Australian Times weekly newspaper | 22 January 2013

Au Go stra ld lia Sp Da ec y ial Gre Ed en iti & on 22 - 28 January 2013 Issue: 447

MY Australia day What does it really mean to us expats?

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n Scientists say they have discovered a way to turn the HIV into a weapon against itself. Britons struggle

AUSSIE BREAKTHROUGH BRINGS HIV CURE CLOSER

By Paul Bleakley A FORM of gene therapy developed by researchers at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research may provide hope to sufferers of HIV, preventing the virus from crippling the immune system by manipulating its genetic structure and turning HIV into a weapon against itself.

Dr David Harrich, a naturalised Australian citizen, has utilised a technique that alters the proteins that enable the HIV virus to replicate throughout the body. By modifying the proteins that make up HIV into a mutated form, referred to as Nullbasic, Harrich’s research team have determined that it is possible to block the process of reverse transcription that allows HIV to damage the immune system. This would ultimately render the virus inert, preventing the condition of those infected with HIV from deteriorating further.

Harrich began studying the HIV virus in 1989 while completing his doctorate in experimental pathology at the University of California – Los Angeles. This project explored the issue of genetic expression and the replication of the HIV virus, a research concept he would continue to pursue after moving to Australia in 1997. The initial breakthrough in Harrich’s research occurred in 2007, with the discovery that Nullbasic had the ability to inhibit the spread of HIV. Harrich told Australian Times: “With money running out, I had my PhD student try one more experiment

in late 2007. The experiment was to test if Nullbasic could render HIV non-infectious. The student came back and said it worked, so I told him to do it again and again and again. It works every time.

“So the project was back on and we received funding from the Australian Centre for HIV and Hepatitis Research and that study showed very clearly that it could protect human cells from HIV infection. Subsequently we have protected primary human CD lymphocytes from blood from HIV infection using a gene therapy approach with outstanding results.”

As a researcher with the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Harrich works with a variety of infectious diseases including human respiratory virus and the Hendra strain of equine influenza. The results of his research regarding HIV may have significant impacts on the study of virology and provide critical insights into preventing the rampant spread of communicable diseases.

Harrich’s gene therapy process involves adding a specifically designed HIV therapy agent to a culture of stem cells that causes these cells to become HIV resistant. These mutated stem cells would then be returned to the body with the ability to thwart the HIV virus’s attempts to alter the patient’s RNA structure through reverse transcription.

Harrich believes that preventing the exponential replication of the HIV virus would ultimately prevent an ...continued on p3

IT’S GONNA BE HUGE!

Bumper 13 page preview of the big Australia Day weekend in London | INSIDE

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with the Aussie citizenship test

By Paul Bleakley

Britons and New Zealanders applying for Australian citizenship have been found to have less knowledge about the country that they are emigrating to than applicants from other nations according to figures released by the Federal government this week.

Department of Immigration statistics released to The Advertiser show that British applicants for Australian citizenship rank 18th in the world in terms of their results on the test introduced by the Howard government in 2007. Brits scored an average of 95.6% on the test, slightly behind applicants from Colombia and Malaysia.

Despite being typically considered the nation that is culturally closest to Australia, applicants for citizenship from New Zealand are shown to be among the world’s worst performers on the test. New Zealanders were shown to score an average of 72.6% on the test designed to determine an applicant’s cultural and historical knowledge about the country in which they are applying to live.

This score places New Zealanders 1.4% behind citizens from the impoverished nation of Ethiopia, and only slightly above applicants from ...continued on p3

2 | News

22 - 28 January 2013

British applicants ‘taking test too lightly’ ...continued from p1

Publisher: Bryce Lowry Editor: Alex Ivett Production/Design: Jackie Lampard News Editor: Paul Bleakley Business Editor: Sepi Roshan Contributors: Shannon Crane, Phillip Browne, Erin Somerville, Melissa Shortal, Justin Ng, Gareth Mohen, George Katralis, Chris Arkadieff, Lee Crossley, Mel Edwards, Will Fitzgibbon,

Bronwyn Spencer, Emily Banyard, 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:

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the conflict-ravaged countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Applicants from Sweden scored the highest on the test with an average score of 98.1% on the citizenship test, over 25% higher than their New Zealand counterparts.

Paul Sendziuk, an associate professor at Adelaide University, claims that it is not surprising that applicants from nations where English is commonly spoken perform better on the test due to a greater understanding of the questions being asked and a high level of exposure to source material through which they may study Australia’s history and culture.

Sendziuk believes that applicants for citizenship from the United Kingdom and New Zealand may take the test too

system by the Howard government.

Critics suggested that the testing requirement was “racially motivated” and designed to intentionally prevent applicants from non-English speaking backgrounds from having equal access to the immigration process.

Sendziuk believes that there are significant issues presented by the Australian citizenship test, stating: “I imagine refugee and humanitarian family-reunion cases constitute the majority of applicants from places such as Afghanistan and Sudan, who perform relatively poorly on the test.

“They have much more pressing issues to deal with than studying for a test set by the Immigration Department.

We have to ask, is it really important that they know about Donald Bradman or the national emblem?”

the housing market.

That is probably not surprising with the price of the average owner-occupier home loan set to hit $678,000 by 202425, up from $300,000 in 2012-13.

“Perhaps owning bricks and mortar is no longer the Australian dream,” Ms Dobie said.

On the bright side, IBISWorld predicts we’ll earn an average $1756 per week for 29 or 30 hours’ work in 2025, compared with an average $1086 pay cheque for a 32-hour working week in 2013.

An IBISWorld spokeswoman told AAP the working week estimates included part-timers and were based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data.

Ms Dobie predicted Australians would

spend much of their extra leisure time using social media and shopping via the internet.

“When we’re not online, we’ll be eating out, playing sport, hitting the gym and watching television and movies – although much of the latter will be done online via streaming and downloads,” she said.

And we’ll be more likely to throw organic prawns on the barbie, she said.

“One clear trend both now and looking ahead is a growing preference for ethically and sustainably produced meats, eggs and dairy,” Ms Dobie said.

“While we have traditionally considered ourselves a country of meat-lovers, consumption of vegetarian meals is certainly a growing trend in Australia.”

By 2025 we can expect vegetarians to make up about seven per cent of the population, up from five per cent now.

- AAP

Australia, 2025 THE Australian of the future will be less likely to occupy a suburban home but will work less, earn more and spend more time eating out, using social media and playing sport.

Australian general manager for IBISWorld, Karen Dobie, says the national image of the snag-eating, backyard-cricket-playing suburbanite will be out of date by 2025.

The research firm predicts that across the country, the population will lift from 22.8 million this year to 27.8 million by 2025, with NSW remaining the nation’s most populous state.

Those extra millions are more likely to be living in inner-city high rises than suburban homes, Ms Dobie said on Monday, with fewer Australians entering

Clinical trials may still be ten years away ...continued from p1 infected individual from experiencing any of the symptoms associated with the disease. He said: “(That) requires some hand waving at this point; but my belief is that protecting immune cells from succumbing to the deleterious effects of infection will result in a much better, functional immune system to combat opportunistic infections. That is the goal and what we need to test.”

A recent report prepared by the National Centre in HIV Social Research showed that the rate of HIV

Your Say Great writing and gems! Thanks for sharing!

Shireen

On: Australian scientists may have found ‘potential cure for AIDS’ Better watch out. Big pharma will buy the patent and bury it.

Andrea

I agree with Andrea, pharma companies can’t make money off of healthy people. As sad as it

?

What’s your view

infection in Australia increased by more than 8% in 2011, contributing to a 50% rise in the rate of contraction over the past decade. Director of the centre Professor John de Wit claims that there are fears that as many as 30% of HIV infections in Australia may be going undiagnosed, presenting substantial concerns for public health officials.

Harrich claims that stem cell research has made a considerable impact on the study of virology and that if this type of research was unavailable it would severely limit the ability of scientists to effectively combat disease like HIV.

He said: “The stem cells revolution has had a huge impact on this project.

I’m not sure we would have continued if it was not possible to restore an entire immune system with stem cells. I am very excited about this possibility.”

Harrich’s team will begin testing the effects of Nullbasic on HIV-positive mice in 2013 in order to determine the impact of the mutated protein on subjects at varying stages of infection.

If the results of this research are positive it is possible that a clinical trial may be conducted within the next ten years.

sounds people making money trumps saving lives every time.

A scientist found a cure back in 05. I read about it in a genetics journal. I guess big pharmacy got a hold of that and buried it?

Eric

On: Secret London: More Top Ten hidden delights

Every day on …

lightly, knowing that they are likely to achieve a passable grade without preparing for the test in any meaningful way. He claims that this laissez-faire attitude to the process may be the cause of these nations being lower in the rankings than expected.

Sendziuk said: “It is interesting that applicants from the UK, and particularly New Zealand, perform less well than those from similarly developed and wealthy countries. It is possible that they do not study enough because they feel that they can rely on their background knowledge of Australia, which is a fair-enough assessment given the level of cultural exchange that already exists between Australia and these places.”

The citizenship test was heavily criticised when introduced as part of an overhaul of the immigration

Hope it works, but so many other cures have been stymied by the HIV rapid mutation rate.

Larry

Don’t worry; there’s already a cure formulated, locked up somewhere safe. It’ll be released soon - we’re just waiting for the next big ailment to surface, which should make up for the pop. growth caused by an aids cure.

Dan

If the cure “leaks,” we always have war to fall back on.

Michael

Robert

I hope this really works... time will tell, I suppose Amber

On: Ellen announces Australia visit, with NSW govt support

I have always watched the show and love it. Congratulations to every one that won a free trip to Australia. I sure wish that it was me. I like Australia.

Goldie

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News | 3

AustralianTimes.co.uk

26 JANUARY:

WHAT’S IN A DATE? Mark Tedeschi QC is the Senior Crown Prosecutor for NSW. His most recent book ‘Eugenia: a true story of adversity, tragedy, crime and courage’ details the life and Supreme Court murder trial of Eugenia Falleni, who lived as Harry Crawford in Sydney in the first part of the 20th Century. Eugenia is published by Simon & Schuster Australia and will be available in the UK from 31 January 2013.

Best Dressed Competition

TOPDECK

Win

a 4 day Topdeck ANZAC Trip

1973

2013

EBR

CEL

We all know the significance of Australia Day…don’t we? Just like we all know why we celebrate Anzac Day, Labour Day, Remembrance Day, and the Queen’s Birthday.

Let’s start with the last one.

Everyone knows that the Queen doesn’t really have a moveable birthday on the second Monday in June and that some States celebrate this event on a completely different day. In fact, Queen Elizabeth was born on 21 April. The public holiday which we celebrate was established in 1788 to commemorate the birthday of King George III, and although our monarch, and hence the birthday, has changed eight times since then, the holiday has stayed the same.

Contrary to popular opinion, 26 January was not the day in 1788 on which the proclamation establishing the Colony of New South Wales was read out by Capt Arthur Phillip. That happened 12 days later at a ceremony on 7 February 1788. Neither was it the day that a member of the First Fleet first set foot on Australian soil. That happened on 18 January, when the first ships of the First Fleet arrived in Botany Bay and explored for a suitable site for an encampment.

Neither is 26 January the day on which the First Fleet first arrived in Port Jackson. In fact, Capt Phillip in the Supply first arrived in Port Jackson on 21 January searching for a better water supply than he had found at Botany Bay. He left on 23 January to rejoin the rest of the fleet in Botany Bay after discovering a rather meagre freshwater creek in Sydney Cove (later called the Tank Stream) and having had some benign contact (from the British point of view) with local indigenous people.

No, the formal establishment of the Colony of New South Wales and the vesting of sovereignty in King George III over the eastern half of Australia to the 135th meridian did not occur until 7 February – the day that we really should be celebrating the foundation of our nation.

So what did happen on 26 January 1788? Capt Phillip’s version is this: “In the evening of the 26th [of January] the colours were displayed on shore, and the Governor, with several of his principal officers and others, assembled round the flagstaff, drank the King’s health, and success to the settlement, with all that display of form which on such occasions is esteemed propitious, because it enlivens the spirits, and fills the imagination with pleasing presages.”

Basically, Capt Philip and a small group of his senior officers raised the

British flag and had the first, good, long drink on our shores to celebrate their safe arrival. Many may think that this is an entirely appropriate event to recognise and emulate in contemporary Australian Society.

The 26th of January was first publicly celebrated on the 30th anniversary of the Colony when Governor Macquarie declared it a holiday. Until 1935, it was known as First Landing Day, Foundation Day or Anniversary Day – depending on which part of Australia you were in.

For much of our history and for many of our people the most significant commemoration of the year was actually Labour Day or Eight-Hour Day, which recognised the enormous battles that were fought in the second half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the 20th century to achieve a balance in the life of all workers between work, rest and recreation.

Today, it is known as Labour Day in all States except Tasmania, were it is still called Eight Hours Day. It is celebrated on different days in each State and Territory. The traumas that were endured by the nation in the form of debilitating strikes and lockouts have been largely forgotten and the real reason for the commemoration is often ignored.

Remembrance Day, also called Armistice Day, celebrates what most people think was the end of the First World War on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. In fact, the date and time only marked the cessation of hostilities on the Western front in Europe. The First World War continued on the eastern front in Russia and the Ottoman Empire for some time afterwards. The official end of the war only occurred on the signing of the treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919.

Anzac Day, of course, commemorates the calamitous 1915 landing of the ANZAC forces at Gallipoli in what was then the Ottoman Empire in a campaign devised

by Winston Churchill to capture Constantinople and thereby knock out the Ottomans who were an ally of Germany. What is generally unknown or ignored by Australians and New Zealanders is that there were far more British and French deaths during the Gallipoli campaign, and yet we still mark this event as a coming-of-age for both our nations.

So what is in a date? One can argue and debate the significance of a historical event or the correct day to celebrate it, but what we must acknowledge is that both as individuals and as a nation it is important to commemorate our achievements and those of our antecedents. We enhance our sense of self and nation and our place in the world and in history by celebrating the achievements of the past and by recognising the efforts, ingenuity, courage and traumas of those who came before us. The accuracy of the date is unimportant. It is our connection with the struggles of the past and our appreciation of how far we have come since then that are significant and worthwhile celebrating.

A

RS

By Mark Tedeschi QC

AT I N G 4 0 Y E

y a D a li a r t s u A e t a r b Cele t opdeck at the Walkabou with T

Date: Saturday 26th Jan Venues: Shepherds Bush

Walkabout 11.30am – 4pm Temple Walkabout 4.30 – 7.30pm

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Call 0845 257 5411 Open 8am-9pm

4 | Australia Day

22 January - 28 January 2013

y a D a i l Austra Arguably the greatest day on the calendar for an Aussie in London, Australia Day is the one day in the year where it’s easy to get that much needed Australian pickme-up. And not that we need an excuse but Australia Day in London wills us to get amongst a big home crowd in pubs and at parties around the city, eat meat pies to our hearts content and tuck into endless packets of Twisties and Tim Tams, and just perhaps enjoy a drink or three.

This day brings together all Australian expats in London where we can feel a sense of belonging, to be in the same room as strangers yet feel united with them, and most importantly, will chase away the ‘far from home’ blues.

Here’s our pick of the best Australia Day parties happening around town to help you celebrate in style. Remember, please celebrate responsibly, respectably and most importantly, have a ball.

HOW TRUE BLUE ARE YOU? 26th January 2013

Jetlag Bar

Jetlag is putting on a festival of film, food, drink and live music over their two floor bar in Fitzrovia.

As well as an epic line up of classic Aussie films screening from 1pm, Jetlag will also be hosting class act covers band Punching Preachers to have you rocking into the night.

Don’t worry, they haven’t forgotten the key to a great Australia Day – the Triple J Hottest 100. The countdown will be playing all day on the ground floor, along with an acoustic set from

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.

resident artist Mr Lee. With a special surf ’n’ turf menu of kangaroo steak, crab, lobster sliders and pavlova, as well as Aussie beers and wine, you’ll be sure to feel the Australia Day spirit here.

When: Saturday 26 January. Movies from 1pm, band from 10pm.

Where: 125 Cleveland Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 6QB How much: Free Entry until 9pm, £5 advance entry for guest list, £7 on the door

When: From 10am, Saturday 26 January Where: Clapham Common, London SW4 7AB How much: £5

The Larrik Inn

We have a new winner for the longest Australia Day party, with Gigalum promising celebrations from the Friday through to the Sunday. Australian DJs will be spinning all weekend, as well as a live feed to the Triple J Hottest 100 countdown. There will also be prizes and special offers on Aussie beer.

Fulham’s favourite Aussie haunt The Larrik Inn will be living up to its ‘larrikin’ name with a live band and DJ, a BBQ from 11am and all your favourite Aussie snacks.

With drinks specials on all things Aussie, and lots of giveaways and prizes, Larrik Inn is certainly embracing the Aussie Day spirit.

As they say: “You’d be a flaming galah to go anywhere else!”

When: From 11am Saturday 26 January Where: 425 New Kings Road, London SW6 4RN How much: Free entry

The Underdog @ Clapham Common WWW.THEUNDERDOGBAR.COM

tucker. Rippa, mate! There’s a £50 Bar Tab to be won for ‘Best Dressed Icon’ and Bogan Bingo from 10.3011.30. All proceeds from the £5 entry will go the Australian Bush Fires Appeal.

The Underdog is a perennial Australia Day favourite with the Clapham Aussie crew. Drinks specials, Aussie music, and Aussie

Gigalum

When: Friday 25 January – Sunday 27 January Where: 7-8 Cavendish Road, Clapham Common Southside, London SW4 9DW How much: Free entry

Walkabout Temple

Walkabout Temple are promising a marathon for Australia Day diehards, with doors opening at 10am and closing 17 hours later at 3am and a full program of DJs and live entertainment all day.

They’ll also be playing the Triple J

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|5

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Laugh it Up

How to stream the Triple J Hottest 100 Countdown

n Celebrate in true Aussie style by laughing along with some of Australia’s best comedians at Clapham Grand’s Comedy Carnival.

SINCE opening in 2004, Comedy Carnival at The Grand has hosted several award-winning comedians from Down Under, including Adam Hills, Jim Jefferies, Steve Hughes, Julia Morris, Brendon Burns and Kitty Flanagan.

From Brendon Burns’s loud, angry and in-your-face approach, to Adam Hills’s infectious charm and likeability, the club has showcased the many different styles of comedy that Australia has produced.

This Australia Day, Comedy Carnival has teamed up with Australian Times for a very special Aussie laugh-in, featuring a broad range of comedic styles.

Standing 6’7” tall, Big Colin Cole is a behemoth originally from Sydney. He started life as a bouncer at Melbourne’s famous Last Laugh comedy club. Since then Cole has played gigs all over the world, from rugby clubs in rural Australia to the illustrious Comedy Stores in Sydney and London. Now making London his home, Big Colin’s style is classic observational comedy that everyone can relate to. Heckling is

not advised however.

The feature act at the Australia Day show is Brisbane’s Benny Boot. With his unconventional comedic delivery, sharp one-liners and solid punchlines, Boot is considered to be one of the finest joke writers working in comedy today. He’s known for his imaginative turn of phrase and ability to find an offbeat angle to whatever he talks about, whether it is the number for Ghostbusters or popcorn. A rising star on the UK comedy circuit, he recently appeared on Dave’s One Night Stand after achieving critical acclaim for his Edinburgh Festival show, Set Up, Punchline, Pause For Laughter.

The third act on the bill is Pete Jonas from Melbourne. Never one to shy away from speaking his mind, he has been described as both ‘highly entertaining’ and ‘controversial’. He achieved wide acclaim in the UK with his show Brokeback Britain, which was about moving here and discovering that it is pretty crap. “The funny thing is,” says Jonas, “British people enjoyed the

show more than anyone else. I stood there making jokes about how shit their country is for an hour, they pissed themselves laughing and recommended the show to their friends.” Despite his gripes about rampant queuing, prison-quality food and third-world train services, he continues to live here. “It’s close to Europe”, he adds.

“You can spontaneously get a flight to somewhere that’s nice.”

The MC for the night is Queenslander Andrew Roper. With a background in breakfast radio, his easy-going, conversational style is sure to keep the night running smoothly.

AUSTRALIA Day wouldn’t be Australia Day without the Triple J Hottest 100 Countdown providing the soundtrack to the festivities.

And just because you’re in the UK doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all the fun.

Triple J will be counting down the top 100 songs as voted by the public from Midday (AEDT) in Australia on 26 January. The corresponding GMT time here in the UK is 1am Saturday 26 January.

That is, when you go to bed Friday night (or don’t go to bed at all), you’ll wake up Saturday morning, and miraculously the Countdown will be part of the way through! How far through really depends on what time you want to get up.

ABC tells overseas listeners the Countdown will be available to be streamed live or on demand in two hour blocks. See abc.net.au/triplej for more details.

So what’s tipped for the #1 spot? The website The Warmest 100, using statistics gleaned from social media, claims Thrift Shop

by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis will take out the top spot. This will be followed by Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men in #2 and Breezeblocks by ALT-J in #3. If you can’t hold out until Saturday see The Warmest 100 for the full list!

Tickets for the Australia Day Comedy Carnival presented by Australian Times can be booked online at www. comedycarnival.co.uk/Australia-Day. The show starts at 8.00pm with doors open from 7.00pm. Entry is £14 in advance and booking is recommended.

Hottest 100 and serving up an array of Aussie tucker and beverages, such as VB, Tooheys and Bundy Rum. When: 10am – 3am, Saturday 26 January Where: Temple Place, London WC2R 2PH How much: Free entry

Walkabout Shepherd’s Bush

Looks like the Shepherd’s Bush Walkabout has got the jump on its city slicker cousin for the earliest Australia Day start, with doors opening at 8am for breakfast.

Triple J Hottest 100 will be playing all morning, before some great Aussie bands provide live music to the crowd. On the list are The HiFidels, The Bondi Beach Bums and rock group Dallas Frasca.

When: 8am, Saturday 26 January Where: 56 Shepherd’s Bush Green, W12 8QE How much: Free entry

Waxy O’Connor’s

There’s a special bond between Australians and our Irish brothers and sisters, so there’s no surprise that arguably the best Irish pub in London will celebrate Australia Day with us. Waxy’s have a special Oz Day menu, drinks promotions, giveaways, DJ and will be playing Triple J’s Hottest 100.

When: Saturday 26 January Where: 14-16 Rupert Street, London W1D 6DD How much: Free entry

The Church

Sinners are grinners. And this Australia Day weekend the Church is planning one of its craziest sessions of the year. If you’re not all partied out from the array of events on offer on the Saturday, the Church will make sure you well and truly have celebrated in style by the end of Sunday.

Fatman will be conductor of the chaos, and MacBackpackers and Stoke Travel will be giving away free trips for the best Aussie fancy dress outfit.

When: 11.45am – 4.30pm, Sunday 27 January Where: The Clapham Grand, 22-25 St John’s Hill, Clapham Junction How much: £12

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6 | Australia Day

22 January - 28 January 2013

Goldfish racing for Australia Day:

My Australia Day

By Amber Rose Last Australia Day I arrived home to find my English boyfriend in the backyard with a couple of mates, all dressed in shorts, singlets and thongs, with barbecue tongs in hand.

Nothing particularly remarkable, except we weren’t in Oz, we were in Oxfordshire and it was 5pm, pitch black and about 2 degrees.

They had rubbed orange paint all over their faces for the bronzed Aussie look (though the effect was more Essex than Aussie) and had an ironing board leaned against the BBQ to substitute as a surfboard.

The Australian flag had also been erected - ok so it was upside down, but the sentiment was there. It was a complete surprise and I have to say I

was rather touched, once I had wiped the tears of laughter from my eyes.

This year I’m planning to cook up a home-made Australian themed feast, complete with mini meat pies, lamingtons and cheese and Vegemite scrolls. And plenty of booze - that goes without saying. I met my closest friend in the UK working in a pub (naturally) almost 5 years ago, and she just happens to also be an Australian (what a surprise) so I’m glad to have her to celebrate Australia Day with. And how lucky for her English husband and my English now-fiancé that they get invited along to join in on this sacred Australian tradition.

Amber Rose is an Oxford resident and writes regular features on life outside London.

Where else but Queensland?

SUBCULTURE SLEUTH In

OZ

> PAUL BLEAKLEY

As we saw during the Diamond Jubilee last year, the British typically celebrate their national holidays with a high degree of pomp and circumstance.

There will be a carriage drawn parade down Whitehall, a flotilla down the Thames heralded by trumpets, bagpipers and immaculately dressed royal soldiers marching in formation.

In Australia we show our national pride by having thong-throwing competitions, racing goldfish and being served drinks by barely-dressed women in shiny bikinis.

I am from the Gold Coast, and the fact that we have a reputation for being tacky is not lost on us locals.

Most of the time we try to avoid giving off this impression, however Australia Day gives us a free pass of sorts to embrace all of the unique oddities of our city under the banner of national celebration.

Australia Day, unlike more formal national holidays found in other countries, is primarily a day of revelry: it signals the end of the long, hot Aussie summer and gives us one last opportunity to fire up the barbie and fill the esky with cold beer before properly returning to the world of work and education for the year.

Every Gold Coaster has spent Australia Day on the beach as a kid and, despite recent media reports of booze-fuelled youth riots, it remains a seminal experience of our adolescence. As you get older, you start to move away from spending Australia Day on the beach; you have to surrender to the hordes of tipsy and giggling teenagers that hold court, holding on for dear life to the last gasps of their school holidays.

You would think that heading into a local pub, tavern or surf club would improve the standard of celebration and reduce the level of bizarre alcohol-induced antics. You would be wrong. Gold Coast pubs and clubs know full well what their patrons want on Australia Day: a cold beer, a loose dress code and a bit of a giggle.

They reject pretentions of grandeur in favour of… well… bikini waitresses and cheap jugs (of beer, of course).

Recently I was exploring what my options were for Australia Day, as I have been at home on the Gold Coast for Christmas and the New Year. An exploration of what all of the local drinking establishments had on offer revealed some recurring themes: a thong throwing competition, ‘foxy boxing’ and (most excitingly) traditional Gold Coast goldfish race. Goldfish racing is one of those popular eccentricities of Gold Coast culture wherein fish are released into plastic traps and you blow bubbles behind them to make them go faster and race them to the end of the track. What better way to celebrate the discovery of our nation?

We may not have the pomp and circumstance of the British celebrations, and that is because

My Australia Day

By Alex Bruce-Smith Wow. It was only when I sat down and actually thought about this upcoming Australia Day, and where I was at the same time last year did I realise how much had changed.

Last Australia Day, I was barely two months into my London life.

With an empty house (everyone had escaped winter for, well, Australia), I rounded up a couple of Aussie mates and headed to Elk Bar in Fulham. As Australia Days go, it was brilliant: Bundy rum was on special, the place was decked in green and gold, and everyone was there to have a good time. It felt like finding a second family of long

lost relatives, and a hundred drunk Aussies belting out John Farnham’s ‘You’re the Voice’ was nothing short of epic. That night I ran into a couple mates from home, and when I grew tired of waiting for drinks and tried to sneak behind the bar, no one kicked me out - I just got served.

This Australia Day, I will be back home after almost 18 months overseas. By the time you read this, I’ll be on a flight somewhere over Singapore and deciding what goodies I’ll be purchasing duty free.

On the day itself, a couple mates and I will be road tripping from Sydney to Dubbo for a mate’s engagement party, complete with slip and slide, swags, and camping out on the front porch. Goodbye

celebrating Australia Day is not simply an expression of nationalist pride. Australians do not ruminate on the life of Captain Cook or doff our caps to the convicts that built our nation with their blood, sweat and tears. Australia Day is a funeral of sorts, mourning the end of summer with one last party on a national scale.

May the goldfish swim quickly, may the XXXX always be cold and may the sun forever shine on Australia Day. Paul Bleakley writes news, features, interviews, arts and culture, travel and a regular column on the subcultures of London in Subculture Sleuth. any chance of snow, and hello searing heat and swimmers. I’ll be trading pints for schooners, pounds for dollars, and beginning every single sentence with “In London…” Bonus points to the friends who won’t want to punch me in the face after the first couple times this happens.

This road trip will be an excellent reunion, as we all lived together at university. We’ve stayed in contact, so it should be just like old times. The question I can’t stop asking myself is, has anything changed at all? And if it hasn’t, will London just feel like a faraway dream?

Alex Bruce-Smith is heading back to Australia after being a very valued contributor for Travel, Ents and UK Life.

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|7

AustralianTimes.co.uk

What’s On Flume 24 January @ XOYO Rolf Harris 8 February @ Royal Festival Hall Southbank Centre Wolfe Bowart’s Letter’s End 24-27 February @ Southbank Centre

An Australia Day by My Australia Day any other name…

n Australia Day is not just a day that can

be celebrated by Australians, in Australia.

As CHARLIE INGLEFIELD discovers, it’s about sharing memories and stories with your mates, wherever it is you might be.

The Australian Pink Floyd Show 25 February @ London 02 Arena The Rubens 27 February @ Scala

By Alex Ivett

Last Australia Day I spent sitting on a chair placed in a paddling pool, drinking a beer and sweltering in the Canberra heat. There was of course backyard cricket, lamingtons, the Triple J Hottest 100, sausages sambos on the barbie and general goodwill and casually intimate fun with some really good mates. The perfect Australia Day. That is, until one of our friends decided to use the paddling pool as a toilet, and I abandoned festivities at 6pm to watch a 1950s movie and eat a Magnum.

More than any other day perhaps, Australia Day is when I’m going to miss my friends. Christmas is for family, but Australia Day – Australia Day is about your mates.

An officially sanctioned free pass

from work to gather with old friends, share a beer and catch up.

This year, the focus will be on new friends and new experiences.

The only problem is – with so many Aussie Day activities on around town, what do I do to celebrate?

Classic Aussie film with the boys from Bogan Bingo? Have a laugh and a beer at the Australian Times Australia Day Comedy Carnival? Or just don my green & gold, and blend into the celebrating crowds at any one of a number of bars and pubs hosting Australia Day parties around town?

All I know is, as long as I’m spending it with friends – new or old – sharing laughs, experiences and stories, it’s going to be good. It’s going to be Australia Day. Alex Ivett is the Editor of Australian Times.

Olivia Newton-John 13 March @ Royal Albert Hall Tommy Emmanuel 16 March @ Shepherd’s Bush Empire Pam Ann 28-29 March @ Hammersmith Apollo 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

#australiaday @WeAreAustralia Actually, I’d be quite happy to ditch Australia Day and instead celebrate Federation Day. But 1 January is a bit of an awkward date! @thelarrikinn Australia day is just around the corner everybody ready? Best outfit can win a bar tab on the day! @AustBusiness @Aussiemite donating 20cent per jar sold over 2 weeks from Australia Day for Mission Australia’s Melb enterprise @watermelon_man Look, tweeps, the War on Xmas was so 2012. What next? War on Easter? War on Valentine’s Day? Hey, I know. Let’s declare War on Australia Day

Follow us on Twitter @AustralianTimes

YOU couldn’t script it if you tried. On the other side of the globe, Australia is basking in glorious heat as the country comes to life with a plethora of terrific sporting action on show. Contrast this to Geneva and Europe in general and we are currently freezing. This is a well-worn cliché of course at this time of year as Australia Day approaches but I have to say celebrating Australia Day in -6 degrees in 2012 took a bit of getting used to.

Firstly before I delve into a ‘Swiss’ Australia Day, I must admit that I am actually not an Australian but a Pommie (apologies for the latter).

However I did live in Sydney for five very enjoyable years before making a recent move back towards Europe, so I do have an outsider’s view of the day.

I have always admired the Australians for many reasons; grudging respect for your cricket team, surf before and after work but also the pride you show in celebrating Australia Day with your fellow brethren. Alas we English are too uptight about doing something similar for St. Georges Day and in these uncertain economic times, it is no bad thing for a nation to come together for a day to applaud one’s country.

So how did the Australian community celebrate Australia Day in Switzerland and more specifically Geneva?

Researching where we could go and what was on did not result in too much on offer, but we were faced with the not too unpleasant task of selecting a couple of pubs who had advertised their establishment as a venue to acclaim Australia Day. An Aussie mate of mine and I went in search of this entertainment and desperate to get out of the gloomy cold of Geneva decided that a beer to assess the options for the evening would be a wise start. We settled for the ‘Clubhouse’ in the centre of Geneva which more importantly was close to the station and some kebab houses to assist us pre and post pub travel plans. The

‘Clubhouse’ is a relatively well known watering hole in Geneva, popular with expats primarily to watch sporting events on television.

We remained there for the rest of the night. A pretty poor effort in terms of originality and getting about town to savour what the other Geneva pubs were offering. We fell at the first hurdle given that we were confronted by very welcoming hostesses, namely attractive bikini-clad ladies behind the bar with Australian accents. Added to the unwelcoming, inclement weather outside the bar we just found it too hard to leave. Maybe it was also the sight of the Australian flag and a couple of kangaroos printed on the bar ladies’ stomachs whilst reacquainting oneself with a Tooheys or two which persuaded us that there was no need to suffer from potential hypothermia from stepping out into the cold again.

We were served within a couple of minutes, which was not always the case when trying to grab a beer in a pub on Australia Day in Australia. The music was flowing as were the games of pool and for a few hours we all felt like we were back in our respective locals watering holes in Australia again.

I digress but the point being was that it was actually great to sit back, drink a tinny or two (albeit at the cost of a small African country’s GDP) and reminisce about the good times, all in the company of fellow Australians.

It wasn’t exactly the same as mingling with twenty thousand Australians on Bondi beach, dipping into the sea once in a while to get out of the heat and partying on the beach. However for a few hours, we did forget about the daily stresses, think about Australia and sit with mates talking about their home and memories. And that is what I admire about the Aussies most of all, being with mates, being proud of your country and celebrating it in the appropriate style with a beer or three.

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8 | Australia Day

22 January - 28 January 2013

My Australia Day bron in

the don BRONWYN SPENCER

I don’t have a good track record with Australia Day in London.

My first was spent drinking cheap mojitos at the Elk bar and listening to the Triple J Hottest 100. What was so bad about that? Well, None of my friends could make it inside as it reached capacity at about 6pm, and those Mojitos turned disastrous when I lost my unchecked coat and had to head home in the January weather coatless. When I got home I thought it would be smart to email the bar about my lost property, and somehow broke my laptop.

Last year I was determined to have a good (albeit more sensible) day and head to the newly refurbished Walkabout at Temple. I knew going in it was going to be chaotic. Any Aussie bar on Australia Day was going to be mental at any stage of the day, but as my friends and I could only turn up after work we were confronted with extra huge lines.

However, two Snakebites in and a bit of hollering to Aussie music and I was having a good time.

Turns out, my friends weren’t, as

My Australia Day

many of them were still standing freezing in the line outside in a way reminiscent of the Elk Bar. We decided to debunk and head somewhere else nearby - the Belushi’s in Covent Garden. This place was perfect, full enough that there was a good atmosphere, but no jostling to get to the bar. When we got there we found some Aussie specials such as Vegemite shots.

They had to be done of course, but they were horrendous. Thankfully they were only £2. After that my more sensible night went out the window.

It looked like my Australia Day luck was on the up as I partied with my friends and we danced and sang to Cold Chisel and Men at Work. In typical tourist fashion the cameras were out and while taking a snap of my friends I promptly dropped one and broke it.

Australia Day and Electronics – 2 Bronnie – 0.

This year, I really do promise to have a sensible one…

Bronwyn Spencer writes the weekly column Bron in the Don.

By Nicole Crowley There’s something slightly disconcerting about relocating abroad only to surround yourself with fellow Australian expats. Isn’t the whole point of this process to wholeheartedly immerse yourself in the unknown, challenge yourself with new experiences and ultimately meet new people with new mindsets? Constantly bearing this in mind, it’s the primary reason I have a tendency to avoid Shepherd’s Bush, never mutter the words SheBu and pretend that the Walkabout is equivalent to the plague so that I never have to go.

Then, something unexpected happened.

I got over myself long enough to join my friends at the Walkabout and woke up thinking, “Well, I’ve just had one of the best nights in London to date.” With the 26th of January approaching quickly, it wasn’t long before an email reached me, asking me to register for their Australia Day “SheBu Walkie” bonanza. The doors open from 8am (a truly Australian-only can-do attitude) and, wait for it, a free bacon roll if you’re in before 11am. Still, a small wave of

uneasiness hit me.

Why? It’s easy to distance yourself from anything that reminds you of home; either because it reminds you too much of why you left, or because it makes it easier to suppress homesickness. But it’s a fine line. My first Walkabout night felt unbelievably fun because I was able to fully appreciate the company of friends from home, the united feeling patriotism delivers and enjoy a night that felt distinctly different from the atmosphere of London bars and pubs. There are limited places where you can feel so surrounded by a sense of home. From the surfboards on the wall to the local beers in the fridge, there really is no where like it. But how safe is it drown yourself in this safety net of home time after time? And could I possibly recreate the feeling for myself twice?

It’s all about attitude. Closing yourself off to the rest of world to play with the familiar only, will never work. Yet neither will denying where you’ve come from. You need some balance. Australia Day is the day to really pay homage to the amazing country you’ve flown out from, something that can only be fully appreciated once you’ve

had the opportunity to live and experience a new life abroad.

There is nothing as humbling as realising how small of a space you occupy in the world.

So in the spirit of Australia Day, I can say that I am excited to embrace my Aussie-ness, my Milo moustache and all the people that make me feel at home. I’m as proud as every Aussie expat should be that I can call Australian shores my home. I’ve decided that it doesn’t matter if this is beachside at Bondi or bar side at the Walkabout.

Although its going to take some time before I dare start calling it the “Walkie”.

Nicole Crowley writes regular travel features. Look out for her practical advice on how to get the cheapest flights in this week’s Travel.

Thank you, Australia an astute aussie in london

> SEPI ROSHAN

Frankly, I never really knew what Australia Day was all about. Something about the birth of Australia or the First Fleet? I have more vivid memories of Rick Price (whatever happened to him?) singing “Celebration of a Nation” in 1988. Like most of my friends, when it came to Australia Day, I was just happy to have a day off to relax and enjoy a devilishly good BBQ. But having lived in London for over 5 years now, Australia Day has begun to take on greater meaning.

In Australia, 26 January brings with it a welcome day off after the frenzied Christmas and new year period. Residents become citizens.

Friends and family come together and give thanks for the land girt by sea. In London, the landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788 goes relatively

unnoticed by most of the millions who pass through. Yet there are those in the know. I love being Australian. I love being an Australian in London. But many times, my fellow Londoners and I have watched disapprovingly as hoards of drunken 2 year visa holders with Australian flags draped around their shoulders, screamed out the national anthem (first verse only, of course). Unco and stumbling onto the tube, they found it hilarious, running between carriages at each stop. None of them seemed to be minding the gap, which could have been disastrous. These young Australians did not represent me.

Nor did they seemed to understand what Australia Day is about.

As the first snow begins to fall in London, we edge closer to Australia Day, 2013. I reflect on what Australia Day means to me. Australia is where I landed in 1982. The land that took me in from a country at war, and gave me safety and opportunity. I received a world class education, enjoyed excellent health care. As I travel the world, my Australianness is respected.

I do not need to apply for visas to most countries, which makes life much easier. I love the directness, openness and sense of humour we are known for.

I give thanks to Australia.

In the last couple of years, I have had

the fortune of meeting more Aussies in London.

Like me, these Aussies have been bitten by the London bug and have been living here for many years or have officially emigrated. It is refreshing meeting Australians who are wanting more out of London than a quick laugh and last hurrah before they head back. We are Aussies who call London and the UK, home. Not every Australian lives in London. Many have moved up north or to the burbs and have had children. Some like, me, set up businesses and give back to the community. Networks for Australians in London and beyond are thriving and promoting a more representative type of Aussie in the UK.

This Australia Day, I am heading off to a “Quote Along” to The Castle run by the boys from Bogan Bingo. I hope it’s sunny on the 26th, because there is nothing like a sunny day in London. And if anyone thinks that Aussie Londoners forget about Australia, just “tell ‘em their dreamin”. Being Aussie is in our blood, no matter where we call home.

Sepi Roshan is Business Editor of Australian Times and writes the weekly column Astute Aussie in London.

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10 | Australia Day

My Australia Day

By Shannon Loves Australia Day for me last year was spent in the most stereotypical way an Australian living in London can spend their Australia Day. I drank with friends all morning, eating Tim Tams and Twisties and listening to the Hottest

22 January - 28 January 2013

100 online, before heading to the Walkabout and Shepherd’s Bush to down some Snakebites and forget the rest of the night.

Dressed in head to toe green and gold, and covered in stick on Australian flag tattoos, we felt very patriotic. Especially when we entered the Walkabout and were greeted with not only a sea of green and gold but also mullet wigs, inflatable

kangaroos, stubbies and thongs.

I’m sure this scene was replicated in every Australian pub and bar in London. Australian travellers who would normally never dream of setting foot in an Aussie bar in London, who pride themselves on their ability to become immersed in the culture of the country they are visiting, embracing their inner bogan for one day of the year.

This year I’ll spend Australia Day at the Walkabout again. I’ll be dressed in green and gold and when ‘Land Down Under’ gets played for the tenth time, I’ll still be shouting at the top of my lungs. And this year I’ve even got the perfect accessory.

A token Kiwi mate to drag along!

Shannon Loves is a NRL fanatic and regular sports columnist.

Finding Home n

For Aussies in the UK, Australia Day can provide a good opportunity to reflect on the country we’ve left behind, and appreciate how lucky we really are.

By Erin Sommerville

Musical Director Barry Robinson

An Australian World War One veteran was asked in his dying years why he thought the Battle of Gallipoli and Anzac Day had come to mean so much to the nation. His answer was simple: As young Australia lost its sons on that Turkish shore in 1914, it finally began to find itself as a nation. It was there on those foreign shores that over 60 000 men, armed with determination, loyalty and courage, forged the famous Anzac legend and immortalised the Aussie spirit. It’s a spirit that the country has continued to build itself upon ever since.

I’ve come to think about this veteran’s explanation often. Never more have his words hit home with me than when I find myself half a world away from it. It isn’t until I came out of that wonderful scrub from Down Under that I’ve truly been able to see the forest from the trees. And it is one hell of an interesting view. It is ironic that it often takes our citizens only a few months abroad to learn what truly defines an Aussie, more than we ever could whilst in the midst of our Great Southern Land.

For me, never more have I truly felt that we really are ‘The Lucky Country’. I come across this almost every day when telling Europeans of my plans to backpack for as long as possible. There reaction is usually one of pure astonishment.

“You are so brave. You’re doing it alone?! It’s something we would never Box office be able to mentally and financially do.

You were able to just quit your job?!

Reduced booking fee online Your family supports this?!”

It truly makes me feel as if I’m achieving the equivalent of flying a solo mission to Mars.

But then they find out I’m Australian.

In a second, their reaction changes and everything makes sense. Of course you’re Australian. Only Australians are lucky enough to earn enough money to travel the world for years on end office before they reach theBox age of 25. Only Australians are stupid enough to blow Reduced booking fee online those hard earned thousands on leaving a country that most people here would kill to visit instead of investing it back home. Only Australians have that security in knowing they can go home and start making ridiculous amounts of

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money again immediately, even if it’s just as a casual bartender. Being able take off across the world is a venture that has almost become a right of passage for my generation at home. It takes that surprised reaction of foreigners who are battling a severe economic crisis and have a different mentality to realise I should never be taking this for granted.

Along with discovering a new-found appreciation for my homeland, I’ve learnt to recognise a fellow Australian immediately. Never before have I been able to pick one out of crowd so easily as now. We are the fresh-faced wanderers who dominate almost every hostel and festival. We are the hordes of the people who try to outrun the Spanish at San Fermin, out-drink the Germans at Oktoberfest, and out-ski the tourists and workers on the Whistler slopes. We are about “living in the moment” to justify our hardcore and risky ventures abroad. We are the packs of tanned and broad-shouldered guys walking around with that cocky swagger wrapped in board shorts, singlets and thongs, and the packs of girls who are carrying backpacks that would give our chiropractors a heart attack. We bitch about how boring our country is when faced with New York, the Swiss Alps, and Glastonbury, but will knock the first foreigner who actually bags Australia out. A nation of carnivores, of early risers who expect the coffee shops to be open before 10am, and hard workers so we can have an easy life.

Unlike that World War One veteran, we may have never had to see our mates die away on foreign soil at the hands of an enemy. We may have never had to face guns and violence to appreciate our tranquil lifestyle. But in most Australians faces abroad, you can see the light of silently having comfort in the knowledge of just how bloody lucky we really are.

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E I S S AU E I S S AU E I S S AU

E E ON TH K A T S E I SS THE AU T THIS SUMMER N E H W E E BE THER WORLD CRICK BEST IN

AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND SAT 8 June 2013, edGBASTon AUSTRALIA v NEW ZEALAND Wed 12 June 2013, edGBASTon

AUSTRALIA v SRI LANKA Mon 17 June 2013, THe oVAL

12 | Australia Day

22 January - 28 January 2013

My Australia Day

to Triple J Hottest 100. Dancing around the living room and Aussie Karaoke was compulsory for everyone in attendance. We then moved onto a mini Aussie Olympics which included Twistie and Tim Tam eating competitions and thong throwing competitions.

We ended the day with sore legs and very full bellies watching an all Aussie movie marathon including Strictly Ballroom and The Castle.

Australia Day 2013 will be spent pretty much the same, but this time

By Georgia Dawes Last year I spent Australia Day in London trying to do as many Aussie things as I possibly could.

The morning (well it was midday before I woke up) started off by enjoying an Aussie style champagne brunch; that is Vegemite and cheese on toast with a VB. Brunch was followed by listening

My Australia Day

with more Aussie themed events for our Aussie Olympics. Maybe this year I will call my parents back in Australia to wish them a very ‘Happy Australia Day!’(Daughter of the year?)

tube talk

Georgia Dawes writes regular arts and culture features, and has interviewed a number of Australian artists, dancers and musicians.

She also helped us get into the Christmas spirit with her Top Ten London Christmas list.

> Sandra Tahmasby

C’mon my fellow Aussies, this Australia Day let’s Aussify London town. Let’s show these Brits just how patriotic we can be.

This Australia Day I urge you to jump on the tube in your best Aussie way.

Let’s wear our thongs and put on our zinc. Let’s show them how to ride the waves as we tube surf.

Grab your Wallabies jersey and put on your Speedos.

Get chatting to someone, say G’day. Tell them about Alf Stewart and how you know Crocodile Dundee.

Tell them you’re on your way to woop woop via Wagga Wagga. Cut it short and just say Wagga.

Make sure you shorten their name, the more you shorten it – the more you like them.

When squeezing past the millions of people getting on the tube make sure to say ‘scuse me.

Abbreviate your words on the tube-o. Yeah mate, just going to the servo this arvo on my smoko.

Rip out the Aeroguard and spray

CELEBRATE

RY 6TH JANUA 2 Y A D R U T A M O OS AY S U • DRINKS PR THE WAXY W !

L OZ DAY MEN

the whole carriage. Grab a Sheila and sing her Waltzing Matilda.

Don’t forget to show her your Southern Cross tattoo.

Start eating your Vegemite and share your lamingtons and meat pie.

Tell them you’re going to have a BBQ with prawns not shrimp, followed by a few VBs. Tell them how fast your Commodore is compared to the tube and how you drive it wearing your stubbies and cork hat.

Deck the Tube out with Aussie flags and get everyone on there chanting with you.

“Aussie Aussie Aussie “OI OI OI”.

Let’s sprinkle sand along the tube and use lifesavers flags to alert people to mind the gap.

Teach someone the second verse of Advance Australia Fair.

Whichever tube line you’re on this Australia Day, just remember to be true blue.

Ooroo!

Sandra Tahmasby writes Tube Talk, a weekly column dedicated to the Underground.

My Australia Day

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By George Katralis I like to think, and at times even prance around, like I’m one of London’s more sophisticated expats.

However, although I sometimes pretend I’m part of The Carnabetian Army (look the part, dress the part, speak the part), every now and again I, like the rest of us, get my bogan on.

Drink a beer, quote Alf Stewart, listen to some You Am I and tell anyone who cares (or doesn’t) about how The Dragons are the greatest football team of all time. And, last Australia Day, that’s exactly what I planned to do.

Australia Day 2012. My first away from home, my first away from the sun, my first away from long time friends and heck, my first without the familiar sounds of the Triple J Hottest 100 playing as the soundtrack to the day. What to do? Or in my case, what not to do.

A planned evening of patriotic celebrations of one’s homeland with fellow Australians didn’t quite work out as planned, following an afternoon that, in the immortal words of Powderfinger, turned from “worse to bad”. An afternoon which a fellow columnist of this very paper witnessed, but thankfully also doesn’t remember.

Needless to say, I got very excited by an unexpected house full of people, covered myself in Aussie flag tattoos, wore my favourite flanno, had one

to many Fosters and as a result, was sound asleep and snoring up a storm by 6:30pm. Tucked up under in the covers whilst my very patient friends, who have since forgiven me but never let me forget, were texting me to see why I wasn’t showing up to our chosen venue. Whoops. Mum, if you’re reading this, your boy is very sorry. Not his finest hour. But hey, I said I was gonna get my bogan on, so mission accomplished…I guess.

Anyway, let’s move on. Australia Day 2013 - what’s on the agenda?

At the risk of unleashing Barry (my henceforth named bogan alter-ego), I have decided to this year take a trip out of London and celebrate Australia Day with some fellow Aussies and our token English friend in the beautiful city of Budapest.

My plan - and yes, this year I intend to make my plan a reality – is to sit in a Hungarian bath in minus degree temperatures, chomping on some Goulash, sensibly downing whatever local brew I can find, but still telling everyone I happen to be sharing a bath with why The Dragons are the greatest football team of all time.

Ohh and somehow finding a podcast of the Hottest 100.

George Katralis writes regular arts and culture features, including a popular Top Ten Secret London list.

He has also interviewed music idols Tim Freedman and Darren Hanlon.

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| 13

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Photo of the Week

Sydney Harbour Bridge at night,

NSW

Australian Day special This Australia Day we’re celebrating Australian landscape and wildlife with a special Photo of the Week feature. Charles Davis is an Australian photographer who takes incredible images that capture the spirit and beauty of our nation. For more of Charles images see 500px.com/charlieshadow.

An Easte rn Comm on womb at dusk in at Wilson’s P rom VIC

Female wallaroos near Cooma NSW

Eastern grey kangaroo and joey near Cooma NSW New Year’s Eve Fireworks in Sydney Harbour 2013

A lighting storm in Pilbara WA

Pavlova passion n Celebrate Aussie Day with a classic Australian dessert. Maze Grill’s head chef Chris Arkadieff shares his recipe for the perfect pavlova.

chris’s

kitchen

> CHRIS ARKadieff

It’s always a challenge when people ask me what a typical Australian dish is. I tell them: “It’s all the best dishes from each country around the world”. Our great country was built on diversity; people from across the globe have created the dynamic culture we have today.

Many left their shores with very few personal possessions, but a large collection of recipes and cooking techniques to remind them of their homeland.

However, the perfect finale to any Australian feast has to be the Pavlova, despite the Kiwis laying a claim to be the inventor of this quintessentially Aussie dish. The abundance of tropical fruits like fresh mango, pawpaw, bananas and passion fruit are just a few of our prized delights.

It’s also simple to make, and a perfect addition to your Australia Day party this weekend.

My Australia Day

By Jennifer Perkin I’ve spent so many Australia Days away now that I don’t tend to make too much of a fuss anymore. However I always do try and tune in to at least of a little bit of the Hottest 100 every year, just to touch base with

what’s going on with Oz music. It invariably makes me furious though – so much terrible Aussie hip hop.

Last year I was living in deepest darkest North Wales, with not another Aussie to be found within a 100km radius, so to keep the dream alive on Australia Day I made the a batch of rum balls for

What you need:

• 4 egg whites • 225g castor sugar • 1 tsp corn flour • 1 fresh vanilla pod • ½ lemon zested • 250ml of double cream • 450g fresh fruit of your choice

What to do:

• Heat the oven to 180C fan-forced.

• Cover a baking tray with baking paper • Whisk the egg whites with electric beaters until they just form stiff and shiny peaks. Slowly add the caster sugar and whisk well.

• Once all the sugar is incorporated continue to whisk for 4 minutes.

• Next whisk in the corn flour and vinegar.

• Spoon the mixture into small mounds on the baking tray. Use a palette knife to form small rounds about 10cm in diameter.

• Place in the oven and turn the temperature down to 120° for 1.5 hours.

• Turn the oven off after 1.5 hours and leave until the oven and meringue is completely cold.

• Carefully remove the meringue and place on your serving dish. Don’t worry if they crack.

• Scrape the vanilla seeds into a

the office I was working in. They were very popular actually!

My favourite Australia Day though was probably the second year I lived In London. I was in a sharehouse with two other Aussies and we had loads of Aussie friends between us. We had a massive party on Oz Day complete with BBQ, homemade Anzac biscuits and lamingtons and lots of Aussie themed decorations.

We turned up the heating really high and wore singlets and thongs, and we even had some musician friends play songs from the ‘Great Australian Songbook’ that we had kicking around. It was absolutely awesome. I couldn’t even tell you what I’ve ever done for Oz day while in Australia (except for sometimes going to BDO), so it definitely made it more special and meaningful being away from

mixing bowl, add the cream and lemon zest and softly whip, then spoon on the top of pavlova.

• Dice or slice your fruit and spoon on the top of the cream and dust with some icing sugar.

home.

Now I’m in Liverpool and since I’ve not met another Aussie here yet I’ll be hard pressed to find anything going on. Though there is actually a Walkabout here if I do get desperate!

Jennifer Perkin writes features on Australian music in the UK and for Travel.

travel

14 | Travel

22 - 28 January 2013

Highlands Highlights

n Scotland is a country of rolling green

hills, beautiful scenery, and a fascinating history, all in an easily accessible, friendly and fun package. LEE CROSSLEY embarks on a five-day tour of the Highlands and the Isle of Skye, so full of highlights he needs two issues to share it all. This week, days 1-3 of his Highlands adventure.

Scotland was something of a mystery to me. I’d been to Edinburgh a couple of times but never ventured beyond the capital. This all changed when I embarked on a five-day Skye and Highlands Fling with Macbackpackers.

The first thing I notice about the Scottish Highlands as our bus meanders through Perthshire, north of Edinburgh, passing by glorious glens and glistening lochs, is the vast open spaces that seem desolate and almost devoid of civilisation.

Less than 30 per cent of Scotland’s population live in the highlands, our guide Duncan informs us. However, it wasn’t always this way. There was a time when the Highlanders dominated the north – trading, farming and defending. Where did they go? What caused the exodus?

Answers to these questions form the building blocks of the stories that make this tour so engaging. Each stop we make provides Duncan with an opportunity to impart a short lesson in history, culture, archaeology, religious education, family genealogy or geography – all delivered with trademark Scottish wit and humour.

Day 1: Edinburgh to Inverness

Less than an hour into our journey, we’re treated to our first castle sighting: Loch Leven Castle, located in the middle of a loch and only accessible by boat.

Mary Queen of Scots was held captive there but she escaped after wooing the castle guard and stealing his keys. Like most of the stories, it ends in tragedy – Mary was convicted of treason and beheaded. Her son, James VI of Scotland, became James I of England in 1603 and surrendered Scotland’s sovereignty. There is more than a hint of disapproval in Duncan’s tone when he asks rhetorically, “Does marriage last forever?” referring to the possibility of Scottish independence after the upcoming referendum.

Our lunch stop, Dunkeld, has a population of just over 1000. This place, like most Scottish townships,

certainly punches above its weight in the attractions stakes.

The River Tay, which snakes through Dunkeld, is a haven for salmon fishing. So much so that over-fishing has led to a crackdown with unlicensed fisherman facing a whopping four-figure fine if caught retrieving salmon from the Tay. Even CCTV cameras have been installed along the river.

At Dunkeld, don’t miss Scotland’s best deli, The Scottish Deli, located on High Street. I can vouch for the smoked salmon and horse-raddish baguette. Delicious!

There are 102 whisky distilleries in Scotland and Tomatin is considered one of the best. A guided tour (£3) covers everything from distilling to bottling – and a dram of 12-year-old single malt awaits at the end. The scale of production here is mindboggling. At its peak in the 1970s, Tomatin produced 12 million litres of Scotch a year. While today’s numbers are slightly less, they still churn through 120 tons of barley a week at a cost of £150,000. There are 14 warehouses on site, housing 160,000 barrels of whisky. A thick, sweet odour fills the air.

“That smell, that’s the whisky evaporating through the casks. We call that the ‘Angels share’,” says our guide. I purchase a bottle of The Antiquary, a blend of single malt and

grain whisky, but it doesn’t survive beyond Day 3.

Before our final stop, there is one final treat. It’s a big one. Loch Ness.

We hear about the legend, about the monster and the loch, but it is the story of the man who quit his job, left his partner and who now devotes his life to Nessie spotting that makes my ears prick up.

Steve Feltham lives in a caravan beside Loch Ness where he spends his time trying to spot Nessie. I am expecting to meet a guy who hasn’t all his marbles intact. Surprisingly, he isn’t a nutter at all. In fact, entrepreneur would be a more fitting label. Living rent free on the local publican’s land, Steve’s income is derived from selling tiny Nessie models made from synthetic materials. A baby Nessie on a rock picked up from his front yard goes for £5. And he can’t make them fast enough. When I meet him he’s fiddling with a wooden ship.

“Did you make that?”

“Yep.” “How much will that go for?”

“About £150.”

“And how long will it take you?”

“About a day.”

That’s more than most people make in a day. When you look over the expansive loch, you can see why he does it. His office draws thousands of tourists each year.

“I used to be in the business of fitting security systems,” he says.

“Then one day I thought, ‘I’m sick of this. Life’s too short’ so I packed up and came here.”

Nessie is a tad shy when we visit, but meeting Steve is enough. Tired, we chug into Inverness, the highland capital, for a well-earned rest and finally draw the curtain on Day 1 – but not before checking out a ‘Trad Session’ at the Hootananny, a trendy bar in the heart of Inverness.

Day 2: Inverness to Skye

Culloden Battlefield, 10 miles from Inverness, is the site of the last full-scale battle in Britain. On April 16, 1746, 6000 Jacobites, led by Bonnie Prince Charlie – a Stuart and rightful heir to the British throne – lost in a bloody battle against 9000 Englishmen led by the Duke of Cumberland.

The aftermath was devastating

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Isle of Skye has to be one of the most interesting, romantic, quirky and beautiful places on Earth. It’s easy to see why Macbackpackers devotes a whole day of sightseeing to “the misty isle”.

It’s a land where ‘hairy coos’ recline in peat bogs, where blackfaced sheep amble aimlessly across the road and where fairies frolic in atmospheric glens. And, on the day of

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Day 3 – Isle of Skye

our tour, where British Navy fighter jets test fly deafeningly close to unsuspecting tour groups!

Its population, just under 10,000, makes it a slow-paced and cruisy place to explore in the low season.

But beware: it’s known to swell to 50,000 in summer with tourists flocking en masse.

The place has a strong oral history. Mythology about fairies and witches and demons abound, which complement the stunning landscape and geography. It’s little wonder Isle of Skye has been the location for numerous major films, including Harry Potter, Highlander and Prometheus. With 150 miles of breathtaking coastline, be sure to have several gigabytes free on your camera’s memory card.

The Cuillin Mountains are regarded as one of the most spectacular mountain ranges in Scotland. It has been protected under European law since 1991 and is considered the perfect place for Golden Eagle spotting – although we (perhaps fortunately) don’t spot any.

Portree, Skye’s capital with a population of less than 3000, is a charming community. Nearly 40 per cent of the people speak Scottish Gaelic, a dialect that has seen a revival in recent years – most notably in the signage that dots the Highlands.

Portree also boasts arguably the cheapest bakery in the world, MacKenzie’s Bakery. Two bread rolls, a salad box and a beef and onion pie sets me back just £2.94. I quickly get out of there before they realise a mistake was made.

Seven miles north of Portree is Old Man Storr, a great spot for a mildly challenging hike – again with some spectacular scenery once you reach

FROM

for the Highlanders. Jacobites who survived the battle were hunted down and brutally murdered. If that wasn’t enough, the British Government introduced rigid laws that destroyed Highland culture, including disbanding the clan system and outlawing tartan and the distilling of whisky. Even playing the bagpipes was banned.

“A form of ethnic cleansing and an erosion of culture went on,” said Duncan. It was the severest of blows for the Highlanders and went a long way to explaining the rift that to an extent exists today between Scotland and England.

Next stop is Beinn Eighe, Britain’s oldest and largest nature reserve.

The view from the mountain side, overlooking Loch Maree, is breathtaking. Anyone who has been to Plitvice National Park in Croatia with its cascading waterfalls and turquoise lakes knows it’s one of the world’s most stunning natural wonders. Just when I thought I would never see anything to rival that, I am spoilt to behold Loch Maree, with her stunning diversity of colour and light that gives Plitvice a run for its money.

Before reaching Kyleakin Backpackers at Skye, there is one last treat: the most photographed castle in the world, Eilean Donan Castle.

First inhabited in the sixth century, it has been rebuilt four times, with the latest rebuild by Colonel John MacRae in 1911. Members of the MacRae clan still have private living quarters in the castle, which is used for private gatherings. As a tourist attraction, the castle is one of the Highland’s most impressive sites.

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16 | Travel

22 - 28 January 2013

the 700m summit. The site is named after “Storr”, a Norse giant who is said to have roamed these parts in times gone by.

A short drive around the coast is Kilt Rock, the perfect place to be educated on the Scottish kilt. At the viewing area, there is a sign with a dinosaur on it.

Archeologists have discovered here Scotland’s most impressive collection of dinosaur remains. Of course they did. Nothing surprises us about this place any more.

We venture west to Uig, a Viking harbour town. The town’s website says this place is ideal for your next ‘walking holiday’, and with such stunning scenery, I can see why. A short drive from Uig is Balnaknock, boasting the mysterious ‘Fairy Glen’.

It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen. It’s so hilly and green and has windy little tracks that lead up to one big natural fort that overlooks glens and streams and the bay. It’s stunning.

Duncan relays the fascinating tale of Clan MacLeod, who is said to have ‘fairy blood’ due to the union of a clan chief and a fairy centuries ago.

It is true that many MacLeods who perished in the Battle of Britain were found carrying the Fairy Flag in his wallet, which was said to bring them good luck.

More castle spotting in the arvo, this time Dunvegan Castle, Scotland’s oldest inhabited castle and home to clan MacLeod for over 800 years. The Giant MacAskill Museum is a short drive from here and boasts some interesting, and odd, memorabilia from Giant MacAskill’s time as one of the world’s tallest people. This provides Duncan with the perfect segue to Danny MacAskill, also from Dunvegan. Danny, 26, quickly rose to international stardom after putting a five-minute video titled ‘April 2009’ on YouTube. The film features Danny using Edinburgh landmarks as an obstacle course for his freakish skills on a BMX. This film has now been viewed more than 31 million times and he now rides for a living, performing stunts the world over. His film ‘Way Back Home’ (less popular with only 22 million views) follows Danny from Edinburgh, through the

Highlands, and to Dunvegan as he does what only he can – you have to see it to believe it.

Amid the Scottish anthems on high rotation during our day, Duncan surprises us with an uncharacteristically modern tune. It’s ‘Drop the pressure’ by Mylo. “Myles MacInnes, more popularly known as ‘Mylo’ was born here” comes the explanation, as we pass through Broadford. He gave up studying philosophy to make music on his computer in his bedroom and now he’s an international megastar. From such humble beginnings.

So many stories, so many sights.

My head is spinning. Time to return to the hostel and put the feet up. Time for cards and Scotch. I crack open the bottle I bought from Tomatin. I decide to share it with Rob, and the other staff at Skye Backpackers to say thanks for being such awesome hosts. Rob is a Queenslander who has been living and working in Skye, on and off, for the best part of a year.

“It feels like home now,” he says, taking a wee dram. Not a bad place to call home.

Lee Crossley’s Scotland adventure continues in Travel next week with days 4-5 as he visits the adventure hub of Fort William, eats seafood in Oban and tears up the dance floor at a traditional Ceilidh.

Lee travelled with MacBackpackers on their 5 Day Skye and Highland Fling tour which runs all year round.

For more information check them out at macbackpackers.com.

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Travel | 17

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Learning to Fly... Smart n The days of £1 flights may be over, but there are still travel deals to be had for the discerning traveller. NICOLE CROWLEY lets us in on a few tips of the trade, and shows you how to avoid blowing your budget next time you fly.

I can’t begin to count the times I’ve heard an Australian traveller bawl at the value of the Great British Pound. We seem to encapsulate an annoying little habit to double the cost of everything in sight, exaggerating and miscalculating the exchange rate until you hear: “£2.50 for a coffee? That’s, like, over five dollars.”

Unfortunately for travellers, it’s a given that the exchange rate is nothing to write home about. In particular, airfares can easily soak up the largest chunk of your pound and deliver the most amount of stress, making your ‘quick getaway’ feel (read: ‘cost’) like a full blown

holiday.

With tourism still shaky all over the world and fuel prices climbing higher - surpassing even the cost of airline salaries - there is little margin for airlines to make a profit and slash their fares to match competitors.

Bottom line? The days of ‘£1’ flight sales are virtually extinct.

But before you write off travelling as an exorbitantly expensive hobby, or fall victim to the complacency of settling for the ‘cheapest fares guaranteed’ here’s a list of tips and tricks to bear in mind when purchasing your flights. The savings could mean the difference between the hostel and the four star hotel.

The perfect time to book is...

Eight weeks in advance, on a Tuesday or Wednesday, at 3pm.

The day you book can have as much of an impact as the day you depart. Rick Seaney, CEO of FareCompare.com, concluded that 3pm Eastern time on a Tuesday is the ideal time to book, based on a three-year investigation into flight prices.

In general, analysts have concluded that prices seem to be higher in the mornings, and can decrease in the afternoons. The rationale posits that business travellers, who make up a large portion of the flight market, are more likely to book their travel in the mornings during the week, on their corporate accounts.

Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz, three of the biggest online ticketsellers, all say their busiest day for reservations is Tuesday and the slowest day is Saturday, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The report claims that many sales occur on a Monday night and by Tuesday competitions have surfaced to match the slashed fares, often by 15 to 25 per cent. By Thursday and Friday, these offers have sold out or expired and flight prices stagnate around the upper price bracket for the weekend.

Expedia claims that Saturdays have about half the volume of Tuesdays.

The second consistent finding was

what economist, Makoto Watanabe, coined the ‘eight week rule’. The logic here is that travellers are rewarded for booking in advance.

Naturally, work schedules and personal conflicts make an eightweek plan somewhat difficult, so as Watanabe says, “In order to make consumers take their chances, airlines have to offer advance purchase discounts.”

Not surprisingly, ticket prices are severely hiked the closer to the date you book. If you are flexible, flying mid-week bears considerable price benefits compared to the weekends. For instance, a quick search on British Airways from London to Prague in December had a price difference of £198 from a Wednesday flight to a Saturday flight. Flying earlier in the morning and later in the evenings can also deliver cheaper prices as these are the least popular times.

Budget airlines...

Mostly.

Budget airlines like Ryan Air and easyJet are notorious for their alluringly low fares. But what you are paying for is little more than the seat. The first factor to consider is the baggage allowance. If you’re booked in for a short trip and can champion the easyJet carry-on test at the gate, then these airlines often offer the best flight deals. easyJet have no weight restrictions for

carry-on, yet it is strictly one piece and must fit within the display case measures, lest you risk a £40 fee at the gate. Adding checked luggage will set you back £14 each way.

Ryan Air is slightly worse. Adding a checked bag will hike up the airfare from £15 each way for 15kg and will rise dependant on the weight and the peak of the season.

The price of the airfare is also dependant upon the airport in which you depart. Most budget airlines, and the cheapest fares, will depart from Stansted, Southend and Luton due to the lower airport taxes. But before you hit ‘Confirm Now’ and swing the shiny new carry on across your shoulder, do the calculations.

Let’s consider Ryan Air who recently advertised return flights to Poland from London Stansted for £6. Really, you know it’s a bargain since you’ve just spent five times that on dinner. Then, calculate. The Stansted Express train will cost a minimum of £22.50 each way, and a checked bag will hike the fare another £30 return. Naturally, £6

18 | Travel

22 - 28 January 2013

was the lowest fare available and the dates and flight times were severely limited, meaning that a readjustment on the flight time would bear a price penalty. Even before payment fees are surcharged and dates are jumbled, that’s a neat little £75 to add on.

Airlines such as British Airways and Swiss Air can sometimes scare bargain hunters away with their steeper fares, but you should consider this includes 23kg of checked luggage, Heathrow is a tube ride away on your Oyster and complimentary amenities are available on board.

The Cheapest Fares Guaranteed

While this one isn’t necessarily untrue, it can be misleading at best. Comparison websites such as Expedia, SkyScanner, fly. com, CheapOair and Kayak have exploded in popularity over recent years. While some survive off advertising costs alone, many are funded with alliances from airlines themselves.

That said, these sites should form the basis of your initial search.

By searching multiple deal sites you will be able to identify which airlines are consistent in offering the lowest fare. Step two is to check-in directly with the airline’s website advertising the cheapest flights.

Why? On a recent trip to Berlin, the lowest fares were generated through the search engine CheapOair and promised easyJet to deliver the best deal at £159 return to Schoenefeld. Upon the final pages of my online booking I was agreeing to a £11.34 debit card surcharge.

Switching tactics to search easyJet directly for the identical flight, it was advertised at an additional £3, yet attracted zero fees to pay via debit card. In this instance, booking

direct is a more economically beneficial approach despite online deals websites promising to deliver the cheapest flights. Guaranteed.

The final word

The days of cheap travel seem numbered. Personally, 2012 saw a wealth of travel misadventures on my behalf, from overpriced last minute flights last to fraudulent tickets via Gumtree, building a firm foundation to pave the way for smarter traveling.

While amazing deals are planted like hidden gems on the Internet, remain vigilant and search hard.

Consider the total costs, sign up for mailing lists, join frequent flyers and try to remain flexible for the best fares. Bon voyage!

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Jobs & Money | 19

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Is it time to switch out of term deposits and get investing again?

n As term deposits and savings account interest rates decline in Australia, is now the time to think seriously about switching out of your cash-only investments and into higher growth investments, including shares? your money

> Daniel Shillito

Of course the answer will very much depend in the first instance on your own personal financial situation, and it’s worth sitting down and discussing it with an adviser.

But here are some facts and current news to get you thinking. In March 2012, term deposit interest rates available at an Australian bank, held for 5 years, could get you around 6.5%. The peak of 3 year rates was in December 2009 at 7%. By May last year average rates had fallen to 6% and now the best 3 year rates are at 4.5%. That’s a significant drop, and savings rates are expected to fall further in 2013.

At the same time in calendar 2012 banks collectively reduced their home loan mortgage rates charged to homeowners, by about 1%, despite the Reserve bank reducing rates by 1.25%.

So the gap (spread) it seems is widening in favour of the banks – paying less to savers in term deposits, and holding back rate reductions on mortgages.

Since late 2010 banks have been complaining about that spread, and the reduced gap between savings rates paid to investors, and mortgage rates charged to borrowers, justifying their reluctance to reduce mortgage rates in line with the RBA. Now, as that spread improves and global cash conditions are easing, it should mean banks become more willing and able to pass on future Reserve bank rate cuts. We shall have to wait and see if that is the case.

It’s interesting to see that Australia’s investment in term deposits has more than doubled since before the global financial crisis (GFC). Prior to the GFC Australians had $270 billion invested in term deposits, and figures late last year show that today, that amount is $600 billion. There is no doubt this reflects a conservative, cautious approach, spurred on by disappointing returns from stocks and the government’s guarantee of bank deposits. Security has been the mantra in

investing over the last 3 years or so.

Cash is an important part of every investment strategy, however it appears to have an unusually high share of the investing pie right now, as people have a reduced level of confidence or fear in the stockmarket and generally in relation to overall economic conditions.

Sharemarkets have been boosted lately by news the US fiscal cliff-threat has been largely averted, and there is evidence coming from government bond movements in Australia that investors are beginning to factor in better economic conditions ahead.

This fact coupled with the decreasing interest rates, and reasonably attractive company valuations, means that at some point investors should be reconsidering equities and growth assets now, whilst cash savings and fixed return style investments are gradually producing lower returns, as they follow the cash rate downwards.

These general conditions cannot be assumed for Spain and Italy, and consequently the Eurozone, where for example Italian 10 year government bonds were at their lowest level since 2010 recently, suggesting some serious clouds remain on the horizon.

Equity prices are affected by several factors, but primarily they are driven by company earnings and cashflows (and investor sentiment over shorter time periods). For approximately 5 years in Australia we have seen lower than average returns from equity investments, but that trend will not necessarily continue. Long term averages point to this fact. Fixed interest and cash investments (like term deposits today) have underperformed sharemarket investments for over 100 years, since records have been kept. Of course, it takes a longer term view, and some risk, to step away from a security mindset.

Stocks are a long term investment, and should only be considered over at least a 7-10 year timeframe. Focusing on yesterday’s result or one week’s or one month’s stock movements will not help your portfolio, let alone your ability to

sleep well! However now is the time to realise that you cannot rebuild any lost wealth from the GFC by achieving cash returns (from savings in cash) after tax of around 2-3% per year.

Consider dollar-cost averaging in shares. This is the smart investor’s strategy to accumulate the stocks of long-term successful companies, at various prices. Keeping your money out of the market and waiting for the price to rise will mean you will always be “late to the party,” returning to buy only when confidence is highest and when stock prices have truly recovered. It’s much harder to make long term gains with this approach.

Buying regularly, especially when prices are lower relatively, will mean that ultimately your overall purchase cost is reduced – helping you taking advantage when stockmarket weakness is present, and ensuring you can position yourself for long term gains.

This is not investment advice, but general information only. Any conclusions or consideration of your own investment strategy right now should take into account your own personal goals and objectives and be based on tailored professional advice.

Good luck with your goals in 2013!

Daniel Shillito is a Financial Adviser, CPA and Expat specialist at Aussie Finance and Property Group, qualified both within Australia and throughout Europe. Daniel can be contacted on Ph. 020 3239 0479 or visit www. aussiefpgroup.com Daniel and his company My Financial Life are Authorised Representatives (AFS number 306941 and 387510) of Patron Financial Services Limited, AFSL 307379

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NAB could offload UK banks to Santander

n NAB

may be able to offload its beleaguered UK banking division amid reports that Spain’s Santander could make an offer.

NATIONAL Australia Bank may be able to finally offload its troubled British banking division amid speculation that Spanish giant Santander is considering making a STG2 billion ($A3.04 billion) offer.

London’s Sunday Times has reported that Santander was considering a bid but had not made an offer for NAB’s loss-making Clydesdale and Yorkshire banks, which mainly serve Scotland and northern England.

It is understood that Santander has not been in contact with NAB about the matter.

The paper said Santander had been considering the move after talks to buy a network of 316 branches from the Royal Bank of Scotland collapsed last October.

A NAB spokeswoman said the bank did not comment on market speculation.

But investors appeared pleased by the prospect of NAB finally ridding itself of its troubled British banks, pushing its shares up 47 cents to $26.82 by 1320 AEDT. CLSA banking analyst Brian Johnson said NAB should contemplate an offer from Santander, but without any details it was difficult to say whether the bank should accept it.

However, he said, the market would react positively to NAB offloading its beleaguered UK banks.

“I think it’s something they should consider and I think it’s something that would, probably, be very positively assessed in the market,”

Mr Johnson said.

“But I suppose the major point is that even if that deal doesn’t eventuate, I think what they are doing in the UK is quite sensible, in any case.

“I think the market would welcome them exiting it, but it really comes down to the price they get.”

Clydesdale and Yorkshire made a STG139 million ($A210.99 million) loss for the year to September, due to a weak British economy and poor quality, small business and real estate loans.

In April, NAB said it would cut 1,400 jobs as it restructured its UK business.

It also transferred Clydesdale’s real estate loans, worth STG6 billion ($A9.11 billion), to an NAB branch in London. – AAP

20 | Jobs & Money

22 - 28 January 2013

Avoiding the missed goal blues an astute aussie in london

> SEPI ROSHAN

IT’S here. January, 2013.

People are hitting the gym, making resolutions and in some instances, breaking them. A brand new year can mean that we leave all the junk from the last year behind and start afresh.

We are all expected to set goals.

But what if you are not sure what you want? I’m going rogue – going against convention. Forget new year goals. Identify what you do not want.

Not everyone thinks the same way. Some people put a lot of energy into thinking about the future and how they would like it to be.

Others focus on how they can avoid problems and undesirable situations.

Each type of thinking has its pros and cons. Identifying goals works better for future orientated people.

However, problem solvers can feel that setting goals is futile: it just does not feel right.

So what can you do to solve this goal-setting problem?

1. Identify what you do not want Sometimes we are more attuned to what we don’t want rather than what we do want. If you are looking for love, you may have an ideal image of who you want to partner up with. The problem is, with so many confusing messages and expectations, it can be hard to know who would be a best fit.

My advice: identify what you do not want. For example, you may not be interested in someone who sits on the couch all day, or someone who is not able to respect other points of view.

Maybe you are adamant that someone without a sense of humour is a no-go.

The same applies if you are looking to change your job. For example, you may not want a job that involves cold calling or spending the majority of the time doing admin work.

2. Set a minimum for what you would expect Focus on your absolute must-haves.

A minimum expectation gives you a base to work from. Anything below is a no-go. Anything above is a bonus: you stay open to potential opportunities you may not have considered. For example, if you are searching for love, at a minimum, you may be seeking someone who likes hiking – if hiking is what you do every weekend, no use hooking up with someone who sits on the coach gaming the whole time. If you are looking for a new job, you may have minimum salary expectations or minimum expectations about time spent working directly with people.

“Focus on your absolute must-haves. A minimum expectation gives you a base to work from.”

3. Take action Without action, nothing happens.

Your first action can be writing your responses to the above points.

Prioritise them to give yourself a clear picture or feel for where your 2013 is heading. With this focus, you can decide what decisions and actions will help and what will hinder your progress. If you need support to help you avoid your usual traps, get it.

Sometimes setting goals can be harder than it seems. We all think differently and need our own ways of finding happiness. By identifying what you don’t want and the minimum that you expect, you can avoid another lost year. Try it. What have you got to lose?

Dollar Review

Aussie Dollar slips on unfavourable labour data

By Trevor Brewer THE Aussie Dollar slipped on Thursday with the release of labour force data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The ABS data showed unemployment in Australia rose in December, in line with analyst expectations. The Australian Dollar recovered slightly on Friday though, on the release of better than expected Chinese gross domestic product data.

The Aussie currency had started last week recovering slightly from a relatively quiet end to the previous week.

Tuesday saw a slight weakening of the Aussie Dollar against most major currencies but recovered ground during Wednesday’s trade, fuelled by US stock markets which had started

the New York session poorly before regaining most of their lost ground.

Thursday’s release of local labour data though dominated the currency’s week.

The Australian Dollar opened this week lower on a quieter day on international markets as the US has a bank holiday with the swearing in of Barack Obama for his second term as US president.

GBP/AUD: 1.5102 EUR/AUD: 1.2667 USD/AUD: 1.0516 NZD/AUD: 1.2569 08:30 GMT, 21 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.

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17/01/2013 16:17

22 | Sport

22 - 28 January 2013

Aussies at forefront of Broncos charge Melbourne Storm to take on the Leeds Rhinos in the World Club Challenge Continued from p24...

Coach Tony Rea was pleased with the result, but stressed that the score line was irrelevant, and the most important thing to come out of the game was the control his team showed.

A former Broncos player himself, Rea ventured back to the UK mid last season to take over coaching duties following a stint back in Australia coaching the Brumbies Rugby Union team. His return to the club resulted in a successful finish to last year’s season, with the Broncos winning four of their final five matches.

However, Rea stressed 2013 was a new campaign.

“We’ve got to build momentum, but certainly those wins enabled us to have a little more confidence in what we are doing.

“That didn’t hurt us today, we just need to find a way to keep it going and work hard.”

Widely regarded as having one of smallest fan bases in the Super

League, Rea is hoping the Broncos can improve on their second-to-last finish last year to draw in larger home crowds.

“From my point of view, we just want to make sure that when the fans get there, they are watching a really hungry, determined performance.

That’s the best way that the team can market themselves.”

Former NRL player Shane Rodney is aware of what is required for a successful 2013 campaign, having won premierships in Australia with both the Penrith Panthers and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.

Despite the smaller crowds, he says there is no less pressure to perform.

“I think as a player you always want to perform to the best of your ability.

You put the pressure on yourself, and you don’t want to let your team down.”

When asked about the banning of the shoulder charge in the NRL, Rodney said he hoped a similar rule would not be implemented in the

Continued from p24...

Australian Luke Dorn for the London Broncos (Broncos Media) Super League.

“It’s a great spectacle of the game. It’s what the fans like to see.

Hopefully we can keep it in the game over here.”

By Shannon Loves

I had no idea about rule, says Shane Warne

FINING WARNEY: Shane cops another. (AAP Image/Julian Smith) Continued from p24... semi-final defeat by Perth Scorchers at the WACA on January 16.

Warne was under threat of suspension if he allowed another slow over rate as captain and wanted to guard against missing the final, had his team won.

This was deemed “against the spirit of cricket” by CA which had issued all BBL teams with a memo last month stating: “If a team’s official captain is selected but not named as captain this ... may attract a code of behaviour charge.”

Warne said the team’s management was at fault, not him.

“I had no idea about the rule/law...,” Warne said on Twitter.

“If I was aware of the law/rule I would have tossed the coin, I should have been informed and made aware by management “Anyway, Disappointed it was not a Stars fine rather than me as I was never informed as I said... Glad u all understand now!! Enjoy.”

The 43-year-old Warne did not attend CA’s Melbourne headquarters for the teleconference hearing which convened in Perth.

He was represented by Melbourne Stars team manager Ben Robertson and CEO Clint Cooper who said later: “The Melbourne Stars and Shane Warne have accepted the fine.

“We equally shoulder the responsibility of the breach given the miscommunication between team

management and Shane Warne; key parties involved in the incident were unaware of the memo.”

The veteran bowler claimed only four wickets at an average of 39.75 this season but was frequently in the headlines for less savoury reasons.

He was suspended for one match after a shirt-grabbing incident with Melbourne Renegades batsman Marlon Samuels on January 6, during which a miked-up Warne said to Samuels “F**k you, Marlon!”.

Warne was also fined $4500 after being found guilty on three of four charges stemming from the derby clash.

At a separate hearing on Monday, Samuels was found guilty of unbecoming behaviour in relation to the shirt incident but only received an official reprimand from CA as it was acknowledged that “the player’s conduct resulted from extreme provocation”.

The other charge against Samuels of engaging in inappropriate and deliberate physical contact, relating to the Jamaican grabbing the shirt of David Hussey as he turned for a second run, was dismissed.

Samuels’ hearing was delayed because of a facial injury suffered only a few overs after the clash with Warne when he was hit by a Lasith Malinga bouncer.

Adelaide Strikers coach Darren Berry also faced a charge of unbecoming behaviour following a verbal exchange with Samuels during the warm-up of another BBL match, but he escaped any punishment.

By Greg Buckle

Corkscrew turns on pain at Tour Down Under THE Corkscrew is another nail in the coffin for the sprint specialists at the Tour Down Under which got under way on Tuesday.

The introduction of the steep Corkscrew Road climb, an institution in Adelaide cycling, is part of a trend in the last few years where the race has moved away from being the domain of the fast men.

German sprint ace Andre Greipel, the 2008 and `10 Tour champion, is back but his Lotto-Belisol team will try to set him up for stage wins, not the overall title.

The Lotto lead-out train showed it was in top form when Greipel won the People’s Choice Classic on Sunday, a warm-up for the Tour.

The field is still stacked with world-class sprinting talent, but their opportunities at the Tour are becoming limited.

Australian Orica-GreenEDGE riders Cameron Meyer and Simon Gerrans have won the last two titles and they reflect the state of the race.

Meyer and Gerrans, the defending champion, are all-rounders who can climb better than they can sprint.

“I don’t think it’s a race for the sprinters anymore,” said OricaGreenEDGE sprinter Matt Goss.

“Maybe last year, you could have a climber or a sprinter win ... now it’s out of reach.”

In the past few years, it has become much harder for a sprinter to take the

overall title because of changes to the second-last stage at Willunga.

There are now two climbs up Old Willunga Hill Road, plus a summit finish.

Race director Mike Turtur has wanted to have Corkscrew in the Tour for years, but logistics made it impossible until now.

The 116.5km second stage from Mt Barker in the Adelaide Hills to suburban Rostrevor features Corkscrew, a brutish 2.5km climb only 7km from the finish.

“Any climb is hard in January, but that’s really going to rip the race to pieces,” said Orica-GreenEDGE road captain Stuart O’Grady.

By Roger Vaughan

“We had a sell out crowd last season and the interest in this game is extremely high already. The chance to see players like Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith play at Headingley Carnegie is also an obvious attraction and I am sure the World Club Challenge will be the perfect way to kick off a massive year for the sport with the World Cup coming to England later in the year.”

Melbourne Storm are bringing a full strength squad to the UK for the World Club Challenge match, with the game a key part of Storm’s final preparations leading into the 2013 NRL Premiership season.

Storm will depart Australia for the UK on Tuesday 12 February and will

spend time training and preparing for the match in London before travelling to Leeds.

Melbourne Storm General Manager, Frank Ponissi, said the team was looking forward to the challenge of being back to play for the World Club Challenge trophy.

“We are looking forward to heading to Leeds and testing ourselves against the current Super League premiers,” “We value this game highly and will be looking to give ourselves the best chance to claim another World Club Challenge title, against a powerhouse club who have won five of the last six Super League premierships.”

Tickets are available through RFL at www.rugbyleaguetickets.co.uk or by calling 0844 856 1113.

2013 Winter Tag Rugby comps off to a flying start

The Try Tag Rugby referees enjoying the annual curry night at Brick Lane Despite the current big freeze in London, six out of the seven Try Tag Rugby competitions went ahead as scheduled as London’s best Tag Rugby teams battle it out for Winter Tag Rugby supremacy.

The only competition to have play postponed was the Saturday Holloway league due to the heavy snowfall experienced last Friday.

The Borough competition was the first Winter league to kick off, with Tagtical Heroes and Au Putag the early front runners in division one and When I Think About You I Tag Myself! ahead in division two.

Across at Tooting Bec, Must Tag Sally, Scrum & Coke and the Tag Rugby newbies, The Scarecrows all notched up first round wins.

At Rotherhithe, Tagquila Shots were too good for the Southfield Sharks in the A grade, securing a convincing 16-5 victory. The East End Paddies are leading the men’s division with Chris-Cross at the top of the table in the social division.

The White City league looks like it will be a very evenly fought out contest with the Browne’s Red Vee All-Starrs and Bush Rangers grabbing first round victories.

Speight’s and Tagging Foxes are the early front runners at

Bermondsey and Barnes.

Meanwhile, Try Tag Rugby held their annual curry night for the referees at world famous Brick Lane last Friday to reward the hard working referees who had refereed 75 matches or over in 2012. Try Tag Rugby are always on the look out for more referees. If you would like to join the Try Tag Rugby refereeing ranks, please email info@trytagrugby.com for more details.

There are still plenty of opportunities to have a run around on the Tag Rugby pitch this winter if you haven’t already registered, as the following leagues can still cater for players; Barnes, Bermondsey, Holloway, Tooting Bec 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.

Sport | 23

AustralianTimes.co.uk

No ban for Dave Warner over his SCG dissent AUSTRALIAN opener David Warner has received an official reprimand after pleading guilty to showing dissent towards umpire Marais Erasmus during the fourth one-day match against Sri Lanka on Sunday.

Warner was furious after Erasmus gave him out lbw and headed for the SCG changing rooms shaking his head and swearing to himself as replays clearly showed the lefthander had inside-edged the ball.

He was hit with a breach of the ICC code of conduct charge and accepted a reprimand from match referee Javagal Srinath.

The match was abandoned due to rain.

TOP KNOCK: David Warner at the SCG on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013.

(AAP Image/Joosep Martinson) The 26-year-old is free to play in the final ODI in Hobart on Wednesday, a game Australia need to win to square the series 2-2. - AAP

Triathlon boss wants Lance Armstrong to stay away Continued from p24... saga and its fallout are particularly significant, because she set up the anti-doping unit at cycling’s world governing body in the wake of the 2006 Operation Puerto scandal.

She was running the unit at the UCI at the start of Armstrong’s 2009-11 comeback before leaving in March 2010.

“If he was just a drug cheat, I always believe you should do a sanction and have the right to come back to the sport,” Gripper told AAP. “He’s not a drug cheat - he’s a bully, he’s a manipulator, he’s been incredibly unfair to a whole lot of people and he’s a dead-set liar.

Diamonds need to get hungry ahead of Wembley Test: Cox

“(He’s) not a single, one-off liar, he’s a pathological liar.

“I don’t want those people in our sport.”

Asked if she thought Armstrong might now be able to reduce his ban so he can return to triathlons in the next couple of years, Gripper replied: “I think he’s got Buckley’s (chance), really”.

Armstrong was preparing to compete in last year’s Hawaiian Ironman world championships when the findings from the US Anti-Doping Agency investigation abruptly ended that campaign.

Gripper believes Armstrong when he said he rode clean during his cycling comeback, saying there was nothing in his test results when she

was at the UCI to suggest abnormal blood values.

But she remains extremely curious why the US federal investigation into his doping abruptly ended in early 2011.

“I just put it down to this inordinate influence that Lance Armstrong had .. that was the only explanation I could come up with,” she said.

“It would be interesting whether there is some review of that investigation.”

Armstrong denies having helped influence the decision to stop the federal investigation.

By Roger Vaughan

WIN a 5 London weekend This week’s deals on Wotif.com: U

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AUSTRALIA’S netball Diamonds will go digging for added drive after losing the opening match of a threeTest series against England.

Playing without their injured captain Natalie von Bertouch, the world champions trailed the home side throughout Sunday’s clash, going down 58-53.

“I think the biggest thing that was noticeable was we got outplayed in terms of hunger,” stand-in captain and team veteran Catherine Cox told AAP after the loss in Bath, west of London. “(England) came out absolutely fired up … and gave us a bit of a netballing lesson in terms of hunger.

“They were more committed and that resulted in a kick in the guts for us.”

England finished the first quarter 1712, the second 33-22 and the third 4339 but despite narrowing the margin in the closing stages Australia couldn’t wrangle the lead from the home side before the final whistle.

Defender Eboni BeckfordChambers, who spent last season playing for Perth club West Coast Fever, was strong in defence for England.

Joanne Harten, who plays domestically in New Zealand, was also confident in possession for the red and white.

“Defensively we can get a lot stronger, but it’s all-round really,” Cox said.

“Overall, moving forward, it will be a look at every part of the court for training in coming days.”

Midcourt linchpin von Bertouch was sidelined for the match after a recurring finger injury flared up during training on Saturday.

“Obviously it’s tough,” Cox said of the captain’s absence.

“The last thing you want is one of your most experienced players and captain ruled out of play.”

As the Diamonds prepare for their

next fixture on Wednesday in London, von Bertouch’s availability will be determined by daily medical checks.

With the captain ruled out on Sunday, Diamonds debutante Kimberley Ravaillion, 19, slotted into the centre position from the second quarter.

“For my mind she was the stand-out player for us,” Cox said.

Most of the Australian side has sacrificed pre-season training with their domestic clubs to travel to England for the three-Test series.

Cox said the timing of the series “certainly has an impact”.

“It’s right at the start of our season.

We’ve only had a week together,” she said.

“If we had our way we would prefer to be playing at the end of the year, but most of us are players who have been around the traps for a long time and we know how we have to front up.”

The next match is set to take place at Wembley Arena on Wednesday 23 January at 7.30pm. Ticket prices for an Adult non-Member are £24, and Junior non-Members 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 nonMember £10. Family packages are also available. - with AAP Further information is available at englandnetball.co.uk, or for tickets to the London match see www.wembleyarena.co.uk and www.thenia.co.uk for the Birmingham match.

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TOUGH TAGGERS Tag Rugby defies big freeze P22

n Melbourne Storm set to roll through the UK in World Club Challenge against Leeds.

Storm are on the horizon THE annual World Club Challenge, which sees the champion club of the Australasian NRL play the champion club of the European Super League, is always an epic battle between two great clubs.

In 2013 the clash is set to happen in Leeds on 22 February, at Headingley Carnegie Stadium. It will see England’s Super League XVII champions, Leeds Rhinos, take on Australia’s 2012 NRL Premiers Melbourne Storm.

The clash is set to be a record breaking game with Leeds aiming to become the first team ever to win four world titles whilst Melbourne will be hoping to become the first NRL club to win three global challenge matches, equaling the record held jointly by Leeds, Wigan and Bradford.

It will already be a historic moment for Leeds when they take to the field, becoming the first team to appear in six World Club Challenge games.

Leeds Rhinos and England captain Kevin Sinfield says his team is looking forward to the match.

“We are all very excited about the challenge of taking on Melbourne at Headingley Carnegie. Last season’s game against Manly was an incredible occasion.

“As a group we have been fortunate to play in some big games at great stadiums but to play a game of this magnitude at our home ground was something very special. We have had some great tussles with Melbourne over the years with one win apiece and I am sure that the 2013 World Club Challenge will be another game to remember.”

Leeds Rhinos Chief Executive Gary Hetherington says that it promises to be a great night in World Club history.

...continued on p22

London Broncos kick off 2013 The London Broncos rugby league team have enjoyed a successful pre-season match at the Honourable Artillery Company, defeating the London Skolars 74-6 in the annual Capital Challenge.

The Broncos starting line up consisted of nine Australian players, including Captain Craig Gower.

The Broncos scored thirteen tries in total, with Michael Channing and Michael Robertson both going over for doubles. Craig Gower, Michael Witt, Chris Melling and Oscar Thomas kicked eleven goals between them. ...continued on p22

Warne fined for BBL breach MELBOURNE STARS captain Shane Warne was fined $5000 on Monday for breaching the spirit of cricket - then immediately claimed it wasn’t his fault.

And in an ugly end to what’s likely to be his final BBL season, Warne hit out at Cricket Australia (CA) for the second time this month and said he was disappointed with their decision.

A disciplinary hearing found the leg spin great should be fined for naming teammate James Faulkner as the Stars’ official captain for their ...continued on p22

C’MON GIRLS! Diamonds need to get hungry after their shock defeat to England | P23

ROUGH DIAMONDS: Aussie netballers struggle to sparkle in opening encounter against England.

(Image courtesy: BackPageImages.com)

Stay away Lance, says Australian triathlon chief

TRIATHLON AUSTRALIA chief executive Anne Gripper, a key figure in the Lance Armstrong doping saga, has derided him as far worse than a drug cheat.

Armstrong wants to return to sanctioned triathlons and marathons, but Gripper hopes that will not happen.

She also doubts the 41-year-old will be able to return in the short term by negotiating a substantial reduction to his life ban.

Her opinions on the Armstrong ...continued on p23