17 April - 23 April 2012 – Issue: 408
HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU
Up close and personal in South Africa
ON GUARD
Discover the exciting world of Covent Garden
THE NEARLY MAN Watson chasing the elusive score
VOICES P5
TRAVEL P10
SPORT P16
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ANZAC DAY GALLIPOLI VISIT FOR PM GILLARD n
Julia Gillard will be the first Australian Prime Minister to visit Gallipoli since 2005 when she attends the sacred Anzac Day service in Turkey next week.
PRIME MINISTER Julia Gillard will mark Anzac Day at Gallipoli this year, as part of a week-long international visit to Turkey and Singapore. As Australia gears up to commemorate the Anzac centenary in 2015, this year's visit will be Ms Gillard's first trip to Turkey as leader and the first visit to Gallipoli by an Australian prime minister since 2005. "It's a journey I've wanted to make all of my life and I'm very honoured and grateful that I will be in Gallipoli for this Anzac Day," the PM said. She will join Australians who have travelled to Gallipoli to commemorate the landing of troops at Anzac Cove on the 97th anniversary of the historic landings. The prime minister will attend services at the Anzac Day dawn service, the Australian Memorial at Lone Pine and the New Zealand Memorial at Chunuk Bair. Ms Gillard is also scheduled to hold talks with Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "Australia and Turkey are strengthening our cooperation on a range of significant international issues," she said in a statement on Monday. "We are partners in the transition in Afghanistan and work very closely together in the G20, which Australia will host in 2014 and Turkey will host in 2015." The Aussie PM foreshadowed her trip to Turkey by announcing that the Australian War Memorial in Canberra would receive $27 million from the government to revamp its World War I galleries. She announced the funding upgrade
In association with
(AAP Image/Joe Castro)
Dame Edna, Rolf Harris, Croc Dundee and Brad Pitt line up in Sydney KEITH URBAN, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Croc Dundee are personalities you might not expect to see sharing the same stage. But at Madame Tussauds wax museum - which opened in Sydney on Monday - anything can happen. The world renowned attraction has been given an Australian makeover and has set-up shop in Darling Harbour. International A-listers such as Hugh Jackman and Cate Blanchett rub shoulders with local stars like presenter Amanda Keller and Home and Away’s Ray “Alf Stewart” Meagher. Guy Pearce, who graduated from Ramsay Street to Hollywood Boulevard with films such as LA Confidential and Memento, has been immortalised as his most famous ...continued on p3
NO LAUGHING MATTER
Hamish Blake takes home ‘controversial’ Gold Logie | P3
at the War Memorial itself on Monday and said the renovations will be completed for Anzac Centenary commemorations in 2014. Meanwhile, during the Singapore leg of Ms Gillard's trip, she will meet
with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to discuss trade, defence and regional cooperation. As 2012 marks the 70th anniversary of the Battle for Singapore, in which more than 1000 Australians were killed
Go to: AustralianTimes.co.uk/move-to-australia
or missing in action and over 15,000 Australians became prisoners of war, Ms Gillard will pay her respects at the Kranji War Memorial. - AAP AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
2 | News
17 April - 23 April 2012
Oldfield achieved nothing but to prove he’s just a rebel without a cause
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Please can idiots like Trenton Oldfield spare us all the frustration of being exposed to your petty and pointless attempts at ‘protest’. the hard word > NATHAN MOTTON
THAT bloody idiot who jumped in the Thames. ‘Just another selfish, deluded, egotistical twat’ was my initial response. The smug grin that Trenton Oldfield d isplayed as he was led away by police, after successfully disrupting the 158th University Boat Race in London said it all. It is genuinely difficult to believe anything other than that the Australian-born man is like so many protesters in the 21st Century; rebels without a cause. First raced in 1829 the Boat Race is one of the oldest sporting events in the world. The race is held between Putney and Mortlake on the River Thames and is an incredible event. Watched by thousands along the banks, millions more tune in to watch on television. Cambridge eventually went on to win the race following a restart, taking their tally to 81 wins while Oxford trail on 76. When quizzed by a media outlet following his subsequent arrest, Oldfield said: “It was a protest against the cuts and the enclosure of our lives as a result of the destruction of public services. Our lives are being disrupted and we have to be ready to protest... democracy needs rebooting.” His
Your Say On: What I will miss most about Britain
Mate, I could not have said it better myself. I’m lucky (can live in both countries by marriage) but Aussie pubs and Pommie pubs the Poms win hands down! Wayne Facebook.com/AustralianTimes
On: What we leave behind when we leave Australia
The birds, the sea, the bush and little else, especially not the politics and racism! Oh, and Aussies who never give you five minutes peace! They can be a touch over-friendly sometimes claustrophobic/clingy/insecure! Maree Facebook.com/AustralianTimes
O n : A s y l u m - s e e ke r numbers drop in Australia The opposition immigration spokesman, Scott Morrison, is quite correct when he argues that Asylum seekers have not dropped. The Australian Labor
? What’s your view
Every day on …
grievance is that “elitism leads to tyranny”. But after the privately educated 35-year-old was thrown into the global spotlight by the world’s media, The Hard Word once again found itself asking the question; ‘what is the point, what has he achieved?’. Yes the race is undoubtedly posh, but so what? It is a spectacle as much as anything else, and is the culmination of months of hard work by young men at their peak of their abilities. Oxford’s bowman Alex Woods can testify to just how gruelling this four mile course is, collapsing at the conclusion of the race. Rowing as a sport has never really captured the attention of news editors. Perhaps that is one reason why it is perceived by the Oldfield’s of the world as some type of toff’s free-for-all. Unbeknown to most (myself included) it is plain to see that the elitism of the sport (some of the brightest students in this country competing from two of the world’s best universities) has not advanced the cause of a disenchanted few who cry foul whenever the race is conducted, but rather has increased immensely the physical strength and prowess of those competing. The same goes for any sport. Elitism is essential to excelling in any sport. Only the best will succeed.
I’m a big believer in the right to protest. I have never taken part in one, but I appreciate and respect those who wish to do so. Wait... I respect those who wish to do so when their sole aim is to advance their chosen cause in any way they can, and most importantly, as in Oldfield’s case, they are not out to attract their own 15 minutes of fame. Just like the anti-capitalist Occupy protesters at St Paul’s Cathedral banging on about social and economic inequality. The sad thing was the small few that actually protested had a very valid point, but their method was useless and achieved nothing. Just like those who looted stores, burned shops and raided the very fabric of this great city last year - protesting about social inequality (so they would have us believe). Or was it just an opportunity for a selfish smash-and-grab? The 35-year-old will appear in the Feltham Magistrates Court on 23 April, charged under the Public Order Act. His actions are now a matter for the courts. But please can idiots like him spare us all the frustration of being exposed to your petty and pointless attempts at ‘protest.’
Govt keeps pushing the figure up for “Asylum” seekers intake so that it just seems that way. Besides they are not Asylum seekers in the real sense of the word. They are actually Muslims from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan that can afford to fly to Malaysia, travel to Indonesia (both Muslim countries), live for 6 months or so before paying thousands of dollars to take a boat to Ashmore reef for pick up by the Royal Australian Navy Taxi service to Christmas Island. They are not refugees but illegal immigrants getting past Australian Border “control”. Another 200 arrived this morning. The 7th boat this week alone. Like countries in this region (Malaysia, Indonesia) Australia should not be party to the UNHCR. Ian AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
The miserable publicity seeking twerp should be deported at the first opportunity. Typical of his genre of people who can’t get other people to agree with them, go and interfere with someone else’s lives. Spoilt brat. Stewart AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
On: Fenton is now Trenton: Aussie Boat Race protester goes viral
AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
Deserved to get his head knocked off. Deserves to be deported. A disgrace to Oz. Shirley Facebook.com/AustralianTimes
On: Aussie tribute to Pink Floyd makes waves in London
I agree to every comment you have made, Saw the show just last Sunday in Cambridge and was blown away again by the complete experience! Carolyn AustralianTimes.co.uk/ entertainment
All the fool highlighted was the tyranny of egoism. Peter Facebook.com/AustralianTimes
Share your comments on these and more stories online: AustralianTimes.co.uk
News | 3
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Madame Tussauds opens in Sydney Continued from p1... Australian role in marabou feathers and hot pink eyeshadow. Pearce’s Felicia Jollygoodfellow, from The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Dessert, is joined by other Aussie icons such as Mick Dundee (Paul Hogan) and the late actor Heath Ledger - who was awarded a posthumous Oscar - in the museum’s film room. Next door is an Australian television room devoted to stars of the small screen. On Monday, Ian Smith, better known as Harold Bishop from Neighbours, came face to face his wax alter-ego for the launch. Smith said it was unnerving standing next to such a lifelike recreation of himself, but insisted, “I’m not as fat as that.” “I feel like my friends, I’ve stood next to me,” Smith said. “I told my wife Gail when I drop off the perch she can take this home.”
Also in the television room is Dame Edna Everage, Bert Newtown and a colourfully-dressed Rolf Harris who donated original clothing and a wobble board to the artists. Other stars donated original items that are included with their figures. Layne Beachley’s wax model is dressed in bathers worn by the surfer. The wax Delta Goodrem and Miranda Kerr have second-hand donated dresses that previously appeared on stage. And the Jimmy Barnes that was chiselled from wax wears leather trousers that the real life Barnes performed in at ANZ stadium in 2009. Madame Tussauds general manager Hywel Mathias said it takes 60 artists 800 hours to create a figure from beginning to end. Each figurine is worth about $220,000. - AAP AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
Hamish Blake unaware of Gold Logie leak COMEDIAN Hamish Blake was unaware the winner of the Gold Logie had been leaked and said he was genuinely surprised when his name was read out. The winner of the 2012 award for Most Popular Personality on TV was released by a media outlet more than hour before the award was announced. It was posted, and quickly removed, from a website. But it was too late. Blake's name was being bandied around social media sites, although the 30-year-old said no-one had even suggested he would be handed the Gold Logie as he sat at his table at Crown in Melbourne on Sunday night. "I was really expecting a slip up," Blake told reporters. "I have been many to many events night and I was expecting a slip up... ultimately all that information was kept from me so it was a genuine surprise. "I'm glad too because I am not a great actor." Presenter Shaun Micallef had told Blake before the night that he would say his name as the winner anyway and then retract it, just to make him feel as though he was a winner, Blake said. "If you watch it closely when I walk, up he did have to show me the name so I knew I won the Logie," Blake said. The 30-year-old said his offsider and comedic partner Andy Lee was as much responsible for his success in winning the award. The pair are considered inseparable and have been partners in a number of successful ventures, both on television and radio. "The first thing we ever did on TV was at university, it was a TV show called Radio Karate," Blake said. "I wanted to make it quite clear too, I see this very much as a joint award." Ever the joker, Blake said he expected to receive a few perks on the back of his first Gold Logie. "I am already getting clothes made that I can pocket the Logie
in," Blake said. "Now I can take it to McDonald's and get free small fries because that's one of the perks." Oddly, Blake was overlooked for the Silver Logie for the Most Popular Presenter which also comprised four of the Gold Logie nominees (Blake, Adam Hills, Carrie Bickmore and Karl Stefanovic). Hills took home that award yet missed out on claiming the Gold Logie for the fifth consecutive year. But Blake's win was his second for the night, having taken out the Most Popular Light Entertainment Program with his offsider Andy Lee for Hamish and Andy's Gap year. Melissa George picked up the Most Outstanding Logie for her part in Australian mini-series The Slap while Rob Carlton picked up the Most Outstanding Actor Logie for his role in Paper Giants. And while the talking point of the event was the leaked Gold Logie affair, Micallef played down the leak at a post-Logies interview. "The media and television can't trust each other," Micallef said in jest. "The relationship is ruined." - AAP AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
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4 | News
17 April - 23 April 2012
NEWS DIGEST
Top news stories from the week that was
One Direction create ‘Beatlemania’ in Oz
Screaming Australian teenagers created mayhem in Sydney’s CBD when British boy band One Direction dropped in to town.
THE ‘biggest boy band in the world’ enjoyed some sun in the harbour city before a series of interviews in Sydney’s Martin Place, where thousands of teenage girls cried, screamed and went wild over the Pommy ‘heartthrobs’. The boys munched on some Aussie delicacies (Vegemite, Tim Tams and a meat pie) before announcing they would return in 2013 for a full concert tour.
AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
Fenton becomes Trenton
Trenton Oldfield, the Australian protester who created a splash in London over Easter when he interrupted the Oxford – Cambridge Boat Race, became star of a new viral video.
THE 35 year old activist protesting elitism (despite attending one of Australia’s most prestigious schools and studying at the London School of Economics) was immortalised when his River Thames swimming exploits, that disrupted the 158th running of the annual Boat Race, were ‘mashed up’ in a video edit that contains the audio track from the now globally famous YouTube video ‘Jesus Christ - Fenton the Labrador chases deer in the park’. AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
Bob Brown quits, but vows to stay Green
‘Dickhead’ Guy Pearce says sorry to Canberra
Leader of the Australian Greens party, Bob Brown, resigned from parliament after 25 years in the public eye.
Australian actor Guy Pearce has apologised to Canberra for being “a dickhead’’ after making derogatory comments on an American talk show.
SENATOR BOB BROWN, the first openly gay member of Australian Federal Parliament and leader of the Greens since the party formed in 1992, shocked colleagues and the Aussie public when he announced that he was resigning from the Senate. Tributes flowed in for the popular politician who said “I will be a Green until the day I die, if not for a long time after that”.
GUY PEARCE, one of Australia’s favourite actors, has showed humility (and a teeny bit of a guilty conscience) when he sent a letter to The Canberra T i m e s apologising for joking about the national capital. “I’m writing to sincerely apologise for the comments I recently made about Canberra on the USA talk show ‘Craig Ferguson’. I’m so sorry for being such a dickhead. I give you permission to abuse me in the street and tell me my films are crap…” Pearce, star of films such as Priscilla, Mememto and LA Confidential, had joked that “there’s a lot wrong about Canberra” and that “people from Canberra usually deny they are from Canberra”.
AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
Australians urged to vote in London Mayoral elections
#Expect Assange – on a TV near you
WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, announced his forthcoming television show ‘The World Tomorrow’ would start on Russian broadcaster RT today (17 April).
AUSTRALIAN journalist under house arrest in the UK, Julian Assange, will host the first of his 12 hugely anticipated television shows on RT today. The Editor-inChief of WikiLeaks hasn’t released who will join him on the sure-to-be controversial ‘conversational’ news show but has shown that not even a pending European Arrest Warrant and possible American extradition and trial can silence this little Aussie battler.
AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
What we’re following #Julian Assange
@sprocket___ Assange could replace BobBrown as Green Senator for Tasmania. Why not?
NO DOUBT you will have heard that the current Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is in an intense battle with political rival Ken Livingstone. The fight is over who will be the next London Mayor. What you may not know is that you, as an Australian, are eligible to vote. As Commonwealth citizens, Australians are able to vote in UK elections and you can have your say on who will be the ‘big boss’ of the city for the next four years. Voting in the elections is apparently a great way for Londoners to have an input on issues such as transport, housing and policing and if you’re living in London, you have the right to vote. But if you want to vote and you haven’t looked in to it yet, you better act fast. Anyone who is already on the electoral register should have already received a poll card in the post. Otherwise, the deadline for the receipt of electoral registration forms is Wednesday 18 April. So don’t delay. Forms are available from the London Elects website at LondonElects.org. uk (London Elects is the government body co-ordinating the elections). The only question that remains is, who will you vote for? Tell us at AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
@parfitt_tom Julian Assange predicts he will be cast as “traitor, interviewing radicals” with new TV show
POLLIES PANNED
@daipayanhalder Too many journalists are nothing more than stenographers for the powerful: Julian Assange
Australian artist Allie Campbell has won the 2012 Bald Archy award for her depiction of Aussie politicians Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott on a couple of bedpans.
London is where it’s at for Aussie gold right said ed > TIM MARTIN
FORGET Kony. Forget the Mayan prophecies. Forget Bieber, One Direction, Charlie Sheen (and any other headline grabbing celebs). Forget the Arab Spring and the US Elections. Forget everything! Because in 2012, London is all you need to worry about. In the very near future, the English capital will be consumed by a rivalry so intense that it will be nearly impossible not to be sucked into its vortex. No, we’re not talking about a floppy blonde haired bloke called Boris going up against grumpy old Ken. That race is going to pale in comparison to the event that starts in 101 days. That’s right – we’re
talking about the Games of the XXX Olympiad. The Olympic Games. London 2012. The pinnacle of many athletes’ sporting lives. The biggest sporting festival on earth. The countdown has begun, London. Ready, get set, go... For more on what we’re talking about, turn right now to our Sport pages (where our official Olympic Countdown begins in earnest). But for Australians living in London, it’s about more than just a countdown. There is something deeper that is going to happen in just over 100 days. Something much more important. We are talking about new vs old. About apprentice vs master. About fanatical vs lackadaisical. We’re talking about Australia vs The Mother Country! Head to head against the old enemy, Great
Britain. In 101 days – the battle begins for Medal Tally supremacy. As Aussies, we must learn from the past. We must learn from the blip that was Beijing (where for the first time in over two decades, the Poms surpassed us on the coveted Medal Table). We must start training now, as our athletes are. We must be prepared to give our all, to make sure our Olympians get over the line first. We must be ready to do what it takes to ensure Australia is victorious. For if Oz is to rein in a gold medal reign, our time starts now. Break out the green and (fittingly) gold. Dust off the Boxing Kangaroo. Get out the Aussie flag and warm up those vocal chords. Because, Australians in London, it’s time to unite. Let’s show those Poms how it is done. Come on Aussies, c’mon!
@ikiriki Assange needs to realise that some things NEED to remain secret. @jillhill99 Assange is not “facing sexual assault charges” in Sweden. He’s wanted for questioning. Wish the news media and others would get it right. @freeanonsnow In the future there will be two heroes talked about from our age: Heart of the world - Mind of the future. Brad Manning & JulianAssange Check out what we’re following today on AustralianTimes.co.uk and follow us on Twitter @AustralianTimes
Voices | 5
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Exploring London’s Covent Garden n
Only a ginger, can call another ginger, ginger
One of London’s hidden gems (and now a very popular tourist site) is the former n If you’re slightly confused as to the headline of Chris’s Kitchen this fruit and veggie market, Covent Garden. week, then you may not be familiar with Tim Minchin’s very popular song Our resident adventurer headed down to – ‘Prejudice’. Check it out. But before you do, another Aussie expat in see what the fuss was all about and tick off London has a few culinary tips for you to enjoy. Tuck in! #76 on her London Top 100 list
chris’s
kitchen > CHRIS ARK
US AUSSIES are quite familiar with the exotic bulb and distinct flavour that is ginger. Our great country is blessed with lots of south east Asian cooking influences, and ginger features heavily in a number of those recipes. Buderim Ginger, located in Queensland, has been considered one of the world’s premium
suppliers of high quality ginger for many years. I can remember taking home samples from a UK trade fair and cooking my favourite stir-fry, revelling in the fact I was using delicious Aussie products. Cultivated in south east Asia, ginger was traded for centuries before it made its way into Indian, Caribbean and countless other cuisines. The juicy, pale, white flesh can be pickled and used in seafood salads, tossed with vinegars or boiled in water and served as a tea. It’s a great cure for an upset stomach or hangover. Ginger is very easy to prepare.
Taking a small, sharp knife or vegetable peeler, you can remove the tough outside skin just like on a potato. Grating the ginger on veg grater will help break down the fibres and the result is perfect for tossing into stir-fry’s or dressings. Or shave some wafer thin slices and toss them into a curry at the last minute to give your dish a fresh pungent lift. Ginger, with its heady, spicy flavours, is perfect for this week’s recipe. So grab a small fillet of pork and get marinating for that perfect meal. Here we go, happy cooking!
oy ch k bo ith w t le fil rk po er ng gi ed at Marin bron in
the don BRONWYN SPENCER
MOSTLY known for being part of the ‘Theatre District’, Covent Garden is one of those little pockets of London that is full of energy and provides so much in such a small area. I’ve been lucky enough to work around the area, which meant that for many of my lunchtimes I had plenty to wander and look at. Smack bang in the middle of it is the Covent Garden Market which hosts stalls filled with antiques, jewellery, prints and souvenirs as well as long standing stores from the high street and little boutiques. There are also some great food stalls where you can get amazing paella as well as coffee and cupcakes. There is often live music being played or sung so don’t be surprised if you are walking around while being serenaded by Spanish guitarists or sung to by an opera singer. Musicians aren’t the only entertainment you can find, with many street performers and buskers littering the main areas. From ‘statues’ painted all in silver to stilt walking jugglers, there is always something to see while you sit at a café or pub. I’ve also been lucky enough to stumble upon a fresh food cooking demonstration on one evening, meaning I got a taste test from one of London’s restaurants for just being in the right place at the right time. Surrounding the markets are lots of shops, pubs and cafes where you can easily find a cheap pre theatre dinner
or just some drinks, with a type of place to suit everyone. If you haven’t already found it, you can also stumble upon the Aussie food shop stocked full with favourites from back home. While the prices of Tim Tams are a bit extreme, it’s comforting to know they are there if you ever need them! With a huge Apple store on one corner of the Piazza, it isn’t just high street stores you can hit for shopping. Covent Garden is filled with vintage and second hand shops. One of the best ones is Rockit - that has such a wide range of clothes, shoes and accessories that if you are looking for something – you will most likely find it! My favourite thing about Covent Garden is the fresh food market that pops up every Thursday. It’s the perfect excuse to take a break from work, get out of the office and treat yourself to something yummy for lunch. Similar to the food available at Borough Markets you are never short of something great to choose from but I totally recommend the corn crepes. Phew! I think that’s covered most of what I have discovered in my lunch time wanderings but I’m sure as I continue to explore I will unearth some more fun things in all the nooks and crannies Covent Garden has to offer. AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
What you need:
• 1 small 350g pork fillet (ask your butcher to trim off any fat and skin) • 1 thumb size knob of fresh ginger grated • 2 cloves of garlic • 3 tsp of light soy sauce • Black pepper • ½ cup of vegetable oil • 1 small red onion finely sliced • 1 tsp of sesame seeds • ½ bunch of fresh coriander • 3 sprigs of fresh mint • 3 heads of fresh bok choy
What to do:
• Slice the pork fillet into three pieces. • Place the fillet and the ginger, garlic, soy, half the veg oil, half the coriander leaves and black pepper and salt in a bowl. • Allow the fillet to marinate overnight or a few hours. • Pre heat a small griddle pan and remove the fillet from the marinade. • Grill the fillets until brown and golden all over. • This should take 8-10 minutes.
• Place the fillets into a warm oven (200 degrees) for six minutes and allow to rest when removed from the oven. • Place the bok choy into boiling water for three minutes. • Place the bok choy on a plate, then slice the pork fillet into thin pieces and place alongside the bok choy. • Scatter the mint, coriander, sesame seeds and a splash of soy to finish. Enjoy! AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
6 | Voices
17 April - 23 April 2012
Cabs off to transport in London By Nina McGrath BACK in Oz, before heading to London, I hired a black London cab to chauffeur my dad, my bridesmaids and me to my wedding. It was an old and temperamental beast, which had to be run for ages to warm up before you could actually go anywhere. Full application of the brakes was required to start the long process of slowing the cab down. Thankfully, with the careful navigating of our chaufferfor-a-day and a little backseat-driving from my Dad (as well as all other road users giving us a wide berth) we made it to the church safely and on time. My first experiences with a black cab in London were slightly different. We assumed we could use a credit card to pay for a cab, but a ticked-off cabbie told us otherwise. We waited for a taxi that could take a card while Londoners with cash sailed past us and into the black cabs, calling destinations to the drivers that were familiar to me from endless games of rainy Sunday afternoon Monopoly (“The Strand”, “Piccadilly”, “Trafalgar Square”). Finally a cab was able to take us. The bored driver looked on as we hauled our luggage into the back and flopped exhausted onto the seats. Black cabs are fantastic if you have something big to transport, my husband and I delivered a boxed 32inch LCD TV in a black cab - we and the TV fitted comfortably in the back. The five members of my work team could also fit comfortably in a cab to travel to work celebrations. However, it is an intensive process to become a London cab driver. You must pass the Knowledge of London Examination System, informally known as ‹The Knowledge›, a comprehensive study of pre-set London street routes and places of interest. It is the world›s most demanding training course for taxicabdrivers, and applicants will usually spend just under three years studying the Public Carriage Office ‘Blue Book’ (‹Guide to Learning the Knowledge of London›). This covers the 320 main routes, encompassing 25,000 streets in central London, major arterial routes through the rest of London and any points of interest, which include not only hotels, theatres, restaurants and railway stations but important places of worship, cemeteries and crematoria. It generally takes twelve attempts to pass the final exam in which the driver must, without looking at a map, identify the quickest and most sensible route between any two points in metropolitan London that their examiner chooses. For each route, the applicants must recite the names of the roads used, where they cross junctions, use roundabouts, make turns, and what is ‘alongside’ them at each point. The Knowledge was initiated in 1865, and has changed little since. As a result, London taxi drivers are experts on London, and have an intimate knowledge of the city.
Another icon of London transport is the red double-decker bus. I rode on these countless times in London, the most memorable trips being those spent sitting in the front row of the top deck as it crawled along Oxford, Regent and Bond Streets admiring the Christmas lights. It seemed like the top of the bus was brushing the sparkling presents, snowflakes, umbrellas and nets of golden lights that were suspended over the busy streets. I regularly caught a bus that passed by the graffiti adorned fence of the Beatles Abbey Road recording studio, driving over the zebra crossing immortalised on the Beatles Abbey Road album cover. This presented some difficulties as there is usually a steady stream of tourists and/ or Beatles fans attempting to get their picture taken on the zebra crossing. They either cross slowly or stop altogether to get the shot, to the frustration of the bus drivers and the general driving public. To see for yourself, check out the Abbey Road Crossing webcam. You can take a ride on a historic red rear-entrance double-deck Routemaster on one of the two heritage routes; heritage route 9 from Kensington High Street to Aldwych, and heritage route 15 from Trafalgar Square toTower Hill for a regular bus fare. The Routemaster buses are also occasionally pressed into service as a rail replacement service during maintenance. London mayors love messing about with Public Transport. Ken Livingstone phased out the Routemaster in order to provide wheelchair accessible ‘bendy’ buses. He was replaced by Boris Johnson, the man with the wild blond hair and permanently surprised expression of Rod Stewart. Boris made the controversial and expensive decision to withdraw the bendy buses and design a replacement that looks like a modern remake of the Routemaster. He also installed ‘Boris bikes’, public bicycles all over London. The press photographs of Boris gamely using the ‘Boris bikes’ may not have immediately encouraged their use but they are certainly all the rage now. One aspect that made a great difference to catching public transport in London was the availability of free newspapers to provide reading material for your journey. Without a free newspaper the unprepared commuter was left to pondering the lack of geographical correctness of the tube map, the antiquated nature of the phrases ‘mind the gap’ and ‘alight here’, or find amusement in the names of tube stations such as Tooting Bec, Elephant & Castle, Swiss Cottage, Chalk Farm and Cockfosters, or train stations such as Tooting, Catford, Bat & Ball, Nun Head and Petts Wood. Thank goodness for daily papers City AM, the Metro and the Evening Standard which fill the gap between weekly issues of Australian Times and provide enough reading material for most journeys. AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
Entertainment | 7
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Aussie performers tickling London’s Udderbelly n
Tim Minchin and Wil Anderson are appearing at this year’s Udderbelly Festival while Australian circus troupe Cantina are headlining the South Bank’s new summer festival ‘The London Wonderground’.
By Kris Griffiths NOW in its fourth successful year, and still housed in a giant inflatable purple cow beside the London Eye, the E4 Udderbelly Festival has become an iconic fixture of London’s summer. And expect more of the same in 2012 because it is hosting some of the biggest names in comedy alongside awesome theatre and performing arts shows.
Seasoned Aussie comedians Wil Anderson and Tim Minchin are featuring in this year’s impressive programme, which started last week. In total, there are over 50 comedy shows alone to choose from throughout the 12-week festival, and Australian comic Brendon Burns is also scheduled to perform. The temporary Udderbelly complex contains one of the biggest outdoor bars in the capital to enjoy during the warmer months – The Magners
Pasture – boasting everything from giant jenga to delicious organic food from 2012 winners of the UK Street Food Festival. Meanwhile, the Southbank Centre is also launching another new festival this summer – The London Wonderground – bringing a taste of early 20thCentury Coney Island to the capital with a progamme of cabaret, circus and sideshows from early May to late September.
Headlining its lineup is Cantina, a delightfully dark Australian ‘grunge circus’ making its London premiere, fresh from sell-out tours of Oz and Europe. Expect an exhilarating cocktail of glamorous yet dangerous circus and vaudeville, performed by a company of the country’s finest circus artists from
Circa, La Clique, Acrobat and Circus Oz.
AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment
Bic Runga’s back and better than ever n
Former Australian Times Editor ASHLEA MAHER talks to the sweetly soulful songstress Bic Runga about stripping back symphonic performances and leaving her four-year-old son behind to return to the UK music scene
Friday 20th
Rugby League ANZAC Test Kangaroos vs Kiwis:7.30pm replay Wednesday 25th
ANZAC Day Drink specials + quiz Saturday 28th
ANZAC Sports Day
Party, BBQ & live music with Ian Munro
Happy hour all day Wednesday and Saturday, £1.50 Bundy and Mixer on Wednesday Address: 425 New Kings Road, Fulham SW6 4RN. Twitter: @thelarrikinn Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelarrikinn
Proud sponsors of the Putney Magpies
IT HAS been a long time between drinks for the keenly favoured Antipodean artist Bic Runga, both studio-wise and on the touring scene in the territory she once called home: the United Kingdom. Runga is well known and recognised for weaving words relating to romantic notions with seemingly simple folk-infused pop combined with symphonic beauty. Take her song ‘Sway’ from over a decade ago. Can’t remember it? Think American Pie and that instantly catchy and likeable tune associated with it. You’ve probably heard it at a few weddings too. Oh, and it was only the 1998 Single Of The Year in New Zealand and a favourite around the world. The relatively overnight success of this single from her debut LP Drive elevated Runga into major record label success when she was aged only 20. While being grateful for the success of ‘Sway’, Runga told Australian Times that she hopes, given it’s now 2012, not to be defined by that four minute single she released almost15 years ago. “’Sway’ was really a long time ago. It would be bit a lame to think that’s all I was remembered for,” she laughed down the phone. “But I am grateful for what has come from ‘Sway’. It has given me the chance to make more different stuff. I intend to make more. You can’t let that be your only contribution.” Runga has released three studio albums since, all major hits in New Zealand, Australian, US and UK markets. Her latest effort is Belle – recently released internationally after a sixyear gap since the release of the tripleplatinum record Birds (2005). However Runga said her time off the touring and recording scene has not hindered her art. She said, if anything, it has given her gravitas to excel even further. “The last album was very dark… Belle is a return to song.” And it’s not like she hasn’t been busy. In the meantime, Runga has become a mother to Joe (who’s now four),
released a rarities compilation in 2008, contributed songs to a film last year as well as taking up song-writing dates with New Zealand music compatriots including Evermore’s Dann Hume and her partner (and Belle producer) Kody Nielsen. Talking about touring the UK and Australia as part of her re-introduction to touring, Runga revealed that her songwriting process has changed from focusing on production particulars to watching the clock. “It [songwriting] is totally different now,” the Kiwi songstress admits. “There is less time to write…I have to be more effective with my time.” She confesses she tried to make this album lighter for the listener, especially given it’s her return to songwriting after all these years. “I wanted to make this album more like the older ones,” she said. Upon talking about her current shows in the UK, Runga said she is happy to return to an old ‘stomping ground’. “I’ve lived in London, Paris and New York. “It’s going to be so great to be back there…life is pretty quiet in New Zealand. “Of course I’m going to be sad [while being away from Joe]…But people do it. I have to work.” She said her shows are going to be fairly stripped back, given she will be exchanging a 40-piece symphony for a tight, four-piece band for the UK tour. “It’s very different…Though, I will be adding in a harpist to bring some femininity to the music.” And the good news for Bic Runga fans? “Belle is not the end!” Don’t miss Bic Runga at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire on 18 April
AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment
8 | Entertainment
17 April - 23 April 2012
Cat power, Purple Rain royalty and One Direction music from the
motherland > PAUL JUDGE
Going wild for the 1D boys… (apologies)
WE’VE had to work extra hard this week, scouring through Australian news and reports, to find other music news than the One Direction boys visiting Down Under. And let us tell you, it’s been very very hard! The five English boys who apparently sing some songs have swept through our fair country leaving a trail of screaming and
crying teenage girls in their wake. They young lads are making some sort of promotional tour, we guess, where they get photographed doing cliché Australian things like surfing and trying Vegemite (which the little b*stards spat out). At one stage on-air they complimented the attractiveness of the receptionist at the radio station they were visiting. This led to the station and poor girl receiving insults and threats via Facebook. We’re not blaming the boys but here’s a message to the young, predominantly female fan base in Oz: for everyone’s sake, chill out! They are just a band… Oh and please don’t hate us now.
Taking a bite out of Chisel
Phew, that’s over, now let’s move on. There is other news! We’ve heard some reasons for concerts being postponed; missed flights, broken bones from stage dives and singers being locked up or deported but we can honestly say we’ve never heard this one before. Australian rockers Cold Chisel were forced to reschedule their Melbourne show at Festival Hall last week when guitarist Ian Moss was hospitalised due to a bite from his pet cat. The moggy got him good with the bite infecting his hand and leaving him in hospital. Moss was in good spirits about the incident apologising to fans and in a statement saying “sorry to be a pussy about this, I look forward to making amends for this next week”. We just hope the cat gets left at home when Chisel head to the UK later in the year for Hyde Park’s ‘Hard Rock Calling’ festival. Cat: 1 Cold Chisel: 0.
His royal purpleness returns
From pop novelty’s to rock royalty - the king of cool, Prince, has announced he will be touring Australia later in the year playing a ONE WHO?: A group of five British boys have sent the girls wild back in Oz, with One Direction on a promotional tour Down Under.
What’s On Matt Corby 17 April @ The Bowery Bic Runga 18 April @ Shepherd’s Bush Empire Cate Blanchett in Big & Small 13 - 29 April @ Barbican Centre Tracer 24 April @ Islington O2 Academy Midnight Youth 15 May @ The Borderline, Soho
set of shows across the country. It’s been nine years since the guy with the ever changing name graced our shores and he’ll be bringing out all the stops with a 360 degree rotating stage and huge lightshow for his tour. He also likes to play secret after shows at small venues in the cities he plays in so anyone back home should keep an ear out for little hints at what pub or club he might rock up to. Our sources also tell us Prince is famous for his outlandish backstage demands including a purpose built purple themed room, backstage crew not being allowed to make eye contact with him and a stretch limo to drive to the stage (a 50 feet walk apparently at last year’s Hop Farm Festival). All are rumours, we’re sure, and no doubt Prince will be happy to hang out with a stubbie and chat after, as is custom in Oz.
AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment
The Jezabels 17 May @ Electric Brixton DZ Deathrays 17 May @ Barfly, Camden Temper Trap 21-22 May @ KOKO, Camden Emma Louise 22 May @ London Electricity Showroom, Hoxton Cold Chisel 13 July @ Hard Rock Calling, Hyde Park
For full details...
...and more Aussie gigs go to: AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment
travel
Travel | 9
AustralianTimes.co.uk
tting This week we’re pu
Mexico ON THE MAP
Mexico’s splendid SONORA
n
Alamos, a sleepy colonial town hidden in a vast Mexican desert, conjures magic and beauty for SHARON SPENCE LIEB.
SONORA, Mexico’s second largest state, takes her time in revealing her treasures. Arriving in Hermasillo, ‘The City of the Sun’, we spend an inspiring afternoon at the world class MUSAS, Museo de Arte de Sonora, happily wandering among stunning art by Picasso, Magritte, and Botero. Next day, we explore a bit of the vast ochre Sonoran Desert, gazing at stately saguaro cactus, colourful Taco/ Tecate snack stands and an endless horizon. A few hours later we arrive at Alamos, one of Mexico’s charming colonial “Pueblo Magicos”.
“Welcome to Alamos,” announces author/historian Juan Vidal Castillo, who joins our group on the bus. “Founded in 1691, Alamos is one of Mexico’s best preserved colonial towns. By 1790, we were one of the world’s most successful silver and copper producers. Today, Alamos is known for lively music and art festivals, bird watching, and restored haciendas with beautiful gardens. In 2001, we became a National Historic Landmark, and in 2005, Alamos was designated as one of Mexico’s 22 ‘Pueblo Magicos’.”
THE MEXICAN COLOURS OF LIFE
Our bus navigates the narrow cobblestone streets past Spanish colonial homes painted in eye popping magenta, lime, ivory, lavender and cobalt. We arrive at Hacienda de Los Santos, House of the Saints, where American owners Jim and Nancy Swickard usher us into a world of intoxicating beauty. Soft guitar jazz wafts across courtyards ablaze with tangerine and lipstick pink bouganvillea. Fountains bubble next to inviting swimming pools. Centuries old guanacaste trees offer cool shade over inviting hand carved chairs sporting pink and turquoise pillows. A horse grazes quietly below a terracotta balcony. Who knew the Sonoran desert was home to such magnificent serenity? “Please join us for lunch at our Agave Café,” the Swickards offer. Over fresh guacamole, hearty taco soup. spicy fish tacos, and piquant margaritas, we admire Nancy’s elegant decor: bright lavender walls are adorned with historic photos and colorful paintings. Whimsical piñatas hang over our tablesflirtatious angels, silly chickens, beaming suns, even Frieda Kahlo. “Americans began moving to Alamos in 1946,” Jim tells us. “Folks wanted to restore the many Spanish colonial mansions here. We started work on Hacienda de Los Santos in 1989 and in 1998, opened as a boutique luxury hotel.” We later learn that in 2005, Governor Napolitano of Arizona, and Sonora’s Governor Bours, honored the Swickards for their humanitarian work in Alamos with the ‘Alvaro Obregon Award’ (an award in honour of the famous revolutionary Mexican president). Now lucky travelers from around the world come to Hacienda de Los Santos to enjoy the luxurious antique filled guestrooms, swimming pools, gardens, fabulous cuisine, and exquisite Spanish Colonial Architecture. Take a cooking or silver smithing class, relax at La Dulce Vida Spa, or just listen to the birds singing in the trees.
MUSIC IN THE DESERT
Throughout the year, Alamos hosts lively music and art festivals. Every January, the town bursts into
song and dance with the ‘Festival Cultural Dr. Alfonso Ortiz Tirado’, presenting world-class opera, orchestral, jazz, and Latin music. Strolling into the warm starry evening, we meet a merry band of street performers. Called “the Estudiantina”, the musicians wear dramatic black capes and purple scarves in the style of 11 th century Spanish students. Strumming guitars and cellos, they croon romantic ballads. We follow along, singing and sipping wine from a basket atop a saddle worn by a sweet grey donkey, a “burrito” trudging happily along. I tussle his mane and he nods at me, as if to say, “join in Senora, and enjoy the magic…” Alamos is romantic and majestic at night, adorned in a tiara of sparkling lights. We veer down an alley to a huge stage near the Cathedral, which glows like a spaceship just landed from a distant galaxy. Families salsa in the street. In this “Pueblo Magico” called Alamos, magic is indeed around every corner. AustralianTimes.co.uk/travel
IF YOU GO
Sonora Mexico, population 2.6 million people, offers a wide diversity of activities: touring charming colonial towns, music/art festivals, mountain biking, and bird watching. San Carlos, a popular resort town on the Sea of Cortez, is popular for diving, snorkeling, fishing, kayaking, boating, and excellent seafood.
10 | Travel
17 April - 23 April 2012
Big Five safari in tting This week we’re pu
KwaZulu-Natal ON THE MAP
KwaZulu Natal n
Apparently, there is no insurance against a buffalo eating your plane, as MARIANNE GRAY found out in South Africa’s wilderness.
FREE BEER & SANGRIA? NO BULLSHIT. THINKING of heading to South Africa for a little holiday and, perhaps, a safari? The first safari places that spring to mind are Kruger Park if you’re on a budget, or Londolozi if you’re rolling in it, but there is also a gem of a reserve in KwaZulu-Natal called Nambiti, which comes as a gift from the gods of wildlife.
Nestled in Nambiti
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50€ A DAY INCLUDES: Twin share camping accommodation with sleeping bag and mat Regular transfers to the centre of town Hot breakfasts every morning BBQ dinner every other night The biggest party outside the festival Unlimited beer and sangria
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A private game reserve, Nambiti is made up of six former cattle farms on the edge of the Zululand escarpment in the heart of South Africa’s Anglo-Zulu and Boer War battlefields. If you get bored with discovering the difference between a red hartebeest and a tsessebe and can’t be bothered to pick up the binocs to see yet another twotoed, double-breasted purple tit in breeding plumage, you could go and see the famous spots where the Isandlwana, Rorke’s Drift and Blood River battles were fought or check out the Elandslaagte military cemetery. Nambiti, at the top of the Tugela River, has 10 camps. It is in a malaria-free zone, and there are 700 species of trees, 280 different kinds of birds, the Big Five (lions, elephant, rhino, leopard and buffalo), the small five (buffalo weaver bird, elephant shrew, leopard tortoise, ant lion and rhino beetle) and about 50 other species. Their safaris are definitely not ‘flatout Ferrari Safaris’ – the only time we bombed around like speed-freaks was when a very grumpy male buffalo, covered in mud and snorting like a maniac, set his sights on our Jeep.
Crazy like a buffalo
Apparently he’d been eating datura, a hallucinogenic plant which turns their eyes red and makes them freak out. Tales of what he’d done to the general manager’s ute earlier that day were enough for us not to linger. This particular buffalo had recently caused the people at Nambiti to build an electric-fenced paddock for small private planes to be parked as he had chewed the wings off several. Apparently, there
How to get there: Nambiti is 23 kms East of Ladysmith, 3.5 hours from Johannesburg and 2.5 hours from Durban.
Travel | 11
AustralianTimes.co.uk
is no insurance against a buffalo eating your plane and he’s just one of the many buffaloes who herd around this picturesque airstrip. Nambiti Falls Lodge is the smallest of all the camps and is a rare find. Originally a family homestead, it has a pool and the chef was once chief chef at one of Zimbabwe’s top hotels.
Rumble of the jungle
Zebra, buck, elephants and rhinos graze all day on the other side of the surrounding fence and sometimes at night the leopards and the lions come close enough to hear their tummies rumble. This lodge is hidden in more than
20,000 acres of plains and bush held in trust for conservation. On the twice-daily game drives you pass through verdant savannah, thorny acacia woodland, along the ravines of the Sundays River and over landscapes that look like Pierneef paintings. AustralianTimes.co.uk/travel
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12 | Jobs & Money
17 April - 23 April 2012
Dollar Review
Weak Chinese data may spell trouble for the Aussie THE AUSSIE began trading last week Monday the 9th of April 2012 around the 0.6507 mark against the British Pound and 1.0299 to the US Dollar. The Kiwi closed slightly weaker on Friday the 13th April 2012 at 0.6536 to the British Pound and 1.0438 to the US Dollar. The Australian Dollar has had a good week in the foreign exchange markets. We have seen the Aussie gain ground against most major players barring the Japanese Yen. Australia is looking fundamentally sound in an era of worldwide doom and gloom. Data released suggests that the labor market is recovering each and every day with 44 000 new jobs being created and the unemployment rate holding fast at 5.2 percent. The Australian Reserve Bank has historically assigned a large weight of their interest rate decision to the current climate in the Labor market. If this holds true for next month’s meeting we can expect rates to remain unchanged for the coming period. There seems to be some concern surrounding the housing and mining sector in Australia. We have seen
aggregate property prices decreasing for 11 of the last 12 months. Economists are warning consumers, homeowners and government about the severity of this situation. As Australia’s major trading partner; Chinas weak growth data may suggest a slowdown in the demand for foreign sector goods. This may harm Australian exports as demand for
foreign goods slows. AUD / GBP: AUD / EUR: AUD / USD: AUD / JPY:
0.6536 0.7907 1.0438 84.369
Exchange rates as of 13th April 2012
Composed by Paul Gerber Note: The above exchange rates are based on “interbank” rates. If you want to transfer money to Australia then please register/ login or call us for a live dealing rate. Make use of a Rate Notifier to send you alerts when the Australian exchange rate reaches levels you are looking for.
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Resident Labour Test
Q:
My current employer wants to apply for a Tier 2 permit for myself, but apparently the resident labour market test needs to be fulfilled first. Can you please tell me what this is?
A:
The UK Home Office is advised by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) as to which areas of the UK labour market are experiencing shortages. The occupations experiencing shortages of labour are compiled in the Shortage Occupation List. If an occupation is not on the Shortage Occupation List, the employers are required to advertise the position – the resident labour market test. Where the employer can demonstrate after advertising the job, that there is no suitably qualified resident or EU citizen candidate available to fill the vacancy a sponsorship certificate can be issued to the non-EU citizen. This is done to protect the UK labour market.
Breytenbachs Immigration Contact: Teresa Tel: 07789952025 Email: teresa@worldwidetax.co.uk Website: www.worldwidetax.co.uk
JP Breytenbach
Director of Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants www.bic-immigration.com info@bic-immigration.com
Jobs & Money | 13
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Aston investors tick Whitehaven takeover for Tinkler AUSTRALIA'S youngest billionaire, Nathan Tinkler, became substantially richer after shareholders approved a friendly takeover of his Aston Resources by Whitehaven Coal in a two-part deal to create a $5.1 billion coal miner. The deal was approved at a scheme meeting in Brisbane on Monday and will create Australia's largest listed independent coal company. Mr Tinkler, 36, and a former coal mine electrician, holds a 32 per cent stake in Aston, which the takeover values at about $720 million. Shareholders also approved Whitehaven's acquisition of Mr
Tinkler's unlisted company Boardwalk Resources for around $491 million in Whitehaven shares. The transactions remains subject to approval of the Federal Court of Australia at a hearing on 18 April. The takeover combines Whitehaven's five open cut mines and Aston's 85 per cent held undeveloped Maules Creek project, all in NSW's Gunnedah Basin. Whitehaven also has an 11 per cent interest in the Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group, which operates the Port of Newcastle's second dedicated coal terminal. The deal will tip the production balance
in favour of higher priced metallurgical coal, ahead of Whitehaven's thermal coal. Aston deputy chairman Mark Vaile told the meeting that the transaction brought together two highly complementary and growth-focused groups. Whitehaven managing director Tony Haggarty said the tie-up created an entity with a greater ability to attract topshelf staff, pursue growth opportunities and develop its pipeline of assets. When the deal was announced in December, Mr Tinkler noted the rapidly consolidating Australian listed coal sector and said the transaction gave Aston shareholders exposure to a larger
and more diversified portfolio of coal mines. All going to plan, implementation of the scheme is slated to occur on 2 May. Whitehaven's acquisition of Boardwalk, an unlisted public company, is conditional on the Aston takeover proceeding. Boardwalk is set to earn a 50 per cent stake Coalworks' Ferndale coal project in NSW. Boardwalk is also the biggest shareholder in listed coal explorer Coalworks Ltd with a stake of about 17
per cent. Shares in Whitehaven inched one cent higher to $6.01 while Aston shares were steady at $10.23. - AAP
AustralianTimes.co.uk/jobs-money
Major Aussie banks don't rule out following ANZ HOMEOWNERS are braced for more interest rate hikes after Australia's big banks failed to rule out following ANZ's lead and lift lending rates independently of the central bank. ANZ late on Friday announced it was increasing variable rate mortgages and small business loans by 0.06 percentage points. It was the second time in as many months ANZ lifted its lending rates despite the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) leaving the cash rate on hold at 4.25 per cent. ANZ's rivals on Monday were still considering whether to follow suit and risk the wrath of customers and federal Treasurer Wayne Swan. Both the Commonwealth Bank and Westpac said they would continue to regularly review their interest rates, while a National Australia Bank spokeswoman would only say that it stood by its commitment to have the lowest standard variable interest rate of the four major banks in 2012. Bendigo and Adelaide Bank and Suncorp also said their rates would remain under review. "Global funding markets remain volatile and this continues to affect Australian banks," a Suncorp spokesman said. "To date, Suncorp Bank has absorbed much of the increased funding cost. We will continue to review this position over the next few months." However, the Bank of Queensland effectively ruled out lifting its variable home loan rates and said it would continue
to follow the RBA's announcements. "BOQ will continue to review and announce any rate change decisions as close as possible to the RBA meeting each month," a spokeswoman said. While home owners with variable rate mortgages braced for more expensive mortgage repayments, St George and RAMS offered some relief to those after fixed rate loans. St George cut its fixed, one, two and three year, home loan rates and RAMS its two and three year fixed rate to 5.99 per cent. ANZ and other lenders who have lifted mortgage rates in recent months have blamed higher funding costs and the cost of offering higher savings rates to attract more deposit holders. Morningstar analyst David Walker said whether the other banks decide to follow ANZ would depend on if they were chasing higher market share through more customers or higher profits through higher rates. "They face the same costs, so in time, it will depend on how much they tend to follow the price/volume market share game," he said. "The ANZ was prepared to sacrifice market share for higher profits but it's a very different decision at NAB. "They're potentially prepared to have a less profitable book for a larger book. "They're looking at profit growth more on the volume side than the price side but it will also depend on how they manage their costs." - AAP
Visit: AustralianTimes.co.uk/move-to-australia In association with
14 | Sport
17 April - 23 April 2012
Cahill misses out but Brad's a winner Continued from p16...
backpass allowed Luis Suarez to equalise just after the hour, turned the tide in Liverpool's favour and Andy Carroll headed the winner in the 87th minute to shatter Cahill's bid to win the competition for the first time. While losing to Merseyside neighbours Liverpool in such a high-profile match was painful for everyone associated with Everton, it was especially agonising for Cahill, who had been desperate to finally win the Cup after two final defeats. The 32-year-old played for Millwall in their 3-0 defeat against Manchester United in the 2004 final and was on the losing side again five years later when Everton faced Chelsea in the 2009 edition. "This is sad because I've had two finals before in the FA Cup. And to now not get to a final, it's heartbreaking," Cahill said. "As much as it is for me, I really feel for the fans because it was there - you could feel it and touch it - and even as players we didn't do it in the end." Cahill conceded that Everton had only themselves to blame for the defeat as they looked capable
of holding onto their lead before Distin's howler. "They scored two goals from two errors from us," he said. "As a team, we'll look at it, but we win together and lose together and that's the only way I can sum it up. "Sylvain's been our player of the season. One mistake doesn't sum up his season. "He's been immense and, as a team, we possibly should've still been out there playing extra-time. "We shouldn't have conceded the second goal, giving the free-kick away and defending the way we did. "As for Sylvain, he's a top player and it happens in football. We've all been there at one stage in our career." Liverpool will face Chelsea in next month's final, but Cahill doesn't believe Kenny Dalglish's side will follow their League Cup final victory earlier this season with another Wembley triumph. "I think it's going to be difficult for them. They've had an indifferent season and they've just got away with it against us," he said. "A few decisions didn't go our way but I'll just say they've got a lot of work to do." Liverpool's progression to the FA Cup final is a bittersweet result for
Australian goalkeeper Brad Jones who helped his side overcome Everton but is unlikely to line-up for the ultimate fixture. The Aussie caretaker keeper had six saves during the Reds' FA Cup victory, after being called up for duty a week earlier. The 30-year-old donned the No.1 jersey after the suspension of Pepe Reina and Alexander Doni, who will both be off suspension for the 5 May final. "I might not play in the FA Cup final ... but I'm just proud to be a part of it," Jones said shortly after the match. Perth-born Jones, who lost his five-year-old son Luca to leukaemia in November, was emotional after Saturday's win, hugging his teammates and also embracing Everton players including countryman Cahill. - AAP AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
Aussie rookies too good for the European Legion By Amy Hattam
AUSTRALIA’S Under 18’s AFL team defeated the European Legion over Easter, in an International AFL match held at Surrey Sports Park just outside London. Lead by High Performance Coach (and former Sydney Swan) Michael O’Loughlin, the AFL’s future stars dominated early, kicking 15 goals in the first half, with Troy Menzel, brother of Geelong Cats Daniel Menzel, kicking five goals in a brilliant individual performance. The European Legion, coached by former Sydney Swan and AFL Ambassador Tadhg Kennelly, matched the Australians in the third quarter with only one goal apiece resulting.
The Legion continued to compete fiercely up until the end of the match but were out-classed by the silky skills of the Australian side, going down by 134 points. Most valuable player awards were presented to midfielder Nick Vlastuin from the Australian team and defender Levi Fernandez from Great Britain who won the award for the European Legion. The representative European side was made up of Under 21 players from Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, Germany, Italy and Finland. The Aussie team comprised players from across Australia, all being members of the AIS-AFL Academy and are all eligible for the NAB AFL Draft in November this year. The match was kicked off by the launch of AFL 9’s in Europe with AFL stars, including Stephen Silvagni, Ang Christou, Glen Lovett, Brad Lloyd, AFL Ambassador Robert DiPierdomenico and
AFL International Development Manager Tony Woods, all taking the field to showcase AFL 9’s which will be played throughout Europe in 2012. The Australian Under 18 team will continue their European tour with the next stop being France where the players will visit the Australian War Memorial in Villers-Bretonneux and play a historic match in Paris against the European Titans. AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
Shane Watson struggling to convert Continued from p16...
who narrowly missed out on meeting the star at the team’s Port of Spain hotel on Saturday - fell for 56 after spending just under four hours at the crease. Watson’s knock was a patient one and probably worth far more than the final tally, on a wicket where runs are going to be at a premium but patience is running thin on just when the burly allrounder is going to deliver big scores to match his ability. The 30-year-old’s second Test century came in Mohali in October 2010 and since then he has passed 50 eight times before being dismissed short of a hundred. Considering most of Watson’s Test career has been played as an opener,
a position where David Warner has already struck two tons in just eight Tests, and it’s obvious that Watson needs to learn to convert his scores. But he says he’s not getting frustrated by his long wait for that next Test ton. “Not really to be honest,” Watson said on Sunday. “In a perfect world it would be great to be able to get another hundred but today was about being able to bat for as long as we possibly could. “It was frustrating not to be able to get another hundred but in the end it was a pretty long day to try and bat for as long as we could on a very, very slow wicket.” - AAP AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
Free Tag taster a hit with new players
TASTY TREAT: Try Tag Rugby’s first free taster session for the year at Tooting Bec Common (Balham).
By Phillip Browne TRY TAG RUGBY held their first free taster session on Sunday at Tooting Bec Common in Balham. The taster sessions are a great chance for new players to give Tag Rugby a go before signing up to a league. The free taster session consisted of some Tag Rugby warm up drills, some passing, tagging and teamwork drills followed by a run through of the basic rules and then into a game scenario. All participants who attended the first free taster session enjoyed what they had learnt and experienced and have signed up to an Early Summer competition which commences from 30 April onwards. Try Tag Rugby will be running three more free taster sessions for new players at the following venues; Hyde Park (17 April); King’s Meadow, Reading (23 April); and Canada Water (26 April). All Aussies and their mates are welcome to attend and details on how to register and start times can be found at Trytagrugby.com At the same venue in Balham, Try Tag Rugby held the first free referee workshop for the year. The referee workshops will be held once a month
to benefit new referees in gaining knowledge and experience and to create consistency across the board. If you would like to become a Try Tag Rugby referee, please email info@trytagrugby.com A big attraction about Tag Rugby is the thriving social scene that goes with it and the many friendships and relationships formed! The first big social function of the year was held on Saturday at No.1 Sports Bar in Old Street. There were many lucky door prizes such as bar tabs and Rugby tickets on offer. A good time was had by all! Meanwhile, registrations for the Early Summer Tag Rugby competitions starting from 30 April are now open. Leagues will take place at 14 venues across London as well as in Reading for the very first time. If you would like to get involved in one of the fastest growing sports in London, new team and individual registrations are welcome. To register for a Try Tag Rugby competition, go to www.trytagrugby. com or email info@trytagrugby.com for more details. AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
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AustralianTimes.co.uk
Blues players back in the Origin frame Continued from p16... Kurt Gidley (knee) and fullbacks Brett Stewart (ribs) and Josh Dugan (shoulder) are sidelined with injury. Consequently, Daley believes just five or six players are assured of their Blues jerseys heading into next month’s Origin one clash with Queensland. Skipper Paul Gallen, likely to play in the front-row, Newcastle winger Akuila Uate, Buderus, Penrith’s Luke Lewis and Gidley are the five believed to have been assured of NSW spots. Jennings considered another certainty before suffering a pectoral muscle strain, putting his selection in doubt, while Kangaroo pair James Tamou and Anthony Watmough also have strong claims.
But that still leaves an unprecedented number of jerseys to fill - including the crucial halves spots - with Daley expecting Stuart to put even more emphasis on the Mudgee showdown. “I’ve had a lot of dialogue with Ricky over the last couple of weeks in terms of the selections of our side ... and I reckon he’s probably got about five or six certainties and the rest he is undecided on,” Daley said. “That’s a pretty big incentive for a lot of the players who are going to play in this game. “... In terms of an indicator of who is going to be picked in Origin, I think this will have a big bearing on certain positions.” The uncertainty over the halves, centres and forwards means that big games could force the likes of Jarryd
Hayne, Todd Carney, Josh Morris and Jarrod Mullen into Stuart’s side. Daley, a former Test and NSW fiveeighth, believes the halves battle is particularly open for debate. “(Stuart) still doesn’t know what the best combination is to take on Queensland and I think you can see that with talk around the halves for instance,” Daley said. “It’s pretty exciting that Hayne has been picked at five-eighth to partner Mitchell Pearce for City.” Mullen, who will line up at halfback for Country, will get a chance to play five-eighth during the game as Daley tinkers with his combination - giving Stuart the best opportunity to decide on how the puzzle pieces will fit. - AAP AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
Malthouse: Demons aren't a club AFL commentator Mick Malthouse has savaged the old club culture at Melbourne while strongly backing Mark Neeld. Neeld is the Demons’ new coach and their nightmare start to the season continued on Saturday when Richmond overran them in the third term to win by 59 points. He worked at Collingwood as an assistant coach under Malthouse before taking the job at Melbourne Neeld’s first senior role. “Melbourne, inside the football club, were not a football club - it was all about anything other than football, I can assure you,” Malthouse told Channel Seven’s Game Day. “He will not lose direction - he will back himself. He’s a very strong character.
“He’s looking for systems that are tried and proven and he will stick to those systems. “That’s what makes him a very, very important person to Melbourne’s future, just as much as any player.” Melbourne have endured a terrible few weeks, with their much-loved president Jim Stynes dying of cancer. Forward Liam Jurrah is facing assault charges while Neeld was to defend himlself against an ultimately untrue rumour that he was treating Jurrah and other indigenous players differently from their teammates. The Demons signed WebJet as a new major sponsor last week, only a few days after having to cut ties with EnergyWatch and its disgraced owner Ben Polis.
Asked what advice he would give to Neeld in this predicament, Malthouse said: “I just reinforce how good he is he is a wonderful person. “He’s starting from scratch - make no doubt about it.” - AAP AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
Swim legend Murray Rose dies at 73
AUSTRALIAN swimming's golden boy of the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games has succumbed to leukaemia at the age of 73. Murray Rose won three of his four Olympic gold medals in Melbourne the 4x200m freestyle relay, the 400m freestyle and the 1500m freestyle - all at the age of 17. He followed that up in 1960 in Rome retaining his 400m freestyle crown - the first swimmer to do so - and winning a silver medal in the 1500m event behind fellow Australian John Konrads. Rose was born in England, brought to Australia by his parents at the outbreak of World War II.
Olympics historian Harry Gordon wrote that Rose learned to swim at the age of five at Sydney's harbourside Redleaf Pool in Double Bay. The last time he swam for Australia was at the Perth Commonwealth Games in 1962 when he bagged four gold medals, winning every event he contested. By then, he had moved to the United States on a scholarship at the University of Southern California (USC). Rose had tried to win a place in the team for the 1964 Tokyo Games but was not allowed to compete in trials in the US. A dedicated vegetarian, he had the Hollywood looks and majored in drama and television at USC while he
kept up his swimming. He tried the movies and had roles in Ride the Wild Surf and Ice Station Zebra and later in the 2003 Australian movie Swimming Upstream. His great mate John Konrads remembers when the pair became friends at the Rome Olympics - tripping off together to the Trastevere district after their events and returning in the early morning arm-in-arm after a night on the red wine. At that Olympics, Rose retained his 400m crown pushing Konrads into third place while Konrads relegated Rose to silver in the 1500m race.- AAP AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
Australia looks ahead to London 2012 Unforgettable Australian Olympic moments Athens 1896: Golden beginnings for Aussie Flack
Australia has competed in every modern summer Olympics since the inaugural 1896 games in Athens where we sent one-man-team Edward Flack to represent our still un-federated nation. In the opening four days of the games, Flack competed in the finals of the 800 and 1500 metres and claimed victory in both. One man, two golds – a perfect prelude to the authority Aussie athletes would later stamp on Olympic history.
Continued from p16...
far away. I’m looking at the nations in that zone of fourth to eighth and it just comes down to the margins on the day. ‘’From an Australian perspective, the athletes in the final who can step up from being a finalist to a medallist, that’s where the magic lies for all of us. It is possible.’’ It’s encouraging news, and news that has been backed up by some solid recent performances by our Olympic hopefuls across a range of sports. In fact, Australian journalist Adrian Proszenko, in an article for The SunHerald, has suggested we may even be able to achieve a record-equalling tally of 58 medals, including 17 golds. Such a performance would outdo our Olympic feats of Sydney 2000 where Australia hauled in 16 golds, and would make us serious contenders for the coveted fourth spot on the Olympic medal table. But if that is to happen, Proszenko suggests we would need numerous gold medals in the diving,
hockey, sailing, swimming and cycling and some unforgettable performances in the canoeing, basketball, equestrian and gymnastic events and the water polo. Whatever the results, it is going to be fantastic to be part of the build up as London prepares for the capital’s biggest event in recent history. And with only 100 days until the Games of the XXX Olympiad, Australian Times is ready to launch our own Olympic countdown – with a weekly series of ‘unforgettable Australian Olympic moments’. Left is our first ‘unforgettable moment’. Make sure you check out the newspaper next week for our next instalment and please email the Editor at editor@AustralianTimes.co.uk with your own ‘unforgettable moments’. Come on Aussies, c’mon!
COUNTDOWN TO THE
LONDON OLYMPICS 14 weeks to go
AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
THE
RUBDOWN
Talk about some upsets! By Will Denton
BOB DYLAN has been saying for years that ‘the times, they are a changing’. It seems he may well be on the money this time, as Round 3 showed that there may be a changing of the guard. The biggest shock to leave punters baffled was North Melbourne. After what seems the best part of 10 years, the Kangas have been dishing out lashings of mediocrity, winning a few games they should here and there whilst being pumped by the big boys. However on Sunday, it was they who shelled out the shellacking, this time to one of their chief bullyboys, Geelong. Now the Cats did have a few outs - they had just played the Hawks six days earlier (which had more blood spilt than a Dexter marathon) and Stevie Johnson hadn’t got his boots back from the witch doctor. But the Roos were relentless, unleashing years of frustration to finally get an impressive win over the Premiers. The last time Geelong lost to North (back in ‘07), they played Richmond the following week. The Cats that day won by 120+ points. Guess who the
pussy cats have this week? Shame too, because the Tiges would be full of confidence after making Melbourne look more rubbish than they already are. The other big ‘huh, wha?’ moment occurred when Essendon travelled to Gold Coast. This was supposed to be a great reason to celebrate the last surviving member of the 1923 premiership and current full back Dustin Fletchers 350th game, and hopefully notch up a 350 point win. The Suns had other ideas and had it not been for a few players having to say ‘ni ni’s’ and brush their teeth before bed, Gold Coast would’ve ruined the Gopher presentation ceremony. Oh, and there is the small issue of the Pies. They lost. Convincingly. TO CARLTON. Again, injuries to key personnel may have contributed to KPIs being down, but the Buckley factor may just be too great. He may be the biggest dud coach since Damian Drum. Mick Malthouse must be thinking ‘Jeez, I leave the joint for 5 minutes…’. AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
TAG TASTER TEMPTING NEW BLOOD
Tag Rugby dishes up the free stuff in London P14
100 DAYS TO GO n The countdown to the London 2012 Olympic Games kicks into overdrive this week as Wednesday marks 100 days until one of the most anticipated sporting events of the decade. By Tim Martin WITH a little more than 100 days to go, (from Wednesday) London 2012 is literally just around the corner. And Australia (fingers crossed) is looking good for a very successful event. Despite plans to send one of Australia’s smaller Olympic teams to the English capital later this year, commentators and analysts are already starting to talk up our chances. In fact, our green and gold Aussie athletes could be on for a better-than-expected medal haul when the Games begin on 27 July. The new boss at the Australian Institute of Sport, Matt Favier, is a man well placed to compare how Australia might fare against our traditional rivals - Great Britain. Just months ago Favier was the head of performance at UK Sport, the body charged with delivering Britain’s sporting excellence. But he left that role to return home to Australia and while the Brits may have taken umbrage at losing their top man so close to the Olympics, the UK’s loss is well and truly Australia’s gain. ‘’I know the Brits are talking fourth in the medal tally, more medals across more sports in London and second in the medal tally for the Paralympics,’’ Favier told The Sun-Herald in Australia. ‘’My analysis suggests that is very likely where they may end up, but it’s going to be very competitive. It will be very difficult for any nation to displace China, Russia and the US from the top three. But what is going to be very interesting is the fourthto eighth-place group.” The Australian Olympic Committee had originally predicted a modest medal haul for Australia in 2012, with 42 medals and a slip to eighth on the medal table. But Favier believes the Aussies could do better than that and maybe even displace the Poms. “It’s not inconceivable that the Brits could fall from fourth to eighth and Australia finishes fourth. It’s within the scope and the capacity of the Australian system to do that. Somewhere in there is Germany, Japan and France isn’t ...continued on p14
(AAP Image/Joe Castro)
FA Cup heartbreak for Everton’s Aussie
AUSTRALIAN star Tim Cahill revealed his agony at missing out on a chance to end his FA Cup final heartache after Everton's 2-1 defeat against arch rivals Liverpool in the semi-finals at Wembley. Cahill was starting to dream of a third appearance in the FA Cup final after Nikica Jelavic fired Everton into a first-half lead on Saturday. But a horrendous mistake from Sylvain Distin, whose wayward ...continued on p14
Watto’s quest for elusive ton continues
ROLLING STONE’S lead singer Mick Jagger knows you can’t always get what you want and it seems Shane Watson can’t find a way to end his long wait for a third Test hundred. Against the West Indies in Trinidad, Watson fell for the 18th time in his 34-Test career between 50 and 100 as his seeming inability to convert a score into triple figures for Australia continued. With legendary rocker Jagger watching from the stands at Queen’s Park Oval, music tragic Watson ...continued on p14
A dozen Origin spots up for grabs: Daley
DEMON DAYS
Malthouse slams Melbourne’s football culture | P15
WITH up to a dozen NSW Origin spots up for grabs, Country coach Laurie Daley believes Sunday’s City-Country clash will have a massive bearing on the make-up of the Blues team for game one. Just five NSW players will line up to face New Zealand in the Test match in Auckland on Friday, while hooker Danny Buderus (Achilles), centre Michael Jennings (pectoral muscle), lock Glenn Stewart (thumb), utility ...continued on p15