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Hard fight for a fair go from the LiberalsMICHAEL MOORE

Reality dawns on Labor’s failing leaderROBERT MACKLIN

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4 CityNews February 12-18, 2015 CityNews February 12-18, 2015 54 CityNews February 12-18, 2015

AT A G L A N C E

Glorious Land of IranIran is a county in southwest Asian, country of mountains and deserts. Eastern Iran is dominated by a high plateau, with large salt flats and vast sand deserts. This country is a regional power, and holds an important position in international energy security and world economy as a result of its large reserves of petroleum and natural gas.Iran’s climate, ranges from arid or semiarid to subtropical along the Caspian coast and the northern forests. On the northern edge of the country (the Caspian coastal plain) temperatures rarely fall below freezing and the area remains humid for the rest of the year. The coastal plains of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman in southern Iran have mild winters, and very humid and hot summers.

Language The official language of Iran is Persian (Farsi), a branch of Indo-European tongue influenced by the Arabic language.

Persian language is divided into three genres: the Old Persian, preserved in cuneiform inscriptions, Middle Persian which was the dialect of Iranians until the 9th century, and Modern Persian which is in use today. For a long time, Persian language was instrumental in the development of the culture and literature of many parts of the globe. Its profound influence can still be seen in Urdu and Turkish. Persian language is spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and by many people living in Pakistan, India, Uzbekistan and Iraq.

Persian Music Known as one of the oldest musical systems in the Middle East, Persian music became famous during the Sassanid era (220CE) with works of Barbad, who devised numerous modes and melodies. A modem modal system known as dastgah was developed during the reign of the Qajar dynasty. As described in 2004 publication of Cambridge University Press, “the tradition of Persian art music embodies twelve

modal systems, known as dastgahs. Each dastgah represents a complex of skeletal melodic models on the basis of which performer produces extemporized pieces. The dastgahs revolve around unspecified central nuclear melodies, which the individual musician comes to know through experience and absorption. It is a personal and elusive tradition of great subtly and depth. Some of the musical instruments used by Iranian musicians are unique and include stringed instruments such as Sitar, Tambour, Tar, kamancheh, Santoor and Ud, in addition to ley (reed flute), Daf (tambourine) and Tonbak (a percussion instrument). These instruments are mostly used in traditional or folkloric performances. Established in 1967 with 1600 seats, Tehran’s opera house, “Talar Rudaki”, in cooperation with the Sym-phony Orchestra of Tehran has hosted innumerable Persian as well as some traditional foreign musical performances.

The Founder of the Islamic Republic of IranThe Islamic Revolution owes its victory and very survival to the vision and discernment of the late Imam Khomeini (R.A.). Born in 1902, in the town of Khomein in the vicinity of Tehran. Imam Khomeini lost his father, a religious scholar, when he was five months old and was raised by his mother and aunt. A student of outstanding scholars such as Sheikh Abdulkarim Ha’iri, he displayed, from an early age, great piety, determination and strength of character. The first of his many books and publications was a treatise in Arabic on the subject of spiritual philosophy, which he wrote at the age of twenty-seven. Hamid Algar, professor of Persian and Islamic Studies at the University of California-Berkeley, describes the viewpoint of Imam Khomeini in an article entitled “The Fusion of the Gnostic and the Political in the Personality and Life of Imam Khomeini”: “It was with gaze fixed on ‘the Source of Magnificence’, a mode of vision utterly different from that of the common political leader, that the Imam led a vast revolutionary movement to success.

The Imam is generally regarded, by both Westerners and Muslims, as nothing more than an unusually gifted revolutionary leader, yet all who knew him intimately, as well as many who met with him but briefly, can testify that he possessed a vision transcending the political at the very same time that it controlled and embraced it. It is precisely this inclusion of the political in the Gnostic that is perhaps the most distinctive feature of the Imam’s persona.”Imam Khomeini led the uprising of the people against Shah’s destructive policies on 15th of Khordad 1342 (June 5, 1963). And under his leadership the liberty and independence for Iranian people yielded its fruit and Islamic republic of Iran was established on 11 February, 1979.After the demise of Imam Khomeini, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei was elected as the esteemed leader in June 1989. Under his leadership, Islamic Republic of Iran has been strengthened and continued its huge steps on the path of scientific, technological, socioeconomic and cultural development.

On The Occasion Of 36th Anniversary

of the Islamic Revolution of Iran 11 February 2015

Capital: Tehran Area : 1,648,195 km²Population : 79,412,185

Negargari, An Iranian Handicraft Mina Kari, An Iranian Handicraft Tile Work Decoration, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, Isfahan

Chak chak Temple A view of the Hundred Column Palace-Persepolis, Fars Vank Church, Isfahan

Tehran Symphony OrchestraA view of the Tachara Palace - Persepolis, FarsPersian Musical Instruments Tomb of Hafez, Shiraz Tomb of Khayyam, Nishapur Esther & Mordecai Tomb (A Jewish Holy Place)

EN2231.indd 2-3 9/02/2015 1:09 pm

CityNews February 12-18, 2015 5CityNews February 12-18, 2015 54 CityNews February 12-18, 2015

AT A G L A N C E

Glorious Land of IranIran is a county in southwest Asian, country of mountains and deserts. Eastern Iran is dominated by a high plateau, with large salt flats and vast sand deserts. This country is a regional power, and holds an important position in international energy security and world economy as a result of its large reserves of petroleum and natural gas.Iran’s climate, ranges from arid or semiarid to subtropical along the Caspian coast and the northern forests. On the northern edge of the country (the Caspian coastal plain) temperatures rarely fall below freezing and the area remains humid for the rest of the year. The coastal plains of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman in southern Iran have mild winters, and very humid and hot summers.

Language The official language of Iran is Persian (Farsi), a branch of Indo-European tongue influenced by the Arabic language.

Persian language is divided into three genres: the Old Persian, preserved in cuneiform inscriptions, Middle Persian which was the dialect of Iranians until the 9th century, and Modern Persian which is in use today. For a long time, Persian language was instrumental in the development of the culture and literature of many parts of the globe. Its profound influence can still be seen in Urdu and Turkish. Persian language is spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and by many people living in Pakistan, India, Uzbekistan and Iraq.

Persian Music Known as one of the oldest musical systems in the Middle East, Persian music became famous during the Sassanid era (220CE) with works of Barbad, who devised numerous modes and melodies. A modem modal system known as dastgah was developed during the reign of the Qajar dynasty. As described in 2004 publication of Cambridge University Press, “the tradition of Persian art music embodies twelve

modal systems, known as dastgahs. Each dastgah represents a complex of skeletal melodic models on the basis of which performer produces extemporized pieces. The dastgahs revolve around unspecified central nuclear melodies, which the individual musician comes to know through experience and absorption. It is a personal and elusive tradition of great subtly and depth. Some of the musical instruments used by Iranian musicians are unique and include stringed instruments such as Sitar, Tambour, Tar, kamancheh, Santoor and Ud, in addition to ley (reed flute), Daf (tambourine) and Tonbak (a percussion instrument). These instruments are mostly used in traditional or folkloric performances. Established in 1967 with 1600 seats, Tehran’s opera house, “Talar Rudaki”, in cooperation with the Sym-phony Orchestra of Tehran has hosted innumerable Persian as well as some traditional foreign musical performances.

The Founder of the Islamic Republic of IranThe Islamic Revolution owes its victory and very survival to the vision and discernment of the late Imam Khomeini (R.A.). Born in 1902, in the town of Khomein in the vicinity of Tehran. Imam Khomeini lost his father, a religious scholar, when he was five months old and was raised by his mother and aunt. A student of outstanding scholars such as Sheikh Abdulkarim Ha’iri, he displayed, from an early age, great piety, determination and strength of character. The first of his many books and publications was a treatise in Arabic on the subject of spiritual philosophy, which he wrote at the age of twenty-seven. Hamid Algar, professor of Persian and Islamic Studies at the University of California-Berkeley, describes the viewpoint of Imam Khomeini in an article entitled “The Fusion of the Gnostic and the Political in the Personality and Life of Imam Khomeini”: “It was with gaze fixed on ‘the Source of Magnificence’, a mode of vision utterly different from that of the common political leader, that the Imam led a vast revolutionary movement to success.

The Imam is generally regarded, by both Westerners and Muslims, as nothing more than an unusually gifted revolutionary leader, yet all who knew him intimately, as well as many who met with him but briefly, can testify that he possessed a vision transcending the political at the very same time that it controlled and embraced it. It is precisely this inclusion of the political in the Gnostic that is perhaps the most distinctive feature of the Imam’s persona.”Imam Khomeini led the uprising of the people against Shah’s destructive policies on 15th of Khordad 1342 (June 5, 1963). And under his leadership the liberty and independence for Iranian people yielded its fruit and Islamic republic of Iran was established on 11 February, 1979.After the demise of Imam Khomeini, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei was elected as the esteemed leader in June 1989. Under his leadership, Islamic Republic of Iran has been strengthened and continued its huge steps on the path of scientific, technological, socioeconomic and cultural development.

On The Occasion Of 36th Anniversary

of the Islamic Revolution of Iran 11 February 2015

Capital: Tehran Area : 1,648,195 km²Population : 79,412,185

Negargari, An Iranian Handicraft Mina Kari, An Iranian Handicraft Tile Work Decoration, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, Isfahan

Chak chak Temple A view of the Hundred Column Palace-Persepolis, Fars Vank Church, Isfahan

Tehran Symphony OrchestraA view of the Tachara Palace - Persepolis, FarsPersian Musical Instruments Tomb of Hafez, Shiraz Tomb of Khayyam, Nishapur Esther & Mordecai Tomb (A Jewish Holy Place)

EN2231.indd 2-3 9/02/2015 1:09 pm

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back to the futureThe city centre is moribund and our government won’t cut the grass. What’s going wrong?

Life drains from Civic… as the grassroots despairFrank Hurley’s photo of a busy Garema Place in Civic. From the National Library’s Hurley Negative Collection.

City Walk is a place of empty shopfronts and faded ‘for lease’ signs. No one would choose to spend more time there than absolutely necessary.

Jeremy Hanson fell short of making a major policy announcement on my program, but he certainly committed to moving basic municipal services higher up the priority list if he’s ever chief minister.

A PICTURE in the National Library’s collection, snapped in the 1950s, shows Garema Place buzzing with life. Shoppers stop to chat, school children skip and bakeries, grocery stores and chemists do a cracking trade.

Today, City Walk is bereft of life and liveliness. It’s a place of empty shopfronts and faded “for lease” signs. No one would choose to spend more time there than absolutely necessary.

So, how do we reclaim this as a place for people?Last week, internationally-acclaimed Danish archi-

tect and urban planner, Jan Gehl, visited Canberra to share his thoughts on creating liveable cities.

Gehl argues that two dominant paradigms shaped the world’s cities last century: modernism and motorism. The result was isolated boxes

plonked down without thought for the

people who would use them. Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” embodies how this dream

became everyone else’s nightmare.

But it doesn’t have to be this

way. In Canberra,

we often hear arguments about why we can’t create a better city centre: that our population is too small; the weather is too variable; or that we are geographically dispersed. But Gehl says all cities have their challenges.

In Copenhagen, where Prof Gehl lives, an official policy was developed to get people out of their houses and on to the streets. At the time, people argued that al fresco café culture was impossible – due to the climate and “because we are not Italian”.

But after closing down the main street and introducing café seating, “it was surprising how easily Danes can be like Italians”. Today, more than 10,000 outdoor chairs line the city streets – and Gehl says they are out “almost 12 months a year.”

Closer to home, Melbourne gets cold in winter, but urban furniture, beautiful trees, wide footpaths and bluestone paving have made walking an attractive proposition and increased the number of outdoor cafés by nearly 300 per cent over a decade.

We have a city of great suburban amenity – but now it’s time for us to turn our attention to creating more urban amenity. Gehl’s inspiring message is that “it can be done, and it is being done all over the world”.

Catherine Carter is ACT executive director of the Property Council of Australia.

WHEN I tried to win a seat in the Legislative Assembly a few years ago, I was criticised for describing it as “a trumped-up town council”. At the time I didn’t necessarily mean it as a negative description. Over the years of self government too many MLAs have forgotten that one of their main functions is fulfilling local services: roads, rates and rubbish.They might sound boring next to tramlines, solar power and gay mar-riage, but these are the key aspects of government.The government disagrees.My radio program on 2CC receives a

ridicu-lously high amount of phone

traffic from people

unhappy with the frequency

of TAMS’ grass cutting in the suburbs. It’s a perennial theme. They call me, they bleat and whinge, they send photos. They talk of near accidents caused by the grass being so high on the median strip that they couldn’t see oncoming traffic.Former mowing contractors have detailed just how often they used to cut the grass on our major arterials. One spoke of seven cuts before Christmas. In the current regime you’d be very lucky to get two. Because the weeds are being left so much longer they’re going to seed and spread. It literally is a jungle out there. West Belconnen is particularly bad.A lot of the old timers hanker for the days before self government when, they say, the city always looked immaculate. It doesn’t now.I’ve had numerous conversations recently with mowing contractors, old and new, with bureaucrats, elected officials and opposition leaders. Jane Carder, from TAMS, told me that it’s just not possible for us to cut the grass

in the way that we did 15 years ago because it would be far too expensive.Why? We could do it 15 years ago?Apparently, we have a much bigger area to cut these days and the budget just doesn’t extend that far.Enter Jeremy Hanson. The Liberal leader fell short of making a major policy announcement on my program, but he certainly committed to moving basic municipal services higher up the priority list if he’s ever chief minister.I asked him where the extra money would come from and his answer was quite predictable: “Light rail and solar farms for starters.”Jeremy pointed out that if we were spending a tiny fraction of the money being spent on the light rail project on this simple maintenance, it would make the world of difference. But we NEED the light rail to replace those bus routes that already run down Northbourne Avenue. Don’t we?

Mark Parton is the breakfast announcer on 2CC.

MARK PARTONCATHERINE CARTER

8 CityNews February 12-18, 2015

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index

contacts

Since 1993: Volume 21, Number 4

Arts & Entertainment 29-31Canberra Confidential 28Cinema 30Dining 31Garden 34Horoscopes 35Letters 12News 7-12Politics 10Puzzles 35Socials 23-24

Cover: Chinese New Year horoscope, Pages 32-33.

IT might have been a messy week for the Coalition, but it was a real political nightmare for the Labor Party.

As the Liberals turned back to PM Tony Abbott, it suddenly dawned on Labor that he was their best electoral asset.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten was one of the first to twig. Every time he was asked about the leadership imbroglio he said it was the policy not the salesman that counted.

This is not surprising because leadership changes can be contagious; and once Shorten’s poll numbers, um, shorten – as inevitably they will – his deputy Tania Plibersek will become ever more attractive.

Shorten has failed to make an impact. His poll ratings are an illusion totally dependent on his flailing opponent. His one faint hope is that leadership discontent will reveal a continuing policy split in the government between its liberal and conservative wings.

Good luck with that one. THE Canberra Press Gallery coverage

has been patchy. The Rudd-Gillard battles they were used to were insider revolts by the pollies, while this was a rebellion of the people.

No senior ministers were prepared to lead the charge, at least until the former Oxford Blue for boxing was on the ropes, so confusion reigned among the pundits. Perhaps they, too, need a change of personnel.

BUT the best news was the arrival

home of journalist Peter Greste after 400 days in an Egyptian prison for simply doing his job. Interestingly, while he thanked all his family and sup-porters for their help, the Government barely rated a mention. No doubt that will be explained in the inevitable book (and movie) to come.

THE powerful rejection of public

asset sales by Queensland electors has not prevented our own Chief Minister Andrew Barr from jumping on the pri-vatising bandwagon. News that he’s to sell the street lights, some government land, office buildings and the Visitor

Centre will probably get a pass from voters. Certainly Jeremy Hanson and the Libs will raise no objections… not unless the proceeds disappear down the maw of the light rail project.

SPEAKING of electric transport, it was surprising to hear that we now have 167 electric cars registered. And according to Ron Collins, a spokesperson for the industry: “There is no doubt there will be a shift in consumer purchasing to new electric cars.” Well, maybe; but there’s an awfully long way to go to replace the gas guzzlers.

STILL on power, Minister Simon

Corbell’s decision to buy our electricity from the wind turbines of Victoria and SA was a mixed blessing. While it’s the equivalent of taking 157,000 petrol driven cars off the road, it seems local wind farms will face “an uncertain future”.

CANBERRA Theatre patrons had the quintessential “nice night’s entertain-ment” this week with a stage version of the popular ABC comedy “Mother & Son”. No naughty words, not much of a plot, but everyone had a jolly good time.

NEWS that electronic sensors might

soon catch parking over-stayers follows paid parking in the Triangle. It’s not very popular with public servants, but what a joy for us researchers and visitors to the National Library. More power to the brown bombers!

[email protected]

Reality dawns on Labor’s failing leaderShorten has failed to make an impact. His

poll ratings are an illusion totally dependent on his flailing opponent.

seven days

ROBERT MACKLINPhone 6262 9100 Fax 6262 9111GPO Box 2448, Civic 2601

CEO: Greg Jones, 0419 418196, [email protected]: Ian Meikle, [email protected]: Kathryn Vukovljak, [email protected] editor: Helen Musa, 0400 043764, [email protected] advertising executive: Ernie Nichols, 0421 077999 Advertising sales executives: Rebecca Dann, 0431 042087; Charlotte Cuttle, 6262 9100Advertising sales co-ordinator: [email protected] advertising sales: Ad Sales Connect, 02 9420 1777Production manager / graphic designer: Janet Ewen Graphic designer: Paulette Leo Photographers: Holly Treadaway and Andrew FinchProof reader: Glenda AndersonAccounts manager: Bethany Freeman-Chandler [email protected]: Richard Watson, [email protected]

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Ian Meikle, Level 1, 143 London Circuit, Canberra.

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dose of dorinpolitics

Hard fight for a fair go from the LiberalsAUSSIES believe in a “fair go”. The trouble for the Liberal Party federally, and in Queensland, is they did not get this simple message.

The federal government started with a tax break for mining companies and big corporations at the same time as asking average families to “shoulder the burden”.

The lack of equity and fair play is nowhere clearer than the attacks on Medicare, cuts to Australian Aid and $100,000 university degrees.

Medicare is a universal healthcare insurance system that ensures access to better healthcare for all people, irrespective of their financial or social circumstances, by removing cost as a barrier.

Those who have the wherewithal pay more to Medicare through higher taxes. After that there is no distinction about who is using the system, which ensures health is not distributed as “charity”.

The first phase of the Abbott government’s ideologi-cal attack on Medicare was the Budget announcement of the $7 co-payment for health services. Later Fairfax newspapers reported the government was going ahead with its plan to explore a “commercially integrated health payment system”. Half a million dol-lars was allocated to the Department of Health and the Department of Human Services to develop a proposal to market test it.

In August there was an attempt to move part of the Medicare system into private hands. The government provided a two-week lead time for the private sector to submit an expression of interest to provide a claims and payment solution for Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) transactions.

On its own, administrative systems would probably have not been an issue. However, in the context of the Budget and the determination of the government to undermine Medicare, even these issues became a major concern for many as the thin end of the wedge.

When the Senate rejected the compulsory co-pay-ment, the government didn’t seem to get the message, despite that our parliamentary democratic system had

rejected the attacks on Medicare, on its universality and on the notion of a “fair go” for all Australians.

Instead of accepting the Senate decision they found a “back door” and attempted to introduce the same system in a slightly modified form.

However, they did not restrict the ideological attacks on equity to taxation and health.

Our concept of a “fair go” is one that should be shared with our international neighbours. Australia is one of the richest countries in the world on any sensible measure.

The December financial update was used to launch a vicious attack on Australia’s aid budget slashing it by $3.7 billion.

Cutting foreign aid will just make Australians appear even more selfish and self-serving and put our security at greater risk. We need to be supporting development not cutting it.

Education is fundamental to a “fair go” as, more than anything else, it facilitates social mobility. The idea of $100,000 degrees is simply preposterous in the Australian setting.

This approach risks the American path where, with few exceptions, only those from wealthier families have the opportunity to attend the best universities. Low-income students attend through bursaries and scholarships. Is education-by-charity any more in the Australian psyche than it is with health?

Ordinary families want all Australians to have an equitable start in life, equitable access to health care and be prepared to look after neighbours in need. Any government eroding these concepts is sure to have a limited political life.

Michael Moore was an independent member of the ACT Legislative As-sembly (1989 to 2001) and was minister for health.

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mum in the city lettersHome and off to hospital

Let’s get on with governing

LAST MONTH we returned from a three-week trip to Myanmar.

I’m 54 and Myanmar has been a closed country for pretty much all my life. It’s been slowly opening up since the elections in 2011 and we wanted to visit before it turned into a com-mercial blend of Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Three days after we got back to Canberra I developed a fever. I’ve had the like before, but nothing like this.

The timing suggested I might have picked something up on the return trip so I phoned the number on the travel advisory they give you at immigration for ebola. The nurse I spoke with quickly figured out I didn’t have that, but with my temperature tipping 40C she put me on to 000 who dispatched an ambulance and 15 minutes later, early in the morning, I was delivered to the emergency department by two paramedics.

All day they checked me while figuring out what it was I had, working through a range of weird symptoms. The tests came back and it turned out

I’d picked up a new strain of flu and pretty soon I was in the infectious diseases ward being regularly visited by anonymous gloved, masked and gowned nurses and doctors.

It took two days to get the tem-perature down, the blood pressure up and the headaches under control before I was discharged for a couple of days of bed rest and antivirals.

Spending a day in an emergency department was a real eye opener; watching patients come and go, watching medical teams form and disband, watching shift hand-overs and file reviews. All in all it looked like a slick operation.

I really wanted to say thank you to all the paramedics, emergency department and infectious diseases ward staff who looked after me. I feel much better now, and just a little bit guilty I didn’t have something really serious. But, if ever that does happen, I am confident I’ll be in good hands. Thank you all.

Steve Dunn, Weston

I DON’T support this government’s policies; I support government-by-popularity-polls even less.

The media feeding frenzy is just as ugly now as it was during the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd debacle.

So, how ‘bout we all grow up and

let the Government focus on doing what we’re paying them to do – gov-ern? And demand real “news” from our media, instead of the rumours and innuendos we’re getting now.

Judy Bamberger, O’Connor

Emerging from holiday chaosIT’S a time of chaos. Everything’s topsy turvy. But I’m not talking about politics. I’m talking about family life.

This time of year all sorts of things are either brand spanking new or being rebooted.

For some families children have started pre-school or school for the first time. For others, their teenag-ers have started college after years of school. Many kids have changed schools and are finding their feet in new environments.

Even for families like mine that haven’t embarked on those transi-tions this year, we’re struggling

to get our children

and,

indeed, the whole household back into some kind of a weekly routine.

In our case, this involves schedul-ing an ambitious array of early morning and after-school sporting activities. Our challenge is to minimise time in traffic and ensure there’s time to do homework, have dinner and get the kids to bed early enough to be ready for an early start the next day.

A lot of effort has gone into marking all this out on a colour-

coded spreadsheet that’s our weekly military battle plan.

But everything’s still in a shambles.

The kids are ratty because their sleep patterns got totally out of whack over the long holidays. It might be the second week of school but they’re still going to bed much too late and sleeping in the mornings.

Despite our best efforts at organising them each morning,

they’re also still struggling to get into their school uniforms, find their new shoes (which are causing a few blisters), pack their backpacks and get to school on time.

School lunches are being com-pletely reformatted after all last year’s healthy choices have been rejected in favour of “something new”.

At the same time both my husband and I are busy at work and our precarious work-life balance is looking distinctly wobbly. We’re all tired, sleeping badly and prone to grumbling.

I know that this chaos won’t last. Soon enough, hopefully really soon, we will all have re-established our weekly routine.

Drop offs and pick ups will be sorted. We’ll have schedules that actually work, in reality, not just on paper.

The children will get their homework done and head off to bed at a reasonably early hour.

Parents may even enjoy some brief moments of peace and tranquillity and time to get ready for the next day’s early start.

It’s an iron law of family life: without routine, there is chaos, and where there is chaos, there is no rest.

We will get there, hopefully…SONYA FLADUN

www.jindii.com.au • (02) 6257 8777

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CH0319.indd 1 10/02/2015 3:20 pm


Cutting through the weight-loss confusion‘The meal plans are full of delicious recipes that include all food groups and are easy to prepare.’

novolean / sponsored content

IT’S the second month of 2015. You had a blast over the holidays but are paying the price. Your clothes are a bit tight. You’re feeling lethargic. You need to shed kilos.

To lose weight and gain a sense of wellbeing, you don’t need to eat like a rabbit, or exercise until you collapse, or rely on low-calorie diets and one-source meal plans that starve you.

What do you need? A simple program that will create new eating habits in 28 days and make long-term weight management a breeze.

novolean isn’t a fad. It’s a program developed in Canberra by two personal trainers and a dietitian who daily see people baffled by the mountain of diet information in the marketplace – much of which is driven by companies wanting to sell product.

Rob Nikolic, novolean founder, has been in the health and fitness industry for almost 20 years. He knows that the key to effective weight management is education.

“We’re surrounded by temptation, used to portions that are too big, and eat too many ‘empty calories’,” says Rob. “novolean cuts through the confusion and makes sense of what is essential for effective weight management. And that’s education – understanding how things really work and how to create new, healthy habits.”

So how is novolean different? It tackles the main reasons most weight management programs fail and why most people regain dreaded kilos.

“Most programs are based around denial,” says Rob. “They deny you the foods you love and make you guilty if you get side-tracked. It’s a vicious cycle. Changing unhealthy habits never occurs overnight and so novolean is built around ways to support you

every step of the way.”Another positive is that novolean is not

a long-term dependency program. It’s de-signed to get you moving and then manage your weight in a healthy way on your own.

Over the program’s 28 days, you’ll learn easy-to-apply tips, how to shop for food, cook food, what to do when eating out and heaps of tricks to avoid the kilos-off, kilos-on cycle. This includes portion control and what

foods keep your energy levels up, enabling you to avoid cravings and stop you from feeling starved. Let’s face it, who wants to feel hungry all the time?

The novolean meal plan was formulated by Danni Cooper, an accredited practicing dietitian with a Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Sydney.

“Our philosophy is that you don’t have to avoid all your favourite foods,” says Danni.

“Rather you learn to eat them in moderation. “The meal plans are full of delicious

recipes that include all food groups and are easy to prepare, like ricotta and berry pancakes, honey mustard chicken sandwich and caramelised apple French toast.”

Along with its meal plans, novolean has a phone app to help you shop, a 100 per cent natural meal replacement to kickstart your journey and for when you can’t avoid

skipping a meal. The program also offers effective exercise programs and phone and email access to a personal trainer. Face-to-face support is also available.

Motivation is a massive part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Paul Slater, part of the novo-lean team, has operated a personal-training business for six years and has amassed more than 10,000 hours of training with clients and is an expert at motivation.

“We know what issues people face with weight loss,” says Paul.

“To maximise results you must match exercise with good eating habits and consistent nutrition. It’s a no brainer. How can your body survive without being fuelled properly?”

So here we are in 2015; take five and think about your weight and wellbeing. And, remember, diet pills and fad diets cost the earth and lead to re-gaining weight in record time.

“Depriving yourself of healthy food doesn’t work either,” says Rob Nikolic. “With novolean you’ll learn to eat the right foods in the right combinations at the right time. It’s that simple.”

novolean.com

Managing director of novolean, Rob Nikolic, left, business manager Paul Slater and dietitian Danni Cooper. Snapshot of novolean• Delicious meal plans covering all

food groups.• Phone app for shopping.• Simple and effective exercise

programs.• 24/7 phone and email support.• Access to a personal trainer and

dietitian advice.

For Sale by Expression Of InterestClosing Thursday 5th March 5pm

Doug O’Mara 0412 485 181John Price 0412 266 194rwcanberra.com.au

*approx

“Kingston Warehouse”U15 & 16, 71 Leichhardt Street, Kingston

• U15 - 767m², U16 - 581m². Total area of 1,406m²

• 924m² leased to Slater and Gordon until February 2018

• Current annual rent $479,208 plus GST• Fully leased annual rent $654,568*• 424m² current vacant, with 4 car parks• High Quality building in outstanding

locationRay White Commercial Canberra

For Sale$235,000 + GST

Troy McGuinness 0413 499 735rwcanberra.com.au

*approx

“Woden Valley Specialist Centre”60 Garran Place, Garran

• 48m²* professional unit• High quality medical fit out• Located close to Canberra Hospital• 17m²* On site storage

Ray White Commercial Canberra

For Sale$309,950 - $389,950 + GSTChris Miller 0400 376 208rwcanberra.com.au

*approx

“Centro Gungahlin”73 Anthony Rolfe Avenue, Gungahlin

• Range of ground floor commercial units suitable for investors and owner occupiers

• Leased units for sale yeilding above 7% net returns with long term leases and built in rent increases

• Vacant unit with fit out included, suitable for office or shop

• Prime location within huge growth area



Andrew Smith 0409 600 471David Grimmond 0406 376 697rwcanberra.com.au

*approx

“AFA House”2/39 Geils Court, Deakin

• 191m²* internal area• Office fit out in place, with floor to ceiling

windows• Vacant possession• Huge amount of free parking at doorstep




Doug O’Mara 0412 485 181John Price 0412 266 194rwcanberra.com.au

*approx

“Kingston Warehouse”U15 & 16, 71 Leichhardt Street, Kingston

• U15 - 767m², U16 - 581m². Total area of 1,406m²

• 924m² leased to Slater and Gordon until February 2018

• Current annual rent $479,208 plus GST• Fully leased annual rent $654,568*• 424m² current vacant, with 4 car parks• High Quality building in outstanding

locationRay White Commercial Canberra

For Sale$235,000 + GST

Troy McGuinness 0413 499 735rwcanberra.com.au

*approx

“Woden Valley Specialist Centre”60 Garran Place, Garran

• 48m²* professional unit• High quality medical fit out• Located close to Canberra Hospital• 17m²* On site storage


For Sale$309,950 - $389,950 + GSTChris Miller 0400 376 208rwcanberra.com.au

*approx

“Centro Gungahlin”73 Anthony Rolfe Avenue, Gungahlin

• Range of ground floor commercial units suitable for investors and owner occupiers

• Leased units for sale yeilding above 7% net returns with long term leases and built in rent increases

• Vacant unit with fit out included, suitable for office or shop

• Prime location within huge growth area



Andrew Smith 0409 600 471David Grimmond 0406 376 697rwcanberra.com.au

*approx

“AFA House”2/39 Geils Court, Deakin

• 191m²* internal area• Office fit out in place, with floor to ceiling

windows• Vacant possession• Huge amount of free parking at doorstep


For Sale or Lease by Expression Of InterestClosing Thursday 5th March 5pm

Andrew Smith 0409 600 471Aaron Green 0406 177 338rwcanberra.com.au

*approx

1 Bowes Place, PhillipAll Offers Will Be Considered

• Fitted out office space• Units of 57m², 99m², 189m², 305m² &

560m² available• Excellent northerly views from all units• Flexible purchase terms available• Tenant in place until 30/06/2015


For Sale or Lease by Expression Of InterestClosing Thursday 5th March 5pm

Andrew Smith 0409 600 471rwcanberra.com.au

*approx

“The Creswell”54/65 Constitution Avenue, Campbell

• Ten year lease with $109,600 net annual rent

• Brand new building within employment hub of Campbell

• High depreciation opportunity• Completion mid 2015


10 Year Lease

lowbrow briefly

Lumpiness of life on the lamI’VE been lucky all my life (I was born a straight white male in Australia after all), and I was lucky in my two months living without a home. I’ve got a good income and lots of family and friends who live locally.

Even then, it’s been hell (before concerned readers make offers of help, I have started a lease in a lovely house).

Matters were hugely complicated by owning two dogs. But having found myself at the start of December in a surprisingly vicious and competitive rental market (“You’re approved for the property! You just need to dispose of your dogs!”, or “You can have the place, you just need to sign up to 31 points of house rules”), I’d like to share some sense of the hardships.

For a start everything you own is either in the hands of your ex-partner, in storage or somewhere in your car.

I did take my toothbrush, but new deodorant and a towel was needed before I could achieve basics such as going to work. Everything in your house you’ve taken for granted needs to be bought again and that can be expensive.

Friends are understanding but you’re still invading their personal space for an unspecified length of time.

This makes for fraught social balancing. Spend too much time out and you’re treating their house like

a hotel. Spend too much time in and you’re intruding on their domestic life.

Dogs have no understanding of these subtleties, they’re just deeply upset by the turmoil in their living arrangements. Allowed on the couch at one house, not at another. Can’t join the neighbourhood dogs in barking? No poor, simple dog can be expected to understand the complexities.

When you’re at the house it’s one thing, but the issue of being homeless while trying to hold on to a job is that for eight hours a day the dogs need to be somewhere you’re not, and behaving themselves and not burning any bridges with the only place you’ve got to stay the night.

Once you’re completely on the streets that’s pretty much game over for either the job or the dogs.

I’ve had it easier than others though. A young mother I know who fled her abusive partner can stay with

her grandmother on nights she has custody of the child, sleeps on friends’ couches the other nights, and works in a brothel to pay the bills. She also has now found somewhere permanent to stay.

My point is that the person leaving a relationship can find themselves on a tightrope with no net; fall and you’re living out of a shopping trolley begging for change, hoping it doesn’t rain and praying to God you can find somewhere quiet where no one will attack you.

Even the most hard hearted who view all this suffering and dread as just the product of bad life choices might want to consider the costs; those who fall end up ricocheting through the courts, prison and the emergency department. All extremely expensive resources for the taxpayer.

I’d like to propose a surplus stock be kept of emergency housing. Nothing

too flash or comfortable, converted shipping containers would do, that anyone can turn up and be allocated, good for three months, with children and pets welcome.

It would provide a real and safe chance for people to sort out their lives, and it would save a lot of time and money for government.

It would be a huge improvement over the current fractured arrange-ments of shelters run by groups with social agendas.

One fears the only reason it doesn’t exist is that anyone with the power to fix it doesn’t have the personal need.

John Griffiths is the online editor of citynews.com.au

JOHN GRIFFITHS

I did take my toothbrush, but new deodorantand a towel was needed before I could achieve

basics such as going to work.

GPs feel the loveCanberrans have a high level of satisfaction with their GP, according to ACT Medicare Local.

Commenting on a new “Report on Government Services 2015”, released by the Productivity Commission, ACTML chair Dr Martin Liedvogel said it was pleasing to see Canberrans reporting that their GP always or often listened carefully (89.3 per cent), always or often showed respect (93 per cent) or always or often spent enough time with them (85.9 per cent).

Dr Liedvogel said patients who have a family doctor they regularly see and trust have better health outcomes. The report also reveals the number of GPs in the ACT has increased following the implementation of a number of specific initiatives by ACT Health and ACTML.

Walking the talkTHE International Mother Language Day Movement, aimed at rais-ing awareness of the value of all languages, especially endangered ones, is holding a “Free Language Walk” at 10.30am on Saturday, February 21, starting at the flags display behind the Questacon car park and ending near Regatta Point, where there will be multicul-tural entertainment and free T-shirts.

Chinese festivitiesTHE Australia China Friendship Society is organising two events associated with the Chinese New Year. The first is a lantern-making workshop for adults and children at the Cook Community Hub, 41 Templeton Street, 1.30pm-3.30pm, on Sunday, March 1. Cost is $3 and bookings to [email protected] or 62547732.

Then on March 7, 6pm-9pm, there is a lantern festival, featuring performances of Chinese traditional music, children’s dances, martial arts, lion dance, a hand-made lantern competition and a lantern parade at the new Beijing Garden in Lennox Gardens, beside the lake at Yarralumla. Entry is free.

More information from [email protected] or 6247 8231.

STUDY AT ADFA IN 2016The Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) provides education and military training for the future leaders in Australia’s Navy, Army and Air Force. The program at ADFA combines a world class degree from the University of New South Wales with military training and leadership development.

To fi nd out more, attend our Information Session at 6:00pm, Tuesday 17th February, Level 2, 64 Northbourne Avenue, Canberra.

To book your seat call 13 19 01 or email [email protected]

ADVERTISING FEATURE

ADFA ADVANCES FEMALES OFFICERSKathryn LeeEvatt local, Kathryn Lee, has

recently been appointed to the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) to train to become an Aerospace Engineer – Electronics in the Royal Australian Air Force.

The 18 year-old Lake Ginninderra College graduate was inspired to pursue a career in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) by her grandfather who was a bomber pilot during World War II.

“I decided to join the ADF because I wanted to be a part of something and really contribute to Australia,” Kathryn said.

“The work Defence does to keep Australia safe and the humanitarian work really inspired me. The ADF also offers a lot of training and a great lifestyle which I wanted to be a part of.”

The combination of military training, education and skills Kathryn will gain from her time at ADFA will prepare her to face any challenge and perform on the world stage as a leader in the ADF.

“My job, when I finish my training, will be an Aerospace Engineer – Electronics. In this role you can specialise to work on electrical systems in either air or ground environments. I hope to work in the air environment with the

Super Hornet or the F35 aircraft when it arrives,” Kathryn said.

“I’m excited by the opportunity to be part of a great team, the chance to travel and contribute to Australia.”

The appointment ceremony marks the moment Kathryn officially becomes a member of ADF.

ADFA enables Officer Cadets and Midshipmen to develop the necessary skills to be successful junior leaders of the ADF. These future leaders embody the best values of the Services: Courage, Respect, Integrity, Service and Professionalism.

The Defence Force is currently recruiting for various Officer roles. For further information on military training and study at ADFA visit:

defencejobs.gov.au/adfa or call 13 19 01.

GT13539

“The work Defence does to keep Australia safe and the humanitarian work really inspired me. The ADF also offers a lot of training and a great lifestyle which I wanted to be a part of.

Kathryn Lee is appointed as an Offi cer Cadet in the Royal Australian Air Force and receives her certifi cate of recognition from Air Marshal Geoff Brown, AO, Chief of Air Force.




ADVERTISING FEATURE














GT13539



GJ11326.indd 1 9/02/2015 2:50 pm





ADVERTISING FEATURE














GT13539






ADVERTISING FEATURE














GT13539



GJ11326.indd 1 9/02/2015 2:50 pm

PHONE 02 6242 8500 5 WINCHCOMBE COURT, MITCHELL ACT 2911

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home improvements

Put inspiration to work

The centre of home success

When socks save energy

For all your home improvement needs, Canberra Outlet Centre has everything in one place, says marketing manager, Katey Johnstone.

Open seven days a week, Canberra Outlet Centre offers 70 per cent off across all factory and homemaker centre retailers.

She says there are a variety of retailers, such as Pottery Barn and West Elm, which offer products ranging from interior design, redecoration to storage.

“Freedom is a popular choice for Canberra customers,” says Katey.

“You can hire out professional interior designers who go into your home and help with decorating and redesign.”

For space-saving ideas for the home and office, it’s hard to go past Howard’s Storage World.

When asked what’s fashionable this season, Katey said: “Pastel colours are in at the moment, there is a summer theme throughout the centre.”

Canberra Outlet Centre, corner of Canberra Avenue and Newcastle Street, Fyshwick. Call 6112 6222.

“If all else fails, shove a sock in it,” is how one householder described blocking gaps after a recent draught-sealing workshop run by the government’s ACTSmart Program as part of its series of energy-saving workshops.

“The workshop was run by experienced people who talked about products and what works where and why, even to jamming old socks into gaps as a temporary measure!” she said.

“We were able to take the hands-on practice home with us.”Another participant said: “I spent a very satisfying hour,

spoon in hand, shoving foam rod stuff into a gap I had no idea was lurking under the window frame in my bedrooms.”

Free ACTSmart home energy advice workshops are being held around Canberra this year on DIY draught proofing, home cooling, insulation and thermal performance, general energy efficiency and using the garden to heat and cool homes.

The Government offers the workshops to help Canberrans reduce energy use, manage electricity costs and reduce greenhouse emissions.

“The ACT Government is committed to reducing the city’s greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent by 2020.” ACT Minister for the Environment, Simon Corbell said.

“Our vision is that by 2060 the ACT will be a sustainable and carbon neutral city that is adapting to a changing climate.”

Participants at last year’s workshops have reported to or-ganisers that they kept warm and lowered their power bills by sealing floor, wall and ceiling gaps; replacing bathroom tastics with LED downlights; borrowing an ACTSmart home energy kit from an ACT library to locate problem areas; and installing solar hot water systems and/or commercial ventilation systems that take warm air from the ceiling space in winter (and cool air in summer) and pump it through the house.

One participant reported an additional benefit from sealing up draughts.

“We found – and closed – a mouse hole exactly in the shape you see in cartoons!” she said.

More information at actsmart.act.gov.au Workshop bookings are essential.

From redecorating to restoration, creating a dream home or garden can be stressful. Here is a selection of experts and products dedicated to making the task a little easier.

Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids and West Elm at the Canberra Outlet Centre.

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canberraoutletcentre.com.au(02) 6112 6222

Cnr of Newcastle St &Canberra Ave Fyshwick

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BRING YOURHOME TO LIFE

REB0277.indd 1 6/02/15 2:00 PM


canberraoutletcentre.com.au(02) 6112 6222

Cnr of Newcastle St &Canberra Ave Fyshwick

Make the most of our greatselection of homemaker retailers

Vast InteriorFocus on Furniture

Canberra Outlet Centre is home to national and international homemaker retailers including:

Williams-Sonoma

West Elm

Freedom

Pottery Barn Pottery Barn Kids

BRING YOURHOME TO LIFE

REB0277.indd 1 6/02/15 2:00 PM

FREE Home Energy Advice workshopsDIY draught proofingTues 17 February, 6pm – 8pm Tuggeranong Library, Tuggeranong

Insulation, orientation and ventilation – understanding thermal performanceWed 25 February, 6pm – 8pm Belconnen Community Centre, BelconnenIntroduction to energy efficiencyWed 4 March, 6pm – 8pm Gungaderra Homestead, Harrison

Insulation, orientation and ventilation – understanding thermal performanceTues 10 March, 6pm – 8pm Weston Creek Community Centre, Weston

Introduction to energy efficiencyTues 24 March, 6pm – 8pm Canberra Environment Centre, Acton

DIY draught proofingWed 25 March, 6pm – 8pm Belconnen Community Centre, Belconnen

All workshops are free and have limited places available so bookings are essential.

Call 1300 141 777 Email [email protected] www.actsmart.act.gov.au

home improvements

Sale to snap up garden furniture

Building customer satisfaction

Guards to keep the gutter clear

While the weather’s still hot, get outdoor garden furniture at Living Simply’s summer sale.

With 10 per cent off across the store and 20-50 per cent off selected items, Living Simply offers a variety of garden gifts, furniture and homeware.

Owner Graham Holbrook said: “If you’re in need of outdoor garden furniture we are clearing them to make room for the new season so it’s a great opportunity”.

With 20 years of experience, the Living Simply team includes experienced innovators in urban design, plantscaping professional builders, horticulturalists and highly trained plant technicians.

The company also offers a landscape design and garden consultancy service.

Living Simply, 10A Beltana Road, Pialligo. Call 6349 1552.

Bordeaux Construction & Management is a “jack of all trades” when it comes to home improvement.

In 1983, owner Steve Milutinovic started his own cabinet-making business, which has expanded into the design consultancy Bordeaux Construction & Manage-ment and Bordeaux Kitchens.

Office manager Sue Milutinovic said: “As well as home restoration we offer kitchens, bathrooms, full house renovations, extensions and interior design.”

Bordeaux Construction & Management offers quality products and service to help design office space, com-

mercial premises as well as building dream homes.“We do anything possible for the customer,” says Sue. “We offer obligation-free quotes and a design

consultancy if you want something other than a new kitchen. We can see you on site or you can come into the showroom to discuss what you want. We are very versatile.”

Bordeaux Construction & Management, 8 Aurora Place, Queanbeyan. More information to bordeauxbcm.com.au or 6299 4642.

When it comes to improving your home, installing qual-ity gutter guards makes all the difference, especially during bushfire season, according to Rick Hurley from AllClear Leafguard and Gutter.

Rick says his gutters can “lower the risk of bushfire damage. Burning leaves that might fall on the gutter guards will go out.”

As well the guttering prevents accidents that occur while cleaning gutters, “they prevent birds and pos-sums from nesting in gutters and allow homeowners to collect cleaner tank water”.

In the 11 years Rick has been installing, he says he’s seen a lot of companies come and go because “they don’t follow up on warranty and servicing” and can’t compare with his business, which has stood the test of time.

The product used by Rick and his team, supplied by The Leaf Man, is suitable for residential, commercial and industrial gutter types. All gutters can be fitted with leafguards and valley guards are available for greater roof protection.

The AllClear Leafguard and Gutter team will provide an obligation-free quote and clean your gutters before installing the gutter guards and access points.

Rick’s team is fully qualified and insured, and all roof work is done by the company, which means that there are no conflicts with other trades.

AllClear Leafguard and Gutter, call 1800 426607.

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Saving energy and money

Large range of tiles with flair

Hire a ute to keep projects moving

Creating energy efficient and sustainable homes is the passion of Solace Creations.

Owner Karen Porter said: “I can’t understand why we have a code in place that says we must insulate our walls and ceiling, yet there is no rule to insulate our windows or doors.

“Windows and doors make up about 30 per cent of our wall space and putting in a single piece of glass does not provide any insulation value”.

Solace Creations recently won the 2014 ACT Telstra Micro Business Award and was rated in the top eight Australian Micro Businesses.

“If you incorporate double glazing into your design, the investment that you make upfront will be about $450 a year in mortgage repayments on a standard home,” she says.

“Your energy savings will be about $1400, which provides an annual savings of $950 from the first year”.

Solace creations also offers a full replacement service

for homeowners who would like a more comfortable home and to save money. They work with more than six preferred suppliers from Melbourne and all its products are Australian-made and tested.

Solace Creations, 79 Dundas Court, Phillip. Call 6260 1621.

Tileflair offers one of the largest ranges of floor and wall tiles in Canberra.

The family owned business, based in Mitchell, has trained staff on hand to refer tradesman and to help with colour choices.

Owner Peter Bonelli said: “Feature walls are always popular but trends are always changing, people like earthy colours, but some want a pop of bright colour.

“It depends on what type of house they have. Everyone is individual and that’s what we take into consideration. We also offer samples, which not many places do,” he says.

Open long hours, seven days a week, Tileflair has earned the reputation as Canberra’s pre-eminent tile supplier offering affordable elegance, says Peter.

22 Essington Street, Mitchell. Call 6162 3080.

For the past six years, Mitchell Rent a Ute has provided light commercial vehicles to the Canberra region.

After Rob Cunningham started the hire company as a side business with Premier Automotive, he has had a high demand from people wanting to improve their homes.

As a result, Mitchell Rent a Ute is often booked solid by the time Saturday rolls around.

He said: “People use them for building material, they’re ideal for getting rid of rubbish, moving house

or when you’ve demolished something.“We hire out vehicles for as little as two hours at a

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Event of the Week / ‘Mother and Son’, opening night, Canberra Theatre

scene / around canberra invite us / [email protected]

GEOFFREY Atherden wrote his first episodes of “Mother and Son” in 1984 and there he was in the audience for opening night of this much-loved television series with his 2014 theatre version.

There was Maggie, Arthur and Robert onstage at the Canberra Theatre with all the technological contrivances to send Maggie (Noeline Brown) even more bonkers. And with Arthur (Darren Gilshenan) finding a rather gorgeous romantic interest, Robert (Rob Carlton) up to no good with his hygienist and everything that can go wrong doing just that, you’re

back in the mix that is “Mother and Son”.The faces are different, but this little family grabs us pretty quickly as a team well able to deliver the never ending story of ageing, philandering and family dynamics that is “Mother and Son” and slips easily into

the frustrating dynamic that is today’s technological nightmare and where dementia is touching us all. But dear Maggie Skypes with her grandkids, finds companionship and conversation with all the call-centre callers and knows well how to pull the guilt strings when it’s advanta-geous. A fun night in the midst of

federal political shenanigans. Even Laurie Oakes was there!

Nicki Wendt (Liz) and Darren Gilshenan (Arthur)

Kinsha Baidya and Hannah Daubney

Noeline Brown (Maggie) and John O’Grady, the executive producer of the original series

Eileen Tang and Jo BakerRachael Beck (Anita), director Roger Hodgman and writer Geoffrey Atherden

Ben Bryant and Tim OgdenBruce Carmichael with Agnes and Alex Sciberras

Greg Robson and Sue Scott Barbara van der Linden and Rob Wilson


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scene / around canberra Photos by ANDREW FINCH

Rick Foster with Barbara and Roger Phillips

Ibelise Excobar and Darnela SegoviaWarwick Fry and Venezuelan ambassador Nelson Davila

Maj. Kelvin Alley, Veronica Cartaya Rodriguez, José Manuel Galego Montano and Maj. Julie Alley

Maria Cisneros-Davila and Lara Pullin

Suzy Pinchen and Dr Geoff Hogg Sarah Naughton and Lachlin Gerrard Ivonne Thomson and Luisa Pava

At Cuba National Day celebration, Civic

Alberto Florez and Emma JackmanClare Barnes and Anna-Mara Sviatko

Prof Lyndon Anderson and Bea Brickhill Rebecca Nyman and Dannica Clayton

Tegan Clarkson and Elena Dimcevska Virginia McLeod and Jill Pettifer

At the Type Masters Exhibition opening, Kingston

Hayley Robertson, Amanda Cumming and Samantha Jones

Catherine Wang, Angie Glance, Leanne Ruben and Madi Foreman

Vernon Kronenberg, Norbet Burmester and Eric McDonald

Jolanda Kruit, Femke Withag and Lindy Heijmering

Auryt Jacobson, Adam Cooper, Raimy Che-Ross and Donna Jeremiah Anna and Frances Moore with Jill and Bruno Yvonovich

At the opening of ‘The story of Anne Frank’, Forrest

Janet Frommer and Sarit Cohen


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A PROUD MEMBER AND SUPPORTER OF THE CANBERRA AREA THEATRE AWARDS

We are proud of our involvement with the CAT Awards which turn 21 this year.

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20th Canberra Area Theatre Awards special feature

Glittering night as the region’s ‘Oscar’ stars come out to play

Becoming ‘bigger than Ben Hur’

“I CAN’T believe it’s 20 years and I hope that in another 20 years, when I’m not here, they’ll still be celebrating,” says Canberra Area Theatre Awards (CATs) founder Coralie Wood.

On Saturday, February 21, stage and TV actor John Wood will host the 20th Canberra Area Theatre Awards in a glittering, glamorous night at Llewellyn Hall.

With co-host, the popular Canberra conduc-tor Ian McLean, the gala event will feature appearances by soprano Lorina Gore, singing

numbers from “The Phantom of the Opera” and Brent Dolahenty will perform a medley from “The Boy from Oz”.

Both are former CATs winners. Gore will soon play the title role in Opera Australia’s “La Traviata”, while Dolahenty is well-known for roles in “CATS” and “Wicked.”

Ben O’Reilly, star of SUPA Productions’ 2014 “La Cage Aux Folles,” will fly in from Melbourne to perform his show-stopping number “I Am What I Am”, while rock veteran Jon English, here to perform at The Q in “Trilogy of Rock”, will present awards. English has also been announced as the new Regional NSW Patron of the CATs.

A favourite part of the evening will be the staged segments of many productions seen throughout Canberra and the region during last year, interspersed with the 45 awards and ending with the ActewAGL Gold CAT Award for outstand-ing achievement across the theatre arts.

NSW Arts Minister, Troy Grant, whose constitu-ency, Dubbo, is one of the front-runners in the CATs, will be represented on the night by Member for Monaro and NSW Minister for Small Business and Regional Tourism, John Barilaro, well known as a CAT Award supporter.

The third Mary Porter scholarship of $2500, intended to benefit the development of the artist in the pursuit of their professional career in the theatre, will go to an artist selected from Canberra and the region.

Organiser Coralie Wood likes to think that the awards are like a local version of the Oscars, but these awards are aimed at the many gifted amateurs from the region who, she believes,

“weren’t getting enough kudos”.The CAT Awards will be associated with

ActewAGL until 2017, along with other sponsors. In 2014, in recognition that 21 of the 44

CAT Award winners had come from theatre companies across regional NSW, from towns as far apart as Mudgee, Merimbula and Albury, the CATs network received a major boost in the form of a $20,000 NSW Government grant.

As well, this year the cost of hiring Llewellyn Hall will be partly met by an ACT Government grant, but Coralie stresses the need for ongoing monetary support so they can continue for another 20 years.”

While the CAT Awards started out on a small-scale run from the living rooms of Coralie and former Canberra theatre identity Kate Peters, it has for the past 10 years been administered by a board of directors and an executive committee.

Tickets from ticketek.com.au are priced at $54.70 adults, $44.70 students, children under 15, conces-sions, nominees and performers. More information at catawards.com.au

Originally there were 16 categories, six companies and six judges, but nowadays in this “bigger-than-Ben-Hur” event, the categories number 45 with more than 60 companies, including schools, 17 local judges and four regional judges.

Each of the judges acts as an individual, not as a representative of any company with which they may be associated.

Coralie declares herself enormously proud of the many CAT awardees who are now in professional positions – on stage and behind the scenes. Apart from Gore and Dolahenty there are Alison Bell, (1995, 1997), Alexander Budd, (1996), Lucy Bermingham, (1999), Lucy Goleby, (2000), Damien Bermingham, (2001), Mike Smith, (2002), Rhys Holden, (2005), Adam Spreadbury Maher, (2005), Mark Grentell, (2006), Kelsey Holmes, (2006), Helen Barnett, (2007) and Derek Walker (2010).

And the tradition goes on. Some years ago the Bay Players mounted “Annie” with Matt Burgess playing

Daddy Warbucks and his very young daughters Ashleigh and Kirby playing the orphans.

In 2014 they did it again with Matt Burgess again playing Daddy Warbucks and his wife Candy Burgess directing. But grown-up Ashleigh (Ash Bee) is now in “Strictly Ballroom” and Kirby is playing the lead in “Dirty Dancing,” both main-stage, professional shows.

Inevitably, over the years Coralie has many tall but true “catty” stories to tell, some against herself.

On walking into one of the usual motels the CAT judges frequent in Orange, the man behind the counter called out to his wife, “Here comes Julia”.

Coralie continues, “I was beside myself and looked around, expect-ing to see Julia Gillard, but he was talking about me (the red hair) and apparently that is what they called me when Julia was in power.”

To those involved in the world of the CATs, that’s no surprise; to them Coralie is every bit as important as the PM.

Founder Coralie Wood… likes to think that the awards are like a local version of the Oscars.

Amateur performers from across the region will be celebrating 20 years of the annual gala ActewAGL CAT Awards on Saturday, February 21 at Llewellyn Hall.

Kim Harvey School of Dance performed at the 2013 gala. Photo by Craig Burgess


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20th Canberra Area Theatre Awards

CATs star patronsTONI LAMONDNational PatronTONI Lamond is part of one of Australia’s great show business families.

Her parents were Stella and Joe Lamond, her sister is Helen Reddy and her son is Tony Sheldon.

Her career began at the age of 10 singing on radio and touring with her parents’ variety shows. In Australia she went on to star in “The Pajama Game”, “Oliver!”, “Gypsy” and “Anything Goes”.

In the early ‘60s she was a regular on Graham Kennedy’s television show “In Melbourne Tonight” and ultimately became the first woman to host her own show. She appeared in nightclubs and revues throughout the UK and on BBC TV and BBC Radio.

In the US, where she lived from the mid-’70s to mid-’90s, her theatre credits include “Mame”, “Oliver!”, “Cabaret”, “Annie”, “Hello Dolly!” and “Nunsense”.

Returning permanently to live in Australia, she has appeared in “42nd Street”, “My Fair Lady”, “Beauty and the Beast” and Simon Gallaher’s “The Pirates of Penzance”.

Toni has won two Logies, a Variety Club Award, and a Mo Award and has been presented with the key to the City of Melbourne.

JOHN WOODPatronA GOLD Logie Award-winning Australian actor, best known for his role as Senior Sergeant Tom Croydon in the long-running TV police drama “Blue Heelers”, John became a patron of the CAT Awards at the 2011 Gala Evening.

Well known for his TV appearances in “Rafferty’s Rules”, “Blue Heelers”, “Murder in the Out-back”, “Underbelly” and “Rogue Nation” to name a few, as well as his stage appearances in “The Club”, “ART”, “Born Yesterday”, “The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin” and the pro-am production of “Strange Bedfellows” – a musical mounted by Albury Wodonga Theatre Company, which is a member of the CAT Awards.

JON ENGLISHRegional NSW PatronJON English is one of Australia’s best-known rock singer/songwriter/musician/actors.

He shot to fame in 1972 as Judas in the Australian version of “Jesus Christ Superstar”, later achieving fame as a TV star and a solo singer, with numbers such as “Hollywood Seven” and “Words are Not Enough”.

From 1983 to 1985, Jon won four Mo Awards, with three consecutive Entertainer of the Year awards and a further Male Vocal Performer in 1985.

Jon went on to perform for Simon Gallaher in revamped Gilbert and Sullivan shows “The Pirates of Penzance”, “The Mikado” and “HMS Pinafore”, which were later broadcast on Australian TV.

He maintains a busy performing schedule and last year played King Arthur in “Spamalot” at the Queens-land Performing Arts Centre.

MARY PORTER MLALocal PatronMARY Porter says she has long had an interest in all forms of art and in particular community based performing arts.

“Local theatre groups contribute so much more to our community than just their performances.

“They provide an opportunity for people from all types of backgrounds and all ages to work together to produce something really special,” she says.

“Our young people get the opportunity to learn from those who have so much to give and develop not only their talents, but their self-esteem and sense of worth.

“In addition to producing great entertainment for those of us lucky enough to attend, we are also building community capacity and the CAT Awards are a very special part of that whole wonderful process.”

Deanna Barilaro, Ross Shorney, Rose Shorney and MP John Barilaro at the 2014 gala. Photo by Craig Burgess

special feature


20th Canberra Area Theatre Awards special feature

This year’s categories are...Nominations and awards are given in the following categories:Best Set Designer for a PlayBest Set Designer for a MusicalBest Costume Designer for a PlayBest Costume Designer for a MusicalBest Costume Designer for a School or Youth ProductionBest Lighting DesignerBest Technical AchievementMagic Moment of TheatreBest Original WorkBest Original Work for a School or Youth ProductionBest Ensemble in a PlayBest Ensemble in a MusicalPatricia Kelson EncouragementBest OrchestraBest School or Youth OrchestraBest Youth Actor in a Featured Role in a PlayBest Youth Actress in a Featured Role in a PlayBest Youth Actor in a Featured Role in a MusicalBest Youth Actress in a Featured Role in a MusicalBest Youth Actor in a Leading Role in a PlayBest Youth Actress in a Leading Role in a PlayBest Youth Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

Best Youth Actress in a Leading Role in a MusicalBest Performance in a Variety ShowBest Actor in a Featured Role in a PlayBest Actor in a Featured Role in a MusicalBest Actress in a Featured Role in a PlayBest Actress in a Featured Role in a MusicalBest Actor in a Leading Role in a PlayBest Actor in a Leading Role in a MusicalBest Actress in a Leading Role in a PlayBest Actress in a Leading Role in a MusicalBest ChoreographerBest Musical DirectorBest Musical Director for a School or Youth ProductionBest Director of a PlayBest Director of a Musical or Variety ShowBest Production of a School or Youth PlayBest Production of a School or Youth MusicalBest Variety ShowBest Production of a PlayBest Production of a MusicalCommunity Theatre AwardBest Contribution (on or off stage) by a senior. Gold Cat Award: for outstanding achievement simultaneously in many categories.

“Avenue Q” cast from SoOpera, Wollongong... winners of Best Musical 2013. Photo by Craig Burgess


Canberra Confidential Know something? / [email protected]

‘Saucy’ Trumble painting raises eyebrowsLIVEWIRE director of the National Portrait Gallery, Angus Trumble, proved himself a nifty dancer last year in the behind-the-scenes at the NPG entry in the international “Museum Danceoff” video contest (it’s on YouTube).

Now he’s raising eyebrows again with the revelation on Radio National’s “Books and Arts Daily” that his own portrait had been painted by Yale-based artist Jonathan Weinberg, famous for his salacious nudes, especially of men and for his writings on queer art.

Inspired by François Boucher’s 18th century “Blonde Odalisque”, he depicted Trumble lying stomach-down on a chaise.

“Saucy” is how radio host Michael Cathcart described the picture. The unapologetic Trumble is joining broadcaster Friona Gruber in presenting a series on “Australian Portraits.”

Banners gone, peace reignsTHE insensitive advertising banners festoon-ing the front of the Australian War Memorial have gone.

Last month CC queried their presence – promoting the AWM’s own shows – asking if the memorial was a sacred shrine to our nation’s fallen or just another Canberra gallery?

To its credit, the memorial has answered that question decisively.

Barking from MelbournePOOR old battered, depleted and cost-sensitive Taxation Office has the local resources to tell us that 50.3 per cent of ACT workers are wasting money on fees because

they have more than one superannuation account.

They’ve had to engage a Melbourne “integrated public relations and communi-cation agency” to develop strategies “that effectively cut through the clutter” to do their barking.

Apostrophes on the menuCC’s snout extraordinaire Pierre the Lair reports from Weston Creek: “English-as-a-second-language speakers can be excused, but what about the dills who designed and printed these?”

April’s caravan moves onAFTER four and a half years at a few venues and pop-up places around town, Canberra’s queen of vintage Netti Vonthethoff is calling it a day and clos-ing her April’s Caravan business at Bailey’s Arcade with a big 50 per cent discount sale that ends the day the shop closes, Sunday, April 15.

“One last hurrah for all you beautiful people,” she says.

Citing heartbreak at the decision to close,

April’s Facebook says: “Everybody who has ever come into one of the many spaces we’ve called home, stopped by at a festival, painted a wall, laid a lino floor, helped to hoist up vines to ridiculous places – April loves you all.”

Dancing the clouds awayFIVE of the past six Yass Picnic Race days have been cancelled or cut short by rain.

This year the Yass Picnic Race committee is taking things into their own hands – or feet – to make sure it’s a sunny day, all day, on race day, Saturday, February 28.

“We’re asking everyone to join us in a rain dance, to keep the rain away on race day!” says committee member Cyrus Smith.

“We’re basically hoping our dance is so bad that it puts the rain off for a day! So if you’re coming to the races, or you’re just a really bad dancer, bring your esky and pack a picnic for a great day of racing under the trees at the Marchmont Racecourse. Strictly BYO.”

Gates open 10am, first race 12.30pm, tickets at the gate.

“Angus Trumble (after Francois Boucher’s ‘Blonde Odalisque’)”, 2011 by Jonathan Weinberg as it appears on Radio National’s website.

Netti at April’s Caravan.


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arts & entertainment The best in burgersWendy Johnson

arts in the cityLove trumps the carillon

MUSIC fans won’t be getting too excited by the recent suggestion from National Capital Authority director Helen Badger that local lovers celebrate their relation-ships by enjoying National Carillon recitals instead of attaching padlocks to Aspen Island’s footbridge. This column loves the arts, but it’s just not the same thing.

ROCK veteran Jon English, pictured, never gives up. Last year he played King Arthur in “Spamalot” at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Now English and an eight-piece band will be performing “Trilogy of Rock” in The Q at 8pm on February 20. They’ll be looking back to the ’60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s to The Stones, Queen, Alice Cooper, The Kinks and more. Bookings to theq.net.au or 6285 6290.

WE are amazed at the modesty of “some of Canberra’s hottest (and most physically attractive) young play-wrights” who say they have teamed up for a Valentine’s showcase of short plays exploring aspects of love. This line-up of playwriting beauties includes Kirsty Budding, Angus Algie, John Lombard and Genevieve Kenneally. Proceeds go to support victims of domestic violence. At Smith’s Alternative, 7pm & 8.15pm, Sundays February 15 and 22. Tickets at the door.

THE Sydney Consort will be tugging at the heart-strings when it plays Irish tunes blended with “classical flavour” in Wesley Music Centre at 3pm on Sunday, February 15. There’ll be music by Turlough O’Carolan, Thomas Roseingrave, Burk Thumoth and other rarely performed composers. Bookings to trybooking.com/GHBY or at the door.

“MUSIC at Midday” with the RMC Band will be back in the Canberra Theatre at 11am and 12.30pm on Monday, February 16, with all proceeds from the gold-coin

donations going to Australian Federal Police Legacy. First come, first served.

CARL Rafferty’s popular “Opera by Candlelight” is back, too, on Friday, February 20, Saturday, February 21 and Sunday, February 22. Three sopranos (Viktoria Bolonina, from Moscow; Nicola Jelinkova, from Prague and Kate Rafferty, from Vienna) are travelling from Europe for the occasion. The Saturday night is already sold out. Bookings to [email protected]

WE are promised “the fiery nightlife of Buenos Aires” when The Embassy of Argentina, ANCLAS and The Artists Shed bring us a seven-piece orchestra comprising tango quintet Tángalo and Duo-Ramirez Satorre (bandoneon and guitar). At the Great Hall, University House, 7pm, on February 19. Bookings to tangalo.com.au

REGULARS to Canberra, The Chamber Philharmonia Cologne, will perform Vivaldi, Mozart, J.S. Bach, Sarasate and Rossini in St. Christopher’s Cathedral, Manuka, 8pm, on Wednesday, February 18. Bookings to 136 100, ticketmaster.com.au and tickets at the door.

THE Queensland Theatre Company/Sydney Festival production of Tom Wright’s play, “Black Diggers”, will be at The Playhouse from March 25-28, but there’s a free session with director Wesley Enoch at Parliament House on February 15. Free, but bookings essential to canberrath-eatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

HELEN MUSA

Thelma Plum… 19-year-old Deadly Award winner.

It’s family first forChenoeh’s FringeBy Helen Musa

CHENOEH Miller is a woman with a mission – to ensure that the Canberra Multicultural Fringe lives on.

Best known for her own production company, Little Dove Theatre Art, Miller, as Fringe director, is determined not to let its controversial past stymie the future, though she’d rather not talk about that.

With “super generous” support not only from the ACT Government but from local entities such as In the City Canberra and Brand Canberra, her aim is “just to put on a great show”. And then, yes, the government might just take notice and fund them on a multi-year basis.

Miller knows that this tiny fringe to the main Multi-cultural Festival is a far cry from the prototype fringe in Edinburgh where there is no censorship, but she’s

a realist and acknowledges that there are rules.

So this year, for instance, burlesque will go to Smith’s Alternative, where the kids are unlikely to wander in.

“It’ll be crazy, it’ll be risky, but it has to be family-oriented,” she says.

Another rule is the main events should not be ticketed, so just as the burlesque goes

off-site, so the dance programs “Metasystems” and “Postphase” by James Batchelor and Chloe Chignell will be at the Courtyard Studio. As well, the main venue will be relocated to the East Row precinct of the Phoenix pub, which will run the bar, thus taking alcohol out of the hands of the fringe organisers.

Miller declines to see her Fringe as a political event and points to headline acts that are not politically oriented, including 19-year-old Deadly Award winner Thelma Plum, the sensitive hip-hop artist L-Fresh the Lion and former Snake Oil Merchant from Melbourne Mojo Juju, described variously as sleazy, jazzy, swingin’ and rockin’.

As well, there’s another Deadly winner, Stik n Move, photographer Liz Thompson, spoken-word by artists such as CJ Bowerbird and a dance program curated by Alison Plevey.

To Miller, the notion of a “fringe” is important, but the keyword is multicultural. “We have the opportunity to create a point of difference, to program works from people with culturally diverse backgrounds,” she says.

She has been watching supposedly multicultural events in Canberra for years and has noticed the dearth of indigenous performers, something she has rectified.

While prototype fringes usually don’t pay the artists, Miller says her artists are being paid “reasonably”.

In searching for a family-friendly style, she’ll be minimising the concept of main stage in favour of lots of smaller performance spaces and spots for playing backgammon and checkers.

But the opening, hosted by Adam Hadley, 8pm, on Friday, February 13 will be on a main stage, with origi-nal works created by Plevey and local music legends, Nigel and Beth and, of course, the big act, Mojo Juju.

With the clear aim of being “culturally diverse and innovative”, she is confident that the Multicultural Fringe will cease to be the object of political bickering and return to being the significant arts event of the season.

Canberra Multicultural Fringe, at Fringe Central, the Phoenix Pub, Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra Museum and Gallery, NewActon and Smith’s Alternative, February 13-15.

Sensitive hip-hop artist L-Fresh the Lion.

Fringe festival director Chenoeh Miller… “it has to be family-oriented.”

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arts & entertainment / cinema review‘High Fidelity’hits low spots

Marching to make a differencemusical theatrePhoenix Players.At ANU Arts Centre until February 21.Reviewed by Bill Stephens

IF coarse language and gross-out comedy rings your bell, then you’ll find much to amuse you in Phoenix Players’ latest offering.

First-time directors Sarah Hull and Nathan Patrech have assembled a strong cast, led by Zach Raffan, impressive as Rob, the self-absorbed proprietor of a run-down record store, with a penchant for making lists and indulging in an active fantasy life.

The show starts out promisingly enough with a well-staged opening number, in which the audience is introduced to Rob’s various employees and customers. Amanda Green’s clever lyrics and Tom Kitt’s inventive score catch the ear with songs that pay homage to various recording artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, George Harrison and The Who.

Jenny Tabur’s excellent rock band captures the mood of each song, thankfully played at a level which allows most of the lyrics to be heard.

However, after the first half-hour, it’s downhill all the way, despite the best efforts of a strong cast which includes Max Gambale, Will Huang, Josie Dunham, Miriam Miley-Read, Amy Dunham, David Cannell, Emily Ridge and Anthony Simeonovic, between them playing a variety of repellent characters who require rather more inventive and imaginative direction than on show here, to make them palatable.

Jordan Kelly’s repetitive video-clip movement added little to the proceedings, nor did a shocking scene in the second act involving the close-range shooting and abuse of one character by the principal actors, meant as comedy, but which drew shocked gasps from the audience.

Phoenix Players should be commended for attempting a reasonably contemporary musical; however, it is disappointing to see so much talent and enthusiasm squandered on such unrewarding material.

“Selma” (M) NEGOTIATION. Demonstration. Resist-ance. The three tactical pillars of the 1965 campaign led by Martin Luther King Jr that pressured Lyndon Baines Johnson into driving the Voting Rights Act through the US Congress.

Paul Kelly’s screenplay for Ava DuVernay’s film tells that story with passion and deep commitment to ver-ity. If you want to know the plot before seeing the film, “Selma to Montgomery marches” on Wikipedia tells it all.

Ava DuVernay is a black filmmaker. Could a white one have so formidably managed such an enormous group of black actors, some with speaking roles, most simply coming along to silently establish crowd scenes?

David Oyelowo plays King with personal gravitas and convincing oratory. As LBJ, Tom Wilkinson displays the intensity we expect from this fine British actor who has found greener pastures, to our benefit as much as his own.

As Coretta King, Carmen Ejogo sur-passes mere decoration. Oprah Winfrey plays Annie Lee Cooper, frustrated by the bureaucratic obfuscation of black people seeking voting registration in Alabama. Tim Roth is splendidly malevolent as Governor Wallace. Ledisi Young plays Mahalia Jackson, whose recorded singing is a delight.

Half a century next month since the march, “Selma” commemorates without compromising its depiction of politics, passion, prejudice, brutal violence, courage, and shameful denial of moral and legal rights. Admire it. Is it relevant half a century later in Australia? You bet it is. Think how its issues match analogous issues here.

At Palace Electric, Dendy, Capitol 6, Limelight and Hoyts Belconnen

“Kingsman: The Secret Service” (MA) ENTERING the London showroom of a gentle-men’s outfitter is Eggsy (Taron Egerton) whose dad died 17 years earlier when a Middle-East operation led by Harry a.k.a Galahad (Colin Firth) went pear-shaped. Galahad gave Eggsy a necklet carrying a number to call for help and the code to give when he got into real trouble. And that’s today.

So begins a versatile, young, working-class fellow’s career in a super-secret intelligence agency funded by inheritances that would have gone to the sons of wealthy and public-spirited families had war not claimed them.

What follows that serendipitous first act is not new. Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson), a technological genius with lots of money, low morals and an athletic female blade-running acolyte (Sofia Boutella), plans a takeover of civilisation as we know it to teach humanity a serious lesson about

climate change and poverty. He’s created his own cloud system to

deliver his signal to every free smartphone he has been doling out worldwide to command the phone owner to start fighting the nearest person to the death. Seems a little counter-productive but heck, Valentine’s got the money and the force of loyal minions to enforce his policy.

After surviving a basic training regime under Kingsman adjutant Merlin (Mark Strong), Eggsy, the last-but-one of seven candidates, will join the other graduate Roxy (Sophie Cookson) to invade Valentine’s mountain stronghold and destroy it.

That sums up the screenplay, derived from a comic book by writer (with Jane Goldman) and director Matthew Vaughn. Is it a rival for 007? Probably not. But mildly stimulating the adrenalin, it offers escapism in a fresh and often funny guise.

At all cinemas

“The Gambler” (MA) IN 1974, James Toback wrote and directed his debut film about a writer with a gam-bling addiction and the heavies pursuing him to recover his debts.

Rupert Wyatt’s remake of it credits Toback with collaboration in William Monahan’s screenplay.

Mark Wahlberg plays university English lecturer Jim, doing his best to challenge his students, on the brink of a somewhat heretical relationship with student Amy (Brie Larson). More importantly, he’s addicted to gambling.

The principal tenet of gambling is that the house always wins. John Goodman and Alvin Ing play bosses to whom Jim owes large debts. Jim’s mother (Jessica Lange) will bail him out just once more but never again. We know what Jim will do with that money, don’t we?

The film lacks sparkle, makes little contact with audience expectations, and provides little explanation for Jim’s actions. Creditors’ threats of violence or worse don’t ring true. Jim’s search for funds includes bribing a player to influence the outcome of the game.

Wyatt’s film tries to say something convincing about searching the self for redemption from weakness. That’s unfortu-nate because the word for it turns out to be “turgid”. And I’m blowed if I know how Wyatt could have made it less so.

At Palace Elec-tric, Hoyts and Limelight

David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr in “Selma”.


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arts & entertainment / dining

Burger that’s one of the bestWE’RE big on beef in the capital these days. Big slabs of beef. Expensive slabs of beef with some restaurants charging what some see as tsunami prices at more than $140.

It’s a trend, including at Marble and Grain, on Mort Street in Braddon.

But if you think you’re going to read about how I overdosed on protein, at this relatively new – and massive – steakhouse, think again. When we rocked up, we had just missed lunch. Darn. But the lovely staff told us not to fear, directing us to the all-day bar menu.

Marble and Grain is divided into three areas. The restaurant side seats 70 plus. The bar side not quite so many. And the outdoor area fewer still (it’s still a hefty size though).

It was raining, so outdoors was a no-go, but staff obliged and threw open the large windows in the bar so we could enjoy fresh air.

The bar menu features snacks ($4 to $10) and mains ($14 to $24). Snacks include your basics – oysters, hummus, a deli board and chips (triple cooked). If you want some pork-on-your-fork, order the scratchings (crackling) with Szechuan pepper and parmesan smoked salt.

While the mains aren’t inspiring – salt and pepper cuttlefish, zucchini lasagne, chorizo roll and flank steak with chips – perhaps the execution is… we ordered the burger and fried chicken and got on with lunch.

The burger was one of the best we’ve had in yonks – by far ($18). Dry aged beef, smoked cheese, tomato relish, pickle, mustard and chips. There’s nothing like a burger made with quality, lean meat, cooked just over rare. And that’s what Marble and Grain dished up. No after-taste from an overload of fat. Just great meat served with simple, tasty ingredients.

The fried chicken ($18) rated at the opposite end of the “happy spectrum”. The coleslaw was boring (there’s no other word to describe it) and the chicken coating

failed in the taste department. It was served in a bowl, which was odd, with the smoked barbecue sauce hidden underneath the chicken, making it challenging to access.

Our next visit to Marble and Grain will be to chow down at din-ner, which delivers classic European steakhouse options with modern twists (such as parsnip brulée). We’ve “been there, done that” with the bar menu.

Marble and Grain’s décor, by award-winning Australian architecture firm Paul Kelly Designs, features leather, dark-wood panel-ling and heaps of polished brass.

BTW: There’s a two per cent surcharge for using your credit card, although this isn’t printed on the bar menu or posted anywhere so far as we could see – it’s something you’re told when you’re standing at the bar ready to pay.

Marble and Grain, 25 Mort Street, Braddon, Call 6246 9555.

That burger… dry aged beef, smoked cheese, tomato relish, pickle, mustard and chips. Photos by Holly Treadaway

Braddon steakhouse Marble and Grain… its décor features leather, dark-wood panelling and heaps of polished brass.

Detail from Arthur Boyd’s “Figure on a chair”, 1973, oil on canvas, Bundanon Trust Collection.

Together againBy Helen Musa

MANNING Clark House and Bundanon Trust are cooking up an unusual little exhibition of works by the late Arthur Boyd – unusual because they relate to the friendship between the artist and the late historian.

The show will take place in the home of Manning and Dymphna Clark – the lounge room where Boyd and Clark discussed art, culture and other issues of the day.

The exhibition, to be launched by Harriet Elvin, CEO of the Cultural Facilities Corporation, at 4pm, on Sunday, February 15, includes four huge nudes set against the Austral-ian bush and two portraits of Prof

Clark, one in academic dress and one at their “Ness” property at Wapengo with his dog. The paintings are on loan from Bundanon, except for the one with the dog, which MCH owns.

Director of MCH, Judith Crispin, says: “There’s something lovely about showing the work at MCH because it’ll hang in the lounge where Manning and Arthur would’ve spent their afternoons drinking tea and chatting.”

In reference to reported budget-ary problems currently experienced by Manning Clark House, Crispin says: “The art must go on”.

“Arthur Boyd: portrait of a friendship”, Manning Clark House, 11 Tasmania Circle, Forrest, 10am to 3pm, Thursday-Sunday, February 15-March 15. Entry by donation. Reservations for the opening to [email protected]


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astrology

Your Chinese Horoscope

By Neil Somerville

THE Chinese New Year is always a time of great celebration with the Year of the Goat promising interesting times ahead. It will be a year of change and with plenty of surprises and significant decision making. Much is set to happen over the next 12 months but how will you fare?To find your sign and prospects, look up the animal ruling your year of birth. As each Chinese year begins late in January or early February, if you were born around this time do check the actual year dates to find out which sign you were born under.

Rat 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008

With charm, style and a friendly manner, Rats get on well with most. They are great at spotting opportunities and have good skills and judgment. Rats like company and particularly value family and social life.

A pleasing year. By acting on ideas and using chances well, good progress can be made. This is a year to make strengths count, and once actions are taken, develop-ments can often help them along.

In work, keep alert for openings and new challenges. By furthering yourself important headway can be made with March, August and October seeing encouraging developments. Finances can improve with enterprising ideas bringing possible reward. Family and friends will support well and with shared activities favoured.

Romantic prospects excellent. With a busy lifestyle, give thought to well-being and allow time to enjoy interests, whether existing or new. An often lucky year with much opening up.

Tip for the year: Hold faith with capabilities and put yourself forward. Good year for moving ahead.

Famous Rats: Hugh Grant, Sean Penn, Samuel L. Jackson and the Prince of Wales.

Ox1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009Determined, reliable and hard-working, Oxen put much energy into what they do. They are thorough and well-organised and do not like to leave things to chance. Loyal to loved ones, Oxen are admired for their dependable, no-nonsense ways.

A tricky year, but from its challenges, important benefits can be gained. Fast-moving situations may cause uncertainty but open the way to exciting possibilities. Ideas started can also develop in surprising ways, and by adapting, developments can help present and future prospects.

In work, be flexible and determined with successes well-deserved. Finances need careful attention and risks avoided. Home life will be satisfying, and by joining with others, pleasing times and projects can be enjoyed. Social prospects promising with new friendships potentially significant. April, May and December could be lively and special months. While not an easy year, its lessons and legacy can be far-reaching.

Tip for the year: Proceed carefully and adapt as required. Developments can open up interesting possibilities.

Famous Oxen: Barack Obama, Meryl Streep, Bruce Springsteen and Pharrell Williams.

Tiger 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010Active, enthusiastic and interested in much,

Tigers set about their activities with considerable energy. Full of ideas, they are creative and inventive. They are also prepared to take chances to get what they want. Tigers enjoy socialising and have widespread interests.

A promising year but care is needed. While you may have exciting hopes and plans, do not proceed regardless. Take note of views and conditions around you. Rushing or spreading attention in too many directions could prevent you from getting the results you desire.

Home life will be busy with quality time together and good communication important. March, July and August could be special months, including socially. Romantic prospects promising. Watch spending and look after valuables. A loss could upset. In work and interests, skills can reward and ideas encouraged but do focus your ef-forts. A satisfying year offering change and good chance.

Tip for the year: Good times and progress await but do be disciplined and remain aware.

Famous Tigers: The Queen, Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio and Lady Gaga.

Rabbit1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011With a kindly, under-standing nature, Rabbits attach much importance to their home and social life. They enjoy company and conversation and, with refined tastes, are all for an agreeable lifestyle. A good judge of situations, Rabbits are careful in their actions and wary of risk.

A full and exciting year ahead. Enjoying good support and often being in the right place at the right time, this is a year to set plans in motion.

In work, your experience can help lead to a greater posi-tion, with February to the end of April and September seeing encouraging developments. Finances can improve but consider more major purchases care-fully. Interests and recreational activities are favoured, especially those encouraging creativity. Home life will see many ideas going forward and with social life active. New friendships can quickly become important. Travel, too, can be much enjoyed. A fulfilling year.

Tip for the year: With much happening, do check facts and details. Extra attention can lead to better outcomes.

Famous Rabbits: Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Brad Pitt and Will.i.am.

Dragon1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012Born under the sign of luck, Dragons have great determination. They are resourceful, active and use their personality and strengths well. Dragons also have style, are sociable and enjoy many interests, but value their independence.

A mixed year. As always, there will be much you will want to do but developments could cause a rethink. Rather than be over-ambitious, concentrate on the things you can do. Enjoy further interests and aim for a good lifestyle balance. With travel favoured, time away can benefit.

In home and social life, much can be gained by sharing activities and appreciating time together rather than being continually busy. April, June and August could see pleasing family and social occasions.

In work use and add to key strengths. What is accom-plished can be successfully built on. Progress may not always be easy, but on a personal level, a satisfying year.

Tip for the year: Give time to yourself and others this year. Take stock, enjoy the present and things you can do.

Famous Dragons: Russell Crowe, Adele, Rihanna and George Clooney.

Snake1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013Snakes are quietly ambitious. They know what they want and are prepared to work hard and wait patiently for the right moment. Snakes can be quiet and reserved but enjoy wide interests and are loyal to those close to them.

A pleasing year ahead although, to benefit from its many chances, you will need to move swiftly. As a Snake you can sometimes be cautious, but too much delay could mean losing out on some opportunities. Time is of the essence.

In work, chances and ideas should be actively pursued and with new duties taken on potentially significant. March, June and November could be key months. Good


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astrology

control over finances can lead to satisfying purchases and outcomes. Home life will see changes, especially as routines alter and key decisions are implemented. Social occasions and meeting others can do you good. A busy year but rich in possibility.

Tip for the year: Remember “nothing ventured, nothing gained”. This is a year to venture and put yourself forward.

Famous Snakes: JK Rowling, Paul Simon, Oprah Winfrey and Bob Dylan.

Horse1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014Strong-willed and hard-working, Horses have considerable style. They enjoy activity and have an adventurous, outgoing nature. They like company and conversation and present themselves well, but being independent-minded, set about much in their own individual way.

A busy year awaits. During it a great many plans will be accomplished including a possible move, whether involv-ing work or accommodation. This is no year to stand still. You will also be helped by the support of those around but need to involve others and seek opinion.

Domestically and socially there will be much to delight in and quality times to enjoy with March, July and September busy.

In work, opportunities can suddenly arise with this a year to build on skills and seek out fresh challenges. With many expenses and travel possibilities, spending needs watch-ing. Also, preserve time for self and interests. By drawing on support and acting on chances, a successful year.

Tip for the year: Be purposeful. Once you take action, encouraging developments can often assist.

Famous Horses: Sir Paul McCartney, Barbra Streisand, R Kelly and John Travolta.

Goat1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015

Goats have a good under-standing of human nature.

Observant, caring and sociable, Goats like company and having support for the things they do. They also attach much importance to home life. Born under the sign of art, Goats are creative and enjoy the finer things in life.

As a Goat you will be keen to make your year special and it can be. A lot can go in your favour, but you will need to work steadily towards the things you want. Rush and risk could bring disappointment. In work, there will be chances to make more of your strengths and opportunities to move ahead. Working closely with colleagues and raising profile will help. Finances will be positive but spending needs careful control. Home life could see changes to routine and ambitious plans going ahead. Social life active, and for the unattached, significant times and decisions await. A pleasing year.

Tip for the year: Pace yourself and keep your lifestyle in good balance. Your year and efforts can reward you well.

Famous Goats: Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis, Nicole Kidman and Whoopi Goldberg.

Monkey1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004Monkeys put much energy into the things they do. They have wide interests, are curious and imaginative and have a fine memory. Monkeys attach much importance to home and social life and also have a good sense of fun.

A mixed year ahead with good times to enjoy but awk-ward moments, too. Fortunately, by staying informed and aware, there is much you can do to avoid the year’s snags but care is needed. In changing situations, adapt and make the best of what arises. Especially in work, new skills and duties can have later value with March, June and July seeing interesting developments.

Be careful in money matters, checking terms and details of transactions. In social situations, take note of the views of others, and to avoid problems, be attentive. Home life busy with joint activities favoured. A full year, but with care, actions can bring wide-ranging benefits.

Tip for the year: Good year for self-development. Build on skills and take advantage of what opens up. Numerous benefits can follow.

Famous Monkeys: Kylie Minogue, Daniel Craig, Tom Hanks and Jennifer Aniston.

Rooster 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005Roosters have consider-able style and dignity. They enjoy company and conversation and are interested and informed about much. Roosters also like to be well-organised and to think and plan ahead.

A reasonable year. Although you like to follow set plans, Goat years can see considerable volatility. New situations and possibilities can open up and often for good reason. Make the most of these, for positive action can lead to important gains. To help, regularly consult with others and widen your social circle. You can impress many this year with your social life and prospects flourishing, especially from June to August.

Home life busy with joint successes and decisions to enjoy. Also, some major purchases can satisfy, but spend time considering choices and options. In work, make much of emerging opportunities and chance to broaden skills. New and often different duties beckon. A construc-tive year but adjust as required.

Tip for the year: Give time to self and personal interests. Strive for a good and balanced lifestyle.

Famous Roosters: Duchess of Cambridge, Cate Blanchett, Dolly Parton and Beyoncé.

Dog1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006

Loyal and caring, Dogs are very protective of loved ones. They are also direct and straightforward in manner and prepared to stand up for their beliefs. Dogs have a tendency to worry but are dependable and much respected.

A demanding year, and while you may be concerned with the speed of developments, many times advantages will follow.

In work significant changes can occur and while these will bring uncertainty, there will be chance to prove yourself and ultimately move ahead.

Progress will need to be worked for with April, July and October seeing encouraging developments. Improving finances can assist accommodation and personal plans. Home life can see celebrations and exciting projects realised.

Although busy, make sure social life does not get sidelined. New contacts and interests can bring pleasure and do you good. A lot will be asked of you this year but much, too, can be gained.

Tip for the year: Join with others. With input and support, your year will be better and more productive.

Famous Dogs: The Duke of Cambridge, Madonna, Nicki Minaj and Jennifer Lopez.

Pig1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

Outgoing, kindly and trusting, Pigs enjoy good relations with many and with their home and social life especially important. They also like their pleasures and the finer things in life. Pigs are hardworking and use their skills and opportunities well.

A pleasing year with much proceeding well. You enjoy company and good relations with many and over the year will be much in demand, with great times to enjoy and close relationships meaningful. There will be hopes and plans to act on, and personal successes in store.

In work, useful advances can be made with help from an unexpected source assisting advance. April, May and September could be significant. With a busy lifestyle, spending will be high and needs watching. Also, use chances to add to knowledge and broaden interests. A good year for self-development and advance.

Tip for the year: With support, synergy and your personal talents, much can be accomplished, but do join with others. There is strength in numbers.

Famous Pigs: Sir Elton John, James Patterson, Steven Spielberg and Woody Allen.

Distributed by Auspac Media.Neil Somerville is the author of “Your Chinese Horoscope 2015”, published by HarperElement.

for 2015, Year of the Goat


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Silver leafed shrubs provide a wonderful contrast in the garden.

Off with their heads!

Bouldersand bush,but nicer

WHY is it recommended to trim flower heads off agapanthus immediately after flowering?

Agapanthus produces a huge number of seeds that are spread over wide areas by wind, birds and water. As a result, they can invade natural bushland to such an extent they are considered an environmental weed, for example, in the Blue Mountains National Park.

In the home garden they can smother more desir-able plants.

Years ago country properties often planted garden boundaries of agapanthus to help prevent grass fires reaching the homestead.

GARDEN centres now stock sterile agapanthus, which still flower prolifically but don’t produce seed. This year, I’m going to replace all those seed producers in our garden with sterile agapanthus that include “Blue Storm” and “Snowstorm”, both prolific flowerers, or the deep purple “Black Pantha”. They all grow to about 60cm.

SILVER-leafed shrubs provide a wonderful contrast against green foliage of flowers in the garden. As an example, Acacia convenyi has been combined with the fire-engine red of Callistemon “Endeavour”.

By pruning, the convenyi can be kept as a medium shrub of, say, 3m or allowed to grow as a small tree 5-6m tall.

Golden-yellow flowers are on axillary sprays in spring presenting an even more spectacular sight against the silver foliage. The foliage is in popular demand for floral arrangements. It is native to most of NSW and is frost and drought hardy.

Other silver or grey foliage plants include Cistus “Sunset” or the very hardy rock rose, with pink flowers, all of the lavender family, especially Lavendula “Hidcote” or the dwarf Lavendula “Munstead”, which flower in summer and have the most fragrance of any lavenders. They are perfect for making pot pourri.

ANY silver or grey-leafed plants, or those with very small leaves, are very drought and sun hardy, losing little evaporation through the leaves, such as rosemary and thyme.

In the grey-leafed theme Thymus lanigerum or grey woolly thyme combined with members of the dianthus family make ideal plants for the front of the garden bed.

Dianthus “Doris” comes to immediate mind with pos-sibly Convolvulus cneorum with silver-grey foliage and white flowers planted behind. A popular silver-leaved, border plant is Santolina chamaecyparissus with its tiny, yellow-button flowers en masse. It grows to about 40cm-50cm tall. The only disadvantage is that once it comes into flower, all the stems go into a swirl.

Once the flowers finish it is necessary to cut it back hard leaving the plant slightly unsightly for a month or so until the new growth starts.

THE Great Autumn Flower Show and Dahlia Champi-onships of the Horticultural Society of Canberra will be held at the Lancaster Hall, Wesley Church Centre, National Circuit, Forrest on Saturday, March 7 (noon-5pm) and Sunday, March 8 (11.30am-3.45pm). Refresh-ments available plus the popular plant stall.

AN excellent Australian native garden in Calwell has been designed as a continuation of Tuggeranong Hill bushland.

Interesting form and foliage is a hallmark of the plantings with white-flowering shrubs, pink kunzeas, banksias, yellow Chrysocephalum apiculatum and lomandras.

Sensitively placed rocks enhance a beautiful naturalistic pond fed by a narrow tumbling creek.

“In my first few months at 72 Fidge Street, I would sit on the back veranda and ponder the future of the garden, which was then a neglected hotchpotch of exotic shrubs and small trees,” says owner Diana Bennett.

She wanted to replace the rotting wooden terracing in the back garden with something more lasting and one day, as she gazed up at the bush on Tuggeranong Hill with its many boulders, she had her “Eureka Moment!” – boulders and bush, but nicer.

Diana’s garden will be open to the public as part of the Open Gardens Australia program on the weekend of Februry 14-15.

“The garden is now a colourful haven where native birds, frogs and other animals abound, and there is a sense of continuity with the hill,” she says.

“It is a place of peace and tranquillity.

“Work started in February 2002. The whole garden was demolished except for two big Photinia hedges along the eastern and southern back fences.

“The rocks are a major design element throughout the garden. They are used as features in their own right, to define areas such as the creek, and with a particular type of planting such as on the rocky knolls.

“My first preference was for all plants to be indigenous to the region, but these plants are not always available, so I settled for ‘spirit of indigenous’.”

“My garden has now certainly evolved into my own little bit of bush.”

72 Fidge Street, Calwell, open 10am-4.30pm, Saturday and Sunday, February 14 and 15. Admission, $8 (under 18 free).

Diana Bennett’s garden in Cawell.

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puzzles pageJoanne Madeline Moore your week in the stars – February 16-22, 2015

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)The New Moon encourages your ambitious goals for the future, as you propel yourself into adventurous, unchartered territory. Mighty Mars and vivacious Venus vamp into Aries later in the week, when it’s time to be brazenly bold and beautiful as you initiate ideas, launch projects or indulge in some outrageous flirting. Single Rams – just when you thought it was ancient history, an old romance could be revisited and rekindled.

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)Hey Bulls – you’ll be in the public eye in some way, as the New Moon stimulates your reputation/career zone. Are you overdue for a pay rise or a promotion? Are you looking for employment or is it time to change vocation? In 2015 the challenge is to make work a pleasure, rather than a chore. Your ruling planet Venus visits Aries (until March 17) so aim to go after what you want with passion and pizazz.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)Here’s a novel concept Gemini – just because you’ve had a brilliant idea and talked about it endlessly, doesn’t mean you’ve achieved anything! This week Mars charges into your hopes and wishes zone, so it’s time to be proactive and turn your dreams into reality. Draw extra inspiration from birthday great, Michael Jordan: “Some people want it to happen, some people wish it could happen, others make it happen.”

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)Have you been hiding away in your cozy Crab cave, hoping your life will magically change? This week proactive Mars joins adventurous Uranus in your reputation/life direction sector. So it’s time to bust out of your comfort zone; surprise others with some bold moves; and start making your dreams come true. Your motto for the moment is from birthday great, the writer Anais Nin: “Good things happen to those who hustle.”

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)Listen up Lions! You love to shine in the spotlight but this week the focus is off you for a change and onto the significant others in your life. The New Moon revs up your relationship zone so it’s time to be extra affectionate and attentive to your nearest and dearest. When it comes to love, prepare for a hot new romance, or a rejuvenated old one. Single Cats – sparks could fly with someone from another country or culture.

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)Wednesday and Thursday are your most productive days of the week. The New Moon is a great time to tweak your timetable, devise a new daily schedule or reboot work relationships. The Mercury/Saturn connection suits projects that require a disciplined mind, good concentration and close attention to detail. Don’t waste the opportunity to communicate with colleagues, power through paperwork and get things done.

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)Quit sitting on the sidelines and being a wallflower Libra! The mid-week New Moon fires up your entertainment zone so shake your tail feather; party like a pro; and spend quality time with family, friends or work colleagues. Then Venus (your ruling planet) links up with Mars, so it’s a wonderful weekend to go after what you want – as you enjoy some fabulous flirting and charm the birds out of the trees.

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)Home sweet home is the place to be, as the New Moon and Mercury light up your domestic zone. Life is busy as family members come and go – plenty of stimulating conversation. It’s also time to be proactive about improving your health and fitness via a more nutritious diet and a flexible exercise routine. For some, alternative medicine like acupuncture, herbalism or hypnosis will help shift stubborn problems.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)Adventurous Archers – with the New Moon, Mercury and Jupiter all activating your travel zones, you’re keen to take a trip soon. If you can’t jump on a bus, boat, train or plane, then go travelling in your mind via books and movies. All forms of social media are favoured, as you communicate your message to an expanding audience. With Venus and Mars visiting your romance zone, love and lust are also on the menu!

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)Are you experiencing ongoing problems with a relative? If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll just keep getting what you’re getting! Mars, Venus and Uranus are all visiting your domestic zone, so it’s time to be proactive, creative and innovative about healing the relationship rift as you make the first tentative moves towards reconciliation. When it comes to family matters, the buzz word for the moment is ‘Forgiveness’.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)The mid-week New Moon’s in Aquarius, so you’ll be twice as much fun and double the trouble. Prepare to be gobsmackingly inventive, but also wickedly reckless and slightly rebellious. Attached Aquarians – aim to get the balance right between committed coupledom and invigorating independence. Sick and tired of being single? Between now and August 11, expect a plethora of potential partners to beat a path to your door.

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)The New Moon highlights your hopes and wishes zone. So your motto for the week is from writer and birthday great Anais Nin (who had Sun, Venus and Jupiter in Pisces): “Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back – a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country.” When it comes to money matters, stop procrastinating! Find proactive, innovative and creative ways to increase your cash flow.

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2015Daily astrology updates at twitter.com/JoMadelineMoore

Sudoku medium No. 144

General knowledge crossword No. 488

Solution next week

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Solutions from last edition

Across3 Name the site of the Eureka Stockade

in 1854.7 Which laundry appliance was once

used for boiling clothes?8 What do we call regular winter

swimmers?9 Name a long term Australian PM, John

Winston ...?10 To be capable of being hoisted

upwards, is said to be what?11 What are office workers known as?14 Which term implies “free of charge”?17 Name the expression that relates to a

newborn child.18 What do we call a margin of freedom

or variation?19 To admit into membership, as with

ceremonies or ritual, is to do what?20 Which colloquial term describes an

untrained army recruit?21 What is the custom of being married

to only one person at a time?

Solution next weekDown1 Which Australian Army officer ranks below

a brigadier?2 What do we call the presiding officer in the

House of Representatives?3 Name those harnesses fitted around horses’

heads, used by riders to guide them.4 What is a large, edible, marine stalk-eyed

decapod crustacean?5 Name a Welsh melted cheese delicacy.6 What, in two-up, do we call those who

throw the coins into the air?11 Name an alternative term for “verify”.12 Which term describes the state of being

worn away by the action of water, wind, etc?

13 Who was the Australian prime minister 1991-96, Paul ...?

14 What is a collection of art, for exhibition?15 What is the hinged, movable flap of an

aeroplane wing?16 Which word is applicable to an infirm or

sickly person?

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