Australian Times weekly newspaper | 15 January 2013

15 - 21 January 2013 Issue: 446

CAPTIVATING KERALA

AUSTRALIA DAY SUPPER IN LONDON CLUB

Our pick of the best comedy, music and films

South India in style

A dinner party with a difference

ENTERTAINMENT P4

travel P8

FOOD & WINE P7

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3.2M GUNS IN AUS

n A new study shows Australians have replaced guns surrendered after the Port Arthur massacre and there are now just as many as before 1996, prompting calls for a new buy-back scheme.

AUSTRALIANS own just as many firearms now as they did before the 1996 Port Arthur Massacre, a new study reveals.

The research by Professor Philip Alpers, from the Sydney University school of public health, says Australians have steadily restocked and the number of firearms in the community now stands around 3.2 million.

In the Port Arthur massacre, a deranged gunman shot dead 35 people and wounded another 23.

Then Prime Minister John Howard pushed through tough national controls, banning semi-automatic rifles and pump-action shotguns and introducing more stringent licensing.

In the guns buyback, Australians surrendered more than 700,000 firearms.

Professor Alpers said Port Arthur was one of a series of gun massacres and overall more than a million guns were surrendered.

“What our research found was that a huge number of people gave in their guns for no compensation at all,” he said.

“These hadn’t been added into the discussions. So a million guns were taken out of circulation and put into the smelter.”

Gun imports increased after 1996 as people replaced banned guns, then crashed, Prof Alpers said.

“Gradually for the past 10 years, they have been creeping up again.

But they are not the semiautomatics specifically banned after Port Arthur.”

Gun control advocates are now

Monkey magic rifles “pretty much eliminated” in Australia, and a similar scheme needs to be implemented for handguns.

“They’re military weapons and there’s about 180,000 of them in Australia,” said spokesman Roland Browne.

“The theft of handguns is increasing

... they’re being stolen, disappearing into a black market and turning up in drive-by shootings and other criminal behaviour”.

A spokesman for the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia ...continued on p3

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Delivering a budget surplus is certainly possible, a federal Labor MP says as the latest Newspoll shows Labor winning back support in an election year.

Soaring iron ore prices have raised the possibility of a return to the black in 2012/13, a prospect regarded as unlikely

by Treasurer Wayne Swan in December.

Forecasters from Deutsche Bank expect the price to be almost double the September mark within weeks.

Labor backbencher Andrew Leigh, a former economist, says lower commodity prices and an unusually high Australian dollar has knocked $20 billion off the government’s projected revenues in the past year.

But achieving a surplus was “certainly possible”.

“The treasurer last year didn’t rule out a surplus, just said that one was looking unlikely given what’s happened to revenues,” he told Sky News on Monday.

Dr Leigh said if the Gillard government enjoyed the same tax-to-GDP ratio as the Howard government it would easily be achieving a surplus this year. ...continued on p3

Photo of the Week| P6 calling for the closure of a legal “loophole” that allows semiautomatic handguns to circulate in the community.

Guns Control Australia said the buyback scheme implemented in 1996-97 following the massacre saw high-powered semi-automatic

Surplus possible, says Labor MP

6/08/12 5:08 PM

2 | News

15 - 21 January 2013

Bob Brown at Sea Shepherd’s helm n Former

Greens leader Bob Brown has been appointed director of anti-whaling society Sea Shepherd after legal action forces the resignation of the group’s founder Paul Watson.

By Paul Bleakley Publisher: Bryce Lowry Editor: Alex Ivett Production/Design: Jackie Lampard Sports Editor: Tim Martin Contributors: Shannon Crane, Phill Browne, Paul Judge, Sepi Roshan, Erin Somerville, Melissa Shortal, Justin Ng, Gareth Mohen, George Katralis, Cameron Jenkins, Chris Arkadieff, Lee Crossley, Mel Edwards, Will Fitzgibbon, Bronwyn Spencer, Emily Banyard, Clare

Boyd-Maccrae, Jonathon Waldheim, Paul Bleakley, Daniel Shillito, Mat Lyons, Sharon Spence Lieb, Nicole Crowley, Alex Bruce-Smith, Tyson Yates, Amber Rose, Bianca Soldani, Jennifer Perkin, Shannon Loves, Charlie Inglefield Advertising Manager: Dominic Young Directors: P Atherton, J Durrant N Durrant, R Phillips and A Laird Additional content:

Who are we?

Australian Times is written and compiled by young Australian journalists living in the UK. Contributing on a volunteer basis, they are uniquely placed to reflect the interests, opinions and attitudes of our community. If you would like to join us, contact info@australiantimes.co.uk Address: Unit 7C, Commodore House Battersea Reach, London SW18 1TW Tel: 0845 456 4910 Email: info@australiantimes.co.uk

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Former leader of the Australian Greens Bob Brown has been revealed as the new leader of global antiwhaling organisation Sea Shepherd in the aftermath of court action in the United States of America that has forced the resignation of the group’s founder Paul Watson.

Watson is currently wanted by the Japanese government, accused of unlawfully entering Japanese whaling vessels and causing criminal damage to private property. Interpol have issued a ‘red notice’ regarding Watson at the behest of the Japanese authorities, requiring member nations to apprehend the former Sea Shepherd president if he is discovered within their jurisdiction.

Following the imposition of a restraining order by a US court that prevents Watson and the Sea Shepherd organisation from coming within 450 yards of Japanese whaling vessels, Watson made a statement announcing his resignation as president of the activist group that he founded 35 years ago as well as his captaincy of anti-whaling ship The Steve Irwin.

Watson, 62, stated: “As a US citizen, I will respect and comply with the ruling of the US 9th District Court and will not violate the temporary injunction granted to the Institute for Cetacean Research.”

Dr Brown resigned from his role as leader of the Australian Greens last year after a twenty year career in both state and federal parliament.

Brown’s period as leader of the Greens saw the party’s popularity rise to 13.9% of the primary vote in the 2010 federal election. He was the first openly homosexual member of the Australian Senate, and was iconic in Australian politics as an advocate of human rights and environmentalism.

Brown will run the Sea Shepherd organisation in cooperation with the group’s Australian manager Jeff

Your Say On: Bob Brown to spearhead Sea Shepherd’s antiwhaling campaign

Bob Brown – honoured as Australian “humanist”. Hope he maintains his reputation by not engaging in the seriously dangerous and violent attacks against whalers.

Joseph

On: Debate should focus on work incentives, not welfare increases

?

What’s your view

against whaling and has received vocal support from a range of prominent figures, from British pop star Leona Lewis to surfing icon Kelly Slater. Late film star Heath Ledger directed a music video clip shortly before his death in 2008 that protested whaling and helped raise funds to support the Sea Shepherd organisation’s environmental campaigns.

Brown has experience in running a non-profit environmental organisation, having founded the Australian Bush Heritage Fund in 1990 before entering political office.

He was awarded Australian Peace Prize in 2009 and was honoured as Australian Humanist of the Year the following year. He currently resides in Hobart with his long-term partner, farmer and activist Paul Thomas.

and whose businesses are greatly supported by government spending aren’t disparaged in the same way.

The truth is, we just like picking on the poor because it makes us feel superior.

On: Tough Mudder vs Heathrow Injection: Are you up for the challenge?

Udi

On: Two princesses, one Gold Coast: Mariah Carey and Zara Phillips

Zara is just wonderful! Saw her interview on TV, she is so downto-earth and honest , what a breath of fresh air. It’s great to have her here on the Gold Coast! Kudos to Jerry Harvey for getting her here.

Elena

Not all those living off the teat of the Government are labelled as dole bludgers. The middle class families getting family tax benefits and health insurance subsidies and the rich who get huge incentives and tax breaks

Every day on …

Hansen, and rejects suggestions that he will serve as a figurehead while Paul Watson would retain power over the group behind the scenes.

Brown said: “He’s behind the scenes, but he’s not in charge of the operation. I’ll be every day working, as will Jeff, working with the Sea Shepherd fleet under the authority of Sea Shepherd Australia, to make sure this mission is successful.’’

Japan’s Institute of Cetacean Research, who won an injunction against Sea Shepherd through the American court system, have branded the organisation eco-terrorists for their extreme methods of preventing the practice of whaling in the Pacific Ocean and Antarctic region.

Under Watson’s leadership the group have been accused of being involved in maritime crimes ranging from piracy to inciting violence against those engaged in whaling or other practices that contradict Sea Shepherd’s environmentalist charter.

Sea Shepherd has attained notoriety as the global leader in the fight

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What have I signed up for? I know my fate. From now on I must always take the climbers side of the escalators at tube stations. Readers, please do join our team. Evidently one needs people to throw them over half pipes...we are lacking in numbers to achieve this.

Zoey

On: Neighbours star Ryan ‘Toadfish’ Moloney on UK Celebrity Big Brother Has he even ever left Ramsay Street before? Going overseas is a huge step for Toadfish.

On: Dominant strain of norovirus vomiting bug came from Australia

Makes you proud to be Australian

Paul

Marc

Share your comments on these and more stories online: AustralianTimes.co.uk

News | 3

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Call for new gun buy-back scheme ...continued from p1 said the use of firearms for illegal activity was likely due to the illegal importation of the weapons.

“These people ... don’t have legally obtained firearms. They’ve had firearms brought in through the borders.”

Those opposed to a buy-back scheme for handguns have said the use of such weapons is already heavily regulated. Owners are required to be registered and to regularly attend a shooting range in order to be allowed to possess a handgun.

Greens firearms spokeswoman Lee Rhiannon says that the community needs to work towards systematically reducing the number of guns in the community.

“These guns are very easy to find,

they’re moving into the illegal market and as a result there’s increasing numbers of shootings,” she said. “It’s urgent we get a ban in automatic pistols.”

Prof Alpers said the 1996-97 buyback was a spectacular success and afterwards the risk of dying by gunshot halved.

The Australian Institute of Criminology homicide study shows gun murders have steadily declined from the late 1980s and now are far outnumbered by murders with knives.

Most gun deaths were from suicides and incidents of domestic violence, Prof Alpers said.

Only time would tell whether the increasing number of guns made Australia less safe.

“It may be a problem, it may be a serious one, it may not be too bad, but we have yet to see,” he said.

-AAP

Gillard sets terms of child abuse commission PRIME Minister Julia Gillard says a six-member royal commission will ensure the voices of child sexual abuse victims are heard and adults no longer turn a blind eye to such shocking crimes.

Ms Gillard has announced the appointment of NSW Supreme Court judge Peter McClellan to head the inquiry into institutional responses to child sexual abuse.

The commission will be expected to provide an interim report by the end of June 2014 and will wind up in December 2015.

However, child advocates say it could take much longer given the complexity of the problem.

“Today is the day that we start to create a future where people who perpetrate child sexual abuse cannot hide in institutions, where we work

...continued from p1

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Dr Leigh said it was “the very nature of the beast” that revenues from a profits-based tax would be volatile.

Senator Fifield said the coalition would still abolish the tax should it win government.

“Even though so far it looks as though the mining companies haven’t had to pay significant amounts of tax ... there still has been the damage to the economy on the issue of sovereign risk.”

However, with the release of the latest figures, the coalition may have a more difficult fight to gain power than was predicted in 2012.

Ms Gillard gained two percentage points against Mr Abbott as preferred prime minister and leads 45 to 33 per cent.

She has a satisfaction rating of 38 (up two) and a dissatisfaction rating of 49 (down three) while Mr Abbott’s ratings were 29 (up one) and 58 (down one).

The Australian said the shift comes as Ms Gillard vows to press ahead with school funding and disability insurance reforms after Treasurer Wayne Swan dropped Labor’s promise to deliver a budget surplus this year.

While Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has been on leave or working with his volunteer fire brigade north of Sydney, Ms Gillard toured bushfire-affected areas and announced a royal commission into child sexual abuse. AAP

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Milroy and former West Australian senator Andrew Murray.

The commission will look at victim redress measures, child protection systems and flaws in the reporting of abuse as well as canvass the experiences of authorities and victims.

The terms of reference give the commission the ability to set up a special investigative unit to help look into past cases, but the decision to do so will be up to the commissioners.

Catholic church spokesman Francis Sullivan said the church would co-operate.

“It is essential that the commission’s process contribute to the healing of the victims, and that institutions develop best-practice processes to address child sexual abuse,” he said.

“The church stands ready and willing to assist.”- AAP

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Labor’s support on the rise Labor has recorded a jump in support shows the first Newspoll of 2013 published in The Australian newspaper, although the resurgence appears to have come at a cost to the Greens and the Coalition.

Labor’s support has risen six points to 38 per cent while the Coalition has dropped just two points to 44 per cent since the previous poll in December.

The Greens retreated two points to nine per cent as did the amalgamation of other smaller parties.

Despite the big recovery in its primary vote there were only marginal changes in personal satisfaction ratings for Julia Gillard as prime minister.

The Coalition retains a slender lead on a two-party-preferred basis, 51 to 49 per cent, but has lost three percentage points to return to the neck-and-neck position that produced a hung parliament at the 2010 election.

Opposition frontbencher Mitch Fifield said it was “complete garbage” to say revenue writedowns were the sole reason for the continuing deficit.

“They’re big spenders, they’re big taxers, they’re not living within their means,” he said.

Finance Minister Penny Wong said economists from across the spectrum had roundly agreed the government made the right call in not pursuing more spending cuts to achieve a surplus.

“But unsurprisingly, the government has been subjected to some criticism for this decision,” she wrote on The Drum website.

Adding to the government’s revenue problems is the lack of mining tax receipts.

Mining giants BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Xstrata reportedly won’t make any second quarter payments under the minerals resource rent, which the government forecast to raise $2 billion in 2012/13.

The tax failed to raise any revenue

together to find a better way of keeping our children safe,” Ms Gillard said.

The prime minister said the trauma of abuse over many decades had compounded a sense among victims that “their nation doesn’t understand or doesn’t care about what they’ve suffered”.

“To those survivors of child sex abuse, today we are able to say we want your voice to be heard, even if you’ve felt for all of your life that no one’s listened to you, that no one has taken you seriously, that no one has really cared,” Ms Gillard said.

Assisting Justice McClellan will be former Queensland police commissioner Bob Atkinson, former Victorian president of the Children’s Court Justice Jennifer Coate, Productivity Commissioner Robert Fitzgerald, consultant psychiatrist Professor Helen

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4 | Entertainment

15 - 21 January 2013

n o d n o L in Y A D IA L A R T S U A Australia Day in London does not have to mean Snakebites at the Walkabout (although see next week for our list of the best pub parties on around town). There are a number of excellent Australia Day events happening over the Australia Day weekend where you can don the black tie instead of the green and gold and wave the Australian flag metaphorically, instead of literally wearing it as a pair of shorts or hat.

We bring you a list of the best alternative, unusual or sophisticated (whatever your style) activities for the Australia Day weekend celebrations.

Bogan Bingo, this Australia Day event, complete with a ‘Kerrigan Chic’ dress code, will be one to remember.

Early bird tickets are £8 and will include door prizes, best dressed competition and an after party at The Distillers Pub. When: 3pm 26 January 2013 Where: Riverside Studios, Crisp Road, Hammersmith, London W6 9RL How much: £8 from Facebook.com/ boganbingouk

The Castle Quote Along @ Riverside Studios

No, you’re not dreamin’ – the Kerrigan clan is back in all their big screen glory at London Australian Film Society’s screening of Aussie classic The Castle.

Hosted by LAFS, together with FilmFest Australia and the boys from

Australian movie marathon @ Jetlag Bar

Jetlag Bar is going all out for Australia Day. As well as hosting a live music event that will kick on into the night (see next week), they’re also helping us ease into the day with an Australian movie marathon starting from 1pm in the Lotus Lounge.

With movie snacks from ‘down

under’, viewers can kick back and relax through an epic line up of The Castle at 1pm, Strictly Ballroom at 3pm, Muriel’s Wedding at 5pm and Adventures of Priscilla – Queen of the Desert at 7pm.

When: From 1pm 26 January Where: Jetlag Bar, 125 Cleveland Street, London, W1T 6QB How much: Free entry until 9pm

Sunday in the Apartment @ Australia House Having recently celebrated two years of showcasing the best and brightest established and emerging Australian talent in the UK, the quarterly event Sunday in the Apartment is now welcoming back its favourite performers for a special Australia Day celebration, supported by Australian Times.

On Sunday 27 January 2013 from 3pm – 6pm Australia House will play host to a wealth of Australian talent, who will entertain guests with a variety of musical styles and creative acts. Usually held in the cosy Apartment in Kettners in busy Soho, Sunday in the Apartment will become, for this special event, Sunday in Australia House.

Tickets are £40 for Australian Business Members or £50 for Guests.

The ticket includes the show itself as well as a drinks reception beforehand with Australian wine and beer.

When: 3pm-6pm 27 January Where: Australia House How much: £40 for members, £50 for guests from AustralianBusiness.co.uk

Australia Day Comedy Carnival @ Clapham Grand Give your laughing gear a workout with Australian Times and The Comedy Carnival at our very special Australia Day shindig.

Catch Australian Comedian of the Year, Big Colin Cole. Joining him is Brisbane’s rising star of the UK comedy scene, Benny Boot, who recently appeared on Dave’s One Night Stand after achieving critical for his Edinburgh Festival show, Set Up, Punchline, Pause For Laughter.

Also on the bill is Melbourne’s Pete Jonas who has achieved wide acclaim in the UK with his show Brokeback Britain, which was about moving here and discovering that it is a bit crap.

The illustrious MC for the night is hilarious Queenslander Andrew Roper.

Tickets are selling fast!

When: Doors 7pm Where: The Clapham Grand, SW11 1TT How much: £14 in advance from ComedyCarnival.co.uk/Australia-Day Next week, grab the very special ‘Green & Gold’ bumper Australia Day edition for details on all the best London bars and parties for celebrating.

Entertainment | 5

AustralianTimes.co.uk

‘Life, Oh, Life’: Festival of the Spoken Nerd @ Bloomsbury Theatre

Secret London

n Last

week, readers were treated to the first five of London’s Top 10 best-kept secrets – until now. GEORGE KATRALIS n A comedy night for the insatiably sci- is back to give you the next five on his list of curious, stand-up Aussie mathematician this city’s hidden sights and secret delights.

Matt Parker, geek songstress Helen age of jazz through to some more Arney and TV experiments guy Steve current classics.

See www.barnightjar.com Mould explore who we are and where we come from in ‘Life, Oh Life’ at the Bloomsbury Theatre in London.

FESTIVAL of the Spoken Nerd bills itself as a comedy night for the insatiably sci-curious – mixing science, comedy, maths, music and unashamed geekery together in one interactive and highly entertaining evening. All the fun of a stand-up comedy show, but with the added bonus of stimulating brain cells you thought had long been left behind in high school biology class.

It’s an intimate, experimental gig that straddles the worlds of comedy and science, combining science experiments with songs, stand-up and interactive audience tasks in a format that has proved immensely popular across the UK. The trio, stand-up mathematician Matt Parker, geek songstress Helen Arney and TV experiments guy Steve Mould, performed to sold out shows throughout 2012, featuring at all the major Science Festivals in 2012, a TED.com Salon talk, their first UK tour and a 9-night Edinburgh Fringe run.

Australian Matt Parker, the maths guy, is an award-winning comedian who has worked for the Royal Institution, the BBC and various educational bodies “to make more people more excited about maths”. With an enthusiasm that matches my Year 12 maths teacher (but with more success), Matt now

‘Life, Oh, Life’: Festival of the Spoken Nerd is playing at Bloomsbury Theatre on 21 and 22 January 2013. Tickets are £14. See festivalofthespokennerd.com for more information.

HOW TRUE BLUE ARE YOU? 26th January 2013

Evans and Peel Detective Agency

It doesn’t get more hidden then this.

A throw back to the 1920s prohibition speakeasy, on the outside Evans and Peel is nothing more then a door in a side street of Earl’s Court.

But don’t be fooled.

After making an ‘appointment’ to see the detectives you are escorted down a narrow flight of stairs to an old style detective agency, where a very art deco-clad secretary reviews your case and decides if the detective will accept it or not.

Upon acceptance, you are given a file and walked through a door concealed within a bookshelf. Before you know it you’re seated in a dark bar with orange down lights, the faint smell of leather and whisky, deep under the streets of South West London.

Go on, make an appointment. www.evansandpeel.com

AUSTRALIA DAY Aussie Icon Party

10.00am Till 2.00am.

-£5 Entry (All proceeds go to the Australian Bush Fires Appeal) -Door Prizes.

-Aussie Breakfast (Available All Day).

-£50 Bar Tab For Best Dressed Icon.

-Bogan Bingo from 10.30 till 11.30.

Night Jar

Let’s keep with speakeasy for a moment, but this time add an element of jazz!

Hidden beneath City Road in East London is Night Jar. Known for its cocktails with a good mix of preprohibition and modern staples, this venue is only made better by its great taste in live music from the golden

WWW.THEUNDERDOGBAR.COM Leake Street, The Old Vic Tunnels

Rolf Harris 8 February @ Royal Festival Hall Southbank Centre Wolfe Bowart’s Letter’s End 24-27 February @ Southbank Centre The Australian Pink Floyd Show 25 February @ London 02 Arena

Olivia Newton-John 13 March @ Royal Albert Hall

Brook’s Counter and Table writes regularly for the Guardian about all things maths, and is based in the mathematics department at Queen Mary, University of London.

Matt also appears regularly on BBC Radio4’s Infinite Monkey Cage, and will be appearing in this winter’s Discovery Channel popular science series “You Have Been Warned”, and James May’s “Things You Need To Know”.

Together, with Helen Arney and Steve Mould, they have put together a show that is not to be missed for all those who love science, or love comedy, or who are just curious to see how the two can work together.

Flume 24 January @ XOYO

The Rubens 27 February @ Scala

When I left you last we explored some music, film and food. Let’s roll on to part two and see where life takes us.

With a daily changing menu of fresh food and drinks, coupled with a window choc full of pastries, cakes and slices that will grab the attention of anyone with a sweet tooth (hence why I took note) this café/deli in Brook Green is a must for anyone who likes that homely feel in a big city.

Be sure to try their chocolate brownies if you see one as you pass.

See www.counterandtable.com.

What’s On

Tommy Emmanuel 16 March @ Shepherd’s Bush Empire Pam Ann 28-29 March @ Hammersmith Apollo

Ain’t Nothin’ But…

From jazz to the blues. Now, I have been to Chicago. I have seen the blues, I have played the blues, heck, I have had the blues! And let me tell you, ‘Ain’t nothin’ but’ is as good as it gets.

Inside the smallest of smallest bars you’ll ever see, hidden in Soho’s famous Kingly Street (the street where Paul McCartney met Linda Eastman) is the best blues outside of the US. It is often found with a long line outside due entirely to the fact that inside is so busy people literally can’t fit in. Please don’t let this turn you off - these walls hide some of the best housed blues you’ll ever hear. It’s worth the trip down, and the wait.

See www.aintnothinbut.co.uk.

Old Vic Tunnels:

Don’t be scared, but we’re going underground…literally.

The caverns below Waterloo Station have been home to many great events in recent years - be it in-house art events, movie nights, gigs, plays, talks or whatever takes their fancy.

The dark dingy atmosphere of being in the tunnels provides the perfect backdrop and fitting venue for any pop up event with a creative flair.

See www.oldvictunnels.com So, there we go. That wasn’t so hard now was it?

London can be scary, especially for the younger of us who are venturing out of our comfort zones for the first time.

The familiar brings a sense of closeness that we all need from time to time. But within fear, there is excitement, and London is definitely the place to find it.

Hopefully this list helps you find some new and cool stuff and provides a different perspective to the London we all know and love.

Tame Impala 25 June @ Hammersmith Apollo

For full details... ...and more Aussie gigs go to: AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment

See what we are following this week on

#katesportrait @Simonhinde That portrait is basically “how Kate might look at 50” as done by a newspaper picture desk on a tight deadline @JNRaeside Tiny spindly Kate Middleton now has the CHIN OF MAN. Why is this showing her “as she really is”. Does she doubt folk a lot? #chinnyreckon @Bernard_Lerring Nice of the royal artist to do a portrait of Sally Bercow with Kate Middleton’s hair. @ladymarmalady It does look like it’s missing a unicorn in the backround.

Props to her for wearing a pussy bow though. #favouritethingever @samueldjohnston Someone commented saying the portrait of Kate Middleton makes her look like Camilla#goodtimes @bigrichinnes You know how they say the camera adds 10 pounds?

Apparently royal portraits add 30 years

Follow us on Twitter @AustralianTimes

6 | UK Life

15 - 21 January 2013

Photo of the Week: Japanese snow monkey

“I spent last year living and working in Japan, teaching English.

At the same time I tried my best to fit in some travel wherever I could.

“I visited the Jigokudani monkey park in Nagano, famous for its lazy macaque monkeys. They have earned their lazy stripes relaxing in hot springs, passing the cold winter in their own little monkey heaven. It was amazing to see.

They are so used to human visitors they accept you into their troop, letting you get as close as you like. Maybe they are just too lazy to object.”

Do you have a picture you want to share?

Image and words provided by Australian Times reader James Martin.

For more of James’s images of Japan see picturesinjapan.wordpress.com.

Email editor@australiantimes.co.uk with your photos of life in London, the UK, Australia or from your travels, and we could feature it as Photo of the Week.

Hanging out in Hyde Park n Covering

350 arces in central London, our resident adventurer discovers #53 in the Timeout London Top 100 – Hyde Park – holds many delights for locals and visitors alike. bron in

the don BRONWYN SPENCER

It’s not surprising that a visit to London’s most central and famous park is in the Timeout London Top 100 at number 53. Even though there are plenty of commons, parks and heaths near where I live I often find myself making the trip into the city to visit the sprawling greenery of Hyde Park.

Of course, I’m not the only one.

Londoners and tourists alike while away their days wandering along the footpaths, watching people standing on their soapbox on speakers’ corner, visiting the Diana Memorial Fountain, or even picnicking in the rare London sun.

Some of the best times I’ve ever spent in Hyde Park have been for some of the major events in the last few years. I stood amongst about 100,000 other people as we drank champagne and waved our Union Jack flags to celebrate the marriage of Kate and Wills. And again this year I headed to the Park to pop the champagne and watch the Jubilee Celebrations on a big screen. Armed with picnic blankets, nibblies, and of course our Union Jack flags, we felt part of one of the biggest parties London has ever seen. The atmosphere when Londoners get

together to celebrate is second to none and these two events have been two of my favourite days in my time here.

It’s not just Royal Family business that draws me to Hyde Park. This summer I attended a mud pit of a music festival when I went to Wireless. As I walked through the slush in my Wellies it was hard to imagine that the scene of muddy devastation, litter and soundstage debris was really my beloved Hyde Park. Although the bonus of this festival was that it was a short ride home to a hot shower and a bed, unlike most other summer festivals where I have had to head back to a tent in a field.

Hyde Park also comes alive in the winter with its Winter Wonderland.

It is hard not to feel festive as you wander through the Christmas markets drinking mulled wine, or visit the restaurants that serve up three course Christmas dinners. With ice skating, sideshows, roller coasters and Ferris wheels temporarily making Hyde Park their home, it’s the perfect afternoon or evening for helping you to get in the Christmas spirit.

I could go on forever about what you can do in Hyde Park, and I probably wouldn’t even scratch the surface of what it’s got to offer. I’m sure that there will be many more visits and more to discover in this thriving hub, right in the middle of the city.

I am a chav SUBCULTURE SLEUTH > PAUL BLEAKLEY

It is difficult to ‘come out’ in such a public forum, but it feels good to get it off my chest after all this time. Before moving to London I did not even know what a chav was: I thought it was somewhat like we in Queensland would call a ‘bogan’ or my Sydney friends would refer to as a ‘westie’. It conjured up images of dodgy haircuts, bad teeth and violent hooliganism.

But what is a chav really? It is a relatively new term, with its first recorded use on an internet forum in the late 1990s. It is believed to have been derived from the Romani word chavvy, meaning ‘youth’, although an alternative explanation claims that it is an acronym for ‘council housed and violent’.

I feel a deep spiritual connection with my chavvy-London neighbours.

No, I am not what an Australian might call a ‘bogan’ and I am not exactly a ‘lad’ either. Despite this, I feel as though I made an almost immediate connection with these heavy drinking banterers with their matching Adidas tracksuits and inability to filter their bad language.

Call me ‘The Chav Whisperer’.

We have a lot in common. I enjoy spending my afternoons engaging in quality banter at a pub. I believe trainers are acceptable footwear in virtually any situation. I swear as a form of punctuation and have been known to say ‘phwoar’ if a goodlooking girl walked by. I firmly believe that Plan B is an artistic genius. Hell,

Tulisa is number one on my top 5 fanciable celebrities list (don’t scoff, you know you all have a list!)

It’s undeniable that I have gone native. I am a chav.

I found myself lost and wandering around a North London council estate recently, when I came across a group of young chavs loitering at the end of an alleyway. Admittedly not the best situation to find myself in, I intended to leave them to their business and continue my aimless journey.

“Oi bruv, you lost innit?” yelled one of the boys as a walked by. Indeed I was, I told them, and did they know where I could find Highgate Cemetery? Not only did they point me in the right direction, I received a guided escort through the estate because it was a shortcut. I wasn’t mugged, or the victim of a random act of violence.

I was just pointed in the right direction, innit?

Paul’s survey of UK subcultures continues next week when he tries to hang with the Hipsters.

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Food & Wine | 7

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Coffee Cult visits: nSupper Club at Lantana Cafe Nude Espresso Nude Espresso has two locations – Brick Lane and Soho Square. A more indepth reviewer would have visited both to compare how the different character of the areas may have influenced the everyday operation of a single concept in terms of produce, style and clientele.

As it were, it was breakfast, Coffee Cult was hungry, and we made it only as far as the East End branch, because, well, it’s closest. In the spirit of anthropology however, we did make pre-generalizations about the possible influence of Nude’s proximity to the vintage markets, quirky bric-a-bac shops, hipster pop-ups and graffitied alleys of Brick Lane, and prepared ourselves for knitted trilbies, ironic eyewear and goji berries.

The Craic Boy was our judgmental face red when the whole Nude Espresso experience felt instead like receiving a warm hug from a relative, set to a soundtrack of Dire Straits. A New Zealand relative albeit, as Nude is New Zealand owned, but a comforting and familiar embrace nonetheless.

There are touches of the East influence, in the arty wall decals of trees, and the prominent Twitter handle decorating the otherwise warm minimalist space. So too does the espresso machine have a vintage tinge, although the artistically laid piles of generous muffins, brownies, banana bread and packed-full sandwiches lying next to it feel decidedly like home.

The big square table up the back, which stands out from the otherwise two-bytwos crowding the floor, is full on our visit with a recently reunited Antipodean family. The new London resident, keen to show his visitors his local (“look Ma and Pa – this is where I get my coffee, just like they make it at home”), sharing his stories over piled high plates of eggs and extras whilst planning where to go next to impress the folks. It’s a place of familiarity, of easing family into London life; or of casual lunches with friends and morning after breakfasts.

The Crucials The coffee is excellent. Insisting on one size only, as coffee connoisseurs are want to do, requires me to order two, but they’re both artfully decorated and properly roasted.

The food is equally delicious, and all very reasonably priced.

Branching out from my usual poached eggs, I am rewarded with a piece of toasted brioche piled high with creamy scrambled eggs, and deliciously sautéed Portobello mushrooms.

I’m doubly rewarded when my friend says her poached eggs were a little on the vinegary side (of course, I gloat privately, with my head buried in my food), but the generous helping she received of halloumi, spinach, mushroom and tomato helps her smooth over that hiccup.

The Connection Ok, it’s time to admit it, Nude Espresso is New Zealand owned.

Kiwi Richard Reed started with the East End cafe in 2008, with a focus on sourcing their own beans, roasting on-site and ensuring the baristas are properly and comprehensively trained, including in the fine art of rosetta design (previous readers would be aware of Coffee Cult’s appreciation of a delicately drawn coffee leaf).

Australia and Australians can legitimately claim no credit it for it whatsoever, besides the generous contributions we might make to the profits by regularly returning for another caffeine fix and truffled eggs.

The Conclusion If your family and friends are anything like ours, and try to lure you home with false claims of superior coffee Down Under, just take them to Nude Espresso next time they come to visit.

Satisfyingly caffeinated, and with a full belly, it may well be you trying to get them to go home as planned, rather than the other way around.

Nude Espresso, Brick Lane 26 Hanbury Street, London E1 6QR

Super soup chris’s

kitchen

> CHRIS ARKadieff

I love this versatile ingredient, it can be used in risottos, ravioli, salads and tasty purees. This week’s recipe however for soup is just right for the January chill and brings you the best of hearty winter warming combined with an Asian twist.

What you need

• 2 large squash peeled and diced • 1 onion diced • 80g peeled fresh ginger • 2 tsp of turmeric

• 2 sticks lemon grass roughly chopped • 2 lime leaves • 4 cloves of garlic • 2 tablespoons green curry paste • 2 lts coconut milk • 100g caster sugar • 500ml of cold water • 2 tsp roasted pumpkin seeds • 3 tsp of roasted diced pancetta

What to do

• Peel and dice squash into small pieces, removing the seeds and placing them to one side to use later.

• In a blender add the onion, ginger, lemon grass lime leaves, garlic, turmeric and curry paste and blitz

REVIEW | Well known for its excellent coffee and convivial hospitality, Lantana is already a stalwart favourite amongst the London Aussie expat crowd. However, as PADDY MCCRAE discovers, there is now another reason to add it to your list of regular haunts – the sublime ‘shin dig’ offered at their bi-weekly ‘Supper Club’. The delights of a dinner party, without any of the work.

I discovered Lantana a while ago when a British friend took me there to escape a wintry London afternoon. He was raving about how good it was and after we sat down and got a coffee I had to admit – he was right. Inviting, tasteful, with great service and even better coffee, it felt, what’s the word … Australian.

Turns out, it is. And not only do they run a cracking little café during the day, but they’ve branched out in an effort to keep their chefs interested and open up once a month as a sort of restaurant-cum-dinner party. They call it Supper Club.

I went to the last one not quite sure what to expect. I was glad to find that my favourite things about Lantana remained pretty much unchanged – service that’s friendly without being stuffy, a homely rustic charm and bloody good grub.

However, it wasn’t all the same.

My girlfriend and I, both semiregulars, noticed differences as soon as we stepped in the door. It was more intimate, more atmospheric, and there was a sense that we were at an event.

Everyone was there for the one thing and for the one (set) menu. Rather than latte-sipping Londoners dashing in and out between meetings and shopping, work was done for the day and it was time to relax into the evening.

On arrival, we were offered a glass of Prosecco as we were shown to our table. It was a six-seater, and we were sharing with a group of three.

First course was roasted butternut and apple soup, which was unexpected and warming. It had a slightly spicy kick, which was appropriate for the temperature outside, and was satisfying without destroying my appetite.

Main course was the true surprise.

A 48 hour roasted shin of beef. That’s right, 48 hours. It was bought out on a communal dish and placed in the centre of our shared table, which meant that we had to negotiate cutting duties with into a paste.

• Fry the paste in a little oil before adding the water.

• Bring the pan to a boil then add the squash and sugar. Cover with cling film and cook for about 1 hour or until soft.

• Add the coconut milk and bring to a slow boil.

• Place the leftover butternut seeds in the oven and allow them to dry out and crisp slightly. Dust the seeds in a little ground cumin and paprika.

• Gently pan-fry the pancetta pieces until crisp. Put to one side, removing excess oil with kitchen roll.

• Place the soup into a food processor and blend until smooth.

• Serve warm and garnish the soup with the pancetta and spiced squash seeds.

our fellow diners. This could have been difficult, even awkward, as everyone worked out each other’s manners and the size of their stomachs, but it turned out to be a great way of getting us all talking. Up to that point we’d been two separate parties. As soon as the roast came out, we were yakking away like old mates.

The roast itself was exceptional. The quality of the cut combined with the sheer time of roasting meant it fell away as you prodded it with your knife. It was hearty, tender, and cooked to perfection.

Supporting the small mountain of meat were three well-matched, seasonal sides; artichoke, hazelnut and goats cheese salad (creamy but light), roast potatoes with salsa verde (golden) and lentil, sprout and bacon salad (tangy and refreshing), leaving us with ample food to share.

We opted to go with the chef’s recommendation on wine, which was the Beaujolais from Burgundy. It sat well with the food; it didn’t try to compete, but instead complemented the strength of the beef with a robust and earthy character.

Desert was a sticky toffee pudding, which was pretty much as expected.

Sweet, delicious, and served with cream. Of course we followed it with coffee (would anyone seriously choose tea?) and were more than satisfied.

The whole event reminded me of a dinner party from a Richard Curtis film. Maybe the one in Notting Hill, or something out of Love, Actually. Like a Christmas meal back at home, without the politics of the in-laws and the washing up. Oh, and better food too.

Price per head is £30, and includes three set courses, a glass of wine on arrival and a coffee. Extra wine will add between £4 and £6 for a glass, or £18 - £23 for the bottle. Value for money? I’d say excellent.

Remember that people aren’t coming off the street, breezing in and out while stressed waiters clear tables. Patrons (or,

more accurately, guests) are there for the duration. The conversation flows, the wine list is intelligent and reasonable and the steady stream of mouth-watering dishes coming up the stairs from the galley below is almost flawless.

Back out in wintry London, after a few decent hours of good food and fine company, I found myself swept up in the atmosphere of expat Australian hospitality at its best and hoping this was not my last Supper Club.

Lantana hosts Supper Club every second Thursday night restarting in spring. To book a table or find out the menu for the next Supper Club email manager@lantanacafe.co.uk.

Spiced butternut soup

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travel

8 | Travel

15 - 21 January 2013

tting This week we’re pu

India

on the map

a train to the coast, and I decide to combine transport with sightseeing by taking a boat ride to town. For about £1 I enjoy the serene domestic scenes of the lush region from the ferry, a trip that would cost at least 20 times as much on a private boat organized through one of the Allepey travel agents. From here it’s a scenic 2 hour rail journey to the popular clifftop beach town of Varkala.

n Leaving

Tamil Nadu in her wake, JENNIFER PERKIN crosses over into Rewarding retreat at the cusp of the rainy Kerala, and discovers why locals call it Arriving and tourist seasons I am treated to diminished crowds and overall ‘God’s Own Country’. favorable weather, staying at Keralans are the Kiwis of India.

You won’t be in the state for five minutes before somebody tells you that you’re in ‘God’s Own Country’, a slogan that the natives have adopted, and employ enthusiastically.

And like the Kiwis, you can’t really fault them for it, as their homeland really is pretty spectacular. Lush and tropical with brochure-friendly beaches, the state is known for having the highest literacy and life expectancy in India. This is the India of honeymoons, yoga retreats and houseboat cruises, far from the pollution, chaos and masses. The landscape becomes greener, denser and cleaner as you cross over from Tamil Nadu, and the air is thicker, the roadside tea stronger.

Nature embrace

I am traveling with the help of Hotels Under 100, who have arranged a selection of their bargain boutique hotels across the state taking in many highlights and culminating in the city of Cochin. The first stop is Shalimar Spice Garden, located just inside the Keralan border in Thekaddy, at the edges of the PERIYAR NATIONAL PARK. There’s a tropical, Bali-esque feel here as the tasteful cabins fight against the

ever encroaching spice gardens that make up the resort grounds.

The Periyar National Park is a Tiger Reserve with strictly controlled entry but my guide Saresh tells me that at most if I’m lucky I will see bison, deer or elephant. As it turns out I have to make do with warthogs, a mongoose and lots of leeches, which we combat with knee – high leech guards and tobacco powder. Tigers or not, however, it is a stunning park.

boutique B and B Kaiya House. The 5-room property is run by American Debra, who has an impeccable eye for design and style (each room is carefully decorated to a different country theme) and treats guests like a visiting friend. With her help I enjoy an insider view of VARKALA, a unique mix of small town meets sun-seeking hippies, where you can witness traditional life AND enjoy a decent espresso. Kaiya House is the ideal base and retreat for Varkala, and highlights of my visit include a predawn beachside walk, followed by a rooftop breakfast of my choosing and a clandestine visit to the temple elephant to feed her bananas.

Venice of the East

From here it’s a half-day journey to the famed Kerala ‘backwater’ system of canals and rivers, passing through gorgeous tea country and culminating in a short boat ride to my next stay – The Emerald Isle villa near the town of ALLEPEY. The family owned property is a beautifully converted mill with just five rooms, and with (incredible) home cooked meals and personal service it has a home stay feel. One of the highlights is exploring the local area by foot and witnessing everyday life on the waterways. On one of my strolls on the maze-like connection of walkways and bridge I start chatting to 12 year old Elizabeth and her younger brother, who are fishing, and they invite me into their home for sliced banana and a chat.

I need to get to Allepey to catch

Cooking in Kollam

I’m even further from the madding crowds at my next stop just a 15 minute rickshaw drive away, the Fragrant Nature resort in the backwater area of KOLLAM. This hotel is fully blown tropical

resort luxury, complete with idyllic lakeside location. Besides enjoying the benefits of soaking up the rays on secluded private property, I also exercise my tastebuds by signing up for the Keralan cooking course.

Being a fancy kind of place, I am pleasantly surprised at the authenticity of the course which is led by the Fragrant Nature chef but held at the simple home of one of the grounds staff. While you may be familiar with the dahls, jalfrezis and biryanis of the North, in the South - and particularly in Kerala - pretty much every meal involves a new experience for your tastebuds. The day began with a trip to the local market, the expected cornucopia of colorful fruit and veg, where we pick up fresh supplies and fish – a staple of the Kerala diet. My Chef tells me: “A Keralan woman doesn’t consider it a real meal unless there is fish”, sharply contrasting to the largely vegetarian North.

Within half an hour the ingredients have been transformed into a Keralan feast – including fish curry, spiced yam, a shredded coconut and veg dish called thoran and even a chutney made from scratch. Time will tell if my versions will taste the same back at home.

Getting used to gluttony The gluttony continues at Beach Symphony, my resort located at an isolated spot called MARARI BEACH, one hour south of the city of Cochin. Against the faint sound of waves I am led to my romantically lit, spectacularly furnished bungalow.

There’s a personal espresso machine in the room, a private pool out the back, and I can tell just by looking at it that the statue on my bedside table is worth more than my life savings.

Chef Beepu comes round to say hello, asks me how I’d like my fish, and gestures to the prepared table on my personal veranda. All meals are to be served to my room and eaten al fresco, and there’s not another soul in site. This, I think to myself, is how the other half live.

The next day in daylight I discover that the property – comprising 4 very private bungalows and an outdoor pool– backs onto a beautiful stretch of beach used by sunbathers and fisherman alike. Although activities can be arranged here – renting a bike proves a very pleasant way to explore the area – the whole point of the place

KERALA A long thin sliver on the south western coast of the sub continent, Kerala is bordered by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Over 32 million people live in the state and the national language is Malayalam. I visited early to mid September.

TRANSPORT I travelled using public transport; a combination of bus, train and rickshaw, to keep costs down. While it’s safe and dirt cheap to travel this way in Kerala, it can be a headache at times with changes and connections, so the majority of foreign visitors hire a car and driver for ease and convenience.

HOTEL My accommodation was organised by Hotels Under 100, who offer a selection of unique luxury properties all at under £100 for 2 sharing (and most well under £100).

In Kerala I stayed in: • Shalimar Spice Garden, Periyar • Emerald Isle, Backwaters near Allepey • Kaiya House, Varkala • Fragrant Nature, Kollam • A Beach Symphony, Marari Beach • Periyar River Lodge, Anakkayam • Tissa’s Inn, Cochin All of the hotels mentioned can be booked at www.hotelsunder100.co.uk.

The website also features hotels in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Zambia.

Travel | 9

AustralianTimes.co.uk

is to relax, and in style. The European couple behind the property, Christell and Jan, are clearly perfectionists, and Jan enthusiastically showed me two more exquisite properties they are developing in the region. Beach Symphony is the clear winner in the ‘Honeymoon’ category, however restless souls beware: there’s little in the way of things to do.

The way of Walden

Reluctantly leaving behind the idyll, things get a bit Walden as I head to a cabin in the woods called Periyar River Lodge. The lodge has just two rooms, no TV and no internet; entertainment options involve swimming in the river, a wildlifespotting canoe trip and a visit to the nearby Thattekad Bird Sanctuary.

Still, the best activity here is sitting on the swing bench on the porch and

watching the sunset over the stunning scene, while enjoying the abundant hospitality of the host Luigi. Oh, and the mango curry here remains a culinary highlight of Kerala.

One last rickety bus ride takes me to my last destination, and a completely different world. COCHIN is a sprawling port city with a colorful past – having been historically settled by the Portuguese, Dutch, French and Brits, a distinct cosmopolitan streak remains to this day. As far as cities is India go, this is great one to hang out in, and staying at the immaculate Tissa’s Inn hotel, located in the best part of what can seem a bafflingly spread out city, is the best way to enjoy it. The joys of Cochin are very modern – fantastic antique and clothes shopping, great fusion food, arty cafés – but as a way of easing myself back into urban life I find it the perfect ending place.

Just as I’m gearing to leave the tourists are starting to arrive – in a week’s time the hotel prices will be doubled and the café’s full. But I’m grateful to have had God’s Own Country as my own country.

For Jennifer’s guide to Tamil Nadu see the Travel section of 18 December 2012, or visit AustralinTimes.co.uk/travel.

ST PATRICKS DAY Included: • Return coach from London • City centre hostel accommodation • Breakfast • Pub crawl • City walking tour • Guinness storehouse tour • St Patricks Day parade • Gift bag

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10 | Jobs & Money

15 - 21 January 2013

Kickstart 2013 with Ruby Dollar Review UK networking breakfast Aussie Dollar rises on stronger Asian shares n Ruby UK wants to help you kick-start a

happy and successful 2013 with a healthy ‘tasting tour’ of Whole Foods Market Camden.

A great opportunity to meet other professional women in London over coffee and breakfast.

Tickets for the 30 January event are £5 and available through the Ruby UK network.

RUBY UK, an extension of the successful Ruby Connection in Australia, is a network for professional women in the UK, with an Antipodean flair. It offers a platform for women to get together at fun and interesting events to exchange ideas, share knowledge and be inspired.

Hoping to help kick-start a successful and happy 2013 for women in London, Ruby UK is hosting a private breakfast tasting tour through Whole Foods Market in Camden on 30 January 2013.

Attendees will get to sample delights from the breakfast bar and juice bar, peruse the beauty bar, before receiving healthy eating specialist advice and a Goodie Bag. After the ‘tasting tour’, attendees will have the opportunity to share coffee and croissants at Yumchaa Tea Shop next door. Special guest, wellness writer Polly Noble, will share insights into maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Polly is a certified health coach helping people to eat and live consciously so that they can live a life they love. A regular contributor to health magazines, wellness websites and BBC Radio, Polly Noble is also a young cancer survivor.

Having had cancer twice before the age of 28, Polly was forced to evaluate her life and is keen to share what she learnt on her journey.

Ruby UK regularly hosts similar

events for professional women to meet with other fellow members of the network. The network was officially launched in June 2012 by Larke Riemer, Director of Westpac Women’s Markets – Australia, who is recognised globally for her contribution to empowering women.

The Ruby UK Board is made up of representatives from Westpac, Robert Walters, Julia Ross, Hays, the Government of South Australia, HiFx, BDO, Aussiepreneurs and Australian Business.

By Saskia Johnston THE Australian Dollar began trading last week around the 1.5331 mark against the British Pound and 0.9539 to the US Dollar. The Aussie weakened marginally until Friday and then strengthened throughout the weekend to open this week on 1.5253 to the British Pound and 0.9460 to the US Dollar.

The strength in the Australian Dollar is in part attributable to rises on Chinese stock which boosted demand for riskier assets. Australia is highly reliant on Chinese demand as one of its primary export destinations and as such their currency pairs are highly correlated. Domestically, the strength in the Australian Dollar has been confounded by the Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to cut its benchmark lending rate to 3% earlier in the month.

Looking at the week ahead; Chinese GDP data for the fourth quarter is due to be released on Friday along with figures for industrial production,

retail sales and fixed asset investment.

Investors will also be looking at the speech by US Federal Reserve head Ben Bernanke on Monday for any clues to changes in the existing quantitative easing program.

We can also expect an abundance of economic data this week from the United States including retail sales, the Empire State Manufacturing Index, CPI data due on Wednesday and consumer confidence survey due at the end of the week.

“I think this week you might get a break upwards in the Aussie,” said Joseph Capurso, a currency strategist in Sydney at the Commonwealth Bank, “Sentiment is certainly improving.”

Exchange rates GBP/AUD: 1.525 EUR/AUD: 1.264 USD/AUD: 1.055 NZD/AUD: 1.256 08:05 GMT, 14 January 2013

Note: The above exchange rates are based on “interbank” rates. If you want to transfer money to or from Australia then please register/login on our website, or call us on 0808 141 2335 for a live dealing rate. Make use of a Rate Notifier to send you alert when the Australian exchange rate reaches levels you are looking for.

New Year, New You is hosted by Ruby UK on 30 January 2013 from 8am – 9.30am. Tickets are £5 and available through rubyuk.eventbrite.co.uk.

GAIN A PROFESSIONAL EDGE FOR YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS

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Sport | 11

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No guarantee against doping in cycling: report Continued from p12...

The review by retired NSW judge James Wood was commissioned last November in the wake of the Lance Armstrong scandal.

Armstrong’s first media interview since his doping downfall is scheduled to be broadcast this Thursday.

Federal sports minister Kate Lundy ordered the Wood review after key Australian cycling figures Matt White and Stephen Hodge admitted doping during their professional racing careers.

Wood has made 17 key recommendations about CA’s overall organisation and its anti-doping measures, but Mueller said the review also was not harshly critical of his body.

“The report highlights, as with every other sport, we could do better,” he told the ABC’s 7.30 Report.

“But overwhelmingly, it is not critical of the performance of the

administration of CA in the past or the sport of cycling.

“Certainly there are many skeletons in the closet when it comes to the conduct of the sport at an elite level, particularly in Europe.

“But similar criticisms were not made and can’t be made about the way we administer ... the sport in Australia.”

Mueller, White, Hodge and other key Australian cycling figures such as Cadel Evans and Anna Meares were among those who spoke to Wood for his report.

Wood has also recommended that CA establish an integrity unit and for the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority to be given much more clout.

The report adds the national governing body’s financial position is “precarious” and has recommended significant changes to CA’s structure.

Wood specifically referred to White and Hodge in calling for CA to have a declaration policy.

White lost his part-time role at CA and his team director role at the OricaGreenEDGE team, while Hodge is no longer a CA vice-president after their confessions.

“This experience highlights the need for CA to be proactive ... in ensuring that those who have a significant relationship with it do not have a history of doping,” he said.

The AOC is also in the process of introducing a policy that all team members, including coaching staff, must sign statutory declarations saying they have no doping history.

Wood stopped short of recommending statutory declarations, which have strong legal implications.

Wood noted the sport was taking many steps to improve anti-doping measures, but added “there can be no guarantee that doping in cycling will not re-emerge.”

By Roger Vaughan

Lleyton leads Aussie first round exits Continued from p12... match for Janko Tipsarevic’s head as the Aussie warrior bowed out of the Australian Open at the first hurdle on Monday night.

Similarly, for the lesser lights of the Australian tennis scene, day one was pretty much all doom and gloom - although Matthew Ebden was determined to look on the bright side despite letting slip a two-set lead for the second straight year at Melbourne Park.The South Africanborn Ebden seemed on course for an upset victory over No.23 seed Mikhail Youzhny when he raced through the second-set tiebreak.

But the Russian veteran refused to yield, fighting off a match point in the 10th game of the fourth set before going on to win 4-6 6-7 (0-7) 6-2 7-6 (7-4) 6-3.

“I’ve had a lot of improvements out there,” said Ebden.

“My return of service, my backhand, all that has improved a lot.

“It obviously got me to match point.

Big deal.

“That’s how tennis goes some days - he won the point and I didn’t.”

Much-improved John Millman

made a good fist of his grand slam debut before going down 6-4 6-4 3-6 0-6 7-5 Japan’s Tatsuma Ito, a player he had beaten two weeks earlier at the Brisbane International.

Millman also took world No.3 Andy Murray to three tight sets in the Queensland capital and downed former world top-five player Tommy Robredo the following week in Sydney.

Teen star Ashleigh Barty said she was “destroyed” and countrywoman Olivia Rogowska felt “heartbroken” after they lost contrasting threesetters.

Barty started brightly against women’s No.15 seed Dominika Cibulkova.

But after dropping the first set, the Slovakian lifted to reel off 12 of the next 13 games and win 3-6 6-0 6-1.

“That was nerves,” said Barty.

“She was able to pounce on me pretty quickly. That’s why she’s ranked 15 in the world.”

“Once she got the momentum I wasn’t able to stop her.”

Rogowska got into a winning position before bowing out 5-7 7-5 8-6 to Serbian qualifier Vesna Dolonc.

Rogowska led 3-0 and 4-1 in the

WAVE GOODBYE: Matthew Ebden after his five set defeat to against Mikhail Youzhny on day one of the Australian Open in Melbourne. (AAP Image/David Crosling) deciding set but couldn›t close the deal.

Red-hot Agnieszka Radwanska started slowly before over-running West Australian Bojana Bobusic.

The No.4 seed from Poland won the last nine games on the trot in her 7-5 6-0 victory.

Casey Dellacqua failed to convert two set points in the 12th game and then fell apart in the tiebreaker of a 6-4 7-6 (7-0) loss to American slugger Madison Keys.

By John Salvado in Melbourne

Cold snap hits London while Tag Rugby is set to sizzle With a record amount of teams registered for the winter Try Tag Rugby competitions kicking off across London this week, the current cold snap hasn’t deterred the eagerness of the players. Teams have braved the cold conditions, taking to the field despite temperatures hitting a high of just 3 degrees.

While London has experienced snowfall and chilly temperatures, Tag Rugby is set to sizzle on Wednesday as two of London’s powerhouse teams face each other in round one of the Rotherhithe competition.

The mighty Southfield Sharks, who survived 2012 undefeated and claimed the Southfields (spring, summer and autumn) and Tooting Bec (late autumn) titles, are set to take on the powerful Tagquila Shots. With the Tagquila Shots having won back-to-back summer titles in the Canada Water competition, this is a much anticipated showdown. It will be the first time both sides have met,

with the Sharks and the Tagquila Shots both rated amongst the top four teams in London/Reading.

The Sharks feature a host of representative players, including London Australia Mixed captain Adam Madigan. They have also recruited well in the off season, with the additions of Emma Becker and Sarah O’Neill who have just returned from World Cup duties with Great Britain & Ireland.

The Tagquila Shots also feature a host of representative players including London Australia reps, Martin Ams and Thomas Parsons, as well as North London reps Andrew Frost and Patrick Wright.

This match promises to be a cracker to kick off the winter season, with both sides eyeing off the Rotherhithe title currently held by the Shun Tamura led Double Scrum & Coke.

There are still plenty of opportunities to have a run around on the Tag Rugby pitch this winter if you haven’t already registered.

The following leagues can still cater for players: Barnes (females),

The mighty Southfield Sharks plan to take Rotherhithe by storm Bermondsey, Holloway, Tooting Bec (females) and White City.

If you would like to get involved in one of the fastest growing sports in London, register ASAP for the winter season. New team and individual registrations are welcome, and it is a great chance to develop a network of friends if you are new to London.

To register for a Try Tag Rugby competition or event, go to www. trytagrugby.com or email info@ trytagrugby.com for more details.

Booth forgiven for London sins and back on track Continued from p12...

But the 22-year-old Melbourne medical student’s remorse at the time and sincere apology, combined with his impressive training form has him on track for the World Cup regatta in Sydney in March.

Booth, highly regarded among the rowing fraternity, is among five London Games rowers in a big heavyweight male sweep squad of 18 that is attending a Rowing Australia camp at the AIS in Canberra.

Three of the five 2012 Olympians attending are silver-medal crewmates Josh Dunkley-Smith, James Chapman and Will Lockwood who have all said they want to remain in the four heading towards the 2016 Rio Games.

With past men’s four triallists Nick Purnell and Tom Swann switching to sculling this year, Booth and another Olympic men’s eight crewmate, Bryn Coudraye, are top of the queue to take the retired Ginn’s place if the four remains Australia’s priority boat.

Ginn has joined his former coach Chris O’Brien in plotting the course for the next Olympiad but no guarantees have yet to be given to

the four.

Typical of a first year in the cycle, RA officials say all seats are open at present and trialling for boats for the March 22-24 World Cup will heat up next month at the NSW titles (February 16-17) and ensuing threeday selection trials.

Sculler Kim Crow, who won silver and bronze medals at London, headlines the group of 17 rowers who are immediately backing up from the Olympics to compete in the World Cup (March 22-24) at Penrith Lakes.

Like Crow, 2008 Olympic champion Scott Brennan is eyeing the single sculls boat this year with long-time partner David Crawshay among a large group taking a year off.

Quad sculls bronze medallists James McRae and Karsten Forsterling are also attending the second of the two camps at the AIS and could combine as a double sculls crew.

By Jim Morton

Get More Sport

AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport

WINTER WARMER Tag Rugby kicks off the winter season P11

DIAMOND

FEVER n

The Australian Netball Diamonds are on their way to the UK ahead of a threeTest tour. The current World Champions will take on England at Wembley Arena on 23 January, before moving on to Birmingham to complete the series.

The Australian Netball Diamonds have left Australia today ahead of a Test tour of England. Australia will be welcomed by England for a threematch International Series to be held in Bath, Birmingham, and London at Wembley Arena.

It is set to be an exciting series of matches, with England (ranked third) keen to mount a significant challenge to the current World Champions, the Australian Netball Diamonds.

Although Australia has come out on top in a number of recent matches in the traditional format, England managed to gain the upper hand in the shortened Fast5 version.

These matches have set up this Series as an important clash, which will prove good preparation for both teams in the lead up to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014, and the World Championships in Sydney the following year.

Susan Pratley, who plays goal attack or goal shooter for the Diamonds, and has been a member of the Australian national team since 2006, shared her excitement about the upcoming tour on Twitter.

Pratley tweeted: “Off to England today with the AussieDiamonds! Going to be a shock to the system- heat wave to cold snap! #snowangels” Kimberley Ravaillion and April Letton are two new faces who will be joining the Australian netball team for the three-Test tour of England.

The two impressed Australian coach Lisa Alexander at the recent Fast5 Netball World Series.

NSW Swifts defender Letton, 22, and Queensland Firebirds mid-courter Ravaillion, 19, represent the future of the squad, injecting new energy and enthusiasm into the game.

Chanel Gomes, 21, made her international debut against South Africa during last month’s netball quad-series and has again been selected in the 12-player team led by skipper Natalie von Bertouch and vice-captain Catherine Cox. “Chanel, April and Kim performed and competed well at the Fast5 Netball World Series and certainly gave selectors a lot of confidence that they could take that next step up to be tested in the international arena,” Alexander said.

Tickets to the opening clash at the University of Bath on Sunday 20 January are already sold out.

The next match is set to take place at Wembley Arena in London on Wednesday 23 January at 7.30pm.

Ticket prices for an Adult nonMember are £24, and Junior nonMembers are £14. Family packages are also available.

The final match will be in Birmingham on Saturday 26 January at 5.30pm.

Ticket prices for an Adult non-Member are £20, and Junior non-Member £10.

Family packages are also available.

Further information is available at englandnetball.co.uk, or for tickets see www.wembleyarena.co.uk for the London match and www.thenia.co.uk for the Birmingham match.

Image by AAP/PHOTOSPORT

Australian cycling boss defends sport CYCLING Australia President Klaus Mueller is pleased with the outcome of the sport’s anti-doping review, despite the long list of recommendations it makes.

The Wood review was released on Monday and one of its main points is that CA should have an antidoping declaration policy for key personnel.

That would be similar to the statutory declarations that the Australian Olympic Committee wants all members of its teams to sign. ...continued on p10

Rough time in first round for Aussies at Open

THE local support cast found any number of ways to fluff their lines as leading lady Samantha Stosur made a welcome winning start to the Australian Open on Monday.

The ninth-seeded Stosur survived an opening-set scare before downing Taiwan’s Kai-Chen Chang 7-6 (7-3) 6-3.

It was Stosur’s maiden victory of 2013 after first-up losses in Brisbane and Sydney. However, Lleyton Hewitt’s heart proved no ...continued on p10

Rower puts London rampage behind him ROWER Josh Booth has been forgiven for his London Games sins and leads the contenders to replace Drew Ginn in Australia’s silver-medal winning men’s fours crew.

Booth was the first Australian to be sent home from an Olympics in 24 years when dismissed for a late-night drunken rampage after a last-place finish that resulted in $2100 worth of damage to two Egham shopfronts. ...continued on p10