30 April - 6 May 2013 Issue: 461
HAWaII I GO Sun, surf, and sand
travel P10
ANZAC DAY IN LONDON Aussie community pays tribute Community P5
The EXPAT FACTOR Kelly Lovelady
interview P4
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SUICIDE NURSE BLAMED AUSSIES
n Nurse’s suicide note blamed DJs for her death n DJ Mel Greig to appear at UK inquest By Paul Bleakley EMBATTLED Aussie radio host Mel Greig has confirmed that she will appear at the inquest into the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha in London later this year. The 2DayFM DJ and co-host Michael Christian posed as members of the royal family in a hoax phone call to the King Edward VII Hospital shortly after the Duchess of Cambridge was admitted for severe morning sickness. Ms Saldanha was operating the hospital’s switchboard at the time of the call, transferring the Australian radio hosts’ call through to the nurse responsible for the Duchess’s care. Ms Saldanha was found dead in the hospital’s nurses accommodation three days after the hoax phone call was broadcast on Australian radio, leaving a suicide note that blamed Ms Greig and Mr Christian for the decision to take her life. The mother of two had allegedly attempted suicide on two other occasions, and had been treated for self-harm prior to December’s hoax call. The Sunday Times this week published material believed to be the contents of three notes left by Ms Saldanha prior to her death. These reports claim that
©Ryan Pierse/Getty Images, Australia, 2nd place, Sport, Professional competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards
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Aussies recognised for Olympic images | Interview P8
one of the notes reads “Thank you for all your support. I hold Radio Australians Mel Greig and Michael Christian responsible for
this act. Please make them pay my mortgage. I am sorry. Jacintha.” Ms Greig’s lawyers Slater & Gordon released a statement today
saying that Ms Saldanha’s suicide “was a devastating tragedy” and that
$12bn hole in budget
PRIME Minister Julia Gillard is preparing the political ground for higher taxes and charges, saying the government has “urgent and grave decisions” to make in the upcoming federal budget to plug revenue holes. Her warning on Monday triggered opposition anger and prompted calls from the public sector union and federally funded sectors such as universities to leave them out of the mix. But the prime minister warned “everyone” would be asked to contribute to the budget task as Labor searches for money to fund its multi-billion schools funding and disability care programs. The key challenge is a huge forecast drop in revenue growth over the next four years, with the amount of tax collected for 2012/13 now expected to decline by $12 billion. “I have expressly determined we need to have every reasonable option on the table to meet the needs of the times, even options previously taken off the table,” Ms Gillard told the Per Capita Forum in Canberra. Confronted by falling tax ...continued on p3
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2 | News
30 April - 6 May 2013
MP calls for referendum on gay marriage By Paul Bleakley
Publisher: Bryce Lowry Editor: Alex Ivett Production/Design: Jackie Lampard News Editor: Paul Bleakley Business Editor: Sepi Roshan Contributors: Tim Martin, Georgia Dawes, Phillip Browne, Michelle McCue, Erin Somerville, George Katralis, Jacqui Moroney, Will Fitzgibbon, Chris Arkadieff, Bronwyn Spencer, Daniel Shillito, Mat Lyons,
Sandra Tahmasby, Tyson Yates, Amber Rose, Jennifer Perkin, Charlie Inglefield, AJ ClimpsonStewart, Thomas Jones, Alistair Davis, Will Denton, Jennifer Lawton, Chloe Westley, Bonnie Gardiner, Alley Einstein Directors: P Atherton, J Durrant N Durrant, R Phillips and A Laird
Additional content: Who are we? Australian Times is written and compiled by young Australian journalists living in the UK. Contributing on a volunteer basis, they are uniquely placed to reflect the interests, opinions and attitudes of our community. If you would like to join us, contact info@australiantimes.co.uk Address: Unit 7C, Commodore House Battersea Reach, London SW18 1TW Tel: 0845 456 4910 Email: info@australiantimes.co.uk
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INDEPENDENT MP Tony Windsor has drawn criticism from both sides of parliament today after calling for a national referendum in order to decide the gay marriage debate in Australia, with the suggestion being labelled as dangerous and potentially divisive. The New England MP said that it had become clear that the political establishment were “out of step” on the issue of gay marriage, claiming that it had become necessary to depoliticise the debate and allow the Australian public to decide for themselves. Mr Windsor’s call for a referendum come on the heels of both New Zealand and France voting to legalise same sex marriage in the past week, putting pressure on Australian legislators to take a position on the issue of marriage equality. Mr Windsor said: “Polls on gay marriage say it’s what the population wants. A way to resolve it is through a referendum. It’s a bit like the gun debate in America - the politicians appear to be out of step with the people.” Mr Windsor, who voted against the last gay marriage bill that went before parliament, said that he had softened his position on marriage equality after attending the civil ceremony of a same-sex couple last year. He said that he would not lead the campaign for the legalisation of gay marriage, clarifying that he was only calling for a vote to address the issue rather than supporting any
Your Say On: Queensland to allow exemption to bike helmet laws for religious reasons
This is a small step forward. What needs to happen is a complete repeal of helmet laws. The extremist helmet law we have here in Australia has relegated bike usage to a little more than an extreme male dominated sport, while other bike users have been marginalised almost to the point of nonexistence. I rarely ride anymore due to threats of fines by the cops. Steve
On: Next governor-general matter for new PM, says Abbott Under no circumstances should we have John Howard as our governorgeneral. He is a liar and got us into two wars which we cannot win. Why do we need another high priced bludger on our payroll?
David
On: Layer up: learning to love long johns This was hilarious. Thank you so much for bringing back happy Aussie memories and a few ironic UK ones.
particular position. Finance Minister Penny Wong, the government’s most prominent samesex representative, said that a national referendum on gay marriage would be a “very high bar to jump”. She pointed out the difficulties associated with passing referendums under the Australian system, which requires a majority of voters nationwide and a majority of states voting in the affirmative in order to pass. Ms Wong said: “My view is the parliament has a responsibility and will one day discharge that responsibility. (In the 1999 republican referendum) John Howard and Tony Abbott ran a very good fear campaign and we lost that referendum.” Opposition Leader Tony Abbott did not dismiss the idea of a national vote on the issue of gay marriage, however argued that it should not be held in conjunction with the upcoming election in an effort to make the September poll as “uncomplicated” as possible. Mr Abbott said: “I think the coming election should be uncomplicated by other matters...I think the election should be a referendum on the carbon tax… the current government, do you really want three more years of this? If there’s ever to be a plebiscite on this subject it should be held quite separate from this election.” Mr Windsor’s proposal did not even attract support from same-sex advocacy groups, with Australian Marriage Equality national convener Rodney Croome claiming that a referendum would only serve to
enflame the opponents of gay marriage even further. Mr Croome said: “We fear cashedup opponents of marriage equality would exploit a referendum to polarise the electorate and demonise gay and lesbian people in a way that will impact badly, particularly on young gay people.” Australian Greens leader Christine Milne was the only major political figure to come out in support of a referendum on gay marriage, saying that the issue had become a “distraction” that was preventing the parliament from focusing on other important issues. Ms Milne said: “The only impediment is that the coalition won’t provide a conscience vote. Tony Abbott should give a conscience vote to his members in both houses of parliament and we can legislate this before the election.” Christian Democratic Party leader Reverend Fred Nile said that he agreed with Mr Windsor’s suggestion of a referendum, claiming that his party had intended on calling for the exact same thing in a media release planned for next week. Reverend Nile said: “I think people should decide the issue. But the question has to be clear. A question like ‘are you in favour of marriage equality?’ will confuse some people. I’m in favour of marriage equality – between a husband and a wife. The question has to be black and white: Do you agree that homosexuals should be legally married? I think the majority of people would vote no if the
On: Mining magnate Gina Rinehart in Time Magazine’s Top 100
On: Parliament passes historic national disability insurance scheme
Got to give it to Gina, she made her mega fortune from great business decisions. If she was removed from her family’s trust long ago, her kids wouldn’t have all the money they do now. They get a generous allowance to live on, as well as ownership of million dollar homes across the world. They have contributed nothing towards their fortunes so they should be grateful for Gina. Barb
On: Australia is ‘comfortably racist’ says UK comedian John Oliver
I guess the fact that Australians openly address their crime issues that are specific to Lebanese migrants, would indeed bother a guy that comes from England, where they ignorantly pretend their own blatantly obvious crime issues don’t really exist. The reason Australian crime rates are so low compared to England is because we address the issues and punish accordingly. In England everyone sits around too scared to say the obvious truth and then when serious crimes are committed, a warning is given.
Every Australian over 65 should contact their local member of parliament and shadow MP and let them know that the National Disability Insurance scheme (now renamed DisabilityCare Australia) is discriminatory in regard to people over 65. This age group is not covered by the NDIS and if disabled will be assigned care under the AgedCare system which is a cheaper far less generous system, based on ‘user pays’. Jennifer
On: Lone protester disrupts Anzac Day Gallipoli service
Great service great day! Proud to be Australian. Mick
I was there. It was my second time. It was a marvellous experience. Ercument
Barbara
Barb
? What’s your view
Share your comments on these and more stories online: AustralianTimes.co.uk
News | 3
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Gillard flags tax rises in federal budget the business investment environment and consumer confidence. The budget will be handed down on 14 May by Treasurer Wayne Swan, who told reporters, “We’ll do what’s right for the country”. Asked at the forum if the budget changes would affect the poor, Ms Gillard said the government would take a “Labor approach” to burdensharing. Economists are predicting a budget deficit of between $10 billion and $25 billion for 2012/13, which could mean further deficits in following years.
But Ms Gillard said Labor was committed to its medium term goal of delivering budget surpluses on average over the economic cycle. Public sector union boss Nadine Flood said any further across-theboard cuts, so-called departmental efficiency dividends, would affect frontline services. “Cutting their budgets might help balance the government’s books, but in the end the losers will be the public who rely on these services every day,” she said. Universities Australia chief Belinda Robinson said the sector
Aus DJ to answer questions on her role in nurse’s death
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their client’s “thoughts have been with the family ever since.” The statement said that Ms Greig wanted to ensure Ms Saldanha’s family that she would answer any questions posed to her as a part of the inquest. Slater & Gordon’s statement read: “Ms Greig fully understands their need for answers, which is why she has taken this step to appear as an individual at the inquest. She is determined to address any questions surrounding her role in these tragic events as part of the inquest.” 2DayFM owners the Southern Cross Media Group have been granted the right to have legal representation present throughout the inquest into Ms Saldanha’s death at the Westminster Coroners Court. The Australian corporation applied for permission to appear at the inquest after a QC was hired to represent the Ms Saldanha’s family, giving indication that the Ms Saldanha’s legal team may attempt to apportion blame for the nurses
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death. British MP Keith Vaz spoke on behalf of the Ms Saldanha family, claiming that there were a number of questions that still remained unanswered regarding the circumstances leading up to Jacintha Saldanha’s suicide. Mr Vaz said that he hoped that the inquest would examine why Ms Saldanha had been working on the switchboard on the day of the incident, rather than an employee trained in communication protocol. The inquest into Ms Saldanha’s death was scheduled to begin on 2 May, however it is believed that this date has been pushed back in order to allow all legal teams the time to prepare their arguments.
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had already faced a $3.8 billion hit this year and should be quarantined from any further cuts. Meanwhile, Mr Hockey declined to rule out tax rises if the coalition won government. “We are not in the business of ruling things in or out because we don’t know what we are going to inherit,” he said. - AAP
NOW
revenue, the government was looking at spending “less in some areas than we had hoped, to raise more in revenue in some areas than we had planned”. Ms Gillard did not discuss specific measures, but ruled out changes to the GST. “I find these decisions both urgent and grave,” she said. With the election due in September, Ms Gillard stressed the budget would not present as a
“political pamphlet” but as a plan to make the “necessary investments in the nation’s future”. Shadow treasurer Joe Hockey said the obvious areas to be hit were superannuation, capital gains tax on the family home, death duties and measures outlined in the Henry tax review still to be acted upon. “Julia Gillard believes that nothing should prevent her from spending more money and if she has to hit people with higher taxes or other challenges to their everyday living so be it,” he told reporters in Sydney. Mr Hockey said this would damage
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4 | Exclusive Interview
30 April - 6 May 2013
the Expat factor
Extraordinary Aussies in the UK
My stint in the UK began in 2007. I was being forced out of Canada for the second time for visa reasons, having lived between Montreal and Winnipeg for almost 5 years studying conducting. It was all very unexpected, I’d really begun to think Canada was a place I could build my musical career, and I just wasn’t mentally prepared to leave. It was devastating, I was a mess. I had to think fast, so I decided on a whim to go to Edinburgh. I’d recently had some great fringe theatre experiences in Adelaide, so I decided to seek out what I knew best, and at that stage it was fringe. I’d never been to Edinburgh, and didn’t know a single person living there. I rang everyone I knew with Scottish connections, and managed to pull together a handful of second degree contacts. I went knocking on all their doors and those people became the core of my Edinburgh network. I saw every show I could get into, and spent every waking moment with artists, musicians, producers, crew, critics, promoters; backstage, front of house, speakeasies, after parties, the list goes on. It was a transitional time for me, but Edinburgh really taught me a lot about self-producing, and about the things I value most in live performance: spark and originality. I’d lined up a series of productions that year in Montreal, where I’d expected to be living, so I was back and forth a lot on the budget airlines. Without notice, my roommates and I were told we needed to vacate our Edinburgh flat. I was about to mount a chamber opera in Montreal, so I ended up boarding that plane with everything I owned. I was conducting and self-producing a piece called Miss Donnithorne’s Maggot by Peter Maxwell Davies: it’s a Miss Haversham story about an Australian woman whose isolation spirals her into madness. In retrospect, it could have been ominous. After the opera, I somehow ended up flailing my way around France, Spain,
Germany. It was such a whirlwind, I was literally waiting for a sign to point me in the right direction. A friend in London wrote me a quick email to say hi. I got on a plane to London that afternoon, and haven’t left. I’m not one for keeping tallies, so I’m not really clocking the time I’ve been here. For the first few years I was in denial: I’d never thought London would be the place for me. The progress to living here permanently has been gradual, but I find myself focussing more and more on long term projects, so I think that’s an indicator if ever there was one. The most central of those projects is an all-Australian chamber orchestra which I’ve started here in London called Ruthless Jabiru. As a recent startup, there’s a lot of fluidity in the developmental stages as we figure out how to achieve the efficiency we need in our uniqueness, but this ensemble really feels like something that has a future.
“It will never cease to amaze me how intuitively Australian musicians approach the music of our co-patriots” I love working with Australians. The shield is down, everything’s out on the table. I also love working with composers. It makes sense for this orchestra to include Australian music in its concerts, and it will never cease to amaze me how intuitively Australian musicians approach the music of our co-patriots. I find it really moving to have the chance to conduct the music of living composers, and when those composers write music which feels so innately Australian, it can really be heart-wrenching. The concept of Ruthless Jabiru is that the Australian musicians working professionally in the UK’s major orchestras can come
is going to be a major part of our ethos, which will lead into audiovisual documentation of those new compositions. There’s so much potential, but I’m keeping a lot of ideas on the burner as we collate the stats of our audience. I don’t want to alienate anyone in these early stages. There have definitely been advantages to pursuing my career here in London. For one thing, I’m not sure Ruthless Jabiru could happen anywhere else quite the way it’s playing out here. I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of casual venue work in the city since I arrived. I’ve been a fly on the wall in so many of London’s major arts centres and organisations, and through being in the right place at the right time, I’ve met most of my musical mentors. I’ve seen world class performance every day of the week, and sat through what I’m sure adds up to hundreds of hours of rehearsal and studio sessions. My level of industry exposure simply wouldn’t have been possible in a city with a lesser turnover of visiting artists and inspired programming.
“I run Ruthless Jabiru out of my canal boat, which I bought three years ago.”
Kelly Lovelady Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, Ruthless Jabiru
together to play. The defining challenge is scheduling. How do you put on a concert when you’re up against all the orchestras with which these players are regularly performing? Luckily I have an ever-growing database of Aussie musicians keen to join the project, so our membership is flexible to accommodate this on an event-toevent basis.
I’m doing everything in my power to go after my creative vision for the orchestra. There’s been an extraordinary amount of interest in collaborations for the year ahead, and our activity is going to skyrocket from here on in. I hope that Ruthless Jabiru’s future will include festival appearances, independent concerts, gala events, and a subscription series. Commissioning living composers
I run Ruthless Jabiru out of my canal boat, which I bought three years ago. Living on the waterways has been a complete lifestyle change, but I love having an autonomous workspace and the independence that comes with that. I usually moor up in a different part of London every two weeks or so, which means I can immerse myself in vastly different communities and conditions on a regular basis. I’ve noticed so many successful Australians talk of the benefits of our class mobility here in the UK. I have the luxury of marking out that mobility in a very literal sense: from Little Venice, to King’s Cross, to Hackney Wick, and all the mooring rings in between. Ruthless Jabiru will perform at Australia House on 9 May. The concert will comprise of works by Australian and American composers, Brett Dean Carlo, John Adams Shaker Loops, and the world premiere of the orchestra’s first commission by Australian composer and producer Leah Kardos. Tickets are £30. RSVP to wine@wago.co.uk. Interview by Alex Ivett
Australia House to host charity quiz night
Australia House will open its doors in the name of charity on Thursday 16 May, as it plays host to a quiz night to raise money for the Spinal Research Foundation. Supported by the South Australian Universities Alumni Committee in London and the Agent General for South Australia, the event promises a night of raucous laughter, multimedia entertainment and prizes. Event organiser Dave Stott says the event is a great way to meet fellow members of the expat community in London, and help raise money for an important cause. “I’ve been supportive of spinal
injury research for about 16 years now, ever since I witnessed an accident right in front of me in which a teenager was paralysed,” he tells Australian Times. “I started thinking of what I could do to fundraise, and quiz nights seemed like a natural choice.” People can attend as a group – it is £70 for a table of 8 – or swing by solo for £10 and join a table with fellow expatriates. Dave says he’s taken the concept of the quiz night, and added a twist. “I’ve made it more fun by allowing bribes – the haggling (as to how much to pay) starts to become as
much a part of the evening as the questions.” Coopers, South Australian Wine and Vili’s Pies will be available for sale on the evening. Prizes include travel vouchers, restaurant vouchers, food hampers, and more. Part proceeds from the evening go to the charity the Spinal Research Foundation. The Mid-Spring Quiz Night is on Thursday 16 May 2013 from 6.30pm to 10.30pm at Australia House on the Strand. For more information and tickets see south-aus-quiz.eventbrite.co.uk.
Community | 5
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Anzac Day Image by (c) Glen Arkadieff. www.glenarkadieff.com. Image by (c) Glen Arkadieff. www.glenarkadieff.com.
Image by Glen Arkadieff. www.glenarkadieff.com.
Aussies: Save Big on Expat Car Insurance! Image by (c) Glen Arkadieff. www.glenarkadieff.com.
Thousands of Australian and New Zealand expats gathered at various locations throughout London last Thursday 25 April to pay their respects to the service of our soldiers past and present. The day started with a dawn service at the Australian memorial at Hyde Park corner, where over 3,000 gathered to mark the occasion. The commemorations continued at the Cenotaph at Whitehall with a wreathlaying ceremony. Whitehall was closed to traffic as crowds gathered to pay tribute to serving and past members of the armed forces and their relatives taking part in the parade. The ceremony was followed by a poignant one hour commemorative service at Westminster Abbey, with expat Australians and New Zealanders filling the church to honour those who lost their lives at Gallipoli, and in conflicts since. Readings by His Excellency The Honourable Mike Rann, High Commissioner for Australia, and His Excellency The Right Honourable Dr Lockwood Smith, High Commissioner for New Zealand, were followed by an address from the Dean of Westminster, The Very Reverend Dr John Hall. The address was followed by an act of remembrance, as the Last Post sounded out through the Abbey. It was a fitting end to an important day of remembrance in London. “They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, We will remember them. Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)
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6 | UK Life
30 April - 6 May 2013
Salvation, thy Extreme name is kebab touristing SUBCULTURE SLEUTH > PAUL BLEAKLEY
I remember being perplexed when I ordered my first kebab in London. What was in this magical box? Where was the toasted wrap full of questionable-yet-delicious meat? Why have they given me a fork? Kebabs aren’t meant to be civilised! The late-night kebab run was a revelation. We entered into what was essentially an abusive relationship. Despite waking up the next morning questioning why I would put myself through the torment of eating something that was shaved off a
greasy slab of meat at 2am, I would always go back. It took a lot for me to see that I had developed a serious kebab addiction. In one particularly busy week before Christmas we wandered into the local kebab shop after getting off the Tube at Acton Town. We had been to the Belvedere on Thursday night, to a pub in Hammersmith on Friday, and had just returned on the Saturday from a night of drinking Steins at Winter Wonderland. As we stood at the counter waiting for our orders, we struck up a conversation with the guy who works at the kebab shop. He knew our names, he knew that we lived nearby, he knew what we had done earlier in the week. For a moment I thought he might have been stalking us, lurking in the bushes as we walked through the darkness. Nope. It turns out we had been into the same kebab shop three times that week. If his aim was to shame me into recovery, it worked.
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Alley Einstein is here to help. A global traveller, reporter and life coach - she’s seen it all and is here to offer you help and advice on the secrets to successful UK living. From love life to landlord issues, from being ripped off to earning extra cash – Alley will have your answers and her suggestions. Ask her anything!
If you have an issue, contact me on alley@alleyeinstein.co.uk.
I have been living in London for three months and have done all the mainstream tourist things. I want to surprise visiting friends and show them a different side of the city. Help! Jen in Maida Vale We all love Big Ben and the Tower of London but after a while it loses its interest, and going to the same old pubs with your mates on weekends gets a bit dull. So I have taken to just spending a day a month
doing things just for me. You meet amazing new people, it makes work chat more interesting and when friends visit you can show them something truly unique.
Flying high
If you have ever dreamt of running away with the circus then London is the place for you. There are a number of circus schools where you can learn trapeze, acrobatics, tight wire walking or handstands. It not only increases your fitness, it is also just plain fun. Plus it makes great dinner party conversation when you announce you’re a flying trapeze trainee. Most of the classes are run on a one-off basis, however there are also weekly intermediate classes for those truly addicted to the thrill of flying through the air.
Pole power
From single classes, through to couples lessons, pole dancing fitness is catching on quick. There are some who train up to 7 days a week and enter international competitions or others who just do it for fun as a one-off. Some of the moves I have seen on the pole are nothing short of jaw dropping. In my lesson I mastered a swing.
Art of tease
It all started when Dita Von Teese started making headlines with her provocative dance – the Burlesque.
ASK ALLEY > Alley Einstein
Now women of all ages can take part in lessons from an hour, through to week-long or monthlong classes. You get to wear sexy corsets and stockings, don some high heels and twirl some feathers whilst channeling the glamorous life of a 1930s dancer - what could be better?
Let there ‘not’ be light? Have a date and not looking your best? Try dinner at Dans Le Noir – where you eat and drink in the pitch darkness. By suppressing the dominant sense of sight, you enter a world in which one is uncertain of surroundings and experiences. With the help of the restaurants blind guides you are meant to re-evaluate the notions of taste and smell. Yes you’ll spill things and likely have no idea what you’re doing, but it’s a unique experience, and one which is sure to impress your visitors.
New column
I’ll have a beer, my friend will pay n
In a country where most people speak three or four languages, it’s sometimes difficult knowing only two – English and Australian. Honeymooning Nomad > Jacqui Moroney
This morning a colleague greeted me with “bonjour” shortly before he started a conversation with another colleague in French. This afternoon, as I wait for my cup of tea, two other teammates chat away in Mandarin, while on the phone others can be heard speaking Japanese, Spanish and numerous other languages from across the world. Travelling around Europe you very quickly learn that being Australian has its advantages, and its disadvantages. Most people seem to love having a drink and a chat with the token Aussie – even if it is only to practice their own English and ask if we really ride kangaroos to school. It seems to me that Australians are known be some of the biggest drinkers in the world (cheers!), second only to the Irish. Being Australian also means that most people consider you to be approachable and friendly. A big disadvantage of being an Aussie is the lack of having a second language. Don’t get me wrong, there are many Australians who speak a second language because they learnt it at school or their family speaks it at home. However I would also hazard a guess that there are many more Australians unable to say more than “hello” and “thank you” in another language. Although my uncle claims to know a man who
can say “I’ll have a beer, my friend will pay” in more than 20 different languages. I sadly fall into the category of speaking no other languages, and my first tour of Europe was certainly an eye-opener. In many European countries the locals are happy to listen for a minute while you struggle through a translation, trying to order food or find out where the nearest train station is. If you are lucky, many locals will also know a bit of English, or may even speak English better than the average Shazza or Bazza. The big cities are usually fine, but sometimes you will find someone who does not want to give you the time of day, or literally cannot understand a word you are trying to mime. It was when we were trying to order three days’ worth of skis and snowboards in Andorra that we really hit a bump in the road. Mr Shopkeeper was adamant that he did not want to overcharge us but when we realised that there was no common language between us, being overcharged was unavoidable. Mr Shopkeeper kept asking us for our “second language” and we could only embarrassedly mumble “none” under our breath. This guy spoke five different languages, none of which was English. Eventually, exhausted over the entire encounter after a long day of travelling, we went to pay for our gear and were astounded when Mr Shopkeeper called out my last name excitedly. He had established the last name in my passport was the same as his
favourite James Bond actor, and quickly baptised me as “Bond”. Some things are obviously big enough to cross over the language barrier… So as the token Aussie in an office full of many different nationalities, there is only one thing you can do - teach them the common tongue of ‘Straya, of course! Once they have mastered the art of slurring with “G’Day, Mate!” and “Howsitgoin’?” there is no going back.
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Food & Wine | 7
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Coffee Cult visits Borough Barista By Alex Ivett
Anzac Day. A day for reflection and solemn commemoration of the significant sacrifices past and current soldiers have made for our nation. It’s also a day for oats, sugar, and golden syrup all handily packaged together in one bite sized morsel – the Anzac biscuit. It was Anzac Day 2013 in London and Coffe Cult was jonesing for a biscuit. And, since I had been awake since 3.45am in the morning and had only three cappuccinos from indescribably bad coffee providers, I was also in desperate need of a decent cup. It was a powerful combination that had me frantically googling random configurations of the words ‘Anzac biscuit’, ‘London’, ‘Australian coffee shop’ and ‘desperate’. By sheer force of will Coffee Cult scrolled across two references. One pointed temptingly to free biscuits being distributed at The Providores. We pictured an Australian Father Christmas type, gleefully frisbeeing warm, oaty circles of goodness at random passersby. Unfortunately, we already recently visited The Providores and decided to investigate instead an obscure mention of an alleged sighting at a place called Borough Barista near Marble Arch.
The Craic Whereas with The Providores we may have been overwhelmed by the number of scavenging Aussies rushing the door in need of their biscuity fix, Borough Barista was in (imagined) comparison, surprisingly quiet. To be fair, it was the middle of the afternoon, it is in the back streets just up from Hyde Park, and it looks like the kind of cafe that caters more to the besuited and bespoked morning crowd of briefcase warriors that would pound the pavement outside its corner location on their way to the
Anzac biscuit – a history
The biscuit has its genesis, and its name, in the historic events of WW1, when rations were sent by wives to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs) stationed abroad. The particular recipe used during wartime created a biscuit which did not spoil easily and kept fresh during naval transportation. Also referred to as ‘Anzac tiles’ or ‘Anzac wafers’, it was a hard bread substitute. It has developed into today’s more palatable modern Anzac biscuit.
Anzac biscuit recipe
Bringing home the biscuit We’ve heard on the grapevine these cafés serve up a mean Anzac.
• The Counter Café in Hackney Wick • Kaffeine in Fitzrovia • Giddy Up Coffee in Fortune Park • The Roastery in Wandsworth • Taylor St Baristas in … many locations • Speakeasy Espresso & Brew Bar in Carnaby Street • Grind Café in Richmond • Flat White in Soho • Federation Café in Brixton
office. A slight lack of atmosphere is compounded by a lack of music, made more obvious by the lack of crowds. There are at least nice bench seats outside on which to enjoy that rare warm spring day. Music optional out here, although construction noise seems mandatory. At least inside the counter is piled high with cupcakes, cakes and fresh sandwiches. And there they are: a stack of glowing golden orbs – the Anzac biscuits.
Method • Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl. • Put the butter and golden syrup in a saucepan on a low heat until butter is melted. • Mix the boiling water and bi-carb soda in a cup. • Mix in with the dry ingredients. • Roll into balls (one teaspoon of mixture per ball). • Place on oven trays and flatten with a fork. • Cook at approximately 170°C for 10-15 minutes, or until golden.
The Crucials Never has Coffee Cult needed a good cup of coffee more. Luckily at least Borough Barista can produce quality in that respect. We also throw down a poached egg, bacon and cheese breakfast sandwich on very grainy bread – because, well, as a breakfast column it would be unfair to you, dear readers, not to comment on at least a breakfast related item. Ok fine, it’s because we’re also craving bacon. And barbeque sauce. And it’s delicious. And now for the main event, the Anzac biscuit. Bigger than the palm of my hand, soft and chewy in the centre with a crisp crunchy circumference, it is oaty, sugary and delicious. Craving satisfied.
The Connection Ahhhhh... ummmmm.... well, it has Anzac biscuits doesn’t it? Isn’t that enough? To be honest, the sign outside says English coffee, and the barista is decidedly not Antipodean. Plus when I ask if it’s ok to take photos, he asks: ‘for Instagram?’ Ok Coffee Cult has Instagram, but we normally try to restrain ourselves from posting photos of half-eaten food in enhanced Valencia tint unless, well, it’s a photo of the long-
Ingredients • 1 cup plain flour • 1 cup rolled oats • 1 cup desiccated coconut • 1/2 cup brown sugar • 1/4 cup caster sugar • 125g butter • 1 tablespoon golden syrup • 1 teaspoon bi-carb soda • 1 tablespoon boiling water
awaited and anticipated Anzac biscuit. And, just when I think I’m going to have to write the whole thing off – he declares the manager is Australian. Done.
The Conclusion Ok it has none of the frills and fanfare as might otherwise accompany a visit to an Australian cafe. It is not a place to linger in the warm conviviality of it all. However, it is fast, efficient and serves up a mean Anzac biscuit. What more do you want?
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8 | Entertainment
30 April - 6 May 2013
EastEnd Cabaret @ Soho Theatre INTERVIEW | Fresh from performing at Australia’s famed Adelaide Fringe Festival and Melbourne’s Spiegeltent, EastEnd Cabaret bring their newfound love of Bundy and Cola back to London’s Soho Theatre.
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By Georgia Dawes They are provocative and perverse. They are sharp, yet smutty. They have just won the title of ‘Best Cabaret Act’ at the Adelaide Fringe Festival. They are, drum roll please, the captivating and titillating musical comedy duo EastEnd Cabaret. Cue screaming crowd with several wolf whistles. Deviant diva Bernadette Byrne, who describes herself as “the love child of Frank N Furter and Marlene Dietrich”, and Victor Victoria - the half man, half woman multi-instrumentalist who likens herself to “the old circus freaks from Coney Island and Tom Selleck” – are the brilliant women behind this multi-award winning performance duo. “We have known each other since we were little, but I have been trying to get rid of Victor for the past 25 years,” Bernadette tells Australian Times. “After travelling around the world on separate adventures we reunited over a crate full of gin and began writing songs into the night about our real life experiences.” Many, many, many gins later
Bernadette and Victor started to perform their songs at the infamous George Tavern, and their cabaret act was born. While Bernadette serenades the audience and charms them with her mystique, hermaphrodite Victor Victoria – dressed in half a dapper suit and half a corset and tutu – dazzles the crowds with her extremely diverse musical abilities. Her skills extend to playing the accordion, violin, piano, kazoo, and musical saw. ‘Danger Wank’, ‘Is it in yet?’ and ‘Ping Pong’ are just some of the titles of EastEnd Cabaret’s hit songs. Bernadette says: “We write about real life experiences, mainly my life experiences. Things that everyone can relate to but not everyone talks about.” The lyrics will make you laugh, they will make you ponder and best of all, they will really get stuck in your head. Be warned, singing the lyrics ‘danger wank’ at work will lead to some very unusual looks coming your way. When asked if there are any songs that they have written but don’t perform Bernadette says “we wrote a song about camel toe which we don’t perform.”
A sporting passion INTERVIEW | Adam Pretty and Ryan Pierse, winner and runner-up of the title of Sport Photographer of the Year at the Sony World Photography Awards in London, talk to BONNIE GARDINER.
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OUR athletes may have had a tough time getting gold during the 2012 London Olympics, but two Aussies have now been named winners for their work at the international sporting event – albeit several months later, and not for sport. Australian photographer Adam Pretty has received the prestigious title of Sport Photographer of the Year at the Sony World Photography Awards, and Ryan Pierse has been named in second place. Both were selected from a field of over 122,000 submissions from 170 different countries. Adam Pretty and Ryan Pierse spoke to Australian Times about the competition, the London Olympics, and their journey to becoming award-winning specialist sports photographers with Getty Images. Pretty is not a first-time winner in this field, having received many accolades
in the past including prizes from World Press Photo and Pictures of the Year International. “I’ve been very fortunate with awards over the years,” he says modestly. “I was happy with my folio, but it’s so subjective, with different judges at every competition. You just never know.” Pretty has been a keen sports photographer since his early twenties and has travelled the world for his work, visiting and taking shots across the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. His winning series for the Sony World Photography Awards, entitled Olympic Journey 2012, turned heads for its visually spectacular black and white photographs of some of the 2012 Games most iconic moments. “Because they had such tight deadlines, I didn’t even look at my
©Ryan Pierse/Getty Images, Australia, 2nd place, Sport, Professional competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards
“That song might be just a little too confronting.” And on that note one is led to wonder if EastEnd Cabaret have ever had an audience who feel too confronted by the thrill of playing with one’s self in public, or don’t enjoy the story of what people do with ping pong balls in Thailand. “We were once booked for a charity dinner which was quite lovely,” they say. “However, moments before we were due to perform, the organiser pointed out that the front table was made up of a bishop, priests, nuns and the editor of the Parish newsletter.” Victor adds: “But they all still stayed to the end.” Australia, on the other hand, just couldn’t get enough of EastEnd Cabaret during their recent trip Down Under. “We performed in Perth, at the Adelaide Fringe Festival and at the world famous Spiegeltent in Melbourne.” With highlights including the warm weather, good people and delicious coffee, both Victor and Bernadette agreed that Australia is a great place pictures throughout the Games. It wasn’t until about a month after I sat down and went through all the raw files on the hard drive,” laughs Pretty. “I forgot I shot half the stuff because, well, you’re not sleeping.” Pierse, who also works for Getty, was praised for his series of witty images of the Australian men’s Olympic water polo team training in an empty pool. The Sydney-based photographer says he is honoured to be prize-winner in this competition, as Sony has a reputation for selecting unique and innovative images. “Most photographers will always try to get that different picture, something away from the day-to-day standard photos, so to be a prize winner in a competition like that is a great honour,” he says. Last year Pierse also won the annual Folio Award for Getty Images. “That’s a really nice award because it’s voted on by your peers,” he explains. Both photographers developed an interest in sports photography in their high school years, working as newspaper photographers from a fairly young age until joining Getty Images – Pretty in 1998 and Pierse in 2004. “I started taking pictures at school during year 11 and 12 at high school in Melbourne,” says Pierse. “I always wanted to be involved in sport at the highest level in some way, and if I wasn’t going to be playing sport, I thought being in the media might be a good back up.” Pretty on the other hand once planned to work his magic as a cartoonist, discovering a love of photography by accident. “I did work experience with the cartoonist at The Sydney Morning Herald, but he had to go overseas at one point, so I was just sort of hanging around the office. The photographer felt sorry for me and asked if I wanted to go out with him instead,” explains Pretty. “From then on, I was hooked.” Pretty describes getting the job at Getty Images as “a dream come true”. He went on to photograph major sporting events in Australia, including
to visit. “We don’t like Vegemite at all but we absolutely love Bundy and Cola in a can. We drank a lot of that while we were in Australia.” Being awarded ‘Best Cabaret Act’ at the Adelaide Fringe Festival proved EastEnd Cabaret is a hit with Australian audiences. It even led to the creation of an unusual tribute from their fan base. “Our Australian audiences really got into our shows,” says Bernadette. “They started drawing half moustaches on their faces to resemble Victor Victoria. They were the Half Moustache Australian Army.” Now back in London fighting the jetlag from their trip, Bernadette and Victor are about to kick off a run of shows at Soho Theatre as well as starting work on their new show for the
Edinburgh Fringe Festival. So Aussies, grab yourself a Bundy and Cola, draw on half a moustache and get yourself along to one of EastEnd Cabaret’s upcoming show and join the Half Moustache Australian Army. EastEnd Cabaret is performing Notoriously Kinky at Soho Theatre from 27 April – 4 May. See Sohotheatre.com for details.
©Adam Pretty, Australia, Winner, Sport, Professional Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards/Getty Images
the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000. Since then he has shot at the Athens Olympics, Beijing Olympics and of course, London. Pierse follows closely behind, also being selected to cover both Beijing and London. “The Olympic Games is tough, probably the toughest thing you can do as a sports photographer because it just doesn’t stop,” says Pretty. “Just doing the underwater stuff, the amount of gear you have to travel around with, the hours you put into it – it’s crazy. It really wears you out, so it’s good to specialise a bit more.” Both Pretty and Pierse consider their specialty to be watersports, due to the unique and unpredictable nature of water when captured in a photograph. “Water shots are a little bit more difficult,” says Pretty. His work at the Games was predominantly at the Aquatic Centre. “It means you can get some slightly different pictures. I try to not take obvious pictures because it’s tough with the Olympics to get a picture used – there’s thousands of photographers.” As for their work overseas, Pretty can boast time shooting major events all over the world – his most recent work trips being based in Jordan, Vietnam and Tokyo, the latter of which he now calls home. Pierse, on the other hand, can relate to our readers after spending time as an expat working in London from 2006 until 2010. “The range of sports you can cover living in Europe far outweighs what
you can back in Australia. Everywhere you look in Europe there’s a high profile sporting event going on,” he says excitedly. “London is such a good melting pot of a city. People care about things that happen in London, people are listening, people are watching.” As we well know however, it’s not all glitz and glamour. Pierse concedes the weather can be a bit tough at times. “If only London had a few more nice beaches, I might still be there!” he adds. Pierse will be returning to catch the Sony exhibition in a few months while shooting the Ashes cricket series, while Pretty was specially flown to London by the Sony World Photography Organisation and presented with his award during a gala ceremony. Despite his accomplishments, Pretty remains incredibly humble about his work. “Every time you win an award it could be the last award you ever win in your life. And I try to tell myself that,” he says. “I’ve won some awards, but I don’t want it to get my head. I want to keep working as hard as I did before I won anything.” The 2013 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition will display the work of all shortlisted photographers at Somerset House from 26 April – 12 May. For more information, visit worldphoto.org.
Entertainment | 9
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Arrrrrrgh, me hearties n
The International Pirate Festival in Brixham offers the perfect escape – a weekend in Devon and the opportunity to dress up as a swashbuckling buccaneer.
THE concept that all Australians are descended from convict stock appears well entrenched in the consciousness of Europeans, particularly the English. The role of a non-convict Australian on the organizing committee of an International Pirate Festival in Brixham may therefore seem a little odd, as media communications advisor Richard John concedes. But, like many convicts, he says pirates were mostly refugees from justice; truants from the armed forces; and just plain gold diggers, dreaming of fortunes in far-flung lands. In fact very few ever made their fortunes, dying in squalor and poverty – much as when they became pirates in the first place. Some pirates may well have hove
to among those wretches who found themselves trudging ashore in the empty spaces of what was declared Terra Nullius. After nearly 40 years in Australia, Richard now works with his wife in their international crafts and gift shop near the harbor in the South Devon port of Brixham. As the birth place of the International Pirate Festival, the town is busy preparing for its fifth Festival on 4-5 May.
Discovering Devon
Brixham is one of the few working fishing ports left in the UK. Situated south of Torquay in South Devon, it was the port in which the first trawlers were developed that enabled fishing further out to sea, and more sizable and profitable catches. Much of each catch went from Brixham to London
Highlights and other major cities. It became quite a wealthy port and certainly had a genuine reputation for its fish, and also the courage of its fishermen. Today it is very much smaller but still has a sizable fishing fleet. Brixham was a haven for smugglers and pirates. The cliffs here contain many old caves and tunnels (no longer usable) and the narrow, steep streets and alleys were once the route for smugglers escaping the excise men. William of Orange (soon to be King Billy) first stepped on British soil from his home in Holland here in Brixham on his way to London to claim the throne. The ship carrying the then prisoner, Napoleon, on its way to Elba, anchored in Torbay.
Arrrrrrgh, me hearties
The International Pirate Festival therefore has special significance for the port, and is a major community driven event. This year Brixham will resound to loud doses of raucous “aarrring” , music and laughter, as cultural activities and events take place across town and the streets fill with songs of the sea, old folk songs and country music. Other activities include very energetic reenactments by pirates from the Isle of Wight, and the group, The Queens Rangers based on the scarlet coated Marines of the day.
See what we are following this week on
ANZAC day @warne888 Good luck to the saints in New Zealand today !!!! #ANZACday @ste_ray I’m surprised Tom Waterhouse wasn’t broadcasting the twoup odds during the Anzac Day parade
@glenrichards75 Anzac Day today, Australia sent 10% of its population to Europe in WW1 thinking of my 2 great grand fathers who didn’t come home @janoskiansfanWA Wow over 50K people turned up at the king park dawn service WA @ClarenceHouse Remembering the Australian and New Zealand troops that have served and died in military operations on #AnzacDay #LestWeForget
@craig_thommo Nearly 100k people watching the aussie football today. #wit #anzacday
@russellcrowe Very nice dawn service at Coffs Harbour, thousands turned out from little babies to great grandparents, great to see #ANZACday
@PoppyLegion Today we’re standing shoulder to shoulder with our friends in Australia and New Zealand for #ANZAC day #LestWeForget
@brookemorrison “Don’t forget the horses” 160,000 Australian horses went to war. Only Sandy came home. #anzacday
@Boo_chickpea My folks rang me at 6.30 this morning from Australia to tell me they’d helped release ickle turtles into the sea… #cool #anzacday @mark5tewart Paying my respects to the fallen soldiers on Anzac Day with a game of 2-up. Can’t remember when #everton were last 2 up.
@stephenfry Happy ANZAC day, oh world @Bidgeeboy We should have ANZAC DAY type days once a month -To remind our Politicians & media what our forefathers fought and died for!
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What’s On Chet Faker 21 May @Sebright Arms Xavier Rudd 24 June @Koko Tame Impala 25 June @ Hammersmith Apollo Kate Miller-Heidke 3 July @The Islington Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite 16 July @ Shepherd’s Bush Empire Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds 26 - 28 October 2013 @Hammersmith Apollo
For full details... ...and more Aussie gigs go to: AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment
The full-size replica of Francis Drake’s ship, the Golden Hind, in the harbor as a fixture, will feature as a platform for piratical demonstration of gunfire and swordplay, and cannon firing. Captain Jack Sparrow also appears to make an entry as his facsimile swears blind that he too met Keith Richards. At attempt to form a conga line of pirates that will snake around the town for over a mile is one of the key events, and will be followed by a performance on the Sunday from Tom Mason and his Blue Buccaneers from Nashville, Tennessee.
Dress to impress
To see a very sizable part of the Brixham population dressed up in pirate fancy dress for two days is extraordinary says Richard. “The interpretations of clothing seen only in historical etchings and sketches is remarkable,” he tells Australian Times. Dreadlock wigs, bandanas, seaboots, several pistols, beards, scars, black eye patches and loud voices, are de rigeur for most more senior pirates. Long curled wigs, elegant tricorn hats, grandly decorated frock coats, breeches and sea boots, long swords and pistols denote the captain status. It is true, apparently, that Captains Morgan, Tench and other famous
• A walk along Buccaneers Way or Blackbeard’s Trail • Cannon and gun firing • Music with Mariners Away, Swash Buckle, Hornswaggle and more • Harbour skirmish – the Pirates attack • World Record Pirate Conga attempt – dress up and join-in • Raffles and fancy dress competition
Transport from London Make a weekend of it and take in the sights of the Devon area. • Trains to neighbouring Torquay and Paignton leave from London Paddington. • National Express buses connect Torquay and Paignton to London. pirates dressed in an exaggerated manner to ape the cultures from which they came. Brixham has so many captains, one can only guess at the size of pirate fleets. From the simpler to the similarly sumptuous their female partners (wenches or doxies) equally look the part.
10 | Travel
30 April - 6 May 2013
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Trading the sun, surf and sand of Oz for more sun, surf and sand may sound, well, like much of the same. However, PAUL BLEAKLEY discovers Hawaii, despite all its similarities, is no place like home. Let me start by saying, I am not usually a fan of island holidays. I grew up in sunny Queensland, a stone’s throw from some of the world’s greatest beaches. If I wanted to sit by the ocean sipping cocktails out of a coconut, I would just stay at home at no expense. That is why it took a spur of the moment decision (or perhaps a
momentary lapse in judgement) to get me to leave the comfort of one island and travel 10 hours to another island. I found cheap flights and accommodation on Friday, booked my ticket on Saturday, and stepped off a plane at Honolulu Airport on Easter Sunday. That impulsive decision sparked a week long island adventure that would include
everything from barbecuing under the light of a Tiki torch on Waikiki Beach, to coming face-to-face with sharks on the North Shore. Let’s just say, I am a reformed man.
A tourist and his sport
Honolulu is the gateway to the Hawaiian Islands, and as such is undoubtedly the most commercialised location in Hawaii. It is like a port city in an old Hollywood pirate film; everyone there comes from somewhere else, and most of them have a story to tell. Tourists flock to the resort district of Waikiki, where daytime recreation
and a thriving nightlife service the needs of any traveller looking for a good time, at any time. I must confess. I did not head to the beach on my first day in Hawaii. Not wanting to miss the FA Cup match between Chelsea and Manchester United, upon arriving I made a beeline for the closest sports bar. Australian sports fans in Honolulu should go no further than Legends Sports Pub on Nahua Street. This cosy venue has an atmosphere lacking in many overtly commercialised American sports bars, and much to my delight, they regularly play soccer, NRL and AFL matches. The locals are friendly and the drinks are cheap, making it the perfect place to go when the chaos of Waikiki Beach becomes too much to handle.
Why kiki?
Waikiki’s main strip, Kalakaua Avenue, is a combination of haute couture and surf-chic. High fashion labels like Prada and Louis Vuitton sit comfortably across from the glassy blue water of Waikiki Beach, watched over protectively by an imposing statue of the father of surfing, Duke Kahanamoku. There is
nothing that cannot be found on Kalakaua Avenue, from fine dining to tacky gift shops, making it the perfect place for any tourist to begin their exploration of Waikiki. While many of Hawaii’s recreational activities like surfing and paddle boarding take place between sunrise and sunset, the city boasts a vibrant nightlife to rival any other destination in the world. Shore Bird Restaurant & Beach Bar on Kalia Road offer amazing views of the Hawaiian sunset and gives patrons the opportunity to grill their own meals to perfection under the supervision of some of Honolulu’s best barbecue chefs. The bar and nightclub strip on Kuhio Avenue can be slightly hit and miss, however Maddog Saloon has great drink specials and a happy hour that goes
Travel | 11
AustralianTimes.co.uk
The Work 360° view
Surfing with sharks
About an hour’s drive from Honolulu lies the fabled North Shore of Oahu, renowned for its big wave surfing beaches and amazing scenery. Most of the coastal highway that circles the island is one lane, making for a relaxing journey, as most Hawaiians tend to drive well under the speed limit. Cars and tour buses line the side of the road at prominent locations like Banzai Pipeline, home to some of the biggest waves in the world; a mecca for anyone with an interest in surfing. On the second last day of my Hawaiian adventure, I left Honolulu before sunrise to meet North Shore
Learn what makes Hawaii, Hawaii by attending a class at the Volcano Art Centre (volcanoartcenter. org). With a range of practical programs, you could learn about traditional Hawaiian art, literature, or even how to hula dance.
Rest
Ho’ola (‘healing’) Spa at Sheraton Kona (sheratonkona.com) offers beauty, massage, facial and body treatments, not-tomention a full service hair salon. Overlooking the sea, this spa is the perfect place to catch your breath.
Play
H2O Sports Hawaii (h2osportshawaii.com) has the world’s first water propelled Jet Pack. Described as a cross between a jet ski and a para-sail, after a brief lesson, this Jet Pack will have you flying high above the Maunalua Bay.
Shark Adventures, based in Haleiwa. This attraction gives tourists the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the oceans most intriguing and misunderstood creatures. A boat takes groups three miles out to sea, where participants climb into a cage and spend around twenty minutes swimming inches away from dozens of Galapagos sharks. Despite being warned that reaching out of the cage might result in several missing fingers, the shark cage is an experience of complete serenity. As I ducked my head under the water to admire the sharks, the singing of humpback whales serenaded me from the deep blue. Although I had some reservations about spending
a morning with sharks, it was as close as I have ever come to having a quasi-religious experience with nature. I could have stayed in the peaceful waters off the North Shore for hours (if they had let me). People often ask Australians why they would go to Hawaii when they have beautiful beaches and warm weather at their doorstep. The truth is that Hawaii could not be more different to Australia. It is a place of mystery and beauty that is wholly unique, and the experiences that it offers will draw you back time and time again. What are you waiting for? Grab your tacky floral shirt, order yourself a mai tai and prepare to soak in the aloha.
all day (except between the hours of 8pm and 10pm).
Hawaii’s history
The beaches and nightlife are only one part of what makes Hawaii a special place to holiday. Honolulu is only a short drive or bus ride from Pearl Harbor, the site of one of the most devastating attacks of World War II. On December 7, 1941, 3500 people were killed in a surprise attack by the Japanese military. Visitors can take a short boat ride out to the USS Arizona memorial, situated on a pontoon directly above the sunken remains of the battleship, which continues to serve as a grave for over a thousand servicemen killed during the attack.
*
For more information visit Hawaii’s Official Tourism Site gohawaii.com/uk
*Trips for 18yo and over
12 | Travel
30 April - 6 May 2013
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WIN
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A run-in with an oversized backpack sends one budget airline traveller on a trip down memory lane. There is a change coming, can ya feel it? Actually it’s already started. As a regular cigar tube rider to foreign lands, I was surprised this week to find the fellow herd had undergone an interesting change. For the first time not every middle seat on the plane was occupied by bleary eyed North Americans stranded due to Lufthansa’s strike and begging any available seat into Europe. And, as I descended into the bowels of Schiphol Airport Amsterdam – through the baggage claim and up to the train ticket office – the usual funeral procession of black suited business men flashing credit cards and silk ties were nowhere to be seen. Instead, the queues snaking endlessly towards platform one were full of youngsters squinting at maps and asking difficult questions like “do you s.p.e.a.k. English”, before purchasing tickets to all four corners of the Eurozone and beyond. As I navigated the treadmill down to the platforms I was roughed up by a young fella hesitating between East or West, his backpack swinging wildly back and forth, while the treadmill delivered me directly into its path. Whomp! He was Scottish, or so it said on the sign he had sewn on the back flap. I dusted myself off and smiled sweetly before craning my neck around to check if any backpacks were sporting the Southern Cross. I didn’t see any, but it didn’t matter. For the first time in a long time I was transported back to a time before the internet, before mobile phones
and even IPods, when my backpack was my home for 12 months of train hopping, hitchhiking, stowing away and begging a ride. In 1989 I did my tour of duty, when part of life was rocking up at Poste Restante to hopefully get a letter from home, and Lets Go Europe was the bible of choice to find the best haunts in Europe and find exchange deals for Lira to Francs to Punts to Marks. We managed to get over 100 journeys out of our 15 journeys on the Eurail pass, as well as be thrown out of Oktoberfest, thrown out of a hostel in Amsterdam, thrown off a bus at the Greek/Turkish border, chased off a building site in Paris and arrested in… etc etc. Ah well, those were the days. Got to get to a meeting now, and talk about strategic business planning in emerging markets. Thanks for the memories Scottish, the beers are on me.
Professional Life | 13
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Collaborate and connect Dollar Review for commercial success Aussie dollar slides on China and inflation an astute aussie in london
> SEPI ROSHAN
Stop! If you are a child of the 1970’s, you will know the rest. If you are not, it goes something like this: “Collaborate and listen”. Collaborative work models are becoming all the rage in business. Australian Business and Qantas are doing it. Qantas and Emirates have just done it. Australian Times and Astute Radio are doing it. As the collaborative work model becomes increasingly popular, it is important to remember that some collaborations are more useful to you and your business than others. Collaboration is the new black. As the financial crisis continues and the UK narrowly escapes a triple dip recession, businesses are forced to think of more creative ways to generate revenue. Many organisations are linking together to find synergies and effective solutions. Organisations such as Creative Works London and London Fusion help businesses and educational institutions share knowledge for the benefit of us all. A recent Australian Government Report, The Australian Innovation System Report 2012 states “OECD analysis shows that a major global trend in business innovation involves ‘networked innovation’, whereby firms increasingly seek external sources of knowledge, often from the public knowledge bases, and through formal collaboration.” The paradox of today’s technologically connected world is that many of us feel disconnected with ourselves and others. The antidote is to start networking and collaborating with those we find a connection with. By coming out of our shells and giving others a “fair go”, we can start to remove judgements and develop win-win situations. However, collaborating needs to be undertaken with care. For synergies to occur, step back and assess the relationship before you dive in. Here are three questions you can ask yourself.
1. Are your values aligned? Consider what your own values and the values of your business are. Once you have understood your value system, find out whether your potential collaborators are on the same page. Aligned values can help you identify commonalities in approach, minimise misunderstandings and conflict, and also identify potential areas of contention. 2. Is your vision the same? Be clear about the outcome you want for the collaboration. Draw, write or create a vision board of your goal and how you intend to get there. Getting excited about ideas and the potential is easy. Implementation is another matter. Clearly communicate the day-to-day steps of what needs to happen to reach the joint vision. This way, everyone can decide on what roles they take on and how they will contribute to the end result. 3. Are you both in the right place in your business and lives? Good intentions and ideas are a great starting point. If priorities are misaligned, there can be friction. Understand and acknowledge where the collaboration sits in your hierarchy of priorities. Compare that with how the other parties prioritise the venture. If you are honest about how important the venture is and the resources people are willing to input, it becomes easier to allocate roles and implement appropriate reward structures. Values, vision and priorities can change as you progress. Make sure you check in regularly and communicate what has changed and what is on target. Collaborations are a wonderful way of producing win-win situations. However, effective collaborations require planning and assessment to lay the foundations for success. If nothing else, what seems to have evolved in the last few years of financial turmoil is the notion that working cohesively together can bring better results for everyone.
By Jaco Herselman ECONOMIC data from China and low domestic inflation have been driving down the market for the Australian dollar over the past week. According to HSBC, Chinese manufacturing activity slowed in April as exports were hit by sluggish
overseas demand, fuelling concerns about the strength of the world’s second-largest economy. Investors adopted a more cautious approach towards the Aussie as a result. Figures released on Wednesday last week showed that Australia recorded its lowest core consumer price growth in 14 years during the last quarter.
According to Bloomberg, this added downward pressure to the AUD as traders boosted bets the Reserve Bank of Australia will reduce interest rates to a record low next month. Joshua Williamson, a senior economist at Citigroup Inc. said that the exchange rate is dampening down imported inflation and that there’s now a chance of an interest rate cut before mid-year, reported Bloomberg. The Australian dollar continued its slip into this week’s opening, breaking over the 1.50 mark against the British pound for the first time since February.
Exchange rates GBP/AUD: 1.457 EUR/AUD: 1.245 USD/AUD: 0.955 10:00 GMT, 25 March 2013
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14 | Sport
30 April - 6 May 2013
ASADA postpones Cronulla interviews ...continued from p16
THE NRL IS BACK & IT’S BIGGER THAN EVER EVERY GAME
“We’re here to talk about the footy - I’m not here to talk about ASADA,” Flanagan said after the Bulldogs defeat. “I’m sick of talking about it.” With at least nine more players, and possibly up to 13, required for interviews, this stage of the investigation is likely to drag on for at least a month, which would clash with the build-up to State of Origin I on June 5.
One player will be interviewed per day, with ASADA and the Sharks coming to an agreement that only three days per week be used for interviews. The club’s general manager of football Steve Noyce has made it clear to ASADA officials that he will not allow the club’s training regime to be compromised. The interviews are believed to be focused on a three-month period from
March to May 2011, while Stephen Dank was employed by the club to oversee its supplement program. ASADA is investigating use of peptides in the club’s supplements regime during that period. Dank has strongly maintained he never recommended any banned substance. Graham joined the Sharks at the start of 2011. There is no suggestion the former Penrith junior has done anything wrong.
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Spring tag rugby finals held across the capital
Phibbers won the Shoreditch spring final but can they back it up in summer?
By Philip Browne With all early summer tag rugby competitions kicking off this week across the capital, last week saw a host of spring finals take place. At Borough on Monday 22 April, the Tag Snatchers were too strong for Too Calm, taking out the title. Across at Tooting Bec Trip & Chase managed to finish runners up for the 3rd consecutive season against three sets of different opposition – this time to the Lethal Taggers. On Tuesday, the Shoreditch men’s final was won by Patrick Quigley, topping off a fantastic season having lost only one match throughout the spring. In the Shoreditch mixed finals, wii no fit won the beginner grade final with a nail biting 9-8 defeat over The Lollabies. Phibbers were too strong for Scrotag in the intermediate grade final. At White City on Wednesday Tumeke kept their undefeated run intact by winning the final in the west. At Rotherhithe Tag Me Maybe won the men’s final and Chargers claimed victory in the mixed super league final. Garlic Breed won the intermediate title. On Thursday newcomers TAGata Whenua won their first title in their first attempt at Barnes. Double Scrum & Coke won the A grade title and Foreign
Office won the intermediate final. The last spring final to take place was on Sunday at Balham, with the undefeated Make Yourself Bigger defeating Balham Broncos 19-9 in a final which was much closer than the score line indicated. All teams which made an A grade or super league grand final will receive an invitation to the 2013 London Tag Rugby Championships which will be held at East London RFC on Saturday 17 August. This is a chance to see which side is the best team in London! Meanwhile, Try Tag Rugby’s early summer competitions commence this week, from 29 April onwards at 15 venues across London and Reading. The competitions cater for all standards of players with divisions including beginner, intermediate, A grade and for the ultra competitive, super league. Leagues are taking place at Acton, Balham, Borough, Canada Water, East London RFC, Finsbury Park, Fulham, Highbury, Hoxton, London Bridge (beach court), Reading, Richmond, Shoreditch Park, Southfields (Wimbledon Park) and Wandsworth Town. If you would like to register for Try Tag Rugby early summer competitions, go to www.trytagrugby.com or email info@ trytagrugby.com for more details.
SIZZLING HOT: James Magnussen at the 2013 Australian Swimming Championships in Adelaide on Monday. (AAP Image/Ben MacMahon)
Magnussen returning to top form ...continued from p16
clocking 48.24 seconds ahead of fellow controversial Olympic relay teammates Cameron McEvoy (48.63), Matt Targett (48.68) and James Roberts (48.83). Magnussen sounded far from happy with his semi-final effort but had sounded his intentions by swimming the second-fastest 100m freestyle time of the year on Monday morning (47.97). “I had a pretty chronic headache this arvo. It was hanging around. I knew I was going to be a bit sloppy (in the semis),” Magnussen said. “But I am doing a lot of work on staying positive, staying in the right frame of mind. That was a good test
of that tonight. “I think that got me across the line tonight. “I didn’t quite have the spark tonight. But that won’t be a problem tomorrow night.” Magnussen’s Monday heat time was faster than his Olympic 4x100m relay lead-off effort in London (48.03). Magnussen’s coach Brant Best had feared his charge would not be at his best in the 100m in Adelaide after dabbling in the 200m freestyle event at the national titles. Magnussen is in the 4x200m freestyle relay team mix for Barcelona after clocking the third fastest time for the four-lap event before withdrawing ahead of Sunday night’s final won by Thomas FraserHolmes.
Meanwhile, Olympic silver medallist Christian Sprenger set a national record (26.90) to win the 50m breaststroke title in the year’s fastest time, a full second ahead of runner-up Max Ireland (27.90) Olympic bronze medallist Bronte Barratt (one minute, 56.05 seconds) claimed her second straight 200m freestyle title and fourth overall by holding out London teammate Kylie Palmer (1:56.66) to book a flight to Barcelona. Grant Irvine (1:55.32) is also bound for Spain after clocking the fastest 200m butterfly time of the year to win the final ahead of favourite Chris Wright (1:57.79). It almost made up for Irvine missing out on London Olympic selection by just 0.27 of a second at last year’s national titles.- AAP
Sport | 15
AustralianTimes.co.uk
THE
Round 5 By Will Denton
ANZAC. Such a significant word in Australia’s vernacular. Probably the most important day in our nation’s short history, and something that truly unifies us. So, nearly 20 years ago when Kevin Sheedy asked ‘how good would it be if we could play footy on ANZAC day?’ he not only created the monster annual episode we all look forward to each season – he pushed the focus back onto marking the occasion, transcending even the football itself. Teams know that it’s totally ridiculous to even try and compare the field of battle with a footy field, and I think regular fans get that as well. Dawn services and parades across the country had record
RUBDOWN numbers in attendance, underlying just how much this day means to the country. Nowadays it’s not just for the fortunate respective members of Essendon and Collingwood – with Round 5 now known as ‘Anzac Round’. Every game had a service, last post and a minute’s silence prior to the bounce. The AFL went one step further this year, and held its first proper game outside of Australia – all the way over in the brave new frontier of New Zealand. Admittedly, it’s actually a longer plane trip to Perth than it is to Wellington, but you need a passport and everything to get in. Even then, it’s just a bloke with a stop/go sign asking if there are any jobs going. This game was played straight after the Pies/Dons clash, in which Essendon put on a brutal display to brush aside Buckley’s mob and remain unbeaten atop the ladder.
Over the ditch went the focus, and Sydney and St Kilda put on a decent show – although most of the locals kept yelling out ‘knock on’ and ‘what in the hell is going on?’ Overall, they seemed to like it and promised to return next year, if given free tickets again. The next three days produced three classics, with Fremantle winning an absolute heartstopper by a solitary point. The tiger army went completely rabid when a shot on goal late in the match hit the goal umpire, preventing the ball from going through. Honestly, this could’ve only happened to Richmond. The next night West Coast threw away a handy 40-point buffer at half time, only to see it completely dissolved by the end at the hands of Port. This raises two questions. We’re not sure if the Power are good, or the Eagles are rubbish. Time will tell. Lastly, the Kangaroos took the valiant road again, this time just missing out to the rampaging Hawks by 3. But hey, at least Buddy didn’t kick 13 goals this time.
Hawks relieved to be winning ugly HAWTHORN might not be winning AFL games as comfortably as they’d like, but the Hawks’ confidence is buoyed that their best is surely yet to come. The premiership favourites produced a get-out-of-jail weekend win against North Melbourne despite trailing on every key statistical indicator except the one that mattered most. “Last year, we could have lost the game, I’d say,” Hawthorn defender Grant Birchall admitted of the threepoint win. “To get the four points when we didn’t play particularly well is a good sign, but we move on pretty quickly from that. “The boys are feeling confident, feeling pretty good about themselves.
“To be 4-1 after five games with the draw we’ve had so far is a pretty fair result.” Birchall believes it was the Hawks’ better players who willed them over the line against the Kangaroos - Sam Mitchell and Luke Hodge particularly prominent when it counted. “They (North) were probably spewing ... they missed a few opportunities they should have taken,” he said. “But I thought our key players like Hodgey and Mitch really stood up at the end of that game. “They sort of carried us over the line in the end.” Cyril Rioli’s four-goal haul was also pivotal, though his long-term injury - combined with the previous week’s season-ender to defender
Ryan Schoenmakers - will test their playing depth. “I dare say if it wasn’t for him yesterday, we’d have been in a bit of strife,” Birchall said of Rioli, who will be sidelined until at least round 12 with his hamstring injury. “He’s obviously pretty hard to replace with his skill level and his ball-winning ability and his goalkicking. “He’ll be sorely missed, but we’ve got some good depth. I’m confident whoever comes in can fill the void pretty well.” Birchall expects Saturday’s opponents Adelaide to be fired up, with memories of their narrow preliminary final loss to the Hawks last year still fresh. By Guy Hand in Melbourne
Deans won’t rule out Beale against Lions ...continued from p16 indefinitely for punching teammates Cooper Vuna and Rebels captain Gareth Delve in Durban. The Wallabies star has been under the guidance of the Australian Rugby Union and is undergoing counselling for alcohol-related issues. While his exile is over, Beale will continue to undertake an off-field program as agreed between ARU, the Rebels and the Rugby Union Players’ Association. Wallabies coach Robbie aDeans earlier this month said he would monitor Beale’s form upon his playing return and wasn’t prepared to rule the backline ace out of consideration for the looming Lions series. Hill would also love to have Beale’s class available for the Rebels sooner rather than later, especially after two narrow defeats, but will be guided by the former John Eales Medallist’s training form and integration within the team. Beale will train again with the Rebels on Tuesday - the squad’s only other session this week before taking on the Chiefs at AAMI Park. Hill will name his team to face the defending champions on Wednesday. The Rebels delivered one of their best performances of the season against the Crusaders on Sunday, but let themselves down with some ill discipline late in the match. The Super Rugby strugglers would be keen to find room for the mercurial Beale, who has been training under the guidance of Wallabies staff while staying with his family in Sydney. Hill said the Rebels’ short turnaround would be draining physically but was probably best mentally for the team. “I think the sooner you get back to playing after a close loss the better, but it’s going to be tough on them with a five-day turnaround,” he said.
BACK ON BOARD: Kurtley Beale of the Melbourne Rebels. (AAP Image/Mark Dadswell) Wallabies back-rower Scott Higginbotham cemented his case to be the future permanent Rebels skipper with Delve leaving at season’s end. He has been the stand-in captain while Delve has been out injured and kept the role against the Crusaders with Delve on the bench. Higginbotham scored a try and set up another and was everywhere in defence. He even showcased his kicking skills with a giant boot downfield to get his team out of trouble. “He’s a highly skilled player,” said Hill. “He’s got such a broad skill set that you give him some direction but you let him play in some space as well and that’s where he can do some real damage.” By Melissa Woods and Darren Walton in Melbourne
Cowboys league player Alex Elisala dies ...continued from p16 comment on the circumstances leading up to Elisala’s hospitalisation. A Logan Brothers junior, New Zealand-born Elisala made his Test debut for Samoa against Tonga earlier this month in Sydney, tweeting to his followers: “very honoured and proud to receive my first Toa Samoa jersey, and to (be) representing my family and heritage! #ToaSamoa”. Hours before being admitted to hospital around 5am (AEST) on Sunday, he had scored a try for the Mackay Cutters in their 22-22 Queensland Cup draw with Tweed
Heads on Saturday afternoon. His Cutters teammates spent Sunday and much of Monday at hospital with him. “This is an extremely sad time for our club, particularly for our players who trained and played alongside Alex in both our NYC and NRL teams,” Cowboys chief executive Peter Jourdain said in a statement on Monday. “Alex joined our club four years ago, had a distinguished career in our NYC squad and was already excelling in his first year as a fulltime member of the NRL squad. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Alex’s family and his friends.”
North Queensland players have been offered counselling by the club and the NRL to help them come to terms with Elisala’s death. “He was a kid who always had a smile on his face and he was a pretty good footballer,” a Cowboys official told AAP. “It’s a very sad day.” Condolences on social media came from a number of NRL players with Wests Tigers great Robbie Farah tweeting: “Tragic news.. So sad. Thoughts are with the @ nthqldcowboys and friends and family of Alex Elisala #RIP” By Wayne Hemming in Brisbane
Haigh wins MCC prize for ‘On Warne’ Acclaimed Australian cricket writer Gideon Haigh has been announced as the winner of the 2013 Cricket Society and MCC Book of the Year for his book On Warne. Haigh batted off competition from five other shortlisted books to claim the £3000 prize money, presented at Lord’s London Room on Monday 15 April. Candidates for the competition, which has been running for 44
years, are nominated by Members of the society. It is highly regarded by writers and publishers, with a previous winner, former Wisden editor Scyld Berry, hailing his award as “cricket’s seal of literary approval”, Accepted on behalf of Gideon Haigh by Simon and Schuster’s Ian Marshall, Haigh assured audiences that “Shane Warne is every bit as much fun to write about as he was
to watch, and would be pleased to be recognised in this way – he had never managed to get his name on the Honours Board at Lord’s.” The Chair of judges, writer and broadcaster and former England and Somerset cricketer Vic Marks, said On Warne “was commendably short, cleverly and unusually structured, and overall a convincing description of one of the greatest of cricketers.”
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The
SEEING OFF SPRING
Who came out on top in Try Tag Rugby spring finals? P14
n
Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority investigation of NRL club has been postponed amid uncertainty over how much information players have to divulge.
Sharks drugs probe stalls
By Joe Barton in Sydney
ASADA’s investigation into alleged doping practices at NRL club Cronulla has stalled, with lawyers from both sides at loggerheads over how much information players are required to divulge. Sharks back-rower Wade Graham became a test case for the investigation when he was the first player interviewed by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority as it investigates possible use
of banned drugs by the NRL club in 2011. But rather than provide any clarity into how the process will play out, the two sides quickly realised they were still worlds apart on key issues - and ASADA called an early end to the interview. Under their NRL contracts, players are obliged to give ASADA “reasonable assistance”, and this appears to be the main point of difference between Sharks players and ASADA, along with
whether players have to give answers that could be self-incriminating. As a result, all further interviews which had been pencilled in for this week have been cancelled. Next Monday looms as the earliest date for the interviews to resume. Graham was accompanied during the interviews by the Sharks’ legal representative Richard Redman. “We were with ASADA for a few hours today at which time a number of matters were gone over,” Redman told
reporters afterwards. “And no doubt there’s more to come.” Cracks have started to appear at the Sharks, with coach Shane Flanagan clearly exasperated by the drawn-out process when quizzed by the media following Sunday’s Canterbury loss. This latest setback will only add to Flanagan’s disillusioned outlook on the process.
...continued on p14
Shock death of Cowboys player
PROMISING North Queensland rugby league player Alex Elisala has died on Monday after his life support was switched off. The 20-year-old full-time member of the Cowboys 2013 NRL squad was admitted to Mackay Base Hospital early on Sunday morning. His distraught mother had flown from Brisbane to Mackay to be by her son’s bedside along with other family members and friends. Mackay police would not ...continued on p15
Kurtley Beale’s suspension over
COACH Damien Hill will consult the rest of the Melbourne Rebels playing group before deciding whether or not to rush Kurtley Beale back for Friday night’s Super Rugby showdown with the Chiefs. Beale on Monday returned from his disciplinary suspension and resumed training with the Rebels, having been on the outer since being sent home in disgrace from last month’s tour of South Africa. The 24-year-old has missed six matches since breaking his hand on March 1 and then being suspended ...continued on p15
Hot Magnussen is a headache for his rivals
NOT QUITE FLYING
But the Hawks are feeling good | P14
IN A FLAP: Scott Thompson of North Melbourne is tackled by Lance Franklin of Hawthorn at the MCG in on Sunday. (AAP Image/Joe Castro)
A bad headache ensured a “sloppy” 100m freestyle semifinal effort by world champion James Magnussen at the national swimming championships in Adelaide on Monday. But he would have no doubt created some headaches for rivals ahead of July’s world titles after backing up from a scorching heat time to qualify fastest for Tuesday night’s 100m final. Magnussen took a confident step toward post-London redemption by topping the 100m semi-final time sheets, ...continued on p14