6 - 12 August 2013 Issue: 475
COMEDY GOLD
Aussie stand-ups storm London entertainment P8
FEEL THE FLOW Discover the new sport of Flowboarding Sport P14
WHY ARE YOU HERE?
5 reasons Aussies move to the UK UK life P5
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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” ...continued on p3
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2 | News
6 - 12 August 2013
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, 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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The paper used to print this publication has been sourced from sustainable forests (farmed trees). Please reduce waste by recycling your copy or pass it on others. 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:
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Your Say
seekers
On: The wisdom of our future PM? Abbott’s top 5 verbal gaffes
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
? What’s your view
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 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? Chris
An excellent letter. Come on Aussies let's show the world we care about all humanity. Good luck to you Timothy Major. 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. Jason
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
Share your comments on these and more stories online: AustralianTimes.co.uk
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...continued from p1 ...continued from p1
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4 | Exclusive Interview
6 - 12 August 2013
the Expat factor
Extraordinary Aussies in the UK
Sydney raised Jonathan Pfahl is the founder and Managing Director of the Rockstar group, the UK’s largest entrepreneur and mentoring firm. It’s Rockstar by name and by nature - Jonathan has taken the business world by storm with his professional passion, energetic style and finance acumen. Nine years after moving to London Jonathan reflects on his company’s successes, plans for its future and his love for the city he calls home. I didn’t come to London to start my own business. I came to London in 2005 to continue my career in finance and the reality of it was that I struggled to get the same type of job or salary in line with what I was getting in Australia. I ended up investing £3,000 into a three-month mentoring program with a multi-millionaire property investor. By the end of the three months I’d bought six houses in London and then became a mentor myself. I thought; no one is doing this for any other sector, no one is creating a one-stop shop for mentoring regardless of what sector that you’re in. So with the blessing of the company I was working for I came up with the idea of Rockstar.
"The fastest way to be successful in business is to go out and find someone who has already done what you want to do, and to get them to show you how to do it"
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I’ve always believed in the concept of mentoring. I knew after doing extensive research that the majority of British entrepreneurs believe that the fastest way to be successful in business is to go out and find someone who has already done what you want to do and to get them to show you how to do it, one to one. So in 2007, I went out and found a large number of multimillionaire entrepreneurs who did want to mentor younger businesses and created a one-stop shop where you could access the most relevant one to you. We’ve developed with the times, so we’ve created a very high tech and successful online mentoring platform. As a result of launching Rockstar Live we’ve now been able to take it to other parts of the world because it’s all online. We’ve been working with a number of our national and global partners who are now reselling and offering that service in the UK, certain parts of Europe, America and soon to be Australia. We were approached by James Caan, Chairman of the British Government’s Start-Up Loans initiative, to be the delivery partner of the £120 million scheme. Rockstar Youth is our governmentbacked facility that offers 18-30 year olds start up capital by way of a loan and free mentoring. Since our first incubator in November
Jonathan Pfahl
Founder and Managing Director of the Rockstar mentoring Group we have now created 1,500 new jobs for entrepreneurs. A lot of them have employed other people, which is great, and they’re all benefiting from access to big name mentors. I believe it is a lot easier to set up a business in the UK than in Australia. I absolutely feel that what’s now on offer for small businesses in this country privately and now with the support of government is much, much better. The cost to set up, the tax advantages, the simplicity and ease of creating a new company and getting your bank account sorted, and the size of the market. I’m biased because I’ve only ever set up a business here but I would absolutely encourage people to do so if they think they’ve got what it takes. We have had tough times, I had to invest a lot of my own money into the business to keep it going during the recession. 2010 was a difficult year for Rockstar, we had a lot of our members defaulting or unable to pay their mentoring fees. But by 2011, as the recession began to come to an end, the government and other large Blue Chip organisations began to endorse mentoring to help small business grow. That’s when mentoring really became a lot more sought after, and given Rockstar was already known
as the premier brand, we began growing strongly again.
"I believe it is a lot easier to set up a business in the UK than in Australia" I really can’t see myself going back to Australia any time soon. London is home for me, it really is. I’m married to an Australian so she puts up with the weather, but only just! It’s wonderful to visit Sydney but I do find it quite an isolated, small place in comparison with London. In terms of business, the next stop for me in the States. We’re reselling very strongly in New York, Miami and Chicago. I’m a huge rugby fan so I spend a lot of time at Twickenham Stadium. Whether it’s the England games or the Heineken Cup finals or the premiership finals, which I really enjoy. The other thing I love is that in nine years of living here I’ve still only seen probably 5% of the bars, restaurants and attractions that are on offer. There’s so much here to do, there’s such diversity and if you do get tired of the weather you get on a plane to Spain or Greece. Interview by Michaela Gray
News | 5
AustralianTimes.co.uk
n
As the 2013 election looms we take an in-depth look at the two leaders going head to head, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.
RUDD VS ABBOTT
Full name Kevin Michael Rudd. Position Prime Minister of Australia, Leader of the Labor Party. Electorate Griffith, Queensland. Elected November 1998. D.O.B 21/09/1957 in Nambour, Australia. Family Married to Therese Rein. Father to Jessica, Nicholas and Marcus. Career pre-politics Rudd spent most of the 1980s overseas while working for the Department of Defence, before becoming involved in politics in 1988 as Chief of Staff to then Queensland Opposition Leader Wayne Goss. He remained with Goss after he was elected Premier in 1989 until 1995. Fluent in Mandarin and with a keen interest in Asia, Rudd was hired as a Senior China Consultant by the accounting firm KPMG Australia in 1996, before winning the Queensland seat of Griffith for Labor in the 1998 federal election. Rise to power 4 Dec 2006 Rudd won the ALP leadership from Kim Beazley who had called a spill. Julia Gillard was elected Rudd’s deputy. 24 Nov 2007 The Kevin ‘O7 campaign led Rudd to a landslide victory over John Howard. Rudd became Prime Minister. 24 Jun 2010 With dwindling party support and under pressure from Gillard, Rudd called a leadership vote but stood down before the ballot was held. Gillard was elected party leader unopposed and became PM. 22 Feb 2012 Rudd abruptly resigned as Foreign Affairs Minister claiming he had lost the support of Gillard and senior ministers. The PM called
a leadership vote on 27 Feb, Rudd stood but was unsuccessful, promising that he would not initiate any further leadership challenges against Gillard but not ruling out becoming party leader again at a later date. 26 Jun 2013 Rudd defeated Gillard 57-45 after the PM called a leadership spill. Rudd became Labor leader and subsequently Prime Minister for the second time. He is the first former PM to return to the office since Robert Menzies in 1949. Key election policies • Offshore processing of asylum seekers in PNG. • Axe carbon tax in favour of an emissions trading scheme. • Education reforms (Gonski). • Labor party reforms. • Gay marriage. Controversies • 19 Aug 2007: It is revealed that while in New York City as Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2003, Rudd had visited a strip club. • Feb 2012: An expletive-laden video of outtakes of Rudd attempting to record a Chinese language message during his time as Prime Minister was released anonymously on YouTube. • Rudd’s nephew, Van Thanh Rudd, a member of the Revolutionary Socialist Party, has received occasional media coverage for his activism and controversial artworks. Outside politics • As a child, Rudd’s family struggled financially after the sudden death of his father. Rudd suffered taunts of “charity case” at school because of the family’s poverty. • Suffering rheumatic heart disease, in 1993 and again in 2011 Rudd underwent a cardiac valve transplant. • He speaks fluent Mandarin. • The family cat, Jasper, achieved internet celebrity status after becoming a regular character in Crikey’s First Dog on The Moon cartoons. His death in October 2012 was announced on Twitter and reported on by the major newspapers
Full name Anthony John Abbott. Position Leader of the Opposition, Leader of the Liberal Party. Electorate Warringah, New South Wales. Elected March 1994. D.O.B 04/11/1957 in London, England. Family Married to Margaret. Father to Louise, Bridget and Frances. Career pre-politics Abbott trained as a Roman Catholic priest in the mid-1980s before working as a journalist, business manager and political advisor. Rise to power 2007 Following the Liberal party’s election defeat and the resignation of John Howard, Abbott nominated for the leadership then withdrew his name before the ballot. He was appointed to the Shadow portfolio of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs by newly elected Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson. 26 Nov 2009 Abbott resigned from his portfolio in protest against then Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull’s support for the Rudd Government’s Emissions Trading Scheme. 1 Dec 2009 Abbott became Leader of the Liberal Party and Opposition Leader after challenging Turnbull. 21 Aug 2010 A hung parliament is produced by the election result. Abbott failed to win support of crossbenchers in order to form government. Gillard and the ALP retained power.
Key election policies • ‘Turn back’ asylum seeker boats. • Repeal the carbon tax and Minerals Resources Rent Tax. • Overhaul finance sector regulation. • Lower taxes, reduce red tape for small business and create jobs. • Strengthen laws applying to registered organisations (eg, trade unions) Controversies • In 1998 Abbott established a trust fund to bankroll civil court cases against One Nation party founders Pauline Hanson and David Ettridge, who were subsequently imprisoned. The conviction against Hanson was ultimately overturned. • In 2004 it was revealed that at the age of 19 Abbott had fathered a child who was put up for adoption. The boy had become an ABC sound recordist working at Parliament House and involved in the making of television programs in which Abbott appeared. DNA testing later revealed that Abbott was not the man’s father. • In October 2007, as Minister for Health, Abbott said of dying asbestos campaigner Bernie Banton “just because a person is sick doesn’t mean that he is necessarily pure of heart in all things.” He later apologised. • Abbott’s Catholicism and traditionalist beliefs have been the subject of media commentary, with suggestions he polarises female voters. Outside politics • Abbott is a volunteer member of the NSW Rural Fire Service. • He has four published books. • As Opposition spokesman on Indigenous Affairs, Abbott spent several weeks teaching in a remote Aboriginal settlements in 2008-09. • A keen sportsman, Abbott regularly participates in events for charity.
6 | UK Life
6 - 12 August 2013
n
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When embarking on a new adventure we tend to believe that everything is going to be shiny, new and exciting – until the reality hits you. Moving to London is no different. You soon remember things like rent, bills and transport costs still exist, that it is harder to make friends in your late 20s and life is not always a holiday. Though you might be having the time of your life in London, it is important to remember expectations don’t always match reality. Here is 10 expectations I had about living in the UK that have been put to the test over the past few months.
1 2 3 4
Expectation: You’re on a working holiday visa, which means you will be travelling all the time. Reality: You are always strapped for cash and you end up working six days a week to pay for rent and a short holiday every few months. Expectation: You'll work little and play hard. Reality: You are tired from working so hard saving for the Sail Croatia trip you always wanted to go on. Maybe next week you’ll finally hit up Bijous and hang out with Prince Harry. Expectation: You will party all the time in London with the new friends you made on your last trip. Reality: Your friends list on Facebook increases exponentially but you will probably never see them in person again. Expectation: You'll spend your weekends at farmers markets, cafés and funky restaurants. Reality: You spend your Saturdays trying to get over Friday night drinks and Sundays catching up on TV you missed while out during the week.
5 6 7 8 9 10
Expectation: You’ll spend weekends exploring the English countryside, and will head to the beach in summer for fish and chips. Reality: Your travel card is valid for zones 1 – 3, and come Saturday you don’t even think about leaving your neighbourhood, let alone London. Expectation: Groceries, food and transport seem less expensive than at home so it is easy to save money for your next holiday. Reality: You are also earning much less and you opt for the camping holiday instead of the hotel option. Expectation: Being in the nightlife capital of Europe, you’ll spend your nights in the coolest bars and clubs London has to offer. Reality: The bouncer at Infernos knows you by name. Expectation: You’ll catch up with friends and family back home on Skype, Viber, What’s App or on the phone all the time. Reality: The only time for a decent catch up seems to be when you’re recovering from Friday night drinks or Saturday night. Surely they can just Facebook stalk me? Expectation: You’ll visit all the tourist attractions, learn about history and take in the city’s unique culture. Reality: Are you kidding?! Those places are full of tourists! Expectation: You’ll be the exception to the Heathrow Injection curse and go to the gym every night after work. Reality: You go to the pub every night after work and you start buying looser fitting clothes at Primark. That onesie you wore to the Church that one time is now your most comfortable piece of clothing.
Food & Wine | 7
AustralianTimes.co.uk
ORGANIC FOOD SPECIAL By Michaela Grey So, you’re an organic vegetable, what makes you so special? I’m the vegetable equivalent of an Olympic athlete. Grown on a pure diet, in optimal conditions. I’m worth more than your average vegetable and I perform better. Wow, that’s a big claim. Can you prove it? Prove it? Of course I can! Well, not really, but plenty of people have tried. I’ve heard of Olympians using performance enhancers, you’re not one of those athletes are you? No way, I’m as natural as can be. I’m free of the pesticides and chemicals found in other produce because I’m grown all natural, the way farmers did it way back
A Life Organic n
Let’s get to the root of the hype by going straight to the source. We ask an organic vegetable, what’s your deal? before industrialisation and genetic modifying.
affordable. I’ll add just a few extra pounds to your weekly shop.
Pesticides and genetic modifying haven’t killed me yet, why should I eat organic? Trust me, you’ll feel better. Plenty of organic converts say their skin is brighter, their allergy symptoms have lessened, they feel healthier and have more energy. Plus, you can brag about it.
I already eat plenty of “natural” food, isn’t it that same as “organic”? I’m insulted. Anyone can call a product “natural” but to be “organic” you have to be grown according to strict standards. I told you, it’s an exclusive club.
I can brag about my vegetables? Don’t you read any of the tabloids? Everybody is talking about what they’re eating (or not eating), what other people are eating (or not eating). Get on the organic bandwagon and you’ll be part of a very exclusive club. Oh, exclusive means expensive. Not at all, in the UK I’m very
The Whole Meal > Ally Juchnevicius
Ok, I’m convinced. Where do I start? Excellent, grab your reusable shopping bag and head to your nearest supermarket. There are organic alternatives to plenty of your favourite fruit and veg as well as meat, fish, eggs, pasta and dairy. There are tonnes of speciality stores around or you can buy organic from your local street market. Hm, if organic food is everywhere it can’t be very “exclusive.” (Sigh) This is a health movement, it takes a lot of people buying these products to keep them so readily available on the shelves. Now, do you want to eat organic or do you want to have your visa cancelled? Sorry, forget I doubted you. That’s ok, your brain is probably so riddled with harmful chemicals you can’t think straight. You should probably go on a detox – an organic carrot will help with that. Here, try this one… (Munch, munch, munch) Taste that? Taste what? Exactly! No pesticides or chemicals. Delicious, isn’t it?
Buying organic Australia vs UK By Michaela Gray
BUYING organic in the UK is more affordable than in Australia, yet here the food trend is on the decline. While foodies concerned with health (their own and that of the environment) would have noticed the price gap, the difference to their budget bottom line may be short lived as the organic market takes a dive. Figures show that over the past year in the UK the amount of land dedicated to growing organic produce decreased, the number of organically reared livestock fell and
the organic sales market as a whole contracted. The downward trend began during the 2009 recession as middle income families – the largest consumer group in the organic market – dramatically reduced their spending on ‘luxury’ items. The fall in demand has continued as consumer confidence remains weak and has led to a contraction of the UK’s organic market as a whole, down 1.5% by the start of 2013. This represents a decrease in market value of £1.67 billion to £1.64 billion. With fewer products being purchased, the acreage of farmland dedicated to organic crop production has reduced. At the end of 2012, UK farmland classified as organic was down 7.4% compared to the previous year. At the same time, farmers are refraining from committing new land to costly organic production, with conversion land (which must be managed organically for two years, before being approved as
Tastes like a carrot. Just like a carrot should. organic) dropping by 12.4% at the end of 2012. Similarly, fewer animals are being reared to organic standards. In 2008 there were over four million organically raised birds in the UK, but by the start of this year that number was down to just over two million. At the opposite end of the scale, the revenue from organic farming in Australia is predicted to rise by 12.5% to $617 million by the end of the year. Having identified organic farming in Australia as “a blossoming industry,” IBISWorld has forecast that “the industry will continue to grow strongly over the next five years” with revenues to rise 10.3% per annum over that period. UK based Australians soon to return home will be hoping the market’s good fortune will be passed on to consumers through a reduction in shelf prices. At present, organically grown foods in Australia are as much as 300% more expensive than other produce. Cost-of-living research from Suncorp Bank has shown that a basket of organic goods including bananas, eggs, mince and chicken breasts, would cost a consumer $100 versus $56 for regular items. Over the course of a year organic buyers could spend more than $2300 extra.
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8 | Entertainment
6 - 12 August 2013
The star of ABC’s Problems is back at Soho Theatre! ‘An hour of unadulterated and awesome absurdity.’
««««« Daily Telegraph
Soho Theatre presents
SAM SIMMONS:
SHITTY TRIVIA
Mon 12 – Sat 24 August
Entertainment | 9
AustralianTimes.co.uk
What’s On Sam Simmons Shitty Trivia 12 - 24 August @Soho Theatre San Cisco 20th August @London's Sebright Arms Amity Affliction 14 September @Underworld Adam Hills Happyism 22 September @Hammersmith Apollo FilmFest Australia October 2013 @Barbican Centre Barry Gibb 3 October @O2 Arena Tim Minchin in Jesus Christ Superstar 13 October @02 Arena For full details...
...and more Aussie gigs go to: AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment
See what we are following this week on
Follow us on Twitter @AustralianTimes
The five biggest Australian songs you have missed so far in 2013 n
When you are travelling around Europe, you don’t always have time to keep up-to-date with the most recent Aussie music. Luckily KIEL EGGING has taken the time to give Australian Times readers a rundown of the biggest Aussie tunes that they have missed so far this year. During my travels around Europe over the last few months, I’ve lost count of the amount of times that I have heard Daft Punk’s Get Lucky, Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines or tracks from Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, P!nk and Justin Timberlake blaring out of a club. As a result of all the partying and repetition in each club (oh, and that little thing called travelling as well), my usual intake of home-grown hits has been depleted. But – during my downtime – I’ve managed to take a quick listen to what has surfaced while I’m away, and compare it with what tunes were booming just before I left. The result: a selection of the biggest tracks from Australian artists this year so far, which you have probably missed while you have been living it up here in London (or other parts of the globe, for that matter).
Empire of the Sun – Alive
Fresh from touring and collaborating with Elton John via his original band Pnau, Nick Littlemore regrouped with the zany Luke Steele in April to bring us the first track in five years from the Walking On A Dream hit-makers. It’s a massive return as well – Alive is packed with an anthemic chorus and some solid production that makes it impossible to not tap your foot (or fistpump) along. Their extravagant outfits are back in full force as well – just check out the clip below. I haven’t sat down yet to hear Empire’s sophomore album Ice On The Dune, but fingers crossed it’s been worth the long wait between releases.
Matt Corby – Resolution
A former expat-Londoner who floored everyone with his hit Brother
last year, winning the ARIA for Single of the Year. Corby has been busy working on his debut album, which is set for release in late 2013. Resolution is the first offering from it, and it builds from intricate guitar into a powerful track that serves as yet another showcase of his sublimely raw vocal talents. And to think this dude was almost swallowed up by the Australian Idol machine when he was runner-up in 2007.
Flume – Holdin’ On
Okay, so this was technically released in 2012. But since this track reached No.4 on the Triple J Hottest 100 back on Australia Day, Flume has blown up and found himself all as the crossover electro-hype act it’s cool to like. That hype has transferred over here as well – he just did two sold out shows at Heaven nightclub and headlined one of the smaller stages at the Wireless festival earlier this month.
Bernard Fanning – Battleships
Who else but the band’s frontman to offer us the first bit of work since Powderfinger called it a day in 2010? Battleships is the lead single from Fanning’s second solo album Departures (released back home last month) – and thankfully, it’s more swagger-filled and shies away from the country/folk-ish twang that dominated his 2005 debut Tea and Sympathy. Expect the chorus and atmospheric guitar to hang around in your head for a few days.
Birds Of Tokyo – Lanterns
An incredibly wussy offering compared their previous stuff, Lanterns was featured in all the Channel 7 promotional advertisements for US drama Revenge during the Australian Open in January, meaning the chorus was firmly engrained in your head by late summer. It also led to it become a local radio staple back home, and, showing there’s no escape, I even heard it blaring out of an Itsu store in London just last week. It’s a hearty song, but you could just as easily hit the ‘next’ button before the one-minute-mark due to its lack of bite. Check out their morerecent single When The Night Falls Quiet instead, which is much more digestible. Honourable mentions: Bliss N Eso – House Of Dreams, Boy & Bear – Southern Sun.
10 | Travel
6 - 12 August 2013
Postcards from Australia
n
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.
6
travel with
5 4
3
1
9
7 8
2
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5. AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
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AustralianTimes.co.uk
Istanbul In the footsteps of the sultans n
Hammams, meze, baklava, kebaps: Istanbul is a city of the senses. It also bridges the pious and the hedonistic, the Byzantine and the modern Turkish – and the landmasses of Europe and Asia. Heather Walker spent a few days in old Constantinople.
Travel | 11 By Heather Walker If there is one place visitors to Turkey will make a point of seeing, it’s Istanbul. It has long lured tourists with its exotic charm and minaret-studded skyline, and is a particularly popular destination for Australians living in the UK. Istanbul is the only city in the world that straddles two continents – and you will see the influences of both Europe and Asia here. As the former capital of three world empires – the Roman, the Byzantine and the Ottoman, it has borne three names: Byzantium, Constantinople and Istanbul, each of which has inscribed its mark on the palimpsest of modern Istanbul. Today it is the vast, bustling home of 13 million residents, mainly moderate Muslims, who are fiercely proud of their rich heritage.
Sightseeing
The best way to soak up a sense of the city’s grandeur is by wandering the cobbled streets. Retrace the steps of the Byzantine emperors when visiting Sultanahmet’s extraordinary monuments and marvel at the mosques built by the Ottoman sultans on the city’s seven hills. Probably Istanbul’s most famous monument, the rust-hued Hagia Sophia is a former Orthodox church later converted into a mosque and now a museum. Its gravity-defying dome is an architectural marvel and its walls boast a handful of gold mosaic panels that survived the iconoclastic period, most notably the Deesis (Last Judgment) depicting Christ Jesus flanked by John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary. Avoid the hordes of school group and tourbus visitors by seeing this and other major attractions in the afternoon. A magnificent Byzantine mosaic pavement depicting hunting and mythological scenes that was uncovered in the 1950s behind the Blue Mosque is displayed in situ in the Great Palace Mosaic Museum. If you’re a museum junkie like me, you’ll also enjoy the archaeological ...continued on p12
12 | Travel
6 - 12 August 2013
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museum, which much like the British Museum, contains many treasures plundered from other lands, such as what is believed to be the ornate sarcophagus of Alexander the Great, as well as fascinating artefacts from Istanbul through the ages. Give yourself at least half a day to see the nearby Topkapi Palace, for 400 years the royal residence of Ottoman sultans. You can see, among other treasures, the harem complex and some surprisingly fascinating rooms dedicated to collections of weapons, clocks, holy relics and jewellery. If you have time, why not visit one of the sultans’ later homes, across the Bosphorus Strait. At Dolmabahce
Palace, known as the Versailles of Turkey, you can stroll through beautiful gardens and some lavishly decorated rooms to see the largest crystal chandelier in the world. Istanbul has more than 3,000 mosques and there are several historic ones worth visiting. You need to take off your shoes before entering and women are obliged to cover their heads inside. Most close to visitors for lunchtime prayers. The Blue Mosque, built by Sultan Ahmet to rival its neighbour the Hagia Sophia, gets its name from the thousands of decorated tiles that cover its walls – its intricately patterned dome is a sight to behold. The New Mosque is, in my opinion, more blue than the Blue Mosque and equally impressive, while Suleymaniye mosque, built by the richest and most powerful sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, is much simpler yet just as breathtaking. No matter where you happen to be at sunset, you are likely to be stopped in your tracks by the evening calls to prayer from one or more mosques in the vicinity. I find the
Travel | 13
AustralianTimes.co.uk
wail of the muezzin mesmerisingly beautiful; others would say it’s just plain annoying – but it’s all part of Istanbul’s unique character. If it’s gold mosaics you’re after, the Chora Church has some of the finest in the world – its interior reminiscent of St Mark’s Basilica in Venice (on a smaller scale). It’s tucked away in the little-visited Western Districts but is easily reached by bus or taxi – and worth the effort.
Shopping, eating and chilling
No visit to Istanbul would be complete without a visit to the famed Grand Bazaar – important to note that it’s closed on a Sunday (don’t make the same mistake we did)! A great place to find gifts, scarves, trinkets, carpets and loukum (Turkish delight). Be sure to haggle and don’t bother buying the flavoured tea – it may look beautiful but actually has no taste! If you find the Grand Bazaar overwhelming, try the nearby Spice Bazaar, it’s a more manageable size and less crowded to navigate. Pounding the streets looking at buildings can be thirsty work – and luckily around just about every corner there are little stalls selling freshly squeezed orange or pomegranate juice. I believe London would be a happier place if this trend started in Blighty. For nightlife and a variety of decent restaurants, head across the Galata Bridge to Beyoglu, the modern heart of Istanbul. There are of course the
ubiquitous kebap joints, but seafood is also fresh and abundant, or you could gorge yourself on plates of meze. Be sure to end the meal with a sticky helping of baklava. A visit to a hamam is a quintessential Turkish experience. Most are open until late at night and are the perfect way to unwind after a long day. Istanbul boasts more than 80 old Ottoman baths where you will get naked (men and women are in separate baths) and be scrubbed and rubbed to a degree of cleanliness you have never experienced! The majority of hamams are popular with locals but there a few more touristy ones, which are slightly pricier but generally offer more treatments.
Sleeping
When you’re travelling on pounds, Istanbul’s accommodation is great value for money. We had a pleasant stay at Hotel Amber, one of several Best Western hotels dotted across the city. The rooms were spacious and air-conditioned, and a sumptuous breakfast was served on the roof terrace with a gorgeous view of the sea. *Heather visited Istanbul courtesy of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Photos by Heather Walker and Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
14 | Professional Life
6 - 12 August 2013
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Sport | 15
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Excitement builds ahead of Tongan UKtag rugby tour
Be in it to win it
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 over 30s national team on Tuesday 20 August at East London RFC before
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 thisMore illustrious company, Get effectivelySport ending their season with gallantAustralianTimes.co.uk/sport but ultimately futile losses.
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.
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
...continued from p16
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.
...continued from p16
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.
RUBDOWN
THE
The ‘purgatorians’
P14
SPORT 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 ...continued on p14
Cate’s stunning swim breaks new ground
...continued on p15
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