30 July - 5 August 2013 Issue: 474
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Dame Edna's UK goodbye tour
WHY ARE YOU HERE?
5 reasons Aussies move to the UK
Discover the new sport of Flowboarding Sport P14
entertainment P8
UK life P5
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n Lynton Crosby has faced calls to prove there is no conflict of interest between his role as advisor to
the Conservative Party, and the lobbying role of his company CTF Partners for Philip Morris International. By Michaela Gray There are calls for David Cameron’s top election strategist to be “sent back to Australia” following revelations his lobbying company has also worked for tobacco giant Phillip Morris. Liberal Democrat Lord Avebury has turned on the British Prime Minister over his employment of Australian Lynton Crosby, who is accused of using his position to influence the government over plain cigarette packaging laws. Mr Cameron is under pressure to detail his dealings with Mr Crosby after the Conservative Party announced in early July that it would dump plans to introduce legislation governing tobacco packaging. Speaking in the House of Lords, Lord Avebury said “For Mr Crosby to have any dealings whatsoever with government departments and to exercise a malign influence in the background is harmful to the public health in the United Kingdom... he should be got rid of and sent back to Australia.” ...continued on p3
the country by storm. Hello,
boys! Brissie Boylesque Exhilarating rugby is forecast. The 7s series guarantees a feast of Friday night rugby for all the at its bestfamily. | P8 Enjoy thrilling, high-scoring rugby alongside live music
Aust House turns 100
AUSTRALIA House is celebrating 100 years since King George V laid its foundation stone, initiating construction of the High Commission on the Strand in London. The mission at Australia House is Australia’s oldest diplomatic seat and the longest continuously occupied foreign mission in London. Australia’s High Commissioner to the UK, Mike Rann, said: “This stunning building has been the stalwart sentinel for the Aussie spirit here in the UK and is used everyday for the promotion of Australian business, tourism, sporting, arts, and defence interests.” At the foundation King George V used a mallet to tap the stone into position, a block of Australian trachyte shipped over especially for the occasion. Shouts of “coo-ey” rang out as the grey-green stone was set in to place. The Queen Consort and the royal couple’s only daughter Princess Mary attended the ceremonies on 24 July, 1913. The “impressive ceremony” was witnessed by 1,700 guests including the first High Commissioner to the UK and ...continued on p3
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2 | News
30 July - 5 August 2013
An open letter to Kevin Rudd
n
The ‘PNG solution’ has led many Aussie expats to consider how we want our country to be viewed by the rest of the world. Here, TIMOTHY MAJOR asks Kevin Rudd: What do we stand for as a nation? Dear Mr Rudd, Publisher: Bryce Lowry Editor: Paul Bleakley/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, Kiel Egging, Daniel Shillito, Mat Lyons,
Sandra Tahmasby, Tyson Yates, Jennifer Perkin, Charlie Inglefield, Thomas Jones, Alistair Davis, Will Denton, Chloe Westley, Bonnie Gardiner, Michaela Gray, Marian Borges, Haylee Slater, Emma O'Neill, Ally Juchnevicius, Courtney Greatrex, Poppy Damon, Timothy Major 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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As the new Prime Minister of Australia and the man leading the Labor Party into the next election, I would like to ask you a question. What do you think we stand for as a nation? What does it mean to be Australian? In essence, how would you like Australia to identify itself and be viewed by the rest of the world? I live in London, you see. Been here for about six years and, it being a multinational, global city, I’m constantly meeting people from all over the world. A common question I get is “Why are you here?! When you could be in a beautiful, warm place like Australia?” The question both bores me (I get it about once a week) and gives me a small sense of national pride. I know Australia is a great place with friendly people. I’m proud of its natural wonders and there’s nothing I look forward to more than going home once every couple of years and sitting in a rainforest or on a beach for a day and enjoying its beauty. Then there are the questions from those with a more thorough understanding of Australia – those who read papers, listen to the news and who are up-to-date with global current affairs. These people ask me other questions. They ask me how I feel about the way asylum seekers are treated. They ask me what I think about the Australian Aboriginals and the fast growing opinion that Australia is a racist country. They ask me about the position of women in Australia and what my feelings are on the way Julia Gillard was treated during her time in office.
Your Say On: The wisdom of our future PM? Abbott’s top 5 verbal gaffes
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Agreed the ALP has had a few gaffes but at least their gaffes are not as socially dangerous as Abbott’s! And there is a massive missing link in causation between labors policies and the unfortunate deaths of asylum seekers. The pink bats deaths were terrible, but the policy ideal wasnt bad, it was good. We need an emission trading scheme, the carbon tax was just a policy designed to get us there. Oh and those border protection laws of the coalition have so many worse moral implications that the overturning of them, in saying that though, both sets of policies are horrendous on the issue! Sam
On: An open letter to Kevin Rudd on asylum seekers
Timothy Major I think you have stayed too long in London. As a tax payer for the UK why don't you ask the UK to ask to take some boat people in there. You’ve
? What’s your view
They ask me about the mining boom and what the general attitude is to digging up natural resources at the expense of natural beauty. These questions are very difficult to answer in a positive way. Often I can only shrug my shoulders and shake my head and wonder what has become of my country. Shame replaces pride and I ask myself the question that I am asking you: “What do we stand for as a nation?” We’ve struggled with questions of identity ever since Europeans landed on Australia’s shores. In a way it’s brought about an endearing quality in the people - a fun loving bunch of larrikins who are always up for a beer and a laugh. An outspoken nation of vagabonds who live free from a class system. A rabble of travelers roaming the world to see as much as we can. A young colony of underdogs eager to show the rest of the world what we can do on the sporting field and “stick it up the poms” (no joy in that lately). These are all fine traits and, however superficial, I’m happy to claim them. More important however are the qualities, ideals and values drilled into me like the Ten Commandments growing up in Brisbane - giving people a fair go, helping out a mate, being fair dinkum and honest. It’s what gives Australia its heart and soul. The spirit of Australia, and Australians. When you signed the agreement with Papua New Guinea that ensured all asylum seekers arriving by boat would be sent to PNG with absolutely no chance of ever getting refugee status in Australia, not only did you turn my country’s back on the world’s most vulnerable people, you jeopardised these very qualities and values of an
Australia I hold dear. Instead of giving people a fair go, and helping out a mate, and backing the underdog, you have perpetuated a growing global attitude that Australia is a selfish, racist, fearful country. I know there are many people in support of this policy, and it’s easier to bow to popular belief than it is to change the minds and attitudes of a people – especially only weeks away from an election. I know things are good in Australia at the moment, and there is actually very little to fix and few opportunities to make your mark. I know it’s probably futile to argue the pros of making it easier for people to seek refuge in Australia, or question the cost on taxpayers of running the detention centres. I know that you know how horrible those places are, and how inhumane it is to detain men, women and children under those conditions. I know that it’s pointless to highlight the insane irony of a nation founded by boat people refusing to help those desperately seeking a home “girt by sea”. However, I also know there are many Australians out there, like myself, who still hold on to the values and beliefs that make us “True Blue”. And I know that we will not go away and that we will keep trying to represent an Australia that cares about more than just itself. And I believe that one day we will look back on these times and these policies and say to our children, “Never Again”. The question still remains: What does our nation stand for? I very much hope you can answer that, because at the moment I just don’t know.
been out of Australia for too long man. I don't know how you became Australian, were you born here or migrated here and then left for London? Decide where you want to stay! I migrated legally a long time ago to Australia and love Australia. I took an oath during my migration to protect Australia. Illegally getting in my house is against the law. There are laws to be followed. Timothy Major would you allow a stranger to spend a night in your house?
Dear Mr Major, Australia should not be portrayed simply as a fun loving place where everybody is a 'mate'. Sure, we like to help others and rightly so. However, Australia is part and parcel of globalisation and with that comes extra caution. If you have been listening to reports from Australia’s leaders, you know that too much too soon has the potential to send Australia’s finances into a tailspin. That applies to all things across the board and especially in the area of government assistance.
Chris
An excellent letter. Come on Aussies let's show the world we care about all humanity. Good luck to you Timothy Major.
Sincerely, Timothy Major
Kerry
Dunia
Australian politics gets overblown with the extremist elements who were always shouting about racism. Japan hardly takes in any refugees at all, but people still think Japan is cute. It’s all about rhetoric. Australia is generally nice, and is actually increasing its yearly refugee intake. People just need to be more informed. Foreign politics is just background noise to them.
Kevin Rudd is not the prime minister that we Australians voted for. We are victims of Labor Party manipulation. Rudd is spending $53m on propaganda TV advertising to promote his disgusting 'PNG' solution to the 'boat people' problem, funded by tax-payer money. The cash-strapped media collect this money and repay Rudd with whatever positive comment he wants. This is how dictators operate. I am ashamed.
Jason
Steve
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Come clean on other 100 years since laying of Australia clients, says former House foundation stone government watchdog ...continued from p1
former Australian Prime Minister, Sir George Reid. Australia House was a symbol of Australia’s budding nationhood and represented political harmony between Australia and the UK, Sir Reid said. The foundation stone contained a bronze box filled with plans of the building, a program of proceedings and an inventory of the members of the Australian Government.
By Marian Borges
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It has been revealed that Philip Morris International created a database tracking the opinion of every British MP on the issue of plain cigarette packaging as part of its successful lobbying campaign against new laws. In a leaked document, the company detailed proposals to fight proposed legislation, including a spreadsheet documenting the believed position of every politician in the House of Commons. Mr Crosby, who was influential in the election victories of former Australian Prime Minister John Howard, has denied improperly using his position as a campaign adviser to the Conservative Party to discuss plain packaging. “At no time have I had any conversation or discussion with or lobbied the prime minister, or indeed the health secretary or the health minister, on plain packaging or tobacco issues.” Former government watchdog, Sir Alastair Graham, has demanded that the lobbyist come clean over the
other clients his firm has represented while working for the government. Sir Graham, ex-chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, has said that any conflict of interest must be made public. “The Prime Minister has said that he is very committed to openness and transparency,” said Sir Graham. “We need to be transparent given he is so close to the Prime Minister – to know precisely what the potential conflicts of interest might be. “I strongly think it leaves a bit of an unhealthy smell over the political system that there is a person that has possible influence, or perception of influence, over the Prime Minister.” Mr Crosby’s firm, CTF Partners, also lobbied for British American Tobacco in Australia when it fought plans for plain packaging laws. Under the legislation in Australia, companies have had to sell their cigarettes in a logo-free, drab dark brown packaging since 1 December 2012. The UK government will postpone any plans for similar laws until the success of the move in Australia is assessed.
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The building was not officially opened until 3 August, 1918, as the First World War caused labour shortages, delaying construction. Australia House cost around £1 million to build, including land costs of £379,756. Famous Aussie visitors to the Commission include Dame Nellie Melba, Sir Don Bradman, Dame Joan Sutherland, Dame Edna, Kylie Minogue, and Hugh Jackman.
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4 | Exclusive Interview
How to vote from the UK By Marion Borges
AUSTRALIAN expatriates living in the UK are encouraged check their electoral enrolment status and to register as overseas voters ahead of this year’s federal election. How to vote in the next federal election: • Check your enrolment status at oevf.aec.gov.au. • If you ARE enrolled to vote, have been out of Australia for less than three years and plan to return to Australia in the next six years, you can register to vote as an overseas elector. • If you are NOT enrolled to vote, you can enrol to vote from outside Australia if you have been out of
30 July - 5 August 2013
Australia for less than three years and plan to return in the next six. • If you plan to be overseas indefinitely and want to remove your name from the electoral roll, fill out an overseas notification form. To place your vote at the time of election you can either: • Vote at Australia House in London (overseas polling stations are usually open for two weeks before the election); • Submit a postal vote (there is an option to elect to postal vote on the overseas elector form, or submit a separate postal vote application to the AEC) There are 400,000 Australians living in the UK and those extra votes could be the difference between candidates winning and losing marginal seats. Australia House in London was the largest polling station at the last federal election with over 16,000 voters. For more information see Aec.gov.au.
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the Expat factor
Extraordinary Aussies in the UK
After 10 years in London Zöé Caldwell has got her fingers in many creative pies, taking full advantage of the opportunities London has to offer. In addition to her role as Associate Producer, Zöé also finds time to dabble in music management, comedy and co-found IronBark – a theatre company introducing Australian voices to the UK. I decided to move to London just six weeks before leaving Australia. I originally travelled to London for a change of scenery. A friend of mine, Lidia, had mentioned she was going to visit relatives in Italy and then explore Europe and I pretty much invited myself along. That was way back in 2003 – making it 10 years on 23 July I’ve been here in the UK. I am Associate Producer for a theatre production company called Glynis Henderson Productions based in London. We produce, manage and tour various shows in the UK and also internationally. I specifically look after the developing shows - keep an eye out for Tubular Bells ‘For Two’, Action To The Word’s A Clockwork Orange and BLAM! I also run an Australian theatre company called IronBark, dabble in music management with Aussie folk songstress Amy Firth via Secret Side of the Storm and then there’s my newest venture Good Times Presents, a company I’ve formed with my good friend and fellow Aussie producer Jaqueline Kolek - we focus on female Aussie comedy. In a nut shell: I’m busy! I essentially fulfilled my theatre dream at the age of 21 after coming to London – I worked backstage on Phantom of the Opera which still operates as it did when it first opened in 1986. There are hundreds of people backstage pulling ropes and pushing scenery around – it’s fascinating behind the scenes. While I was in that job I managed to somehow convince the Production Manager at Bill Kenwright Ltd (a West End producer) to hire me as his assistant. This led to many more career highlights, but my most memorable has to be working on All’s Well That Ends Well at the Gielgud Theatre starring Judi Dench - she is my ‘older lady’ crush. A big difference in the theatre industry between UK and Australia is things are a lot more fast-paced here in comparison. Deals can be made and venues can be booked just a few weeks before opening a show here. Australia is more reliant on subscription based theatre programming so shows are organised at least a year in advance if not more. I’m pretty good at ‘flying by the seat of my pants’ and I enjoy the challenges that come with last minute projects/ productions. What’s up next is the Edinburgh Festival. I am producing two shows with GHP: Tubular Bells ‘For Two’
ZÖÉ Caldwell
Producer and co-founder of IronBark
from Australia and BLAM! from Denmark. I am also presenting a comedy duo from Australia called KelFi & FiKel through Good Times Presents. Back in London, IronBark is working on the Theatre Ashes to premiere here in early 2014 and then hopefully transfer to Sydney later in the year. I think Australians are drawn to the UK because of the two year working holiday visa. It gives us the opportunity to explore somewhere far away from Australia, and be able to hop over to Europe easily. There seems to be a few different kinds of Aussies coming through the UK – the 18 year-old Contiki tour type, the early 20s finished university/ getting over a big heart-break, the late 20s professional couple with a job transfer or the 30 year-old who has grabbed the working holiday visa opportunity at the very last second! One thing I can say is that the coffee has definitely improved by 100% over the last 10 years thanks to the Aussies and the Kiwis. My typical weekend consists of locating the best untested brunch spot (that usually takes half of Saturday) and coffee, coffee, coffee – I love finding new cafes. My favourites are Lantana, Salvation Jane, Wilton Way Café, Ozone and HER.
This is followed by cycling around with the hipsters in the East and then the usual: theatre, pub, friends. Oh, and Columbia Road Flower Market on a Sunday. I do miss family, friends, the ocean, those familiar sounds and smells and Crunchie Bars – they are so much better in Oz! I am very lucky to be able to travel with work so trips to Europe come up quite regularly. My top UK escapes at the moment are Istanbul, New York and Iceland. I also went on an amazing trip to Morocco with my mum a few years back which I would love to visit again. Anything is possible in the UK, particularly with the weather. It could easily sunny, snowing, raining, sleeting, sunny again and then snowing again all in one day! All you can do is wear lots of layers in autumn/winter and hold out for those glorious spring/ summer days - they are well worth the wait. Find out more at about.me/ zoecaldwell or follow Zöé on twitter or instagram @zoecaldwell. Interview by Alex Ivett
UK Life | 5
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Late-night London Why do Aussies move to the UK? n
We show you how to get from A to B when the Tube has turned in for the night.
By Marian Borges
THERE are many reasons why Aussies make their way to the UK, and travel is always a huge part of the decision making process. Cheap European flights and receiving wages in pounds is a great motivator for moving. Most of us manage to find a job where English is the principle language while others relish the opportunity to practice unused high school languages or the language nonna used to speak to us when we were little. But some of us find ourselves over here without really owning up to the root cause of why we have moved hundreds of thousands of miles, and occasionally never move back. Here, we’ve listed our top five reasons Australians move to the UK. There may be many more, or a combination of all five.
1
The big break-up
Surviving london > Bianca Soldani
It’s your typical late night problem: you need to get from A to B but the Tube is closed, night buses are a nightmare, it’s too far to stumble home and you’d never dream of straddling a bike. Well, I’ve got the solution for you and it doesn’t involve a hitchhiking horror story. New York is famous for those mustard yellow cabs that cater for all the busy city-goers and late-night stragglers roaming around the city. The London alternative are these no less iconic black, boxy time capsules fit for your turn of the century English gentleman. With doors that open backwards, seats that face inwards and enough room in the back to stash a spare bail of hay, there’s no doubting these cabs are an ultra cool blast from the past. But while great to get your instagram on, they certainly don’t come cheap, so unless you’ve got a bit of cash to throw around they’re probably not your wisest way home. Of course if that does so happen to be your case (no, we’re not at all jealous) do mind the front door. Most cabs don’t have a passenger seat, just a door, and drivers tend to get antsy if you try opening it even if all you’re meaning to do is ride shotgun. At the other end of the price scale but equally as photo friendly are rickshaws. It’s just like taking a
romantic horse and carriage ride through Hyde Park except that instead of a carriage you’ve got a two by four on some wheels, and instead of a set of thoroughbreds and a driver you’ve got a muscular man on a bike. Oh and did I mention you’ll be weaving your way through London’s never-ending traffic? But rickshaws are loads of fun especially if you happen to flag down a seriously pimped-out one - how do gold plates, zebra-print seats and blaring music sound for your ride home? Price is usually negotiable. However if you’re not up for such a wild ride home, a more practical, albeit less exciting, solution are minicabs. Minicabs are normal, usually unmarked cars that you can book like a regular cab, minus the hefty price tag. As many a tube train ad has warned us, the issue with jumping into an unmarked cab is an obvious one, how do you know you’re getting into a minicab and not some shady man’s candy filled van? Quite simply really, just don’t get into any old car that pulls up to the side of the road offering you a ride. Always book your minicab and wait for them to call for you – use your common sense and you should get home in one piece. For more info and tips on transporting your way through London, check out Bianca’s new book, “An Aussie’s Survival Guide to London” at talktraveltome.com; tackling the little problems for newcomers to London.
Most Australians that come over to the UK who end up staying for longer stints have typically suffered a devastating, heart wrenching, life-changing break-up. Even if the break-up happened a year or two ago they haven’t really recovered yet. Break-up refugees come with heavy baggage, so they are not really after a new relationship, but are up for lots of fun experiences. There’s no significant other to go home to and a new life in the UK equals a fresh start and a clean slate. Knowing you will never ever bump into you ex is also incredibly appealing.
2
To break-up
No-one who moves to London with a significant other ever plans to breakup, but that is often exactly what happens. A big new city can be the make or break of a couple. The big move shake up can include house hunting, job hunting, shift work, and financial woes – all
of which can be detrimental to a relationship. Not to mention all the pretty new things you will be meeting along the way. Whether the temptation to stray is high or the spider vein cracks in your relationship are just becoming more apparent, London can be the death of what seemed like a good relationship back home.
3
To fall in love
Just like Carrie Bradshaw who moved to New York to fall in love in Sex and the City, many twentysomething year-olds move to London to find love. Not nearly as romantic as Paris or Rome or even New York, London nonetheless has a different field of opportunity to offer. A cheeky Brit, a party-animal Scot or an Irish man or woman who makes you laugh till you think your sides will split, could be just the thing for a lonely heart. But it doesn’t stop there. London is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world and you never know who you are going to meet. So keep an open mind and an open heart.
4
Travel
In a category of your own, absolutely none of the above applies to you. Dye-in-the-wool travellers are born not made. Your spirit for adventure has made the move to London seamlessly faultless, easy even. Your friends
and family were not surprised when you announced you were making the move and they know you will be back when you have seen and done all you set out to do. Happy to travel solo, you easily infiltrate that large group of friends that have taken over your hostel dorm room. You love getting lost in the middle of a strange new city but mum always knows where you are and you can always Skype dad on his birthday.
5
Improve your resume
A combination of all of the above, you have your reasons for moving to the UK but few are privilege to that information. Regardless of why you move, you know a London stint will look great on your resume. Back home you have been struggling for years to get to that next stage of your career but never managed to reach that break through moment. London can open new doors and new opportunities with companies you could only ever dream of working for back home. Two or three years in London may also net enough income to save up a decent deposit for a house or you might just want to live it up and blow it all on lots of travelling.
6 | Food & Wine
30 July - 5 August 2013
A healthy status The Whole Meal
Ruby Dock in Camden
> Ally Juchnevicius
The world of health can be pretty intimidating. Not only is there a whole lot of contradictory information flying around, but there are also a whole lot of glamorous people, the Gwyneth Paltrow’s and Miranda Kerr’s, telling us how easy it is to eat and live well. Healthy living has become equated with superfood green smoothies, detox programs and early morning beachside yoga. With all kinds of products making all kinds of health claims, it can seem like a confusing and impenetrable luxury. Health has become a status symbol, a way to show off and communicate fitness, wealth and intelligence through what we eat, where we eat it and how we exercise to burn it off. It’s been proven across Western cultures that poverty and poor diet are linked; the less money you have, the more likely you are to eat unhealthy foods. There are many contributing factors including lack of education about nutrition and the price of food itself. Knowing what is healthy is not straightforward and depends on the individual, something I’ll get into next time. But for the most part (allergies, intolerances and other health issues aside) there’s no need worrying too much about the nitty-gritty detail of your meals; the specific nutrients, vitamin content, even calories. US food writer Michael Pollan has famously summed up how to eat in seven simple words, ‘Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants’. Use this as your mantra, skip the supplements and juice cleanses (unless your doctor recommended them), and watch as healthy eating becomes far less daunting. With that said, there is still the ever present money factor. So how can we get the most nutritional bang for our buck? Spend more on food. This seems a
Coffee Cult visits
highly contradictory point to start with, but studies have shown we are spending less of our disposable income on food now than ever before. Take a look at your weekly expenses and prioritise healthy food. This might mean making sacrifices in other areas, but it could be as simple as eating out less and at home more. Decide if you want to eat good food, and invest in it. Plan ahead and cook your own meals in bulk, with others. Research has shown poor people who eat homecooked meals eat healthier than rich people who regularly eat out. Team up with a housemate or significant other, make a meal plan for the week, invest in some Tupperware and do your food shopping together. Those 2-for-1 deals will finally pay off. Use your freezer. Take all that delicious bulk home cooking and whack it in the freezer. Soups, stews, sauces, frozen vegetables, even rice and quinoa, are great to have on hand for mid-week meals. BYO containers and buy long-lasting foods by weight. Head down to your local whole foods store with your own jars and stock up on grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Grow your own. Veggies if you have the garden space or access to an allotment. If not, try a few herb pots in your kitchen or for the more ambitious give sprouting and fermenting a go. There are heaps of blogs with tips, check out mynewroots.org for a great Kimchi recipe. Look beyond the frills, and focus on what healthy eating really should be about; real food, made with your own hands, that tastes good and is even better for you.
By Paul Bleakley Let’s get one thing out of the way: there is no place in London that is hipper than Camden Town. From the moment you step out of the Underground and onto the High Street, you are bombarded by the overwhelming nature of the area’s pronounced eccentricity. I have a particular affinity for Camden Town: whenever I am back in London after being away, it is the first place I head for. To me, Camden Town is like a bizarre sanctuary where it is possible to find yourself completely lost amongst the seething masses. In an area like Camden Town, you expect to find shisha-bars and questionably-hygienic Chinese food. It is unexpected that you would be able
CHEF DE PARTIES AND ABOVE
£9 - £15 per hour depending on chef level & experience
Image courtesy of Ruby Dock
ck
to find the respite of a peaceful coffee shop amidst the hustle and bustle. That is what makes Ruby Dock at Camden Lock Market so unique: the newlyopened Australian café is a welcome respite from the craziness that surrounds it, providing patrons with a safe port from the storm of insanity that rages outside.
The Connection Ruby Dock describes itself as the “love child” of prominent London cafés Lantana and Salvation Jane. The third in a series of Australianoperated cafés in the city, Ruby Dock comes with a good pedigree: Lantana was opened it Fitzrovia in 2008 and has established itself as one of the premiere coffee shops in the city. The brand expanded with the opening of Salvation Jane in Shoreditch last year, which was also met with rave reviews. The cafés are all named after Australian flora too, with Ruby Dock described as a plant that can grow in the most unforgiving of environments. Perfect name for a café in the middle of Camden Town, I guess.
Walking into Ruby Dock reminded me of being in a café in Havana, or some other remote and tropical outpost. The décor is fairly basic, with long wooden tables and bench-seating outside so that you are able to enjoy the scenery of Camden Lock
Image courtesy of Ruby Dock
while partaking in a brew. The wallpaper screams retro-hip, and you could easily see the coffee shop turning itself into a bar as the sun went down.
The Crucials It would be remiss to talk about a coffee shop without talking about… well, the coffee. Ruby Dock doesn’t disappoint on that front. Their brews are reasonably priced, and are of the exact same quality as at their muchapplauded sister cafés across the city. The biggest positive about Ruby Dock, however, comes in the form of its culinary options. The café doesn’t hold back in showing off what it has on offer: many of the cafés fine selection of sweet and savoury products are displayed on the counter to tantalise patrons as they pay for their drinks. It is hard to get a sandwich right, however Ruby Dock manages to strike the delicate balance between too little filling and just enough. It may be your natural inclination to go for some grubby market food while visiting Camden Lock, but if something of a little more substance is what you are after you should be aware that Ruby Dock is only a cobblestoned alley away.
The Conclusion
Create buffet, canape receptions and lavish banquets for a large range of clients - from awards ceremonies to film premieres and Royal receptions.
As if Camden Lock Market couldn’t get any better, now it has quintessential Australian café Ruby Dock to add to its allure. Venture into the marketplace and find the hottest new coffee shop in NW1. Waste your day watching the world pass by at one of the hippest cafés in London.
Ltd Company & Self Employed welcome.
Apply to austimes@heatlondon.com or 0203 142 7117 www.heatlondon.com
sy of Ruby Do
The Craic
ongoing temp & permanent roles 5 Star Hotels, Restuarants, Sports Events, VIP Catering and More
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Image courtesy of Ruby Dock
Image courtesy of Ruby Dock
Ruby Dock Camden Lock Place Camden Lock Market, NW1 8AF
Entertainment | 7
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Musical Madness
Dirty Dancing (The Stage Show) n
REVIEW | Dirty Dancing is back at Piccadilly Theatre in London with its pulse-raising dance moves and an exceptional soundtrack. It is a summertime classic well worth seeing. By Courtney Greatrex ‘NOBODY puts Baby in the corner.’ The eruption of applause that met the famous lines everybody was waiting for fully captured the crowd’s glee for the hit stage performance of Dirty Dancing. And with that, everybody’s favourite 80s film is back in the West End and taking London by a storm. The exceptional theatre adaptation, which originally began in Sydney in 2004, has since become an international sensation, raking in millions and breaking box office records everywhere it went. Now the show is back in London for the second time, after a five-year stint at the Aldwych Theatre. The pace was incredibly fluid. Dirty Dancing seamlessly ran through each scene with spots of humour that carried the plotline forward. The show stayed loyal to the film, each famous line met with wild cheers from the crowd. Most notably, the show featured the best attempt of an under-water scene on stage. The memorable scene in the film, where Johnny and Baby are practicing lifts in a lake, managed
to have the crowd in fits of laughter as the two actors – fully clothed – pretended to be splashing about behind a computer generated screen of the ocean. As silly as that might seem, it got the point across without saturating the stars of the show and causing a health and safety field day. The characters have been casted perfectly. Jill Winternitz, who plays Baby Houseman, has managed to capture her perfectly underwhelming personality. Though this may have been her demise. Baby’s faint and caring personality throughout the show played true to the original, but meant that Jill mightn’t have received the attention she deserved. The catchphrase ‘I carried a watermelon’ wasn’t treated with the same ecstatic rupture as other character’s memorable quotes. Paul-Michael Jones, who plays rebellious and sexy Johnny Castle, not only looks like Patrick Swazye, but can also dance well enough to make anybody swoon. But the real crowd-pleaser was Penny Johnson, played by Charlotte Gooch who received the loudest cheers from the crowd after each incredible move. Gooch has an
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incredible range of experience behind her, and it shows in the way that she commands attention on the stage. This is her second time playing Penny in London making her a veteran of the West End and the true star of the show. Every good West End show is met with a standing ovation at its end. Dirty Dancing received all this and more. The show executed the film’s comingof-age themes exceptionally and stayed true to the story we all love.
REVIEW | The formula to a great musical is easy – catchy lyrics, energetic cast, punchy dialogue and a show-stopping finale. Luckily, Rock of Ages, has it all, offering a rollicking 80s romp through the rock annuals and a guaranteed great night out. With so many musicals and plays flooding the West End, it’s very easy to be picky, nay snobby, about what one enjoys. From the quiet and thoughtful Curious Incident of the Incident of the Dog At Night-time to the over-the-top offensive hilarity of Book of Mormon, there’s something for everyone. However every week it seems a new show appears, shiny billboards being rolled up atop decorated theatres and the requisite papering of the city’s media and theatre forums with hyped exclamations of the next ‘big thing’. It’s the ones with the ex-Harry Potter’s that go first – sold-out before you can put
San Cisco 20th August @London's Sebright Arms
Barry Gibb 3 October @O2 Arena
All in all, we cried, we laughed, we sang along and had the time of our lives. Dirty Dancing is back in London with its pulse-raising dance moves and exceptional soundtrack. With prices starting at £26.50, this summertime classic is well worth seeing. Dirty Dancing is on at Piccadilly Theatre and taking bookings until Saturday 22 February 2014. Tickets available for £26.50-£67. See dirtydancingonstage.co.uk.
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down your TimeOut and logon. Then go the ones with the shiny new stage props and a flurry of Twitter hype, and you’re wondering what else you can see without booking 15 months in advance? Amongst this melee of musical madness and play pandemonium, we have the answer the last-minute conundrum. The solution to the date planned a few nights in advance, the parents stopping though town wanting to ‘see a show’, or the impromptu night out – the good old-fashioned, longrunning, stage spectacular. Like a bawdy old friend, a longrunning musical can offer just the right level of practised familiarity and high-energy fun. Mix together lyrics
Sam Simmons Shitty Trivia 12 - 24 August @Soho Theatre
FilmFest Australia October 2013 @Barbican Centre
Rocking right through the ages
By Alex Ivett
What’s On
you sing along to, an energetic cast who can belt out a tune and a show stopping finale, and you’ve got yourself a crowdpleasing hit. Enter Rock of Ages, masters of turning this tried and tested formula into a rowdy night out with its own unique touch. What it lacks in original storyline it more than makes up for with a kickass 80s soundtrack, plenty of strong notes and off-beat characters. Clichés abound as the scene is set by an effervescent Simon Lipkin as narrator Lonny. Evil corporate type determined to take over much-loved establishment and replace it with commercial enterprise, check. Guy falls for girl but too scared to tell her how he feels, check. Girl makes mistake of falling for bad boy instead, check. Everything turns out ok in the end - well, we wouldn’t want to ruin it for you. With snappy dialogue that takes aim at corporations, sleazy sell-out singers and Germans, the prudish might not consider it the production you take your grandma to. The humour is lewd and full of innuendos, and there are several scenes in a strip club which feature scantily clad women bending over in quite an authentic display of erotic dancing. And you’ve only understood what nun chucks are really for once you’ve seen them being used as a pseudo-phallus. Apparently, rock and roll has a lot to do
with sex. Who knew? The cast are superb, each playing up to their character's quirks and curiosities with hilarious effect and belting out the tunes with such energy you’d think it was the first, or last, night of the production. Audience interaction is a key feature, with the 4th wall broken on no less than three occasions. At one point Lonny even brings out the show’s program to embarrass the main lead Drew (expertly played by Ross Hunter) by referring to Drew/Ross’s musical CV. The genuine giggle they have together makes it hard to know whether it’s an everyday part of the show or an impromptu addition. The success of a long-running show like this often depends entirely on the musical numbers and thankfully Rock of Ages nails it. They belt out an endless string of 80s rock classics like ‘Don’t Stop Believin’, ‘Here I Go Again’, and ‘I Want to Know What Love Is’ that’ll have you humming tracks you’d long since forgotten all the way home. It’s a rollicking all-singing, all-dancing romp through the rock annuals, and a guaranteed great night out. Best enjoyed a la the man in the front row – with shades, a fading rock t-shirt, not giving a damn while you sing and clap along to the tunes. Rock of Ages is on at the Garrick Theatre until November. Tickets available for £25-£65. See Nimaxtheatres.com for more information.
...and more Aussie gigs go to: AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment
See what we are following this week on
#Royalbaby @billmaher Not sure about that royal baby name, George Alexander Louis, but I guess if Carlos Danger and Jermajesty were taken... @jayleno Experts say the #RoyalBaby will bring $400m into the British economy. With all due respect, I think it's time for the Obamas to get busy. @Charles_HRH No, Harry, you cannot call him "Prince George of Asda". #royalbaby @Queen_UK Gin o’clock at the Palace - thanks to one's @Coral winnings. Had a few quid on the Royal Baby being called #George, funnily enough. #ad @SteveCarell I am going to do a "Royal Baby" joke in about four months. Hope that it's not played out by then. @RichieBenaud_ Just like his father, the Royal baby is already bald @Charles_HRH William and Kate have agreed that when the baby wakes in the night, they will both take it in turns to call the nanny. #royalbaby @MiaFreedman God love Princess Anne. When asked about the #RoyalBaby she said "Well it's none of my business. I suppose it's very good."
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8 | Entertainment
In a Flap!
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A riot of musical colour and energy, Aussie pop-jazz band Flap! are making waves in the UK. By Poppy Damon FRESH from supporting Cat Empire on tour in Australia, colourful Aussie band Flap! are now heading to British shores for our listening pleasure. Describing their far reaching musical influences as a combination of ‘1920’s jazz, Gypsy brass, English Folk and Trinidadian Calypso’, this funky bunch hail from no further than Melbourne.
30 July - 5 August 2013
They have certainly been causing a bit of a splash back home since they formed in 2007, performing at The Port Fairy Folk Festival in Victoria, the Melbourne International Jazz festival, The Adelaide Cabaret festival and various venues all over their home town. Eamon McNeils, who plays the cornet for the troupe, has in particular earned a great deal of national attention since he became a National Jazz award winner in 2010. Flap!’s second record A Great Day For The Race was released in 2012 with lead single ‘Rock in Space’ hitting #1 in the AMRAP charts, and the album proper flying to the top of the iTunes Jazz charts. They will be supporting Cat Empire on their European Support Tour (October-November 2013) and performing at Edinburgh Fringe, and dates in Brighton, Bath, Winchester and Newcastle. If a smaller venue is more your scene, pop down to The Magic Garden Pub in Battersea on Thursday 8 August and bring your dancing shoes.
‘Boylesque’ at its Best n
Calling all lovers of circus, sequins and six-inch heels! The all-male burlesque boys from Brisbin are back in the UK with their latest show Briefs: The Second Coming.
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By Kim Seeliger ‘All male, all vaudeville, all trash’ is the tag line and it couldn’t be truer. Briefs is a cult variety show bursting at the seams with circus, drag artistry, acrobatics, magic, comedy, clowning and a good dose of Aussie humour. I was lucky enough to attend opening night at Brisbane’s premier performing arts venue, the Powerhouse, before the
The star of ABC’s Problems is back at Soho Theatre!
start of their three-month tour of Europe. It was packed with an audience visibly eager for the night’s entertainment. Briefs began its humble performance beginnings in the back of a West End bookstore in Brisbane in late 2008. What followed was a string of late night circus cabarets in and around the city, performances at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, as well as in Melbourne and Sydney, and then
Farewell Dame Edna
‘An hour of unadulterated and awesome absurdity.’
By Poppy Damon
Dame Edna Everage has announced her final farewell tour after 57 years of entertainment, and it’s got our huge purple glasses all misty! We’ve been looking through our favourite lady’s huge repertoire of TV appearances to find our favourite moments and here’s what we came up with Possums.
««««« Daily Telegraph
Top 5 moments
Soho Theatre presents
SAM SIMMONS:
SHITTY TRIVIA
Mon 12 – Sat 24 August
Dancing With The Stars Dame Edna is undoubtedly Australian TV royalty, so it was a huge blast of nostalgia to see her appearing as a guest star alongside Scary Spice and sexy Daniel MacPherson on Australia’s Dancing With The Stars last year; deflating all the egos of the minor stars attempting to reboot their careers on the show. It was all in good fun and definitely got us giggling. Let’s hope even in retirement she’ll pop back for surprise appearances like this. Guest host on UK MasterChef Dame Edna Everage became one of the toughest judges the show had
ever seen when she took charge in a special episode of the UK cookery show for Comic Relief this year. It saw comedians Jack Whitehall and Micky Flanagan try to impress with their skills in the kitchen, although the great Dame decided Mr Flanagan’s John Dory didn’t “justify the death of a fish”. Elton John and Dame Edna on Jay Leno This early 90s appearance, alongside Billie Jean King and Elton John, is a reminder of everything great about Edna. Not only does she steal the show, she manages to have everyone laughing (especially Billie Jean with a discussion about Edna’s gynaecologist) by being classically naughty and hilariously familiar with her fellow superstars. Dame Edna on Top of the Pops When our Dame performed on British TV Show ‘Top Of The Pops’ in 1979 she introduced the British public to ‘Waltzing Matilda’ – only The Dame Edna version. It is aptly described on
international tours to Edinburgh and London. Combining raw talent, glittering costumes that rival those from Priscilla, and enough naked sweaty skin to set even the most latent gaydar on fire, the six performers that make up the Briefs ensemble are vibrating with energy and skill. There’s Mark ‘Captain Kidd’ Winmill, the ‘King of Boylesque’. Mark won the title of Most Dazzling Performer in the Boylesque category at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend in Las Vegas two years ago. His trapeze routine, complete with exquisite feathered headdress and blue-sequinned g-string, put his skills in circus, drag, and striptease seduction to testament. The hooligan acrobatics of clown Tom Flanagan are a pure joy to watch, as is the serious skill and strength of circus star Ben Lewis. The glamorous yet sometimes startling drag artist Dallas Dellaforce has as many sides to her as a rubik’s cube (which also makes an appearance in the show) and watching her strut her stuff on stage is addictive. She brings “drag artistry and theatre to a new level”, says creative producer and fellow performer Fez Faanana, aka Shivanna Cumminatcha, the hilarious Samoan host of the show. The youngest member of the troupe is the freshfaced juggler and “circus brat” Louis Biggs, from Albury Wadonga. I can’t decide if it’s the yellow crochet willy warmer or the informal moments of pure hilarity that got me, but I’m hooked. It’s trashy, camp, seductive, entertaining, and mind-bogglingly free of boundaries! Catch Briefs: The Second Coming at the following venues in the UK this summer: • Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 1 – 25 Aug • London Wonderground at South Bank, 19 – 28 Sept For more info, check out briefsboys.com.
Goodbye Possums! Dame Edna Everage has announced details of her farewell tour Eat Pray Laugh! which will cover the breadth and depth of the UK from October to spring 2014. “I shall be saying farewell to my English possums,” she has announced. Dame Edna considers the show, which has already toured in Australia and New Zealand, her best yet. We can’t wait to say goodbye to the Great Dame in style during the two month run at the London Palladium, between 13 November and 5 January. For more details on the full tour and dates see dameednafarewell.com. YouTube as a wonderfully ‘kitschy novelty disco update of the traditional song’. Probably one of the weirdest pop-releases of the decade, make sure you take a chance to relive the joy of our de-facto national anthem as performed by Edna. Dame Edna introduces the Queen At the main concert at Buckingham Palace in June 2002 to mark the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, Lizzy’s entrance was preceded by an introduction by Ms Everage. Proclaiming the ‘Jubilee girl is here’ she welcomes the Queen and her hubby to the balcony where they watch on in amusement as Edna, casually addresses the royalty, warning Liz that the show is ‘really loud’.
Travel | 9
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Postcards from Australia
Starting our morning in Bermagui, we cruised gently along the Prince’s Highway through rural New South Wales. Chugging along in need of coffee we were both hoping for a nice place to stop and fill-up. We pulled into the Bodalla Dairy Shed around 10am. Located half way between Narooma and Moruya, the retro milkbar and café is the beating heart of a 150-year-old working village. Also an operating cheese factory, the café serves traditional milkshakes thickened with rich ice-cream and burgers made from local grainfed beef. A vintage pink Wurlitzer juke-box shines by the window. Red leather booths line the wall. An eastern brown snakeskin holds pride of place above the fireplace, stretching two metres long. We slurp the creamiest milkshakes we have ever tasted and congratulate each other for making the stop.
Taking some time to walk around the outside of the shed, we find ourselves standing at the edge of a large paddock where two small calves greet us. They let us scratch their necks and push their noses into us demanding food. A staff member from the shed hands me a large milk bottle and I am able to feed the little bull his breakfast. This is a highlight for me. When I was younger I used to feed our baby goat ‘Bartholomew’ from a bottle. The little bull’s name is Grant, which I think is a very grown up name for such a little bull. Still, he was very strong, bunting and pushing against the bottle. There was a small boy with his mother and he was able to feed the girl calf, Louise. I’m glad he feed her and not Grant, as he would have been knocked flat over. When we left to continue our journey to Sydney, I was covered with cow slobber. It was a fantastic moment.
Haylee and her husband are currently driving around Down Under. Follow along with their highlights from the road in this series of Postcards From Australia.
Includes free unlimited booze on the road. Huge party event in every city.
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travel with
By Halee Slater
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4
3
1
9
7 8
2
1. VALENCIA, SPAIN
6. BERLIN, GERMANY
2. BARCELONA, SPAIN
7. PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
3. PARIS, FRANCE
8. BUDAPAST, HUNGARY
4. BRUGES, BELGIUM
9. MUNICH, GERMANY
5. AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
STARTING AT
LA TOMATINA
ENDING AT
Oktoberfest
AT ANY CITY ..AT ANY CITY..
FOR MORE DETAILS WRITE TO GEMMA@STOKETRAVEL.COM OKTOBERFEST THE RUNNING OF THE BULLS WORLD CUP BRAZIL & CARNIVAL BRAZIL THE SURFARI SPRING BREAK IBIZA
LA TOMATINA SAN SEBASTIAN SURF CAMP BARCELONA CITY STAYS FETES DE BAYONNE SAIL CROATIA SAN VINO THE WINE FIGHT MOROCCO SURF HOUSE
TWITTER@STOKETRAVEL
STOKETRAVEL.COM
COME CREEP WITH US...
FACEBOOK.COM/STOKETRAVEL
10 | Travel
30 July - 5 August 2013
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On a whistle-stop tour of the main cities of Scandinavia, KIEL EGGING sorts his myths from his must-sees. He discovers some surprising similarities between the main sights of Norway, Denmark and Sweden.
Travel | 11
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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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12 | Professional Life
30 July - 5 August 2013
What is lenders mortgage insurance and why is it changing?
Advertorial
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You may incur it when you take out a mortgage with a lender in Australia, but why is it applied and how is it calculated? your money
> Daniel Shillito
MORTGAGE Insurance is a once-off cost on new Australian mortgages charged by lenders when you borrow more than 80% of your home or investment property in Australia You may incur this insurance charge when you take out a mortgage with a lender, but often it may not be clear why, or in what circumstances it is charged, or how it is calculated. Lenders Mortgage Insurance or LMI as it is frequently referred to in the finance industry in Australia, only protects the bank or lender, in the case of loan default or non-payment by the borrower. This means if you do not pay the mortgage the bank is protected from losing any money that it is outstanding on the loan, after your property is sold. Essentially, if you are in default of your mortgage contract, and the bank exercises its legal right to repossess the property (and ultimately sell it), then the insurance company will compensate the bank for the difference between the amount of the loan outstanding and the sale proceeds, if the sale proceeds are lower than the loan amount outstanding. Furthermore, it is very possible that the insurance company will look to recover its own financial loss in this case, from you – the borrower, or guarantor. It is important therefore to understand you are not protected in any way by paying LMI at the beginning of your loan. The only way to protect yourself and your family from financial stress in the event you cannot pay your mortgage is through taking out your own separate mortgage protection insurance cover, or check to ensure you have sufficient life, disability and income protection type insurances in place. Whilst no-one wants to pay the charge, it does mean that borrowers with lower deposits can get into the property market, when they have less than 20% funds to contribute. This keeps the property market moving along and first home buyers in particular can have more loan options. It’s something apparently lacking in the UK mortgage market. How is LMI calculated? LMI is not a flat fee or fixed percentage amount. In fact the premium varies according to the actual percentage of propertyprice you borrow. For instance if your loan amount is 82% of the value of the property (just over the threshold where LMI begins) your premium will generally be between 0.4 – 0.7% approximately of the loan amount, with the actual percentage depending on the lender and the actual insurance company used by the lender. This premium will increase as the required loan amount increases as a proportion of the property value up until for example, 95% of the property value, when the LMI will be approximately between 3-4% of the loan amount. Note that the final premium amount will be calculated
precisely by the lender and included in loan offer documents. In the event that you refinance your loan later on, and you still borrow more than 80% of the current value of the property, the lender will require that you pay Lenders Mortgage Insurance at that time as well. Recently the two mortgage insurance providers in the Australian market announced changes to the way insurance is calculated, adding loaded fees for applications that contain certain characteristics. Lenders have not yet applied all the changes and seem to be interpreting them differently at this moment, so that LMI fee estimates are difficult to finalise at present. These additional fees relate to applications that include borrowers who need cash advances of equity; are self-employed, are refinancing and/or have loan terms greater than 30 years. You therefore need to be careful when calculating estimated loan costs related to any property purchase in Australia, especially if you need greater than 80% of the purchase price or property value (in which case you will be affected by the current changes). Professional advice is the best way to interpret how the changes might affect you.
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Are you an expat Aussie thinking of heading back home for good? Perhaps you are a Brit who is about to make a new start in the lucky country? It's a big move but these companies can help you make the transition smooth and safe.
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Daniel Shillito is a Financial Adviser, CPA and Expat specialist at Aussie Finance and Property Group, qualified both within Australia and throughout Europe. Daniel can be contacted on Ph. 020 3239 0479 or visit www.aussiefpgroup.com
FlyPets, the UK’s leading pet travel service n
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Dollar Review
Aussie dollar rebound short-lived By Anton van Teylingen
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next meeting is scheduled for 6 August. Speculation suggests that we could see the rate drop further to a record low of 2.5%, down from a previous low of 2.75%. Looking ahead, important data that will determine the Aussies price movements this week includes Chinese manufacturing on Thursday along with Australian Producers Price Index data early Friday.
Exchange rates GBP/AUD: 1.664 EUR/AUD: 1.436 USD/AUD: 1.0822 NZD/AUD: 0.873 10:00 GMT, 29 July 2013
Note: The above exchange rates are based on “interbank” rates. If you want to transfer money to or from Australia then please register/login on our website, or call us on 0808 141 2335 for a live dealing rate. Make use of a Rate Notifier to send you alert when the Australian exchange rate reaches levels you are looking for.
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Popular Aussie franchise hits UK
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Following great success in Australia and New Zealand, Local Appliance Rentals Ltd is now inviting new franchisees to join them in growing the business in Britain. Local Appliance Rentals Ltd is an established franchise with over 80 franchisees in Australia and New Zealand. They have achieved this outstanding result in less than three years of operations. They are now proud to announce that they have recently appointed a master franchisee for the London region alone. However, as founder and CEO Kenneth French points out “Prior to starting our franchise operation, we had been running Local Appliance Rentals for many years and had a very profitable business model that we wanted to share with others.” Local Appliance Rentals Ltd rents a large range of household appliances to consumers including fridges, washing machines, flat screen TVs, laptops, smart phones and furniture. The rental term is usually over two years and the customer is able to own the product at the end of the rental term through a zero pound ‘gift-it’ offer. The rental industry is well established in the UK with several large to medium sized operators. However, until now, there has not been an opportunity to join a
LOWER than expected Chinese Purchasing manufacturing index (PMI) data has tempered any recovery in the Australian dollar. The Aussie opened last week with hopes of a possible recovery on the back of positive data released earlier in the month. However the Chinese numbers, which surprised analysts, soon dampened the sentiment. Market signals continued to decline as Australian’s neighbouring counterpart, New Zealand, continued to strengthen. The Aussie now sits near its five year low against the Kiwi as contrasting monetary policies seem to be determining factors in performance. This along with opposing business confidence reports showed that the majority of the Australian firms had a pessimistic future outlook whilst Kiwi reports showed their local business confidence sitting at a three year high. Talks have once again begun to loom over the possibility of an interest rate cut by the RBA; their
franchised operation. In these tough economic times, the industry has proven to be totally recession proof. With so many businesses struggling during the Global Financial Crisis, Local Appliance Rentals Ltd actually experienced substantial growth with sales unaffected by the difficult economic times. In fact, Mr French said it was sometimes embarrassing talking about how well their business was doing whereas many other businesses had only tales of doom and gloom. Mr French says that the rapid growth that Local Appliance Rentals Ltd has achieved in less than three years is only possible because of the massive performance that is being achieved from their franchisees. Mr French comments, “Many of our franchisees have voted with their cheque books, with twelve of our franchisees having purchased multiple territories and another 15 having upgraded their territories to the next level as they have decided to expand their businesses.” Mr French said that just recently they have even had a staff member who has left their role at head office to become a franchisee. As he says, “You can’t get a better endorsement of
the business than that.” The majority of franchisees work from home and love the flexibility that this gives them and the fact that it is a business that only operates Monday to Friday 9am-5pm with no nights, weekends or public holidays. This is in stark contrast to so many other business models where owners are working long hours, 7 days a week. “With a Local Appliance Rentals Ltd franchise, the hours that you work are flexible and there are many franchises operated by women who can run the business from home but can also pick up the kids from school,” says Mr French. One of the features of this franchise is the online software system called SAFRA. This custom software is used to run the entire business from producing contracts, to ordering goods, keeping track of payments and customers and making your tax simple and easy to calculate at the end of the year. Launching in June at the British Franchise Exhibition in Manchester, potential franchisees had an opportunity to meet the team including the International Sales Director Mr Sacha Caller. Mr Caller is himself a multiunit franchisee with several franchises in and around Melbourne that are already running successfully under his management. “We are looking for keen motivated franchisees in all areas of the UK but we also have several opportunities for master franchisees for the more experienced operator,” Mr Caller said. Mr Caller says that they are making a special UK launch offer of 2 territories for the price of 1 for the first five franchisees.
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14 | Sport
30 July - 5 August 2013
Excitement builds ahead of Feeling the Flow – Adam Wildman, Flowrider n INTERVIEW | Adam Wildman, an 18-year-old Queenslander, has Tongan UKtag rugby tour
moved to the UK to pursue his passion for the sport of Flowboarding and compete in the Flowboarding European Championships. POPPY DAMON chats to Adam to find out more about this growing sport.
ADAM Wildman, an 18-yearold Queenslander, has made the big move to the UK to compete in the Flowboarding European Championships in August. He dropped us a line from Adlington, Lancashire, to tell us what this new sport is all about. Tonga in action against Australia at the 2012 Tag Rugby World Cup in Auckland
By Phillip Browne The excitement is building amongst the UK tag rugby community as they prepare to welcome the Tongan men’s over 30s national team for their upcoming tour to the UK and Ireland. The Tongans first match will be against the London Residents men’s over 30s representative side on Thursday 15 August at Southwark Park in Canada Water. The London Residents are made up of the best tag rugby talent residing in London regardless of nationality, so will no doubt be a quality side. The London Residents men’s over 30s final squad is yet to be announced but is expected to feature a host of Aussie talent, and will be led by the experienced London Australia representative, Arron Lombardo. The Tongans will then enter Try Tag Rugby’s marquee tournament – the 2013 London Tag Rugby Championships – on Saturday 17 August at East London RFC in West Ham. They will take on the UK’s best men’s tag rugby teams in the men’s opens division. The Tongans will finalise their leg of the UK tour with a test match against the Great Britain men’s
THE
Round 18
By Will Denton
It’s about this time of the season that the year produces three very distinct types of footy supporters. Firstly, there are the ‘contenders’. The ones that can comfortably dare to dream that this may be in fact your year. You walk around floating on air, without worry or concern for much else, all whilst doing daily tasks with the Midas touch. Life is easy. Beer tastes better. Even the cricket doesn’t seem that bad. Hawthorn, Geelong and Sydney fall into this category. You people rule. Next, we have the ‘underdogs’. The ones that are thereabouts but deep down know it’s going to take something special to dislodge the overlords. But there they are. Still amongst it, still fighting, still full of hope that like a dodgy bumper sticker, Magic will in fact happen. Freo, Richmond, Pies, Port and Carlton, you’re still alive in 2013. Lastly, we have the ‘also rans’. On the weekend, we saw several teams join this illustrious company, effectively ending their season with gallant but ultimately futile losses.
over 30s national team on Tuesday 20 August at East London RFC before they depart for Ireland to take on the Irish. The Great Britain men’s over 30s side will feature a number of talented Aussie players who qualify for Great Britain via heritage, citizenship or residency and include Jay Beare, Phillip Browne and Andrew Davis. Great Britain is coached by Australian Arron Lombardo. With Great Britain recently taking on Ireland in a three match tag rugby test series on Friday 12 July in Limerick, which Ireland won 2-1, there are plenty of opportunities for Aussies with British heritage to get involved in international competitions. Perry Haddock, Oztag Australia CEO and creator of the sport of tag rugby, has confirmed Australian players from the over 90,000 who play nationwide will tour London in July 2014 in the following formats; men’s opens, mixed opens, ladies opens, men’s over 30s and mixed over 30s. If you would like to get involved in a Try Tag Rugby competition or event, go to www.trytagrugby.com or email info@trytagrugby.com for more details.
RUBDOWN North, West Coast, Brisbane and Adelaide – it’s still mathematically possible to sneak into finals but lets face it, Stephen Hawkins would struggle to find a formula. You’ll now join the Suns, Dogs, Saints, Dees and Giants for the September Bali festival of ‘always next year’. These lucky punters play out the rest of the season mainly because they have to, but it’s also a chance to play a few kids on the list to see if they’re any good as well as somehow taking down some rivals above them on the way. This year is different however, for we have a fourth group – the ‘purgatorians’. Of course, it’s Essendon. All I say on this is that thankfully ASADA will bring out the report as to whether the Bombers were really naughty or good as gold. Speculation is that they will lose premiership points, plunging them into the also rans, maybe even the dreaded ‘spooners’ title. Again this is all speculation, however an independent investigation may be launched into how James Hird’s hair managed to stay so immaculate through this whole ordeal. Whatever the case, everyone wants findings either way pretty much so the massive grey blanket can be lifted and we can all get on with our lives. If it continues any longer, people are going to start resigning or losing their jobs.
First things first, what exactly is Flowboarding? The sport is relatively unknown in England and goes by many names including Flowboarding and Flowriding. It’s basically an artificial or man-made wave that can either be rode with a body-board or a stand-up board (Flowboard). How do you ‘win’? You are marked on your skill, style, tricks and cleanliness on the wave. It is judged much like snowboarding or surfing on a point tally by 3-4 different judges. How popular is it? There are over 130 flowriders located
in over 15 countries. In England there are various venues, located in Cornwall, Bedford, Castleford and Heworth. There are National Flowboarding events all over the world that lead up to the World Flow Championships in October every year. At this event teams from the USA, South Africa, Singapore, Europe, Dubai and South America all compete for the number one ranking in the world. DreamWorld held the Australian Flow Championships in February 2011 with a stand up division, as well as a junior and senior bodyboarding division. I placed second in the under 20′s at this competition. Some of these competitions have attracted between 300 and 400 spectators. Why did you move from Queensland to the UK? My goal and dream is to build Flowboarding into a major sport like you see over in the USA or South Africa. I think with a bit of help, time and dedication we can build it up and
compete against the world. I simply want to make the sport I absolutely love grow by hopefully getting some attention and advertising for the sport. I have recently landed in England to live with family and enter a few competitions here, including the European Championships in August. If successful in his European Championship quest I will secure a place in the final of the World Championships, to be staged in Phoenix, Arizona, in October. Have you competed in many competitions? I have recently competed in Sentosa, Singapore and placed second in Pro Bodyboard – even though I was the youngest and least competed rider to take part. I now have sponsorship deals with Willi Footwear, World Class Bodyboards, Nuke Optics, Sanguis Clothing and Sly collective! How do you get started, if our readers want to give it a go? To get started you simply need to go to any one of four Flowriders in the UK. Flowhouse Yorkshire and Bedford, Flowrider Cornwall and Flowrider Heworth. Simply book your session and everything will be provided for you to carve with the pros! Finally, how are you finding the UK? I am loving the UK! Missing home a little here and there, but have met some fans and made some awesome friends as well; so it has been fantastic so far.
Tough selection issues for third Ashes Test ...continued from p16 Selectors face a tough dilemma over whether to stick with 19-yearold Ashton Agar (1-66), or elevate the more experienced Lyon, who was unlucky to be dropped in the first place. Jackson Bird (2-62) was the pick of the quicks on day two, but Mitchell Starc (2-43) overshadowed him on day three. Both finished with two wickets apiece in their bowl-off for the final place in the pace attack for Manchester. Bird’s control may have edged him in front, but Starc’s left-arm provides
more variation to complement Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle, who will both play at Manchester. At close on the final day of the threeday fixture, Australia were 2-152 in their second innings, after Sussex had earlier declared with a two-run first innings lead at 7(dec)-368. Starc said he didn’t view it as a selection trial. “We certainly weren’t taking it as a bowl-off; it was just to go out there and perform,” he said. “I tried to put the thought of pushing for selection out of the picture and just try and take wickets.” By Ben Horne
Supersuit times still out of reach: Campbell ...continued from p16
But the Australian feels it could be years before anybody threatens Steffen’s world mark of 52.07, set at the controversial 2009 world championships in Rome. None of the sprint freestyle world records set at that meet have been broken, although James Magnussen and now Campbell have shown what is possible without a suit. “The 100s across the board were just insane in the suit era,” Campbell said.
“Especially if you get someone who is naturally good under water, like Britta was when she set that world record, and put her in a supersuit. It is just beyond comprehension. “I look at that time and I just think `oh, 0.3 seconds away’, it still seems like a mile away.” While Campbell’s time came as a surprise to even herself, her potential has long been noted. However she’s been held back by injuries and illness, the latest a case of pancreatitis that forced her to
UP THE PECKING ORDER Jackson Bird impressed ahead of third Ashes Test. (File Image/AAP-Dean Lewins) pull out of the 100m freestyle at the London Olympics. A return to full health since has allowed for a strong training block with coach Simon Cusack, with a focus on improving her strength. “I guess I’m stronger than I’ve ever been and that’s a big thing,” she said. “Simon has always been ‘we’re going to turn you into a man’. “Were slowly accomplishing that goal, one chin-up at a time.” Campbell insists she’s not fussed by times and world records and she was keen to shift the focus away from herself after Sunday’s swim. The women's 100m freestyle heats begin on Thursday. By Liam FitzGibbon
Sport | 15
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Brumbies aim to WIN tickets to see the Brumbies climb best Super at Twickenham this August WIN Rugby team list ...continued from p16 to become Super Rugby’s second most successful franchise behind the Crusaders. Five of Super Rugby’s six titlewinning teams made the finals this year, of which two of the three most successful - the Crusaders and Bulls - were knocked out in tight semifinal contests by the Chiefs and the Brumbies over the weekend. A win in Saturday’s final against the Chiefs in Hamilton would elevate the fourth-best Brumbies to Super Rugby’s second most successful franchise with three championship wins and three runners-up finishes. That would place them only behind seven-time champions the Crusaders. In one fell swoop, the Brumbies would leapfrog both the Blues and the Bulls. But first they’ll need to beat the defending champion Chiefs, who are
in the midst of developing their own Super Rugby dynasty. “The Crusaders have really dominated Super Rugby and every franchise is now trying to do that,” Brumbies coach Jake White said. “The Chiefs are trying to do it. The Brumbies are trying to do it. The Bulls have done it for a while now. “Everyone aspires to it and it’s that sort of achievement that you want to try and get to.” But in order to do so, the Brumbies will have to back up their surprise win against the Bulls in Pretoria by accomplishing several feats no Australian or South African side has ever managed in the competition’s 18-year history. That includes winning any type of finals match in New Zealand, winning a decider in a foreign country, winning a final after finishing outside the top two and winning a final after crossing the Indian Ocean in the lead-up week.
Be in it to win it
By Mike Abromowitz of 02Touch Well, as the saying goes “It’s now or never!” With most venues hitting the halfway season mark this week, you could really see all teams realise it’s now time to knuckle down and work hard for those finals positions! With another blissful week of sunshine and heat, it has been a definite case of blood, sweat and tears left to water the pitches. It has been amazing to see the overall team improvement that has happened in merely half a season. With some of our underdog teams finally shining through and showing the big guns of the league that their podium position isn’t going to be guaranteed this season. With most teams arriving early to warm up, you can now see the ripple effects and how the level of speed, skill and finesse on display has intensified. Creating this amazing ‘in it to win it’ atmosphere, all teams though competitive, are still always willing to lend a helping coaching hand when needed. There are four weeks remaining until our highly anticipated finals and at this stage, it’s anyone’s game! The sun wasn’t the only thing heating up London this week though, with our Super League competition more closely contested than ever. Raising the bar in every aspect of the game,
the Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Super League teams take the fields in Putney/ Wandsworth on Thursday each week, showing each other how it is done. Along with all the hot action that has been hitting the pitches, it’s the action off the pitch that really starts to heat things up! That’s right, we all know that touch players are the most amazing… at baking! Homemade pies, quiche and sausage rolls make regular appearances at our Clapham Common venue with one team in particular, Salmonella Dublon, sharing after game bevvies and snacks. But for those teams that haven’t been blessed with a Jamie Oliver incarnate, we do have each of our venues connected to a local pub – where teams can go and debrief and battle through those post game blues, whilst nibbling away at the FREE snacks generously provided by the respective venue. With 16 venues around England from Clapham Common and Regents Park to St Albans and Manchester, with over 600 teams playing in the London leagues alone and over 1,000 teams playing country wide, this growing sport is taking the nation by storm. For more information or if you would like to register for an O2 Touch league or competition, go to www.in2touch. com/uk or e-mail info@in2touch.
Australian Times has teamed up with Premier Rugby to offer you the chance to win a pair of tickets to the inaugural World Club 7’s tournament at Twickenham on 17-18 August. We have five pairs of tickets up for grabs so enter now for your chance to get right amongst the best rugby action London has to offer. 12 top club teams from around globe will be competing over the weekend and include Aviva Premiership teams Harlequins, Northampton Saints and winners of the 2013 J P Morgan Sevens
Championship, Western Province and Blue Bulls from South Africa, Auckland from New Zealand, ACT Brumbies from Australia, Buenos Aires from Argentina, as well as New York and San Francisco from the USA, Moscow and Kuban Krasnodar from Russia, as the established and emerging rugby worlds meet. The weekend will be packed with top class 7’s rugby and a summer carnival atmosphere in and around the stadium. Get down there and support your Aussie team, the ACT Brumbies.
2 for 1 weekend Tickets tickets and daily tickets are still available at www.ticketmaster.co.uk. For further event information and the tournament schedule Follow World Club 7s on WorldClub7srugby.com or Facebook.com/ WorldClub7s or Twitter@ WorldClub7s To win tickets Go to: AustralianTimes.co.uk/win
THURSDAY NIGHT RUGBY LEAGUE
ncos
Bro e h t k c a #B
v LEEDS RHINOS Thursday August 1st, kick-off 8:00pm at the Twickenham Stoop, TW2 7SX
ON THE NIGHT
allenge
ats • Selco half time ch
ers & acrob Steel band • Fire breath
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RUBDOWN
THE
The ‘purgatorians’
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SPORT
Brumbies win alters Bledisloe Cup camp n
The Wallabies will tweak their Rugby Championship training camp to cater for the Brumbies’ shock qualification for the Super Rugby final. If ACT win against the Chiefs on Saturday they will become the competition’s second most successful team. By David Barbeler in Canberra THE Brumbies recorded one of their greatest ever wins on Saturday when they toppled the Bulls 26-23 at the seemingly impregnable Loftus Versfeld with a last-ditch try. The victory set up a title decider with defending champions the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday and resulted in the Wallabies altering plans for their upcoming 40-man camp in preparation for the first Bledisloe Cup match against New Zealand in Sydney on August 17. The Brumbies boast the most number of players in the Australian squad with 12. “We’ll tweak our camp around that. We’ve always had that in the back of our mind as a possibility. We can adapt, it won’t affect our preparation,” Wallabies Coach Ewen McKenzie said. “It’s a back scratching exercise. We’ll find the best outcome for everyone.” While McKenzie hadn’t yet worked out the exact timing of when the camp will start early next week, he said it would only be a minor adjustment and was confident their late arrival would actually assist plans to win back the Bledisloe for the first time since 2002. “We definitely want to have a presence in the (Super Rugby) final. It’s great that they’re mixing and flying the flag for Australia,” the former Queensland Reds director of coaching said. “It gives us a bunch of guys coming in who are in-form that are match hardened.” The Brumbies are aiming to snuff out a second blossoming dynasty in as many weeks in a bid ...continued on p15
Ashes selection plot thickens after tour match
AUSTRALIA’S tour match against Sussex has ended in a draw, and little has been resolved about the team’s make-up for Thursday’s third Ashes Test at Old Trafford. Aside from a century to Steve Smith in the first innings, no Australian was really able to impose themselves on the match at Hove with bat or ball. Ed Cowan (66, 77 not out) made two half centuries to remind selectors what he’s capable of, but it’s unlikely to be enough to force his way ahead of Shane Watson, Chris Rogers or Usman Khawaja. Phil Hughes made 84 and 38 to ensure he still tops the aggregates for the tour with 436 runs, but it’s probably not enough to keep him in the team. David Warner is expected to be rushed back into the No.6 position at Hughes’ expense. If Hughes is dropped it will be for the third time in his 26-Test career. Nathan Lyon (1-99) bowled decently but only took the one wicket. ...continued on p14
Cate’s stunning swim breaks new ground
GREAT HOPE: Brumbies’ George Smith will be key to their Super Rugby title chances on Saturday. Does another Wallabies berth yet beckon for him? (AAP Image/Alan Porritt)
CATE CAMPBELL has broken new ground with a jaw-dropping 100m freestyle swim at the world championships but believes an “insane” supersuit world record is out of reach for now. Campbell rocketed into heavy favouritism for the individual 100m title with a scorching 52.33-second opening leg as Australia’s women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team claimed silver in Barcelona on Sunday. The 21-year-old’s swim was the fastest in a textile suit by 0.42 seconds and smashed Libby Trickett’s Australian record, which was set in a now-banned supersuit. Campbell becomes the second fastest woman in history, with or without a suit, behind German Britta Steffen. ...continued on p14