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www.theword.com.au ISSUE 38

Salvo’s Hope Line to Help Reduce Rates A new national 24 hour Hope Line was launched by the Salvation Army as part of their “Hope for Life” campaign to cut suicide rates and help us all spot the signs of depression. The “Hope for Life” campaign also includes training programs for professionals as well as online training for individuals. Written by clinical psychologist Dr Paul Quinnett, the OPR (question, persuade, refer) program will show anyone – in less than one hour – how to spot the signs that someone around them may be considering suicide. Salvation Army Envoy Alan Staines, who was awarded a Medal for the Order of Australia (OAM) for his work in this field, says that it is vital suicide

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prevention becomes everybody’s business. “This is a major problem in Australia and it’s not going away. There were 1799 suicides in Australia in 2006. That’s 1799 too many. We can all do more. We must.” Statistics show that one Australian commits suicide every 5 hours and that more people lose their lives to suicide than road accidents. The Salvation Army says that the Hope line is for anyone who has been affected. “In real terms for each tragic death another 8 people are often affected which means the ripple affect leads to around 16,000 Australians being affected buy suicide.” Mr Staines says. Joseph Pizzolo lost his son Paul to suicide. “We all need to take this issue very seriously. If someone around you is talking about suicide in any way, listen to them. Offer advice and assistance before it’s too late” He says.

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Warning signs include expressions of hopelessness, threats, talk or jokes about suicide, sudden mood swings, giving away possessions, withdrawal from family or friends, a change in sleeping patterns, excessive feelings of guilt or worthlessness and increased use of alcohol or drugs. Mental Illness plays a major role in suicide related deaths but the Chair of the National Advisory Council on Suicide Prevention, Professor Ian Webster, says many other factors contribute too. “Life problems can include – a mental disorder; a problem with alcohol or substance use; a breakdown in important relationships with a spouse or children; or a perceived failure in social roles; in essence major losses.” He says. The Salvation Army hope that the campaign will help dispel common myths about suicide. “There are far too many myths about suicide. It’s a myth to think only experts can prevent it. It’s a myth to think people who talk about suicide will not do it. It’s a myth to think you cannot stop suicide from happening. It’s a myth to think suicidal people only want to die. Many want to live a better, happier life. What they are saying is that they need help and relief from the intense emotional pain they are experiencing ” says Mr Staines.

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Former ABC Journalist and media personality Sally Loane lost her brother to suicide and has spoken about her experiences in support of the campaign. “The night I learned my brother John had taken his life, I dreamed about him. He was trying to talk to me in the dream and walk towards me, but it was one of those dreams where time was frozen, and neither of us could speak or touch. I woke up crying.” “This was the beginning of a terrible new day when I no longer had a younger brother who could entertain us with stories of his life as a vet, flying planes into remote north Queensland properties to work with the cattlemen of the bush. It was also the start of a long and painful process of grieving for my mother, father and sister. There was no more John, no more brother, no more only son. We have precious memories and photographs, and the raw pain has faded with the years but there is no forgetting and certainly no “getting over it”.” If you need help please contact the Hope Line on 1300 467 354. The Salvation Army website, www. suicideprevention.salvos.org.au, also contains details of agencies people can ring for support, as well as how to support someone affected by suicide.

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Just like family

male volunteers. One of them was sent to the boy’s room to get all of the boys equipment packed. The other males were tasked with getting shelter and food and other equipment. Once the truck turned up he sent the other group leader Laura, onto the truck first so that she could coordinate things at the truck. The girls were sent off to get onto the truck first followed by the boys. It was pitch black and water was rising fast but there was no sense of panic only a sense of urgency, this was because there was nobody yelling, and Norvan was telling people exactly what to do. Once the entire team was on the truck Norvan did a quick sweep of the building making sure nobody was left behind, he picked up the medical kit launched himself into the waist deep water had struggled his way out to the truck. As he got one hand onto the back tailgate of the truck, the truck sped off as the wheel arches were already under water. This caused Norvan to fall from the back of the truck, Eric, one of the volunteers, grabbed Norvan by his backpack strap and pulled Norvan onto the back of the truck. The truck sped off at a great speed, when it came to crossing the bridge in the middle of town, the water was so high that you could barely make out where the edge of the bridge was. Once we had got through the middle of town we sped up the other side of town up a hill to safety. That was where we disembarked, getting out the shelter we stood around in the rain under plastic sheets. Just take the edge off the situation, Norvan began the lead us all in song, I guess that is where the Boy Scout training came in handy. It seems to be a little bit silly now but it was quite reassuring at the time. Eventually we found shelter in a chicken coop and that’s where we spent the rest of the night.

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By Jess

www.theword.com.au The most inspiring people are not the ones that are out the front, but they are the ones who lead naturally from behind, with the group. These are the leaders that live humbly for a cause and don’t feel the need to martyr themselves for a cause. I once was fortunate to have the opportunity to spend an inspiring time with one such person Norvan Vogt, called Olie by his friends. He was an Australian group leader from Canberra with the Youth Challenge International program in Costa Rica in 2003. He is the most inspiring individual I have ever met. It was the first week into a 13 week long community development project to build a school in the remote Chiripo Mountains. There had been torrential downpour for two days. At about seven o’clock in the evening after everyone had finished their dinner; most of the team was going about their nightly tasks, when there came a knock at the door. The local doctor was standing there with a rain poncho on, soaking wet. He was quite anxious and explained to Norvan that we, the team of 15 volunteers, had to get evacuated because the town was soon to be inundated by a flash flood. The doctor explained that he would be back in the next five minutes with a truck and we were to be evacuated. I don’t know if it was Norvan’s military training or scouting background but he swung into action immediately and told you exactly what to do. Gathering the team in the kitchen he explained exactly what was going to happen, he tasked everybody with a particular role, even though we had little time this really took the panic out of the group. Sending the female volunteers, the majority of the group, to go get their equipment first, he then divided up the other group tasks amongst the

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By Alan Kerlin To all candidates for the 2008 ACT Elections - Molonglo and Ginninderra electorates The Gungahlin Community Council appreciates your interest in representing our community in the ACT Parliament. To campaign for election is a major undertaking - to perform well within the job if elected is even more so. The challenges for Gungahlin are manifest. As the fastest developing area in the region, Gungahlin has experienced considerable and accelerating ‘growing pains’ over the years:

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• Community and social infrastructure was allowed (by multiple governments of diﬀerent persuasions) to fall well behind the needs of a population surpassing 30,000 and on its way to 100,000. • Failure to learn from past mistakes has left Gungahlin the repository of some of the worse planning outcomes in Canberra. • The inability of successive governments to secure an adequate employment base has left most workers with no option but to commute out every day, choosing between inadequate public transport lacking in vision and certainty of service, and the daily traﬃc jams on inadequate arterial roads. We believe that Gungahlin deserves

a government with the vision to match our own aspirations for our community. Do you have that vision? To enable the Gungahlin community to hear from all candidates, GCC will be conducting a Meet the Candidates evening at the Palmerston Community Centre, on Wednesday 8 October at 7.30 pm. Full location details are available on our website www.gcc.asn. au. As the Gungahlin area is split across both Molonglo and Ginninderra electorates, all candidates for both of these electorates are invited to attend. The evening will be facilitated by Peter Martin - Canberra Times economics editor. All proceedings will be recorded, with the resulting video placed onto our website for viewing by people who aren’t able to make it to the meeting. Media outlets are also invited to attend. In order to allow for our planning, your early advice of your attendance would be appreciated. In the meantime, we urge you to familiarise yourself with the issues of concern to Gungahlin residents, as detailed on our website. Closer to the election we will be polling on, and looking for solid commitments on, key issues from all candidates. We look forward to see you in October. Alan Kerlin,President Gungahlin Community Council

Canberra business urged to get behind walk Canberra organisations are being urged to participate in the Pedestrian Council of Australia’s annual Walk to Work Day on Friday 3 October. The event encourages all Australians to walk all or part of the way to work. Corporations, organisations and government agencies are being asked to support the initiative by registering online as a corporate ambassador. The initiative aims to promote the physical, mental and social beneﬁts of walking, along with the environmental beneﬁts associated with reduced fuel consumption. If people are unable to walk all of the way to work, they are encouraged to use public transport and then walk at least one kilometre to their workplace. Corporate ambassadors are being asked, where possible, to host a healthy breakfast for employees who participate in the event, which will help to promote regular walking and the importance of a healthy diet. Tips on hosting a healthy breakfast can be found online at www.walk.com.au For more information and to sign up as a corporate ambassador visit www.walk.com.au

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www.theword.com.au Prime Minister. The PM reckons he can, saying that, with the easing of all that tension that has been building over the last few months, a surge in the opinion polls is “a normal thing”.

Our Own Political Soap Opera (Opinion Piece) By Ilana Pender Rose My, hasn’t the political arena been interesting lately? From an outsiders perspective it seems like our very own version of government Bold and the Beautiful. First there was the surprise election in WA, followed by the so called “bloodbath” in NSW resulting in a new premier and his mostly underexperienced cabinet been handed the diﬃcult task of cleaning up the mess left by Morris Iemma. Now, not only do we have a new WA premier and a sparkling new LiberalNational partnership, but we also have a new leader of the opposition. News

straight from Liberal headquarters says that Malcolm Turnbull defeated Dr Nelson 45-41 in a surprise ballot called by the former opposition leader just after his jet-lagged rival returned from Italy. Despite speculation early this morning that Dr Nelson might just scrape by, in hind-sight it’s easy to say that this change is probably for the better. Since before the last federal election, Mr Turnbull has been slowly coming more and more into the public eye and the Liberal party obviously hopes this will put an end to the never-ending leadership question. That is, until Peter Costello comes into the spotlight again. Now we must all wait to see whether the new Opposition Leader will be able to turn around the last poll showing Dr Nelson trailing far behind Kevin Rudd 16 per cent to 62 per cent as preferred

From a voters point of view I really don’t think the PM should be worried. Putting aside the fact that he has been described as one of our most popular Prime Ministers (with his time in oﬃce still in its infancy); consistent opinion polls show that the Liberals have some catching up to do.

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Putting weight behind that argument is the wonderfully lazy way in which Australians seam to choose their leaders. It seems that we elect one major party into power and leave them there for a good 7, 10 or even for 26 years. The other major political party more or less holds all the state governments and then once a decade or so, we switch!

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One interesting point the change of leadership does bring up is the question of an Australian republic. Rudd says that Turnbull has long been an advocate of the change and bipartisan support is needed to get it happening. If true that means we could all be in for a bigger change than your average switchthe-state-governments-over swap, although the wonderful thing about democracy is that the public gets to shelve that plan if we don’t want to say goodbye to the mother country just yet. One certainty is that we are all in for an action-packed show over the next few months.

confidence This column answers questions I’m frequently asked about investing in property. Should I wait until interest rates settle Low interest rates don’t make up for a bad investment—just the same as higher interest rates shouldn’t stop you from buying a property promising excellent capital growth and solid rental returns. Interest rates are important, but they are only one factor when looking for an attractive investment. What if I can’t rent my property? This isn’t proving to be a problem in SEQ overall. The area is experiencing unprecedented demand for housing, combined with low levels of stock and high rental returns which can make for excellent buying. The experts continue to say Queensland has all the strong economic fundamentals, including growth in employment and retail sales and improving business confidence. Growth may slow in 2008 because of interest rate rises, but rents are forecasted to rise by more than 15%, making for a strong, competitive rental market. Fewer housing starts will drop the undersupply further—to below 20% of demand. Should I wait a bit longer to save more for my deposit? Everyone’s circumstances are different. You can start by looking for stock requiring a small deposit now and a longer construction timeframe so you earn capital growth along the way. We have properties, for example, that won’t be finished for another 10 to 18 months, which enables you to access the market with time up your sleeve to save further if you need to. And if it’s the right buy you’ll watch your property go up in value.

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The marriage of Ellen DeGeneres to her Australian girlfriend Portia de Rossi has renewed criticism of our same-sex marriage laws. Since same-sex marriages are not recognised by the federal government, the couple’s legal status will cease to exist when they visit de Rossi’s family here in Australia. A Galaxy poll shows that 71% of Australians agree that same-sex partners should have the same legal rights as de facto heterosexual couples, while only 23% disagreed. The same poll showed that 57% agree that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry. Australian Marriage Equality (AME) welcomes the decision made by the Californian Supreme Court last Thursday to overturn their ban on same-sex marriage, believing it places greater pressure on the Rudd government to end discrimination here. “It’s time the Australian government pulled it’s head out of the sand. This issue is not going away; they cannot just avoid it any longer. As the number of foreign jurisdictions which deliver full equality grows, Australia bigotry only becomes even more excruciatingly obvious,” said AME National Converter, Peter Furness. California now joins Massachusetts as the only two US states that recognise same – sex marriage. Equal marriage rights already exist in Belgium, Canada, The Netherlands, South Africa and Spain with Norway and Sweden expected to join the group within the next few months. The Marriage Act was amended in 2004 to explicitly state that marriage in Australia can only be between a man and a woman, and that marriages held in other countries won’t be recognised here. Currently, Same-Sex relationships can be registered in the ACT and Tasmania but the government is opposed to them having marriage status. Marriage is deﬁned not only has a cultural practice but also as a binding contract in the eyes of the law,

establishing the spouse as the next-of-kin, or a blood relative. In almost every important situation, such as making medical decisions or deciding property rights, the next-of-kin play a very important role. At the centre of the argument against same-sex marriage is tradition. Those opposed argue that legalising samesex marriage will destroy the concept of the traditional family, lead to increased sexual promiscuity and confusion over sexual identity in young people. However the biggest argument used by opponents is that marriage was originally designed as a means for having children, and since same-sex couples cannot procreate, they should not be allowed to marry. Counsellor Erica Straun*, who’s mother has been in a same – sex relationship for over ten years, said “The main thing I hear from people who are against samesex marriage is the ‘tradition’ argument. People say that the nature of marriage is that it be between a man and a woman. This is where I like to say ‘so if one of them has had a sex change it’s ok?’ I recall getting the answer ‘as long as the sex change is so good that you can’t tell.’” The opinion of those that are at the heart of this debate is that allowing same-sex couples to perform Civil Unions would be a good start. “Yes, I want to have my relationship recognised in the eyes of the law but I sometimes wonder if I actually want it to be ‘marriage’ in the traditional sense. In fact as a gay man I would be more than happy just for civil partnerships to be allowed in the ACT so that I can have a commitment ceremony to my man if I choose to, but also have the government recognise that my relationship is valid.” said David Willett. Andrew Cox, who has been in a serious long-term relationship for some years now, agrees “I think the gays should have something that’s their own; diﬀerent to a wedding/marriage that has similar legal rights...” Another argument that has been retracted in the last few years is religion. As a large amount of marriages that occur in Australia are performed as Civil Unions, senator Joe Ludwig was hesitant to cite religion as a reason for Labour’s opposition at a meeting with AME in Brisbane in 2007. Heterosexual Jill Dixon sums up popular opinion perfectly: “I support same-sex marriage and wish it was legalised in Australia. And I wish they’d take religion out of it. If the church doesn’t want to perform the ceremony in Church then at least let a civil union be recognised. These couples will spend the rest of their lives together so I don’t see why they don’t want it to be recognised by law. I don’t see how it’s diﬀerent from any other couple.”

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Taking Action for Migrants Taking Action for Migrants: AMUMRA revives global calls against the EU Directive to expel undocumented migrants On August 28, AMUMRA, an organisation of migrants and refugees in Argentina, held a demonstration in Buenos Aires against the European Union’s Returns Directive, showing continued global anger at the Directive, which seeks to ban migrants found in Europe without documents from returning to the continent for five years. “This protest is our obligation, because to accept the EU Returns Directive, or the absence of an action to oppose it, would imply our assent,” says Natividad Obeso, president of AMUMRA. “This Directive leaves it open to Governments to severely violate the rights of migrants in Europe, while superficially seeking to make the system better,” said Zoe Bake-Paterson of the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women, an international umbrella body of migrant and anti-trafficking groups. “We support communities in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Oceania who are rightfully outraged by this legislation that does nothing to address the root causes of migration without documents,” she added. AMUMRA is lobbying the President of Argentina, Dr. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, to call on European ambassadors and consulates to assist and protect migrants; to inform the population about the EU Directive; and to declare that AMUMRA’s mobilisation against the EU Directive is an act taken in the public interest. The EU Returns Directive, approved by the European Parliament on 18 June

2008, purports to regulate and legalize the return (or expulsion) of irregular and undocumented migrants from the 27 countries of the European Union. Countries in the EU have two years to implement the Directive through national laws and policy. The Directive is said to be created in accordance with international law, including human rights protections, but has been criticised globally for violating human rights. By allowing the detention of unaccompanied minors, the Directive violates the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. In setting a common standard for the detention of undocumented migrants for up to 18 months, the Directive contradicts the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which states that the detention of undocumented migrants is only permitted where action is being taken towards removal or deportation. The act of migration is not a crime, and to detain undocumented migrants for a lengthy period of 18 months is unlawful. Additional concerns include the reentry ban, barring migrants who have been deported from one European Union country from entering any of the 27 countries for a period of five years, and the lack of procedural safe guards in the Directive. GAATW is a network spanning five continents of more than 90 organizations committed to ending trafficking and to the protection of the human rights of trafficked persons and women migrant workers. It is a nongovernmental organization in special consultative status with ECOSOC (the UN Economic and Social Council).

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Ladies In Business Today You Can Have It All.... By Charly Leetham

Are you a woman who is trying to build your business online, or use the Internet to do business? Are you a Work At Home Mum? Or perhaps you are thinking about starting a business? Are you trying to market to women and just not certain how to ‘break into’ that market? I would like to invite you to join me, Charly Leetham and my associate Carol Deckert as we interview and speak with 8 highly successful and amazing Ladies In Business to ﬁnd out how they have managed to balance their Work and Home life to be incredibly successful. Our aim is to encourage other women in their business endeavors and demonstrate that it is possible to succeed when trying to balance the diﬀerent demands that Women have in their lives. We also want to give insight into the women’s market and highlight the factors that drive our purchasing decisions.

Each of the Women we will interview have vastly diﬀerent businesses and they will join us in the hot seat and share their experiences, knowledge and advice with our listeners. If you have heard any of my interviews previously will know that I don’t do a standard Q & A interview. I dig deep and ask my interviewee to give something that they haven’t previously revealed. These interviews promise to be fun and information packed and you will walk away with your head swimming full of ideas! Just look at our speaker line up: - Sharon Tieman (Australia) - Madame Marketing and author of “If I’m So Successful, How Come I Never Get To Be On Top?” - Robbie Motter (USA) - Speaker, Coach, Public Relations and Marketing Specialist and expert in the Government marketplace - Donna Cutting (USA) - Author of “The Celebrity Experience: Insider Secrets to Red Carpet Customer Service” - Paula Constantino (USA) - Founder

of Women’s Support TEAM - Lynn Terry (USA) - Internet Marketing Expert and Work At Home Mum - Heidi Richards (USA) - Author, Business Coach & Entrepreneur - Felicia Slattery - Teacher, Trainer, Speaker, Writer, Consultant & Coach who specializes in training busy professionals to succeed through eﬀective communication. - Janet Beckers - The Wonderful Web Woman, started her business from nothing in just 8 weeks and exceeded her previous years full time income in six months! Each of these women will be sharing how they have met the challenges of developing a successful business and balanced their ‘outside’ life in the meantime. They will provide practical advice that you can implement almost immediately on how you can manage your business to be successful (but not worn out!) Carol and I also want to ﬁnd out what each these amazing women feel and think about marketing to women in

this day and age and what they would do to change it! We chose to interview these women because they are successful in their chosen arenas and are reaping the rewards as a result…. We are honoured they agreed to participate and want you to get the benefit as well. We will be opening the lines up to a Question and Answer session - so you will be able to get the answers that you have always been looking for! Find out how you can listen LIVE for free…. http://ladiesinbusinesstoday.com The first interview is this week September 16 with Madame Marketing followed on September 17 by Robbie Motter. Register now and you will receive updates and notices to remind you about the series. And you can listen for FREE - all you need to do is register and you will get the full details. Can you really afford to miss this information? http://ladiesinbusinesstoday.com for more information about the series and how you can listen LIVE for free!

Call for local businesses to take part in Family Business Expo The National Zoo & Aquarium will be the place for family businesses this November, Family Business Australia (FBA) ACT Chairman, Mick Burgess said today. “The FBA Family Expo will showcase family businesses and increase awareness of their contribution to the Canberra community”, said Mr Burgess. The National Zoo & Aquarium, also a family business, provides the perfect venue for a family Expo. In addition to the Zoo’s attractions, there will be a full entertainment program, including the African drumming band, Drumassault and a demonstration by the modern jive group, Ceroc Canberra. An abundance of children’s activities will ensure that mums and dads will have an opportunity to explore the 83 family business stands scattered throughout the Zoo. The Expo Deli will showcase the region’s ﬁnest local produce and gourmet delights.

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“The FBA Family Expo is an initiative of Family Business Australia, the not-forproﬁt peak body for family businesses and private industry. The ACT Chapter has members from multi-generational family businesses, sole traders and sibling owned companies. The sizes of the businesses involved in the chapter range from well established companies with over 100 employees to those that have only been in business for one or two years”, said Mr Burgess. Local businesses interested in exhibiting at the Expo on Sunday 9 November can contact Candice Edye on 6292-1573 or send an email to fbaact@fambiz.com.au. Additional information is also available on the website at www.fbafamilyexpo.com.au.

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Business is blooming for local family business What started as a hobby has become a thriving family business for local landscaper, Vicki Berry. Vicki had no idea when she started Easycare Landscapes that nine years later her business would be winning awards such as the Australian Horticulturist of the Year, ACT Horticulturist of the Year and the Family Business Australia’s First Generation Best Family Business of the Year (NSW & ACT). “I decided to start the business when I was talking to a friend about how unhappy I was in my job and she asked what I love doing. I ‘raved’ about plants and the environment and how relaxed and happy I was when I was working outdoors. Just talking about it made me feel happy and excited and she could see that and suggested I do it. We talked about options and the one that really excited me was starting my own business”, said Vicki. She added, “We started as a small, part-time garden maintenance business with me as the sole trader. The business grew quickly and within six months I was designing full-time as well as constructing landscapes with two employees. After two years of continued

Vicki Berry from Easycare Landscapes

growth and constant interruption to family life, I moved the business from home to a designated office space”. The business now employs eleven full time and five part-time staff including daughter, Lisa, who assists with admin on weekends and during school holidays. According to Vicki, husband, Gregg is also involved in the family business and helps maintain tools, assists with transport and even cooks at staff barbeques. “The Easycare vision is to have a sustainable and productive business that protects and improves the environment, financially supports the family and the ‘Easycare family’ and has happy staff

and clients”, said Vicki. “Contributing to the community is also something we feel strongly about and this year we are proud to support the Family Business Australia (FBA) Family Expo at the National Zoo & Aquarium on Sunday the 9th November”. “It’s a great outing for Canberra’s families and showcases some of the region’s innovative products, services and gastronomic delights”. For more information about Easycare Landscapes visit www.easycare.com.au or the FBA Family Expo visit www. fbafamilyexpo.com.au.

Local Business Woman Wins Award

Local business woman, Ruth Swan, has been recognised as the Woman of the Year for 2008 in the MOB Excellence in Franchising Awards for ACT/NSW. The award recognises and rewards the contribution of women to franchising and their community with a view to highlighting the exceptional value women bring to business. “Winning this award has made my

year! Receiving recognition for all the hard work and eﬀort has made me feel a glowing sense of accomplishment and appreciation.” With over 12 years experience in business, Ruth currently owns and operates four successful Price Attack salons within the ACT. Operating four businesses within a relatively small area has given Ruth the opportunity to interact regularly with the community and to actively support it. “The Canberra community has been so supportive of Price Attack stores - our customers are so loyal.They love the great value and huge range that our stores provide and the fact that all our staﬀ are so friendly and knowledgeable.” Price Attack Managing Director, Barry

Jarred, is full of praise for Ruth’s achievement. “Ruth is a fantastic example of how a Price Attack franchise provides an excellent career path for women, allowing them the opportunity to secure their ﬁnancial futures, whilst supporting and growing their families.” “Ruth is a very driven and passionate business-woman who deserves every accolade that has been bestowed upon her.” Ruth’s supportive customers will be crossing their ﬁngers and hoping that she takes out the National Award when the Franchising Council of Australia announces the winner in October. We wish Ruth the best of luck! Ruth operates Price Attack’s Belconnen, Civic, Tuggeranong and Woden. For details of your nearest store visit www.priceattack.com.au

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Exchange in Beijing by Michelle

In September 2007, I decided to go on exchange at Tsinghua University in Beijing to further my Chinese language skills. I chose to go on exchange because I believed it would significantly improve my language skills by living in a Chinese-speaking environment. I also wanted to experience something new and exciting that would take me out of my comfort zone. Whilst I had visited Beijing numerous times before exchange, it was always as a tourist. In fact, in all my life, I had never lived away from home let alone in a non-English speaking country. It would certainly be a whole new experience for me. Initially I had some misgivings for I did not know anyone at Tsinghua University and I experienced some difficulty whilst getting checked into a dorm. The arrangement was that I would be provide with a room, however, when I arrived a week before the semester began, I was horrified to learn there were no rooms left. It was only until 11.30pm at night that the administrative staff realised I was from Melbourne University and a room was already booked for me. As a result, my first day in Beijing was largely spent in panic. To make matters worse, if that was even possible, I was swindled in my second week by a man fixing my bicycle who charged forty times the price of the retail bicycle part. These mishaps really made me question the benefits of exchange. However, exchange proved to be a significant learning experience for me and I soon learnt to laugh at my misfortunes in Beijing. At first, I was absolutely furious with the bicycle swindler. Yet, in time I could laugh at my own stupidity for spending money on a bicycle part that was more than the cost of my bicycle. I learnt that though there were many swindlers around Beijing, there were also kind people, those who helped me pay for a parcel to send when I was short of cash. I also

learnt how to be more accommodating and compromising. I suppose one has to when there were only three toilets, including two squat toilets, on a floor of about twentyfive girls. Sharing a room with my eccentric roommate who took photographs of all the handsome Korean guys on television showed me how lucky I was in Melbourne to have a room of my own, without having to worry about when to get changed or when to switch off lights or even when to wake up in the morning. Exchange made me appreciate what I used to take for granted in Australia. Spending so much time in China, it was inevitable that I learnt the ways and habits of Chinese, eventually adopting them as my own. I learnt, as the Chinese do, to be aggressive and competitive on the roads. Riding a bicycle in Beijing can be a traumatic experience as bicycles share the same lanes as buses, so it is not difficult to imagine the chaos that eventuates when buses wish to stop, and there are cyclists. Towards the end of my semester in Beijing, I learnt to ring my bell right back at the buses who honked me to get out of the way. I also became aware that gaining weight in Beijing is to be expected as I mastered the art of eating copious amounts of food as the Chinese do, with huge bowls of rice accompanied by meat and vegetables. Additionally, I learnt that when one going out with Chinese people for dinner, and feeling as if I would burst from the amount of food I ate, the Chinese would still claim I had not eaten enough and then force me to wolf down the rest of the food on the table. Furthermore, I found out that the lacks of queues in China are a way of life, and pushing to get to the front is the norm. And if you need to ask a Chinese how long it will take to get to a destination, it is best not to wholeheartedly rely on their response, for when a Chinese person says a place is “not far” to walk, it really means a good twenty to thirty minutes walk.

Moreover, I found that my Chinese really did improve. Using Chinese everyday was such a new experience for me. Not only were all my classes conducted in Chinese, but I also had to use Chinese a great deal outside of class. Meeting Chinese, French, German, Korean and Japanese friends at Tsinghua where Chinese was our only common language greatly improved my Chinese speaking skills. It was strange speaking Chinese almost every waking hour, even to a great deal of English speaking people as they often did not understand me due to my apparently thick Australian accent. This was a nightmare at ﬁrst; for there were many times I did not know the word in Chinese and made a fool of myself. However, gradually I felt that my Chinese vocabulary was expanding, even learning some Chinese slang. I learnt that when a guy says he is an “airport” in Chinese, it means he is probably very sleazy because lots of girls like to land on him. When someone asks “how many second milk cars do you own?” it means “how many mistresses do you have”. I even learnt how to use the Chinese term for “add oil”, which is equivalent to saying “go” in English. This could be used in almost any situation. When someone is struggling to ﬁnish their food you can say “jia you”. When someone is losing in a sports game, you can say “jia you”. When someone is struggling to get up, take a test you can say “jia you”. The real indication that my Chinese had improved was the fact that Chinese shop owners did not feel quite so inclined to swindle me. It was evident that I was no longer the ignorant international student when the item I had bargained long and hard for was practically thrown at me. Subsequently, I found studying Chinese in Beijing a truly valuable experience. I made so many friends from all around the world, people who I want to meet again, and learnt Chinese in such a way that would not have been possible in Australia. I may have had times when I questioned why I had decided

to go on exchange, but the kind hearted man who paid for a portion of my parcel when I was short of cash certainly cancelled out the bike swindler. I believe going on exchange has made me more compassionate about other people’s cultures and customs. It is ironic that at the beginning of my semester in Tsinghua I was counting down the days until when I would return to Melbourne, yet by the end, I was planning when I could return to Beijing. As a tourist I liked the sites, beauty and people of Beijing, but as a student, I loved it.

German Kids Holiday Program Kids 2-4 years old can attend the German Playschool Experience week. Kids 5-7 years old can attend the Kids’ German Fun Week. Dates: October school holidays (Mon 29 Sept-Thurs 2 Oct 2008) Time: 9:30am to 12:00pmWhere: Scullin Preschool for 2-4 year olds; and Scullin and other venues around Canberra for 5-7 year olds. The cost is $95 for the week, per child. For the 2-4 year olds, we are running a playschool style immersion week at the German Australian Playschool.For the 5-7 year olds, we are running an exciting out-and-about, active program for kids, in German. Sport, learning, building, baking, crafts, friendship. No previous German necessary. We will have a minimum of 1:4 adult to child ratio at these events, so parents are welcome to stay. Parents may also choose to leave their child for some (or all) of the time, and enjoy some personal time! To enrol your child, please email your name, phone number, names and ages of the children, to spielwelt@homemail.com. au or ring Lisa on 6251 7743.

The Starchild Skull Genetic enigma or Human-Alien Hybrid?

• The eye sockets are extremely shallow and completely different in shape and location; • It had no inion, the bump at the lower rear part of the head that all primates have, not just Distinguished international lecturer Lloyd Pye will tour Australia for a series of paradigm altering public lectures. His first Canberra seminar, The Starchild Skull, will be held on Friday evening 26th September between 6:30 to 9:00pm. His second lecture, Human Origins: from Bigfoot to Sitchin, covering the fourth model of human origins will be on the following evening at the same venue. See The Word article for more information. Background In 1930 a Mexican girl finds two skeletons in a mine tunnel and brings the skulls to the U.S.A. In February 1999, researcher and author Lloyd Pye was shown the two relics for his opinion. One was clearly human, the other, human-like, definitely, but bizarre (see image). This bizzare relic differed from normal human skulls in several ways:

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humans; • It had no trace of frontal sinuses; • Its bone was half as thick as normal human bone and weighed half as much, yet was twice as strong, with tensile strength more like tooth enamel . . . and much more. • These oddities were discovered during a nine-year-long battle of wits & wills as this one researcher took on the monolithic weight of scientific orthodoxy. Lloyd oversaw a range of exacting scientific tests. Some ‘experts’ gave the standard (safe?) textbook answer, a “cradle-boarded hydrocephalic”. Others put their scientific and professional reputations on the line. The results were interesting to say the least: • The Starchild skull’s external size indicates it should have an internal brain volume of 1200 cubic centimetres (cc). It measured as 1600 cc, fully one-third larger than normal!

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• The skull’s symmetry is nearly perfect, more than most ‘normal’ human skulls. • Carbon dating conﬁrms that both of the skulls died at 900 years ago. • Embedded inside the actual bone are some unusual durable ﬁbers and a strange red residue that has no prior record in science. • They seem impossible but are real.

. or possibly even a hybrid? The evidence is compelling and the science doesn’t lie. See the proof at this fascinating lecture, then make up your own mind. Lloyd will have his engaging book covering his 8 years research plus a professionaly made lithographic reproduction of this unusual relic for people to see and even hold.

As scientiﬁc facts stacked up, the “cradleboarded hydrocephalic” explanation wore thin. In fact, the latest DNA tests done by Trace Genetics in the USA strongly indicate it may not be entirely human. The mother is deﬁnitely a human from haplogroup C, but in six full attempts the father’s DNA could not be recovered. His DNA did not respond to human primers and is therefore something other than entirely human. Lloyd Pye’s next task is to recover the Starchild’s entire genome, which can be done now through a new testing procedure by a company called 454 Life Sciences in the USA. This company is currently sequencing the Neanderthal’s genome. While SETI seeks proof of alien life beyond Earth, Lloyd Pye believes that for the past nine years he has been showing the world’s scientists what they claim to be seeking: absolute ironclad proof that at least one alien-human hybrid was possibly alive (and died) on Earth 900 years ago. So is this simply a bizarre rare freak of nature, a genuine 900 year old alien skull . .

About the presenter. Lloyd Pye published his first novel in 1977. For the next decade he worked as a screenwriter in Hollywood, after which his second novel was published in 1987. In the early 1990s, he switched his focus from fiction to nonfiction, moving into alternative knowledge in 1997 with publication of his book Everything You Know is Wrong. It became a best seller and launched him into his decade-long career as a lecturer in several areas of alternative research, especially those that deal with hominoids (bigfoot, yeti, sasquatch, etc.), and the Intervention Theory of human origins. This fact-based alternative to Evolution, Creation and Intelligent Design, has more solid scientific evidence to support it than the other three combined. This event is open to all and is not backed by any particular groups, clubs or societies. Venue: Haydon-Allen Lecture Theatre, Australian National University (not ANU sponsored, but they do have great lecture theatres though)

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The Olivia Lambert Appeal Race Day Olivia Lambert was recently seen on 60 Minutes. Olivia is gorgeous 4yr old with Neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that primarily aﬀects children under 5yrs. In the past 20 years there has been no progress in the treatment for neuroblastoma due to the lack of research and as a result Olivia has a less than 1% chance of survival. The primary reason for the race day is to raise money for neuroblastoma research. The event will be held at Thoroughbred Park in Canberra ACT on Saturday 4 October. The event will commence at 12pm Olivia has received great support and interest from local and national media. She appeared on 60 minutes on Sunday 20 June. http://www.sixtyminutes.ninemsn. com.au/article.aspx?id=598911 This has been followed by 2 weeks of radio coverage and a story on WIN News last week. Her fundraising website has generated over $28,000 since the 60 minutes story aired see http://www. everydayhero.com.au/Olivia_Lambert Olivia’s mother Kirsty is a cancer battler herself having been diagnosed when 18 weeks pregnant with Olivia and relapsing last year. This family are suﬀering and need the support of the community to inspire hope and establish a legacy for their beautiful daughter. Please have a look at http://www.our-beautiful-girl.blogspot.com Sponsors are still needed for the day, which will be highly publicised through all media.

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Reasons Why You Should Quit Smoking by Charly Leetham There is so much publicity about smoking and how bad it is for you. Certainly, you’ve seen the advertisements on TV about what happens when you smoke but did you know that you can experience beneﬁt almost immediately when you stop smoking? For example, after only 20 minutes from the time you quit smoking, your blood pressure and pulse rate decreases and the temperature of hands and feet increases. This means that your heart slows down and your circulation improves almost immediately. Within approximately 8 hours from the time you stop smoking, the carbon monoxide level in the blood returns to normal and the oxygen levels in the blood increase. Your body can breath easier. After 1 day of not smoking, the chance of heart attack decreases and within 2 days the nerve endings adjust to the absence of nicotine and the ability to taste and smell begins to return. Your body really does start to repair itself - can you imagine being able to taste food again? Your body will test test 100% nicotinefree after 72 hours from the time you stop smoking. Over 90% of all nicotine metabolites will have passed through your normal bodily functions. Most importantly, your bronchial tubes will relax. You will ﬁnd that your exercise tolerance and circulation improves within 2 to 3 weeks and that your lung function improves by up to 30%. You can breath better and more easily. And there is more After 1-9 months:

Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease. The Cilia in your lungs regrow which increases the ability of the lungs to handle mucus, clean

the lungs, and reduce infection. You will ﬁnd your overall energy level increases. After 1 year: The risk of dying from heart disease decreases to 50% of a lifelong smoker’s risk. After 5-15 years:

The risk of a Stroke is reduced to the same level as that of a nonsmoker. After 10 years:

The risk of dying from lung cancer drops to almost the same rate as a lifelong NONsmoker. The risk of other cancers, such as cancer of the mouth, larynx, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases. After 15 years:

The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker’s. What this is telling us is that your body will repair itself and you can reduce the risks of heart disease and cancer to the same as those of a non-smoker. It really is in your best interest to stop smoking today. ================================= About The Author: Charly Leetham is an Internet Marketer who helps assists solopreneurs and small business take their business online. Charly has recently assisted Dr Sally Witt from Pennsylvania, USA to launch her Stop Smoking In 21 Days Or Less product. More information on how you can stop smoking today, including a free EBook, can be found at http://stopsmokingwithdrsally. com/ In her free EBook, Dr Sally also offers a number of other free resources that you can use so you can stop smoking today.

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Rewarding nursing roles come in all shapes and forms across the ACT With shortages of healthcare staff Australia-wide, we understand how difﬁcult it can be to attract and retain quality-nursing staff for work in the health care industry.

Kate too is constantly on the look out for nursing staff – and has worked hard for her clients in and around the ACT to recruit and retain quality healthcare workers. Nationally, Drake Medox supplies staff into 2000+ locations on a casual, contract and permanent basis. Kate Pickering, ACT Manager of healthcare recruitment Kate says some of the keys to her success at attracting Registered Nurses, Enrolled Nurses, Assistant in Nursing, Student Nurses and Personal Carers is the choice of work agencies can agency Drake Medox, understands first hand how provide – from hospital shifts through to disability support services, youth work through to difficult finding quality staff can be - especially for aged care. “The diversity of work we offer our staff is amazing and for many, the work is just health facilities other than hospitals – such as Aged so rewarding” says Kate. Care & Disability Support facilities. “Working as a Aside from the choice of work, we also really appreciate all of our nurses and carers who work Registered Nurse or Enrolled Nurse within a hospital setting is fast paced and filled with new experiences” for us, and are one of the only agencies in Australia to offer an employee rewards program. Kate says “Let’s face it. Nursing can be a demanding job. This is why we implemented a explains Kate “with lots of other nurses and doctors rewards program – to acknowledge hard work & to say thank you to our valued staff.” around, and other types of support.”

“It’s an environment most nurses start their careers in and for many, they do not deviate from. It’s like how the old saying goes – sometimes a change is as good as a holiday. But for many nurses – there are stigmas associated with working in other types of healthcare facilities…” says Kate.

Kate Pickering, a local Canberrian and Manager of Drake Medox in Canberra.

When working in a non-hospital environment, staff don’t necessarily have the emergency equipment at hand like in a hospital or the other nurses or doctors as accessible. “But this is what makes it so much more challenging and rewarding” says Kate. “The care of the patients is up to the Registered Nurse, and this is where a nurse’s studies and gained skills and experience is utilised to its fullest. Nursing in this environment is often a lot more than medication and paperwork which is contrary to the belief of many nurses and their attitudes around say aged care nursing“ adds Kate.

“The ﬂexibility of agency work can offer candidates the opportunity to explore new nursing experiences in new environments” Kate Pickering, Drake Medox – ACT Manager All of our staff earns points each time they work, and have a selection of fabulous rewards to choose from such as movie tickets, retail & travel vouchers, facials, magazine subscriptions.... This helps us retain our best staff. But the beneﬁts don’t stop here. Our nurses have access to regular social events, training, complimentary uniforms and professional support in the form of clinical supervision. “We aim to be an employer of choice for nurses and carers - and a big part of this is providing both the professional and personal support required by nurses and carers who work in what can be a very challenging profession” says Kate.

“I am continuing to grow our pool of healthcare staff and would encourage nurses and carers to learn more about the diverse nursing career options available to them throughout According to Kate, nursing in aged care offers many benefits. “For Registered Nurses, the ACT with Drake Medox”. With agency work, you do have that flexibility to try ‘different’ because they have so much autonomy and responsibility – working in aged care can work environments... “and who knows” adds Kate “you might just try something new and fast track their career path to DON level very quickly. Another benefit is salary sacrifice really love it”. – which can be up to $16k per year – which equates to around $30k per year - which most nurses are unaware about”. And the benefits aren’t just for Registered Nurses, For an interview with Kate and her team, please contact the Canberra Drake Medox office on (02) 6249 7366 or visit us at these facilities are keen to attract Enrolled Nurses, Assistant in Nurses, & Student 35-37 London Circuit, Canberra. Nurses as they have vacancies across most roles and at all different levels.

MEDOX

(EALTH -ATTERS "ROUGHT TO YOU BY YOUR LOCAL #APITAL #HEMIST 0HARMACY 3ELF #ARE (EALTH &ACTS BY *OHN "ELL

Saving money on your medicines Nevertheless, successive Australian Governments have maintained policies which have ensured we have access to the least expensive medicines in the world - certainly for medicines proven to be both safe and effective. And there are ways we can reduce the cost of medicines even further. Each year on 1 January there is an increase in the cost of Pharmaceutical Benefit (PBS) prescriptions. In fact, the total cost of the prescription item may not have increased; it’s actually the so-called patient co-payment which increases – generally in line with the CPI (consumer price index). Even at the maximum of now $31.30 per item, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme still offers us pretty good value for money. Some medicines actually cost many hundreds (occasionally even thousands) of dollars more than the co-payment. The full cost of PBS medicines is now printed on the dispensed label, so an indication of the real cost of each medicine is there for us all to see. And $31.30 is the maximum you should have to pay. Many medicines cost less than this; and if you have a concession card issued by Centrelink (Department of Social Security) or the Department of Veterans Affairs, the maximum amount payable is $5.00 per prescription item. It is now well known that some brands of medicines cost more than others and the government subsidises up to the cost of only the lowest-priced brand. A doctor or pharmacist can give more advice about this brand price premium and how to avoid any extra charge. At your request the pharmacist can often substitute a less expensive brand. Remember all medicines in Australia are required to meet the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s high standards of quality, safety and effectiveness. The standards are exactly the same for the less expensive and the more expensive brands. In any event, another way of curbing the cost of prescription medicines is for you to keep a record of spending on PBS prescriptions on a Prescription Record Form (PRF). If you have all or most of your prescriptions dispensed at the same pharmacy, the pharmacist will be able to keep a computer record of these transactions. You can use the PRF to keep a record of items occasionally dispensed elsewhere. Your regular pharmacist can then add items to the computer list. When you have a record of spending $1141.80 on PBS medicines for yourself and your dependents in a calendar year, the cost of all subsequent items during the year comes back to $5.00 each. This is called the PBS Safety Net. It gives reasonable financial protection for patients and their families if they require a large number of medicines.

Capital Chemists care for the community in many different ways. Of course, we care for our customers but our involvement in the Canberra community goes further. That’s why we have allocated more than $200,000 this year to a variety of community groups and worthwhile causes. Find your Capital Chemist at:

CALWELL

Mon to Fri 8.30am–8pm Sat, Sun & Public Hols 9am-6pm Closed Good Fri, Christmas Day Ph: 6292 8200

CHARNWOOD The Small Mall Mon to Fri 8.30am–7pm Sat & Sun 9am–7pm Public Hols 9am–5pm Closed Christmas Day, New Years Day Ph: 6258 4949

CHISHOLM

Mon to Fri 8am–7pm Sat 9am–5pm Sun 10am–4pm Closed Public Hols Ph: 6292 2427

CURTIN Mon to Fri 8.30am–7pm Sat 8.30am–4pm Closed Sun & Public Hols

DICKSON Mon to Fri 8.30am–8pm Sat 8.30am–7pm Sun & Public Hols 9am–7pm Closed Good Friday, Christmas Day & New Years Day Ph: 6248 7684

HUGHES

KINGSTON 58 Giles Street Mon to Fri 8.30am–7pm Sat 8.30am–4pm Sun 10am–4pm Closed Public Hols Ph: 6295 9146

LYNEHAM Wattle Street Mon to Sat 9am–7pm & Closed Sun Public Hols Ph: 6247 7004

O’CONNOR Sargood Street Mon to Fri 8.30am–11pm Sat, Sun & Public Hols 9am–11pm Ph: 6248 7050

PALMERSTON Mon to Fri 9am–7pm Sat 9am–1pm Closed Sun & Public Hols Ph: 6241 9710

SOUTHLANDS Mon to Fri 9am–7pm Sat, Sun & Public Hols 9am–6pm Closed Christmas Day & Good Fri Ph: 6286 3644

TUGGERANONG Hyperdome Mon to Thu 8.30am–6pm Fri 8.30am–9pm Sat 9am–5pm Sun & Public Hols 10am–4pm Ph: 6293 1166

Mon to Fri 8.30am–6pm Sat 8.30am–12 noon Closed Sun & Public Hols Ph: 6281 2581

WANNIASSA

KAMBAH

WODEN PLAZA

Mon to Fri 9am–7pm Sat 9am–5pm Closed Sun & Public Hols Ph: 6231 7014

Mon to Thu 9am–5.30pm Fri 9am–9pm Sat 9am–5pm Sun & Public Hols 10am–4pm Ph: 6282 3960

WARAMANGA

Mon to Fri 8.30am–9pm Sat, Sun & Public Hols 9am–9pm Closed Christmas Day Ph: 6231 6446

Mon to Fri 9am - 7pm Sat 9am - 5pm Closed Sun & Public Hols PH: 6288 1334

For concession card holders, the Safety Net threshold is $290.00 – equivalent to 58 items at $5.00 each – after which there is no charge for any PBS item, provided one of the lowestpriced brands is dispensed. ' 2 % 9 10176

Saving g money y

Often the need to take medicines is unexpected; so we don’t anticipate what the cost of medicines might be and make some allowance in our budget. For those of us required to take medicines regularly - perhaps for a chronic condition like arthritis, asthma, depression, diabetes, epilepsy or heart disease - the costs might seem overwhelming.

At your Capital Chemist, we know what matters.

WE KNOW WHAT MATTERS

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www.theword.com.au Unfortunately two nights later after we had been evacuated to another location we went through a second dramatic incident of the project. After we had spent the day helping out with an indigenous Christmas party for the children of the local indigenous reserve, we came home to find we have been robbed. Norvan, Laura and the boys went the missionary, whose house we were evacuated too, to go see if they could find who did it and get our stuff back. Norvan didn’t return until the next morning, he had taken watch by himself for the whole night until he was relieved by police from the neighboring city. Even though he looked incredibly tired, he also seemed to be something deeper that was wrong. That morning an investigation team showed up and took fingerprints in an effort to track down who it was. They never did catch the person or get any of our stuff back. The situation further deteriorated as the following day Laura, Norvan’s only support, left the project, close to a nervous breakdown,

under a lot of stress and fatigue she had decided to go home and rest. At the time we did know if she would be back on project. to make matters worse, later that night one of the other volunteers got really sick and after caring for her all night, in the morning Norvan had her evacuated by ambulance. He sent her sister and the only Costa Rican participant with her, just to make sure that they would be okay. I can’t imagine how Norvan felt at the time, I know I would have been in pieces. There he was in a foreign country, where it only just begun to speak the language, with a project that had run oﬀ the rails due to there being no materials, all alone with his partner gone and his team split between two geographic locations, not knowing what would happen next. It must have been heartbreaking! Fortunately for our team, Norvan was not like many other people, he has a strong inner strength and strong character. This is where the true inspiration comes

from, Norvan just got on with the job. He got another group leader to come up from head office. He held a meeting with the entire team to see what we wanted to do, if we wanted to stay or go. When we unanimously decided to stay he went about organizing other activities, such as accompanying the local priest on an expedition into the jungle. We organized Christmas with the whole team. And when Laura came back, they organized with the community to build two extra classrooms for the local high school. This would allow the children of the town to finish high school and increase their chances of being able to go on to university. You would expect someone who shows such strong personality and direct leadership to then dominate the team by being the central person steering the group. This is where Norvan is different. He slowly pulled himself back, while he supported Laura in becoming more of a leader. It was beautiful thing to see because in Latin America it is rare that women

get the opportunity to be so supported and encouraged by their male colleagues. The relationship that developed between Norvan and Laura was unique, it was like they where brother and sister while on project. Norvan helped the group make decisions for ourselves by being inclusive not exclusive. We organized a local market for the indigenous people of the reserve to trade their wares. The really inspiring stuff is the Norvan made us feel that we owned the project, I never really seen someone do it like he did, to create something from nothing. Towards the end of the project Norvan became incredibly ill. The severity of how sick he was is something that we did not find out until after the project. In a conversation I had with him after project I asked him why he stayed on project, he simply said that even though he was sick he wanted to finish

what he started and he had nowhere else to go, and he would rather be with family, the team.

Capital Region Farmers Market appoints Producers’ Panel Capital Region Farmers Market has recently appointed a Producers’ Panel to provide advice in relation to products sold at the Market, assisting in maintaining the authenticity of the Farmers Market. The Market Management Committee, run by the Rotary Club of Hall, agreed last month to form an advisory stallholders’ panel consisting of 13 ‘informed’ stakeholders who will meet fortnightly to discuss various authenticity issues. Tony Howard, from the Rotary Club of Hall and Chair of the Panel, said the Capital Region Farmers Market Producers’ Panel was introduced as an advisory board working with the Rotary Club. “Stallholders have the expertise the Rotary Club generally doesn’t have in terms of primary production or processing and we found that we needed to draw on these informed stakeholders for advice and guidance,” Tony Howard said. “The Panel members get direct feedback from other stallholders and the community every Saturday and they can report to us to ensure the Market is running smoothly and accordingly. It is a

great way for the Rotary Club to listen to them and to be in tune,” he explained. Tony Howard said the Producers’ Panel is the next step following the introduction of the two-shed policy last January to further enhance the Market’s reputation as a genuine farmers market. “The two sheds have made it much easier for customers to identify the exact source and producer of the products they buy. This new Producers’ Panel will further ensure that customers are getting their products directly from the producers or from their approved representatives who have a thorough understanding and knowledge of the source of the produce they are selling,” he added. The Capital Region Farmers Market is a genuine farmer’s market with over 100 stalls oﬀering a diverse range of fresh food and agricultural produce straight from the producer to the customer. All funds generated from the Market are fed back into regional communities and other projects chosen by the Rotary Club of Hall which founded the Market in 2004. Open: Saturday from 8 am to 11 am Exhibition Park (EPIC) visit www.capitalregionfarmersmarket.com.au.

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Angels on show at the Zoo

Danielle Robertson & Dena Blackman Once upon a time back in the years before 1967, young mothers were expected to show the true spirit of Australia by being superwomen. They were able to balance a family household within a tight budget of one income and never allowed to fall ill. In those days, some lucky young mums still had a great support group of extended family who lent a hand when the going got tough. Then times changed, breadwinners were obliged to become mobile and their partners were expected to cope in unfamiliar surroundings as young families moved away from their support group. One such person was Dena Blackman who had moved interstate leaving friends and family back in Queensland. All was ﬁne until shortly after the

birth of her third child when she fell ill. With two other children under the age of six there was no assistance available from local councils or government. Dena realized just how many young women must have been in the same situation, One Sunday morning she was vacuuming the lounge and the thought came to her “If only I could have dialled an Angel to do some of the routine housework, I may have been able to cope better”. The words “dial an angel” kept repeating themselves in her head. She realised there should be an Agency that catered for the short-term needs of stressed families. Founded in March 1967 by Dena Blackman, DIAL-AN-ANGEL grew quickly from a one person, one-telephone oﬃce to 11 oﬃces

nationwide, four of which are franchises. The Company now employs 50 full-time staff with over 10,000 registered Angels providing quality home and family care to tens of thousands of satisfied clients. To put Dena’s achievement into perspective it was only one year after the removal of the marriage bar in the Commonwealth Public Service that required all women once they were married to retire from the workforce! Moreover, it took until 1971 for the first bank to provide a loan to women without a male guarantor. DIAL-AN-ANGEL has always been “a family affair”. Four generations of Dena’s family have been involved in the business over more than four decades, including Dena’s mother, three

daughters, a niece, a cousin, and more recently her eldest granddaughter. A vital ingredient in the success of the business is Dena’s belief that a family business is the crossroad of two amazing and unparalleled experiences. One experience is the raising and nurturing of a family. The other is the building and nurturing of a business as a livelihood and an expression of personal vision and achievement. Dena believes that family businesses are an excellent way to introduce younger members to the wonder and excitement of the commercial world whether or not their future lies in the family business. Established in November 1996 the Canberra oﬃce serves all areas of the ACT, Queanbeyan and surrounding areas. With a phone call, DIALAN-ANGEL Canberra is able to provide Angels for housekeeping & home cleaning, gardening & home maintenance, nannies, childcare & babysitting, disability care, supervised contact visits, pet care, caretaking, aged care, in-home nursing and even for assistance with home & corporate functions. DIAL-AN-ANGEL is just one of the family businesses taking part in the Family Business Australia (FBA) Family Expo at the National Zoo & Aquarium on Sunday 9 November. The FBA Family expo is a fun family event filled with new ideas, products and solutions to help Canberra families. For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.fbafamilyexpo.com.au, email fbaact@fambiz.com.au or phone (02) 6292-1573.

E n t e r t a i n m e n t

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Peter Powers - World’s No 1 Comedy Stage Hypnotist - A Little Bit Wicked Tour By Tracie ( Premier Entertainment) Peter Powers just returned back to Austraila in August from Holland (Amsterdam) ﬁlming a series of TV Shows. His success in both TV shows and live touring continues to ﬂourish and astound people all over.Upon his return to Australia on he has commenced his Australian ‘A Little Bit Wicked Tour’ seeing him do in excess of 35 shows in Sydney alone. Over the past 5 years Peter has appeared on The Footy Show on numerous occassions, featured in his own TV shows Celebrity Superpowers, Power of One on the Comedy Channel street hypnosis, and a recent 1-hour special on Big Brother. After a successful Theatre tour throughout Australia last year, Peter will return with his new show to do a Club tour that promises to be a bolder and naughtier show maintaining that unique blend of outrageous humour. His witty, mischievous style of delivery places him amongst the best in the world and the constant packed houses is testimony to his charismatic style and popularity. Punters can expect up to 2 hours of fun-packed comedy and this new show is not for the faint hearted as Peter delivers his “Adults Only” show wowing Australian audiences. Peter can be described as wicked, naughty and mischievous, and although some routines are adult in nature, it is strictly in good humour. There is no doubt that Peter Powers is now recognised as the best and most popular Hypnotist in Australia as evidenced by his extremely busy schedule and capacity houses wherever he tours. Peter Powers will be appearing at the Hellenic Club of Canberra on Wednesday 15th October, 2008 @ 8:00pm, Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at the club, for futher info please contact the Hellenic Club on 02 6281 0899. GET IN fast.............a show not to be missed!!! Peter says touring in Australia is great fun. “Australians really enjoy their entertainment and make superb, often wild, audiences.”

E n t e r t a i n m e n t

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Cinderella Burns Up the Ice Shanna Provost

“A spellbinding dramatic experience that will thrill the senses.” - The West Australian, Perth Magical special eﬀects including ﬁre and rain; lavish sets depicting Siberian snowscapes and gypsy carnivals and glorious costumes, coupled with

breathtaking high speed throws, acrobatic feats and incredible lifts create an exciting performance that will sweep you to your feet. This is the story of Cinderella like you’ve never seen it before! The Imperial Ice Stars, who won

Woden Community Festival When: Sat 25 Oct 2008 at 10:00 AM - 07:00 PM Eddison Park, Launceston St, Woden ACT 2606 www.wcs.org.au Contact: Emma Walter, phone: 6282 2644, email: wodenfestival@wcs.org.au Woden Community Service and the Woden Valley Community Council are excited to invite you to be a part of this great new event in the Woden Valley. Come and join in the celebrations all day on Saturday 25 October. There will be live music for all tastes, performances by diﬀerent community groups, fun activities for the kids, mountains of information and tasty food from all over the world – Eddison Park will be transformed into a vibrant wonderland with activities for everyone. We are busy planning this great day and will need your help. Whether you are a local business, community group or a person wanting to get involved we would love to hear from you. For more information please ring Lynton Sheehan or Emma Walter at Woden Community Service on 6282 2644 or email: wodenfestival@wcs.org.au

international critical acclaim and ﬁvestar reviews with their previous tours of The Sleeping Beauty on Ice and Swan Lake on Ice are renowned for their daring on the ice and unique style of story-telling. The 23-strong cast of Olympic, World, National and European Championship skaters comprise the cream of Russian skating talent. The majority of the skaters have been trained by Russia’s leading coaches, some from as early as four years of age, and between them they have won countless competition medals. Producer James Cundall, Chief Executive of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, explains “By giving these exceptionally talented skaters the freedom to experiment outside competitive skating, while working alongside some of the top ﬁgure skating coaches in the world, we are able to take ice choreography to new limits.” Cinderella on Ice has been conceived and choreographed by Tony Mercer, widely regarded as the world’s leading creator of theatre on ice, together with two of the world’s most respected ice coaches - Evgeny Platov, dual Olympic gold medallist and four time World Champion, and Alexander Zhulin,

Olympic silver and bronze medallist and World Champion. In this new interpretation of a classic tale, The Imperial Ice Stars tell the story of Cinderella, a humble chorus dancer who is thrust into the spotlight as a prima ballerina and captivates the handsome Lord Mayor’s son, the most eligible bachelor in town, with her graceful performance. Despite rival attempts by her stepsisters to steal his heart, the kindly Watchmakers and Gypsy Fortune Teller ensure that true love triumphs. Artistic Director Tony Mercer, says “The ‘Cinderella’ story has been told in many diﬀerent cultures over many centuries. I wanted to give our version a new setting while retaining the ingredients and emotions of this timeless story.” WHAT: Cinderella On Ice WHEN: 18-28 September WHERE: Canberra Theatre, Civic TICKETS: Adults from $59, Child/ Conc from $49 BOOK: Canberra Ticketing 6275 2700 www.canberratheatrecentre.com.au

Comedy Night For three decades Austen Tayshus has been in the forefront of Australian stand-up. His highly controversial and non-compromising approach polarises his audiences. Described as a drunken yobbo’s worst nightmare, someone who can out gross you, out yell you and out last you, Austen Tayshus walks a skilful line between the truly oﬀensive and the truly funny. Highly provocative, politically incorrect, innovative, improvisational and unsettling. Don’t miss Austen Tayshus live, and be prepared to laugh and cringe the night away. Friday 5 December Casino Canberra.

AUSTEN TAYSHUS

To book for show only or dinner and show. Call Casino Canberra today.www.casinocanberra.com.au

APRILAstrologer: by Jenny Lynch, www.jennylynch.com Aries (Mar21-Apr20) Finally you’re on a great roll of luck! You will be able to wheel and deal with others now, just as smoothly as a race car driver can weave through heavy traffic on a highway. Since there is very little that can hold you back right, feel free to push ahead. If you are craving more adventure, you’ll find plenty of opportunity by joining up with other risk takers. Since your desire nature is strong now, you may even begin to explore new territories or more personal taboos.

Taurus (Apr21-May21) You won’t have to look far if you’re needing some help, because one of your friends is in a great position to do you a favour. Instead of looking at service advertisements, you will be better off just letting your friends know about your needs. If you can’t find one that has the talent you’re seeking, at least they will refer you to someone trustworthy. This week is all about being 6 degrees in separation from others and you may be surprised by how closely connected you are to the solution to your current dilemma.

Gemini (May22-June21) Only bad things happen quickly. When we think of things that can alter our lives in a moment; it’s usually a phone call in the middle of the night, the lost of a job or suddenly hearing some bad news. Apart from winning lotto, a surprising promotion or award; happiness takes some time to manifest. Building relationships, learning new things and changing habits are certain ways to find fulfillment. Work patiently now and you’ll be able to create some wonderful things.

Cancer (June22-July23) Deep inside you know what’s good for you. You know that exercise, hobbies and time spent with those you care about make you feel better. If you are avoiding such pleasures because you are waiting until you feel better, you may have quite a wait. You may feel drained of joy by fear of the future or regrets of the past, but if you don’t get motivated soon you risk getting even more stuck. Do something today that you know is good for you, and then take it one step at a time.

There is every reason to believe that you will be foolish with your money or your relationships now. If you would like to avoid unfortunate outcomes in the near future you must struggle against your impulses. Whatever you are feeling or in search of is off course and not in your best interest. It’s possible that your current desire nature may be re running a tape of past disasters. Bad habits take a life time to build and may be hard to break; good things on the other hand can begin to happen the minute summon your will to change.

Leo (July24-Aug23) Ever feeling like you’re side stepping instead of moving forward? Right now, any chance you have to get ahead will cost you points with family members. You may feel in the midst of that proverbial push and pull feeling. Still there are plenty of opportunities if you can mustard the strength to push ahead. Don’t allow anyone to second guess you or fill you with doubt now, you need the courage of personal conviction not negative input from others, to make things happen.

It’s not your nature to be competitive with others, as your secret to success lies in your ability to work hard, not to get over. But then again, you’re the last to let anyone take advantage of your good nature. Case in point; this week someone will attempt to overstep their boundaries and cause you to stop them in their tracks. Your future success depends on correcting a current situation, so don’t be shy take charge over others false moves now!

Aquarius (Jan21-Feb19)

Scorpio (Oct24-Nov22) Any reason may seem a good reason to throw a temper tantrum right now. Let’s face it, you’re in a cranky bad mood and no one can fix it but yourself. It doesn’t matter how right you are or how smart you are. In fact if you were really smart, you won’t be in this mood in the first place. What matters is how fast can you snap back and get into a better space. Call a friend, book a massage or ring up your favorite psychic; otherwise pick up a self help book. You need to recalibrate your aura with a positive spin now!

You are in for a lovely treat! Someone will give you a gift, extend a dinner invitation or offer you or a valuable tip when you least expect it. While this is a favorable trend for investing, it’s also a wonderful time to find sudden bargains. You may decide to treat yourself to a item of luxury; a piece of jewelry, a new watch or expensive wardrobe purchase? Don’t hold yourself back from impulsive shopping now, it can be very therapeutic somehow.

Pisces (Feb20-Mar20)

Sagittarius (Nov23-Dec21)

Virgo (Aug24-Sept23) You are about to discover more about yourself than you have ever imagined. Something about your family or your early childhood experience is likely to surface now. The good thing is that no matter how awful or painful family matters have been for you in the past, you now have a wonderful opportunity to make things right. This is a time in which you are able to heal yourself and to put your past into perspective. A sincere conversation with family elders or a talented professional can bring clarity and enlightened understanding now.

Capricorn (Dec22-Jan20)

Libra (Sept24-Oct23)

Sure you’re feeling restless and ambitious but could you imagine just how much more you could accomplish if you were simply more organized? Sometimes life has a way of spiraling out of control, especially when it comes to communication and paperwork. Misplaced numbers, lost cards and stacks of bills, may have you wondering just where to begin. If you feel like giving up here’s a trick to try; pretend that you are A CEO and that your life is a large company you run. A new filing system or even an assistant could help right now.

You are powerfully psychic and intuitive now. You know just what you want and what you need to do to attain it. You may also find others, especially foreigners; play a key role in your decision making this week. Just remember that the best way to become successful is to keep track of your progress. It doesn’t matter if you are counting calories or cash; you need to be checking the facts and numbers. So don’t hedge your bets, rely on your track record now.

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G r e e n K u l t u r e

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Saving water in your garden made easy!

Woman Walks for Your Future By Shanna Provost

The ACT Government offers subsidised GardenSmart water tune-ups to ACT residents for only $30!* During the GardenSmart visit, a qualified horticulturist provides practical advice about garden design, plant selection, watering, maintenance and much more. GardenSmart participants also receive a $50 rebate on water-saving products for the garden.

“I am walking for every man,

For more information call ActewAGL on

6242 1111 or visit www.thinkwater.act.gov.au *Condit

ions apply. Available only to ACT propertie

s conne cted to

. ACTEW Corp oration’s water network

03.2007-05

woman and child—for their future. I don’t know how else to shock people out of their inertia about where we are headed if we don’t make drastic changes to urban development.” Stina Kerans You may feel you’re doing your bit by recycling and taking shorter showers– you may even have a worm farm for your scraps, but that’s simply not enough action to ensure our future. The signs that drastic change is needed NOW are all there, and still we let developers create urban wastelands that only perpetuate our environmental problems. One Canberra woman is so frustrated with the lack of real action by communities, councils and government

that she is willing to walk as far and as long as it takes to shock our complacent society into action to do things NOW to ensure sustainability. In the past weeks she has walked around 60 kilometres–from Yass to Murrumbateman to Hall and around Canberra suburbs. She will continue to walk until she gets the attention of the public and genuine investors, planners and developers who are willing to implement new ways of urban development. “There is an urgent imperative to move our cities and suburbs towards a new configuration of sustainable, humanscale, energy-conscious colonies of connected business/farming enterprises and consumers”, says Ms Kerans. Recognised internationally for their work in sustainability, Stina and Garry Kerans see the creation of sustainable urban development locally as an opportunity for the region to showcase the viability of sustainable development. “Our design for living can help alleviate such social issues as depression, suicide, housing affordability, financial pressures and provide a support system for single parents and the elderly. If we care for each other the environment wins as well, because we care about the environment in which we live.” Ms Kerans walks alone along the highway with a large sign strapped to her chest and back. She says that at first she feels embarrassed, but is willing to experience the humility to get her urgent message out. People who want to learn more about sustainable development can fill in an Eco-Survey at www.eco-survey.com. au or attend a presentation by emailing stinajane@yahoo.com.au.

It’s Time to Revisit the Battery Cage Ban

In September last year, as a result of a concerted campaign by Free Range Canberra supported by the Human Battery Cage project and the tabling of a Bill to ban battery cages in the ACT by Greens MLA Dr Deb Foskey, the ACT Government announced three measures “designed to phase out battery egg production in the ACT and change the egg-buying patterns of Canberrans”. The measures were; • an oﬀer of $1 million in industry assistance to help Pace Farm change from battery farming to the barn method of egg production, • a pledge to source the eggs purchased by ACT government institutions such as hospitals and schools from barn or free-range producers, • an undertaking to write to other Agriculture Ministers and heads of government ‘as a matter of urgency’ to get a national approach to phasing out battery farming onto the agenda for the next Ministerial Council and the next gathering of the Council of Australian Governments. On the positive side, the change in the government’s purchasing policy for eggs is underway and is expected to be complete by May 2009. But as for the other two measures, negotiations with Pace Farm have failed

G r e e n K u l t u r e

and Jon Stanhope has admitted that he has failed in establishing a national approach to a ban. A ban on battery cages has the strong support of the ACT community. A local survey commissioned in September 2005 found 73% of respondents supported banning the cages. A WIN TV News poll last year resulted in an overwhelming 94% support for a ban. The ACT’s only cage egg producer Pace Farm has shown that it is not committed to the long-term survival of its Parkwood facility. In response to the changes to regulations which came into eﬀect on 1 January this year requiring caged hens to be given slightly more space (an extra centimetre in each direction), Pace have simply lowered their stocking rates rather than spend money to replace their old, ﬁlthy cages. According to their Emission Report on the National Pollutant Inventory website, Pace Farm employs 14 people at Parkwood. Their annual rent for the 41.44 hectares on which their operation is located is a mere $486. Pace Farm is clearly not an important industry in the ACT – but it is certainly a cruel industry. The Parkwood sheds were recently depopulated – i.e., the hundreds of thousands of hens who have spent the last 15 or so months in the cages were hauled out and passed

www.theword.com.au hand-to-hand by their legs before being crammed into crates and transported for hundreds of kilometres in open trucks to be slaughtered. The handling of the hens resulted in most of them suﬀering broken legs even before getting to the crates and, as has happened on previous occasions, hundreds were dropped or escaped from the cages and fell into the manure pits below the cages. Many of these hens drowned in the liqueﬁed waste while others became bogged and were left to starve. The industry Code of Practice demands that such hens be retrieved on the same day – they were not. There is a world-wide move away from inhumane battery cages. An EU-wide ban on the use of conventional battery cages for egg laying hens will be applied from 1 January 2012. The US state of California will vote in November this year on a proposal to ban the cages. Over 150 US University campuses – including Harvard, Princeton and Tufts – have made the decision not to support the cruelty of battery hen farming while in this country, the University of Newcastle has decided to have all food outlets use cage-free eggs. Three Tasmanian local councils (Hobart, Clarence and Launceston) have recently announced that they will

only use eggs from free range farms at council functions. Consumers and retailers are also moving away from cage eggs and embracing eggs from the more humane free-range system. In the UK, the sale of free-range eggs has risen by almost a third since the end of last year and in February more households were buying free-range eggs rather than caged eggs for the ﬁrst time. The Australian Egg Corporation Annual Reports show that the market share of free-range eggs in Australia rose from 20.3% to 23.4% in the 12 months to June 2007 while the sale of cage eggs dropped from 74.9% to 71.4% in the same period. The world-wide move away from cage eggs is clear and irresistible. When the three Government measures were announced Chief Minister Jon Stanhope stated that “if the oﬀer of industry assistance was not accepted after negotiation with Pace and if advocacy at the national level proved fruitless the Government was prepared to revisit the issue of battery egg production in the future”. Now is clearly the time to revisit the issue of a ban. (For video of inside Parkwood see http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=3TiycQrbYQk)

Slow down or step it up – isn’t it time you had the chance to move at your own pace? Bellerive offers a great combination of security, low-maintenance living and a location on the edge of Woden Town Centre. • • • • • • • •

Two and three-bedroom villas with lock-up garage One, two or three-bedroom apartments with undercover parking Built to accessibility standards Leisure Centre with lounge and library Monitored security system, emergency call system and staff on site 24/7 Woden Town Centre on your doorstep Close to cinema, cafés, restaurants, licensed clubs, sporting facilities Close to The Canberra Hospital

We wouldn’t call this retirement

Since 1989, when we opened The Grange Deakin, Hindmarsh has taken the lead in providing great lifestyle choices for over-55s. But these days, retirement just isn’t the right word to describe what people are looking for in their later years. It’s more about freedom, relaxation, fun and independence. It’s more about living. That’s why we’ve recently adopted the name Hindmarsh Living. We understand your need to have a home-base that makes your new lifestyle possible –

a low maintenance, high-quality home with all the services and facilities you need. And we have two great locations in Canberra to choose from. To find out more about what Hindmarsh Living can offer you, at The Grange Deakin or our exciting new community – Bellerive at Lyons – contact us now. Call 1300 884 784 or visit www.HindmarshLiving.com.au

GREY 15559

So we’re calling it Hindmarsh Living.