15 - 21 May 2012 – Issue: 412
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CALLS FOR CONDUCT REVIEW AFTER POLITICAL SCANDALS n
Key independent Tony Windsor has called for an urgent review of the code of conduct for Australian politicians in light of the Craig Thomson and Peter Slipper sagas.
PRIME Minister Julia Gillard agrees clearer guidelines for politicians may be in order as former Labor MP Craig Thomson's situation casts a shadow over the current code of conduct. Independent MP Tony Windsor has called for a review of the code of conduct for politicians, following damning civil allegations against Mr Thomson and Speaker Peter Slipper. Ms Gillard said she was open to debating the issue in parliament. "There are various rules now for members of parliament but I'm obviously open to suggestions for a code of conduct and clearer set of rules," she told reporters in Queensland on Sunday. Mr Thomson, who is accused - in Fair Work Australia (FWA) findings - of misusing union funds on prostitutes and personal expenses, as well his election campaign, was entitled to a presumption of innocence, she said. He claims he has been set up by members of the union's executive, who threatened to ruin his future political career before he entered parliament by setting him up with hookers. "I understand many Australians would have seen Mr Thomson's interview yesterday and they will have drawn their own conclusions but ultimately the only way this matter can be resolved is properly before the courts," Ms Gillard said. Mr Windsor said the public wanted a higher standard from
(Image by Justin Ng)
SIZZLING AUSSIE TALENT
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parliamentarians and politicians would face a test in the next few weeks as to how they would grapple with both civil and criminal offences of their contemporaries. "Under current rules within the parliament, there's not a lot that can be done in terms of those (FWA) findings," Mr Windsor told Sky News. "If those findings become a
criminal matter, if there's fraud or other issues involved in terms of the union or even in my view some civil matters, there may well be need to change the rules in the parliament so that those issues can be dealt with in the parliament. "We can give someone a slap on the wrist but I don't think the general public is too interested in a slap on the wrist."
Mr Windsor has flagged a referendum to deal with the issue. Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey said Mr Thomson's explanation was unbelievable. FWA's 1100-page report into activities at the HSU were a "damning indictment" of Mr Thomson and other people at the ...continued on p3
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Strong economy supports fair society: Swan
TREASURER Wayne Swan has declared economic strength goes hand in hand with fairness in Australian society. A strong economy and disciplined fiscal policy was vital to encourage a fairer community that supported the most vulnerable, Mr Swan said, addressing a welfare group in Melbourne. “With this budget, we have shown that you can balance the books, invest to keep the economy strong, and build big social reforms all at the same time,” he told the ACOSS post-budget lunch on Monday. But Opposition Leader Tony Abbott told his party faithful in Brisbane that the treasurer’s forecast $1.5 billion surplus in 2012/13 was nothing to boast about. “The government is going to borrow more between now and 30 ...continued on p3
2 | News
15 - 21 May 2012
Why are we so obsessed with the life and times of politician’s partners?
n
Why our obsession with our leaders partners? Is it terribly vain to be so interested in those who are in relationships with our elected politicians? Or is this knowledge a crucial piece of the puzzle in swaying our vote? Publisher: Bryce Lowry Editor: Tim Martin Production/Design: Jackie Lampard Australia Editor: Ashlea Maher Music Editor: Paul Judge Contributors: Bianca Soldani, Shannon Crane, Kate Ausburn, Sara Newman, Justin Ng, Phill Browne, Kristy Kenny, Carmen Allan, Mario Hannah, Amy Fallon, Rose Callaghan, Lesley Slade, Simon Kleinig, Kris
Griffiths, Guy Logan, Nathan Motton, JP Breytenbach, Cameron Jenkins, Will Denton, Leigh Johnston, Lee Crossley, Shane Jones, Adrian Craddock, Liam Flanagan, Emily Banyard, Mel Edwards, Raquel Messi Advertising Manager: Dominic Young Directors: P Atherton, J Durrant N Durrant, R Phillips and A Laird Additional content:
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the hard word > NATHAN MOTTON
FOLLOWING the dramatic ousting of Nicolas Sarkozy by presidentelect Francois Hollande in France last weekend, to become the first Socialist president since 1988, a friend of mine (female) decried her sadness, not at the result, but at the thought of life without Carla Bruni as first lady. For any of you who paid even the slightest attention to the French presidential election, unprecedented for so many reasons, you could have been forgiven for feeling as though the country’s first lady was a far more important discussion point. Indeed, for some, it was. But it begs the question. Why our obsession with our leaders partners? Is it terribly vain to be so interested in those who are in relationships with our elected politicians? Or is this knowledge a crucial piece of the puzzle in swaying our vote? Mr Hollande and journalistgirlfriend Valerie Trierweiler have been together since 2005, but only openly since 2007, when his relationship with fellow Socialist Segolene Royal was publicly ended. Trierweiler can’t technically be called the ‘first lady’, given she is not married to the president-elect. She is the first unmarried woman in France’s history to be in that position. The 47-year-old mum of three is twice-divorced, a journalist at Paris Match and an attractive
Your Say
On: Returning to Australia – what a culture shock!
Hmmn, and you’re complaining about this ? I love going to Australia and being around the Aussie people and slightly different culture. It never takes me long to ‘adjust’, I just float straight into it and I’m a pom born and bred. June English AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
On: Australianisms – teaching the Poms to speak ‘Strayan
My Fave Aussie word, and it shouldn’t be, but it does makes me chuckle. before I tell you I have to explain the scenario first. My Aussie friend couldn’t get his plant cuttings to grow. I said to him, “well, all you need is some rooting powder. He looked at me bemused, then seeing that i was deadly serious doubled up in two laughing. I discovered that “rooting” meant something entirely different. Juney AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
? What’s your view
Every day on …
woman. Not so much in the style of glamorous former supermodel turned singer-songwriter Carla Bruni, yet Ms Trierweiler will bring her own sense of style to the Elysee Palace (or wherever they choose to live). But do we really care? UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s wife Samantha is constantly the focus of the British press for typically no other reason than what she is wearing. The 41-year-old has three children with Mr Cameron. Justine Thornton, the wife of leader of the Labour Party Ed Miliband is derided as much as Ms Cameron is praised in some quarters, for her “understated” style, and has two children. Arguably the most talked about first lady in the history of global politics is Michelle Obama. Type in her name in Google and it returns a staggering 358 million results. Websites have been set up posting photos of what Mrs Obama wears on a daily basis. The 48-yearold (unlike those mentioned immediately above) is an actively public woman. Her influence, her stature and her ethics are seen by some as just as profound, if not more, than her husbands, the 44th incumbent President of the United States, Barack Obama. There is an insatiable appetite for Mrs Obama, the first African-American first lady of the White House. And what of our fair nation’s first lady, whoops, sorry ‘first bloke’ Tim Mathieson? The first response you
get when you search for Mathieson on Google is ‘Tim Mathieson gay’. Mathieson is a former hairdresser, and divorcee with three adult children, one alleged to be a ‘love child’ from his younger years. Mathieson has been ridiculed from pillar to post since his partner’s sudden rise to the position of Prime Minister of Australia in 2010, for being, well, a bit of a ‘man’s man’. So what does it all mean? What does it say about the press and we as consumers? It’s difficult not to approach all of this with slight trepidation. The Obamas are frankly a whole different entity, but for the rest of those mere mortals, it is a sad state when partners of elected members of parliament are focused on to within an inch of their lives. Of course such nonsense harks back decades to the days of Jacqueline Kennedy, but that doesn’t make it any more appropriate. The cult of celebrity has grown to monumental proportions over recent years, but this scribe finds it difficult to understand why the life and times of our politician’s partners is deemed so relevant. Why the endless vicious smears? Why does it matter what our first lady (or bloke) is wearing? Why does it matter that our Prime Minister isn’t married? Why does it matter that the opposition leader’s wife dresses “plainly?” It doesn’t. Can we just focus on the politics, please.
Typical aussie, now listen carefully: Aussies did’nt invent G’day! it is an abbreviation of “GOOD DAY” It is used in various languages all over the world. Now go back to patting yourselves on the back and stop boring everyone about how “awesome” aussies are! Aldo AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices Aldo, perhaps you need to go back to the hole you crawled out of…..didn’t your mum ever teach you that if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all..? Mskylesm AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
‘Yobbo’ is a British coinage – back slang for ‘boy’. Ken AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
Pants are on the outside and thongs go on ya feet! There’s nothing quite like listening to a Pom trying to say “G’day”. Faye AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices I’ve occasionally been surprised to hear a pom use words that I always thought were uniquely Australian, like ‘strewth’ and I’m sure I’ve even heard David Cameron use the word ‘yobbo’. Some missing from this list though: piss-take, rippa, chockers Will Collins AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
Hooroo’: that’d be the Home and Away influence…. Boris AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
On: Australia not safe for Chinese students
Australia is not a safe country for Chinese to visit. It is not an issue involving hooligans but it is a matter of racial discrimnation. Tart Eater AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
On: Crabs - the greatest seafood in the world?
Chris, Can you suggest some good fishmongers for crab in London? Guess that we cant get this stuff from supermarkets. Dave Walker AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
Share your comments on these and more stories online: AustralianTimes.co.uk
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Thomson saga spurs politician review calls
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Continued from p1... union, he told the Nine Network. "They were findings, not allegations, and it is a very serious issue. "He has a lot of explaining to do." Mr Thomson has promised to provide a more detailed explanation, including naming names, when parliament resumes on 21 May. Mr Hockey said he was unaware of claims by the previous member for Dobell, Alan Ticehurst, that the then Howard government had a file of allegations against Mr Thomson. Mr Ticehurst said he could sue
Mr Thomson for lost earnings after losing the seat of Dobell to him in the 2007 election, Fairfax Media reported. Senior Labor minister Anthony Albanese said it was important to maintain a separation of powers between political and legal systems. "I don't know the facts of these matters. I'm not a lawyer, let alone a judge," he told the Ten Network. The idea that union funds had been abused by anyone was abhorrent to him and to the union movement, Mr Albanese said. - AAP AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
Australia to ‘balance the books’ but questions remain over housing June than the size of Wayne Swan’s claimed micro-surplus,” Mr Abbott said in an address to the Queensland division of the LNP. Opposition housing spokeswoman Marise Payne said there was nothing in the budget to boost housing supply and affordability or reduce the risk of homelessness. Rents were rising faster than inflation, and the Labor government was also about to impose a carbon tax that would increase the cost of building an average home by at least $5200, after compensation, Senator Payne said in a statement. “The government appears to be relying on the Reserve Bank to improve housing affordability,” Senator Payne said. “However, they are ignoring the two million people renting in the private market who don’t benefit from interest rate cuts.” Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) deputy governor Philip Lowe told a conference in Melbourne that slow home building was the “biggest surprise” in the bank’s overestimation of economic growth in 2011. “We had expected dwelling approvals to pick up gradually over 2011, but this pick-up did not eventuate,” Dr Lowe said in an address to the ADC Future Summit. He blamed a return to more traditional savings and borrowing behaviour by households, which was rippling through the economy. “This has made developers,
financiers and households less willing to commit to new construction despite rising rental yields, lower prices relative to income and ongoing growth in population,” Dr Lowe said. Improving fundamentals should generate a pick-up in home building at some point, but recent indicators do not suggest this is imminent, he said. New data shows an unexpected rise in new home loans in March, with growth of 0.3 per cent to 39,143 mortgages, after falls in the preceding two months. The data, which preceded this month’s 50-basis-point cash rate cut by the RBA and rate cuts of 33 basis points on average by lenders, shows there were around 2000 fewer loans per month than there would have been if pre-global financial crisis, long-term trends had continued. “More is needed in terms of further rate cuts, and also housing supply reform, by state and federal governments,” Housing Industry Association senior economist Andrew Harvey said. RBC Capital Markets strategist Michael Turner said the 100 basis points of cuts in the cash rate since November may prove “too little, too late” to stop a contraction of around five per cent in residential construction in 2012. - AAP
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4 | News
15 - 21 May 2012
NEWS DIGEST
Top news stories from the week that was
Gillard says ‘no’ to Peter Costello on Obama’s gay nod the comeback? Prime Minister Julia Gillard remains opposed to gay marriage despite US President Barack Obama’s change of heart on the issue. PRESIDENT Obama, who faces an election in November in a religiously conservative nation, is the first sitting US president to endorse same-sex equality in marriage. But Aussie PM Julia Gillard, who isn’t likely to face Australian voters until late next year, says she’s still opposed to gay marriage. “I’ve made my position clear and that’s the position I’ll take into the parliament,” she said on the issue. However Australian Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young hopes Mr Obama’s stance is a game-changer. “It’s time for our political leaders to accept that the Australian people have it right,” she said from Canberra. “Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott are on the wrong side of history.”
AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
Talk of a possible political comeback by former treasurer Peter Costello had Australian parliament buzzing last week.
PETER Costello, the former Howard government treasurer, denied strongly that he would be returning to Aussie parliament for the Liberal Party despite the rumour mill going into overdrive last week, thanks to Labor pushing the issue. “Members of the Liberal Party yearn for a return of Peter Costello,” Julia Gillard said in parliament, in an attack on the opposition’s economic credibility ahead of Tony Abbott’s budget reply speech. The story being bandied around Twitter and social media circles was that Mr Costello tried to elbow his way into the safe Liberal seat of Kooyong, currently held by backbencher Josh Frydenberg. However the former Treasurer rubbished the story claiming it was a bunch of lies spread by one-time political supporter Michael Kroger. AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
Howzat!? Mitchell Starc deported from the UK
Australian bowler Mitchell Starc has been deported from the UK after a problem with the cricket star’s visa.
AUSTRALIAN bowler Mitchell Starc was deported from the UK last week, meaning he missed his Yorkshire County Cricket debut and had to return home to Australia. Starc endured a four-hour wait at Heathow Airport when he touched down initially, and then was informed after a problem had been found with his visa that he would have to leave the country. Starc took to Twitter with: ”Well that’s a first! Being deported from England…surely nothing else can go wrong can it?!?!” ”Visa issue. Incorrect communication from Aus. Will be straight back to UK ASAP once sorted. In time for next Yorkshireccc game.” Thanks to stringent UK Border control measures, the pace bowler had to fly home all the way to Australia, just to fill in some forms, before getting on a return flight back to the UK. AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
Shane Warne’s Jesus Christ! fighting ‘mummies’ Superstar Tim Warne’s ex wife has criticised Liz Hurley and called the Minchin is Judas Shane British glamour ‘disrespectful’ Musical comedian and self-confessed atheist, Tim Minchin, will play Judas in a London reboot of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic musical.
LONDON-BASED Australian comedic genius Tim Minchin has accepted the role as the traitor Judas Iscariot in a new version of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’. The funnyman will join Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger who will play the role of Mary Magdalene in a stage production that will run at London’s O2 Arena this summer. The lead role of Jesus for the musical, written by Lord Lloyd Webber and Sir Tim Rice in 1969, will be determined by a live televised casting process. Although Minchin is firmly atheist in regards to his religious views, he recently admitted that a song sung by Judas in the production is one of his favourite tunes of all times. AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
Are we missing out on the best bits of London?
What we’re following
right said ed
#Gillard
> TIM MARTIN
A CONSTANT nag in my household is that ‘we don’t do enough cultural stuff in London’. Ok, nag is too strong a word, but it’s a niggle almost a regret - that we are not making the absolute most of our time here in this amazing city. Sure life in London can be hectic and there is inevitably something to do almost every night of the week (even if that only entails rugby training or hitting the gym) but when I head home in a year or two, I want to look back on my time in the English capital and not regret a thing. I want to have done ol’ Blighty, and London-town in particular, to bits! However, it wasn’t until I was in the tranquil surroundings of the London Eye last week that this fact really hit home. There is so much stuff here that I haven’t yet done but is on my London wishlist. Every week I look at Bron in the Don’s article (see the opposite page for some Kenso Palace loving) and think, ‘oh, yes, I have to go and do that’. But each week, instead of that list getting smaller and me taking some solid advice from our resident London explorer, my list actually gets longer. It’s crazy too because some of the best times I have had in this city have been when I have been out and about doing the cultural/touristy/
SHANE Warne’s ex wife Simone Callahan has had a pop at the cricket legend’s new fiancé, British actress and model Liz Hurley. She has also criticised the role Hurley plays in her children’s lives. In an interview with Australian magazine, Woman’s Day, Callahan said it was disrespectful if her three children were to call Hurley “mummy”. “I can’t control what people say, but it’s just disrespectful as far as I’m concerned. She (Hurley) is not their mum. And the kids know exactly what the situation is.” Callahan has also voiced her disparagement at Warne and Hurley introducing her children to social media (Twitter). “Shane and I don’t see eye-to-eye on that. I don’t like social networking. My kids are banned from Facebook,” Callahan said.
@mariekehardy 'Oakeshott diagnosed with illness just after announcing support for Julia Gillard'. YOU SEE? NOW IT POISONS YOU. @AbstractCode Voting for Abbot to get rid of Gillard is like setting yourself on fire because you've been run over by a car. Unhelpful. @latikambourke PM Julia Gillard on her and Tony Abbott being bipartisan for Red Cross - 'I'm Red, he's always Cross.' #lol
NO OLIVE BRANCH HERE Olive grower Richard Whiting takes a bath in olive oil in front of Australia’s Parliament House in Canberra. The Australian Olive Oil Association are fighting for a fairer system to be enforced to ensure that consumers are getting the premium product they are paying for. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) sight-seeing stuff. Take for instance my climb to the top of Monument and the resulting certificate you get when you trek back down the 100,000 steps. Ok, I may not know where that bloody certificate is, and the view from the top isn’t as spectacular as from say the top of St Paul’s, or the roof terrace of the New Zealand High Commission or even the London Eye (on a non-foggy day) but it is the memory of the experience that stays with me. Probably my favourite London experience by far was a
romantic trip down the Thames on a ferry, marvelling at the sights of the city whizzing past, then exploring the beauty that is the little ‘village’ of Greenwich at the end. And that was in January! The coldest time of the year. I guess what I am saying, what I am trying to convince myself, is – our time here (for most of us) is relatively short. Soon we’ll be back home on the beach, boring our mates with stories from the “grey, drab land full of whinging Poms” but secretly cringing inside because
you spent more time in a Walkie instead of going to Borough Market or checking out what the inside of St Paul’s looks like. Basically – guys, girls, hermaphrodites (see page eight), and most importantly – ME – get out there and make the most of London! Tim Martin is the Australian Times.
Editor
of
AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
@P_Casey3 Watching Carlton lose. Definitely better than the rightist, audience stacked and anti-Gillard smorgasbord that is #qanda @TheOtherAtheist When will Wong challenge Gillard? One of the only pollies left you can respect. @liberal19 #pmlive wouldn't' trust Gillard and her mob to run a chook raffle. Check out what we’re following today on AustralianTimes.co.uk and follow us on Twitter @AustralianTimes
Voices | 5
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Getting the royal treatment at Kensington Palace
A curry you can take anywhere (even Tassie!)
n
Apparently everybody needs a holiday sometime (news to us n There’s nothing like getting all palatial in at Australian Times!), and accordingly our resident Aussie chef in London, so our resident adventurer headed London, Chris Ark of Claridge’s, is currently sunning himself on a down to Hyde Park to tick off #38 on her London Spanish island. Fear not though, dear readers, for he has drafted Top 100 list and visit Kensington Palace. in a more than worthy replacement this week in Margin Martin – a man to take us through the art of the travellable curry.
chris’s
kitchen > CHRIS ARK
WHAT’S so good about a curry? It’s tasty, it’s gripping and usually takes no time because you buy it down the road. So while Chris is honing his culinary skills in other lands I thought I would share a winning recipe with you. I’m a stickler for simplicity and taste but sometimes that balance can get skewed. But not so with this little beauty of a chicken curry. The secret in ensuring you get the taste, is in making your own curry paste. Bottled pastes can be good and they are oh so quick, but they still have the taste of that container they came in. This particular curry, with our homemade paste, gets better with time - so the trick is to make it one quiet night midweek
bron in
the don
bag sir?” “Well, yes, just a tasty cooked curry,” I fessed up. “No problems with cooked items, sir, on your way.” Phew! And while that little episode made it quite a special dish, time and distance made it a real winner (although the beers & red probably helped too). The trick with my chicken curry, and this is only if you are going to eat it sometime later, is to not fully cook the chicken (almost but not fully). When you reheat it in a pan at a later stage, this will finish the cooking process keeping the chicken succulent and moist (doesn’t work with microwaves – so if you are going to microwave it second time round, fully cook the chicken initially). Another tip I found from my Tassie experience was to leave the coconut milk out of the dish, only adding it when you reheat it. This works just as well as adding it first up, and makes storing a lot easier as it is less runny.
conut milk Margin’s ‘Tassie’ chicken curry with co
BRONWYN SPENCER
Every girl wants to feel like royalty occasionally and so I thought it was best to follow in the footsteps of several of the royal family and visit their old home, Kensington Palace. One of the few historic royal palaces included in the top 100, Kensington Palace, located in Hyde Park has just reopened after a long £12million refurbishment. At the west side of Hyde Park, the Palace over looks Kensington Gardens and the Round Pond and is easy walking distance from Queensway or High Street Kensington. If you’re lucky enough to get a sunny day it is the perfect destination after a walk or ride through the park. A £17 ticket gets you access into the Palace where you can slowly work your way around and discover the four stories they have on display. The story we first followed was the one of Queen Victoria and the beginning of her reign and her marriage to Albert. Throughout the whole area they had quotes from her diaries and speeches written all over the walls and ornaments. It was a really interesting way to view her reign through her own words. What struck me the most was her love letters to Albert and how much she seemed to love him. It was only then that I found out that she wore black for the rest of her life after he died. It was a side of the royal family I had never heard of and for a romantic like me, was a great one! We then visited the room dedicated to Princess Diana which is found at the
and fridge or freeze it for that weekend later when you have little time and would usually go out to buy a curry. Flying from Tamworth (NSW) to Tassie one day, for a spot of fly fishing with a group of old rugby mates, I came a cropper at the Tasmanian airport security. For those of you who have not travelled to Tassie and know it only for its position on the map, the airports have sniffer dogs to ensure foreign foods do not infect their near perfect island. Now, part of our fishing holiday (aside from a few quiet beers and hopefully tight lines) was cooking some stonker dishes for each other and I had made up my special chicken curry. However you can imagine my consternation when the other nine lads had retrieved their bags from the carousel yet mine (with the chicken curry neatly packed inside) was hemmed between two sniffer dogs. “Any fruit, meat or seafood in your
end of a corridor adorned with wallpaper featuring sketches of her face and figure. I would have to admit that the room is slightly disappointing as it is quite small and only features a few of her ball gowns and several photo and as there seemed to be so much more to her short-lived life, I was sorry I didn’t get to learn a bit more. The next story we followed was that of ‘the King’ as we were lead into the King’s State apartments. This area has a card game included for those interested in interacting with the displays. I was more inclined to wander around and view all the different chambers featuring furniture and clothing of the era. The fourth and last story we visited was ‘the Queen’s apartments’ which is home to quite a scandalous argument if the stories are to be believed. It is also home to the Queen’s gallery where there are many portraits and rugs hung all over the walls. It is tempting to sit in the bay window seats and gaze up at the paintings however let me warn you – the walls talk. Literally! There must be speakers on sensors and as I was sitting there someone started whispering something to me which gave me a bit of a surprise! I was glad that I finally got a chance to check out the Palace, however I must admit it was a bit different than what I was expecting. It had so many modern aspects to it and I think I was expecting something a bit more traditional. However I definitely learnt a few things about the royal history and I look forward to exploring Hampton Court Palace next to compare! The Orangery found right outside the palace is a great place to stop in before or after your visit for some tea or a meal. AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
What you need:
• 750 gms boneless chicken thigh; cut into cubes • 2 lemon grass stalks, cut into 3 and pound a little • 6-8 kaffir lime leaves • 1 cup of coconut milk • 1 tablespoon of lime juice • Salt to taste For the paste: • 1 ½ inch galangal • 4-6 fresh red chilli (seed & slice) • 5 shallots (sliced) • 1 inch ginger • 6 macadamia nuts (or similar); soaked in warm water • ½ inch of fresh turmeric • ¼ teaspoon belacan (shrimp paste)
What to do:
• Blend all paste ingredients to a fine paste
• Heat a little vegetable oil in a wok and then stir fry the paste until aromatic & thin layer of oil rises to the top • Add chicken and lime juice and continue stirring until almost cooked (cook right through if eating immediately). If storing in the fridge or freezer, place in a sealed container & fridge/freeze immediately to slow the cooking process • Add the coconut milk and simmer for 20 minutes over low heat • Add salt to taste and serve hot. Serves four with some absorption cooked rice (made while the chicken is simmering) and a few condiments. Enjoy (and think of Tassie)!
AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
6 | Voices
15 - 21 May 2012
When being Australian is about more than just Foster’s By Bon8 EMBARRASSING for everyone! That’s the only way I can describe this all too common situation that has been affecting me of late. So, a mate’s dad Geoff drops in for a big family and friends BBQ at my place. He has that little boy look on his face - that look of excitement and expectation. He pulls me a side and says, “I’ve got something special for you gov”. Grinning wildly, he then pulls a four pack of Foster’s tinnys out of a bag and hands them to me. Now I have a problem. Because this guy really wants to impress me with his gift; this is man to man, a moment where two different blokes can share something special. Foster’s. He knows that all Aussies dream of Foster’s every night, we bathe in it, it rains Foster’s in the Wet Tropics and a tear will present itself at the corner of my eye when he hands them to me. We will be forever friends welded together by this moment. I don’t ever remember drinking Foster’s! If I try really hard, I think I can muster a memory of my grandpa sitting on the back of the boat at Bonnie Doon in 1972, with a king brown of Foster’s in his hand. But that’s it. So, what do you say? Do you slap him on the back and thank him on behalf of all the Aussies in the world? Because, of course, this gift will ensure our two countries remain friends and allies eternally. Or do you laugh and ridicule his knowledge of anything Australian? You tell him he really is a fool, this is in fact the biggest insult he can make to me to me and his misguided attempt to win me over has fuelled an argument that will spill into the backyard and disrupt the salad makers, scaring the kids, and generally
Cheers to London and its boozy ways life after
london
> SHANNON CRANE
ensuring the neighbours consider putting their houses on the market in the near future. What do you do? It’s the thought that counts, isn’t it? Too late, he reads between the lines, he sees the look of shock on my face. It’s that moment, uncomfortable, embarrassing but curiously bonding. I put my arm around him and explain that we need to brush up on his Aussie culture and he really is in the right place for that. We agree that the Foster’s can can go the bottom of the esky and will be used as emergency beers. As he begins to question everything he has ever seen on TV, he is angry that he’s been duped again but thanks me for my honesty. Bloody hell, what a mess. So, as predicted, the esky dried up later that night and the Foster’s cans came into play. As it happens, the experience wasn’t too not bad. “Cheers Geoff,” I say, raising the blue tinny. Geoff smiles broadly and enquires, “so what’s happening in Home & Away?” It’s only then that I realise the bastard set me up from the beginning... “Stupid Aussie git,” Geoff laughs heartedly. Now, that’s the special relationship that we all love so much! AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
WHEN I moved to the UK my alcohol intake dramatically increased. In turn, my consumption of late-night kebabs also skyrocketed, while the number of workouts I did each week plummeted to an all time low. I blamed this on London and its ‘unhealthy lifestyle’. I found icy, dark evenings to be more enjoyable in warm pubs with a bottle of happy hour wine, rather than pounding the pavements of gloomy, overcrowded Acton and Clapham J. I would often reminisce of my healthy days in sunny Australia - where the weather and lifestyle made a run in the park more appealing and salads easier to face. After an hour on an overcrowded Tube, where standing with my face in the armpit of a stressed suit wasn’t uncommon, hitting the grog just made sense. So as my time in the UK drew to a close I was rather excited about the concept of finding my healthy Aussie self again. After five months back in the land Down Under, I’m still looking. I’m afraid the 24-year-old who LOVED running and managed to balance the pub with work, exercise and domestic duties hasn’t suddenly been reincarnated in my post-UK 27-year-old body. For some reason I naively thought I’d land in Australia and return to my disciplined ways. I had visions of suddenly having the strength to refuse that lip-smacking glass of red wine after a hard day at the office. And for some reason I am not loving those
6am workouts as much as I did in my early 20’s. Weird, I know! I’ve since realised that I might have been a little harsh on poor old London Town. Perhaps my declining interest in exercise and my heightened enjoyment of nights spent in pubs, surrounded by great company, hearty food and feelgood alcohol could have been better attributed to the ageing process, than the weather. And thinking about it, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Many, many memorable moments were created in those pubs. We laughed until we almost wet ourselves and while we often felt a little worse for wear the next day, the friendships that were formed made it all worthwhile. I wish I could say the same about the hours spent alone in a sweaty, stuffy gym. So, on that note, I’d like to publicly
apologise to London. Sorry I blamed you for my ‹naughty› habits. Instead, I should have been thanking you. Without such carefree, fun behaviour, my time in the UK wouldn’t have been so memorable. So on that note, I’d like to propose a toast to good friends, big meals and a few stubbies. Because life’s pretty dull otherwise. Cheers! AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
Going off the grid
By Bronnie Spencer I’M GOING to admit it. I’m a bit of a smartphone addict. After years of dealing with a trusty but ancient old Nokia last year I branched out and got a Blackberry. And just like that, it was like a whole new lease on life. Having an internet connection anywhere (except on the Underground) I could do anything - look up maps, check the tube lines before I left somewhere and connect to my favourite social networks. This instant connection immediately fuelled my social network addiction as Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp were quickly downloaded. A few months later there was the addition of a work phone in form of an Android and I was introduced to Instagram, Words with Friends (among many other games) and of course work emails. So you can imagine my horror when recently on holiday I made the rookie mistake of forgetting my power adaptor for Europe. While smart phones are incredibly smart (although with my overuse the battery doesn’t last long), after a day of texting, searching and planning, I was smartphone-less an hour after arrival. Thanks dead battery... Usually when travelling I won’t even allow data roaming due to the extra charges, however nowadays
hostels and hotels usually provide some free Wi-Fi (and there is always trusty Maccas) so I can almost always get my fix of checking in on Facebook and updating my Twitter. I can even usually find a spot to upload my latest photo to instagram and send the photo via email to my Mum who hasn’t quite caught up on other technology. This time, however, I was off the grid completely. How could I brag to people back home that ‘yes, indeed, I was in Italy, eating delicious food and drinking cheap wine’. They would have to wait four whole days to be jealous when they saw my photos uploaded. Not only that! What would I spend my time doing while I waited in coffee shops, train stations and airports with Wi-Fi connection? The people waiting on my Draw Something masterpiece would think I had fallen off the face of the earth. I couldn’t even check the time because I had forgotten my watch too! At first, it was frustrating but after a day or so it didn’t matter. I actually became accustomed to not even taking my phones with me. Not only did it make my bag slightly lighter but it lifted a weight off my shoulders with my temptation to check work emails or compare bank holiday weekend Facebook status updates with my friends. I actually spent four days on holiday. A complete break
from the rest of the world and instead of spending waiting time on my phone I spent it chatting to others, taking in the sights around me and getting back to one of my favourite hobbies of people watching. Even text messages from friends went unanswered and you know what - the world didn’t end. By the time I got home though I was ready for a hit and instantly connected my phone to the charger imagining hordes of emails, texts and notifications. In fact I had two text messages, three notifications and about 40 emails which were all newsletters, vouchers and subscriptions. Ok and I had a few games of words with friends to play as well but overall it was under whelming and even more proof that I don’t miss much if I just put my phone away. Still, I can’t break the habit and while I’m in London I’m still as much as an addict as ever. But I know for sure that next time I go on holiday my phone might not be coming with me. AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
8 | Entertainment
15 - 21 May 2012
The Aussie communist hermaphrodite seducing London
n
That daring Aussie duo, EastEnd Cabaret, have returned to London after a very successful tour Down Under (no pun intended), bringing with them their raunchy, and often shocking, style of entertainment. BIANCA SOLDANI caught up with the Melbourne misfits to discuss their unique brand of comedy and their promiscuous residency at Wonderground’s specially commissioned Speigeltent LET me briefly introduce EastEnd Cabaret’s ultra egos. There’s primadonna chanteuse Bernadette Byrne - the glamorous and excessively flirtatious primary vocalist (in real life – Jennifer Byrne). And then there is Victor Victoria (affectionately known as ‘Victy’) - half-man half-woman and monstrously in love with afore mentioned Bernadette to whom he/ she provides all manner of musical accompaniment (played by Victoria Falconer-Pritchard). Throughout their shows, the Aussie duo have exhibited a particular talent for corrupting the meaning of popular songs. Having performed dirty covers of singles from Radiohead, Britney Spears, John Lennon and Jimmy Barnes, I couldn’t help but ask where they draw inspiration for their colourful songs. “We are inspired by life, darling.” Bernadette answers with charm. “We write about funny things that happen to us, or our closest friends. The things that people won’t talk about until they’ve had ‘one too many gins’.” But with dirtier and more explicitly sexual lyrics wheedling their way into contemporary pop music, the pair are having to change their tact. “You are right darling, contemporary pop is dirty enough. At the moment we are writing more and more original songs - crazy things just keep
happening to us!” While Bernadette commands most of the limelight with her figurehugging outfits and saucy smiles, Victy is left alone to struggle with the many challenges facing communist hermaphrodites in today’s society. “Luckily, most people are willing to embrace me (sometimes literally) for who I am. In fact, many people seem to find my half-and-halfness pretty attractive!” Victy laughs with panache. But apart from the occasional wildly infatuated fan, it would seem there is no greater difficulty than finding clothing for the immaculately robed two-some (or is that three-some?). “As a bilateral hermaphrodite (my right side is male, my left is female), I usually have to buy two outfits, and try to stick them together somehow. This involves a lot of needle-pricked fingers and heartache. And safety pins, when I get lazy,” Victy says with a half smile, half frown. In their recent tour Down Under, the pair very much enjoyed corrupting the innocence of their Australian audiences. “Australia was absolutely delightful; perhaps a little more conservative than London at first, but there’s nothing that a song about ping pong ball shenanigans won’t fix,” Victy winks with mirth. “We recruited many wonderful Aussies to our Half-Moustache
Army in Adelaide and Melbourne– as you’ll agree, a half-moustache is a distinguished addition to any outfit or occasion.” But despite the various delights involved in taking their raunchy cabaret act to Oz, the comedy duo are glad to be back in London. “London is our home, and audiences here are fabulously louche and open to anything from danger-wanking to the phenomenon of ‘camel-toe’. We are very excited about our upcoming shows at the London Wonderground and we’ll be handing out more halfmoustaches to swell the ranks of the army – join us!” The pair will be accompanied in the Wonderground’s specially commissioned Spiegeltent by their Mao inspired sexual activist, Mr Little Red Book, who makes frequent appearances on their shows as he attempts to bring about a sexual revolution. “Mr Little Red Book belonged to Bernadette’s father. He had seemingly used his copy of Mao’s handbook as a hiding place for some slightly… sexier reading materials, including a well-thumbed pamphlet on various deviant behaviours. He’s an excellent influence and since Mr Little Red Book was transformed into a small hand puppet, he has advocated and educated our audiences on sexual practices such as the Fidel Fruit
Bowl and the Trotsky Tickle. His methods are the way forward into the sexual revolution – you have nothing to lose but your chains (and your innocence)!” Back in London for three shows only, EastEnd Cabaret promises to “shock, arouse and enlighten”. Don’t miss them at the London Wonderground on the Southbank on 24 May, 22 June & 26 July. For more information visit EastEndCabaret.com AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment
Epic sets, nasty dunnies and an Aussie music feud music from the
motherland > PAUL JUDGE
What a record! Well almost...
HOW cool would it be to be in the Guinness Book of Records? It’s probably the most famous book outside the adventures of certain man from a long time ago - and millions of people go to extreme lengths to get their name included. From the sporty to the dangerous to the downright wacky almost all combinations triumphs are listed. Australian DJ Smokin’ Joe Mehkael thought he’d have a crack last year at the longest continuous DJ set last November. Setting himself up at a nightclub in Sydney he ripped through the tunes for 132 hours straight. That’s five and a half days straight of mixing up the tunes. (Check out the vid online
at AustralianTimes.co.uk) So there would have been tears from Smokin’ Joe this week when people at Guinness world records declared the attempt was not the longest DJ set. Apparently an Austrian DJ had set the bar at 150 hours in October and they hadn’t updated the website to reflect this new world record. This means Joe’s later attempt was short of the official mark. Smokin’ Joe has been good natured about the mess up saying he will return to beat the official record. But surely there must be a part of him which is severely… well you know word we’re thinking of.
Brick by Brick
Late last year we reported on the iconic music pub Annandale Hotel who had launched a campaign to save them from closing their doors with a Buya-brick campaign. The idea behind the campaign was to get punters, musicians and supporters of the pub to donate
money starting from $20 which would help the establishment. Donators would also be honoured with their names inscribed on bricks out the front of the hotel as part of renovations. The hotel’s owners announced last week they had already secured over 500 bricks and had enough money to begin badly needed renovations while aiming to keep the character of the pub’s original décor and history. One notorious and more famous part of the hotel will be getting a visit from the decorators as part of the first stage. We are of course talking about the famous Annandale toilets. And they’re not famous because people love them. Thousands of sweaty music fans fresh from the mosh pit has left a toll on the toilets and regular visitors to the pub will be rejoicing some love will be going into making it less of a cesspit.
Play nicely kiddies
One of our favourites at Australian Times, Kate Miller-Hiedke, has got herself into a little stoush with one of the short men of Australian music Anthony Callea. Kate recently appeared on political discussion show Q&A to partake in the group discussion and perform some of her new music. Her appearance and comments sparked a flurry on Twitter with mixed viewers divided on her arguments and the former Australian Idol winner calling her an embarrassment to Generation Y. Now to be fair to both sides, some of Hiedke’s responses sounded quite airy and uninformed especially about the budget, a very stimulating subject matter for all musicians. But we do have to give her a points decision in this battle as her response to Callea
via Twitter was simple yet effective: “Anthony Callea, Pot, Kettle, F*ckwit.’’ AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment
Entertainment | 9
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Brighton’s The Great Escape for some sizzling Aussie acts UNDER a weekend of 'balmy' English sun, some of the best and brightest upcoming (and established) Australian bands gave Brighton a whole new reason to smile with their electric and eccentric sounds at The Great Escape. Our awesome Australian Times photographer JUSTIN NG was on hand to capture everyone from The Temper Trap and Jinja Safari, to Red Ink and Pond. Rock on!
FRONT MAN AND PRINCIPAL SONGWRITER OF
MEN AT
WORK
AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment
COLIN HAY plus special guest
SATURDAY 16 JUNE I BUSH HALL 310 UXBRIDGE RD, LONDON, W12 7LJ, WWW.BUSHHALLMUSIC.CO.UK
08444 77 1000 I ticketweb.co.uk I wegottickets.com www.colinhay.com
What’s On Midnight Youth 15 May @ The Borderline, Soho Husky 15 May @ Bull & Gate, Kentish Town The Jezabels 17 May @ Electric Brixton DZ Deathrays 17 May @ Barfly, Camden
HILLTOPHOODS.COM
Temper Trap 21-22 May @ KOKO, Camden Pond 22 May @ Cargo, Shoreditch Hilltop Hoods 4 July @ Electric Ballroom Wolfmother 6 July @ IndigO2, North Greenwich Cold Chisel 13 July @ Hard Rock Calling, Hyde Park Xavier Rudd 8 August @ Koko Darren Hayes 24 September @ IndigO2, North Greenwich
For full details...
...and more Aussie gigs go to: AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment
WEDNESDAY 4 JULY
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travel
10 | Travel
tting This week we’re pu
Tallinn ON THE MAP
15 - 21 May 2012
Going Baltic over Tallinn n
Medieval torture, louche restaurants and fashionable boutiques - CHARLIE INGLEFIELD finds out why Tallinn is leading the Baltic recovery.
Leave touristy Tallinn behind
IT had been 15 years since I last stepped foot on Tallinn’s soil. Estonia’s capital back then was still trying to find its long, lost identity having only recently cast off the oppressive clutches of Mother Russia. I remembered my first glimpse of Tallinn back in December 1997 with the unmistakable sight of the huge chimney of the old power plant acting as a beacon for our creaky Viking Line ferry as we made our way through the early morning mist. Tallinn was cold, dark and sinister and immediately appealing to explore. Fast forward to the current day and Tallinn is now a leading European tourist destination, promising and delivering on a captivating historical past and a few pleasantly surprising additions as well. According to popular opinion, the quality of food and restaurants has improved tenfold since communist days. Sampling the culinary delights of Tallinn with some Finnish friends was the perfect way to reacquaint myself with this fascinating city. Helsinki’s locals often pop over for a day trip (think of a visit out of London to Oxford followed by a pub lunch, this is Helsinki’s equivalent). I could not believe what a make-over Tallinn has done to itself…..once you get away from the old port terminal, where we docked, which sadly dates back to the grey, concrete ways of the Russians. The city today is alive with hipster locals and happy tourists.
It pays to leave the tourist maps at home and deliberately get lost in the old town as aimless wandering around these beautiful cobbled streets reaps rich rewards. The many alluring alleyways tease and tempt one with a mixture of glorious buildings from the past, with the gleaming top of St. Olaf’s church leading the way, and of course a cracking selection of restaurants and bistros to choose from. Raekoja Plats or the Town Hall is the heart of the hustle and bustle of the old town. The old town hall which dominates the square dates back to the 15th century and provides the perfect setting to Tallinn’s identity with pretty coloured buildings and the old pharmacy completing the square’s make-up. We decided that a little aperitif at midday was required to fuel ourselves up for a day’s exploration. First stop was the highly recommended Kaerajaan restaurant, located to the centre right of the square if
Travel | 11
AustralianTimes.co.uk
approaching from Viru Street. Named after a popular Estonian national folk dance, we were seated on a table beside the window with perfect views to people-watch over a glass of Merlot. We plumped for a plate of Estonian snacks to keep the wolves from the door and how wisely we chose. A selection of crusted rye bread herrings, smoked cheese and grilled wild boar was the perfect appetiser and we left slightly rosy-cheeked, fulfilled and a need for further culture before picking a venue for the main course.
Torture house to die for
I am not sure why we decided on visiting the museum of medieval torture following a hefty first course and it was certainly one of the more eerie 40 minutes I have spent in a museum. Located on a random
second floor apartment on Viru Street and guarded by two disinterested ladies, fifty ways of getting brutally interrogated were simply displayed in two otherwise empty living rooms. This would not be a place to crash for the night should the nearby hotels be shut. Particularly creepy were the weighing chairs, silently swaying back and forth on their own accord without any assistance. Apparently the jury would decide that your weight would mean that you were a devil worshipper and therefore a painful death was required. We were all thinking the same thing which was how many people had been condemned to the most barbaric deaths courtesy of these contraptions. Also, most of them seemed to originate from Germany and Austria. There was me thinking that Austria was all rolling fields, Apfelstrudel and Mozart.
Boozing in Baltic boutiques
It was nice to step foot back in the sun as we hurried away from the museum in search of some light and happiness. Half the fun about exploring Tallinn is not to follow any set tourist path but to let yourself be taken by the side streets of which there are plenty to entice one in. Around every cosy corner and courtyard there are eccentric merchant houses, church spires and medieval walls. To accentuate the blend of new and old, we came across tasteful artwork in rustic doorways, combining effortlessly alongside antique shops and fashionable boutiques. After our torture experience we had recovered sufficiently to finish our lunch and we chose Sfaar restaurant close to the harbour. Having a gourmet lunch in what is essentially a posh clothes shop may seem a little
weird but there is nothing like the excited chatter of guests at their tables gobbling their food and an expansive labyrinth of wines to choose from. It’s always a good sign when the table next to us had a group of slightly tipsy Finnish housewives on an afternoon’s excursion away from their husbands, clinking glasses and talking about their latest purchases. I again couldn’t resist the wild boar, which came out piping hot in a delicious creamy herb sauce washed down with an appropriate glass of two of Tempranillo. Our dessert was disappointing only because the promised chocolate cake came out as a vacuum-packed cheesecake but that aside there could be no complaints. With the warm glow of a little too much
wine we walked happily back to the harbour, this time bathed in sunshine and giving us the chance to look back at the gold-glinted church spires and castle walls. This underrated city has had a hugely impressive makeover since the nineties, emphasised by being awarded 2011’s European Capital of Culture. Tallinn has well and truly stepped out of Russia’s shadow. AustralianTimes.co.uk/travel
12 | Travel
15 - 21 May 2012
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P ro m o t i o
n Soaking up the sultry seductiveness of San Sebastian
WE simply adore San Sebastian. In addition to being a historical hotbed (holy Basque! )- San Seb, as it is affectionately known to Australians and Australians only, is a jiving hive of hedonism, a Dionysian paradise where all of your carnal, most base, pleasures are pandered to. San Seb loves a party and we love to party in San Seb. So let’s focus on San Seb’s wild side. They say San Sebastian’s Old Town has more bars per square inch than anywhere else in Spain, Europe, the world, and while we don’t know much about that, we do know that there are plenty of bars. The majority of these bars are pintxos (tapas) bars, but that doesn’t mean they don’t serve up sweet, sweet dancing juice. We like to drink the cider here, and the kalimotxos. We also like to drink the beers, but we like to drink those everywhere. We like to take shots of patxaran, which is made from wild Pyrenean berries and we love to eat all kinds of delicious joy, like monster steaks (chuletta) and baby eels
(angulas) and all the combinations of sea and land creature you can imagine, sliced and diced and presented in mouthful format – pintxos baby! But not all hedonistic pleasures need leave the participant wearing XL burlap trousers. There’s plenty of stomach repelling good time gear going on here too, like surfing in its many appellations, mountain biking, hiking, and, Stoke Travel’s fave, good old fashioned love games. There y’all have it, San Seb in a Stoke shell. The combination of centuries of culinary experimentation, some of the nicest, hardest people the creator ever blew puff into, the majestic Pyrenees and the oft agitated Bay of Biscay, make this the kind of place we keep on coming back to and back to to make the beast with two backs. Stoke Travel sets up camp in San Sebastian from May onwards. Our surf camp is just down the road, plus we run bike, walking and pintxos tours, party nights, boat cruises and much, much more. Check them out at StokeTravel.com.
Jobs & Money | 13
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Dollar Review
The Aussie weakens after Greek elections THE deepening Greek debt crisis has continued to weaken the Aussie Dollar as political instability prevails in the European country. The Aussie traded at 1.5985 AUD to the British Pound on Friday up from the 1.5868 AUD on Monday. The Greek Parliamentary Poll held on Sunday left investors uneasy as no clear coalition has been formed. Syriza party leader Alexis Tsipras warned that the “the popular verdict clearly renders the bailout deal null”. The political instability combined with the European Central Banks’ forecast of a contracting economy in 2012, diminished investors risk appetites across emerging markets. Thursday saw a small recovery when compared to 3.6 percent in March. as Australia released stronger than The targeted annual growth for 2012 is expected labour data. The Australian 4 percent as potential social unrest could Bureau of Statistics reported the nation’s follow soaring prices. The producerunemployment rate at 4.9 percent, a 0.3 priced Index exceeded expectations by percent drop which resulted in 15 500 jobs falling 0.7 percent which is the biggest being added to the economy during April. slide since November 2009. The easing This positive economic news dampened monetary pressure in Australia’s biggest investors’ expectations around the Central trading partner could create room for Bank possibly cutting the Cash rate. both fiscal and monetary policy easing in Falling Chinese food prices was a an attempt to stimulate growth. driving factor behind the 0.2 percent All eyes will be on the Eurozone this drop in the county’s April CPI inflation Composed by Elizabeth Britz Note: The above exchange rates are based on “interbank” rates. If you want to transfer money to or from 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.
week as investors wait to see what developments unfold with regard to Greece’s political and membership status in the EU. GBP / AUD: 1.6033 EUR / AUD : 1.2885 USD / AUD : 0.9976 NZD/ AUD : 0.7825 Exchange rates as of 08:36, 14 May 2012
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Spouse probation
Q:
In your latest newsletter you mentioned that the probationary period for spousal visas could increase. What effect could this potentially have if you hold indefinite leave to remain?
A:
According to a leaked cabinet letter there are some proposed immigration changes for the family migration route. In the letter a new income of £25,700 per year is proposed for anyone looking to bring a spouse, partner or dependant to the UK from outside the EU, from June 2012. This minimum income threshold is also set to rise with each dependant attached to the application. It is further proposed in the letter that the current probation period for spouses and partners must be increased from 2 years to 5 years, before they can apply to live permanently in the UK. These changes are proposed to take effect in June 2012. As far as we understand at present it will not be made retrospectively applicable, we therefore are of the understanding that it will only relate to applicants applying for spouse visas after June 2012. The new rules will not affect applicants already holding indefinite leave to remain.
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
14 | Sport
15 - 21 May 2012
GWS’s contested ball mantra topples Suns COMPARISONS between the AFL's two expansion sides are fraught with danger, but the early signs are Greater Western Sydney have gotten a lot more right. It's foolish to judge a side on one match, but the final quarter of their clash in Canberra on Saturday featured one team desperate to win and the other - Gold Coast - lacking "intensity" according to their coach Guy McKenna. The younger Giants aren't a better side yet, but they're generally more willing to have a crack and less prone to drop off in matches. As the weekend showed, when new boys the Giants triumphed 13.16 (94) to 9.13 (67) for their historic first AFL win, it's the stuff victories are made of. GWS's recruiters went about their task with a simple mantra: uncompromising players who will win the contested ball. The results over the past seven weeks have shown that - the Giants have often been outclassed, but rarely humiliated in the fashion Gold Coast experienced in their debut season last year. The head-over-the-ball attitude isn't restricted to GWS's midfielders either. Forward Jeremy Cameron's exploits have been well noted while ruckman Jonathan Giles' 15 contested possessions on Saturday was a game high - more than Suns superstar Gary Ablett or anyone else could muster. The Suns showed interest in Giles while he was in the SANFL - instead they banked on Zac Smith and
Collingwood discard Josh Fraser, who ran around with the reserves in Canberra. Fraser epitomises the differences in the two clubs' approach to their unprecedented access to uncontracted players. Fraser, the No.1 draft pick in the 1999 draft, had played in two grand finals and was seen as a man of valuable experience. He's played only 18 AFL games for the Suns - due to a series of injury concerns and, most recently, form. The Giants got their old hands via other methods - tempting Dean Brogan, Chad Cornes, Luke Power and James McDonald out of retirement. GWS instead focused exclusively on young guns with their uncontracted recruits - Tom Scully, Callan Ward and Rhys Palmer seen as fresh-faced midfielders who will be with the club for the rest of their days. Last week McKenna commended how his side's on-ballers lifted while leading lights Ablett and Michael Rischitelli missed two weeks with injury. GWS have been doing the equivalent for their short existence. "This is all going to go on for the next 10 or 15 years about our list vs their list and their wins vs our wins," McKenna said after the game. But the Giants still have the capacity to poach a handful of uncontracted stars - with Travis Cloke the No.1 target if you believe the gossip mill - and can trade two more nominated 17-year-olds in exchange for players
or draft picks. GWS will again profit from a compromised draft, while their salary cap exemptions will last longer. And their youngsters will be better prepared for AFL. Gold Coast blooded 12 debutants in their maiden AFL match - GWS fielded a record 17. "I don't know if we're doing it any better," opined GWS coach Kevin Sheedy. "You couldn't complain that they didn't want it in the second quarter they smashed us. "The team we played today was only 22 games ahead of us, so it was a fair opportunity. Some of our experienced players were a bit more experienced at the end." Recruitment is a fickle art soaked in speculation, and the true results won't be known for some time. But it's clear to all that GWS have made a more impressive start to their AFL life. - AAP AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
Tag Rugby keeps it social!
Toffee Tim to know focus on Australia Continued from p16...
couple of occasions and gestured as if he wanted another chance to voice his displeasure from close quarters. Everton coach David Moyes said: “Tim was upset because Cabaye said something to him.” Cabaye angered Everton fans in the first half of the match by pushing a ball boy aside whilst retrieving the ball. Cabaye apologised to the boy during the halftime break but that incident could have been behind Cahill seeing red after coming on in the 74th minute. Cahill, a regular user of Twitter, dodged the issue post-match on the social networking website. He preferred to congratulate Everton for its achievements during the 2011/12 season.
Cahill, 32, has endured a testing season at Everton with his ability to snare goals coming into question. He recorded three goals for the season and was forced to take up a more defensive midfield role than in previous campaigns. The Socceroos star is set to join his Australian teammates later this month in camp for next month’s World Cup qualifiers. Australia play Denmark in a friendly in Copenhagen on 2 June before taking on Oman in Muscat on 8 June and
AFTERNOON DELIGHT: Tag Rugby players enjoying a social day out at the London 7s at Twickenham Stadium.
By Phillip Browne Japan in Brisbane on 12 June. - AAP AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
AFL London kicks off with style Continued from p16...
to Clapham 7.3 (45). Jared Jones, brother of St Kilda’s Clint, looks a handy recruit, with a quality showing of dash off halfback. Captain coach Pat ‘Farva’ Mahon booted seven goals, while South Australian Luke Jackson was too big and strong up forward, particularly in the first half. Sparks flew in the second and third terms with two yellow cards issued: one to giant Demon Markham Johnson for losing his cool and Putney’s Jackson after a separate scuffle. Across town, North London Lions looked anything but comfortable at home against reigning premiers West London, the Cats purring their way to a 15.12 (102) to 6.8 (56) victory. Levi Fernandez was the Lions’ best, while Anthony Bull was dominant for
the Cats. Shepherds Bush Raiders (Cats seconds) showed they’re again the team to beat in the Conference division with a demolishing 27.11 (173) to 0.3 (3). Craig Marshall, in his final AFL London season (thank god!), defied his age to take best afield honours while Lachie Dowling benefited from some handy work up the ground, bagging six majors. Expect Marshall’s responsibilities to be limited to onfield duties only in the coming weeks after his players watched the tube doors at Russell Square close with over £1000 worth of conference kit on board after the match. Some smooth talking and some two hours later, it was recovered at Uxbridge, the final destination. At Shoreditch, South London Swans
booted six goals to Wimbledon Hawks’ none in the second half to snatch a 12.11 (83) to 8.12 (60) win. It was a double act, with the Swans winning their Conference match too, against the Dragons – 9.11 (65) to 9.8 (62) with the lead changing three times in the last quarter. After some impressive results and displays across the whole competition (and the cobwebs well and truly blown away); players, officials and supporters will be anxious for more AFL London action when Round 2 kicks into gear this weekend. Round 2 Match-Ups: West London v South London at Barn Elms; Putney v North London at Putney Heath, Wimbledon v Wandsworth at Motspur Park. AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
WITH the London Tag Rugby community still waiting for summer to kick in, this hasn’t dampened the spirit of the players with record numbers playing Tag Rugby this year across London & Reading! There are currently 142 teams playing in Try Tag Rugby Early Summer competitions. This figure is a 51 team increase on the same period last year! The following competitions are looking for a few individual registrations to bolster squad numbers, so it’s still not too late to get amongst the action; Acton mixed (Mon), Highbury ladies (Tues), West Ham mixed, White City mixed (both Wed) & Southfields mixed (Thurs). Try Tag Rugby heavily promote the social side of the sport in which regular social events are run to encourage players to socialise with other players and make a bunch of new mates and have a good time! On Saturday, a group of 40 Tag Rugby players attended the IRB London Sevens which started at 10.30am and finished late into the night. Plenty of fun was had and many new friendships made. The next one day events coming up
on the calendar are on next Friday & Saturday (25 & 26 May) which are the Try Tag Rugby Corporate Challenge and the Rugby Rocks Richmond festival. The inaugural Corporate Challenge will see teams such as Yahoo!, Goodman Masson, Ingenious, PCubed, Phibbers & Tullett Prebon battle it out for the title! This event will take place at Regent’s Park and registrations close 16 May. Rugby Rocks Richmond is a mass-participation sports and music festival which launched in 2010 at The Athletic Ground and Old Deer Park in Richmond. In 2011, Rugby Rocks attracted over 140 sports teams with over 2,000 participants in Rugby 10s, Rugby 7s, Netball & Touch Rugby. This year Tag Rugby will be a part of Rugby Rocks for the very first time! There will be a men’s and a mixed Tag Rugby tournament taking place at the event. To register for a Try Tag Rugby competition or event, go to Trytagrugby.com or email info@ trytagrugby.com for more details. AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
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AustralianTimes.co.uk
Blues brothers reunited and in ominous form Continued from p16... teammates congratulated him on snaring the Blues No.6 jumper for game one of the series in Melbourne on 23 May. The Sharks had just become the first team to beat Melbourne this season and Carney was on top of the world. Then his phone rang and the bloke on the other end of the line was even more fired up about Carney’s selection. “Pearcey just rang me before, he’s over the moon too,” he said. “I’ve spoken to him the last few days and he was the first bloke I spoke to .. it is good to know that he’ll be lobbing in my room and hopefully we can click and get that combination going again. “I went over and stayed with him a few weeks ago and he brought up the possibility (selection)... you talk about these things as mates. “When he rang before he was
pretty excited about the whole week.” Pearce and Carney formed a brilliant duo for the Sydney Roosters who made it to the 2010 grand final before the gifted five-eighth was set free by the foundation club last year after multiple off field incidents. Carney linked with the Sharks in 2012 and hasn’t put a foot wrong -- on or off the field. “It’s a goal ticked off and I’m really happy. I just want to thank the Sharks boys, without our form it wouldn’t have been possible,” Carney said. “I’ll reflect on it when I get some free time when I get away from here. I like to reflect on things like this with my family and friends ... I owe a lot to the Sharks and I’ll continue to say that.” Carney, who toured with the Australian team in 2010, never
player since Kurtley Beale moved to five-eighth; their blossoming combination a constant threat to the opposition. Rebels coach Damien Hill said Phipps, who played one match for the Wallabies at last year’s Rugby World Cup, had lost confidence in himself. “He went through a bit of a patch where he was starting to doubt himself,” Hill said. “Based on a lot of encouragement from those around him and some good training effort, he really backed himself against the Bulls and did it again (against the Crusaders), the performances are coming. “I thought last week was probably on par with some of his best performances from last year and this performance exceeded them.” Hill said he couldn’t think of any stand-out faults in Phipps’ game
and believed Wallabies coach Robbie Deans, who was watching in the stands, would have been pleased. Phipps was set to be the Wallabies No.2 this year behind Queensland’s Will Genia but looked to have been eclipsed by Brumbies in-form No.9 Nic White. The Rebels next face the Force in Perth before a tough away trip to take on the Highlanders in New Zealand as they look for their fourth win of the season, after matching last year’s tally of three. Hill said they needed to continue to deliver, particularly in defence which was a highlight of the victory over the Crusaders with credit going to their defence coach John Muggleton. “We only missed six or seven tackles for the entire game which is tremendous,” Hill said. “We spent a lot of time on defence this week and John has persisted
RUBDOWN
Sorting the AFL men from the rabble By Will Denton
doubted he could make it to Origin level this year. “I was confident. I put in a lot of work in the pre-season. I came here with a goal to be one of the fittest in the club and I’ve achieved that,” he said. “To get this opportunity now is a good step in the right direction for me and me going forward as a person and as a player ... the journey’s is not over but for me to get where I am now I feel pretty good.” - AAP AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
Rebels' Phipps back in Wallabies frame Continued from p16...
THE
with the small things and the systems and they clicked and I’m really happy with the team and for him.” Hill said such a solid win over the seven-time champions was very satisfying. “You can’t under-estimate what it means to these guys to play that well against a team of that calibre and to come away with a win,” he said. - AAP
THE AFL plot has thickened beautifully like all Mother’s Day gravies should. Significant results littered Round 7, giving us more insight into who are gunning for a proper tilt at the title and those who are questioning the point of life itself. The Kangaroos fall into the latter category and after demolishing Geelong what feels like an eternity ago, the Roos have been nothing short of putrid since. Strong words I know, but when you’re getting towelled up by a rebuilding Doggie outfit with more kids that a goat herd, eyebrows are sure to raise. Melbourne FC aren’t much chop either, and apart from an intense 10 minute period during the warm up, the Dees showed about as much promise as a take away soufflé after they got totally chopped up by the Hawks. The red and blue fans were a spirited bunch though, and played a game of ‘pass the cyanide’ to quell the cold MCG air. It wasn’t all doom and gloom however, the Tigers knocked off the Swans (c’mon they didn’t have the ‘Goodes’) and some genuine
history was made, as the GWS Giants notched up their first ever win in the big leagues. Even though it was ‘only’ the Suns, it still meant plenty to Kevin Sheedy’s rag tag bunch of rejects and rookies as they belted out their cold war inspired team song with gusto… and it sounded bloody good too! The Crows made the once invincible Cats look middle of the road as they ran away with a 10 goal win. Maybe the door is closing on Geelong’s glory days or Adelaide are the real deal? Time will tell. The bubble burst for the Eagles too, as the Bombers got hold of them to taint their record for the first time this year. Admittedly, the West Coast were missing half their starting 22 and were at the comfy confines of Etihad, but hey don’t tell them that! Essendon are officially this weeks premiership fancies. Oh and congratulations must go to Matthew Pavlich after he booted his 500th career goal for Freo. This would have been the highlight in the match against the Power had it not been for a good old-fashioned streaker who won the stat for most ‘hard ball gets’.
AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
Australia win London Sevens Plate Final
AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
Shot putter Stevenson set for Olympics
AUSTRALIAN shot putter Dale Stevenson is set to make his Olympic Games debut in London after hurling a selection qualifier at a meet in South Carolina. The 23-year-old Victorian, who has been training in the US, threw a personal best 20.63 metres with his last of six throws at the Clemson Invitational in South Carolina (USA) on Saturday to seal a spot in London. An ecstatic Stevenson revealed he’d sensed something special was in the offing after some impressive training. “Even though it was a relatively small competition, it was the most nervous and excited to throw that I have been for a while - the reason being that I knew that it could be the day for me to break through,” Stevenson said. “Almost all of my indicators over the last month of training here at the University of Georgia have been at a lifetime best level. “Although getting the qualifier was a shock, I knew that I was in PB shape.” Stevenson opened his campaign with 20.48m, just 2cm short of a qualifier, but failed to better the mark until his last throw. “I probably tried a bit too hard in rounds two, three and four and only found my rhythm again in round five in time to nail the last one,” the
2010 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist said. On an encouraging weekend that featured Olympic pole vault champion Steve Hooker and 1500m runner Ryan Gregson securing Olympic qualifying marks, javelin thrower Kathryn Mitchell and walker Chris Erickson also achieved the feat. Mitchell’s qualifier came when she threw 62.46m in the women’s javelin at a meet in Saarbucken, Germany to book her ticket to London. While she narrowly missed supassing the personal best of 62.51m that she threw at an unsanctioned meet in January, the result is a relief for the Victorian after not matching her early 2012 form until this weekend. Erickson was the first Australian across the line in the men’s 20km walk at the IAAF Race Walking World Cup in Saransk, Russia. He was 23rd in 1:22:20, with his qualifying time putting him right in the mix in a competitive battle for Olympic selection. - AAP
COUNTDOWN TO THE
LONDON OLYMPICS 10 weeks to go
AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
Unforgettable Australian Olympic moments Beijing 2008: Rice and Phelps make a tabloid splash Sultry swimmer Stephanie Rice made headlines in Beijing after the New York Post reported she was seen knoodling with American swimmer Michael Phelps. The headline, which read, PHELPS SUCKS FACE WITH AUSSIE reported that after winning his 8th gold at the Beijing Olympics, Phelps celebrated with a “sizzling game of tonsil hockey” with our golden girl. Rice quietly denied the claims, saying it was merely media sensationalism, but speculations still remain.
ON THE ATTACK: Australia trample South Africa, before taking a London Sevens Plate Final victory over England. Image by Gary Baker AUSTRALIA are London Sevens winners - alas they must be content with not being the crowned kings of Twickenham, but almost the next best thing. After some scintillating performances in front of a world record sevens crowd on Day 1 of the London Sevens tournament, that saw them notch up wins over Scotland and Portugal and a heart-stopping thriller over South Africa, Australia lost their Cup quarter-final to Argentina on the second day's play to relegate them to the Plate division. Bouncing back, the men in fluro and dark green then dispatched the surprise packets of the tournament, Spain, before narrowly beating England 1412 in the Plate Final to ensure their London tournament ended with some success. While Fiji were crowned the tournament's real winners and New Zealand wrapped up the IRB World
Sevens Series champions title for the year, it was Australia's 19-17 win over South Africa that will be remembered most by the Aussie stars. Trailing 17-12 with just one second to go in their final pool match, the Aussie speedsters kept the clock ticking for well over a minute after the hooter had sounded, searching for the tryline. Suddenly gaps appeared in the South African defence and Australian skipper Ed Jenkins crossed over to tie the scores before Allan Fa'alava'au kicked a difficult conversion to take the game and the top ranking for their pool. The Aussies ended sixth overall for the IRB World Sevens Series and will now turn their attention to qualifying for next year's Rugby Sevens World Cup in Moscow. AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
TAGGING THE SOCIAL SIDE
London fun – both on and off the field P14
CATS AND DEMONS SET THE STANDARD n After a scintillating opening round, last year’s AFL London Grand Finalists yet again are looking the goods as the AFL London season 2012 kicks off with style. THE 2011 AFL London Grand Finalists West London Wildcats and Wandsworth Demons showed their intent to again feature at the pointy end of the new AFL London season, with comfortable Round 1 victories over the weekend. Saturday’s season opener ended months of anticipation as clubs scurried to sign anyone with even the vaguest idea of what a Sherrin is. The London weather gods played their part too, providing warm, clear conditions after a fortnight of drizzle. The Demons, tormented by last year’s 32-point grand final loss to the Wildcats, sprung out of the blocks at Clapham, posting a 25-point win over a Putney Magpies side that looked every bit as good but simply ran out of legs. After a tight opening period, Wandsworth – barely recognisable after the break – piled on five goals to two in the second term to set up the 12.13 (85) to 9.6 (60) win. No one got near diminutive Demons midfielder Daniel Broderick, who was easily Best On Ground. Mark Brescacin, a major contributor for the Demons last year, was impressive up forward before moving into the midfield where he was a class above the rest. The Magpies were not disgraced by any means, with several winners despite the scoreboard. John Cutten, last year’s club champion, was solid at full back, Josh Dykes battled hard in the ruck, and Aaron Knapmann held his own in the middle. The Putney selection committee will have plenty to ponder during the week, though, with several lower grade Magpies showing seniors potential after their Conference game victory: Putney winning 15.2 (92) ...continued on p14
Carney emotional after Origin call-up
THE first person to call Todd Carney minutes after he was named NSW Origin five-eighth was his good friend and the bloke who’ll wear the No.7 for the Blues, Mitchell Pearce. An emotional Carney was getting changed at his home ground after his Cronulla ...continued on p15
Cahill sees red in final match A FUMING Tim Cahill ended his English Premier League season on an unsavoury note by being sent off following Everton’s 3-1 home win over Newcastle. Just seconds after the final whistle, the Australian substitute walked over and put his left hand around Newcastle’s Yohan Cabaye’s throat at Goodison Park. Two of Cabaye’s teammates rushed over and dragged an incensed Cahill ...continued on p14
Rebels yell as Crusaders crumble
LONDON BOUND Meet the Australians heading to London this year for their chance to compete in the 2012 Olympic Games | P15
MELBOURNE Rebels halfback Nick Phipps is again back in the running for a Wallabies berth after starring in his side’s upset win over Super Rugby heavyweights the Crusaders. Phipps scored two of his team’s three tries in the 28-19 win at AAMI Park to chalk up his second successive star showing. After an indifferent start to the season when he found himself coming off the bench, the 23-year-old looks a different ...continued on p15