time Tunnel - with Bruce & PhilSundays at 8.20pm on 3AW That's Entertainment - 96.5FM Sundays at 12 Noon 96.5FM is streaming on the internet. To listen, go to www.innerfm.org.au and follow the prompts.
HORROR DOG FIGHTS IN THE TERRITORY
■ I've spent a lot of my life around bushmen in Australia's Outback, and have always found them to be resilient, fiercely independent, loyal to their mates, entities unto themselves, and unique, occasionally eccentric and engaging individuals. In my experience, it's the same with roadies. I have befriended many over the years, and spend a lot of time with them, and many are dear and loyal friends. So, when Aerosmith swept into town last week, so did my mate of decades, Cosmo. So I got to spend some ‘quality time’ catching up with him especially, and Attaboy and Melissa, both of whom I hadn't seen for a few years. And made a few more new friends. I've been purveying my products to visiting bands and road crews for many years - and so has my mate Andrew Roper. Except that he's a wine man. Andrew organised a tour to a few wineries in the Yarra Valley for a group of crew members, so of course I joined up for a delightful day of tippling and tasting. I chose to take my own automobile rather than the bus, which was probably unwise. In all my days of drinking red wine I've never sent a glass back, or tipped one out, even though I've had to hold my nose and gulp a few roughies down! However, after the second winery, I tested myself, and was just on 0.05, so had to content myself thereafter with tasting and spitting. Sacrilege! ■ There's a move afoot to have big time cricket match in Alice - the Chairman's XI vs England. This is a big deal for the locals and promotes an attitude to encourage the community kids away from petrol sniffing and violence. Greg Matthews has supported the bid, and Dr. Bruce Walker, NT Cricket Chairman, has announced that the decision will be made shortly. "It would be awesome for the town", Centre star wicketkeeper Ned Gaynor said. "And imagine the tourists, not to mention the Barmy Army!" Not the first time for a big match: Pakistan played a one day game here when they were world champions back in the nineties. Indeed they did. I was good mates with one of the players, who shall re-
The Outback Legend
with Nick Le Souef Lightning Ridge Opals 175 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Phone 9654 4444 www.opals.net.au main nameless, and met up with him at the Plaza where they were staying, on the Saturday evening. I was host for the night out. I assumed that, being devout Pakistani gentlemen, alcohol was out, and it would be a dry old argument. Wrong! We hooked up with a couple of other team members, and off on a pub crawl around Alice. ■ Some time ago I reported that for sport, residents of Wadeye, an Aboriginal community in the Top End, would tie excess dogs up to stakes at low tide, and, as the water rose, watch the crocodiles swim in and attack and devour them. Some sport! Now there are tales of possible organised dog fights in the area. One Deb Hopkins had her Staffy stolen, and suspects it was used in this horrific sport. The community members had often approached her to buy the dog's brother, which looks like a pit bull. The winner of such fights is either stoned to death, or thrown off the landing for the crocs to eat, she said she'd
been told. This situation has of course been denied by local bureaucrats, and the animal hospital vet, Steven Cutter, he said it sounded dubious. "While dogs are stolen for fights, it is rarer than people think". I had never thought about it myself, and I would have thought that even one such instance was about one too many. ■ There's always some controversy about racism rearing its head, and now it's about pubs. When I lived in Alice, one of the bars, the Todd Tavern, was known by one all as the ‘Animal Bar’. It was frequented exclusively by Aboriginal patrons who drank there by choice. Another similar bar was opened when I was there. They're both now dubbed ‘Animal Bars’. Throughout the world every hostelry or restaurant has dress and hygiene standards. Often a jacket and tie. But people who live in the Todd River bed don't have washing machines or ironing boards or wardrobes or even bathing or toilet facilities, so the rules of hygiene are relaxed somewhat in the bars in which they choose to drink. Ray Lockheed, the Gapview licensee, said that every customer in every bar was treated the same, and was welcome at all times, so racism wasn't an issue and didn't exist. I remember when this bar opened, many town-house-dwelling Aboriginal drinkers migrated to Scotty's, next door to me. I asked one of them, my mate, why this was so. "The fella at the Gapview's encouraging blokes up from the river we're not drinking with those stinking bastards!" he told me. ■ There's a gallery at the Rock - in the ‘Sails in the Desert’ Hotel. Its name, Mulgara, is derived from a little marsupial hopping mouse which scurries around the Central Australian Desert. Every so often in the Centre there is a mouse plague - of normal gardenvariety house mice. I encountered about three such when I was in Alice. There would be mice just scurrying everywhere. Including in Sails. When guests commented or complained about the rodents, they were told by staff that they weren't really mice, but these rare and endangered
Mulgaras, which were a protected, harmless and clean species! Now there's a move afoot to find out more about these little creatures. Jenny Molineux is about to attempt to trap some of them as part of her research into their ability or otherwise to survive the prevalent bush fires which destroy their habitat, and make them easy prey for their many predators.
She did ensnare a couple in February, and placed tiny GPS transmitters on them. But now she's after a few more. So what she using as bait in her traps to catch a few of these Central Australian desert-dwelling marsupials? A tin of sardines! - Nick Le Souef ‘The Outback Legend’
Flying Doctor
■ This week marks the 85th anniversary of one of Australia’s best known and loved organisations, the Royal Flying Doctor Service. The Flying Doctor opened its doors in the north-west Queensland town of Cloncurry on May 15, 1928, and took off on its first flight two days later. During its first year, the fledgling service treated 250 patients and flew around 22,000 air kilometres. Today, it has grown to be one of the largest and most comprehensive aeromedical services in the world. The Flying Doctor was the dream of visionary Presbyterian minister, the Rev. John Flynn, who had seen first-hand the struggles of the pioneers and settlers in the Outback, where just two doctors provided the only medical care for an area of almost two million square kilometres. Flynn’s aim was to provide a “mantle of safety” for the inlanders and his aerial medical service was so successful that today the Royal Flying Doctor Service looks after more than 270,000 people in Australia every year – that’s one person every two minutes! In Queensland alone the Royal Flying Doctor Service has a fleet of 19 aircraft, and provides emergency medical retrieval and other health care services from eight strategically located bases across the state. RFDS (Queensland Section) Chief Executive Officer Nino Di Marco said that medical evacuations now form just a fraction of the work carried out by the Flying Doctor. “The aerial medical service has expanded to include the transfer of patients from regional and rural areas to larger metropolitan hospitals for life-saving surgery including organ transplants and heart surgery,” he said. “However, most people don’t realise that the Flying Doctor now delivers health care programs into remote and isolated communities in Queensland, from the far south west to the Torres Strait. “As well as comprehensive family health care and other general practice services, we also provide mental health care programs. The RFDS (Queensland Section) has most recently launched a mobile dental service in partnership with QCoal, which takes oral health care right into the heart of a number of regional communities,” Mr Di Marco said. “There’s no doubt that the Flying Doctor has a special place in the hearts of Australians. As a not-for-profit organisation we appreciate, and are humbled by, the generous support we receive from the community and from our corporate partners.” Mr Di Marco said that the Flying Doctor was needed more than ever in the twenty-first century.