Australian Times weekly newspaper | 7 May 2013

7 - 13 May 2013 Issue: 462

PACK YOUR BAGS Taking a trip with Jonathon Hyde

Entertainment P8

LIONS vs WALLABIES

AUSSIE BBQ IN LONDON

Lions line-up lowdown

Sounds of Oz set to sizzle

Sport P14

entertainment P8

41434

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AUStralian ART LONDON BOUND

THE AUSTRALIAN landscape is set to be the unifying theme of an unprecedented exhibition of Australian art to be held at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in September 2013.

Charles Saumarez Smith, Secretary and Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Arts said most people in the UK were “historically, shamefully ignorant of Australian art”.

This exhibition will be, for everyone in this country, a great revelation,” he told the press launch in London on Thursday.

The exhibition, Australia, will present over 200 works, including paintings, drawings, photography, watercolors and multimedia, chosen from the most important public collections in Australia. It will be the first time many of the works have been seen in the UK. HRH Prince of Wales has been revealed as Patron of the exhibition.

Kathleen Soriano, Director of Exhibits at the Royal Academy and co-curator of the exhibition, said it would be the first exhibition of Australian art at the Academy since 1923.

“It is true to say there has never been an exhibition like this before,” she said.

“This survey is long, long overdue.”

At its core is a narrative about the relationship of Australians with the land and landscape, and the shaping

...continued on p3

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n A major retrospective of Australian art spanning 200 years will be hosted at London’s Royal Academy of Arts in September.

Lib MPs break ranks over parental leave FEDERAL Opposition Leader Tony Abbott won’t consider dropping his paid parental leave plan, despite critics in Liberal ranks saying it doesn’t give business a fair go.

If the coalition wins government in September, Mr Abbott plans to tax big firms to give mothers six months’ parental leave paid at their full salary in his first term.

But two Liberal MPs, Alex Hawke and Dennis Jensen, broke ranks on Monday, saying the proposed 1.5 per cent levy on more than 3000 companies earning net profits of more than $5 million should be dropped.

“The feedback from business groups, from women in the community and from colleagues is that now would be a very good time to revisit this policy with a view to scrapping it before the next election, so we can go to the election without this albatross around the neck of the party,” Mr Hawke told ABC radio.

Dr Jensen said the policy should be dumped before the election. ...continued on p3

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2 | News

7 - 13 May 2013

From major to minor

the rise of new political parties n

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 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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DISCLAIMER The printed opinions of advertisers and writers are theirs and not necessarily shared by Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Unless otherwise stated, copyright of all original materials is held by Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Official media sponsors of the following organisations:

The rise of the minor party in Australian politics should not be seen as an unnecessary aberration, or a trivial moment in the country’s democratic development. Instead, it should be seen as an opportunity to reform a stagnating electoral system.

By Paul Bleakley For as long as most people can remember, the Australian political system has been like a particularly awkward blind date. Two people are forced to sit across a table from each other for what seems like an excruciatingly long period of time, realising from the first instance that they have absolutely nothing in common.

The two-party political system typically evolves in one of two ways: the major parties will either retreat to separate extremes on the ideological spectrum or they will go to battle for the centre ground, the so-called “undecided”. Australians aren’t a group that are particularly known for their political activism, and as such the major parties naturally rejected extremism and turned their focus to gathering as many of the undecided under their banner as possible.

That is what makes the recent onslaught of minor parties that have been formed in Australia so strange.

For over a century, Australians have been content to support whichever party that they thought was the ‘lesser of two evils’. Aside from the hard-core party faithful, most Australians were happy to vote for the party that were decent, rather than one that they firmly believed in.

Now it is 2013, and we can’t seem to go a single week without a new political party being launched.

Katter’s Australian Party was one of the trailblazers, with the movement

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On: Treatment of Indigenous Australians our “dirtiest little secret”, says Pilger

As uncomfortable as it may be, racism is a part of our every day in Australia. Perhaps if we immerse ourselves in this issue, be a little more self reflective and challenge ourselves we might be able to move forward with mutual respect, empathy and dignity. One of our challenges is to understand the difference between equal opportunity and social justice.

Perhaps then, we won’t resent attempts to improve the lives of folk where a need has been identified. The creation of employment agencies who specialise in identifying opportunities for Aboriginal people is no different to creating agencies who specialize in identifying opportunities for people with disabilities.

Cathy

founded by maverick MP Bob Katter performing surprisingly well at the 2012 Queensland election. We have seen all kinds of new political entities enter the arena since then.

Pastor Danny Nalliah’s conservative Christian party Rise Up Australia, rebel expat Julian Assange’s Wikileaks Party and the recently formed United Australia Party have each made a considerable impact on the voting public and will undoubtedly have a major role in how September’s federal election will play out.

The mainstream media have taken a dim view on the rise of this legion of minor parties that have sprung up in recent months. Politicians from both of the major parties have lambasted the people involved with them as eccentric and irrelevant. You would be forgiven for thinking that providing the public with a political alternative was something that was frowned upon in Australia, which is evidently a country that can only deal with two options at a time, thank you very much.

I tend to take the opposite position for one simple reason: I like choice.

I definitely do not like some of the choices that I am given, but I like to know that it is up to me to decide. I want to listen if someone thinks that they have something to say. I am bored and tired with the daily tussle of politics, with the ALP and the Coalition arguing the point for weeks on end over the semantics of a bill rather than its substance. I have my own political ideology, but at the end of the day I believe in the power of

ideas above all else.

The rise of the minor party in Australian politics should not be seen as an unnecessary aberration, or a trivial moment in the country’s democratic development. Instead, it should be seen as an opportunity to reform a stagnating electoral system.

Why not support the minor parties?

Look at what they have to offer, and choose the one that stands for what you believe in. Who says the ALP or the Coalition have to win the election, just because that is the way it has always been?

I would even go one step further: I suggest that it is time to change the system entirely. Take a look at Germany, for instance. A country that thrives on a system of proportional representation, wherein a party wins seats in parliament based on what percentage of the vote it receives rather than on an electorate-by-electorate basis. Has it thrown their system into chaos? No. Instead it has fostered compromise between parties – who often have to form unlikely coalition government in a system of negotiation and political debate.

We should not be afraid of new ideas, and we should not be afraid of new political parties injecting a renewed vitality into the Australian political system. It is high time that we saw these fledgling political parties for what they are: a chance to turn the awkward to-and-fro of Australian politics into a vibrant system that gives every citizen the chance to have their opinion heard.

Thank you Mr. Pilger for bringing this up - I figured that Australians know about this “dirtiest little secret” but by believing it is a secret they are not doing much about it. Shame on them.

On: Coffee Cult visits: Borough Barista in Marble Arch

Pilar

On: Australian DJ to appear at inquest into death of royal prank call nurse It’s a shame Greig’s co-host Michael Christian hasn’t also got the courage and decency to appear.

Bob

It seems that young adult radio hosts are thought to be funny by ringing an unsuspecting person to belittle them simply to boost ratings for their show.

Generally there is no repercussion, but in this instance there was. Perhaps it’s time such individuals took a little more responsibility in the position of a radio host and the radio station manager be more accountable.

Great Coffee Cult and just goes to prove, you can get a good Anzac in Britannia.

Therese

On: ‘I want to be PM’: Clive Palmer forms United Australia Party How funny. Here is Joe Hockey and Kevin Rudd asking big man Palmer to release his policies, and four months out from an election we are still waiting for some of their policies to be released. Looking forward to hearing their excuses.

Jacqui

Stuart

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News | 3

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Abbott’s leave scheme unfair, says government “In my view, yes,” the West Australian MP told ABC radio.

“The economic situation at the moment doesn’t warrant policies that are going to have potentially negative impacts.”

Dr Jensen said it would be a “burden” on business, and some firms could reconsider putting on more workers.

Mr Abbott said Mr Hawke, a NSW MP, was entitled to write his article but the policy would remain.

“It’s a very important sign that we get it when it comes to the modern family,” he told BayFM radio in Geelong.

Families Minister Jenny Macklin believes the opposition could be laying the groundwork to dump the plan after last week agreeing to back Labor’s Medicare levy increase to support disability care.

“Tony Abbott’s colleagues are openly admitting that his plan is unfair,” she said.

“They know it rewards highflying bank executives and lawyers.”

Ms Macklin also warned Mr

Abbott’s commitment to dump Labor’s annual schoolkids bonus if he became prime minister in September would hurt lower-paid mothers.

Opposition frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull admitted there were differing views within the coalition about the parental leave plan, but the policy would stand.

“Tony is very committed to it,” he told ABC Radio.

Senior Liberal MP Jamie Briggs, who holds the family support portfolio, told AAP: “Alex is a good guy, but he is wrong on this.”

But former Liberal MP and now

independent Peter Slipper, who witnessed the initial heated party room debate on the plan in March 2010, told AAP: “I think Alex is spot on.”

Under the coalition plan, a new mum earning $150,000 a year would get six months’ replacement salary of $75,000, while low-paid mothers would get 26 weeks’ of their more humble earnings.

Labor’s scheme, which began in 2011, pays a baby’s primary carer the minimum wage, currently $606.50 a week, for 18 weeks.

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief

Exhibition will address Britain’s “shameful” ignorance of Aussie art

economist Greg Evans said the chamber had issues with its funding.

“We would prefer to not see a tax impost on business,” Mr Evans said.

But feminist Eva Cox supports Mr Abbott’s plan.

“It’s better than the government’s one,” she told Sky News. - AAP

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AustralianTimes.co.uk/news

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of our national identity through our natural and built environments.

“The visual representation of Australia has been informed by the land and landscape,” said Ms Soriano.

Spanning works from more than 200 years from 1800 to the present day, the exhibition will seek to map a period of rapid and intense change in Australia – from the impact of the first settlers through to the urbanization of the last century.

Opening with a number of works

by Aboriginal artists, including Albert Namatjira and Emily Kame Kngwarreye, the exhibition will move chronologically through to the present day.

Early works include those painted by nineteenth century European immigrants such as John Glover and Eugene von Guerard, as well as the Australian Impressionists who were heavily influenced by Australian bush mythology: Arthur Streeton, Tom Roberts and Frederick McCubbin.

Many names familiar to Australians will be represented, including Brett Whiteley, Sidney Nolan and Grace Cossington Smith. Contemporary artists featured include Bill Henson and Tracey Moffat.

A full list of works will be released on the day of opening of the exhibition to the press on 17 September 2013.

Ms Soriano said this was to ensure discussion was centered around celebrating the art itself, rather than

focusing on who was or was not included in the survey.

The Australian government has contributed $200,000 towards the exhibition, and $50,000 to a further programme of events which will run in London alongside the show, including screenings of indigenous films at the BFI. Deputy High Commissioner Andrew Todd said the exhibition would be an important showcase of our rich and diverse art culture.

“No group is more persuasive than artists who, in holding up a mirror to Australian life and landscape, express so effectively who we are as a people and a nation.”

Australian artist Judy Watson has been commissioned to create a sculptural work in the courtyard of the Royal Academy.

It is based on a bowerbird’s mating structure and will replicate one of Ms Watson’s works in Canberra called Fire and Water.

Ms Watson hopes it will be a gathering place for people from different cultures as they interact with and walk through the structure.

A three-part series commissioned by the BBC on Australian art will be shown in September to coincide with the exhibition. The series will be presented by former Art Gallery of NSW director Edmund Capon.

The exhibition, organized in partnership with the National Gallery of Australia, opens to the public on 21 September and will run until December.

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4 | Exclusive Interview

7 - 13 May 2013

the Expat factor

Extraordinary Aussies in the UK

Deborah Frances-White is a stand-up comedian, screenwriter, founding member of The Spontaneity Shop, co-author of The Improv Handbook, corporate speaker and executive coach.

We need more women putting themselves forward and backing themselves in every aspect of business, finance, law and politics. Women have significant neurological strengths – we are more empathetic, better at reading people, and we consultative and collaborative. However, we often don’t have the confidence that testosterone gives you to make yourself a powerful self-promoter.

What this training does is show women a new model – how to combine that testosterony confidence with charming empathy. It’s a really powerful leadership style.

I came to the UK in 1996 for a gap year – during the era of Brit Pop. I was a nanny first until I went to Oxford to read English.

I was at Oxford studying, and teaching at RADA in London – running classes about improvisation – as well as doing a show at the Royal Court. It was a lot of going back and forth all the time, and I think my studies suffered. When you first arrive in the UK you want to do everything, fulfil all your dreams at once!

After I graduated in 2000 I developed a romcom TV pilot which was all very exciting, until the TV network didn’t want it. With two friends of mine we started writing a screenplay – another romantic comedy. I was really into theatre sports, and we had improvised so many romcoms it turned out we knew a lot more about this format than we realised.

It took two years – not full time, but a lot longer than I would spend on a screenplay these days. We sold it to Fox Searchlight and had this really amazing adventure in Hollywood.

It encouraged us enough to make us think we should do more writing.

I started writing on my own and was able to start selling scripts and getting commissions.

At the same time I started doing stand-up comedy. I realised the bit I liked about theatre sports and improvisation was not pretending to be other people during the skits, but being the host and talking to the audience. The adlib bit of the show – that was the easy bit for me. Most comedians develop their material and when they feel more confident

Deborah Frances-White Stand-Up Comedian and Co-founder of The Spontaneity Shop

that’s when they go off script. For me, the only bit I could really do was the off piste material.

When I was 10 days old I was adopted. Up until the 23rd of October last year I had never known, or even seen a picture of anyone related to me. I had known my birth mother’s name for about six years at that stage, and had googled it without anything ever coming up. However last October I put the name in, and found something. Someone had archived some electoral rolls on a website called ancestry.com.au and all of a sudden I could see where my birth mother was living when I was born in the 1970s, I could see the street where she lived,

and the name of her parents, brothers and sisters. I started doing my own research and found all kinds of things on Facebook – I kept thinking, ‘am I related to that person?’

I went on stage at the Storytelling Festival and I just felt the need to talk about it. I thought ‘I’m living this story – I have to share it’. The resulting show, Half a Can of Worms, is part comedy, part mystery. It’s about the treasure hunt of finding this information, and the second act is what happens next. It’s called half a can of worms because you just can’t open it halfway – once they start coming out, it gets tricky.

Deborah’s Day Out: • The cafe Troubadour in Earls Court has a fantastic performance area, where Bob Dylan once played.

• Tina we Salute You in Stoke Newington is great for a buzzy breakfast.

• Green Note on Parkway in Camden has fantastic indie music. Just walk by on a Sunday and people will be in there playing the guitar.

• My favourite comedy night is the Alternative Comedy Memorial Society.

• To pay your respects to all the best actors – go to St Paul’s Church in Covent Garden.

It has plaques to all different actors, some famous, some not so famous.

When I was a teenager my parents became Jehovah’s Witnesses. I was baptised at 16, and missed out on a lot of teenage experiences I later had to discover for myself. It’s a very limiting religion – you have to think certain things, behave a certain way and there was a lot you couldn’t do. For example at the time you couldn’t go to university, through they’ve changed that policy now. You have to be brave to break away, because if you did in your home town you would be excommunicated and none of your friends could talk to you. For me it was important to move and get away from the congregation in order to take that step. London allowed me to do the things I wanted to do, and when I first came here I felt completely thrilled and excited. Of course you always miss your family, but I knew this was the right place for me to be.

Now I run a business called The Spontaneity Shop with Tom Salinsky and Alex MacLaren.

There are two aspects to the business – we run improvisation shows and workshops, and the other side of it is communications

London Legacy hosts annual Anzac Ball

By Will Fitz-gibbon Around 200 generous revellers gathered in Australia House’s ballroom on Friday 19 April to fundraise for Legacy London.

Legacy London, which helps families living in the UK of Australian and New Zealand veterans, organises its Anzac Ball every year.

“This was our biggest and most

training for companies and individuals. We work with a variety of clients in the public and private sector to improve their communication skills in a number of circumstances – including pitching, presenting, working creatively, networking or leadership. Our signature lecture is How To Be A Charismatic Woman In A Man’s World. It’s about how women can be more confident and powerful in order to make up for the fact we have much less testosterone.

successful Anzac Ball ever,” said Simon Kleinig, Deputy-President of London Legacy.

“It was great fun, and we managed to raise a lot of money for Australian war widows living in the UK.” Australia’s political and military heavyweights in the UK all turned out, including the newly-arrived High Commissioner, former South Australian Premier Mike Rann.

Dining under floating green and gold balloons and well-imbibed with Australian wines, beers and Rutherglen muscat, guests were more than ready to dig deep for the fundraising auction.

With all money raised going to support Legacy’s families in the UK, guests scored hotel weekends away, signed Olympic memorabilia, boxer shorts of the American boxer Mike Tyson and –

in the surprise of the evening – one very expensive stuffed toy puppy.

Everyone has their own London, and that’s what’s great about it.

Whatever you’re into, there is a community for you. It’s a bit like the internet in that way. You may never have heard of something before, but look it up and you’ll find out there’s a whole group of people out there obsessed with it.

There will be a museum for it, or a society or an event being held in its honour. I still get a thrill going over the bridge to or from the Southbank, and seeing the London horizon opening up before you. It’s that same feeling as when you got off the plane for the first time – that feeling of ‘I’m here’.

It’s easy to get roots in a place quite quickly. I got married here and made a life here. I think if things are going well for you and you relate to a place, there is no reason to leave. I don’t even mind the weather that much, because growing up near Brisbane and the Gold Coast there was no seasons to speak of – it’s just hot the whole time. I would read books about these English children running around in hats, scarves and gloves and it painted this magical picture – sartorially speaking.

For more information on Deborah Frances-White see Deborahfrances-white.com or The-spontaneity-shop.com. Half a Can of Worms is playing at the Etcetera Theatre in Camden on 7-8 May. See etceteratheatre.com for tickets.

By Alex Ivett

UK Life | 5

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Beltane Fire Festival

n

If there is one thing we do too little of in contemporary daily life, it is convulsing our naked, crudely painted bodies around a giant burning sculpture to the sound of aggressively beaten drums.

Edinburgh Expat > Tyson Yates

I’ve always said this. And sure, such an affinity might not have made me popular in high school. It might not have been the best way to welcome guests to my 16th birthday party, nor was it appropriate to perform for my family at our pet cat’s funeral, but who’s laughing

maniacally now Mittens? Today I live in Edinburgh – where once a year people don cloaks, colour themselves red or green and erratically dance to celebrate the changing of the season. I ask again, who’s laughing now?

Head to Edinburgh’s Calton Hill anytime from nine to midnight and you will see semi-naked bodies writhing in the grass, people lighting fires - and once you’re done observing the youth culture- why not check out Beltane Fire Festival which offers something similar

on the 30th of April each year.

Though inspired by the ancient Gaelic festival of Beltane, today’s event is considered more of a creative reimagining. It draws on a variety of mythological, literary and historical elements to make it something of an homage to the original. However, in millenniums gone it is unlikely spectators attended dragging behind them a Tesco shopping bag full of Carlsberg cans, and I’m almost certain that the neon-lit Fish & Chip stand was positioned on the other side of the bratwurst cart.

The spiritual significance of the event derives from its narrative which shifts as an anti-clockwise procession around Calton Hill. The procession is driven by two main characters, the May Queen and the Green Man, who make their way towards summer while meeting various symbolic groups along the way.

Spoiler alert: the relationship is tested by some colourful characters throughout the journey but in typical rom-com fashion they end up together in the end.

Unfortunately, the narrative is impossible to follow. Physically, I mean – conceptually it’s a piece of cake. This might have something to do with the 11,998 spectators that stand between you and the performance. All one can really hope to do is watch as the ominous glow in the distance moves from one location to the next and listen as each significant moment is signalled by a cheer from those lucky members of the audience pressed against the front barrier.

By telling one story, the Beltane Fire Festival seems to be living anotherthat age-old fable of the once small and quirky event that has become too popular. We all know it.

The great Aussie bake-off n

Impressing UK colleagues with a taste of home on Office Bake Day proves a little more difficult than anticipated.

Honeymooning Nomad > Jacqui Moroney

As Thursday 25 April loomed near, I became more and more nervous.

Office Bake Day had been in my diary for months and it was finally here. It was my turn to rustle up some goodies to share around the department of near on 25 colleagues and I had promised a buffet of traditional Australian treats – Anzac biscuits and lamingtons.

For those that don’t know me, you might be surprised to learn that not only am I the only Aussie who doesn’t tan, I am also unable to cook. It is not for the lack of trying, but I am a failure at all things in the kitchen. My specialties include nachos, Vegemite toasties and my delicious spaghetti bolognaise. I have also been known to burn hands, slice open the tip of my index finger and, most recently, scratch a friend’s hot plate.

How was I going to BAKE for almost 25 people?

Previous colleagues had treated us to brownies, sponges, biscuits, an incredible ‘drizzle cake’ and some other specialties I just could not live up to. My only saving grace was that the week before my colleague had turned up with a delicious homemade chocolate cake ... and a can of whipped cream. Yes, whipped cream.

I thought the expectation had been

lowered somewhat, until I tried the delicious cake.

Slightly scared I would be caught out cooking into the early hours of Thursday morning, I decided to be proactive and start my baking at the beginning of the week.

My first hurdle was to trying to track down where I could buy all of the ingredients.

Actually, my first hurdle was to find out what all of the ingredients were. Is bicarbonate of soda different to baking powder? Do I need desiccated coconut or will dried coconut do? And did we even have a rectangular baking tray?

I missed the first train and finally arrived home laden with what felt like 20 kilos of baking ingredients ready to start my own version of MasterChef, Jacqui style. In what was shaping up to be a #typicaljacquiday, I was covered in flour and mopping up spilled golden syrup when I realised I had forgotten to buy milk and butter.

It required a bit of convincing to get hubby to go in search of the missing essentials.

Finally back on track and several hours later (how did it take that long!?) I proudly packed away my

Houseshare highlights SUBCULTURE SLEUTH > PAUL BLEAKLEY

We all have THAT housemate.

They are the one that seems to have a monopoly on eccentricity and exhibit enough bizarre behaviour to keep a legion of psychiatrists busy for years. That is part of the fun that comes from moving to the UK after all: sharing your life with people you would never ordinarily meet (and some you would normally cross the street to avoid).

I was lucky when I moved to London: I slipped straight into a lovely house in a nice neighbourhood, living with a motley crew of friends from home and people they had met through friends in London’s Australian community.

We shared meals together, helped each other out and there was always a mate on hand if you ever needed to have a chat over a pint.

It wouldn’t be a London share house without one eccentric oddball though. For us, it was Polish. He had a name, although it is difficult to confirm that considering he never received a single piece of mail for the

entire time that I was living there. I was told about Polish before I moved in: “You will barely see him around, just don’t encourage him…”

Don’t encourage him? What did that even mean? It didn’t take long to figure out. Polish continues to be the most unusual individual I have ever met. Despite living in the UK for around sixteen years, he speaks very little English. He is apparently a builder. However, after a weekend of heavy drinking he has been known to go on a self-imposed ‘strike’ for up to two weeks. His cupboard has no food in it, and I could count the times that I saw him eat on one hand.

Polish is a generous kind of guy, particularly when it came to alcohol.

He would never take no for an answer when offering around beers, at times to the point of frustration when he would pull out a lukewarm can at nine in the morning.

I get the feeling that there are depths to Polish that we will never truly understand. Even after months of living in the same house, he had the ability to surprise: it was only last week that he casually mentioned that he had four children that we had never heard of before. On days when he was particularly lucid (read: sober) he would tell fantastic stories about his family living through decades of war and conflict in Poland.

It is virtually inevitable that you will end up living with someone who is head-scratchingly odd. I got lucky: mine came with beer at breakfast time.

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first successful (and only slightly burnt) batch of traditional Anzac biscuits to share with my colleagues on Anzac Day. Excited about my own baking skills, the following night I attempted homemade lamingtons, another Australian favourite.

With the exception of much of the chocolate icing ending up on my face and in my hair, I think that they turned out quite well.

The true test was finding out what my colleagues thought of my new found baking skills...

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6 | Food & Wine

7 - 13 May 2013

Spring blooms n

Bake the flavour of spring into your brulee with this recipe from CHRIS ARKADIEFF in the kitchen of Gordon Ramsey at Claridge’s.

chris’s

kitchen

> CHRIS ARKadieff

Crème brulée is an elegant and classic dessert. When I first tried it I remember thinking, how could only a few simple ingredients put together taste so good?

A touch of lavender adds an aromatic hint of spring to the brulée and

complements the vanilla flavours. When cooking with lavender only a small amount is needed, and always make sure you use a variety suitable for cooking.

Boutiques are usually the best when searching for smaller bunches.

If you don’t have a blowtorch for caramelizing the top you can use your grill to create the desired effect.

Remember to cook the brulées on a low heat until the centre of the brulée is moving slightly when gently moving the tray.

Vanilla and lavender crème brulée

What you need

• 500ml double cream • 1 vanilla pod split in two • 100g caster sugar • 6 egg yolks • 1 tsp of lavender petals

What to do

• Preheat your oven to 150°C. • Pour the cream into a saucepan and add the vanilla pod and lavender.

• Bring the cream to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 mins.

• In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.

• Remove the cream from the stove and pour slowly over the egg

mixture whilst continually stirring to prevent cooking the egg yolks.

• Strain the mixture into a large jug.

• Place the ramekins or small heatproof bowls onto a large tray and fill the tray two-thirds with water. Pour the brulée mixture into the ramekins.

• Carefully place the tray into the oven and bake for 45 minutes until just set. They should be slightly wobbly in the centre. Remove from the oven and set aside to chill.

• Before serving sprinkle granulated sugar over the surface of the brulée. Using a blowtorch slowly caramelize the sugar until set solid.

• Alternatively place on a small tray and slowly caramelize the sugar under a hot grill. Enjoy.

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Coffee Cult visits

TAYLOR ST BARISTAS in Mayfair

By Alex Ivett

When it comes to caffeine, it turns out I am a raging capitalist.

It is a realisation that has come as a bit of a shock to me, having for years eschewed corporate monoliths seemingly churning out great vats of black liquid to clamouring masses.

Besides the bitter coffee, it may also have been because it always seems to be served up by pimply teenagers droning ‘double shot cap’ with the same level of enthusiasm as displayed by Posh Spice at the Viva Forever musical premiere.

Except for the odd caramel frappuccino from Starbucks (hey, they’re delicious, and the sugar rush plus caffeine hit is a potent combination), and the road-stop/ airport/high street visit prompted by pure desperation and/or the need to keep shopping, chain store coffee is something Coffee Cult has tried, fervently, to avoid. Despite friends muttering ‘pretentious w*nker’ under their breath with increasing regularity as I drag them further and further afield in the search for a decent cup, it is an aversion which has only increased on arrival in London.

And yet, Coffee Cult now finds itself in a paroxysm of self-doubt, questioning the very beliefs at the core of their being. The dilemma – this week we went to a coffee chain, and liked it.

The Connection Taylor St Baristas have been on the Coffee Cult radar for a while now – it’s hard to write a column about Australian owned coffee shops in London without being frequently told to visit any one of the nine branches owned by Australian siblings Nick, Andrew and Laura Tolley under the ‘Taylor St’ brand.

However, given the controversy recently earned by the trio selling 49 per cent of their new coffee chain concept, Harris and Hoole, to Tescos, I was intending to visit accompanied by a protest placard bearing anticapitalist slogans. I probably would be sipping on a takeaway cappuccino and scoffing a pastry whilst marching up and down, but at least I’d be sticking to my principles.

The Craic Principles be damned I thought, when standing in front of Taylor St’s Mayfair branch. The placard was discarded and I joined the suited throngs making their way into the warm wooded comfort of the just bigger than hole-in-the-wall café.

With photographers' wares for sale on the wall, vases of bright flowers and a chalkboard for ‘Super Frequent Coffee Freaks’, it definitely has more of a local than global conglomerate feel to it. Mismatching wooden chairs and pews of dark distressed wood complete the look.

The Crucials With a menu which seems to be consistent across all branches, the focus is on quick and easy dining

‘al desko’ options – ham & cheese croissants, toasted sandwiches, and a plethora of pastries. The thick slice of banana bread rivals that from back home – soft segments of banana, crunchy walnuts and perfectly toasted.

The coffee is more expensive than your standard Starbucks, or even your independent local – priced at £3 for a flat white/latte. However, with a frequent users card that gives you a free coffee for every four purchased, the emphasis seems to be on building up a loyal following through good quality coffee. I may just be a convert.

The Conclusion Let’s just say, when it comes to coffee my principles are flexible. If it looks like a local independent, serves coffee like a local independent and has the friendly staff of one – then, I’ve officially sold out.

Taylor St Baristas 22 Brooks Mews Mayfair W1K 4DY

Entertainment | 7

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Styling Glyndebourne n

Glyndebourne has appointed its first Young Composer in Residence, Sydneysider Luke Styles. WILL FITZ-GIBBON finds out what to expect ahead of his first work for the famed opera festival.

AS THE countdown to the start of the famous Glyndebourne opera festival heats up, the company’s first ever Young Composer is Residence has just put the finishing touches on his new works.

Glyndebourne appointed its first Young Composer in Residence in 2012. And, in line with Glyndebourne’s penchant for talented Australians as previously presented by Australian Times, he is from Sydney.

Luke Styles, born 1982, has already written two works for 2013 performances at the leafy and luxurious grounds of Glyndebourne, one hour by train from London. The first, Vanity, premieres on 19 May. Selected from a field of more than 100 applicants, Styles occupies a position for which many young composers would gladly give a body part. Becoming the 21st century Mozart isn’t easy.

“No one sits down and Googles ‘undiscovered composers’”, Styles tells Australian Times, reflecting on his journey from teenage student at Newton High School of the Performing Arts in Sydney to Glyndebourne.

Since leaving Australia at 18 to take up studies in composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London on scholarship, Styles has honed his craft in Austria and in Germany before returning to the UK permanently with his wife.

Last year, Styles became a British citizen.

In many ways, Glyndebourne is a logical destination for the preternaturally talented composer.

Styles remembers that from his

See what we are following this week on

Here’s to sunshine: @ajmy In the words of Manic Street Preachers, who stole the sun (from my heart)? @ajmy If it hails whilst the sun is shining, do we get an extra thick rainbow? @salihughes Everyone I meet is suddenly a much nicer, infinitely happier person. #sun @TimArthurTO The sun’s out and so are my legs. (That’s right ladies you heard me, form an orderly queue! The Red Cross are on standby just in case). @benfraserlee Walking to work, sun shining, music playing, police investigating a potentially dead homeless man on the pavement #summer @MyfWarhurst Bingo wings to the sun.

earliest days in high school he was interested in performing arts in its largest sense – drama, theatre, singing and music. While music was always his primary passion, “drama was always going to be a part of that,” he says.

“It was all kind of heading towards the operatic.”

Glyndebourne 2013, which begins on 18 May, includes some of opera’s heaviest-hitters; Mozart’s the Marriage of Figaro, Verdi’s Falstaff, Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos and Rameau’s Hippolyte et Aricie.

Styles’ two works will appear alongside these as part of Glyndebourne’s ‘Festival Extra’.

The second new composition, Wakening Shadow, starts on 12 August. Based on the Canticles of British composer Benjamin Britten, whose centenary is celebrated this year, Wakening Shadow is a work for nine singers and 30 musicians that Styles has developed in artistic collaboration with Vladimir Jurowski, Glyndebourne Music Director.

“I wrote the double bar line last week,” he says with a hint of satisfaction and relief.

“Most composers start small,” Styles says, reflecting on his own beginnings in chamber opera, including Lovers Walk that is scored for four singers and 14 instruments and which featured in Glyndebourne’s 2012 tour.

A lapsed double bass and electric bass player (“I just can’t bring myself to practise scales these days,” he says), Styles music is a mix of genres with the occasional

@MyfWarhurst I used to giggle at the Brits for getting their gear off the minute the sun came out. After that winter, I have just become one of them. @ChanelAcid Tiny bit of sun and the whole of england is naked @gracedent I’m calling the weather in London tonight as Clement/ Balmy. @stephen_abbott Is it just me or has it been good weather in London ever since Get Lucky came out? @iamrashidajones Shockingly crazy good weather. #KeepItUp #London @TracyAnnO The London weather’s gone very post nuclear.Whats N Korea done in the last five mins?? @afneil Delighted many of you have a lot more sun than we do in London. Gonna risk the BBQ on the terrace anyway!

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suggestion of jazz.

“I’m interested in melody and lyric writing as well as visceral writing,” Styles says.

Some of his latest work does include non-pitched screaming but “as long as people don’t bring preconceptions” they will enjoy it.

Styles appointment at Glyndebourne is the latest step down the famous company’s road to a new and inclusive model of opera.

Since 2007, Glyndebourne has been broadcasting its operas in cinemas across the country and some can now be watched for free on The Guardian’s website.

“That’s part of my position at Glyndebourne,” Styles says, “to encourage interest among the young.”

Styles is keen to work more in Australia – his wife would be especially happy for more trips Down Under – but he admits that having left at 18 means he has some more networks to cultivate.

For the moment, the diary is looking full. After the end of the 2013 Glyndebourne festival, Styles will have at least two more works to complete as Young Composer in Residence. In addition, he is already commissioned for a new work to feature as part of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and Styles’ own contemporary music chamber ensemble, Amorpha, is playing at King’s Place in London on 12 May. This is the first in a series looking at Australians at Glyndebourne in 2013. Next week, meet Sarah Fahie: Australian choreographer and movement director.

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

8 | Entertainment

7 - 13 May 2013

Travels With My Aunt is now boarding INTERVIEW | Pack your bags because The Menier Chocolate Factory is taking you on a round-the-world trip with their new production Travels With My Aunt. It stars the Australian born actor Jonathan Hyde.

n

By Thomas Jones Four actors, 25 characters, a story that journeys from London to Istanbul to South America and beyond, and all performed on one stage – Travels With My Aunt at the Menier Chocolate Factory is one hell of a trip.

Based on the novel by Graham Greene, and adapted by British playwright Giles Havergal, Travels with My Aunt is an anarchic comedy about Henry Pulling who, after reconnecting with his aunt Augusta, makes a life changing discovery – travelling.

The show stars Jonathan Hyde, an Australian born English actor renowned for his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre, as well as his roles in Hollywood blockbusters including The Mummy, Titanic and Jumanji.

“Aunt Augusta is a woman who’s pretty much done everything. She’s trafficked currency, she’s done deals involving military coups, and she’s been on the game during the war.

She’s the groundbreaker, the rebel,” Hyde tells Australian Times.

“Henry is the opposite. Here’s a man who’s 55 who has retired early. He lives in South London and his hobby is growing dahlias. Then along comes Aunt Augusta, and she finds out pretty damn quick that his soil is in serious need of turning over,” he says.

And what better way to mix it up, than to replace the familiar with the

foreign.

“Henry’s seldom been out of England, and probably thinks twice about walking the length of the street to the corner store to pick up a pint of milk.

“The first trip is to Istanbul. He then gets home to England, he thinks ‘oh it’s nice being home…oh how nice is it being home…mmm not so sure’,” Hyde says.

“Then he gets a letter from Aunt Augusta saying I’m in South America come quickly. So there’s a part of him that clearly can smell adventure, but is just a bit frightened to open the lid.”

As an Australian, Hyde relates to “that natural curiosity” Henry’s character develops for leaving home and seeing the world.

Hyde was born in Brisbane and moved to London after his birthdate came up in the lottery to fight in Vietnam.

“It’s the only time I’ve ever won anything,” he says.

His fierce opposition to the war was one of the things that prompted him to get a discharge and leave the country. He believes living or venturing abroad is “absolutely crucial” to one’s selfdiscovery.

“I think it is part of one’s rite of passage. Nowadays the average Australian has changed enormously.

It’s no longer the bloke in the singlet and ‘howsit going’ and the beer and ‘ya bastard get outta here’,” Hyde imitates with his best ocker accent.

“There’s now a totally different,

much more urban, polyglot, multiethnic and multicultural Australian.

Like everything, nothing stays still.

It’s changed.”

In Travels With My Aunt, Hyde is part of a small cast, who each play multiple roles.

“You have four men in black suits dressed as a retired bank manger, playing everything from Aunt Augusta to the wife of a German General, to a gangster, to a Mafioso, to a chief of police, to a nervous spinster called Miss Keen, to a fourteen year old girl called Yolanda.

“It’s a colossal spread.”

Hyde also has high praise for the director Christopher Luscombe.

“I’d seen some of his work and

Aussie BBQ set to sizzle n

This Aussie festival in the heart of London offers a massive 12 Aussie acts over 12 hours for those expats keen to get an earful of home.

It’s that time of year again where the Australian music train rolls into London. Over the next few months the UK capital will see a plethora of Aussie musicians hitting their stages, including Matt Corby, Hungry Kids of Hungary and Flume.

However, for any Aussie expat looking to get the most bang for their buck in London, you can’t go past The Aussie BBQ for highest Australian musician to £ ratio.

The Aussie BBQ has been making a name among tastemakers at America’s SXSW (South by Southwest) as the prime hunting ground for new talent since 2003, and these days it holds events in four different countries around the world – including London.

This year’s Aussie BBQ will be held on Sunday 12 May at Cargo in Shoreditch, with a massive 12 acts strutting their stuff for Aussies keen to get an earful of home.

Now in its fifth year, the festival features its famous traditional Aussie BBQ and offers the chance to get ahead of the curve and hear

who is the next hottest act to hit the Australian music scene.

Brought to you by the folks at Sounds Australia who take Australian music to the masses, we’ll definitely be there for a slice of home in London town.

Get More Music

AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment

Line Up

he’s terrific. He’s ideal for this particular caper. That’s a very major constituent in whether you do a job or not.”

So did performing in this show, inspire Hyde to travel with his own Aunt?

“I never had an aunt who was like that. I had a friend at school, who had an Aunt called Violet Cotton who was very anglophile and I think she travelled.

Whenever I met Aunt Violet, I thought if she had been my Aunt I wonder where I might have gone with her.

“All the aunts in my family, although some of them were very jolly, were not the type to travel.”

Our Picks Deep Sea Arcade

Deep Sea Arcade’s reverberated pop recalls guitar based music from across the ages yet has a character and charm that is undeniably unique. Ethereal guitars and lyrical quirks transport listeners to a dark, watery world of mystery and enchantment, and leave heads swimming with unforgettable melodies.

Mikelangelo & the Black Sea Gentlemen

Award-winning five piece Mikelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen combine violin,

3.40-4.10PM Made in Japan 4.30 – 5.00PM The Upskirts 5.20 – 5.50PM Phebe Starr 6.10-6.40PM Cub Scouts

1.10-1.40PM Mikelangelo & The Black Sea Gentlemen 2.00-2.30PM Caitlin Park 2.50 – 3.20PM Echo & The Empress Where: Cargo London, 83 Rivington Street, Kingsland Viaduct, EC2A3AY Doors open: 12PM-12AM Tickets: £10 + bf from www.gigantic.com

Travels with My Aunt is at the Menier Chocolate Factory until Saturday 29 June. Ring 020 7378 1713 or see Menierchocolatefactory.com.

clarinet, accordion, double-bass, guitar and a wall of baritone vocals led by charismatic singer and songwriter Mikelangelo. With four UK tours already to their name, the band has built a sizable fanbase through consecutive seasons at the Edinburgh Festival plus shows in London.

DUNE

With a self-produced swag of songs, Melbourne-based multiinstrumentalist DUNE has created a futuristic vista from textured synths and beats. While she can confidently be filed alongside contemporaries like Santigold, Robyn, Little Dragon, Chairlift, Gorillaz and M83, Dune also has a love of the lineage of electronica.

7.00 – 7.30PM Neighbourhood Youth 7.50 – 8.20PM Glass Towers 8.40 – 9.10PM Dune 9.30 – 10.00PM Deep Sea Arcade 10.20 – 10.50PM Jackie Onassis

Travel | 9

AustralianTimes.co.uk

n

A run-in with an oversized backpack sends one budget airline traveller on a trip down memory lane.

10 | Travel

7 - 13 May 2013

Be our next great travel writer Get your travel story published with Australian Times and WIN a £250 travel voucher from our friends at Topdeck.

Do you harbour dreams of being the next Bill Bryson?

Submit your original travel articles for publication on the Australian Times website. The editor will then select the best story each month to be published in the Travel section of the Australian Times newspaper with the writer winning the £250 voucher to any Topdeck tour of their choice!

Embrace your own writing style and make those dreams of being a published travel writer a reality.

How to submit Email your feature to editor@australiantimes.co.uk with the subject ‘Great Travel Writer’.

It should be: • 600-1200 words length • An original first hand account • Accompanied by 3 high resolution photos taken on the trip *Solicited features and third party links will not be accepted.

For full T&Cs go to AustralianTimes.co.uk/travel

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Travel | 11

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Trulli treasures

n

Puglia in southern Italy is well known to sun and sand seeking Aussies. However, as BIANCA SOLDANI discovers, it is also home to a hidden whitewashed world of trullo houses in the historic village of Alberobello.

Hidden among the muted green fields of the southern Italian countryside lies a curious little village lost in time. Wandering through the maze of its narrow, cobblestoned streets, it’s easy to feel as though you’ve being transported back to a nostalgic era of simple country life. But this is no ordinary village. The whitewashed houses, or “trulli”, of Alberobello are characterised by their peculiar conelike roofs – built brick by brick without mortar.

The southern Italian region of Puglia has long been a popular holiday destination for sun and sand seeking Aussies. Known for its beautiful beaches, temperate climate and amazing cuisine, tourists are often too preoccupied with the region’s coastline to venture into the area’s inland treasures. Yet it’s hard to deny the appeal of the perfectly uniform, pyramid-shaped roofs that rise out of the hillsides of Alberobello.

This unique village has been marked an UNESCO world heritage site for its example of prehistoric building techniques used in houses still inhabited today. The oddly-

shaped structures clustered around the town’s historical centre are certainly a sight to behold, but on further inspection an even more intriguing feature comes to light.

Various symbols, some in the form of crucifixes, others of hearts and suns, are etched into the roofs of many of the houses, originally placed there in the expectation of bringing protection and luck to those who dwelled within.

These designs give the already archaic-looking site an almost magical feel – which is definitely taken advantage of by the local merchants. Some of the trulli are open to the public for visits, either as museums showcasing medieval tools and furniture, or as shops and restaurants. But for a truly authentic experience, the eager tourist should book a trullo for the night. Many of these unusual houses are owned by the local townspeople and have been refurbished and made available to rent for as little as 50 euros per person per night.

The motives that inspired this unique method of constructing houses remain a mystery, and many theories exist as to why they were built without mortar. Local tradition explains that the houses were built in this way so that they could be quickly dismantled at will. For example if a tax-evading townsperson was building a house and a tax collector happened to be passing through the neighbourhood, they would lasso a rope around the structure and quickly be able to pull it down, only to begin rebuilding it when the danger of being dumped with a tax for new

settlements had passed.

An enchanting village of mystery and intrigue, Alberobello certainly is a not-to-be-missed stop on any holiday-goer’s southern Italian tour.

*

*Trips for 18yo and over

12 | Professional Life

7 - 13 May 2013

It’s the end of the tax year!

Claim your tax refund at only a 12.5% fee 1 in 3 people working in the UK are due a tax refund and you could be one of them - even if you are a working student or did not work for the full financial year. Beat the rush and get your claim in now! We work on a “no refund, no fee”

Property in London

How Help to Buy can help you n

The government has launched several housing schemes over the last few years to help buyers out and revive the housing market, and it pays to know what they are.

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your money

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> Daniel Shillito

> Over 130 000 successful claims Recent government initiatives could help you make great savings and get into your own home earlier. Before launching into the Help to Buy scheme just announced by the government in budget week, let’s take a wider view of all the schemes out there.

Assuming you are interested in buying a place to live in the UK, it’s a good thing to know that depending on where you live, there are several home-buying schemes available, ranging from mortgage assistance to schemes for buying housing association or council flats at a discount.

OK, deep breath. Let’s start with a quick overview.

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You can now get your Australian Times newspaper every week as a FREE digital edition for your iPad, iPhone or Android.

If you have been the tenant of a council owned flat for five years in total (not necessarily consecutive years) then you are potentially eligible for the Right to Buy scheme. Under this scheme you could receive a maximum £100,000 discount off the market value (London Borough), or £75,000 discount (non-London Borough) when buying your home from the government. Plans are in place to reduce this minimum period to three years tenancy but that will take some time. That’s a handsome discount not to be ignored, ensuring your home value is well above the purchase price from day one, and you have some 14:16 good equity, regardless of your borrowing ability.

More information and handy question-and-answer tables are on the Right to Buy website (righttobuy.communities.gov.uk).

The Right to Acquire scheme applies to tenants of housing association properties only (and for properties of a certain age and history as a housing association property). Discounts available are between £9,000 and £16,000 of the purchase price.

A variation of this scheme, called Social Homebuy, allows tenants without the ability to afford to buy all of their housing association property to buy a portion of it and rent the remaining portion, and essentially still receive the Right to Acquire scheme discount.

The schemes for the rest of us

The NewBuy Scheme assists all of us with low deposit amounts (5%) and essentially guarantees access to a 95% loan from a scheme lender, if you meet the lender’s criteria to borrow in the usual way. Why will lenders lend in this scheme such high

percentages when they won’t lend it elsewhere today? Because the government will underwrite the loans and protect the lender from the risk of negative equity after a repossession of a home, and ensure they do not lose their money.

The scheme only applies to newly built homes and must be designed to encourage builders to continue to build new homes. The government expects demand for new property stock to increase as a result. It also helps the government influence the market more quickly; since there is no house-buying chain to worry about and hence transactions will proceed more quickly. Each approved builder in the scheme is aligned with specific lenders, so if you like a specific property, make sure you understand who the lender is and if they will preapprove you for a 95% loan first. Ordinary loan assessment criteria applies. See newbuy.org.uk.

Help To Buy Schemes Variation 1 – equity loans How does it work? Well essentially the government steps in as a second lender, giving you an interest free loan for a portion of the purchase price – and you pay for the rest with your deposit plus a regular loan from a bank.

The property again has to be newly built, and you buy it with at least 75% from the bank, and your own deposit of at least 5% of the purchase price. The rest is paid for by the government through an equity loan.

Helpful tip no.1: The property price upper price limit is £600,000 to be eligible. This is going to rule out many centrally located and luxury-type apartment buildings with unique features and in unique locations.

In the sixth year of ownership the government will commence to charge you an “Equity Loan fee” of 1.75% of the loan amount – another name for interest on the loan which the government has extended to you since inception.

Helpful tip no. 2: Paying down the loan as quickly as possible will be rewarding, since after five years your help-to-buy loan changes from a no-interest loan to a fixed interest loan at 1.75%. (Well that’s 1.75% today).

Given that the maximum purchase price for the scheme is £600k and the government lends a maximum 20%, the highest value loans out there will be £120,000 per property, meaning the most interest being paid after five years is £120,000 x 1.75%, or £175 per month. Since each borrower will need to come up with their interest payments when five years has expired, make sure to budget for it, whatever your purchase value.

Helpful tip no.3: Since the loan is interest free for five years only, the loan could be quite useful where you are expecting to receive a lump sum amount sometime in the next five years but you are not sure when. For example you may be due proceeds from a family trust, a family member’s estate or even share options or bonus money from your employment.

The Help to Buy scheme helps you effectively borrow this money and you can pay it back when that lump sum comes in, and therefore avoid paying a large part or all of the interest payments due to the government after five years.

The homes eligible for the scheme cannot be let, so there are no investment property related incentives, at least while it’s in the original buyer’s name and the government’s loan exists – so buying such brand new properties for investment purposes is not possible, at least until it is on-sold.

Helpful tip no. 4: This fact about Buy-To-Let is especially important to note if you intend leaving the country but keeping the property.

As long as you have a loan you won’t be legally allowed to let it out. Both the bank’s and the government’s conditions will need to be reviewed very carefully, before you fly off with the plan to keep the property for future investment.

Variation 2 – guarantee scheme From January 2014 the government will introduce Help to Buy Mortgage Guarantor schemes for UK citizens or those with the right to remain in the UK for properties costing £600,000 or less. Like the NewBuy scheme the government provides guarantees for lenders so that buyers of property can borrow potentially up to 95% of the purchase price – however with this scheme you can choose from existing property as well, it need not be new. You won’t be able to use the scheme for second homes or BTL properties (only your main home), however you don’t have to be a first time buyer or be subject to maximum income restrictions to qualify.

Hopefully you got something out of this summary and can potentially use one of these schemes to help you buy your own property in the UK. Daniel Shillito is an overseas mortgage broker, CPA and Expat specialist at Aussie Finance and Property Group. Daniel can be contacted on Ph. 020 3239 0479 or visit www.aussiefpgroup.com.

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Professional Life | 13

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Your passion, your profession, your life n

The hardest thing you can do is to follow your passion and make a living from it. However, it may also prove to be the most rewarding.

> SEPI ROSHAN

When I was growing up, I was lovingly led to believe the only people who enjoyed life were doctors, lawyers and engineers. There was no malice in this – the belief was passed on by parents who loved me and a school system that rigidly believed in academic excellence. My learned belief was not unique. Many cultures and societies believe that medical, legal and engineering degrees are passports to financial success and happiness.

I have since learned such rigid formulae for success do not always hold true. As the austerity measures continue to bite, there is further evidence that traditional professions do not guarantee financial success or happiness.

Not everyone is meant to be a doctor, lawyer or engineer. You may have chosen a profession based on incomplete, inaccurate or biased information. You get on with life and ignore that niggling feeling that you are doing it for the money or to please someone.

Along the way, there are a few minutes of clarity when you identify exactly what you are meant to do in life: a bolt of lightning, followed by elation. If it has not yet happened, keep looking. It is the job you would do if you did not have to pay the mortgage, pay the school fees or please anyone. If the clarity has come to you, concentrate; close your eyes; remember. Go on. I dare you.

“A life without passion is like life without oxygen – impossible” says Australian Elly Mac of Elly Mac Photos. After working many years in criminal justice, Ms Mac realised that photography was part of her being.

“It is who I am, who I am meant to be”, she exclaims.

Ms Mac bought her first camera when still in high school. After fighting the urge for almost 20 years Ms Mac decided to make a living out of photography. She eventually gave in to her passion and decided, “If I don’t do it now, I will regret it for the rest of my life”.

It was not an easy road nor an overnight trip. This week the passion paid off as Elly Mac Photos was awarded Best Photography Studio, London in the Wedding Industry Experts

2013 Awards. It was also ranked second in the UK and 14th in the world by the wedding industry experts.

We humans are funny. We develop a concept of self from a young age based on how people relate with us and our perceptions of that interaction. We form an idea of how we should be. If who we think we should be is mismatched with who we know we are on the inside, we tend to ignore our own instincts. We fight what is natural to us – all for some ideal.

Ms Mac says, “It is the hardest thing you can ever do, follow your passion and make a living from it. Never give up because one day you will have a moment asking yourself, how did this happen?”

Psychologically, it is because the unconscious mind is more powerful than anyone gives it credit for. Despite our intentions to do what we think is right based on ideals and norms, our deepest desires always win. So why fight it?

A word of caution: if anyone tells you to chuck it all in and set up shop, do not listen. Change and transition takes planning, patience and support. There are many lessons to learn along the journey to your success and happiness.

Getting rid of personal barriers, unhelpful beliefs and dealing with the potential disapproval of those who do not like the positive changes in you, are only a few.

I broke the mould of the holy trio of medicine, law and engineering – I did a commerce degree and specialised in accounting. Even still, this was not my true calling and I knew it. I wanted to study psychology and work in media.

To help satisfy my urges, during my accounting career, I developed my communication, presentation and leadership skills. I focused on areas such as human behaviour and interpretation of abstract concepts.

Despite having taken a detour, by focusing on the areas I enjoyed and working on my strengths, I eventually turned my passions into my profession.

And here I am today.

So what about you? What passions do you want to turn into your profession?

Write it down and see what happens.

CONSUMERS are spending again.

They're not spending as much of their income as they did before the global crisis five years ago.

That would be hard, because before the crisis, at times, households were spending more than their disposable income - what's called a negative saving ratio. Hard, but not impossible - all you need to do is go deeper and deeper into debt.

But households are hardly in the mood to do that theses days.

Debt has lost its lustre. But the latest figures seem to support that idea that at least spending growth is now moving in line with income growth again.

That's something that the Reserve Bank of Australia has been predicting for a long time.

The household saving ratio had declined through the 1980s and 1990s to fall below zero in the early 2000s.

It had already turned positive again and begun to rise even before the crisis blew up in 2008, but the crisis and the aversion to debt it caused accelerated the reversal.

Back in July 2011, RBA governor Glenn Stevens said that eventually the savings ratio would steady, as households found a more comfortable combination of savings, debt and wealth. At that point, the divergence between income and consumption spending growth would end and consumption would grow in line with income again.

"We could then reasonably expect to see consumption record more growth than it has in the past few years," he said.

Now, it seems, that prediction has come true.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said on Monday that retail spending fell in March, by 0.4 per cent, but that was nowhere near enough to take the gloss of consecutive hefty rises of 1.3 per cent in January and February.

The total rise in retail turnover in the first three months of 2013 was almost the same as the rise recorded through all of 2012.

That change of pace indicated by

these seasonally adjusted figures is almost certainly an exaggeration. But it's certainly doing better than the one or two per cent annual growth rates being recorded in late 2010 and early 2011 after the post-crisis fiscal stimulus had been run down.

The most recent national accounts show household disposable income grew 18 per cent in the past three years, versus 17 per cent for final consumption spending.

So it does appear that the two have moved back into line, as the RBA predicted.

By Garry Shilson-Josling, AAP Economist

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14 | Sport

7 - 13 May 2013

Daley relieved as Gallen fit for State of Origin

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Tumeke win inaugural Hog ‘N’ Ale Tag Rugby Festival hold up the 2013 Hog N Ale Tag Rugby Festival trophy.

The tournament was deemed a big success and the Hog N Ale Tag Rugby Festival will definitely be making a return in the 2014 calendar.

The locals at Sunbury enjoyed their first tag rugby WINNERS: Tumeke, the 2013 Hog N Ale Tag experience so much Rugby Festival champions. (Thomas Ralph) that there are calls to stage a regular league run by Try Tag Rugby down

By Philip Browne there in the near future.

TRY TAG RUGBY along with Meanwhile, Try Tag Rugby’s their Irish counterparts, the Irish early summer competitions Tag Rugby Association and the commenced last week at 15 venues London Irish Rugby Club, all across London and Reading. The joined forces on Saturday to stage only competition yet to kick off the inaugural Hog N Ale Tag is the exciting London Bridge Rugby Festival.

Beach Tag competition, starting on Four London based teams made Wednesday, 15 May. the trek down to London Irish There is still limited space Rugby Club’s home ground in available for teams and individuals Sunbury to battle it out with the to join some leagues. If a team eight local sides that were curious joins from round two onwards, about tag rugby and decided to make-up matches can be scheduled give it a go. into the draw.

The four London sides finished The competitions cater for all in the top four with Tumeke of standards of players with divisions Acton defeating Phibbers Cubs including beginner, intermediate, from Highbury in the semi final A-grade and for the ultra to earn a place in the final. In competitive, super league. the other semi final, the Tagging Leagues are taking place at Foxes from Fulham were up Acton, Balham, Borough, Canada 5-2, only for DPK Phibbers of Water, East London RFC, Finsbury Highbury to claw their way back Park, Fulham, Highbury, Hoxton, to 6-6, pushing the game into London Bridge (beach court), extra time. In a nail-biter, DPK Reading, Richmond, Shoreditch Phibbers’ Gary Phibbs clinched Park, Southfields (Wimbledon the match winning try in golden Park) and Wandsworth Town. point.

Tumeke started strongly in the If you would like to register grand final and were always in for a Try Tag Rugby early control proving what a class outfit summer competition, go to www. they are. DPK Phibbers never gave trytagrugby.com or email info@ up but Tumeke claimed victory to trytagrugby.com for more details.

NSW coach Laurie Daley is a relieved man after scans cleared his State of Origin captain Paul Gallen of a serious knee injury.

Daley admitted concern when the talismanic forward went down just three minutes into Cronulla’s upset NRL win over Newcastle on Sunday and spent the rest of the game with a brace on his knee and a scowl on his face.

But, with State of Origin game one less than a month away, scans on Monday gave Daley, Gallen and the Blues the best possible news.

They confirmed a medial ligament

Lions vs Wallabies n

strain in his right knee, rather than a tear which would have sidelined the 31-year-old for up to six weeks.

Cronulla said Gallen was unlikely to be fit to play the Wests Tigers on Friday night but, while no time frame had yet been given for a return, he was not expected to be sidelined for an extended period.

Daley was heartened by Gallen’s comments that he still hoped to play on Friday and confident he was too professional to endanger his recovery by returning too soon.

“Given that Origin is four weeks away, if he’s thinking about playing

on Friday night I don’t think there’s any worries of him not being there game one,” Daley said on Monday.

“Obviously he’s the captain and has been an inspirational part of the NSW team over the past few seasons.

“It was great to receive that news that morning. It wasn’t great yesterday watching him go down and seeing him sitting on the sideline with the brace on his leg.

“But it’s not as serious as we first thought so it’s good news.”

By Joe Barton in Sydney

Shaping up for the show-down

The Lions team heading down under has been announced, with Sam Warburton picked to lead the charge. CHARLIE INGLEFIELD will keep us on top of all the action as we countdown to a heavily anticipated rugby dual between two great teams.

As the SMH so eloquently put it, ‘Warren Gatland surveyed the menu and put lots of red meat in it’. We will find out what this means on the field in just seven weeks as the 2013 British Lions series kicks off in this eagerly anticipated show-down of rugby giants.

There are many enticing hors d’oeuvres to look forward to. Not least two of the games finest ambassadors, as well as world class operators, locking horns for one final time (12 years after the first). I am of course talking about Brian O’Driscoll, a legend in the British Isles, and George Smith, perhaps the greatest openside the game has seen, aside from Richie McCaw of course.

Smith, despite playing in the least forgiving of positions at openside, has shown he has lost none of his scavenging ability, slipping effortlessly back into the Super 15 with the free running Brumbies, who are sitting pretty at the top of the table. More worryingly for the Lions is that he is galloping around the rugby paddocks like a hyperactive colt.

Smith is positively champing at the bit for one last international swansong, as is a fellow legendary centurion – the iconic Brian O’Driscoll. Like Smith, like McCaw, this man would not look out of place as the three greatest rugby players of their generation. O’Driscoll is on the final lap of his incredible rugby journey this summer and how fitting it would be for this great warrior to bow out of rugby with a Lions’ series win.

The only honour alongside the World Cup which has thus far eluded him.

This is of course just the starter; the main course of rugby about to be served up is simply sumptuous. The Lions leave these shores with arguably one of the strongest Lions teams ever assembled. A strong Wales contingent makes up the majority of the squad and with the Six Nations in the bag, deservedly so. A massive, intimidating backline full of pace and class awaits Australia. The Welsh juggernauts, George North and Alex Cuthbert are primed on the wings, with possibly Manu Tuilagi, the Samoan battering ram, partnering O’Driscoll in the centres. Add in the power of the feisty Mike Phillips at scrumhalf to go with Johnny Sexton in the halves and you have a backline ready to smash down walls. The only size anomaly is at

fullback where the tiny but magnificent Leigh Halfpenny goes down as the first man on the team sheet.

Upfront Lions have enormous men primarily from the valleys, starting with hooker Richard Hibbard complete with surfers’ hair, and the more permed form of Adam Jones, ready to take on the Wallabies’ historically brittle front five.

Back that up with the likely serving of Munster monster Paul O’Connell alongside the gangly gazelle Richie Gray in the second row and James Horwill will have his hands full.

The most competitive and most intriguing selection is in the back row.

The talk of the town in both Sydney and London is how to counter the expertise of the hyperactive Michael Hooper but most likely the legend, George Smith.

Bear in mind that David Pocock’s absence at number 7 has hardly been mentioned given the form of these two. Expect a Welsh duo of Captain Sam Warburton with biceps the size of Cardiff and Toby Faletau, a Tongan with a decidedly strong Welsh accent to go with possibly Irish farmer, Sean O’Brien, who has forearms the size of industrial pistons.

But, the wily Wallaby will also come to this feast more than equipped to hold its own. The Brumbies and Reds are flying high in the Super 15, not least the likes of fullback Jesse Mogg who despite having a girl’s first name is absolutely killing it in Canberra and is a likely full back.

Israel Folau has quickly impressed since his disastrous stint in Aussie Rules and is perhaps the most talented footballer in either code given his age and his rugby league achievements. Familiar names like the ever dependable Adam Ashley Cooper, James O’Connor and Digby Ioane will also be in the mix.

Will Genia is playing well for the Reds and is perhaps the key operator for the

Wallabies if Robbie Deans can get his naughty school boys, Quade Cooper and Kurtley Beale away from Twitter and the bottle respectively, and get the Wallaby backline moving. A smattering of Beale, Mogg, Folau, Ashley Cooper, O’Connor, Cooper and Genia would scare a rutting rhino let alone a pride of Lions.

The coal face of the scrum is where games are won and lost and this series will be no different. The Wallabies must have parity in the tight if they are to have a chance against the Lions. Adam Jones and Richard Hibbard decimated the English scrum to help Wales win the Six Nations and they will be licking their lips at the prospect of coming up against the Wallaby front five. Experience will be essential; therefore Stephen Moore should be accompanied by his mate Ben Alexander with teapot man Ben Robinson as the other prop.

Horwill is a shoe-in alongside possibly Sitaleki Timani, who when on form is ferociously physical, important, if the Wallabies are to be successful in stopping the Lions on the gain line. Add in the irrepressible George Smith at openside with Wycliffe Palu at number eight and Brumby Ben Mowen, the Australians will have a mixture of talent, pace and power at their disposal.

One can’t help but feel that a series of this magnitude could be decided by a flash of brilliance and a calm head.

I have a sneaky suspicion that Brian O’Driscoll or George Smith might just win a turnover for their team inside the opposition half which will decide the 3rd test and win the series 2-1.

The question is who will win it 2-1? I, alongside all rugby fans can’t wait to find out in 9 weeks’ time at the final whistle in Sydney.

Sport | 15

AustralianTimes.co.uk

THE

Round 6

By Will Denton

This was the weekend we had to have. I mean it definitely wasn’t a bad round of footy; it was just a little bit predictable. Tipsters will be feeling like Nostradamus, as many would have successfully picked the nine wins.

I guess that after all the highs, lows, surprises, controversies, upsets, cardiac arrests etc that we have already had to endure at the start of the season, there was always going to be a comedown.

The closest we got to some blood pressure slightly rising was when bottom placed GWS led ladder leaders Essendon at half time.

Admittedly, the Bombers were

RUBDOWN just trying out Hirdy’s somewhat experimental new game plan – ‘Operation Freak Out Sheeds’.

Basically, it consisted of players being paired up, legs tied together like they’re in a three-legged race, communicating using farm animal noises.

Kevin at first thought the plan was ingenious, however even he got a bit bored and went back to his game of jenga after a while. Hirdy then referred to his tried and tested ‘get fired up and destroy’ game plan. They went on to win by plenty.

The other talking point was the second coming of Fijian super freak Nic Natainui from injury for the Eagles. Fans have been longing for this moment. So much so that for the last week the mantra of ‘Nic Nat’s coming back’ has been chanted after every sentence spoken – ie: ”Yeah can I get 200g of free range ham

Whincup, Lowndes top V8 podiums in Perth

DOMINATING: Jamie Whincup of Red Bull Racing Australia during the Chill Perth 360 V8 Supercar Championship race at the Barbagallo Raceway in Perth on Sunday. (AAP Image/Mark Horsburgh) ...continued from p16 100km battles at Barbagallo Raceway.

Triple Eight Racing have won four of the past five team championships while Whincup has similarly dominated the drivers’ championship to lift the title in those same years - with 2010 their only blemish.

The new Car of the Future design regulations introduced for 2013 had the desired result for V8 Supercars officials

of evening out the competition when seven different drivers won the first nine races across the opening three rounds in Adelaide, Tasmania and New Zealand.

But the level playing field is starting to skew slightly.

Although Whincup was playing down his team’s stark improvement when asked whether they’re back in control as the category pacesetters.

“No I wouldn’t say that,” he said.

“We’re certainly improving which is what it’s all about.

thanks, and Nic Nat’s coming back.”

When he actually ran on during the 3rd quarter as the sub, the parochial West Coast crowd were in raptures. He had an immediate impact too, and it seemed to click the struggling Eagles into gear – like the missing spark plug in a misfiring engine. Quite amazing to see the difference one player makes.

So we are starting to see a bit of a pattern here with the bottom teams - they’re a bit rubbish. The Lions, Dees, Dogs, Suns and Giants look totally out of sorts against any form of decent competitiveness. I for one hope they can turn things around because no one wants to see the same teams getting flogged every week. Once or twice is ok.

More than that you need a visit to Sadists Anonymous. At least for those into that sort of thing, there’s Richmond, as they have found their way into 9th position. Again.

“It was good this weekend to prove the hard work behind the scenes is paying off. Let’s hope we can now maintain this for the rest of the year.”

The 30-year-old Commodore VF pilot added that the new rules mean any advantages are difficult to engineer.

“The big teams can’t do any more than any other team,” said Whincup.

“It’s not like Formula One where we can spend a few days in the wind tunnel and come up with a new wing or diffuser or something.

“It simply doesn’t happen.

“It’s just a matter of working on the car set-up and making the most of what you’ve got.”

Whincup grabbed the lead from Lowndes in the third and final race of the weekend with an opportunistic move on lap 32 of the 41-lap showdown.

As soon as the race re-started following the second safety car deployment, Whincup swooped to hit the lead and hold off his 39-year-old teammate by a comfortable margin of 1.57sec.

In the process, Whincup won the overall round with a second-placing to Lowndes on Saturday and extended his championship lead over Ford’s Will Davison to 65 points.

While disappointed to be outwitted

by Whincup, seemingly in contrast to the bickering between Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel that has divided Red Bull Racing’s Formula One team, Lowndes was happy for his pit-lane partner.

“You always give your teammate a little bit more room than anyone else,” said Lowndes.

By Will Knight in Perth

Tomic should dump dad, say former players ...continued from p16 Thomas Drouet and was believed to be facing court in Madrid on Monday.

Drouet was understood to have been knocked unconscious and suffered a broken nose.

Masur said history had proven the perils of parents doubling up as coaches.

“The parent-coach dynamic is a dangerous one. There are so many precedents that have proven it’s just not healthy,” Masur told AAP on Monday.

“If you look back at players like Andrea Jaeger, Jennifer Capriati, Jelena Dokic - the parent-coach dynamic is really a nexus that needs to be broken at a young age.

“John has been a real constant in

Bernie’s life so it’s not going to be as easy as saying ‘right we have to cut ties’.

“Whatever has transpired, as unfortunate as it sounds, maybe this will be a catalyst for Bernie to just take a step back and say to his dad ‘how are we going to do this best?’”

Masur urged 20-year-old Tomic to make more use of Davis Cup captain Pat Rafter as a mentor.

“Let’s put Bernie in someone’s hands that he trusts and respects and we’ll go from there,” he said.

Former Australian Davis Cup player Sandon Stolle said, if the reports were correct, it would be the best thing for Tomic if the ATP banned his father from the tour.

He said after several previous controversies it was time both the

ATP and ITF took a stand.

“It needs to happen,” Stolle told AAP on Monday.

Tennis journalist Matt Cronin said he understood the tension started in Monte Carlo last week when Drouet intervened after John Tomic remonstrated heatedly with Bernard during a public practice session.

The dispute between Drouet and John continued when they arrived in Madrid and soon escalated.

“He broke his nose with a headbutt and knocked him out cold for 20 minutes,” Cronin told Fox Sports.

Cronin said the ATP had officially confirmed there was an incident and that they were investigating it.

By Angela Habashy

AFL takes a Roman holiday

...continued from p16 lead into quarter time.

New Wandsworth recruits Lochy Giles, Terry Unit and Jock McOrist battled hard in the midfield to win possession, but Roma’s fierce tackling made it difficult to win clear position.

The game was still tight at the halfway mark with the Demons leading by a goal. Dave Ronan was leading well up forward and Scottish surprise packet Charlie Steel booted three goals in the first half.

It wasn’t until the third term that the Demons broke away to a three goal lead thanks to the dominant ruck work of James Geale, combined with Andy Henwood’s desperate defensive efforts.

In the final quarter, The Roma Blues ‘never say die’ attitude narrowed the margin to a goal with only three minutes of play remaining. Wandsworth held on to

take the honours by five points. Best afield was awarded to the Demons muscleman mid-fielder Peter Doyle who booted four goals.

Great hospitality was shown by the Blues over plenty of pizzas and beer at the restaurant overlooking the ground. The obligatory boat race rounded out the first set of after match proceedings before taking the party to the bars of central Rome.

Final Scores; Roma Blues 10.10.70 v Wandsworth Demons 10.15.75 The Wandsworth Demons train every Tuesday and Thursday night from 6.30pm on Clapham Common.

All nationalities welcome. Email us contact@wandsworthdemons.com or visit: www.wandsworthdemons.com.

By Mark McPartland

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The

THE

RUBDOWN

Operation Freak Out Sheeds

P15

SPORT

I LOOKED LIKE A GOOSE: JOHNS n

“The people involved are a beat-up jockey, a brothel owner and a footballer, and that’s what’s got us sitting here today,” Gai Waterhouse tells inquiry in to racing scandal.

RUGBY LEAGUE great Andrew Johns was terrified he would be fired by the Nine Network after he “embellished” what he’d been told by bookie Tom Waterhouse about the racehorse, More Joyous.

Businessman and horse owner John Singleton told Racing NSW’s inquiry into the matter that Johns had been drinking the night before the Group One All Aged Stakes on April 27 and may have been “big-noting” information he’d received about the thoroughbred’s condition.

“You don’t want an `Immortal’ to be sacked by Channel 9 because of Tom Waterhouse,” Singleton told the inquiry on Monday.

“He said, ‘mate, I’ll be collateral damage’ and left me with that very negative image.”

Johns allegedly believed he would be fired instead of Waterhouse, who spends millions of dollars in an endorsement deal with the network.

“He admitted he’d probably embellished, and he felt he let Tom down, let me down and let (trainer) Gai (Waterhouse) down,” Singleton said.

Johns did not attend the inquiry but supplied a written statement saying he had been agitated, jumbled his words and now looked “like a goose”.

The inquiry also heard that Waterhouse spoke to Johns about 4pm on Anzac Day, two days before the All Aged Stakes.

“I said I wouldn’t be surprised if all

three favourites got beaten,” he said.

He told Johns he didn’t like It’s A Dundeel, More Joyous or All Too Hard.

Waterhouse said: “I said It’s A Dundeel was under the odds and I gave a few reasons why, and that was it.”

He denied ever saying anything to Johns about More Joyous’s health, and never using the word “off” when referring to her form.

“The first I ever heard of it was when John Singleton had three beers and told everyone on live TV .. that ‘More Joyous has problems and Gai’s son is telling everyone’, that was five minutes before the race,” he said.

The strain of the inquiry began to show late on Monday when Gai Waterhouse accused Singleton of being a drunk.

Singleton admits the conversation he had with Gai Waterhouse in the mounting yard before the race was heated. “You might have gathered I wasn’t happy,” he said as the inquiry heard of expletive-laced shouts between the two.

“I was what Andrew Johns would call ‘agitated’.”

“I would say drunk,” Gai Waterhouse interjected.

She said she had been brought before the inquiry by dubious people.

“The people involved are a beatup jockey, a brothel owner and a footballer, and that’s what’s got us sitting here today. - AAP

Wandsworth Demons take on Roma Blues

On Saturday 26 April, local Aussie rules team Wandsworth Demons ventured to Rome for a friendly against the Roma Blues.

After taking in the sights of the ancient city during the day, the team took on the home side under lights in what turned out to be a very close encounter.

Whilst new to the game, the Roma Blues provided very strong competition and took a slender ...continued on p15

Tomic’s father in alleged assault

BERNARD TOMIC could be better off if alleged violent conduct by his father and coach John prompts an end to their tennis partnership, says former Davis Cup team mentor Wally Masur.

Tennis Australia (TA) on Monday confirmed Tomic’s father John was involved in an incident with his son’s training partner.

He was reportedly arrested for allegedly striking Frenchman ...continued on p15

Gallen will be fit for Origin Blues talisman gives coach Daley a big scare | P14

SHARK FRIGHT: The tackle that ended Paul Gallen’s match as he is hit by Waddell (bottom), Mason and Houston during Cronulla’s golden point field-goal win over Newcastle on Sunday.

(AAP Image/Action Photographics, Colin Whelan)

Whincup and Lowndes in Red Bull clean sweep

THE two-headed Holden monster has warmed up and is poised to yet again eat up the V8 Supercars field.

In an ominous sign following a sluggish start to the season, Red Bull Racing pair Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes sealed a three-race clean sweep of the round in Perth on Sunday.

A day after Lowndes took his 91st chequered flag to break Mark Skaife’s record of most career wins, Whincup was victorious in both ...continued on p15