Dubbo Weekender 11.10.2014

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DUBBO WEEKENDER 11.10.2014

FROM THE EDITOR

CONTENTS Jen FEATURED THIS WEEK

Cowley Battle of teenage wills?

Ask me, I’m an expert

A 10

Small town, big event. Photo: Steve Cowley

Healthy outlook

Meet the man holding the reins of the region’s health services

16 Greg Smart 17 James Eddy 20 Gentleman Jack A war by any other other name

Music, memories and a fist pump for mental health

From being rescued as a tiny tot to refusing to give up his charity work, Jack Stanmore has packed a lot into his 75 years

22

Small town, big event

All the action from the annual Geurie Campdraft

REGULARS 4 Tony Webber 6 Natalie Holmes 8 Sally Bryant You’ll also love...

28 Hear See Do Etc. 38 Play: Puzzles & Stars Front cover image Steve Cowley ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Sales Manager Donna Falconer | Office 89 Wingewarra Street, Dubbo NSW 2830 | Tel 02 6885 4433 | Fax 02 6885 4434 | Email sales@panscott.com.au

CONTACTS & CREDITS | Email feedback@dubboweekender.com.au | Online www.dubboweekender.com.au | www.twitter.com/DubboWeekender | www.facebook.com/WeekenderDubbo Published by Panscott Media Pty Ltd ABN 94 080 152 021 Managing Director Tim Pankhurst Editor Jen Cowley News Editor Natalie Holmes Photography Alexandra Meyer, Steve Cowley, Alexandria Kelly Design Sarah Head, Hayley Ferris Reception Leanne Ryan General disclaimer: The publisher accepts no responsibility for letters, notices and other material contributed for publication. The submitter accepts full responsibility for material, warrants that it is accurate, and indemnifies the publisher against any claim or action. All advertisers, including those placing display, classified or advertorial material, warrant that such material is true and accurate and meets all applicable laws and indemnifies the publisher against all liabilities that may arise from the publication of such material. Whilst every care is taken in preparing this publication, we cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions.

Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The editor, Jen Cowley, accepts responsibility for election comment. Articles contain information of a general nature – readers should always seek professional advice relevant to their particular circumstances. Corrections and comments: Panscott Media has a policy of correcting mistakes promptly. If you have a complaint about published material, contact us in writing. If the matter remains unresolved, you may wish to contact the Australian Press Council. © Copyright 2014 Panscott Media Pty Ltd. Copyright in all material – including editorial, photographs and advertising material – is held by Panscott Media Pty Ltd or its providers and must not be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the Publisher.

friend – a much younger friend – was bemoaning this week the beginning of what will surely be a decade long (at least) battle of wills over sartorial differences of opinion with her nearly six year old daughter.

I didn’t have the heart to tell her the ongoing war over what constitutes good taste and appropriate colour pairing will drive her to the kind of distraction that gives mothers an understanding of why some animals eat their young.

But I can’t help being just a little glad I wasn’t the only one.

I’m, mercifully, at the end of that particular struggle with my first born, but while the contents of her wardrobe are no longer my concern (well, they are a concern, but I’d sooner take on the Taliban than pass comment these days – there’d be far less blood shed) – we still have, let’s call them “issues” with the inability of both my offspring to keep their own little corners of Casa del Cowley in any semblance of order.

I had hoped for a reprieve with both the kids somewhere between puberty and the end of school (which is looming fast – and I’m surprisingly torn between sheer elation and abject despair, but I digress) but they’re 21 and almost 18 and it appears we’ve still a way to go.

All the armchair experts who increasingly populate the pages of weekend papers and magazines have been absolutely no help over the years.

You know the kind. They’re the ones who think flambéd lobster medallions with a squid ink reduction on a bed of seaweed risotto is ‘quick and easy’ cooking for the whole family.

I well remember one chirpy little half-pager promising “teenage bedroom makeovers that won’t break the bank. Bank as in Reserve, that is.

This smug little “how to” for teenagers was clearly penned by someone who never had one.

Because anyone who resides with one of the strange pre-adult creatures – attitudinae cretinaurus – knows that every spare cent goes on feeding, clothing and transporting said entity and oh, yes, the technology bill – not on $500 handwoven quilts and table lamps that cost the equivalent of two weeks’ groceries.

The cost of that particular ‘makeover’ was just a smidgin under $4500 – practical? Only if your teenager is Miley Cyrus.

At least that particular youngster can afford to pay someone to clean up her room (if not her image), while we mere mortals must face the eternal battle to maintain some semblance of order in the face of familial

demarcation.

I remember being particularly amused by one feature offering advice on the getting the younger members of the household to address the mess and found a certain perverse satisfaction in the sheer impracticality of suggestions like: “Give them bright and funky storage solutions – they’ll be more inclined to keep their rooms clean”.

Wanna bet?

Even though she’s past that magical 21 year milestone, Miss Maturity is yet to grasp the concept of coathangers, instead considering her floor an extension of the wardrobe and the funkiest of waste paper bins never helped her aim one little bit over the years.

Another brilliant suggestion was to “engage your teenager in choosing the colour scheme” – apparently in the hope that “ownership will breed pride and care”.

Don’t be fooled. I tried that when my gal was 13 and wound up with lime green and hot pink walls – and the only thing that particular combination breeds is hallucinatory episodes. Not for the faint hearted.

Then there was this little gem: “Make cleaning fun.” Oh. Come. On. Fun? That’s like your dentist telling you to relax for root canal surgery, and about as effective.

Right up there with “avoid the temptation to clean up your teenager’s room yourself”. That might be okay by The Oracle – whose near18-year-old Son-and-Heir seems to have inherited his father’s ability to simply step over a three feet pile of dirty football gear on the way to the fridge – but it’s like telling me not to breathe (without the assistance of a gas mask).

Sooner or later, I always reach that point of no return at which I must tidy or I must explode. Usually both.

And the cleaning frenzy is usually preceded by belated beseeching: “Don’t go in there, Mum – I’ll do it.

I promise. Muuuummmm... Doooon’t doooo iiiiittt...!

There are two ways to get my offspring off the lounge. One is to say “Oooh, Tim Tams” the other is to reach for their door knobs.

As we’ve moved past that murky purgatory between youth and adulthood, I’ve learned grudgingly to pick my battles.

With a world full of genuinely dangerous situations, substances and specimens, it helps to remember that no-one ever died from a messy room or from wearing clobber their mother deemed inappropriate (well, almost never).

But then what would I know?

I’m not the expert.

“ There are two ways to get my offspring off the lounge.

One is to say “Oooh, Tim Tams” the other is to reach for their door knobs.

DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

3

OPINION & ANALYSIS

Tony Webber

>> Tony Webber will never amount to anything and couldn’t be happier about it.

An open letter to students sitting the HSC: Don’t panic T

HE only arithmetic I got right in my HSC was tallying my abysmal maths mark into the modest overall total.

I was left with Sophie’s choice of adding 28 per cent for physics or 32 per cent for maths.

Why a youth who so seamlessly blended adolescent sloth with an aptitude for numbers normally associated with none-too-bright invertebrates chose these subjects is still beyond me.

The HSC was probably the first significant thing I screwed up and if it was the last we probably wouldn’t be here today. (For further reading see: The Dismissal – A Premature End to Management Experience: or Insurance Premiums and the Young Drunk Driver.)

But unlike some of my poorer judgement calls (see also: Buying Real Estate at the Peak of the Market), neglecting the HSC has mattered nought in the grand scheme of things.

Yes, it’s an important exam, by all means try your best, but for god’s sake don’t taint the last of your carefree years getting too wound up about it.

The grey plains of adult responsibility will loom before you soon enough, so make the most of the only adolescence you’ll get.

Because despite what those with your best interests at heart might tell you, the HSC is not the difference between happiness and

4

homelessness.

Nor is it the last word on your schoolroom prowess, tertiary access, job prospects, career direction or value as a human being.

Doing well is no guarantee of streets of gold, and a less-thanstellar performance doesn’t imply laziness nor stupidity (unless you are me, in which case the jury only retired for a laugh and a scone before returning guilty verdicts on both counts).

There are many other ways to enter uni, TAFE is outstanding these days and there’s a chronic trade shortage.

Actually of all people, teachers should not add to the hype. While it’s true I butchered my HSC like surgery by samurai sword, I still got enough marks to get into teaching if I’d wanted to. No offence.

In the end I passed a year of uni, deferred and, after getting the arse from Wishbone Chicken – and not before time – was fortunate enough to get a journalism cadetship in Dubbo.

Meanwhile, some mates who did graduate drifted for years and ended up no worse or better off than me, broadly speaking.

One bloke only just settled into a stable job after a work history more colourful than Jimi Hendrix pyjamas.

And the only millionaires I know were plumbers.

“ Good relationships, good health and good wine; that’s what life is for.

A good job is a bonus and you’ve most of your life to find one.

Don’t panic.

DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

A lot of that career mania is just social conditioning to get young people into low-wage slavery before they know better.

It cost me a lot in life-savings, self-discipline and CV substance, but the years backpacking in my late 20s were among my most life-affirming.

For a time I roamed Mexico’s Yucatan beaches with a Baltimore stripper who exploited me physically without remorse. It’s hard to look back on those days with any real sense of regret.

And remember, moulding yourself into a 9-to-5 drone for 45 years means it will be all but irreversible when you eventually retire, whether you have a million bucks in super or not.

Good relationships, good health and good wine, that’s what life is for. A good job is a bonus and you’ve most of your life

to find one. Don’t panic.

The research repeatedly confirms that key factors for happiness were a stable partner, the right amount of work, an altruistic/fatalistic outlook, and enough exercise.

The HSC is but a paragraph on one page, early in life’s book that also has chapters on character, resilience, vice management, girth control, trust, generosity, a sound pelvic floor and thousands of other factors influencing our eight decades or so on this rock.

Finally, unless your parents work for the CSIRO or run Macquarie Bank, chances are they weren’t dux of the school either.

Ask them whether it was due to laziness or stupidity. * From the Best Of files feedback@dubboweekender.com.au

B

vs.

G I

“

talk

pUbLiC opiNioN iS A ThUg TEAM WEEKENDER ADJUDiCAToR

Sally Bryant

James Eddy Steve Cowley Tony Webber

vs.

TEAM ARTS AND CULTURE Mark Horton Allyn Smith Andrew Glassop

FRiDAY 31 oCTobER 6pm (for 6.30pm start) WPCC Foyer. $55 ($50 for Friends of WPCC) includes: Three course meal. Bar service available.

TiCKETS available at WPCC reception

or on 6801 4444 This event is not suitable for people 16 years and under.

11.10.2014 THE DAY IN HISTORY: In 1868, Thomas Alva Edison filed papers for his first invention: an electrical vote recorder to rapidly tabulate floor votes in the US Congress. (Members of Congress rejected it.)

In 1984, Kathryn Sullivan, flying into orbit aboard the space shuttle Challenger, became the first American woman to walk in space.

In 2004, actor Christopher Reeve, who played Superman in the movies and strenuously pushed spinal cord research after he was paralysed in an accident, died at the age of 52.

In 2008, the US State Department removed North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. In return, North Korea agreed to give international inspectors access to its nuclear facilities and to continue disabling its plutonium processing project.

BIRTHDAYS: Those born on this date include Englishman George Williams, founder of the YMCA, in 1821; food industry pioneer Henry John Heinz in 1844; former US first lady and author Eleanor Roosevelt in 1884; former national president of the ALP, Barry Jones, in 1932 (age 82); English footballer Sir Bobby Charlton in 1937 (age 77); singer Daryl Hall in 1946 (age 68); actors Joan Cusack in 1962 (age 52) and Luke Perry in 1966 (age 48).

12.10.2014 THE DAY IN HISTORY: In 1899, the Boers of the Transvaal and Orange Free State in southern Africa declared war on the British. The Boer War was ended May 31, 1902, by the Treaty of Vereeniging.

In 1964, the Soviet Union launched Voskhod 1 into orbit around Earth, with three cosmonauts aboard. It was the first spacecraft to carry a multi-person crew and the two-day mission was also the first orbital flight performed without spacesuits.

In 1982, the Australian National Gallery is opened to the public by the Queen.

In 1984, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher escaped injury in the bombing of a hotel in Brighton, England.

Four people were killed in the attack, blamed on the Irish Republican Army.

In 2000, 17 sailors were killed and 39 wounded in an explosion on the USS Cole as it refuelled in Yemen. US President Bill Clinton blamed the attack on al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

In 2002, terrorist bombings near two crowded nightclubs on the Indonesian island of Bali killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.

NEWS ANALYSIS

Seven Days

BY NATALIE HOLMES Dubbo Weekender News Editor

Paddlers up the creek A

group of 36 enthusiastic paddlers took to the water at Butlers Falls on the Macquarie River for the Loo2Loo Canoe Classic last Saturday. Sunny (and occasionally wet) conditions greeted the group for the charity ride, which raised $2000 over two years for the accommodation project at Dubbo Base Hospital. The 13km morning paddle which ended at the West Dubbo Lions Park was a prelude to the longer WomDomNom four-day event from Wellington to Narromine at the end of November.

Elizabeth’s a hidden treasure Dedicated Dubbo community worker Elizabeth Allen has been honoured for her commitment with a nomination in the 2014 Hidden Treasures Honour Roll.

Dubbo MP Troy Grant presented Allen with a certificate to say thank you for her efforts over many years.

“The 2014 Hidden Treasures Honour Roll is a chance for us to say thank you to those who help make a difference in their rural communities,” he said.

Elizabeth has been a member of Quota International for 25 years, serving in all local club positions and as District Governor. She has also been an Earth Angel volunteer assisting Angel Flight, including as Deputy Chair, and involved in fundraising to provide a new diabetes/ renal unit at Dubbo Base Hospital. She is also a founding member of the Dubbo Prostate Cancer Support Group and has spent countless hours educating others on the cause.

“I would like to congratulate and say thank you to Elizabeth for her commitment, support and work she has provided to our community,” Grant said.

Paddlers took to the water for the Loo2Loo Canoe Classic last Saturday. Photo: Dubbo Weekender

The 31-year-old man was arrested and charged with a raft of offences relating to the unauthorised possession of firearms.

Meanwhile in Dubbo, two guns were stolen from a Durraween Lane address while the residents were on holidays. The couple departed on October 1, and returned to discover that the laundry door of their home had been kicked in and two firearms stolen, along with some jewellery. The missing guns are a Marlon.22 calibre rifle and an Elgamo Spectre rifle.

Dubbo undefeated in western region contest There was a strong field of players when Dubbo cricket teams faced their fellow Central West rivals in a competition dominated by the locals at Dubbo Sportsworld.

Nine teams contested the title, with three from Dubbo, and two each from Mudgee, Orange and the Lachlan area. At the end of competition, the under 14s emerged as Western Region Champions.

Competition coordinator Dan French said these were excellent results from some fantastic Western Region teams.

“It was a great competition with a very strong showing from our local boys. Well

done to the Dubbo team on being named as Western Region Champions, and to all the other players who were part of the competition.

“It was great to see so many kids playing, and enjoying, cricket. Around 45 of the 60 participants had never played indoors before, so it was a whole new experience for them, and to quote many of the players and coaches on the night, “a definite highlight of their week in Dubbo.”

The indoor sports complex will host its Junior Fundraiser Day on Sunday, October 12.

Gil Rodeo A good crowd turned out for the Gilgandra Rodeo held at the town’s showground on Labour Day. A host of events including barrel racing, steer wrestling, bullriding and saddlebronc kept spectators entertained throughout the day. There was also good prizemoney up for grabs for the best riders, who travelled from across the state for the event.

Man dies after paraglider crash A man died in a paragliding crash north of Tamworth on Monday evening, after stalling mid-air and plunging to the ground.

Dubbo MP Troy Grant presented community stalwart Elizabeth Allen with a certificate to say thank you for her efforts. Photo supplied

BIRTHDAYS: Those born on this date include opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti in 1935; former Australian cricketer Trevor Chappell in 1952 (age 62); actor Hugh Jackman in 1968 (age 46); country music musician Martie Maguire (the Dixie Chicks) in 1969 (age 45); track star Marion Jones in 1975 (age 39). Australian cyclist Baden Cooke in 1978 (age 36).

JUST A THOUGHT: “Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” – Henry Ford

6

Firearms seized and stolen Several firearms – including a sawn-off shotgun – have been seized after a utility was stopped at Mudgee.

Police from Mudgee Local Area Command stopped the ute on the Castlereagh Highway in the early hours of last Saturday morning. As well as having an expired driver’s licence, the motorist was transporting a sawn-off single-barrel shotgun, a.22 calibre handgun, a SKS semi-automatic assault rifle, a.22 calibre rifle and an additional shotgun.

Police have alleged that none of the firearms were registered and neither the man nor his passenger holds a firearms licence.

Dubbo Blue players Callum Giffin, Rhys Beauchamp, Angus McDonald, Tom Atlee and Henry Railz with Dubbo Sportsworld’s Dan French. Photo supplied

DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

The accident occurred at Mt Borah, near Manilla, northwest of the country music capital. It is believed that the 25-year-old German lost altitude and hit the mountainside. He was conveyed by paramedics to Tamworth Base Hospital but died on arrival. Officers from Oxley Local Area Command are investigating the crash.

Police praise long weekend motorists The actions of drivers during the long weekend have been praised by police, with the number of infringements and motor vehicle fatalities down on previous years. Conducted from midnight on Friday through to midnight Monday, Operation Slow Down focused on speed, as well as drink-driving, fatigue and seatbelt infringements.

This year, two motorcyclists died in separate accidents, at Preston and Mt Hope, a decrease from last year’s seven fatalities.

Throughout the weekend, officers detected 4696 people speeding, while 203,645 breath tests resulted in 270 people being charged with drink-driving.

More than 500 (503) major crashes were reported to police, resulting in 168 people being injured.

Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Assistant Commissioner John Hartley, praised the actions of the majority of drivers.

“While every life lost on our roads is a tragedy, we are thankful we did not have a repeat of last year’s horror where seven people died during the long weekend.

“With the death of two motorcyclists, we want riders to use caution, make sure they are aware of the road conditions, and plan their route before heading out.

“We were pleased to see the numbers of drivers caught speeding and drink-driving down from last year, however, these figures were still too high and put other road users at risk.”

Explosive device discovered Two men were charged on Tuesday after they were allegedly caught travelling with drugs and an explosive

Blood moon rising Many a local photographer turned their lenses skyward on Wednesday night to capture one of the heavens’ most impressive phenomena – that of a total lunar eclipse, or a Blood Moon. Australians had front row seats for the rare sight, which happens when Earth lines up in a perfect line between the sun and the moon. During the eclipse, which visibly lasted for more than an hour from around 8.30 on Wednesday night, the moon took on a beautiful but eerie red glow, the result of the earth blocking the light that’s usually reflected on the moon from the sun. Unlike a solar eclipse, it’s perfectly safe to watch the emergence of a Blood Moon with the naked eye. Our region was among the luckiest in terms of clear viewing, with bright and cloudless skies offering stargazers and snappers alike a stunning view of the second such Blood Moon to grace our skies this year. Regular Weekender photographer Steve Cowley took these shots throughout the event.

device in their vehicle. Police from Canobolas Highway Patrol stopped the vehicle on Burrendong Way, Orange at 10.40pm on Monday night.

The driver and his passenger, aged 35 and 50, are alleged to have been in possession of cannabis and amphetamine, while an improvised explosive device was discovered in the boot of the car in which they were travelling.

The men were taken to Orange Police Station where the 35-year-old man was charged with two counts of possessing a prohibited drug and possessing explosives.

The 50-year-old man was charged with drug possession.

YOUR VIEWS In defence of Ned Kelly

Talented Dubbo ex-pat Bethany Simons, writer/producer of Reception The Musical, has won Best Cabaret at the 2014 Melbourne Fringe Festival Awards. Reception the Musical will be staged as part of the DREAM Festival in Dubbo next weekend.

Online reader Mick took a very dim view of our editor Jen Cowley’s opinion on the “legend” of Ned Kelly (A skewed view of heroes, but such is life – Weekender 4/10/14) and let her have it with both barrels: From your article, it is abundantly clear that you know nothing of the Kelly saga. Perhaps you should read the Royal Commission into the Kelly Outbreak and its scathing criticism of police and government. The three police you (mentioned) were not ‘murdered’ (murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human, and generally this premeditated state of mind). The police were ‘bailed up’ and told to throw down their arms. Murder would have been to have shot them dead whilst hiding, which they did not. Your comparison to Malcolm Naden and Chopper Reid (sic) is downright wrong and sensationalist at best and demonstrates how the truth can be corrupted in the wrong hands.

•••

Slides open

Concern over Cambodia deal

The newly-constructed replacement water slides at Dubbo Aquatic Leisure Centre were officially opened on Thursday afternoon. The popular slides were recently replaced after 32 years at the local pool.

Our debate last week over the Australian and Cambodian governments’ partnership for the resettlement of asylum seekers (The “Cambodia Solution”: Can it work? – Weekender 4/10/14) drew this passionate response from Narromine ex-pat Joselyn Barber, who has for many years lived and worked in and been involved with the community of Kampot, in regional Cambodia: I simply can’t get over this – it’s disgraceful. As an Australian living in Cambodia and supporting Cambodians on a grass roots level, many of whom struggle with access to basic medical services and education – this proposal is an insult. Perhaps “orderly” intake of asylum seekers would be ideal, but remember refugees are a product of war and have limited alternatives. Who wouldn’t risk everything for your family to avoid persecution? It is preposterous to further line the pockets of high ranking politicians and generals in Cambodia – they are quite capable of achieving this without international grants at the expense of the underprivileged. Resettlement program? What rubbish.

Oh, but they consent so it’s legal human trafficking.

They will be ostracised here on the grounds of where they came from (Australia) and because they are getting “handouts” when Cambodians get nothing. Being Muslim won’t be an issue at all depending on where they “settle” but a slum here is not better than a detention centre in Australia, I’ll bet. There has been a rapid rate of development and improvement in infrastructure in urban areas in Cambodia in the past few years but the gap between the affluent and the impoverished widens – a rather universal concept – and with corruption so rife basic human rights are being neglected. Look, I would welcome refugees to Kampot, the same as I would to Australia – either way there is a horrible battle where human life is ill-considered.

Why do many Australians believe in governments that foster fear, ignorance and intolerance? There are other solutions developed countries can offer refugees –consider it compensation for their part in the war effort. The answer is never simple, but politics has made this more complicated than it should be. Stand up and speak out – this is wrong. Simple as that.

We had a community event here (in Kampot) at the weekend where we had people come together to create art and awareness. Children and adults wrote letters, drew and painted pictures to send to the refugee children in detention. We explained the art was for children less fortunate to cheer them up and keep them strong; to the older kids we explained the importance of making a statement that we do not agree with this (detention and deportation) and that it is not okay.

Art and letters will be posted this week and I am sure will send a message met with smiles and hope.

It seems the least we can do that might make a difference, turning words into actions and it teaches compassion and empathy to our younger generation. In this we also need to nurture change and hope.

Reception recognised

Grim find for Orange walker A man’s body was found in a creek adjacent to Ridley Park in Orange on Wednesday. The discovery was made by a man walking his dog during the afternoon.

He alerted the emergency services, but the man could not be revived.

Detectives from Canobolas Local Area Command are preparing a report for the Coroner and examining the man’s medical history as part of their enquiries.

Initial investigations suggest there are no apparent suspicious circumstances surrounding the man’s death.

He was identified as a 41-year-old reported missing earlier that day.

Your feedback welcome – online + hard copy DUBBO WEEKENDER encourages online readers (via www.dubboweekender.com.au) to comment as a selection may be published each week. Email addresses must be supplied for verification purposes only, not publication, and destructive personal or offensive comments will not be published online or in hard copy.

Dubbo Weekender supports constructive debate and opinion. Letters to the editor are welcome via email feedback@dubboweekender.com.au, fax 6885 4434, or post to 89 Wingewarra Street Dubbo NSW 2830. Letters should generally be 250 words or less, and may be edited for space, clarity or legal reasons. To be considered for publication, letters should include the writer’s name and daytime contact details.

DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

7

OPINION & ANALYSIS

Sally Bryant

Weekender regular Sally Bryant was born with her nose in a book and if no book is available, she finds herself reading Cornflakes packets, road signs and instruction manuals for microwaves. All that information has to go somewhere...

D

ateline Spain. Health worker infected with Ebola, inside the EU. Wow! That’s confronting. People in Europe and America are contracting Ebola. That’s kind of serious. As opposed to what’s been happening for weeks and months in East Africa. Perhaps the western world should do something useful now. Gosh. Talk about a forgotten pandemic.

Medecins sans Frontieres have been trying to get this story into the fronts of our cerebellum for months, with very little impact. But gee whiz, get some nice rich first world people involved and it’s a whole new ball game.

There’s something so powerful about the deaths of a few middle class westerners. You could wipe out villages in the Serengeti with an epidemic or two and no-one would turn a hair. A mudslide can take out an entire city in some remote corner of Peru, and we’ll give a gentle sigh and think kindly of those poor lost souls. You can even lose an airliner or two in very questionable circumstances, but unless there’s an Australian on board, no-one seems to give a rat’s proverbial.

I’m a bit disturbed by this. Are nice Australian lives somehow so much more worthy of mourning than people from some other corner of the globe? (Yes, I know, globes and corners are not compatible concepts. Just go with the vibe on this one.)

I’m not completely without understanding on this issue. I know for a fact that the lives of people from Bourke are worth more than, say for example, people from Nyngan or Cobar. Or, heaven forfend, those from Narromine... And let’s not even get into what we think about those people in towns on the other side of the Queensland border.

I get it. I do. Proximity is all. (Well, that and the fact that we barrack for Bourke and anyone playing against Nyngan). I make these statements in the full knowl-

“ Here you are – Democracy, just the way you’d better like it.

edge that I’ll be biffoed in the streets of Dubbo in coming days. But you really do have to take a stand on matters of honour, you know. And the fact that we all know that Nyngan is soft...

It’s like the debate about refugees/asylum seekers/ illegal immigrants who are being detained either within Australia, or in some place offshore. There are many people who are in horrible places, they’re detained, they’re not free; they’re not where they thought they’d be when they arrived. These people are unhappy with the current resolution of their circumstances. They were led to believe they’d arrive here, be quickly processed and able to take their place in society.

Things didn’t turn out quite how they’d planned. But they are alive, they are reasonably safe and they have some hope of having their appeal for refugee status heard and decided on. There are plenty of people in camps, all round the world, who would probably swap places quite gladly with some of those detainees in off-shore processing centres.

I am certain I would not want to be in a detainment centre, in either Australia or somewhere off-shore. I would not want to find myself locked up when I arrive in the land of milk and honey. But I’m pretty sure I’d rather be there than somewhere along the Turkish /Iraqi border with a crowd of murderous thugs on my tail. But I’d almost rather be even there than struggling for my last breath in a health clinic in Sierra Leone, being killed by a disease the rest of the world doesn’t mind too much about. Until westerners start contracting it, and then they start to take it seriously.

I would not for a moment downplay how worried I am about the situation in Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Iran et al; this is serious Mum. Even given all the other seriously concerning situations in that part of the world, what we have now is a bit of a worry. It’s a place that’s become better known for its instability and conflict

than it has for its rich history and cultural iconography, and that in itself is to be mourned. Friends who have lived in these communities say we have no idea what the scale of the loss is, each time conflict breaks out. They tell me stories of the wonderful people and places they’ve visited in these countries. We see somewhere like Lebanon on the news and it’s a war zone but it’s a whole society with a long rich history that’s going up in smoke, it’s not just a few poxy concrete buildings and some crazy fundamentalists firing rifles in the air.

What’s happening now is as confusing and disturbing as anything we’ve seen there in the past. I guess this is what you get when civilisations and societies have been thumped and bullied and pushed around and then left to fend for themselves. We took ourselves in there to give them democracy and freedom and then once we’d imposed that, we left.

Here you are – Democracy, just the way you’d better like it. And I can’t imagine why there’d be a problem, because it’s worked so well in all those other cultures where we’ve told them how to live.

So here we are again, preparing to join another international force to try and impose order in a region that’s been thoroughly kicked around. I’m not sure what we’re going to be trying to accomplish, I’m not sure how we’re going to do it, and I’m not convinced anyone really has a clear idea of what our objectives are. So it would stand to reason we’re not altogether sure about how long we’ll be doing this. Whatever it is that we’re doing. And here’s hoping that by going, once more my friends unto the breach, we don’t create yet another problem with yet another group of angry and disenfranchised young men who want to blow things up.

I just hope we can spare some of our attention for those people who are dying like flies in West Africa.

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DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

Dubbo’s colour Newspapers are proud to support this event

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WHAT I DO KNOW

Sally Hopkins: Gypsy girl Kind-hearted and open to all life has to offer, Sally Hopkins talked to Weekender about dancing among the grapevines, travelling the world and being part barista, part counsellor to her customers. WORDS and PHOTOGRAPHY Natalie Homes I grew up in Mudgee, where we lived near the grapevines. Mum and Dad worked in the vineyards, and Dad was also a mechanic. Life revolved around the grape seasons and it was a really beautiful life running around the grapevines. All the kids were playing around the river and Mum used to drive down to the river to tell us it was time to go home. We played a lot outdoors, not like kids now who just play with their iPhones. We used to go swimming all the time or climbing trees. I feel really lucky that I had that kind of upbringing.

There’s 14 years between myself and my oldest sister- I was their big surprise! I am the youngest of four and I have two sisters and a brother.

I lived in Gunnedah for a while, when I was there I started modelling. I was scouted when I was 14 and I did a few shoots. It was a really horrible industry to be in though. I realised straight away that I didn’t want any more to do with it. I was really shy at that time – now I could talk to a room full of people but back then, I was really nervous. When they asked me to do a shoot, I thought, wow, this is the best thing ever. But it wasn’t. It was because other people were excited that I got caught up in it.

I’ve had epilepsy since I was eight. For the last three years of school, I studied from home because I was too sick to go anywhere. I had a reaction to a vaccine and had to do everything from hospital.

It took me five years to finish the last three years of high school. They couldn’t control my seizures and my kidneys and liver started to fail. It was a really stressful time for all of us. From the age of 14 to 20, I was fairly confined, at a time when you usually blossom.

Through diet and finding the right med-

ication, I have been able to get it under control. It took me a few years to recover but I certainly know what it’s like to have your health stolen from you. It makes you appreciate when you’re well.

My dream has always been to be a pilot. A family friend used to take us flying as kids. It was so beautiful seeing everything from that perspective, it was just amazing. I had to give that up a few times, but I hope it can happen one day.

I went through my nursing training and came to the conclusion that my heart is too soft for what I had to do. It made me emotionally unwell.

I have dabbled in other things, and I think that just because you’re good at one thing or you have a chosen career doesn’t mean you can’t do other things.

Why choose just one thing? One of my best friends is 43 and he’s following his dream. I’m managing a café at the mo-

ment, I’ve been here for three and a half months. I have had a café before and I hope to own my own gallery one day. I really enjoy the lifestyle so I thought I would come back again. It’s part barista/part counsellor.

My bookkeeping business was becoming a bit lonely. I started it when my father was sick so that I could have flexible hours. But I’m a people person. Hearing other people’s stories makes me appreciate my own Mum and Dad. I’ve spent a lot of my life living away. I moved around for a lot of years. I lived in Melbourne and Brookvale (in Sydney) and I travelled a lot overseas.

My grandfather was a Spanish gypsy so I guess I’m a lot like him. I also love cooking, particularly sweet things like pies and cakes. I also really love Indian food like stews and curries.

I get involved in a lot of charity stuff such as Relay for Life. We are organising a (fundraising) disco this weekend for Carol Macrae with roller skates and jelly shots! It’s the third time she has had cancer so it’s been a really rough time for her. I do some things for the Epilepsy Foundation and MND support – I always participate in anything they do. It sounds like I’m a charity “ho” but after losing so many years of my life, if I’m able to do something, if it’s in my power to help, I will.

I’m also involved in Women out West and Heart Link. Women out West is about professional women getting together, showing support for each other.

In business, it’s a very hard life so it’s really valid in our community. I feel able to share something that I’ve been through and help others if they are going to go through it. It’s a really huge part of building a strong community. I really like the Women out West. It’s like being in a safe haven.

Heart Link is professional women who help each other on more of an emotional level. We are there to support each other as friends. They really want the best for you and they are happy to see you succeed. It’s just women being there for each other. We speak about business and goals and how we can better ourselves.

I’m a mad gardener and I do painting and sculpting. It’s good therapy to grow things. What I really want in life is just to be balanced, have everything in the right spot.

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Marissa & Matthew, Dubbo, 2014

Phone 0427 343 921 DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

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PROFILE

The state of regional health is never far from the political agenda – but the relatively new boss of the Western NSW Local Health District isn’t playing politics. Scott McLachlan is just trying to get on with the job. He spoke with Weekender about bush roots, rural health and navigating bureaucracy.

WORDS Jen Cowley PHOTOGRAPHY Steve Cowley

W

hen I arranged to meet up with the new(ish) boss of the newly(ish) named Western NSW Local Health District, I wasn’t sure exactly what I was expecting.

But Scott McLachlan isn’t it.

He strides across the freshly laid turf of his house block just a few minutes outside Dubbo, grins and sticks out his hand for a firm shake. He’s clad not in a suit, but in jeans, striped shirt and de rigeur RM’s boots; his two old dogs join him in an equally friendly greeting, and with the beauty of a late spring sunset as a backdrop, he looks more stock and station agent than high-level health bureaucrat.

The man is instantly likeable.

I’m sceptical that it’s the practised greeting of a seasoned administrator, but within minutes, we’re sharing notes about rural upbringings, a love of dogs and a fondness for soothing bush sundowns and I can’t help feeling that what I’ve heard is true – Scott McLachlan isn’t your average government department boss.

Time, and the challenges of holding the reins to one of the nation’s most diverse and historically tumultuous regional health services, will tell. But for now, McLachlan is focussed on steadying the ship

and on getting the best deal possible for the people to whom the behemoth that is the Western NSW Local Health District is responsible.

M

cLachlan, who has just stepped into his 40s, admits he’s young for a chief executive.

But his youth, he says, helps bring the energy and enthusiasm such a role ideally requires.

That, and a country upbringing.

“I grew up in Inverell on a property outside of town so I’ve always been a country boy at heart and never wanted to end up in the city.”

Health administration was something into which he fell after initially studying sports management at university – “It was one of those things you go to uni and do when you really don’t know where your career is heading” – but spent 17 years working in rural health services in both Tamworth and Wagga before taking on this, his biggest and most challenging role to date.

So how does a sports degree morph into health administration?

McLachlan smiles. “As part of my degree I did some work experience at a hydro therapy pool where they

did rehabilitation on kids with spina-bifida. Over a period of about 12 months I helped stabilise this young kid. His name was Nicholas and he was about six years old. I got him walking and he was able to go to school. For me that was the start of understanding a real connection to improving health services for our vulnerable people.”

The die was cast. From there, a role at Tamworth managing the rehabilitation and hydrotherapy pool at the staff gym kicked off a series of management jobs, including his previous seven year role as director of operations in the Hunter New England region, with responsibility for 33 of the 37 hospitals – a job that took in an area from Moree across to Tenterfield and down to Newcastle’s hospitals in the Hunter.

“I was the only member of the executive not based in Newcastle and that was something I particularly wanted to make sure of; being retained given my connections with rural services and understanding that there needs to be strong connections with country people.

That consciousness of the needs of people in regional areas is one of the things that sealed the deal for his current role. >>

DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

11

Scott and Sarah McLachlan

“It’s time to tell my story.”

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DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

PROFILE “There’s a really vulnerable population in this region – to be honest some of the worst health outcomes in Australia – and I’d seen for so many years the number of chief executives that have come and gone here, and the continual restructures and the real instability in the region.

“It needed somebody who was really committed to rural health and who understood what country people need and want,” he says without pretension, adding that he’s in it for the “long haul”.

“I was committed to staying in the region for a longer period of time, so helping move on from those periods of instability and get a longer term focus on reconnecting the organisation with country people and their communities was and is vital.”

And that’s just what he’s been doing since he stepped into the role at the helm of our health service a year ago. He’s hit the roads of this vast region, “going out and talking with communities and understanding the issues they’ve had with health services and trying to craft a different future for the region”.

And he’s confident things are settling down, albeit slowly.

F

or those paying attention, the instability within this region’s health services (the official title for which has changed so often most people have lost track along with faith) has been a significant bugbear.

It’s something of which McLachlan is keenly aware.

“I think I underestimated the impact (that instability) has had on both the trust with communities and the engagement of staff in the organisation. There was a real level of fear. Given the history of continual change, a lot of the staff didn’t want to

re-engage with an organisation. So it took me about a good six months to try to build trust.

“I did nearly 60,000km in that first six months, getting around the region and being visible with staff. But to be honest it’s really only in the past three to six months that staff have gained the sense that I’m here for the longer term and that we’re in for a period of stability.

“I know it takes time to build trust and I think we still have some way to go with the communities across the region. The total health district is really only two and a half to three years old now and it’s another name and another badge for an organisation that’s lost trust with the community.

It takes consistency of delivering services and being up front and honest to win back that trust.”

High on the schedule of priorities, along with or perhaps as part of, rebuilding trust, are a number of “game changing” outcomes on the Scott McLachlan wish list.

“As part of our strategic plan”, he says, reverting by necessity to governmentspeak, “We want a coherent system of care – we want the health district not operating as a “silo” but seeing ourselves as a part of the whole of the health system. That means playing a leadership role but also having good partnerships with the likes of the Medicare Locals, with aged care facilities, with GPs and the whole range of service providers across the region.

“But probably one of the most important in those is the Aboriginal Medical Services.

You know there’s 30 Aboriginal Services across the region and I regularly visit those and sit down and talk with the chief executives about our relationships and how we can support them.

“The third outlook of the strategic plan

was around closing the gap in Aboriginal health outcomes. We have an 11 per cent Aboriginal population, the highest in the state, and communities that are 70, 80, 90 per cent Aboriginal but with some of the worst health outcomes in Australia – to be honest nearly comparable with some Third World countries.

“I bring a really strong commitment to Aboriginal health to having respectful partnerships with communities and trying to address some of the years of history with hospitals not treating Aboriginal people with a level of equity and with access to services. That’s going to take some years to solve; years of segregation of services and Aboriginal people not being treated properly.”

McLachlan agrees that when it comes to indigenous health outcomes, in fact health outcomes across the board, it’s not just about money.

“That’s exactly right. There’s plenty of money in the system, it’s just about how we organise that around individual patient care,” he says, adding that part of his “dream” is to have “a really organised system where patients don’t need to navigate between a GP, a specialist, a private allied health provider and community health services”.

“That becomes really complex, particularly for people over 65 who are trying to navigate the aged care system. And so this integrated care strategy for us is really key to just trying to get some systems for patients that are easier to navigate and making sure we’re not just responsive as a health system but start to plan patient care with them.” >>

“ Nothing frustrates me more than bureaucratic language.

Sometimes you just have to learn to deal with it and find ways to get things done. Most people who know me know I’m pretty plainly spoken.

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DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

13

PROFILE

M

cLachlan and his wife Sarah – a nurse who is studying for her degree in social work, and has a special interest in emergency grief – have just moved into their new home on the outskirts of Dubbo, and are self-conscious about the still-to-be-finished lawns and garden.

They needn’t be. The view from the gentle rise on which the house sits gives us front row seats to one of this spring’s most spectacular sunsets, and as the couple and their two much-loved dogs pose for photos, we struggle to keep the conversation from wandering away from work.

I remark that I’ve heard he’s a remarkably un-bureaucratic bureaucrat, and he laughs.

The description is one that clearly sits comfortably – a badge of honour in an industry renowned for political wrangling and empire building.

So is he here to build an empire – even affably?

“Not at all,” he says. He would. But then he launches into a passionate defence of the notion of local area health boards, and an endorsement of the move back towards less central government control. Smaller management seems much more his style.

“The pendulum has swung back to something that actually works for health but then, I have a really good relationship with my boards. Maybe because they’re all good country people and country clinicians who want to see good results.

“I really like sitting down on a monthly basis and testing out ideas and going to them with proposals and getting feedback.”

McLachlan says the seven years under the previous health service and prior to the shift back to a more localised board system allowed the organisation to be dominated by chief executives’ agendas.

“Having a board means I have to go them with a balanced view and with recommendations that are the right thing for the region.

It’s just swung the pendulum back to something I think is a good solution for a region.”

The region of which McLachlan has under his care is still large – it’s home to 37 hospitals and 60 community health services – but not nearly as big as it was in the Greater Western Area Health Service days when it was often estimated as being roughly the size of Germany.

“There will always be challenges with geography but we have about the right size region to get both some economies of scale and some network services together to better support local service delivery.

“Very early on, my board said expressed a concern that things had become too centralised to the base hospitals, with patients having to travel. So we need to do something really differently to get care back closer to home.

“I mean, why are patients having to travel unnecessarily when there’s all this new technology we’re able to recruit into the region with a lot of specialists now? Those are the sorts of things I’m hearing from the regions, from the boards and they’re happier now because they’re being listened to.

“I was basically the new guy into the region. I needed to know what the important issues were really, and that’s what a board does – it balances priorities.”

It’s that focus on having genuine discussions to ascertain what locals want as individual communities, rather than bureaucracy foisting decisions on them that makes McLachlan’s approach refreshing.

Again, he laughs, but he’s deadly serious about his approach.

“Nothing frustrates me more than bureau-

l o o h c s e r P t c i r t Dubbo & Dis

cratic language and talk. Sometimes you just have to learn to deal with it in this job and find ways to get things done. But I think most people who know me know I’m pretty plainly spoken.

“I just want to be a country boy and get on and do a job. Sometimes you have to play bureaucratic games to get things done,” he says, acknowledging the nature of the government beast. “It’s just about getting the right things for country people. Not big metro ideas and approaches that come from government when often the local solutions are 10 times better than anything else.”

A

s the sun sets on another hectic, stressful working day for Scott and Sarah McLachlan, we share a few minutes’ of quiet. It’s hard not to want to just shut up and listen to the silence of evening falling over the paddocks, and the first twinkling of Dubbo’s lights away in the distance.

I remark that coming home here after what must be a pressure cooker work situation most days would be like heaving a heavy sigh.

“It is. It is,” they say almost in unison.

“I try not to talk too much work but Sarah’s a nurse, so there’s always a bit of work talk after hours,” he says. “We find ways to leave aside work – we do a lot of sporting activities, like a bit of mountain bike riding, kayaking around Dubbo. I love kayaking up and down the river and at the dam.

“It’s just the whole iconic Australian dream; beautiful gum trees along an outback river. It’s really peaceful,” says the unlikely senior public servant, smiling as a furry old black and tan head rubs against his head for a pat.

“Yeah, we’re here for the long haul.”

“ I think I underestimated the impact that instability has had on both the trust with communities and the engagement of staff in the organisation.

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DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

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OPINION & ANALYSIS

Greg Smart

By his own admission, Greg Smart was born 40 years old and is in training to be a cranky old man. He spends his time avoiding commercial television and bad coffee.

A war by any other other name W

hile we were enjoying the Labour Day public holiday this week, Australia went to war.

Not that there was a big announcement. There was no Robert Menzies style sotto voce public address. It was left to the Chief of the Defence Force Air Marshall Mark Binskin to announce on Twitter that the first armed combat mission by Australian RAAF fighter jets had been carried out.

“2 F/A-18F completed 1st armed combat mission in Iraq. No munitions expended. Returned safely to base,” he tweeted.

The W word has been notably scarce in the lead up and the subsequent committal and deployment of Australian military resources to ‘disrupt and degrade’ Islamic State (IS.) Whilst IS has “effectively declared war on the world” according to Prime Minister Abbott, he has steadfastly maintained Australia’s involvement is “best described as a mission rather a war” when questioned by the media. When the PM was asked whether Australia was at war following Cabinet’s authorisation of Australian air strikes and deployment

of Australian Special Forces last week, he declared “I know that you’d love that headline, but it’s not strictly accurate”.

He went on to say “it is a combat deployment but it is essentially a humanitarian mission to protect the people of Iraq and ultimately the people of Australia from the murderous rage of the ISIL death cult”.

Both Treasurer Joe Hockey and Attorney General George Brandis rejected the term war when questioned. Both these senior government figures have said the definition of war is not specific and have continued to tow the ‘humanitarian’ line, adding that IS is a threat to the Australian Way of Life and must be stopped.

PM Abbott claims Australia is supporting the legitimate government of Iraq against an “insurgency” rather than combating another country, thus sup-

porting his claim we are not at war. He has been very careful to point out Australia is getting involved at the request of Iraqi Government, a “fundamental difference” he says between this “mission” and the 2003 invasion of Iraq to affect regime change.

At the time of writing, Australian military lawyers were finalising the rules of engagement which will determine the parameters in which the Australian military can operate in Iraq. Contrast this with the “illegal” 2003 invasion of Iraq by the Coalition of the Willing and it appears a warlike level of planning is being carried out.

As the decade-long training and support of the Iraqi Army by Western military appears to have been a fruitless and expensive exercise, and the rise of IS being facilitated by the withdrawal of

“ The government can quibble over the Good versus Evil semantics as much as it likes. IS is an organised armed group that will only be defeated by protracted, intense military action by allied countries – that sounds like war to me. ”

those Western forces, most military analysts are of the opinion that air strikes alone will not be sufficient to defeat IS forces. This makes deployment of Western ground troops to take the fight to IS inevitable.

The government can therefore quibble over the Good versus Evil semantics as much as it likes. IS is an organised armed group that will only be defeated by protracted, intense military action by allied countries – that sounds like war to me.

Seeing as one of my teenage sons recently asked me what military conscription is, surely the government can be honest enough to call it what it is?

In April next year the country will pause to commemorate the centenary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli – and I imagine the world will still be fitting IS at this time. We will be both commemorating a war which “shaped our nation’s character” and involved in a ‘mission’ to destroy our enemy.

A century has seen the competing ideologies and the weaponry change, but conflict is conflict, and war is war.

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Two Doors Tapas & Wine Bar, Macquarie St Cost $55 per person (includes drink on arrival and meal) Part of the 7inSeven Fine Dining dinners, the sixth Continent DREAM will be visiting is NORTH AMERICA. Enjoy a night out with friends, family and colleagues.

Help celebrate this year’s festival.

9.30am to 5pm - WPCC, Wingewarra St Cost $50 per person

Learn to construction and design your own large lantern which you can take in the parade. Open to teachers, professional artists and art enthusiasts (must be 16 years or over). A fun day out! Spaces are limited to 20 participants per class and all materials will be provided.

PCYC Dubbo, Erskine St

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Learn new dance skills and follow in the footsteps of the professionals. Internationally recognised dancer, choreographer, actor and singer, Christopher Horsey (a founding member of The Tap Dogs), will be joined by three multi-talented members of The Tap Pack and will be the students instructors on the day.

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DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

day dreamer

COMMENT

James Eddy

James Eddy also exercises his freedom of speech on stage with Dubbo Theatre Company, in his classroom at Dubbo College and from the stands at any good AFL match.

Music, memories and a fist pump for mental health I

need to acknowledge ABC radio for my inspiration this week. With this month carrying a focus on mental health, I caught just the opening to a segment on the importance of music on our well-being and then I was waylaid, but it did get me thinking enough to delve a bit deeper.

Music has such power. After all, it can get your toes atappin’ or bring a tear to your eye. It can whip an entire football stadium into a lather, unifying the throng in common chorus. And it can convince an athlete they’re invincible. It gets inside you, to the very fibre of your being, infects your head. And we all know that if you control the head, the body will follow. That’s power.

Music can control your physical function to such a degree that it can boost your immune system even more than prescription medications for some conditions. Music can actually increase levels of natural killer T-cells and Immunoglobulin A and reduce cortisol (a hormone released in stressful situations). It has some physiological kick!

Often the cause of anxieties and depression are the heavy negative thoughts of the past or worries of the future. While all the bumps of life have to be acknowledged, enveloping yourself in music is a way to escape those thoughts for a while and either bring you to the immediacy of the present, or at least transport you away from those pressure points, to a better place in time. By focussing on the here and now, our brains are able to relax and make something of the moment; to mend a little, enabling us to cope better when we have to deal with those things that weigh us down. Unless you’re listening to something along the lines of Justin Bieber of course, in which case that’s probably what’s weighing you down. Give it up, already.

Music has the power of transcendence. With the few opening bars of a familiar tune, our minds are lifted

to another place and time, evoking the all the subtle images and smells; the feel on the skin of a moment in time fixed to the psyche by the glue of the melody line.

Allow me to share with you some of my mental health A-game from my own iPod playlist...

One smash from the early 80s has me back at the Glen Innes Primary School Frolic each time, going off as my nine year-old self, on the dance floor in fist-pumping full-throttle. There I am, chanting “Hurry Up!” along with a chorus the whole time thinking to myself “What is the singer so impatient about?” But she seemed so intent and there was a catchy beat, so I just went with it, swept away by an 80s power ballad. As a side note, I maintained that lyric each time I heard the song for about 10 years until it was pointed out to me that Laura Brannigan was actually singing to a person called Gloria as it was the title of the song. That was okay, and I still fist pump a “Hurry up!” as a salute nine year-old me when it comes on.

I was lucky to have a pretty happy childhood and that’s from where a lot of my mental health music stems. Sherbet (the Daryl Braithwaite kind), for me is all about hot summer holidays, reading comics and playing Test Match on the dining room table. Cliff Richard’s Wired for Sound and/or Blondie’s Heart of Glass have the potential to take me back to 1983 and the Dagwood Dogs and dodgem cars at the show. This be-

“ One smash from the early 80s has me back at the Glen Innes Primary School Frolic each time, going off as my nine year-old self, on the dance floor in fist-pumping full-throttle. ”

comes a problem when I’m driving in traffic and I believe comprises a legitimate legal defence.

Music is brain food and there tends to be a correlation between the ability to play a musical instrument and success in other fields. It teaches you sequencing and timing, co-ordination and focus. Music makes you smarter. Apparently it is particularly so in the case of classical music with a tempo of 60 beats per minute.

Just listening to it increases the efficiency with which your brain can process information. How ‘bout that?

We should avoid stuff with distracting lyrics and keep it playing softly in the background for the best results.

It’s worth a try and if anyone walks in on you, you’ll look REALLY cultured as well. Try wearing glasses, a smoking jacket or a beret to enhance the effect. Or, to keep them guessing, wear swimming goggles and a shower cap.

Don’t forget the sad songs, either. The human condition needs all the emotions and music can really draw them out. We shouldn’t be coy about giving ourselves a little blubber time every now and then. It’s like a rinse cycle for the soul and can go a long way to staving off mental illnesses before they leave a deeper stain.

The business of the brain is one that is generating scientific study at a rate of knots. You may be excused for regarding it as something of a boom industry. We’re getting better and better at grasping what makes us tick, and it’s happening so fast that articles written ten years ago on the subject are quite possibly obsolete today.

This month, October, has been tagged by the Mental Health Association as Mental Health Month, and I think how fortunate we are in 2014 to have brought such a crucial topic to the fore, and to shed the taboos for a full 31 days. Immerse yourselves in the discussion folks, and grow your souls and your minds.

Guitar Trek

Friday 24 October 7.30pm • Macquarie Conservatorium

A dynamic quartet of Australian master guitarists, Guitar Trek tours Australia and the world playing their unique family of different sized guitars. The music of contemporary Australia rubs shoulders with Led Zeppelin, J S Bach, Spanish classics, Brazilian rhythms and the Gypsy Kings in each stunning performance from this innovative ensemble.

Concert tickets: Adult $29 / Concession $23 / Family of 4 $53 / School student $7 PLUS: Guitar masterclass Saturday 25 October 11am: entry $7

www.macqcon.org.au • 02 6884 6686

Macquarie Conservatorium is assisted by the NSW Government through Arts NSW.

MACQUARIE CONSERVATORIUM Cnr of Darling & Bultje Sts • PO Box 661 Dubbo NSW 2830 Tel/Fax 02 6884 6686 • www.macqcon.org.au • info@macqcon.org.au

DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

17

two by two

John and Kevin Walkom

Photo: Dubbo Weekender

They share DNA, identical faces and that uncanny bond that only twins know, but to Kevin and John Walkom family and community are the real ties that bind.

That, and a love of the South Sydney Rabbitohs... AS TOLD TO Jen Cowley Kevin Walkom:

W

e didn’t feel special because of the twin thing when we were growing up – it was just normal. We didn’t know any different; we just had the joy of having a constant playmate and someone there to share everything with.

We’ve always had a lot in common...obviously. Family is very important to us both and ours are very close.

Each is an extension of the other one’s family. We have our business life in common and a love for the Dubbo community. We both love drinking Irish whiskey too (laughs). Oh, and we’re both passionate Rabbitohs supporters, and equally passionate about Dubbo CYMS. Rugby League has always been a big part of the Walkoms’ lives. It’s been passed down through the generations from our grandfather who was heavily involved in rugby league in Dubbo. The reason it’s been such a big part of our lives is that it’s a sport that involves the community. It’s probably one of the few activities in life where it doesn’t matter where you come from, who you are, how much money you’ve got in your back pocket.

Losing our brother Peter, who was eight years older than us, was a painful time for us all, as it would be for any family. John and I looked up to him as a big brother. We had a lot in common with Peter – he loved whiskey as well!

People mix us up all the time. I remember going to a function once where I wore a name tag that said, “I’m not John”. Nine times out of ten, I’ll pull people up, but we’ve both had occasions where someone’s come up and thought I was John or vice-versa and suddenly I’ll think, uh-oh, it’s too late now. So you just go through it all then I’ll give John a call and say, “Listen, I’ve just spoken with so-and-so, and here’s what’s happening...”

He’s done the same thing.

Without being arrogant, I don’t suffer fools, but in John’s life sometimes he has to! I probably don’t have as high a profile as John – I’m heavily involved in

18

Dubbo CYMS, which is not as public as John, but then I don’t have the same patience or diplomacy he has.

Someone said to me, “Why don’t you stand for council?” and I said, no, no, no – they have a rule that you’re only allowed so many galahs in the one cage at the one time (laughs).

Seriously, though – I’m certainly very proud of all John does and that he’s achieved. The thing is that’s something that’s a bit special about our relationship – there’s no jealousy there. He does what he does and I support him and vice-versa. But that’s just what we do – family is everything. It’s the fabric of our being. Having a family to share the good times and the bad times is a good feeling.

We don’t have to live in each other’s pockets day in day out, but when the chips are down... Well, I’ve always said to my kids that blood’s thicker than water.

The first ones who are going to support you no matter what you’ve done, are your family.

John Walkom:

W

e’re not just brothers, not just twins – we’re best mates. We’re the youngest of seven – and it was great to have a mate to do stuff with as a kid. We never needed someone for a sleepover, because we had each other all the time.

There’s a special bond between twins. You know what the other is thinking. We’ll be having a conversation with someone, and Kevin will take up where I leave off and that often amazes people. We tend to say the same things at the same time. It’s not uncommon to ring him and it goes to message-bank because he’s ringing me at the same time. There’s a lot of intuitive stuff we take for granted because we’ve never known any different.

People mix us up all the time. I often let them go because I don’t want to embarrass them, but I’ll casually try to drop into conversation something about Kevin, so they then get the nod that I’m John. But I’ll often just let them talk, then call Kevin later and say, listen,

DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

I’ve just spoken with so-and-so, and this is the message. We get called “mate” all the time because they don’t know which twin I am – even people we know really well.

As kids, we used the twin thing to our advantage a lot. Particularly with the teachers. In the end, they had to put us in different classes. I remember in one exam we got exactly the same mark and exactly the same questions correct, and the nuns figured it must have been just one of us doing the both exam papers – it wasn’t – so they split us up.

When we lost our brother Peter, it was a tough time for the family. We were pretty close, as brothers and mates. He was eight years older than us so he was a mentor in many ways – and his death left a real void.

Family is so important – it’s the most significant thing in our lives. I have six children, Kevin has two. They’re effectively half-brothers – because their fathers have the same DNA (laughs). But they’re all very close too.

Kevin is a much simpler bloke than me, and he doesn’t get flustered easily. He looks at things very logically and that works well, particularly in business together; he looks at things very objectively. There are no airs and graces with Kevin, and he’s a lot more private a person than I am. He’ll tell you straight out what’s on his mind if it needs to be said, but he doesn’t lay all his feelings bare. He’s much more private. I guess it’s a bit hard too, when I have a higher profile, with (Dubbo City) Council and (as chair of) Regional Development Australia Orana, because he’s more in the background but that’s the way he likes it!

Neither of us are terribly materialistic – that’s something that’s been instilled in us by our parents growing up, and it’s part of what makes our relationship simple and easy. And our wives are special people too, because they have to understand the bond of twins.

It’s like having a third person in the relationship. They certainly understand that.

I don’t like to think of life without Kevin – I just can’t imagine it.

THINKING OUTSIDE THE SQUARE No 4.

DISCIPLINES

DOING PHILOSOPHY

NATURAL INFLUENCES RURAL INDUSTRY

FINANCIALS

“Television is very educational. Every time someone turns it on, I go into another room and read a book.”

It is with this in mind that we have been bringing a selection to you each week to encourage reading that increases our awareness, and in turn our capacity to make informed decisions. This week five separate issues are introduced, each of these have direct impacts on most of us.

There has been plenty of media comment recently about the

concentration of power within the finance sector. Being alert to both opportunities and scams can reduce risks.

We might live close to farming land and it is important that we understand the challenges and reducing opportunities that the rural sector faces.

The reality of natural science has become heavily dependent on us doing our own research as the daily dose of propaganda flows to us.

ECOMONICS IN MINUTES

by Nial Krishtany #66477 $9.95

There is also advantage in reading on the power of thought: since ancient times there have been members of communities who brought forward ideas that have lead to forms of government And to some extend most of us have certain disciplines in our behaviour and thinking, and to read books motivates us to think outside the square.

Enjoy your browsing Dave Pankhurst.

SCAMS & SWINDLERS

by Bruce Brown #39201 $14.95

DON’T PANIC

By Cassandra Wilkinson. Is everything really going downhill? The doom sayers from the left and right, from the press, politics and popular debate would have us thinking that way. The author looks at science, politics, art, philosophy, history and culture to answer this question. #92442 Pb 203 pages $29.95 Just $14.95

FOUNDATIONS OF NATURAL FARMING

by Harold Willis $43007 $44.95

SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURE

by Arden Andersen #31135 Pb $45.00

SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS

by Peter Tomkins #91587 $29.95

PRIORITY ONE

by AllanYeomans #43805 $49.95

RIGHTEOUS MIND

By Jonathan Haidt.

The author explores why good people are divided by politics and religion. Sometimes there is the feeling that half the population is living in a different universe.

“Fairness” and “freedom” mean different things to different people. #39169 Pb $22.95

THE SEARCH FOR STABILITY

By Ian MacFarlane.

As economist for more than 30 years and Governor of the Reserve Bank, MacFarlane delivered the Boyer Lectures in 2006 – this book records these. He examines the changes that affected the economics in the developed world since the Keynesian model came into play in the 1940s. #19006 Pb $8.95

RIGHTEOUS MIND

By Jonathan Haidt. The author explores why good people are divided by politics and religion.

Sometimes there is the feeling that half the population is living in a different universe. “Fairness” and “freedom” mean different things to different people. #39169 Pb $22.95

BRAIN RULES

By John Medina. 12 principles for surviving and thriving at work, home, school – and planning for the future. #06275 Pb $24.95

COPRORATE CRAP

By Dr Jack Jacoby.

Read how to avoid the effects of management blunders and common mistakes to deliver better returns of your investments.

Read about the stupid management myths that destroy shareholder value. #90926 Pb $19.95

SHARE HOLDER’S RIGHTS

by Henry Bosch #50348 $24.95

BREAKING THE SHEEP’S BACK

by Charles Massy #23885 $39.95

RUNNING DOWN

by Mary White #80904 $49.95

EXCEPTIONAL BRAIN

by Robert Kaplan #37444 $32.95

DOING PHILOSOPHY 2nd ed by Clare Saunders et al. As a practical guide it covers issues from participating in discussions to internet resources.

It is a major help to readers to help reflect on every aspect of the subject. What does it involve? How can we understand it clearly?

How can we apply what is absorbed? #73041 Pb $29.95

ETHICS An Overview

By Robin Attfield.

Considered a definitive companion to the study of ethics, it provides students with a comprehensive and philosophically rigorous introduction to the major thinkers, issues and debates. Thematically structured, it provides an historical overview and a comprehensive introduction to the main branches of ethics. #82050 Pb $39.95

WHAT MAKES US TICK?

By Hugh Mackay.

Read about the ten desires that drive us.

The books asks questions such as - why do we talk as if we’re rational but act as if we are not? Why do some people always want to take control?

What is the true role of religion? Why are we so passionate about sport? These and other matters are analysed. #25077 Pb 318 pages $35.00

HEAVEN & EARTH

By Professor Ian Plimer. Since this book was released in 2009 it has been our bestselling non-fiction title. It was written to provide a challenge to the climate change / global warming propaganda being circulated by the media which supported Canberra’s drive to introduce a carbon tax. #21143 Pb 504 pages $39.95

A BIODYNAMIC FARM

by Hugh Lovell #34115 $29.95

NOT FOR GREENS

by Ian Plimer #13819 $29.95

ON POVERTY

By Charles Dickens.

He spent most of his childhood years in severely disadvantaged circumstances, and Dickens writes on that society with inside knowledge and feeling. He worked in a shoe factory while his father was in a debtor’s prison. Such experiences helped shape one of the classic writers in the English language. #16208 Pb $19.95

A MIND OF ITS OWN

By Cordelia Fine. The psychologist author includes several popular explanations of the latest research and fascinating real life example of how our brain thinks. It moves through the conditions where the brain is shown to be stubborn, deceitful and emotional - and then goes on to teach us so much about the brain that most of us don’t know. #67987 Pb $19.95 GREEK & ROMAN POLITICAL IDEAS

By Melissa Lane.

Where do our ideas about politics come from? What can we learn from the Greeks and Romans? How should we exercise power? The book is seen as a “virtuoso performance” by one of the best scholars of ancient philosophy. #76150 Pb $14.95

The Book Connection 178 Macquarie Street, Dubbo • (02) 6882 3311 • OPEN 7 DAYS

PROFILE

From being rescued as a tiny tot by famous aviatrix Nancy Bird-Walton to refusing to give up his charity work, Jack Stanmore has packed a lot into his 75 years. He talked to Weekender about his fortunate life.

WORDS Natalie Holmes PHOTOGRAPHY Hayley Ferris

T

he bloke christened as Arthur Ernest Stanmore had a pretty rough start to life.

“I had a very unusual entrance into the world, and was the first baby born in the hospital in Ivanhoe in the Far West,” the now 75 year old explains, recounting that the hospital only a month old and he was born prematurely, weighing only 3.5 pounds (1.6kg).

“They said there was virtually no hope that I would survive.”

But the assistance of someone who went on to make quite a name for herself in her chosen profession saved the newborn’s life.

“The Royal Flying Doctors was only new when I was born in 1938 but pilot Nancy Bird was given the job of going to Bourke and Wilcannia hospitals to get equipment and supplies to help me live, which she duly did.”

When she arrived, the now famed pilot spotted Stanmore in all his tiny glory.

“I was put in a shoebox with cotton wool and being the lady that she was, she said “Look at that, it’s like a drowned rat!””

Of course, Stanmore survived and went on to lead a happy and fulfilling life filled with healthy lashings of hard work, family and goodwill to others.

And 61 years after his first encounter with the well-known lady of the skies, the pair crossed paths again at the opening of Bourke airport in 1999.

At that time, Stanmore, who stands at 5’8 (172cm) weighed in at 18 stone (114kg).

“She remembered me and said “My God, didn’t you grow!””

BREAK After eventful beginnings, Stanmore grew up on the family farm at Eurella. He was nicknamed Jack after his great-grandfather and these days, rarely answers to the name Arthur.

“My parents were on a property, they were farmers on 40,000 acres (16,187ha) and I have a brother and two sisters,” he says.

Stanmore was educated at the Ivanhoe travelling school and was one of its last pupils before it shut down when he was in fifth class. He continued his remote education by correspondence until completing his intermediate schooling (three years of high school).

When he reached adulthood, Stanmore took on the life of a bush mechanic. He also bought his own 30,000 acre (12,140ha) property, Canally in 1958, after being convinced that it was the place

for him.

“Luck’s a fortune. All I had to buy it with was a Holden ute and a sheepdog,” he laughs.

He met a local girl who was a telephonist and they married in Griffith in 1961.

“I was on my own and she was on a farm too.”

They’ve now been married for 53 years.

At that time, he was mates with the late Jimmy Little, who went on to forge a successful career as a performing artist.

“He was a woolclasser before he was Jimmy Little,” Stanmore states matter-of-factly.

“I used to do a few songs too. I loved the old time music. I was also a drummer in the Ivanhoe band.”

In 1965, Stanmore and his bride Ellie moved to Dubbo, where he took a job working in Victoria Park.

“When they found out that I could weld, they gave me more jobs,” he recalls.

“So I worked on the grandstand extension at No 1 and the fence around the duck pond.”

Stanmore also worked at Ducmac Machinery, at a service station and for Macquarie County Council where he was a mechanic for 19 years, 11 months and 24 days – “I was made redundant just before I reached that 20 year milestone” – and drove a taxi in his spare time.

The couple had two sons and two daughters – Brian, Geoff, Fiona and Katrina – which he says “kept them busy”, although they managed to find time to become involved in a range of local activities, many of which they’ve continued to this day.

The Stanmores are life members of the junior cricket and soccer clubs, and the A & E Stanmore Trophy in their honour is awarded to the Emerging Country Player of the NSW Combined High Schools Football Regional Championships.

They are also committed to the PCYC and help out with breakfast excursions and market days as well as the task of cutting up 80kg of raw onions ahead of the Dubbo Show for the past 15 years.

Stanmore used to help out at South Dubbo Primary School where his wife was the canteen manager for 23 years and he earned the nickname Uncle Soup.

To this day, former students still recognise him from those days, much like his grandson Nathan (one of 11 grandchildren) who spotted his Pop when Stanmore did Santa photos in Dubbo. It was role he kept for 18 years and he “enjoyed every minute of it”.

The trade mechanic was also a member of the

Vintage Car Club and once built a 1928 Ford A-Model car. He also works at Vinnies two mornings a week, “because it does me good”.

“I’m not a part of the Catholic community but I like helping others.”

Giving back to the service that saved his life has been an important part of his life and Stanmore is a foundation member of the local RFDS support group which has been running for 21 years. He estimates that, with wife Ellie, he’s sold 100,000 raffle tickets over the years to help the service.

“I like things equally but my main thing is the RFDS. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them. And it’s here for the people of the area.”

Stanmore met former NSW Governor Marie Bashir when she travelled to Dubbo for a Royal Flying Doctors function two years ago.

“She was one of Nancy Bird’s friends and was here to open a new shed,” he explains.

“Apparently, she was waiting to meet me.”

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“ I might be past my expiration date but I’m too busy to lie down.

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hen it comes to his health, Stanmore is certainly a survivor.

Fourteen years ago, he had a triple bypass after multiple heart attacks.

“That put me down for a while,” he admits.

For many years, he suffered with Type Two Diabetes, enduring five insulin injections a day. But a few years ago, he lost 44kg by eliminating breakfast cereal and drinking a glass of water before each meal. Diabetes is now a thing of the past. He remains a member of the Diabetes Support Group which achieved a community service award bestowed by Dubbo City Council.

Although he retired at 68, Stanmore has been busier in the past few years than ever before.

“All the work that we do, it helps keep us going. It’s just kept us involved in things,” he says.

Now at 75, he has been diagnosed with leukaemia. In true Stanmore fashion, he has joined the Leukaemia Support Group and recently helped out at the city’s inaugural Light the Night ceremony.

And like the little tacker who fought to survive all those years ago, Stanmore is not one to take his prognosis lying down.

“I might be past my expiration date but I’m too busy to lie down.”

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DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014 30

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CAMPDRAFT

Small town, big event – Campdraft goes off at Geurie PHOTOGRAPHY Steve Cowley

F

or a small town, there’s no doubt Geurie knows how to put on a big show when it comes to horse sports.

Last weekend saw the running of the annual Geurie Campdraft, which also hosted the Australian Bushman’s Campdraft and Rodeo (ABCRA) championships,

22

with competitors making the trek from all across the Eastern seaboard and from the Top End to take a tilt at the titles.

A dedicated local committee has overseen the recent redevelopment of the Geurie sportsground to include what is now one of the best campdraft facilities in the region, making the annual campdraft event one of the most highly prized on the horse sports calendar. While camp-

DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

drafting is said to be among the nation’s fastest growing sports, the family-friendly pursuit has come under threat from Mother Nature in recent years with drought significantly impacting the supply of cattle for competition – making Geurie’s success all the more notable.

This year’s Open Campdraft title was taken out by seasoned campaigner Nigel Kable, aboard his equally accomplished mount Chevin Ivory.

DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

23

SPORT

“Sheldon”, the KWS Two Blues Racing HPV

KWS Two Blues Racing with Cr Kevin Duffy on the track at Murray Bridge KWS team captain, Kelsea Bellamy

The warm-up: bringing pedal power to NSW

During the first weekend of the school holidays a busload of teenagers from the Central West trekked 1100km across NSW to Murray Bridge in South Australia for the 29th Australian International Pedal Prix – an event pitting competitors’ engineering and mechanical skills, stamina and endurance against each other over 24 hours. WORDS and PHOTOGRAPHY Kim V. Goldsmith

F

or the past four years, Kinross Wolaroi School (KWS) from Orange has been the sole competitor from New South Wales at the human powered vehicle (HPV) racing event on the banks of the Murray River, billed as one of the biggest sporting events in South Australia.

Announcers at this year’s Australian International Pedal Prix (AIPP) described the Murray Bridge event as South Australia’s “Bathurst” – an interesting proclamation given it was a representative of Orange City Council who attended Murray Bridge with the idea of a six hour race in Orange in just over a year’s time.

So it was that this year’s KWS team were not only flying the flag for their school and state, they were representatives of the regional city planning to host the first HPV event in NSW, in 2015.

This year the school found itself blooding an almost new team of junior secondary school competitors ranging in age from 13-16. The team veterans turned out to be last year’s girls’ team, whose experience on the two kilometre track was important to each rider in the team completing laps with minimal damage to rider and vehicle.

Even during practise laps it’s not unknown for HPVs to be hit or to roll over on tight bends, flipping after a bump, or simply being sandwiched into a difficult situation as more than 200 trikes under the control of primary schoolers to open category riders battle to keep their line and rack up as many laps as possible within the time limits of the race.

For those who have competed in the HPV series of six-hour races across South Australia and Western Australia, this is the culmination of months of competition. However, the AIPP 24-hour race win is prestigious in itself and highly sought after by extremely well resourced and finely tuned teams of recumbent trike racing enthusiasts.

L

ike any bike sport, mechanical problems can plague competitive teams. This year it was tyre problems that nearly saw the KWS’ Two Blues Racing team pack their bags early.

The KWS vehicle, fondly named Sheldon, underwent a tyre change prior to being put on the track, but it wasn’t enough to prevent six flats during the 24-hour race.

Team manager, David de Bruyn was impressed by the teamwork displayed by the KWS team under such pressure and was philosophical about their problems.

24

But frustration and disappointment were evident as the race progressed and the cause of so many flats hadn’t been fully resolved.

“Something we need to look at is a lot of the vehicles in the Pedal Prix event have GPS systems.

“When they get a flat tyre we’re relying on the marshals to tell us where they are rather than looking at a GPS screen, locating them and then being able to change it.

“Some of those flats, depending on where they were could take up to half an hour to fix.”

De Bruyn is championing the race in Orange.

He says most students at the school now know what HPV racing is, however he believes more time is needed to develop the traction required to see the sport grow in the Central West.

“We are doing things to promote it not just in the school but through the NSW HPV Racing Committee, to get the sport better known in Orange, amongst other schools, and the Central West.”

This profile will be essential if the proposed HPV race for Orange is to become successful. Something de Bruyn says is progressing.

“Cr Kevin Duffy from Orange City Council has been to Adelaide to see the Pedal Prix and to speak to the organisers. He’ll be making recommendations to Council based on that visit.

“There’ll be resolutions put forward to see a race held in Orange next year. In the meantime, I’m happy to talk to councillors and to present to Council again, to keep talking to the media and do what it takes to get us racing in Orange.”

De Bruyn says the Orange event would grow HPV racing dramatically in a state considered to be somewhat of a ‘blind spot’ within the HPV community.

“For people to just see what an HPV is will give them a better idea of how to develop a team and to take it forward from there.

“I’ve also had many people at the Murray Bridge

race tell me they would be very keen to come to NSW and race. We have the support of the HPV community and those who are used to travelling to race at these events.”

K

WS Two Blues Racing captain and Year 9 student, Kelsea Bellamy says the annual trek from Orange to Murray Bridge is a big adventure and something she looks forward to.

“The racing and the atmosphere in the pit is amazing. As for being on the track, it’s about trying not to hit anyone, trying not to get hit and going as fast and as clean as you possibly can.”

Bellamy is keen to share this enthusiasm for HPV racing with her hometown.

“To have an event in Orange would be amazing. Orange has a diverse racing event history and another event would bring a lot of benefits to the city.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by several of the KWS parents who saw their first Pedal Prix at Murray Bridge.

Orange City Council’s Cr Kevin Duffy was equally enamoured with his first experience of the event, describing it as “fantastic”.

“It’d be brilliant to be able to bring an event like this to Orange. There’s a carnival atmosphere…it’s nearly a ‘mini Bathurst’ with the car races. It would be tremendous to be able to bring an event like this to Orange.”

During his time in Murray Bridge, Duffy spoke with HPV racing officials and council representatives of Murray Bridge and Busselton, Western Australia, who ran their first six-hour race only months ago. He says they’ve offered information and support for Orange.

“The feel I’m getting is that we’re a big chance of getting a race up in Orange next year.

“Andrew McLaughlin, the AIPP boss and director of the Murray Bridge event, has given me until the end of October this year for him to come to Orange. That’s something I’ll be taking to Council, to get these people across here now and see if we need to get the bulldozers in to have an event in 12 months time. is worth running with and it’s got the support “ For people to just see what an HPV of “This young people. When you get young people involved, is will give them a better idea of how to along come parents and grandparents with cameras, so the economic base and advancement for the city bedevelop a team and to take it forward gins to grow.”

The KWS Two Blues Racing team placed a credible from there.”

143rd from 216 total entries, completing 271 laps, and - Kinross Wolaroi School HPV achieving a best speed of 35.53km/hour. The winning Team manager, David de Bruyn team’s best speed was 53.58km/hour.

DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

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HELICOPTER VIEW

Cr Mathew Dickerson

Business in changing times

Mayor Mathew Dickerson was born and bred in Dubbo and is married with four children.

with Peter Scolari, Scolari Comerford

The times, they are a-changin’

M

inister for Local Government, the Hon. Paul Toole MP, may well have been thinking of JFK’s famous quote lately: “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

The Minister has been on the road over the past few weeks as the state government rolls out a range of initiatives related to the Fit for the Future package. This is the local government reform package that started in 2011 when the current government came into power.

To reform 152 disparate councils across the state is no easy task. I don’t envy the Minister. Most importantly though, as I have said to him on several occasions, is that they have actually made an announcement. Not everyone agrees with every part of the package but at least the process has started. One of my great frustrations is that some organisations hold off making an announcement if they know there is going to be some controversy. Effectively the decision made is to make no decision with the logic that they can’t be in trouble when no decision has been made. I see this approach as fundamentally flawed – the decision to make no decision is actually a decision in itself, and typically a bad one.

Councils across the state are currently doing some navel gazing while simultaneously looking over their neighbouring fences. Councils are looking at their own finances and long term sustainability. Will they be able to stand alone? Are they in a better position as a standalone council? As they look over their neighbouring fences, they want to know what surrounding councils have to offer. A strong balance sheet is a good place to start. Modern infrastructure that doesn’t need large amounts of money spent over the short term also helps.

There are two approaches I have typically seen councils (and councillors) take to these range of reforms. The first, and most common, approach is to stick to what has always been done. There is some proud history in local government – the first local councils in NSW were incorporated in 1842 and just up the road in Bathurst the council was formed on August 12, 1843. Dubbo was first declared a municipality on February 19, 1872. Many local governments

across the state were in existence before federation.

Many people argue that towns and cities have survived many problems over the years and they will continue to survive. I take a different approach – yesterday’s steps to success can be tomorrow’s path to destruction. The world is changing – you only need to look at the opening of the Rotary Club of Dubbo West Time Capsule last weekend to see how much has changed in a mere 25 years.

One person buried a TV guide from 1989 – which was just before TV aggregation.

When this capsule was opened, I heard someone ask where the rest of the channels were. In that short period of time we went from just two channels to 20 channels of free-to-air television and we went from no mobile phones in 1989 to Dubbo connecting our first mobile on July 26, 1990 to now averaging more than one mobile per person.

Other people take the approach that change is coming and the best way to deal with change is to plunge into it, move with it and enjoy the ride. At least if you are on the ride, you have the potential to influence the change rather than the final results of change being foisted upon you. It doesn’t mean you will always agree with the outcomes and it doesn’t mean your ideas will eventually see the light of day but I would certainly prefer to at least try to participate in the process.

It is a challenging time for local government – but I would suggest there have been many other challenging times in the 172 years of local government in this state. Ultimately, local government needs to ensure we are staying true to local values and being governed by locals for locals. I have often said that local government is about as pure as democracy can be – and it would be a shame to lose that.

Tell me your thoughts – do you think dramatic change is needed? Do you think councils – like Dubbo – are already Fit for the Future or do we need to take some drastic action? If only I had my DeLorean handy to see how this all turns out – but then that would spoil the fun of the ride! feedback@dubboweekender.com.au

“

Change is coming and the best way to deal with change is to plunge into it, move with it and enjoy the ride.

The science of bill collecting L

IKE it or not, some customers always lag in their payments. It hurts your company’s cash flow and causes frustration for both your accounts receivable personnel and the customers.

But you can get your receivables in better shape and keep them there if you put your staff on this regular exercise routine.

BE ACCOMMODATING: Talk directly with the person who signs the cheques and call him or her by name. Present your company as friendly, understanding and personable. Let the customer talk and explain why the payment is late. There may be extreme circumstances that you can help resolve. Get through sob stories to the truth so you can figure out your options.

CREATE AN ACTION PLAN: Get a payment agreement before the conversation ends. Any payment beats no payment. It shows the customer is trying and it keeps communication open. You may need to alter payment terms to match the customer’s cash flow or make the payments smaller over a longer period.

Repeat the agreement to the customer and follow up in writing. This helps ensure that both parties understand the deal and it creates a paper trail that has a powerful effect on the customer’s communication.

BALANCE THE EXTENT of

your efforts against your relationship with the customer and what’s worked before, but use every means possible

to maintain contact. This includes mail, email, telephone, fax and personal visits.

KEEP IT SIMPLE. Make sure invoices are sent out on time and clearly show the amount owed and what it is for. Otherwise, customers may throw the invoices into the stack of paperwork to do later.

When they finally get around to paying, they may spend their time – and yours – calling to ask for an explanation for the charges.

WORK TOGETHER. If customers need more itemisation, try to customise the bills as much possible without sparking rebellion in your billing department, avoid jargon.

Use only clear language that needs no interpretation and is difficult to misunderstand.

 Avoid jargon. Use only clear language that needs no interpretation and is difficult to misunderstand...  CONCLUSION If you take your time, understand customers’ needs and try to help them you will get your money faster whilst strengthening relationships with your clientele. End result: A healthier bottom line.

We work with successful business owners who wish to enhance their lifestyle by:  increasing their profits;  improving their cash flow;  focusing on growth;  protecting their assets; and  preparing their business for maximum sale.

Ask us how.

scolaricomerford.com.au

Area 6, Level 1, 188 Macquarie St, Dubbo Office: 1300 852 980 Fax: 1300 852 981

DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

25

ARTS

The critic in decline WORDS Andrew Glassop

I

n May 1939, just as the black shadow of war began to make its presence known in Europe, a well respected Irish author published an extraordinary book. This was not particularly new, he had published many extraordinary books in the past and it was assumed that his new release would be no different. But it was different.

It was hard to read – a given in that he had previously published a book where one entire chapter had no punctuation. It was experimental – another given for he was not averse to making up words where none that suited existed. It was long – yet another given. So what was the difference?

The difference is that 75 years later it is still not possible to zip down to the local bookstore and pick up a Cliff’s Notes on the book and read a plot summary. No one, not even the finest minds in English literature, can agree what actually happens.

The book in question is Finnegan’s Wake by the writer James Joyce. With some indulgence I’ll quote a section from the first chapter: “The fall (bababadalgharaghtakamminarronnkonnbronntonneronntuonnthunntrovarrhounawnska-wntoohoohoordenenthurnuk!) of a once wallstrait oldparr is retaled early in bed and later on life down through all christian minstrelsy. The great fall of the offwall entailed at such short notice the pftjschute of Finnegan, erse solid man, that the humptyhillhead of humself prumptly sends an unquiring one well to the west in quest of his tumptytumtoes: and their upturnpikepointandplace is at the knock out in the park where oranges have been laid to rust upon the green since dev- linsfirst loved livvy.”

And that, gentle reader, is just the third paragraph. It clearly took a reader of some stamina to get through that and still think there was something worth finding. But they did and the work has grown to become an almost mythical touchstone of the well-read literature student. In my all too brief days at academia’s ivory towers, rumours would sweep though tutorials that someone or other was reading Finnegan’s Wake. It was quite thing to be seen sitting on the grass with a copy of this in your hands, the mating cry of the terminally shy poetry major. The sad part of this is that very few of those who started actually finished. In fact, I don’t know anyone who has read the book without having to do it for their job. Even those who studied it for a

subject never read it. I never even pretended to start.

Yet its influence runs through history. The sub-atomic particle the quark is named after a reference in Finnegan’s Wake, it has impacted on countless writers since its publication and is usually placed somewhere on the books you must read before you die (or those with high aspirations at least).

Why this long winded introduction? It’s to point out modern artists have being impenetrable, obscure, out of touch and in danger of disappearing up their own fundament have for a long time. In the art world, however, things seem to be coming to a head.

Robert Hughes, distinguished ex-pat critic and author, took on the art establishment in June this year decrying the ‘anything goes’ attitude of some modern artists. He said, “We have had a gutful of fast art and fast food.

What we need more of is slow art – in a word, art that is the very opposite of mass media.”

Several years earlier Damian Hirst, another high calibre critic, railed against the money and ‘self-reverence’ of the modern art world. In announcing his retirement from the business he complained that things had deteriorated so much that anyone who has “read a Batman comic” has the necessary qualifications to work in the arts industry.

In an Observer article from 2012 a curator from an English gallery admitted that some of the works being sold by the young(ish) guns of the British art world were “empty” but that “one has to defend it” because of the large sums of money involved.

Well hello there Mr Emperor, I’d like to show you your new clothes.

Criticism (whether your own or someone else’s) is a central pillar of the art experience. If the art critics are giving up this is not a good sign. But not all have given up, and the two quoted above are of the elderly persuasion for whom the prospect of yet another night of wine and cheese with the black-clad set was too much to bear. They do, however, bring up very important points. If no one is prepared to criticise high art because of the money involved we are indeed, living in challenging times.

So remember to keep your wits about you when looking at art. Even if you’ve never read a critic that doesn’t mean you can’t be one.

And even if you’ve never read Finnegan’s Wake you can pretend you have because nobody else has either.

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Image: Susan Hodge, The Wall, 2012, acrylic on MDF. Image © the artist.

Western College gives the word on art prize The Western College Art Prize makes its biennial appearance next week.

The WCAP (as we so gently call it) is the only open, competitive individual exhibition the WPCC organises and we are as happy as a pig in clover to be on board for this third iteration. Each runningm Western College chooses a word from its list of core values to which artists must respond. This year the word is Inclusion. Given where we are at the moment with “Team Australia, lifters and leaners” this promises to be a fascinating glimpse into what the people of the region see as being inclusive.

The WCAP grows in quality every year – everybody should come down and have a look when it opens to the public on Saturday, October 18, with the official opening on Friday 24 at 6.00 pm, including the announcement of the winner of the acquisitive first prize.

Dubbo Macquarie Street Ph: 6881 8600 riverDale ShoPPing centre

DUBBO MACQUARIE STREET PH. 6881 8600

SeSSionS for thurSDay october 2 - WeDneSDay october 8

ANNABELLE (MA15+) Id RIVERDALE SHOPPING CENTRE Required

A CHANGE HAS ARRIVED

daily: 2:00 4:15 6:30 8:50

DRACULA UNTOLD (M) thu Fri mon tue Wed: 11:50 4:00 8:50 sat sun: 4:00 8:50

GONE GIRL (MA15+) Id Required daily: 11:45 2:45 5:45 8:40

PLANES: FIRE & RESCUE (G) sat sun: 1:20

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (M) daily: 11:00 1:20 6:15

THE BOXTROLLS (PG) sat sun: 11:30

THE EQUALIZER (MA15+) Id Required

TM & © ‘07 FOX

daily: 3:30 8:40

FOR THU JULY 26 - AUGUST 01 THESESSIONS JUDGE (M) daily: 12:10 3:10 6:00 8:45

FULLY REFURBISHED NOW OPEN

KNOCKED UP (MA 15+) THU - SAT TUE WED: 1.00 3.30 6.30 9.00 SUN MON: 1.00 3.30 6.30 BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA (PG) DAILY: 10.30 4.30 SHREK THE THIRD (PG) ID is required for every ticket M (PG) NO FREE TIX DAILY: 10.30 12.30 2.30 6.30 purchase for MA15+ and R18+ THU - SAT TUE WED: 10.30 12.30 2.30 TRANSFORMERS (M) films and will be checked 4.30 6.30 8.30 caption available . nFt = no Free tickets (GiFt vouchers and cinemoney are not considered Free tickets) THU - SAT TUE WED*closed : 11.00 2.00 5.00 upon entry into the cinema.

SUN MON: 10.30 12.30 2.30 4.30 6.30 8.00 HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE SUN MON: 11.00 2.00 5.00 PHOENIX (M) NO FREE TIX THU - SAT TUE WED: 10.30 1.30 4.30 HEARING HELP DISABLED AVAILABLE ACCESS 7.30 8.30 SUN MON: 10.30 1.30 4.30 THE MAZE RUNNER (M)

thu Fri mon tue Wed: 11:00 1:20 6:15 sat sun: 11:00 6:15 *cryinG room available

DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

Recommended for mature audiences

READINGCINEMAS.COM.AU

COMMENT

T

Media & Marketing Minute Compiled by the Sales & Marketing team at Dubbo Photo News/Dubbo Weekender

Nutritional information: Something to chew on he average human probably operates from day to day with neither consciousness that half their body mass is simply water, or awareness that the nutritional information box tells you how much of the three out of four major organic compounds found in organisms are in the food or drink in question.

However, when the internet, media, and air travel takes us to every corner of the globe at a moment’s notice, it would be a good idea to consider the smallest particle of matter, of which everything, including our bodies, is made up of: atoms.

Solar energy is the major life supporter for our planet and every day strikes the earth with energy equivalent to more than a million atomic bombs. Solar energy is either absorbed as heat energy or reflected a light energy. Less than one per cent of all solar energy is converted into chemical energy that can be used by living systems, yet supports all life on earth.

It is from glucose that virtually all other organic compounds derive. Glucose is what is converted from carbon dioxide, oxygen, and sunlight in the photosynthetic plant cell organelle, chloroplast.

A photosynthetic organism is known as a producer, as it producers the facilitators of life, oxygen and chemical energy. Herbivores are known as first-order consumers, and convert 5-20 per cent of the energy they consume into energy that second-order consumers, herbivoreeating carnivores, can use. From that energy, third-order consumers, carnivore-eating carnivores, take similar proportions of energy. A food web can’t have too many feeding levels – there’s only so much energy to go around.

Humans of course are the highest-order consumers. We are capable of eating a wide range of carnivores. Obesity might be considered an example of overnutrition, with the OECD reporting in 2012 that 63 per cent of Australians are overweight or obese.

Arguments cite genetics, a sedentary lifestyle and diet as major causes of this prolific form of over-nutrition, and of course a great variety of factors will contribute to the end result of someone suffering from obesity and the diseases that are prone to arise from it.

But with knowledge comes the ability to overcome difficulty and undesirable outcomes. Just as suicide is the most extreme outcome of mental illness, death from obesity or obesity-related diseases is the most extreme outcome of overnutrition. There is much more to useful knowledge than knowing mortality risks of certain medical disorders, or instantly concluding the worst-case scenario of a certain reality.

If we are more aware of how our bodies work on an atomic level we will know the functions of our body systems, why certain organic compounds are neces-

ADVERTORIAL

How much to spend on advertising.

And a ripping good yarn.

T

HE message is a bit vague in this week’s opening print ad (right) but it does grab your attention and, ultimately, make you smile. The ad, which borrows from a scene in the movie Titanic, is for a European cinema chain and makes the point that movies can take you into a fantasy world where everything is perfect!

Comment by George Baker Born and raised in the central west, George Baker is busy adding to his diverse skill base while he prepares to fly south of the border to pursue his interests in media and psychology at university.

sary for our bodies and what our bodies do when either under- or over-nourished of particular compounds, and we’ll probably be more willing and able to eat and live healthily. This makes everyday lives easier and more enjoyable, probably extends our lifespans, reduces health costs and by extension enables the reallocation revenue to other priorities. We would also have more food per capita, providing under-nourished people with the nutrition they deserve and to which they have a basic human right.

Carbohydrates are important energy sources for organisms, and are stored as starch in plants, and glycogen in animals. Proteins are hugely important in organisms, with many different structures and functions. Enzymes control chemical reactions and metabolic processes, antibodies are the immune system’s defense against pathogens and proteins are major components of cell membranes, connective tissues and skeletal materials. The simplest form of protein is amino acid.

About ten amino acids are essential to humans. We can’t produce them ourselves, so we get them from eating things like meat, milk, cheese, and eggs. Religious, spiritual or dietary ideologies endorse certain diets, some being to avoid all animal products. Such ethical viewpoints can be misleading and without true substance until the negative argument provides positive knowledge about how essential organic compounds can be ingested through other sources.

Finally, the third organic compound found in the nutritional information box are lipids, or the deliciousness that are fats and oils, as well as waxes. Lipids are an important controller of water balance in an organism, also constituting cell membranes. They store twice as much energy as carbohydrates and also protect organs like the heart and kidney. However, how much protection is too much protection?

The key message is simply that we should be more conscious of the functions on an atomic level of the substances we consume. When you think about what the body has to do to combat overnutrition, maybe you’ll look a little more kindly on your organs and systems, and choose to save them the trouble.

How much to spend on advertising A customer asked this question recently and it prompted us to go to the file for an article published by Bloomberg a few years ago. The short answer is frustratingly vague: “it depends”.

Most marketing experts would suggest you budget a percentage of your gross turnover for advertising expenditure, but what that percentage is varies widely depending on everything from the age of your business to what industry you’re in.

The Bloomberg article suggests you find out what the advertising-to-sales ratio typically is in your field. Find some public companies in your industry and figure out what they spend on marketing by looking over their financial statements (found in their annual reports).

“If you can’t find any public companies that seem similar enough to yours, you might want to start at 5% and then adjust your projected spending up or down based on the size of your market, the cost of media, what you can learn about how much your competitors are spending, and the speed at which you’d like to grow,” the article says.

Bloomberg also makes a VERY good point about NEW businesses – far too many business people throw open the doors of their new venture without giving any thought to advertising. “Build it and they will come,” is a common attitude. Sadly, that rarely happens.

A final thought on the “how much” question: we know of businesses that spend 10% or more of gross revenue on advertising, although these tend to be businesses located outside prime shopping areas – what they save on rent, they spend instead on their marketing to make sure they draw a crowd.

At the other end of the percentage scale, the huge Walmart corporation in the US is said to spend just 0.5% of gross turnover on marketing – but given their gross turnover is massive, that still leaves them with one of America’s largest marketing budgets.

As you can see, the actual percentage varies a lot, so as suggested above, do some investigating to work out what the “norm” is in your industry.

One million for the road....

More than one million cars are sold in Australia each year and newspapers are the most trusted media source of advice when purchasing a car, according to the latest survey of Aussies by The Newspaper Works.

Have a look at the graph below which shows Newspapers at 29% and clearly ahead on the question: Which media is most useful in influencing your next car purchase decision.

Source: emma, conducted by Ipsos MediaCT, people 14+ for the 12 months ending June 2014

A ripping good yarn We suspect there’s a clothing manufacturer in China that’s about to lose its contract with the Chinese army. Chinese media reported this week that about 4500 reservists were participating in a training session at a university in Hubei province when the group was instructed to sit down in unison. Witnesses say there was the unmistakable sound of tearing cloth. It turns out more than 100 pairs of pants ripped simultaneously. Awkward!

- Until next week, make sure you’re wearing clean undies, and sell well!

“Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”

– George Bernard Shaw

89 Wingewarra St Dubbo | Tel 02 6885 4433

DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

27

PEOPLE

WEEKENDER DIARY hear ll Folk at the Vines To celebrate spring, the next acoustic gathering of the Dubbo Folk Club will be held at the Tombstone Winery, Wellington Rd this Sunday, October 12 from 2.30pm to 5.30pm.

This is an informal group of musicians, singers, poets and friends. All welcome. For further information please contact Di on 6882 0498 or Kath on 6882 4346. ll Christmas Budgeting Workshop Are you financially prepared for the festive season?

The Smith Family invites you to attend a Christmas budgeting workshop, to be held on Thursday, October 16, at the Macquarie Regional Library from 10.30am to 11.30am.

Hear about creating a budget, tips to keep shopping costs down and taking control of Christmas spending. HIPPY tutors will also be on hand to help the kids create some Christmas craft. Free morning tea supplied.

For more information, please contact Kim Mathieson, Saver Plus Coordinator on 6881 8032 or 0419 319 564.

see ll New Acquisitions The development of the Dubbo Regional Gallery collection is enabled through the generosity of the Friends of Western Plains Cultural Centre and individual donors.

This group of new acquisitions (some of which were acquired through the Federal Government’s Cultural Gifts program) includes works

by McLean Edwards, Elizabeth Cummings, Rew Hanks and Joseph McGlennon, significantly bolstering the Animal in Art collection. Exhibition ends tomorrow, Sunday, October 12.

PHOTO: SUpplied

Talking to...

Andrew Smith Life is busy and happy for Dubbo man Andrew Smith but he’s confident he’ll never forget where he came from. He’s a firm believer in karma, but he’s not looking for a miracle any time soon.

AS TOLD TO Alexandria Kelly On my bedside table at the moment is... an iPhone charger.

Life has taught me that when it comes to the opposite sex... your perfect match is out there.

My top five albums of all time are... I’ve never bought an album before!

If I had to name my five best loved movies they would be... Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, The Shawshank Redemption, Silence of the Lambs and Along came a Spider.

I draw inspiration from... the people around me.

I believe... in Karma I don’t believe... in miracles.

The one thing that will always make me cry is... a sad story.

I always laugh when... something is funny.

I’ll never forget... where I came from.

What I know now that I wish I’d known sooner is... the Lotto numbers from last night.

I never thought I’d... be in the Weekender!

ll Dubbo and District Preschool Fun Fair Join in the fun at the Dubbo and District Fun Fair on Sunday, October 12, from 10.30am to 2.30pm, within the preschool grounds, Hampden St. There will be market stalls, entertainment, barbecue, chocolate wheel, trash ‘n’ treasure, cake stall, coffee van, craft, face painting, lots of rides including Zorb ball, sumo, bungee run, mini train, pony rides and jumping castle.

It promises to be a great day out for the whole family.

do ll Cupcake Master Class Young Life Dubbo will proudly present an afternoon of fun and decorating on Sunday, October 12. Learn decorating techniques, bid for a handmade quilt, enjoy afternoon tea, shop at the craft stall and hear from guest speaker Karla Strait. Participants will be able to take home (or eat!) their cupcake creation. The Cupcake Master Class will be held at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Dubbo, between 2pm and 4pm. All proceeds help Young Life Dubbo make a difference in the lives of young people. ll Junior Cricket Fundraiser Dubbo Sportsworld is proud to host a day of

fun, excitement and action at the annual Junior Cricket Fundraiser on Sunday, October 12. Participants will raise money by playing the fast, fun and awesome game that is Blitz Cricket.

Teams of four-a-side will play games of 45 minute duration. Everyone plays two games, and everyone bats and bowls. This year, funds raised will be divided between Dubbo and District Junior Cricket Association and the Country Thunder Junior teams that will be competing in the Mustang T20 Indoor Blast Statewide Conference series. Games commence at 10am.

Nominate by calling 6884 0123 or admin@ gwca.net.au

etc ll Reclaim the Night Local TAFE students, in association with the Dubbo Domestic Violence Prevention Collective are organising the Reclaim the Night project.

The event will be held on Thursday, October 30, and will include a march and gathering where guest speakers will address sexual violence and the effects it has on the community.

The march begins at 4.30pm at the Cyril Flood Rotunda.

The march will be followed by a family event

at 6pm at Macquarie Lions Park. Contact Donna Shadwell at Dubbo TAFE on 6885 7500 for further information. ll Rosary Chain and Exposition Serious about world peace?

You can do something to achieve it by joining in the nation-wide Rosary chain and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on Saturday, October 11, at St Brigid’s Church from 4pm to 5.15pm.

Enjoy a cuppa before the mass. Everyone welcome.

DUBBOREGIONAL REGIONAL DUBBO

& & CONVENTION CENTRE

THEATRE THEATRE CONVENTION CENTRE Book early - don’t miss out drtcc.com.au or 6801 4378

Cancelled by the Promoter. Patrons will be contacted by DRTCC

PReSenTeD By The hARBOUR AgenCy

PReSenTeD

By SyDney COMeDy FeSTivAl

PReSenTeD By DUBBO RegiOnAl TheATRe

> Saturday 11 October, 8.00pm

> Wednesday 15 October, 7.30pm

> Thursday 23 October 2014, 8.00pm

JAMeS Reyne – ACOUSTiC AnThOlOgy TOUR

The tour is supporting the release of the James Reyne Anthology double album and celebrating a solo career spanning over 20 years. These intimate performances will cover a range of songs from ‘then’ to ‘now’ in a rare stripped back format.

SyDney COMeDy FeSTivAl

The funniest and freshest acts of Sydney’s biggest annual comedy event are hand-picked and squeezed into one hilarious night of world-class comedy. With a cavalcade of comedians that will tickle everyone’s funny bone, this is the best value ticket in town, so don’t miss out!

BOTh SiDeS STARRing DAviD hOBSOn AnD RAChAel BeCk

Two of Australia’s most popular performers come together to perform a unique blend of classical, musical theatre and popular songs from Les Miserables, My Fair Lady, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Sound of Music, West Side Story, Oliver and more!

Box office hours Monday - Friday, 9.30am - 4.30pm and 1 hour prior to the show | DRTCC offers quality entertainment!

28

DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

BUY TICKETS AND JOIN THE E-MAIL LIST DRTCC.COM.AU Bar open before and during interval for most shows 155 Darling Street, Dubbo A facility of Dubbo City Council

THE Write STUFF

For established and emerging local writers The Write Stuff is dedicated to helping both established and emerging local writers and poets explore and develop their literary art.

Each week, Val Clark offers tidbits of interest and assistance based on her experiences as a consumer, blogger, teacher and practitioner of the wonderfully rewarding craft of writing.

A novel in a month? Give it a snowflake’s chance…

N

oNoWriMo is nearly upon us. Can I write a novel in a month? I can, but this novel is not a “seat of the pants novel”, this novel needs careful planning. Careful planning? I was supposed to have started that two weeks ago. Thus far I have done lots of thinking and taken some “location” photographs. The paper attached to the hallway wall is, however, blank.

I’ve decided to invest in some planning help. The Snowflake Method has been on my radar for years, but I’ve never used it. It’s the brain child of Randy Ingermanson, a theoretical physicist and the award-winning author of six novels plus How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method and Writing Fiction for Dummies.

The Snowflake Method is about designing a novel. Follow these steps: start with a triangle add another triangle and you’ve made a star, overlay that star with another star and you’ve made a fractal, or a snowflake.

Step 1: (The first triangle.) Write a one-sentence summary of your novel.

Here’s mine: “A teenager runs away to find the truth that will reconcile her mother and grandmother.” No cheating on that sentence; keep it below 15 words.

Step 2: Take that sentence and write a paragraph which describes “the story setup, major disasters and the ending of the novel”. Think of it as a three act play. Act 1: Set up the story and have your first major disaster. In movies it’s called the inciting incident. Another disaster occurs in the middle of Act 2 with a third at the end of that act which forces the conclusion in Act 3.

Here’s my paragraph in five sentences.

Jordan, an intelligent 15 year old girl, discovers letters from her grandmother and uncle to her mother when she was in boarding school. Until this moment she had no idea she had family or that they were estranged.

When discussion is forbidden Jordan, a peacemaker, runs away to discover the truth and bring about reconciliation. Her arrival at Backnbeyond is unwelcome but Jordan is allowed to stay if she tutors her two unwilling younger cousins. Camping overnight in the bush with her younger cous-

ins, Jordan is kidnapped and eventually abandoned. It is the search for Jordan which brings the mother and grandmother together and, with that, the hope of reconciliation.

Step 3. Use the same process to create a storyline for each of your characters.

• Create a one-sentence storyline.

• Motivation? What do they want?

(Reconciliation) • Goal. What do they need? (To get hear the truth and get her mother and grandmother together.)

• What conflicts prevent them from reaching their goal?

• Epiphany: what will they learn?

How will they change?

• A one page summary of the character’s storyline.

Be prepared to go back and revise your summaries as you uncover more about the characters, their stories and how they interconnect.

•••

What’s on and what’s coming up for writers in Dubbo: • ABC Open 500 Words theme for September is Bully – submit online. Discussion group, Community Arts Centre WPCC 5.30-7.30 Tuesday 14th.

• Feature length film script writing workshop: Secrets, Lies and Filmmaking. An intensive two and a half day seminar/workshop presented by Billy Marshall Stoneking. Introduces participants to the tools, concepts and processes of dramatic screen storytelling – any sort of storytelling really. Friday October 24 – 6pm-9pm.

Saturday and Sunday, October 25-26: 9am-5pm at Western College, White St Dubbo. $100 for members, $150 for non-members. Membership $25.

Book online by following the links to Sticky Tickets on the Outback Writers’ Centre website: www.outbackwriters.weebly.com. Enquiries outbackwriters@gmail.com • NaNoWriMo Kick-off Party November 1 from 7.30 at Midnite Cafe, next to the Fire Station, Darling St, Dubbo. Enquiries outbackwriters@ gmail.com • NaNoWriMo Writing Day dates to follow.

Val Clark has published short stories, articles and poems in national and international magazines and anthologies, placed and won in writing competitions and written and directed plays for adults and students. She is passionate about creativity and encouraging new and emerging writers. Val regularly runs creative writing workshops for adults, teenagers and children.

ADVERTORIAL

From the bookshelves

by Dave Pankhurst The Book Connection, Dubbo

“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty” W HEN will human beings learn to live together without seeking to impose their own beliefs and demands on other people? Recent events on the world stage give real cause for concern.

Those of us attending school during the 1940s and early ’50s recall the absence of family members, casualties and grief that followed during World War II. Later conflicts in the world produced similar impacts, and yet the world continues to find reasons to pitch one culture against another, or act to take a life in the street.

We should take action now so that the higher quality and standards of community behaviour of earlier times are restored.

John Ralson Saul wrote “Voltaire’s Bastards” in which he deals with the issue of conflict. He cites how major powers, equipped with modern and highly sophisticated equipment that gives them a sense of total dominance, decide to go to war against an opponent.

That entity does not have matching resources or capabilities. However at the ‘end’ of the conflict, there is no clear indicator that the ‘big team’ dominated. Saul summarises that, with all their advantages, the ‘big guns’ lacked one clear motive – that is, that they didn’t have the agenda – to win. Even now with ISIS being a target, there are polite statements of “assisting the allies”.

“A Troublesome Inheritance” by Nicholas Wade has been written on Genes, Race and Human History. He has examined the evidence from the mapping of the genome and writes about the genetic basis of race and its role in the human story. Few ideas have been more harmful than one race or another being inherently superior to others. For this understandable reason, discussion on the biological differences between races has been banished from polite academic conversation.

Human evolution, the consensus view, ended in prehistory. Inconveniently the consensus view cannot be right with evidence showing that human evolution continues today, influencing social behaviour, and with academics debating cultural and racial differences.

The agenda of some commentators is exampled in “Immigrants – Your Country Needs Them” by Philippe Legrain.

He claims that immigration can benefit the migrants, the country they leave, and the country they move to – it’s a positive proposition but it has yet to be proven. The book continues: “We are swamped by bogus asylum seekers and infiltrated by terrorists, our benefits system abused, our way of life destroyed.” In this country that, for many, has not always been the case.

One has to question what the world would be like today if John McCain had become president instead of George W. Bush. Paul Alexander has written “Man of the People” which examines the life and career of McCain. It puts

him amongst the ranks of Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt who led America with daring and wisdom. A veteran of the Vietnam War and being a POW with time in the ‘Hanoi Hilton’, McCain’s position appeared to be strong for pre-selection. However it was manipulated by Bush as summarised in a chapter “The Dirtiest Race I Have Seen” – the contribution on the world stage by Bush was not impressive.

In Paul Ham’s “Vietnam: The Australian War, Illustrated Edition” a chapter deals with the after-effects of Agent Orange. One photo shows a boy with deformed legs that would deny him a chance of walking. Another shows a young girl with her head being the size and shape of a football. The dreadful impacts made by a nation on what they perceive as an enemy prove that humans have learned nothing over time.

The criteria used by leaders operating these days has changed. Consider Abraham Lincoln’s reaction when someone said to him that he was two-faced. His immediate reply was, “That is not so. If I had two faces I wouldn’t be wearing this one.” Name a leader today that thinks for themselves and doesn’t refer to a speechwriter.

Lincoln was the US President during the American Civil War. The following letter extract is taken from his “Selected Writings” and has been regarded as one of the most profound statements ever made in the English language, to the point that it hangs in the Hall of Oxford University. The number of human casualties incurred during that conflict exceeded all other conflicts in which that nation has been involved. It was a very personal challenge for Lincoln as he was deeply involved in so many of the aspects of the war. On November 21, 1864, he wrote a letter to Mrs Lydia Bixby and it is copied here: “I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts, that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

“I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from your grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.

“I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and that you only have cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the alter of Freedom.”

Thomas Jefferson said: “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.” Abraham Lincoln paid the ultimate price when he did not have adequate protection one evening when attending a theatre performance.

Enjoy your browsing, Dave Pankhurst.

DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

29

PUZZLES & PLAY FIND THE WORDS This is a theme puzzle with the subject stated below. Find the listed words in the grid. (They may run in any direction but always in a straight line. Some letters are used more than once.) Ring each word as you find it and when you have completed the puzzle, there will be 15 letters left over.

They spell out the alternative theme of the puzzle.

Plants and flowers

anemone artichoke aster broccoli cabbage chokos cress daisy geranium hedges

ixia larkspur leek lupins nerine nemesia okra onion pansy path

phlox statice pod stocks poppy sunflower pot plants swede rakes tomatoes ripen turnip roses vine snail wallflower snapdragons weeds spinach zinnia © australianwordgames.com.au 824 n Solution at bottom

WEEKENDER SUDOKU Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

WEEKENDER SUPER CROSSWORD ACROSS

1. Hank Williams’ “- at the Moon” 7. Office tablets 15. Bichon – (dog breed) 20. Capital ESE of Istanbul 21. Added for good measure 22. Gillette razors 23. Barbershop group trying very hard?

25. Oreo’s filling 26. Cher and Madonna, e.g.

27. “Tell – was dreaming!”

28. Actress Davis 29. Universal donor blood type, briefly 30. Google a synonym for “trembling”?

35. Musical sign 38. Nepali, e.g.

40. Uncle’s mate 41. Employer of spies: Abbr.

42. “Rain Man” star is dormant in the summer?

47. Pt. of NCAA 48. Bozo 49. Tiny power source 50. Saddler’s tool 51. Try to rip open 53. Ukraine city 55. “Kaboom!”

58. The Donald’s first wife, after being canonized in Spain?

61. Church offshoots 62. Levi’s fabric 64. Itty-bitty 65. Noted Deco artist

66. Part of a sentence written in script?

69. Carpet cleaners, in brief 73. Seasoned rice dish 75. Bible song 76. Singer with the 2009 #1 hit “Tik Tok” 77. Eve’s jubilant cry after a hurricane hit Eden?

82. Chorus bit 83. Dog variety 84. Apia native 85. Gas suffix 87. Bygone ruler 89. Govt. rule

90. Flower part 91. Response to the aroma of good food?

97. Poetic “always” 98. Roman 2,002 99. Pro at transcription 100. Corrosive alkalis 101. Attorney specializing in petty cases?

105. Sitar player Shankar 108. Squirrel’s bit 109. Ripper Ripken

110. Talk down to 114. Currently broadcasting 115. Yearnings to ride Ferris wheels, see sideshows, etc.?

119. Gymnast-like 120. Obsession 121. Fight against 122. Kel’s TV pal 123. Depressed 124. Diffuse slowly

DOWN

1. Lockable fastener 2. Unfooled by

This week’s theme: PLUS FOURS 57. Rival of PlayStation 3 59. Science journal language 60. Tenure 62. Two-part 63. Series VIP 66. Tribal group member 67. N.C. hours 68. Serious fight 70. In error 71. Tilsit or feta 72. GIs’ drill leaders 74. “When – door...”

76. “The King and I” co-star Deborah 77. Useful quality 78. Span between two calendar spots 79. Café – (where Ilsa says “Play it, Sam”) 80. Rock guitar great Steve 81. Ltr. encloser 83. Small pouch 86. Problem-free existence 88. Slept noisily 92. Feel lousy 93. Like Abner 94. GPS display 95. “- out!”

3. Old TV’s “- in 15. Come out of 36. Dump truck 96. Snobbery 98. 2006 Oscar Cincinnati” denial filler winner Helen 4. Pink-slipped 16. Title for high 37. Outcome 102. “Presto!”

5. “The Empire eccl. officials 39. USMC motto 103. Owning Strikes Back” di- 17. “Fame” star much land rector Kershner 18. Good – (help- 43. Bulk 104. Declined 44. – loss 6. Easily duped ful sort) 106. Old Olds 7. Cosmo and 45.

Cars called 19. Suffix with 107. Clamps GQ, e.g.

Bugs, e.g.

Canton 110. Felt pity (for) 8. Atty.’s title 46.

Pie – mode 24. 1998 Olym111. Threesome 9. Egyptian – pics site 47. Ex-admiral, 112. Minus (cat breed) say 28. Rifle rack 113. 90 degrees 10. Ardour for from sur Bush’s succes- 30. Female sib 52. “- for Evi31. Enjoy dinner dence” (Grafton 114. Bucket wood sor 32. Fez, for one novel) 115. “- for Cookie” 11. Careful 33. Doris Day’s 54. She’s not a 116. Toothpaste studier birth parent box abbr.

12. Shenanigan “- Sera, Sera” 117. Coq au 13. Payable now 34. Ukraine city 56. Put- – 14. Mach 2 jet 118. Hatchet, e.g.

35. Opt (hoaxes)

Tip: This is an international crossword. To add an extra challenge we occasionally use the US spelling for answers. 0915 n Solution next week

GO FIGURE

>> How to figure it out: This is a simple substitution cipher in which each letter used stands for another. If you think that X equals O, it will equal O throughout the puzzle. The solution is accomplished by trial and error.

0915 n Solution next week

TRIVIA TIME 1. GEOGRAPHY: The Yakima River flows through which US state?

2. TELEVISION: What was the theme song to the sitcom “Friends”?

3. MUSIC: What pop music group had a hit album in 1969 titled “The Age of Aquarius”?

4. FLASHBACK: Who wrote and recorded “Stay”?

5. MEDICINE: How long is the average adult’s spinal cord?

6. MUSIC: What band released the glam-rock song “Fox on the Run”?

7. LITERATURE: Where did the Grinch live in the Dr Seuss story “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!”?

30

8. MOVIES: What was the name of the mad scientist in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”?

9. GENERAL: What is the significance of the acronym ROY G BIV?

CQ915 n Solution next week

OUT ON A LIMB

10. FAMOUS QUOTES: What comedian and actor once said, “A day without sunshine is like, you know, night”?

11. SPORT: When was the last time before 2014 that Roger Federer did not make the final eight in men’s tennis singles at the French Open. n Solution next page

DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

>> The idea of Go Figure is to arrive at the figures given at the bottom and right-hand columns of the diagram by following the arithmetic signs in the order they are given (that is, from left to right and top to bottom). Use only the numbers below the diagram to complete its blank squares and use each of the nine numbers only once.

GF0915 n Solution next week

by Gary Kopervas

Except where otherwise noted, all Puzzles&Play material © 2014 King Features Syndicate

CRYPTO-QUIP

PUZZLES & PLAY What’s new:

Weekender’s regular Play Page has more space and some new features this week. Let us know what you think. Email us at feedback@ dubboweekender.com.au or call 6885 4433.

THE WEEK AHEAD ARIES



LIBRA



MAR 21-APR 19 A changing situation calls for a change in plans. Although you might prefer the schedule you had already worked up, you could do better by agreeing to make the needed adjustments.

SEP 23-OCT 22 Trying to make peace among quarrelling family members, friends or colleagues can be tough. Expect some resistance, maybe even some expressions of resentment. But stay with it.

TAURUS

SCORPIO





APR 20-MAY 20 That once seemingly rock-solid proposition you favoured might be hiding some serious flaws. Take time to check it more carefully and question anything that seems out of kilter.

OCT 23-NOV 21 Changing your mind doesn’t have to be a problem once you realise that you might have good and sufficient cause to do so. Make your explanations clear and complete.

Good luck.

GEMINI

SAGITTARIUS





MAY 21-JUN 20 Finish up those lingering tasks so that you can then arrange to spend some time in quiet reflection. This will go a long way in restoring both your physical and spiritual energies.

NOV 22-DEC 21 An unkept promise can be irksome and easily raise the Archer’s ire. But instead of getting into a confrontation, take time to check why someone you relied on came up short.

CANCER

CAPRICORN





JUN 21-JUL 22 A family situation could heat up and boil over unless you deal with it as soon as possible. Try to persuade other family members to work with you to help cool things down.

DEC 22-JAN 19 A new workplace distraction creates an unnecessary delay. The sooner you deal with it, the better for all concerned. A personal matter also should be attended to as soon as possible.

LEO

AQUARIUS



JUL 23-AUG 22 Cheer up, Kitty Cat! That low feeling will begin to ebb by midweek, and you should be back in the social swirl in time for the weekend.

A long-postponed deal could be starting up again.

VIRGO



AUG 23-SEP 22 Going too fast and too far on too little knowledge could be risky.

Best to slow down and check for any gaps in your information. It’s what you don’t know that could hurt you.



JAN 20-FEB 18 Once again, the Aquarian’s gift for applying both practical and creative methods to resolve a situation makes all the difference. Personal relationships thrive during the weekend.

PISCES



FEB 19-MAR 20 A relationship appears to be losing its once-strong appeal for reasons that might be different from what you think. An open and honest talk could lead to some surprising revelations.

BORN THIS WEEK: Your life is bound by your belief that character counts more than anything else.

Be creative in applying your forecast to the actual circumstances of your life. For entertainment purposes only.

THE ANSWERS & SOLUTIONS Last week’s Super Crossword 726

This week’s Find the Words solution 824 Pleasant pastime

OPEN WEEKENDER COFFEE & MEALS CAFE DE LISSIO

RSL AQUATIC & HEALTH CLUB

• Open Saturday & Sunday from 7am • Great coffee • Modern cafe menu • Dine in or take away

• Open Saturday 7.30am-5pm • Open Sunday 8.30am-3pm • Gym • Indoor pool • Sauna • Steam room • Squash courts

Shop 16 Orana Mall Marketplace, 6884 0404

MAGNOLIA CAFE • Warm up and enjoy a steaming hot drink with; Breakfast, lunch, morning or afternoon tea • Delicious variety of gluten free options • Relaxing, Friendly atmosphere • Open 7 days 9-4 • Take away available

73 Wheelers Lane, 6884 5997

OLD BANK RESTAURANT • Open Saturday 12 til late • Good food • Good music • Good times • $12 lunch specials

232 Macquarie Street, 6884 7728

TED’S TAKEAWAY • Open Saturday and Sunday 8.30am-8pm • The big value in takeaway food.

• Great weekly specials.

26 Victoria St, 6882 7899

VILLAGE BAKERY CAFE • Open Saturday and Sunday 6am to 5.30pm.

• Gourmet pies • Mouth-watering cakes • Delicious pastries • Gourmet French garden salad baguettes and salads.

• Perfect breakfast and brunch • Morning tea • Lunch • Afternoon tea

113 Darling Street (adjacent to the railway crossing), 6884 5454

CLUBS & PUBS PASTORAL HOTEL • Open Saturday 10am to 4am, Sunday 10am to 9pm.

• Restaurant open for lunch and dinner.

• All desserts home made.

• Open Saturday and Sunday for balcony breakfast’s from 8am - 11.30am • Serving Bill’s Beans Coffee

110 Talbragar St, 6882 4219

DUBBO RSL CLUB RESORT • Open Saturday 8am to 1am Sunday 8am to 10pm.

• Quality entertainment, blackboard specials in the bistro.

Cnr Brisbane and Wingewarra Streets, 6882 4411 • Open Saturday and Sunday from 9am.

• Riverview Bistro 12pm to 2pm and 6pm to 9pm.

• Relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Last week’s Fill-in 0086

Last week’s Sudoku 5_0078

CLUB DUBBO

This week’s TRIVIA TIME answers: 1. Washington. 2. “I’ll Be There For You” (by The Rembrandts). 3. The 5th Dimension. 4. Maurice Williams, who penned the tune in 1953 at age 15. The song made it on the “Dirty Dancing” soundtrack in 1987. 5. 17 to 18 inches (43 to 45.7cm). 6. The Sweet, in 1974.. 7. Mount Crumpit. 8. Dr Frank-N-Furter. 9. A mnemonic device to remember the colours of the rainbow. 10. Steve Martin. 11. It was 2004.

GYMS

Whylandra St, 6884 2396

AMAROO • Open Saturday and Sunday from 10am • Bistro specials everyday for lunch and dinner • Night club

81 Macquarie St, 6882 3533

Cnr Brisbane and Wingewarra Streets, 6884 1777

SHOPPING DUBBO ANTIQUE & COLLECTABLES • Open Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 3pm • Antique furniture, china, cast iron, old tools and collectables.

4 Depot Road, 6885 4400

THE BOOK CONNECTION • Open Saturday 8.30am to 4pm.

• Sunday 10am to 2pm.

• New and used books • Over 60,000 books in store.

178 Macquarie St, 6882 3311

QUINN’S MYALL ST NEWSAGENCY • Saturday and Sunday from 5am- 1pm.

• Newspapers, magazines, stationery supplies.

272 Myall St, 6882 0688

THE SWISH GALLERY • Open Saturday 9am to 12pm.

• Distinctive jewellery, creative contemporary decor for your home and stylish gifts.

29 Talbragar St, 6882 9528

HARVEY NORMAN • Huge range of TVs, computers, laptops, cameras, kitchen appliances, iPods, home theatre, furniture, manchester and mattresses • Saturday 9am – 4pm • Sunday 10am – 4pm

223 Cobra St, 6826 8800

BRENNAN’S MITRE 10 • For all your DIY projects, hardware, tools and garden products • See us in store for great specials • Saturday 8am-4pm • Sunday 9am-4pm

64-70 Macquarie Street, 6882 6133

ORANA MALL SHOPPING CENTRE • 52 Specialty Stores, Big W, Woolworths and Bernardi’s SUPA IGA. • Easy Parking, now also with approx. 160 undercover.

• Food Court • Saturday 9.00am – 5.00pm • Sunday 10.00am – 4.00pm • www.oranamall.com.au

Cnr Mitchell Highway & Wheelers Lane, 6882 7766

MAGNOLIA NURSERY • Open Sunday, 9am til 4pm • Quality plants • Garden decor • Giftware

73 Wheelers Lane, 6882 2580

SHOPPING DUBBO GROVE PHARMACY • Open Saturday 9am til 12 noon • Giftware • Jewellery • Homewares

59A Boundary Road, 6882 3723

THE ATHLETES FOOT • Open Saturday 9am til 2pm • Everything you need for the perfect fit for your foot

176 Macquarie Street, 6881 8400

GROCERIES CARLO’S IGA SOUTH DUBBO • Saturday 7am-8pm • Sunday 8am-8am • Weekly specials, friendly service, • delicatessen, fruit and vegetables, grocery items

95 Tamworth St, 6882 2029

DMC MEAT AND SEAFOOD • Open Saturday 6am to 3pm • Huge variety, bulk buys and red hot specials weekly.

55 Wheelers Lane, 6882 1504

IGA WEST DUBBO • Open Saturday and Sunday 7.30am to 6pm.

• Great weekly specials and friendly service.

38-40 Victoria Street, 6882 3466

THINGS TO DO WESTERN PLAINS CULTURAL CENTRE • One of the largest galleries and museums in NSW • An ever-changing array of exhibitions and events including top national exhibitions.

76 Wingewarra Street, 6801 4444

OLD DUBBO GAOL • Open Saturday and Sunday 9-5pm • Large display of animatronics and holographs providing a realistic insight into a bygone era of prison life.

90 Macquarie Street, near the old clock tower, 6801 4460

TARONGA WESTERN PLAINS ZOO • Open Saturday and Sunday 9-4pm.

• The zoo’s encounters and shows offer visitors truly special experiences with their favourite animals.

Obley Road, off the Newell Hwy, 6881 1400

TRIKE ADVENTURES • Book a ride Saturday or Sunday • Available for town tours, special occassions, outback pub lunches or just blasting along with the wind in your face

1300 TRIKES (1300 87 45 37)

IF YOUR BUSINESS IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS EACH WEEKEND CALL US FOR A GREAT RATE ON A LISTING HERE – 6885 4433

TO HAVE YOUR BUSINESS FEATURED HERE, CALL 6885 4433 DUBBO WEEKENDER The Dubbo Photo News Weekend News Magazine 11.10.2014

31

Your opportunity for a sales career with a

Here’s an opportunity to join the Sales & Marketing Team at the high-profile Dubbo-owned company that publishes our city’s favourite locally-owned newspapers – Dubbo Photo News, Dubbo Weekender and Country Catalogue.

Since 2003 Panscott Media has built a strong reputation with Dubbo advertisers based on our belief in the power of print advertising in the local community, and our determination to provide quality marketing assistance – particularly for small to medium size businesses.

If you have a flair for sales and marketing, you could be the right person to join our team and help with the continued growth of our company.

Reporting to the Sales Manager, you will service an existing client base as well as continue to seek new opportunities on a daily basis.

You will need to be extremely customer-focussed because it is our advertisers who make it possible for Panscott Media to produce our newspapers.

You will need to be a ‘people person’ who enjoys visiting local business people and discussing marketing opportunities. You will need to show attention to detail, and a desire to work with our local design team to help plan and create great print advertising.

Qualifications in sales and/or marketing would be an advantage, as would experience in CRM systems – but not essential. This is a full time position with retainer plus commission based on sales performance.

Send your application today to: Sales Manager Panscott Media 89 Wingewarra Street Dubbo NSW 2830 or email jobs@panscott.com.au