141023 citynews

A battered victory for clear thinkingMICHAEL MOOREWhen a new phone isn’t Christmas any moreJOHN GRIFFITHSWhat’s in a name?MARK PARTONPeonies leapingfrom the ground!CEDRIC BRYANT

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Robogals to the rescue…KATHRYN VUKOLVJAK meets a small group of like-minded female students at the ANU whose focus is getting schoolgirls interested in engineering.

AS a kid, Pallavi Sehgal would take things apart to see how they worked.

“I used to be very curious but my parents saw it as breaking stuff and were not very happy with me!” she says.

Now Pallavi, 22, is part of Robogals, a small group of like-minded female students at the ANU whose focus is getting schoolgirls interested in engi-neering.

Third-year engineering stu-dent Pallavi is president of the ANU chapter of the student-led volunteer group that visits schools in a bid to increase the number of young women study-ing engineering, science and technology at uni.

“There are only about 20 per cent girls studying engineer-ing at the ANU, and we think it should be so much more,” says Pallavi.

“I’m not a feminist or gender biased, but girls tend to grow up with pink and dolls, and don’t get introduced to engineering early on.

“We’re giving them a differ-ent perspective of what they can be in life. If you give girls an opportunity to see what en-gineering is like, I think many would be more interested and we wouldn’t have this problem in the first place.”

Pallavi says it’s not that girls aren’t capable of doing engi-neering, it’s just that they don’t know what the industry is like or that it’s worth considering as a career.

Fellow Robogal Stephanie Nguyen, 20, says she hadn’t even heard of engineering until she was in year 12, and would have loved to attend a Robogals workshop.

In the workshops the girls encourage the school students to have fun with the robots, but they also explain what engi-neers do, how the industry af-fects the world, and how varied, creative and collaborative it is, says Pallavi.

“We get instant feedback that girls think engineering is a dry subject, all about physics and maths, and that it’s really hard,” she says.

“That’s why the most crucial part of the workshop is the Engineering Chat section at the end, where we explain what it’s really like. We talk about how many different fields there are within the subject, how flexible it is, and how well it combines with other degrees.”

Second-year commerce and engineering student and Robogal Yanny Li, 20, says that

when she became interested in engineering, people told her it was only for boys.

“Well, I’m proving them wrong!” she says. “I always thought, why can’t I be like boys, what’s the difference? I can be as smart as them.

“You need to have faith in yourself, but being a female in engineering can be an advan-tage to us – we stand out!”

Founded by undergraduate engineering student Marita Cheng at the University of Mel-bourne, Robogals now includes chapters in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, New York, Canada, To-kyo and the UK.

Although boys are welcome at the school workshops, the Robogals focus their efforts pri-marily on how many girls they get to teach.

Pallavi says she’s keen to shift

Robogals’ focus to secondary schools and college students.

“We figured we can have more of an impact on year 11 and 12 stu-dents, as they’re closer to mak-ing those decisions about what they want to study,” she says.

Pallavi also wants to increase the Robogals seven-strong volunteer base, by organising more events on campus, and en-couraging sponsors so the other students can see the long-term benefits of being a volunteer.

Pallavi says they’ve already seen results from doing their workshops – one girl they vis-ited when she was in year 12 is now studying engineering at ANU and working as a Robogals volunteer.

“It’s a very good feeling; when we can see it happening, that we’re making a differ-ence,” she says.

Robogals, from left, Stephanie Nguyen, Pallavi Sehgal and Yanny Li... “We’re giving girls a different perspective of what they can be in life.” Photo by Gary Schafer

4 CityNews October 23-29, 2014

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LABOR Chief Minister Katy Gallagher surprisingly found herself echoing our Liberal PM’s “open for business” mantra during a lightning trip to China to sign an as-yet-unseen “friendship exchange” with the sprawling industrial metropolis of Shenzhen.

Beyond the MOU opening “the door to a range of significant new opportuni-ties for Canberra businesses with a city that plays home to some of the largest technology companies in the world”, Katy spruiked investment goodies to her new Chinese besties such as the punctured City to the Lake Plan and the contentious light rail project.“My message to Shenzhen businesses is that Canberra is open for business and ready for international investment and partnerships,” she says.

TRAMS are pretty similar to buses to for-mer ACT Treasury boffin David Hughes who, in a swingeing disassembling of the Grand Tram Plan, says light rail is a folly and not worth the likely 80 million coconuts a year the ACT government will be stuffing in the pockets of its private-sector operator.“It’s still fundamentally the same propo-sition. You’ve got to get to a station or stop, you board, and then you get off

and you walk to where you’re going… so it has all the same characteristics,” he says. “Very simply, the light rail is not transformative at all, it’s just more of the same in a somewhat different form.”Not so, cried Capital Metro Minister Simon Corbell’s flak, hands doubtless on hips: light rail has its own laneway, a higher capacity, greater accessibility, lower emissions and is more appealing. So there.Opposition transport shadow Alistair Coe leapt cheerfully into this economic cold shower saying: “Over 20 years, this means the cost of light rail could jump up to as high as $2 billion.” Steady, Al – that’s around $2 million a week!

LAKE Burley Griffin celebrated its 50th anniversary under the cloud of an unthinkable name change. It appears that including the middle name of Canberra’s original designer, Walter Burley Griffin, was a mistake by ‘60s PM Bob Menzies and that alternatives such as Lake Walter Griffin or simply Lake Griffin are to be

wrestled with by the PM-led Canberra National Memorials Committee.

ARE they banning cats from the streets or not? As suggestions of election-losing lunacy to ban cats from the outdoors were taking hold Greens minister Shane Rattenbury’s office was running backwards from the idea, saying nothing’s happening beyond the government considering recommendations of an expert paper from the Responsible Cat Ownership Steering Committee. “One recom-mendation was Canberra-wide cat containment. But certainly no decisions have been made.”

PRISON guards continue to try to extricate an overdue pay deal from the ACT government, which in turn is try-ing to link any rise with its unpopular needles-in-prison push. Crying “blackmail”, union negotiator

Vince McDevitt warned the stand off “may be that the government, as the unstoppable force, actually impacts with custodial officers as the immov-able object”. Fireworks ahead.

FLORIADE escaped the misery of spring’s changeable weather last week leaving Tourism Minister Andrew Barr to his annual trumpet of “the largest ever attendance figure in the event’s 27-year history” with 481,854 visits. He does concede Floriade was “blessed with good weather”.And despite the seductive temptation of the early spring sunshine to plant tomatoes, Seven Days has kept the faith with gardening guru Cedric Bry-ant’s tireless good advice to hold back until Melbourne Cup Day to escape any surprise frosts.

Regular columnist Robert Macklin is on leave. Ian Meikle is the editor of “CityNews”.

Katy’s new friends in foreign partsTrams are pretty similar to buses to former Treasury boffin David Hughes who, in a

swingeing disassembling of the Grand Tram Plan, says light rail is a folly.

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opinionNegatives turninto positives

NEGATIVE gearing is mistakenly viewed as a tax concession that helps property barons. However, the truth is a very different story.

Far from being multi-millionaire property magnates, the majority who negatively geared their properties in 2011-2012 earned less than $80,000 a year, that is 883,000 of the 1.26 million Australians who declared net rental losses to the ATO over the 2011-2012 financial year.

Residential Development Council data shows that these investors included 62,000 clerical workers, 54,000 teachers, 47,000 salespeople, 36,000 nurses and tens of thousands of hospital-ity workers.

Seventy-three per cent of Australians with a rental property own one property, while a further 18 per cent own two.

Negative gearing enables investors to deduct costs associated with a rental property against their income, which reduces their tax liability. This makes market rents for negatively geared properties lower than they would be otherwise, something that assists those on low incomes.

Removing negative gearing would limit the capacity of low-income property investors to maintain their properties, with renters the losers.

Negative gearing also underpins the financial future of more than 780,000 “mum and dad” investors, helping them save for retirement and reduce the potential burden on the public purse.

While some groups say limiting negative gearing could increase housing supply, the reality is that affordability has been greatly hampered by land restrictions and government charges.

In a market already facing significant supply constraints, negative gearing helps deliver affordable rental accommodation in our major cities and towns.

Any measures that reduce the incentive to invest in residential property could place further pressure on the availability of affordable rental accommodation within the private rental market.

The perverse outcome will not be more affordable housing, but less.

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

Catherine Carterproperty

Lake Burley Griffin… just walk around, gaze at it, cycle it and take piccies… but don’t think. Photo by Mark Parton

What’s in a name?THIS town of ours would be crap without the lake.

I know that there are some water-quality problems with all of our suburban lakes but, seriously, could you even imagine Canberra without Lake Burley Griffin?

Wherever you sit politically, I think at this time you should roundly applaud Sir Robert Menzies for his persistence in getting Lake Burley Griffin built. He had some serious resistance. Not quite as much resistance as Capital Metro has right now, but heading in that direction.

As a crazy Instagrammer, I have paid homage to the big puddle in the centre of Canberra on its 50th birthday.

I cannot believe that we’re having a conversa-tion about the potential to change its name. For half a century it’s been Lake Burley Griffin and so it should stay. If ever there was a place where too much thought is given to what should be simple matters it’s here in Canberra.

I think the lake-name critics are correct in saying that Walter Griffin’s middle name, Burley, should never have been included in the name. And, yes,

it should have been Lake Griffin or Lake Walter Griffin, but it seems absurd to change it now.

Once you’ve been declared the best city in the world, I think the idea is to just let things bubble along as they are for a while after that.

One of my radio listeners participated in the debate on this with an SMS to the station last week. Jason said:

“Wow thanks Mark. I always thought Burley Griffin’s first name was ... Lake.. Not Walter.”

I always give the Belco Mall example as a reason to not rename something. Can you believe the number of people who still refer to Westfield Belconnen as Belco Mall after all these years?

By all means, have all your committees examine this, but surely there are so many much more important things for us to worry about than the name of the lake.

Just walk around it, gaze at it, cycle around and take piccies… but don’t think too much about it.

MARK PARTON

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Battered, but a victory for careful thinkingHISTORY will be kind to the Australian National University’s vice-chancellor Ian Young, to the chancel-lor and to the ANU Council for their role in adopting a morally responsible approach to divestment.

In the short term they have been pilloried by the Prime Minister, the Treasurer, the Education Minister and a range of industry executives.

Divesting investment from seven specific resource companies with a focus on the carbon-producing sector in order to play a role in protecting the world environment for future generations is the sort of discerning approach that ought to be coming out of an institution that is at the leading

edge of thinking across the world.

What is really interesting in this case is that it is not just thinking. The university has critically

exam-

ined and analysed the evidence (its normal role) and, additionally in this case, they have taken action.

The response of senior ministers in the government has been to shoot from the hip: no careful thinking; no long-term vision; shoot the messenger.

The ANU is regularly rated amongst the top couple of dozen uni-versities in the world. In the world! It should surprise no-one that the institution is at the centre of advanced thinking. Surely it ought to be expected of our political leadership that this divestment action should be carefully assessed, examined by their own staff and delegated to the appropriate department within the public service so that a considered response could be provided.

The stance of these federal politi-cians must surprise many constitu-ents who believed the government’s rhetoric around freedom.

It is not long ago that the Abbott

government was the champion of freedom. The ministers were as keen as mustard not to interfere with busi-ness, to deregulate, and even to get rid of restrictions on racial vilification. All in the name of freedom.

The ANU is the second biggest employer in the ACT, after the public service. However, the government seems to have lost its enthusiasm for freedom for such a big business.

It is not the time for freedom. It is the time for hypocrisy. As your columnist pointed out last week, the Abbott government is confused in what it considers freedom. In this case when freedom to make decisions without interference does not seem to suit their mining mates the notion of freedom is suddenly chucked out the window.

This is the government, of course, that has taken the opposite stance. While salary earners and the less well-off in our community are asked to “shoulder their fair share of the

burden” of taxation, “to do the heavy lifting”, the coal and other fossil-fuel mining industries receive support from the government. Instead of divesting in carbon, the government has removed the carbon tax. Instead of divesting, the government has given a tax break to all of corporate Australia. Instead of divesting carbon-producing companies, the government’s own investment portfolios continue to support the carbon-based industries.

The ANU’s decision now increases the pressure on the ACT govern-ment, which does have a responsible investment policy. In mid-September Treasurer, Andrew Barr, was pre-sented with a letter from more than 20 community groups led by 350.Org.

Spokesman Josh Creaser said:

“Despite having a responsible investments policy and strong commitment to climate action, the ACT government holds shares in some of the most notorious coal and coal-seam gas companies in Australia including Whitehaven Coal, Santos and Glencore.”

The extent of support by the federal government for this industry raises serious questions. With such limited declarations on donations to political parties, with such a lack of transpar-ency, questions do need to be asked about the motivation to so vigorously defend, support and protect such industry.

Divestment does not fit easily for the current government. It is only last year that the government’s Future Fund finally divested in tobacco – a product that kills well over half of the people who use it according to the manufacturers’ directions.

Bravo ANU. Bravo to the students, lecturers and community groups who have maintained the pressure for divestment. Future generations are going to thank you when they contrast myopic financial focus with genuine long-term vision.

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

Bravo ANU. Bravo to the students, lecturers and community groups who have maintained the pressure for

divestment. Future generations are going to thank you.

ANU vice-chancellor Ian Young… history will be kind.

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lettersNot invited to be part of the gaming talks

Motoring sense, the ‘bogan’ issue

Four betteror worse?

Appearanceof irony

I HAVE read with interest the ongoing discussion in “CityNews” about the community response to the announcement that the legislated cap on electronic gaming machine numbers was being increased.

ACTCOSS, as the peak body for community organisations and an advocate for the interests of people living with disadvantage and low incomes in the ACT, has an abiding interest in the regula-tion and operations of the gambling industry.

Among the people who play electronic gam-ing machines on a weekly basis, 30 per cent de-velop a gambling problem that has a significant negative impact on their life. That’s why ACTCOSS says this product is not benign, and there needs to be strong consumer protection measures to reduce the harm it can cause. Reducing access to

this legal but potentially harmful product is an effective consumer protection measure, which explains ACTCOSS’s disappointment that the cap on the number of electronic gaming machines has been lifted in the short term and will grow with population growth in the long term.

The community organisations best placed to comment on the proposed changes to the cap on gaming machines and the tax revenue generated from these machines did respond to the invitation from the ACT Minister for Gaming and Racing to be part of the initial consultation process. These organisations were not invited to continue to be part of negotiating setting the cap or tax revenue arrangements. Being invited to be part of consultation but being left out of negotiations is not full engagement, hence my

comments in the media.Through a number of decision-making pro-

cesses the ACT government has demonstrated a willingness to include community voices in both consultation and negotiation of final outcomes, including through the co-design processes used as part of developing a blueprint for what health, education, justice and community services should look like across the ACT.

I look forward to this more fulsome consulta-tion process being adopted when making decisions about the operation and contribution of the gambling industry in our city.

Susan Helyar, director, ACT Council of Social Service

THE situation columnist Mark Parton (CN, October 9) wrote about with Kuringa Drive at Fraser is not a mystery, it’s obvious: a lot of people’s road sense disap-pears because they don’t have any in the first place!

The road is of the same standard as thousands of country roads around Australia with far lower accident rates.

The fact is, Canberrans are psychologically conditioned to driving only on dual carriageways that are flat, have no or little road camber and are well lit. Hence the King’s Highway being named the most dangerous in NSW despite its condition being superior

to other highways.The lack of road sense and driving aptitude is so

prevalent in Canberra that every night I am seeing between two and six cars driving without lights on.

It always appears to be the same types of people, those with their minds elsewhere.

I travel a lot in southern NSW and Victoria and never see such incompetence. Canberra is a well-educated place, but it’s a case of being unable to educate the educated because motoring is seen as a bogan issue in the ACT.

Mick Williams, via email

I REALLY dislike the expression “growing a pair” (Seven Days, CN, October 16). I think we were better off with the time-honoured “showing guts” and variations thereof.

Furthermore, if Shane Ratten-bury “grew a pair” he would have four, which could be inconvenient!

Mr Rattenbury believes in what he does and does what he believes. Please don’t suggest that showing courage is new to him. It isn’t easy being Green. Show some respect, please.

Jenny Wright, Karabar

TURNING to Page 8 (CN, October 9) I came across a cartoon com-menting on the debate about the Abbott Government’s desire to see the end of the burqa. Directly below said cartoon was an article from Sonya Fladun “Being a girl just gets harder and harder!”.

Being directly below this political cartoon I was expecting an opinion piece about how the public debate around the burqa affected women and individual rights. To my surprise though, Ms Fladun’s article described that, as a professional woman, she felt that societal expectations meant she needed to spend money and time to ensure that her ensemble matched and her hair was ap-propriately styled. I couldn’t help but see the irony.

Neil Thompson, Lyneham

dose of dorin

Letters are invited from “CityNews” readers. Let loose to: [email protected] or write to the editor at GPO Box 2448, Canberra 2601.

Write to us

1 CityNews June 26-July 2, 2014

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When a new phone isn’t ChristmasA STRANGE thing happened recently: Optus called to let me know my contract was up and I could come in to get a new phone.

For the last 10 years this moment has been akin to Christmas: I have been in the shop within 10 minutes of getting that call.

As for most people, the two-year contract cycle is one of six months of bliss at the new device, a year of satisfaction, and six months of snarl-ing jealousy at all the new phones on the market and rabid dissatisfaction with the old phone that it is not one of the new breed.

But this time around I didn’t shoot out the door and run like a madman through Garema Place.

I like my phone. Admittedly I cheated mid-contract and bought one outright. It’s a model from October 2013, the Google Nexus 5 (made by LG). It only cost $450 direct from Google which was a major step down in price from its predecessors.

It’s got more processing power than my new iMac. This is not an ad for the Nexus 5, pretty much any phones built around the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 series chipsets are amazing beasts. I have no doubt recent iPhones are also excellent.

The point is that the technology

has advanced to the point we’re no longer gagging for a newer model. (It’s just as it’s hard to find a bad car built since the mid 1990s and that’s terrifying car makers.)

And if cheap mobile devices have enough power what is that going to mean for our work?

Lots more people are working from home, but with the next generation of mobile data and computing solutions we really are going to be able to do office work from anywhere.

Of course, some people are not suited to working from home. It’s certainly hard mustering the motivation to put clothes on before logging in. There are a whole set of distractions.

Working in offices has its down-sides, too. It’s easy to get distracted by crisis management, water-cooler gossip and other people’s conversa-tions.

I’m sure many of our dear readers

have felt the need to come into the office on Sunday to get deliverables complete after spending the week in meetings and putting out fires.

Years ago, slaving away in the peace and calm of an office one Sun-day, I got a reply from a colleague at another firm whom I hadn’t realised was at her desk to get my email.

“You know what the best thing about Sunday is?” she wrote. “It’s the day of the week I get to wear jeans to the office.”

Having said all that, there are huge advantages to being in the office.

Fixing problems and sharing in the gossip is part of building corporate knowledge. Casual conver-sations with co-workers focused on the same goal can save hundreds of hours otherwise spent chasing down rabbit holes and after wild geese.

Perhaps most important is just sanity testing. We all make bad deci-sions and having someone nearby

to ask: “Is that really a good idea?” at the worst, forces us to clarify our thinking and, at best, saves us from disaster.

It comes down to good manage-ment. Good managers know how to get the best out of their people and trust them to come up with the deliverables.

In a world where few of us will ever have an office door to close, being able to go sit on a bench in Glebe Park for two hours to nut out a problem is almost certainly going to be worthwhile.

John Griffiths is the online editor of the daily news service citynews.com.au

Office – A waiting room where most of us wait to die after we have completed college.” – “Urban Dictionary”

JOHN GRIFFITHS

Turner turns it onTURNER School Fete 10am-2pm on Saturday, October 25, promises to be “one of the best and most popular of Canberra’s springtime school fetes,” say organisers. The Condamine Street school will host craft, secondhand books and white elephant stalls. And for kids there will be a giant cardboard maze on the oval as well as carnival rides.

Village feteKANGARA Waters Retirement Village fete will be held at Joy Cummings Place, Belconnen, 9am-2pm, on Saturday, October 25. It features cakes, crafts, gifts, books, white elephant, treasures, photography, novelties, pickles, jams, preserves, plants, music, face painting and balloon twisting.

Calling all dragstersANYONE who remembers the dragway hidden behind the pine trees off Pialligo Avenue is invited to the reunion of the Canberra International Dragway. Racers, officials and fans are welcome at the Buffalo Bistro, Yass Road, Queanbeyan, from 6.30pm, on Saturday, November 8. More information at the Canberra Drag Racers Reunion Facebook page and tickets from eventbrite.com.au

Monster sale for kidsTHE Sophan Kith Education Fund is holding a monster garage sale at 10 Karrawatha Place, O’Malley, on November 23. The charity, which raises money to build schools in Cambodia, is in honour of Sophan Kith who lived in Canberra from 1978 before returning to Cambodia in 1992 to help rebuild his country. He died in 1997 aged 42.

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opinion / school holidays briefly

In the clutch of small childrenI UNDERSTAND that these were the shortest school holidays in the His-tory of School Holidays. I can’t imagine what I will look like at the end of the next ones. If I make it to the end of the next ones.

I feel like I have just emerged from a war of attrition stuck in the trenches with nothing more than a flat TV remote and a battered copy of “Where is the Green Sheep? Oh, There He is Still Under that Ruddy Bush” to defend myself.

I approached these holidays with enough peace and goodwill to rival an organic, gluten-free, vegan-themed meditation camp. I offloaded the equivalent GDP of a small island nation on an assortment of paints, out-of-date magazines for MONA-inspired collages, enough glue to reseal that inconvenient hole in the ozone and more than enough fluffy balls to insulate Bucking-ham Palace.

Day one went very well indeed and, although it’s all a bit hazy now mainly due to the sedation, I do remember thinking that

having small children around was a wonderful antidote to life’s adult stresses.

And to be honest, I’m not sure where it all went wrong. But it was definitely on day two.

Unfortunately, I don’t even think I can blame the kids. Barnacle Bunny did need to eat and Clag-coated fluffy balls do provide a nutrient-dense alterna-tive to regular rabbit food.

The vet didn’t quite see eye to eye on that one though.

And if the sound of your sib-ling’s fiftieth recitation of “Wake Up Jeff” does begin to grate, peas inserted firmly in aural canals are more than appropriate as a noise dissipation strategy.

Apparently they are easier to extract if they are soft first. But, really, it was me.

The expectations were all

mine and I was the one to set such high standards that, in retrospect, were frankly unachievable.

As we are rarely let out as a family for fear of what might happen to others, washing is a completely redundant chore. I should have just let that one pass.

Who cares if we look like a post-tough-mudder get together and wouldn’t be identifiable in a line up for the four grandparents?

Toileting is also, apparently, quite outmoded. When have willy, will use willy.

Willy nilly, in fact. Just, you know, chillax mum, says the two year old. Gotcha. And as for eating? Pfffft.

Honestly, I can see enough in the garden from where I am sitting now to hunt, gather

and forage all at the same time. Paleo is, after all, all the rage.

Next holidays, I vow to let all elements of perfectionism slide from my parenting style. I’ll simply prepare a couple of loin cloths and a tidy piece of bark to put the grubs on. My doctor here concurs. I might just stay a while.

Pip Conolly is a former public servant and Canberra mum of two, aged three and five.

I approached these holidays with enough peace and goodwill to rival an organic, gluten-

free, vegan-themed meditation camp.

PIP CONOLLY

Parto gets a gong2CC and its sister station 2CA snared three of the four gongs awarded to Canberra radio person-alities at the Australian Commercial Radio Awards in Melbourne. Breakfast announcer and “CityNews” columnist Mark Parton (pictured) was awarded Best Talk Presenter (provincial) for 2CC. The station also won Best Current Affairs Presenter (non-metropolitan) in Luke Bona with Best Newcomer On-Air (provincial) awarded to outgoing “Pet Tales” vet Dr Margie Roser. Veteran broadcaster Greg Robson, of 2CA, was awarded the Best Entertainment/Music Presenter (provincial) and Scotty & Nige won Best On-Air Team (provincial) for FM104.7.

Scrutiny of cyclistsA GROUP of six students from the ANU are working with Pedal Power ACT to research bike riders to see what their key concerns are and to better understand how Pedal Power can support and empower cyclists in Canberra. The survey can be completed online at goo.gl/forms/JpAgNh0pLL.

Fun in many tonguesACT Community Language Schools Day will be held at the UC Refectory, Bruce, 2pm-6pm, Saturday, October 25. More than 50 community language schools and playgroups that teach 40 languages across the ACT will gather to celebrate and share their learning through displays and performances. Entry and activities are free. Multicultural food will be available for purchase. More information at 6230 5191 or [email protected]

Fashion on paradeTHERE will be a fashion parade fundraiser to mark Mental Health Month at the Ab Fab Shop, at unit 3/25, Lathlain Street, Belconnen, 3pm, on Saturday, October 25. The parade of new-season clothes is in aid of mental health promotion charity Mind Blank Ltd.


Dr Sam Whittle BDS MDS

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Social event of the week / ‘Eat Pay Love’ dinner at the Parlour Wine Room

scene / around canberra invite us / [email protected]

IN a week designated “Anti-Poverty Week” on a day labelled “World Hunger Day”, the degustation menu at NewActon’s refurbished Parlour Wine Room took on quite a different meaning to the guests who came to support the family team that operates this venue and the Elk and Pea on Lonsdale Street.Amy Robinson and her sister Bria Sydney played hostesses with big hearts to friends and regular clients asking them to support

Foodbank. The agency provides 95 per cent of all food to our local charities who pick, pack and supply in many venues

around Canberra to an increasing number of people facing the distress and desperation of being hungry. The facts

and figures shatter the concept of our perfect city with Richard Griffiths,

of Rotary, telling the story behind the façade. What a superb team effort from the staff, who volunteered to make this fundraiser a success, as did support from food suppliers and McKellar Ridge Wines, showing this “Eat Pay Love”

dinner has started something worthwhile.

Ross and Lynne Sydney with Tonia AlexanderKath and Matthew Milin with Mel Grebowski

Amy RobinsonJosh Nedeljkovic, Bria Sydney, Sarah McCook, Amelia Rich, Charlie Salvador and Abby Clarke

Karen Roberson, Evie Cuthbertson, Jess Dahlenburg, Harry Sutton and Noel Sutton

Sean Smith, James Forman, Luke Rivers, Lex Koh and Kim HuettJon May, Ben Aulich and Peter Woodhouse Luke Austin and Bree Rogers

Sally Weir and Cris O’Brien

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d I S P L A y S u I T E O P E N m O N – F R I 1 2 – 2 | S A T – S u N 1 0 – 4C N R E y R E S T & H O N E y S E T T v I E w , K I N G S T O N F O R E S H O R E

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scene / around canberra Photos by ANDREW FINCH

At Alzheimer’s Australia ACT benefit dinner, Ainslie

Tania Haslam and Alison Smith Cristina Huesch and Juliet BehrensPhil and Jenny McCormack

Jan and Geoff Hine with Mollie Fraser Victoria Oakden, Helen Cooper and Kay Murphy

Alex Nielsen, Nikki Brown, Tegan McGrath, Daisy Jose and Therese Armstrong

Jeanette Morris and Helen KahaneSue Roche, Dan Devlin and Ann Costello

John Robin and Che McGeeDanielle van Kemenade, Veronica Morrison and Catherine Lombard

Michal Bundy, Di Davies and Jenny Parsons Guest of honour Ita Buttrose with Greg Fraser and Jane Allen

At the Cranleigh School art show opening

Anne Dunston, Greg Wagg and Alex Sloan

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scene / around canberra Photos by ANDREW FINCH & MICHELLE McAULAY

At the Starlight Foundation fundraiser, O’Malley

Martin Fisk, Sandra Marie, Michael Beacher and Eleanor Flowers

Boyd and Naomi HilbornRhonda Speight and Bronwyn Homann

Sarah Mitchinson and Jodie Newall

Tori Lee and Monica Styles Maria Wallace and Vivien Mitchell Roy and Sue Flowers

Vasilli and Radka Karellas with Lorena and Andrew Karellas

Helen Taylor, Angelo Liangis, Ross Taylor, Noel Taylor and Susanna TaylorBryan and Janet Cossart with Adelin Chin and John Guida

Back row: Louise Baxter, Anna Bezos, Bly Miers, Ron Shepherd, Miriana Cavic, Peter Munday, Margaret Job, Helen King, Fiona SanFrancesco. Front row: Angelo Liangis, John Liangis, Sotiria Liangis

Mike and Noelene De Podolinsky with Louise Baxter (Starlight CEO)

Hannah Dehelean, Jenny Morris and Kim Bussell Richard Beyer, Justine Smith and Paige Becker

At the Canberra Theatre season launch, Civic


3/25 Mustang Avenue Majura Park Medical Centre, Majura(find us between Costco and Trade Secret)

Phone: 6247 1999 Email: [email protected]

ALSO IN CANBERRA CITYThe Smile Lounge, Suite 5, 88-96 Bunda Street. Phone: 6247 5100

• Gentle & Caring• Children in Health Funds –

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• Orthodontics• Easy parking• Open Saturdays!

FamilyFriendly

You’re invited to the

Sundays from 10am, 2CC Talking Canberra presents an exciting new concept on Canberra radio – the CityNews Sunday Roast.

It’s a program that will trigger conversation and debate with news, views and background to issues that affect the great city in which we live.

And it’s a revolving panel show that brings to the microphone great “CityNews” writers and 2CC’s local personalities.

Be a part of the discussion and call 6255 1206

between 10am and noon

Sunday Roast

Canberra Confidential Know something? / [email protected]

WELCOME to Canberra. A retired Queensland couple visiting their daughter in Kingston have had their custom-made, retro-inspired tear-drop caravan, valued at $13,000, stolen from a unit complex car park, where the thieves dismantled the boomgate to get it out.

The wife had used inheritance money from her mother’s death towards the purchase of the caravan, one of a kind, as a retirement gift for

the couple to share. The caravan has a teal green

decal on the side and a Queensland registration (DD2595). The pop-up section at the back is fitted with a kitchenette.

“This is my parents’ pride and joy,” the daughter told “CityNews”. “There is a reward for its safe return.”

Contact Greg on 0425 228149 or call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333000.

HERE’S an image from “Certified Australian”, a just-opened exhibition by emerging artists Martin James and Hardy Lohse that takes aim at the Aus-tralian Government’s policies on border protection. It’s at ANCA Gallery, Dickson, until November 9.

Graffiti in a new guise

Sad tale of snaffled caravan

Borderline art

ONLY in clever-clogs Canberra? Watson reader and gardening writer Cedric Bryant loves reading biographies, so much so that to feed his insatiable appetite he’s joined the Dickson library and is cutting a swathe through their shelves.

With no little distress and irrita-tion he reports of the curious habit of previous borrowers scarring the margins of books with corrections

and annotations, saying it’s been the same with every one he’s borrowed.

To prove his point, he brought in his latest loan “Leonardo, the First Scientist” with page after page of ugly inked and pencilled commen-tary and correction.

When they’re in pencil, he diligently erases the scribbling. Ink, alas, is a lost cause.

Literary graffiti in the pages of the Dickson library’s copy of “Leonardo, the First Scientist”.

Dental-led recovery?HOW Local Pollies Fill the Relevance Vacuum No. 37: Newly minted minister Mick Gentleman continued the fine government executive tradition of opening anything (Chief Minister recently a dog-walking service, her deputy a rum bar) by cutting the ribbon for a new dental practice at Calwell.

He rather grandly pronounced that the opening of this new facility, with two principal dentists, “brings several new jobs to the south of Tuggeranong, along with increased economic activity for the region as a whole”.

High flyers say thanksCANBERRA Convention Bureau has presented Canberra Airport owner Terry Snow with “AirVolution”, a glossy, custom book of images reflecting the diversity of the nation’s capital and “thankful notes” from esteemed members of the Canberra community, as a communal thank you for everything the shiny new terminal has done for the city.

Bureau chief Robyn Hendry wrote that “Canberra Airport has well and truly surpassed the traditional definition of an airport” and Diplomat Hotel’s GM Rowland Fischer hailed it as having featured in “some of the most momentous and emotional times in mine and countless other lives”.

Laurie makes a pointIN case you are wondering what an ActewAGL “vegetation inspector” looks like the local power company thoughtfully attached a picture of two of them to a warning to owners or renters that it’s their responsibility to keep trees and other vegetation on the property safely 1.5 metres clear of powerlines.

This flushed out a tweet from reader Laurie Berry who sees a lot of them: “Every year I get a letter. Every year I ring them to say I do not have any trees or poles on my property. Every year they send a team to inspect my property. Every year the inspectors tell me that I have no trees or poles on my property.”


• Specialising in Halal Chicken, farmed Goats, Spring Lamb, Yearling Grain fed Beef and Veal.

• Fresh Fruit & Vegetables Direct from the farm when in season.

• Lebanese small goods.• Wood fired Italian Bread and

pizza bases, Lebanese bread, focaccia bread.

• Wholesale Available.

Q U A L I T Y P R O D U C E A T C O M P E T I T I V E P R I C E SJABAL HALAL MARKET

SHOP 2/79, MAWSON PLACE, MAWSON • (02)6286 7333

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Shop 1/22, Mawson Place, Mawson • Phone: 6156 3448

Mediterranean Delights R Us

If you need Mediterranean food… we’ve got it all right here!

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Meet me at Mawson advertising feature

Big shopping variety at buzzing MawsonThere’s a lot going on in Mawson! The buzzing Woden Valley suburb is named after the Antarctic explorer Sir Douglas Mawson, and features a range of shops and cafes to cater for everything you need, from health food to travel to physiotherapy and more. Here are some great reasons to meet at Mawson...

The natural way to looking good

Travel team’s new name, same smiles

HEALTHY, natural and sustainable liv-ing is the philosophy behind Let’s Be Natural, which stocks a wide range of health food, supplements, natural beauty and skincare products, sustainable living items and yoga supplies, says owner Ben Pfitzner.

They also offer onsite therapeutic massage through their partner Satori Body Care, as well as naturopathy and natural beauty facials.

“We have three key aims: to help Canberrans live healthily, to help

create a sustainable future, and to support local and Australian busi-nesses with like ethics,” says Ben.

Let’s Be Natural has a huge bulk food section, promoting waste reduction and allowing customers to buy as little or as much as they like.

“We try to source organic, biody-namic, natural, local and Australian products where possible, and are working on refining our range over time and in line with the actual needs of the local community”, says Ben.

Let’s Be Natural also has a range of natural beauty and skincare products, says assistant manager and natural beauty and skincare specialist Kristy.

“The natural and organic ingredients are a less toxic and far healthier option for health-savvy beauty lovers,” she says. “Over time, great results can be achieved and maintained.”

Let’s Be Natural, Shop 2, 77 Mawson Place. Call 6286 3775.

PREVIOUSLY known as Jetset Southlands, Southlands Travel & Cruise has changed its name and become an independent travel agency, but they’re the same helpful, smiling team, says owner Cathy Schroder.

“We provide professional and attentive service for holiday, corporate, special interest and cruise travel,” she says.

Cathy has owned the business for more than 18 years, and says the team recognises the importance of careful plan-ning and has the skills and knowledge to help clients get the best out of their travel experience.

“Members of the team have lived and travelled extensively throughout the world and it would be hard to find a region that at least one of the team hasn’t

travelled to!” she says. “Our genuine love of all things travel

means we can ensure your plans run smoothly and you have the most amazing journey – and we love when you come back and share your precious memories with us.”

Cathy says Southlands Travel & Cruise is a member of Cruiseco, and all members of the team are accredited by the Cruise Lines International Association. The business is accredited by IATA and AFTA/ATAS and is a partner in the Charter for Safe Travel, the Department of Foreign Affairs Smartraveller program.

Southlands Travel & Cruise, 93 Mawson Place, Mawson. Call 6286 5540.

Let’s Be Natural owner Ben Pfitzner… “We try to source organic, biodynamic, natural, local products.”

Southlands Travel & Cruise owner Cathy Schroder (front) with her experienced consultants.

Fresh and friendly place to meet

AS well as award-winning coffee, the Coffee Guru in Mawson also serves up many homemade items, says manager Karley Anderson.

“We make our own batter for Belgian waffles, and serve them with homemade butterscotch and choco-late sauces,” she says. “We also serve them American style, with bacon and maple syrup, and we do our own fruit smoothies, sandwiches, scones, salads and muffins. “We make them fresh on the premises.”

Coffee Guru offers a house blend coffee and single origins from Guatemala, Colombia and Brazil, and they allow customers to try before they buy.

The have a 10 per cent discount for seniors, as well as a $6.50 coffee and cake deal for them every Tuesday.

“We also have a kids’ corner where they can draw on the blackboard and have a bit of space to themselves,” says Karley.

“We get a lot of groups that come in – we have Bosom Buddies meeting here often, a running club on Saturdays and the Lions Club on Wednesdays. It’s a great place to meet with a lovely sense of community.”

Coffee Guru, Shop 1A, Heard Street Mawson. Call 6286 3137.Coffee Guru’s barista Zeresh Trinity.


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Phil and Lili set out two years ago to improve the service quality of tanning in Canberra. Business has grown and they have now expanded out into nail and eyelash extension services, delivering quality results and fantastic customer service.

They are easy to get hold of anytime and always call, email or message right back, PLUS for added convenience you can now book your tans online!

Shop 2b, Mawson Place,Mawson Southlands Shopping Centre

[email protected]

(02) 62 TOPTAN(02) 62 867826

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Our mission is to provide a wholistic physiotherapy service with a commitment to excellence and integrity.

Hands-On Physiotherapy have a team of physiotherapists with a wealth of experience in managing acute and chronic occupational, musculoskeletal and sports injuries.

• Hands-On Physiotherapy provides hand therapy following injury or surgery as well as management of Occupational Overuse Syndrome (RSI) and chronic conditions including pain, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

• Back, neck and postural pain including headaches, whiplash, manual handling and occupational injuries.

• Shoulder injury and rehabilitation after surgery.• Elbow injury and post surgical rehabilitation

Hip, knee and ankle pain and injury rehabilitation.

Phone: 02 6286 6467 Fax: 02 6286 6735 [email protected]/43 Mawson Pl, Mawson ACT 2607

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Safe and affordable tanningWITH quality tanning products that “not only look good, but feel great and last longer”, the team at Tantric Tanning and Nails offers affordable, safe tanning and great service, says owner Lili Griffin.

“It’s our plan to make tanning affordable, clean and give great rewards to those who want to tan regularly but save some money for better things, like festivals and weekends out!” she says.

Co-owners Phil and Lili say they wanted to improve the service quality of tanning in Canberra. They were sick of getting sticky feet, no-one ringing them back and dirty marks from grubby backboards.

On the way down the coast for some sun-safe surfing, they decided if they didn’t like it they should do something about it, and start their own business.

Tantric Tanning uses TechnoTan products and offers tips on how to make your tan last longer.

“Here at Tantric Tanning we understand that preparation and maintenance of a quality tan can be difficult to juggle,” says Lili. “We have trudged through the hundreds of tips and trialled many ourselves.”

Tantric Tanning and Nails, Shop 2B, Heard Street, Mawson. Call 6286 7826.

Courtney Booth, of Tantric Tanning and Nails, with spray tan equipment.

Consultants with a record of successMANAGEMENT consultancy Cogent has a proven record of dealing successfully with complex technical and management problems for large projects and large clients, says co-owner Helen Hill.

“We exceed the expectations of clients by creating a project environment that features close working relationships, a team-based approach to service delivery, and an uncompromising approach to the quality of service delivery,” she says.

Cogent’s range of strategic, business service and implementation advice and support covers the full spectrum of management and support disciplines necessary to deliver a holistic approach to solving business requirements.

They include business process support, change management, risk management,

corporate strategy develop-ment and implementation, IT architecture, provision of procurement advice and implementation, facilitation services, governance and leadership management services, integrated contract management, solution design, and contract management.

Cogent has offices in Canberra and Melbourne, and a network of consultants available around Australia.

Cogent Business Solutions, 105 Mawson Drive, Mawson. Call 6162 4490.

Cogent Business Solutions team, from left, Sue Toomey, Justine Bamblett, Manoli Reinhart, Ebony Joseph and Leonie Brosnahan.

Meet me at Mawson

CANBERRA LIVEWeekdays 3 - 6pm@CanberraLive2CC

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SOUTHLANDSOur wide range of services include:• Dose Administration Aids• Hire of Health Care Equipment• Blood Pressure Monitoring• Home Delivery

We also provide a number of professional services such as: • MedsCheck and Diabetes Medscheck, • Return of Unwanted Medicines • We are a NDSS subagent and carry diabetic supplies

FOR ALL THESE AND YOUR REGULAR PHARMACY NEEDS… COME AND SEE US TODAY!

PHONE 02 62863644 • OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK9-7 WEEKDAYS, 9-6 ON WEEKENDS AND MOST PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

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Do you need help to boost your business?Cogent Business Solutions is an industry and government business specialist focussing on:

Compliance Improvement

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Strategic planning & integration

Procurement & business analysis

Indigenous support and training

Cogent Business Solutions… Management for business success

Level 1, Beyond Bank Building, 105 Mawson Drive MawsonPh: 02 6162 4490www.cogent.com.au

EN2105

7.1x3EN2105 - Vienna Plate Restaurant - Mawson feature EN

Vienna Plate RestaurantVIE6999

The Club 6286 5793

Vienna Plate6286 6999

Heard Street, Mawsonwww.austrianclubcanberra.com

The Austrian Australian Club Tuesday to Sunday:Dinner: 6pm - 9pm

Thursday and Friday: Lunch: 12noon - 2pm

“Special Lunch”Every Thurs & Fri2 courses for only

$14.50

The traditional “Gemütlichkeit” Club• Serving Mawson for over 40 years• Large (200 seat) Hall• Private function Rooms• Book your Wedding, Party or group• Great range of local and imported wines and beers • Club open 11am, 7 days a week

Vienna Plate Restaurant • Specialising in Austrian and German food

(Eisbein, Bauernschmaus, Wiener Teller and Kassler)

Hands-On and ready to help with painHANDS-ON Physiotherapy has a team of physiothera-pists with experience in managing acute and chronic occupational, musculoskeletal and sports injuries, say co-owners Liz Webb and Catherine Riddel.

Established in 2000, Hands-On Physiotherapy offers general physiotherapy and hand therapy.

“Our mission is to provide a holistic physiotherapy service with a commitment to excellence and integrity,” says Liz.

Hand therapy following injury or surgery as well as management of Occupational Overuse Syndrome (RSI) and chronic conditions, including pain, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, is available.

“We can treat or manage injuries including sports

injuries, wrist and finger fractures, elbow fractures, carpal tunnel syndrome, joint replacements in the hand, wrist or elbow, nerve entrapment syndromes and osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other inflamma-tory arthritic conditions,” she says.

“We also fabricate static and dynamic splints for our clients as required by their treating surgeons or condition management.

“We have experience with Graded Motor Imagery (GMI) in the management of phantom pain, chronic pain, CRPS and post trauma.”

Hands-On Physiotherapy, 1/43 Mawson Place, Mawson. Call 6286 6467.

A bigger, better chemistTHE Capital Chemist in Mawson is undergoing renova-tions to improve the service offered to the community, says co-owner Gareth Wheeldon.

Owned by Gareth and his wife Kate Wheeldon, along with Peter Downing and new owner Louise McLean, Capital Chemist is a few weeks away from completion of the work, which will create a bigger, better store.

“We’re putting in a private consulting room and streamlining the processes, including a space for getting scripts filled and picked up,” says Gareth.

“Our aim is to improve the customer experience in store.”

Gareth says the Mawson Centre has a lot going on, and he likes the wide range of customers that come into the shop.

“There is a great family feel to the centre, and I enjoy contributing to the community,” he says.

Capital Chemist Southlands, Southlands Shopping Centre, Mawson Place, Mawson. Call 6286 3644.

Capital Chemist Southlands’ Louise McLean and Gareth Wheeldon.

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on selected cruises

FORMERLY JETSET SOUTHLANDS

Unit 6 Quality Centre, 93 Mawson Place (behind the post office), Mawson, ACT 2607 | Email: [email protected] 6286 5540

Nothing has changed!Same happy, smiling faces and professional service

For all your travel needs, please pop in or call to speak to our Travel & Cruise Specialists

MAWSONOpen 7 days

Locally owned and managedPremium coffee beans all roasted in Australia

Single blends of Guatamalan, Columbian and Brazilian (all available on request)

Good range of sandwiches and rolls as well as delicious fruit smoothies and saladsWide range of gluten free products.

SPECIALS:Kids corner and kids menu 10% discounts for Seniors

Groups welcome and catered for

SOUTHLANDSMAWSON

P. 6286 3137

Become a guru and meet at Coffee Guru Mawson!

EN2104.indd 1 17/10/2014 12:25 pm

Iron Chef with a homely promiseWITH a friendly and welcoming family-run environment, and using only the best spices and ingredients, the Iron Chef Chinese and Malaysian Restaurant is a place to come and feel at home, says owner Melissa Leung.

“It’s very homely and we love to cater for parties as well as lunch and dinner” she says.

Entrees include dim sims, san choy bow or vegetarian spring rolls, and if you can’t decide, the mixed entree has

a little something for every member of your family, says Melissa.

“Next, move on to one of our perfect mains like szechuan chicken, barbecue pork, fillet steak with black pepper or steamed duck. We can make the meals as spicy or mild as you like, and we also have a range of vegetarian dishes.”

Iron Chef Chinese and Malaysian Restaurant, 11/93 Mawson Place, Mawson. Call 6286 8678.

The Iron Chef Chinese and Malaysian Restaurant’s chicken laksa.

Meet me at Mawson

Austrian club’s living culture and heritage

WITH the aim of preserving Austrian heritage and culture, making friends and sharing interests, the Austrian Australian Club was started in 1970, says manager Mark Robertson.

These “pioneers” who started the club also formed a choir and folk dance group, which has kept Austrian culture alive in Canberra.

The Austrian Australian Club is open seven days a week and is fully accessible, with a bar, a smokers’ area, a fully licensed restaurant and a function hall.

“The function hall caters from 30 to 200 people and is the ideal venue for weddings, anniversaries, dances or any special occasion,” says Mark.

“A smaller room, for around 30 people, is also available for hire and is perfect for meetings and luncheons.”

The Austrian Australian Club, Heard Street, Mawson. Call 6286 5793.

Sean Coventry owner chef of the Vienna Plate restaurant and Austrian Australian Club manager Mark Robertson.


Shop 3/8, Southlands Shopping CentreCanberra • 02 6286 2261

Mon-Fri 7.30am-8pm, Sat-Sun 8am-3pm

The way meat should be… fruit and vegetables, too

Delicious delights of the Mediterranean

JABAL Halal Market has the finest of meats with the friendliest butcher, offering the chance to experience the way meat should be prepared, says owner Tariq Jabal.

Jabal Halal specialises in Halal chicken, farmed goats, spring lamb, yearling grain-fed beef and veal.

“We also stock fresh fruit and vegetables direct from

the farm when in season, as well as wood-fired Italian bread and pizza bases, Lebanese bread, focaccia bread and Lebanese small goods,” says Tariq.

“We have quality produce at competitive prices.”

Jabal Halal Market, Shop 2/79, Heard Street, Mawson. Call 6286 7333.

ALL things delicious are avail-able at Mediterranean Delights R Us, from nuts, cheeses, olives, sweets and a wide range of groceries from the Med, says owner Moustafa Elbadar.

“We have a roasted hot nut bar, with more than 40 different types, including pistachios, walnuts, a Mediterranean mix and a healthy mix,” he says.

“We also have a lolly bar with all different types of sweets, an olive bar, featuring stuffed varieties with feta, chilli, sun-dried tomatoes, anchovies, artichokes and kalamata.”

The shop also stocks Mediterranean groceries, and has a gourmet deli with Greek, Italian, French and Lebanese cheeses, as well as breads, spices, flours, pastas, tea, biscuits, milk, yogurt and a wide range of gluten-free options, says Mustafa.

Mediterranean Delights R Us, 1/22 Mawson Place, Mawson. Call 6156 3448.

Jabal Halal’s Mahnaz Jabal and Nadia Jabal with fresh produce.

Moustafa Elbadar, owner of Mediterranean Delights R Us.

advertising feature


Tuesday 4th November“I’d rather be at the Races!”

Gates open at 9.30am | General Admission tickets available for $25 per personCanberra Outlet Centre Fashions on the field competition

Tickets available at ticketek.com.au or at the gateFor more information visit thoroughbredpark.com.au or call on 02 6204 0000

Dip into the mood and excitement of race day

Melbourne Cup Day, on Tuesday, November 4, is one of the biggest social events of the year for racing fans, socialites and fashionistas alike! Here is some inspiration about what to do and where to be seen on Melbourne Cup Day.

Cocktails at the CapitalINSTEAD of another office party where you’re all huddled around one screen, why not celebrate with cocktails in style at Capital & Co Bar at Rydges Capital Hill?

“We’re hosting a four-hour cocktail party with beverages and a chef’s selection of canapes included,” says Elizabeth Notting, conference sales manager at Rydges Capital Hill.

“The event will run from 12pm-4pm and costs $79 per person.

“With on-site TAB facilities, lucky door prizes, live music from 12pm and a DJ from 4pm, it’s set to be a glamorous event.”

Two large screens will show the race and there will also be prizes for the best dressed.

Rydges Capital Hill, 17 Canberra Avenue, Forrest. Call 6295 3144 or email [email protected]

Melbourne Cup lunches advertising feature


THE CUP THREE COURSE MEALENTREEPrawn and mango cocktail.ORCajun crusted chicken tenderloins on a mixed salad with lime aioli.MAINChar-grilled beef fi llet (275gram) on Dijon infused mash and fi nished with a mushroom Shiraz jus.ORPan-fried Atlantic salmon on a dill and lemon risotto topped with a champagne cream sauce.DESSERTLemon meringue pie with a passionfruit sorbet.ORMalibu chocolate profi teroles with hot chocolate fudge sauce and double cream.

$40.50 PER PERSON. BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL!

ENJOY A DELICIOUS MELBOURNE CUP LUNCHEON AND WATCH THE RACE THAT STOPS A NATION

THE CUP PLATTERSIndividual serve plate fi lled with roast chicken, leg ham, Queensland prawns, potato salad, coleslaw and a fresh bread roll with butter.PLUS A COMPLIMENTARY DESSERT AND COFFEE OR TEA!

$28.50 PER PERSON

MELBOURNE CUP 2014AT THE CANBERRA LABOR CLUB BELCONNEN

Bookings essential. Contact the Club on 02 6251 5522

RACE SHOWN ON ALL THE BIG SCREENS.

SWEEPS AVAILABLE ON THE DAY.

FREE GLASS OF BUBBLY WITH EACH 3 COURSE

MEAL PURCHASED.

FREE LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND LUCKY DOOR PRIZES

TO BE WON.

BELCONNEN ONLY!!

PLUS ONE OF THE LARGEST ACTTAB SUB-AGENCIES IN OPERATION ON THE DAY!

ACT GAMBLING COUNSELLING & AGCSS

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For the information of members.www.laborclub.com.au

Melbourne Cup lunches / advertising featureTake the plunge trackside

A winning place to be

THOROUGHBRED Park has a range of hospitality and function options to choose from to suit all budgets for the day, although the Silks Room and the Rich Reward Room are already booked up, says Briony Young, Thoroughbred Park’s sales and marketing manager.

“We do have tickets available for Picnic Place, where you purchase a table-and-chairs base for the day at the 300-metre mark,” she says. “It’s located close to the outdoor bar, which is a new service for our patrons, and you bring your own picnic hamper along – but no alcohol; bags will be searched at the gate.”

Exclusive marquee Catbird Lane is another dining option, and while it doesn’t have track views it’s only a short walk to the track and all food and drink is included.

For those who want to be seen in all the right places, become a member of the Canberra Racing Club a few days before the event to gain access to the Black Opal Room, says Briony.

For the general public, Briony suggests coming along early to grab a picnic table.

“The gates open at 9.30am, so be quick and bring your own picnic,” she says.

“We’ll also have the outdoor bar, trackside snack bar and other food vendors on site.”

Tickets are available at the gate or pre-purchase online at Ticketek or at a Ticketek agency. More information and prices from 6204 0000 or at thoroughbredpark.com.au

WITH free live entertainment, a three-course meal and the con-venience of one of the largest ACTTAB sub-agencies available on Melbourne Cup Day, the Canberra Labor Club Group is the place to be, says functions co-ordinator Matt Michel.

At the Belconnen club, the race will be shown on all big screens, and a delicious three-course meal is available for $40.50 per person, including a free glass of bubbly.

“Also available is the Cup Platter, which costs $28.50 per person and includes a free dessert and tea or coffee,” Matt says.

Sweeps are available for the main race, and there will be lucky door and best-dressed prizes, as well as free entertain-ment by local acoustic soul band Tuchasoul.

At the City, Ginninderra and Weston Creek Labor Clubs, there will be Melbourne Cup blackboard specials and lucky door prizes.

For more information, visit laborclub.com.au

Acoustic soul performers, Touchasoul, performing at the Belconnen Labor Club’s Cup Day lunch. Catbird Lane. Picnic Place.


Sweet Apple

• Jockey silks • Horse outfits• Decorations for your

office Melbourne Cup day sweeps or luncheons

Open Monday – Saturday

Phone 6280 9117 Shop 2, 79-81 Gladstone Street, Fyshwick, ACT 2609

COSTUME HIRE

FOR ALLOF YOUR

MELBOURNE CUPCOSTUME & PARTY

DECORATIONNEEDS!

Melbourne Cup lunchesDine among tropical foliageTHE Pavilion on Northbourne is offering an afternoon of entertain-ment for the race that stops the nation, says group general manager Jackie McKeown.

The Melbourne Cup luncheon will be held in the beautiful, recently renovated tropical atrium setting of the Pavilion, says Jackie.

With the race broadcast live on the big screen, there will also be onsite ACTAB facilities, a fashion parade, sweepstakes, trivia, lucky

door prizes and much more, including guest appearances from the ACT Brumbies rugby team.

Tickets cost $115, or $1100 for a table of 10, and include a three-course lunch and a three-hour beverage package.

Pavilion on Northbourne, 242 Northbourne Avenue, Dickson. Call 6247 6888, visit pavilioncanberra.com or email [email protected]

Sweet costumes for hireWHILE many people focus on Fashions on the Field on Melbourne Cup Day, others may choose to hire a jockey or a horse costume for an office party or corporate event.

“Sometimes it’s restaurant staff dressing up for Melbourne Cup events, or people who want to hire a really crazy hat for the festivities,” says Sue Knight, owner of Sweet Apple Costume Hire.

“We have several jockey costumes with a shirt, hat and trousers which are really popular, and we even have a two-person horse costume!”

Sweet Apple Costume Hire has operated in Canberra for almost

40 years, having been based in Manuka, Kingston and now Fyshwick for the past five years.

“We have a large range of costumes to hire, from gangsters and superheroes to Disney and Halloween costumes, and fancy dress hire for many themes and occasions,” says Sue.

“We also have a large range of wigs and accessories, and a small range of costumes to buy.”

Sweet Apple Costume Hire, 79-81 Gladstone Street, Fyshwick. Call 6280 9117 .

The Pavilion on Northbourne’s tropical atrium setting.


Luncheon held in NEWLY refurbished Tropical Garden Atrium and Restaurant

2014 Melbourne CupL U N C H E O N

Join us for our Melbourne Cup Luncheon to celebrate everyone’s favourite race! With a 3 course buffet and a 3 hour beverage package for only $115* per guest, this is the perfect event to celebrate with your colleagues, family or friends. Don’t forget to dress to impress for your chance to win our Best Dressed and Hat prize!

$115pp includes

3 hour drinks package

L U N C H E O N I N C L U D ES

• 3 COURSE BUFFET LUNCH

• GLASS OF CHANDON SPARKLING ON ARRIVAL

• ONSITE TAB FACILITIES

• FASHION PARADE

• SWEEPSTAKES

• BEST DRESSED AND BEST HAT PRIZE

• LUCKY DOOR PRIZE

BOOK NOW!

Phone: 1800 828 000 [email protected]

Pavilion on Northbourne | 242 Northbourne Ave, Dickson, ACT. 2602

Mercure Canberra will be showing all the action live on our big screens from midday. Two course lunch, ACTTAB facilities and bar with race day specials. What are you waiting for? Get a group of friends together and book your place now!

$35.00 per guest includes:Glass of sparkling wine or Sydney Brewery Beer on arrival2 course lunch – antipasto platter + alternate main courseMelbourne Cup themed function roomLive racing on the big screenSweepstakes throughout the dayPrize for best dressed

Bookings are essential, phone 02 6243 0024 or email [email protected] Ainslie & Limestone Avenues, Braddon | mercurecanberra.com.au

Where will you be watching the race that stops a nation this year?

Mercure REB0299.indd 1 20/10/2014 10:28 am

advertising feature

Wine and beer, it all starts hereWHERE will you be watching the race that stops a nation this year?

The historic four-star Mercure Hotel Canberra, previously known as the Hotel Ainslie and Olims, will be showing all the action live on big screens from midday, says general manager, Scott Grant.

“We are offering a two-course lunch, ACTTAB facilities and bar with race day specials,” he says.

“It costs $35 per guest, which includes a glass of

sparkling wine or Sydney Brewery Beer on arrival, a two-course lunch with antipasto platter and alternate main course, Melbourne Cup-themed function room, live racing on the big screen, sweepstakes throughout the day and a prize for best dressed.”

Mercure Hotel Canberra, Limestone Avenue, Braddon. Bookings are essential, phone 6243 0024 or email [email protected]

Mecure Hotel Canberra… Two-course lunch, ACTTAB facilities and bar with race day specials.

Breaking news, arts & socials every day…


Queanbeyan Players Inc. Presents

1st – 15th November 2014

At The Qwww.theq.net.auPhone: 6285 6290

Adults $45 | Concession $40 | Children 15 & under $25Party of 6 + $35 each

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Cooleman Court Weston Creek | 6293 4677www. songland.com.au | OPEN 7 DAYS

Would you like to watch those old family videos once again, or listen to your favourite records on CD? We can take your vinyl records or cassette tapes and put them onto CD and we transfer VHS tapes onto DVD.

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Ian Meikle

editor

Greg Jones

CEO

Experience.Well written, well read.

arts & entertainment Dougal MacdonaldDark walk on the calm side

Black comedyon an epic scale

MOST of us can remember times when our own families went through rough patches emotionally. If we thought we had problems, they were nowhere near as monumental as those of the Weston family portrayed in Tracy Letts’ award-winning 2008 play, “August: Osage County”.

A black comedy on an epic scale, the play shows us the interaction of an Oklahoma family before and after the death of a family member.

The director, Cate Clelland, and her large cast of performers take us on a rollercoaster ride through every human emotion that is fascinating, harrowing, moving, very funny and ultimately hugely enjoyable.

Every member of the cast of 13 more than meets the considerable challenges of this play. Karen Vickery and Andrea Close as mother and daughter have the lion’s share of the dialogue and both give perfor-mances that will leave you breathless. Jim Adamik, Liz Bradley, Lainie Hart and Karen Weston are especially memorable but everyone has their moment to shine.

The action of the play takes place in various rooms of a rambling old house. Clelland’s set designs cleverly use the wide space in the Courtyard Studio so that we can see simultaneous action in various rooms as required. The show is nicely lit by Hamish McConchie with well-chosen costumes by Fiona Leach and enhanced by the subtle sound design by Tracey Rice.

Clelland has directed one of her best shows. This is an excellent production of an extraordinary play.

theatre“August: Osage County”Written by Tracy Letts, directed by Cate Clelland.At the Courtyard Studio, Canberra Theatre Centre, until November 2.Reviewed by Len Power

Violinist Rusanda Panfili… “I’m still a classical performer, but one doesn’t have to be a folk musician to play gypsy violin”.

Rusanda readies to spark gypsy fireCANBERRA-bound violinist Rusanda Panfili may be a fun-loving girl in one of the world’s most exciting cities, but she is a serious artist who leads a disciplined private life.

“It’s very difficult, I must combine my friendships with my job, but fortunately my dear friends are musicians,” says the 25-year-old Vienna-based performer, where she’s completing a masters at the University of Music and Performing Arts.

A first-prize winner at the Fidelio Music Competition in Vienna, she’s also been branching out into Viennese waltz and tango – and she dances, too.

Panfili will be in Canberra at the end of the month to perform in “Gypsy Fire”, the latest of Canberra musical entrepreneur Carl Rafferty’s famous Albert Hall dinner-

concert extravaganzas. It will be what Rafferty calls “scintil-

lating showmanship”, a combination of virtuoso violin and coloratura soprano, featuring famous gypsy violin tunes such as “Dark Eyes”, Brahms’ Hungarian Dance no. 5, and somehow, even tunes by Tchaikovsky, Strauss and Puccini.

Panfili couldn’t be more excited.“I’m really looking forward to visiting

Australia, it’s very exotic for me,” she tells “CityNews” by phone from Vienna.

The title of the concert goes back to Panfili’s origins in Romania where, although born in Moldova, she was raised.

“Many of the pieces we are performing were written by Romanian composers so they’re very much folk-inspired,” she explains. “In Romania lots of the folk musicians are gypsies.”

But hers is strictly a classical music education, so where does she fit?

Panfili says she started violin practice very early, moving to Vienna at age 11 to study at the conservatory.

“I’m still a classical performer, but one doesn’t have to be a folk musician to play gypsy violin,” she says.

“A violinist should have that in their repertoire… my performances are still classical, but with a lot of fun.”

A recent video clip shows Panfili and Rafferty’s soprano daughter Kate floating around the gardens and historical

monuments of the Austrian capital while playing, singing, dancing and generally having a good time.

Panfili tells me she and Kate have been trying “Gypsy Fire” out on European audi-ences after meeting through a pianist and “doing little concerts here and there”.

“The musical community is quite small here in Vienna,” she reports, so she and Kate have quickly become good friends, so much so that, as father Carl reports, they’ve been “punishing my plastic buying sensational dresses to bring to Australia for ‘Gypsy Fire’.”

“Gypsy Fire”, Albert Hall, Friday, October 31, Saturday, November 1 and Sunday, November 2. Bookings to [email protected] or 0417 429899.

COVER STORYHelen Musa

Andrea Close.


The Scope and Depth of Thought

Join us for a free talk by

interna�onal speaker and

Chris�an Science healer

Mary Bea�e

Sunday 26th October at 2.30pm The Recep�on Room of the Legisla�ve p�on Room of tf he Le

Assembly BuildingAssembly BuildingLondon Circuit, Canberra

sponsored by the Chris�an Science Church, Canberra

www.chris�anscience.comwww.chris�ansciencechurchcanberra.com

enquiries 0408 274 498

Learn how spiritualising thought brings health and harmony into our lives

Tim and daughter Eske

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19 – 12.30pm

BRASSEY HOTEL, BARTONLunch with wine, $65pp • Limited numbers • Bookings to http://bit.ly/1vPLvya

THE ACT COUNCIL OF SAVE THE CHILDREN – 2014 ANNUAL ADDRESS

‘Our Amazing Family’

Come and share the tears and joy as well-known Canberra sports broadcaster Tim Gavel OAM and wife Dr Jenny Andrew

share the happiness and heartache of their remarkable family life.

arts & entertainment

Dark walk on the calm side“A Walk Among the Tombstones” (MA)

IN Scott Finlay’s adaptation of a novel by Lawrence Block, Liam Neeson plays a former NYPD detective gone private for reasons that emerge during the film.

Scudder reluctantly accepts a commission from Ortiz (Maurice Compte) to find the men who yesterday kidnapped his wife.

Only after paying the ransom did Ortiz learn that the lady had already been dissected. We’ve gotta take this at face value. What follows is a fairly linear investigation in which homeless black youth TJ attaches himself to Scudder in a relationship that becomes a major element of the plot.

The kidnappers are two gay psychopaths who get their kicks from watching women die slowly and painfully in passages that leave the physical and emotional details to the filmgoer’s imagination.

Tracking them down and dealing with them stretches Scudder’s moral principles further than he expects. He and TJ guide the film along a steady flow of tension and conflict untrammelled

by the clichés of the cop genre. No traffic sequences with flashing lights and screaming sirens. Scudder walks or uses public

transport to get around. And although his police

career is history, police procedures sustain him in doing what he now does.

The film takes most of its strength and dramatic validity from Neeson’s calm delivery. It delivers no message, it keeps within the bounds of credibility. How refreshing it is to watch an American cop thriller carrying none of the genes of so many, too many, weary and cliché-packed TV crime series.At Hoyts, Dendy, Capitol 6 and Limelight

“Tammy” (MA) PEOPLE sometimes tell me that they envy what I do for “CityNews”. I see a lot of bum movies. I consider my duty best performed by warning readers about films the truth of which publicists don’t want cinemagoers to know until it’s too late to back out.

One such film is this foul-mouthed mishmash of unfunny dramatic stupidity masquerading as comedy. Melissa McCarthy and husband Ben Falcone co-wrote and co-produced it.

Ms McCarthy plays hamburger-joint waitress Tammy who, after getting fired for rational reasons, goes home to find her husband having lunch with an attractive neighbour.

In a fit of jealousy, Tammy borrows her grandmother’s car to drive to Niagara Falls. Grandma insists on coming along. You can’t help liking Grandma, a great comic character, the film’s brightest light, an alcoholic nymphomaniac with a fat roll of banknotes.

Playing Grandma with more juice than the film deserves, Susan Sarandon leads a supporting cast including Toni Collette, Allison Janney, Kathy Bates and Sandra Oh, actresses of repute that makes their reasons for taking the gig hard to discern.

But the unattractive, tedious, unexciting, re-petitive, lacklustre, mind-numbing participation of Ms McCarthy, dominating the film both behind and in front of the camera, is more than this or any other film should have to try to overcome. At Hoyts and Limelight

“Son of a Gun” (MA) WRITER/director Julian Avery’s feature debut can stand proud beside any other filmmaker’s work as it visits a prison full of really hard cases, the WA goldfields and underworld environments.

At 19, JR (Brendan Thwaites) is the kind of fresh meat old lags in jail find delicious. He’s resilient enough to survive early days, during which he catches the eye of Brendan (Ewan McGregor), doing 20 years. Brendan doesn’t want JR for a toy boy. He sees in him a possible accomplice in a major gold theft that he and wealthy string-puller Sam (Jacek Koman) are planning.

First, however, it is necessary to bust Brendan out from the cooler, using a helicopter. That, followed by the heist and its immediate consequences, provides the bulk of the film’s excitements and tensions. The heist may have succeeded, but there’s no honour among thieves.

At Palace Electric and LimelightDOUGAL MACDONALD

arts in the cityMusical homage to painting hero

INDEFATIGABLE 2013 “CityNews” Artist of the Year, Chris Latham, is behind a concert at the NGA called “Invocations: Eight meditations on paintings by Arthur Boyd”. Perform-ers will include Louise Page, David Pereira and Virginia Taylor. Latham says he’s paying homage to Boyd and his favourite Aussie curator, the NGA’s Dr Deborah Hart. At James O Fairfax Theatre 7pm-8pm Friday, October 31, bookings to online.nga.gov.au/eventbookings

QUEANBEYAN Players are all optimism with Janetta McRae’s coming production of “The Sound of Music”, at The Q from November 1 to 15. The first two shows on November 1 and 2 start at 5pm. Bookings to theq.net.au or 6285 6290.

“COME Alive”, Canberra’s popular schools festival of museum theatre, is moving from its original home to Questacon. Director Peter Wilkins says students from Orana, Stromlo High, Canberra College, Girls’ Gram-mar School, St Clare’s, Narrabundah College, Lake Ginninderra College and St Francis Xavier College will select an exhibit/character/object/event on which to research and devise a piece of theatre or dance. Performances at Questacon, October 27-November 2 each day at noon and 6 pm. Free event.

TO celebrate 30 years of music-making, Canberra Brass (once

Hall Village Brass Band) is staging a concert with the Canberra Burns Club Pipe Band and the Strange Weather Gospel Choir. The finale will see all the musicians on stage – pipes, drums, brass and voice. Canberra Girls’ Grammar Concert Hall, 3pm, on November 2, bookings to trybooking.com/FZSR, and tickets at the door.

CLEVER bassoonist David Whit-bread is jumping into Wesley Music Centre’s “Wednesday Lunchtime Live” series with a reprise of his show, “Things You Shouldn’t Do on a Bassoon”, Wednesday, October 29, 12.40pm-1.20pm. Entry by donation of $5 or $2 concession. No need to book.

THE ANU Choral Society’s concert at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church,

Forrest, 7.30pm, on November 1 has called that show “a somewhat faltering progression from despair to hope”. Bookings to trybooking.com.au/FWJW and tickets at the door.

THE National Capital Orchestra’s next concert, “Passion and Power” (Albert Hall, 3pm, October 26), features the premiere of Canberra composer Sally Greenaway’s “The Blue Mountains”, Tchaikovsky’s “The Tempest” and “Nutcracker Suite”, and Dvorak’s Symphony no 7. Bookings to nco.org.au or tickets at the door.

HELEN MUSA

Canberra Brass… celebrating 30 years of making music.


$2,000 CASH DRAW!

TO REGISTER PH. 6288 4244 OR GO TO WWW.ARTHRITISACT.ORG.AU

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GJ10882.indd 1 13/10/2014 12:48 pmSAVE $10*ON EACH TICKETAND SECURE THE BEST SEATS BY BECOMING ASEASON TICKET HOLDER

AND WE’RE CELEBRATING WITHA SEASON PACKED FULL WITH18 OF AUSTRALIA’S VERYBEST PRODUCTIONS.Call our Box Offi ce team, or visit our website to fi nd out why you should become a Season Ticket Holder in 2015.

Mother &Son

The WharfRevue

Black Diggers

Giselle

* BASED ON A-RESERVE ADULT TICKET

arts & entertainment

‘Tis the season to be bookingBy Helen Musa

THE Canberra Theatre’s season of theatrical goodies for its fiftieth anniversary year 2015 comes with novelties, old favourites and one or two surprises.

With 16 shows and two add-ons in the form of “Sweet Charity” in February and the Count Basie Orchestra in May, it almost rivals the theatre’s 2013 centenary program for size.

One of the most idiosyncratic of Canberra’s arts personalities, Mikelangelo, will feature in Big hART’S September production “Ghosts in the Scheme,” written by Scott Rankin about Snowy Mountains immigrants.

The Australian Ballet will be back on the big stage in May with “Giselle”. The company was here when the theatre opened in 1965 but has been missing in action for some years.

Dance-buffs have much to rejoice at. In April-May the Sydney Dance Company brings a work by celebrated German-based choreographer William Forsythe, who will be in Australia to restage his work “Quintett”.

Bangarra will be back in July with Frances Rings joining Torres Strait choreographers Deborah Brown and Waangenga Blanco in “Lore”.

Circus triumphs with the return in February of Circa, billed as “rock stars of the circus world” with “Beyond” and in September Circus Oz will be here with the vaudeville-inspired show, “But Wait…There’s More”.

For lovers of plays there is the tra-ditional February season opener in

Geoffrey Atherdon’s stage version of “Mother and Son”, starring Noeline Brown and Darren Gilshenan.

In May the irrepressible Miriam Margolyes brings us a few terrifying stage dames in “The Importance of Being Miriam” when she takes on characters from literature such as Mrs Malaprop, Lady Catherine de Bourg and Mrs Corney.

And in August, Geordie Brook-man and the State Theatre Company of SA will stage Pinter’s searching play, “Betrayal”, featuring former Canberra actor Alison Bell.

John Bell’s last season at the head of his company brings us “As You Like It” in April, with Bell as Jacques. In October

they’ll have “Hamlet”, the play which started the

company here in 1991, with Josh McConville as the melancholy Dane.

Children are not forgotten, with Theatre of Image’s hottest new property, “Monkey… Journey to the West” coming around Anzac Day, co-directed by John Bell and Carpenter. In June, the Sydney Theatre Company, collaborating with Perth’s Barking Gecko Theatre, has Colin Thiele’s “Storm Boy”.

Queensland Theatre Com-pany will present “Black Diggers” in March. It’s the story of World War I’s Aboriginal enlisted men. The company will return in June with Matthew Ryan’s play “Kelly” set in old Melbourne Gaol on the eve of Ned’s execution when the

apparently undead Dan Kelly visits Ned disguised as a priest.

We haven’t forgotten the silli-est act of all, The Wharf Revue, now in its 15th year. Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsyth and Phil Scott haven’t written it yet, but small matter – Canberrans will flock for the political satire.

Oh, yes, and for schmoozers, there’ll be a snazzy gala dinner

on stage at the big theatre in May. I hear it’s booking fast.

Canberra Theatre 2015 subscription seasons, bookings to 6275 2700 or canberratheatrecentre.com.au

The Australian Ballet’s “Giselle”... the same work from when the theatre opened in 1965.

For kids… Theatre of Image’s hottest new property,

“Monkey… Journey to the West”.


IGA ROOFTOP HOUSEGALA DINNER!The FIRST IGA ROOFTOP HOUSE GALA DINNER 2014This unique IGA Rooftop House program is a program that is much needed by the wider community, a program that will prosper through community, business and government participation, a program that will eventually be supported nationally with an IGA Rooftop House built near every major or regional hospital.

As a new initiative of Rooftop Foundation – a not for profit charity – The IGA Rooftop House Project relies on fundraising, community partners and the generosity of business and the local community to meet the needs of providing house and support families of individuals from regional areas who are experiencing serious illnesses requiring hospital treatment where accommodation is not available or too expensive to house the entire family where required.

This years first ball promises to be an opportunity to raise funds for local people in our community who are doing it tough.

EASTROW HOUSE

DATE: Friday 31st October, 2014WHERE: Corinna Ballroom, Canberra Southern Cross Club Woden 92-96 Corinna Street, Phillip ACT 2606TIME: 6.45pm for 7.30pm startDRESS: FormalPARKING: Open air parking directly opposite the ClubCOST: $120 per person, tables of 10. Includes a three course meal plus beer, wine and soft drink

Payment Cheque, Direct Deposit or Credit CardFor more information go to www.igaeastrowhouse.org.au or email [email protected]

La Scala Italian RestaurantCelebrating 25 years of excellence and welcomed as an accredited member restaurant to The Academy of Italian Cuisine for accurately displaying Italian culinary traditions and innovations.

Centre Cinema Building, Garema Place, Canberra City 6248 8338www.lascala.net.au

GJ10348.indd 1 1/04/2014 1:10 pm

arts & entertainment / dining

Service with a smile – and a sympathetic earI LOVE pomegranates. Lots of tiny, perfect, ruby red little seeds in a plump, rounded outer case. It’s a sweet analogy for a restaurant where lots of bits are involved in creating a whole experience.

And that takes me to Pomegranate Restaurant in Kingston.

It’s on Giles Street, where European was for a brief spell. Nothing much has changed with the décor, but the menu has transformed into modern Australian fare with a Mediterranean influence.

Staff greeted us with smiles and the service was friendly throughout our stay as well as efficient but not intrusive. We felt at home and sat at a long table tucked in a corner where it was quiet (European had a noise issue when the place was packed).

We started with the recommended zucchini flowers stuffed with goats cheese, feta cheese, bocconcini and Sicilian olives. They were dusted with a housemade dukkah

crumb ($18). If you love a “cheese combo” you’ll

love the stuffing. We felt the crumb lacked flavour.

We applauded Pomegranate for

increasing the flowers from three to four to suit our party. Too often

restaurants aren’t proactive

with this, which can make it awkward to share. The salmon carpaccio (always a favourite of mine)

was marinated with apple cider vinegar, onion, ginger and chilli – intriguing flavours that worked a treat and a generous serve of salmon for the $18 price tag.

After our entrees we were served a complimentary refreshing lime and mint cleanser. Delightful.

Pomegranate doesn’t offer an extensive list of mains

but instead concentrates on quality.My Wagyu striploin with creamy mash, exotic

mushrooms and a rich, rewarding beef jus ($33) was a winner. Looking for pomegranate (surely it had to be on the menu), one of our party ordered the crispy skin duck leg with celeriac puree, more of those exotic mushrooms, zucchini, and a slightly tangy pomegranate sauce ($31). The other mains didn’t disappoint either.

One component of our meal that did disap-point was the side salad. The menu didn’t mention tomatoes but there they were in all their glory and one of our party isn’t at all enamoured with them. We agreed the dressing was overpowering and,

indeed, interfered with the other dishes. We also applauded Pomegranate for asking how we

enjoyed our experience. Sounds simple but it’s amazing how one can be ignored after being served. We provided feedback, including on the salad, and we felt listened to and appreciated. I haven’t been back as yet, but my bet is that matters raised have been nicely adjusted.

Pomegranate offers a degustation menu ($68 per person without wine and $98 with). The wine list is thoughtful and includes some quality local labels. I’ll return to give it a go.

Pomegranate, 31 Giles Street, Kingston. Call 6295 1515.

Chocolate mousse cake with chocolate ganache, fresh berries and pomegranate sorbet.

Pomegranate’s chargrilled chicken breast served with grilled vegetables and dijon lime mustard dressing. Photos by Gary Schafer

Challenging work of striking imageryWITH some striking imagery and innovative choices in design, Cathy Petocz’s play about connection between people, events and chance creates a world of pure sculptural moments mixed together in a kind of dreamscape.

With Kimmo Vennonen’s Sound Design, the play floats above the audience while accentuated by con-trolled distractions. One is left as if in a half-dreaming state between awake and dreaming while the radio plays in the background.

The concept shatters the notion of chronological order; rather exposing circles of relationship that mirror, echo and shadow each other. Is this essentially what all personal history and death amount to?

Petocz is clearly experimenting with writing forms that pertain to current realities and problems within the contemporary mind.

This is very demanding on the actors. Their reference points change constantly and so they must find the

energy to re-invent their journey through the work. In the main, they managed to find necessary

strength to keep the competing elements of the work in play. More fluidity and variations in vocal delivery will no doubt evolve during the season.

“Where I End and You Begin” is challenging for the audience. With some false endings, one became aware that perhaps the length could be cut. However, the text, sound and visual qualities stay with you upon leaving the theatre and certainly leave room for one’s own imagination to contribute to the meaning.

theatre“Where I End and You Begin”Written by Cathy Petocz and directed by Caroline StaceyAt The Street Theatre until October 26.Reviewed by Joe Woodward


“A New Gem in the Kingston Crown”

Directors of Crafted, Peter Sarris and Matt James

The Prince is a new residential development on the water-front of the Kingston Foreshore in Canberra. The Prince is a timeless collection of 150 apartments which mark a return to quality and style with classic design elements.Influenced by the heritage architecture of early Canberra, in harmony with contemporary excellence in features and finishes, The Prince is something truly special.The Prince is designed by internationally renowned archi-tects Architectus (winner of International Building of the Year in 2012 for 1 Bligh, Sydney as well as over 100 awards from the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Architects) and multi awardwinning Melbourne interior design practice, Hecker Guthrie, both with their first residential project in Canberra.The Prince has an uncompromising focus on design quality, including bespoke interior finishes. The buildings have a predominantly brick façade, with four brick colours includ-ing ‘Capital Red’, a brick very similar to that once made at the Yarralumla Brickworks, to create a timeless and elegant style. A peaceful residential building, The Prince will have no retail or hospitality spaces and surrounds extensive private gardens for residents.Comprised of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments with pent-house options, the residences are both beautifully elegant and incredibly practical in their design, incorporating Oak timber flooring, solid granite stone bench tops, high ceil-ings, fully double glazed windows and brass feature lights to name a few.Uncompromising attitudes towards sustainability have also resulted in an average Energy Efficiency Rating of 7.3 with some residences achieving EER’s of up to 9.2.The Prince is located on one of the last waterfront positions at Kingston Foreshore, looking north, and is surprisingly affordable, with 1 bedroom apartments priced from just $349,900.The Prince has just launched with more than a third of the apartments sold in the first week alone. Registrations should be made to secure your position as we are receiving a huge amount of interest. The display suite is located at the corner of Eyre Streets and Honeysett View at Kingston Foreshore, and is open weekdays from 12-2pm, and week-ends from 10am-4pm.

People can register at theprinceofkingston.com.au or call 1800 758 411.

puzzles pageJoanne Madeline Moore your week in the stars – October 27-November 2, 2014

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)Have you been feeling stuck in a bit of a Ram rut? Mighty Mars (moving through your public spotlight zone) encourages you to shake up your reputation, take some calculated risks, and reach for the stars. Being creative and proactive is a powerful combination on the weekend. If you are involved with a group, club or organisation, make sure everyone gets the chance to have their say.

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)Venus (your ruling planet) boosts romantic prospects and work-place relations. You’ll find the more creatively you communicate with family, friends and col-leagues, the more satisfying the week will be. Single Bulls – don’t accept second (or third) best. Have the confidence to wait for your soul mate. Attached Taureans – it’s time to be much more patient and understanding with your partner.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)Geminis are the eternal students of the zodiac – your active mind longs for constant stimulation and regular information updates. Your restless nature is drawn to travel, where you can soak up new experiences, languages, lifestyles and cultures. This week is a terrific time to network like a pro and make the most of your international contacts, as Mercury (your ruling planet) links with Jupiter.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)You can expect a positive week – as long as you don’t let minor matters get to you. No one wants to be around a cranky Crab! Aim to be more proactive, especially when it comes to close relationships. Instead of stewing when other people don’t automatically understand what you want, tell them exactly what you need and learn to delegate. No one is indispensable.

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)Cat creativity is high this week, as Neptune stimulates your colourful imagination. Leos love putting on a spectacular show and with Venus visiting your domestic zone, it’s also a wonderful week to play Domestic Goddess (or Master Chef) and entertain family and friends at home. You’re feeling positive and are keen to im-press others, as you focus on big dreams, grand schemes and stylish shenanigans.

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)Be extra diligent when dealing with finances – there may be less cash in the kitty than you think. Mercury encourages you to read, study and learn from financially literate people who can teach you about smart money management. There’s also satisfaction to be gained from contributing your Virgo talents to your local community. The weekend is fabulous for fraternising with family and friends.

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)Keep an open mind, as you absorb new financial information. Venus and the Solar Eclipse promise an increase in cash flow, but you may cancel that out by indulging in a Libran shopping spree. With Mercury moving forwards in your sign (and the Sun hooking up with Venus) it’s a wonderful weekend to converse, socialise, create and collaborate. Jump in and make the most of it!

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)With Venus visiting your sign (until November 17) you have the power to per-suade others over to your point of view with your charm and sex appeal. Don’t overdo it though - strive to be powerfully persuasive, rather than compulsively controlling. Plus, when it comes to platonic and romantic relationships, aim to be generous rather than jealous (and passionate rather than possessive).

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)Unresolved problems from the past could come back to test you. Don’t dither! Make a commitment to resolve these issues once and for all; then you can wipe the slate clean and move on. Mercury and Jupiter activate your adventurous, curious, restless, freedom-loving side this weekend and many Sagittarians will be fired-up to tackle an ambitious individual project (with a long time-line).

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)With dynamic Mars charging through your sign (until December 5), you’re amped up to the max, and are determined to power through projects and get things done ASAP. But Venus, Neptune and Pluto encourage you to adopt a more subtle style on the weekend. A softly-softly approach will help you sail through any problems with unusual ease.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)Your boredom threshold is set on low and you don’t have the patience to put up with boring people or long explanations. Strive to extricate yourself from such situations in a tactful way. Communication and conversation are the buzz words on the weekend as the pace picks up and you share opinions, learn a new skill or pass on valuable information. Give your brain cells a thorough workout.

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)Intellectual prowess will only get you so far in this world. Making smart decisions and wise choices often depends on following your gut instincts, and that’s where Pisceans excel. This week (courtesy of some super Neptune as-pects) your intuition is firing. Your motto for the moment is from birthday great Bill Gates (born October 28, 1955): “Often you have to rely on your intuition.”

Daily astrology updates at www.twitter.com/JoMadelineMooreCopyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2014

Sudoku hard No. 137

General knowledge crossword No. 475

Solution next week

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. 474

Sudo

ku m

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7

Solutions from last edition

Across1 Which Australian prime minister was

known as “the Little Digger”?7 What, in Latin America, is a country

house called?8 Name another term for a liveried

manservant or footman.9 Which implement, edged with rubber,

is used for removing surplus water?10 What is the armoured military

structure within which guns are mounted?

11 Which term describes feelings of hostility?

14 What is a brief statement giving a general view of a subject?

18 Name one who lends money at an exorbitant rate of interest.

19 What are movable articles of property?

21 Which stinging element is used as an antiseptic?

22 How many lines are there in a sonnet?23 Name a renowned Australian poet,

Adam Lindsay ...?

Solution next weekDown1 Which leather cases are used to hold

pistols?2 What do we call people who walk long

distances for pleasure?3 What, informally, are questionable lawyers

known as?4 Which council is the ruling group for trade

unions (init)?5 Name a substance used for joining bricks,

etc.6 To stick fast, is to do what?12 To be maltreating is to be doing what?13 The roe of which fish is valued as a source

of caviar?15 Name the brutes from Gulliver’s Travels.16 Name some of the aquatic, furred,

carnivorous mammals.17 What, oddly, is a collection of crows known

as?20 Which garden was said to be the first home

of Adam and Eve?

F C A C A R P E TC O L A N D E R E R

I D A A C C O R DA L D E R M A N I OR T L E O P A R DM A R S H A L E EI E CE P G A S N I E RS C A L P E R U E

A A V O L T A I R EB I N G L E A N A

R U N E W S C A S TI N V E N T N E P

1

8

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19

22

15

2

16

3

7

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20

4

12

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open garden

Jim and Peronelle Windeyer... “We work on the garden together, although Jim says I’m the boss and he’s the labourer!” says Peronelle.

Rare plants in a very personal gardenENGLISH snowdrops, roses and woodland plants take centre stage at Jim and Peronelle Windeyer’s pretty, scented Red Hill garden, with red brick paths leading visitors past layers of flowering shrubs, azaleas, perennials and other rare plants.

Much of the beauty of the garden is in the front, as the couple say that possums have taken control of the back.

“They also nibble at the roses out the front and have started eating our herbs, that they never used to eat before,” says Peronelle.

The couple’s very personal Red Hill garden will be open on the weekend of November 1 and 2, featuring rare plants from Peronelle’s father Barney Hutton’s garden in Mount Macedon,

Victoria. These plants create a comforting and evocative reminder of her childhood and make the garden extremely special, she says.

“It’s wonderful to catch the scent of lilac, daphne, crabapple and azaleas as you walk past, and I love the peachy colours in the bed near the house,” she says.

“I go out into the garden most days to have a look at what’s happening, and end up staying to do bits and pieces.

“We work on the garden together, although Jim says I’m the boss and he’s the labourer!”

Indeed, Jim laid all the brick paths himself, and extended them when they reduced the lawn and extended the garden beds to make room for the plants from Mt Macedon following Barney’s death in 2005.

“My father’s garden was one of the first to open in the first year of the Open Garden Scheme, so it seems fitting that we are opening in the final year with so many of the same plants,” she says.

Growing a screen between the garden and the street was a focus for Jim and Peronelle when they started the garden 32 years ago, and the lawn has since been reduced and a tough conquest couch grass laid to save water.

“We often sit out the front to admire the garden, as it changes so much at different times of the year,” she says.

“We get a lot of birds, and love to see the little wrens coming in.”

50 Golden Grove, Red Hill, open 10am-4.30pm, Saturday, November 1 and Sunday, November 2. Adults $8, children under 18 are free. Funds raised will go to Open Gardens Australia and the Canberra International Music Festival. More information at opengarden.org.au

Words: Kathryn VukovljakPhotos: Gary Schafer


For bookings and enquiries email [email protected] or call Dinah on 0422 628 190.

Outdoor rooms created with elegance and lasting appeal

canberragardens.com.au

We are a locally owned, family business with a team of experienced, passionate and qualified Horticulturists.

• Garden consults • Planting plans and garden design • Garden maintenance • Landscaping • Canberra grown plants delivered to your door

• Garden goodies and plant sourcing available

For more information head to: www.theplantweb.com.au

Canberra’s online nursery

YARRALUMLA

SEED POTATOES Advanced basil, herloom tomatos and chillies. It’s the

right time be planting now.

The soil is warm so plant

Banks Street, Weston Park, Yarralumla • 6281 7373heritagenursery.com.au /TheHeritageNursery

Now is the time to plant raspberries, loganberries, strawberries, blueberries and kiwi fruit. These healthy

plants are available now.

FOR A

BUMPER CROP THIS SUMMER

RASPBERRIES

CH0122-V29.indd 1 20/10/2014 4:38 pm

u Established over 50 years

u MBA Supplier of the Year

u Pavers 300x300, 400x400, 500x500

u Masonry Blocks, Brick Paving

u Dry Stack Retaining Wall/Raised Garden Edge

u Pre Cast Concrete Products

u A Range of Colours Available

u Wholesale Prices to The Public

u Courtyard and pathways

u Architects requests are welcome

Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 7.30am-4.00pm | Sat 8am-12pm

40 Dacre Street Mitchell62427033 www.binkpavers.com.au

Quality Service I Commercial & Residential

Creating Sustainable Gardens

The Canberra region’s largest range of locally-grownplants – grown on site for local conditions.

314 Plummers Rd, Burra NSW(20 minutes from Queanbeyan)

Ph. 0402 024 204 – 0408 119 160

NURSERY OPEN: 9am to 5pm Wednesday to Friday10am to 4pm Weekends

Glenbog Nursery and Landscaping

• growers of drought tolerant and frost resistant plants• new garden creations and garden makeovers• sustainable garden design and advice• providing a value for money solution

We grow them hardy so you can watch them grow

[email protected] us on Facebook

gardeningPeonies leaping from the groundHERBACEOUS peonies, Peony lactiflora, are leaping from the ground at the rate of five millimetres a day in our garden and will flower in a few weeks.

Coming to the end of their flowering season are the tree peonies, Paeonia suffruticosa, with their huge flowers up to 15 millimetres across.

Last week I visited Dr and Mrs Edgar Riek’s garden to view their tree peonies and, wow, what a sight! They had dozens of varieties growing to two to three metres tall, many were bred by Dr. Riek.

Author Peter Valder, in “The Gar-den Plants of China”, says that “no flower in China has ever surpassed the tree peony in winning and holding public esteem”.

WHY are long established plant names changed? Take Dicentra spectabilis, commonly called “Bleeding Heart”, with its delight-ful pink or white flowers, that is no longer in garden centres… but you will find it under its tongue-twisting new name, Lamprocapnos spectabilis!

This past week I saw at the Heritage Nursery, Yarralumla, an extremely rare Dicentra that was totally new to me under its new name Lamprocapnos “Valentine”, with deep red flowers.

IN our garden we only use certified organic fertilisers. Note I said “certified”, as there are garden products labelled “organic” but not necessarily “certified”.

There is a difference, as speci-fied in the Australian Standard

AS6000 for “organic and biodynamic products”. These can be certified by various registered organisations such as Australian Organic Certified (AOC), the National Association of Sustainable Agriculture of Australia (NASAA) and Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA).

These organisations also certify all horticultural products for farm-ers. Look for their logo on fertilisers etcetera to ensure they are “certified

organic”, which is important when growing home vegetables.

ONE such certified product is Neutrog’s Go Go juice, which is teeming with microbes that activate the natural processes in the soil, speeding up decomposition of the residential organic and mineral com-pounds. It is applied to the soil in addition to the organic plant foods you normally use. This ultimately

increases the nutrients’ availability and stimulates growth of plants.

SOURCES from interstate horticul-tural societies say the Horticultural Society of Canberra presents the best flower shows in Australia. Be the judge this weekend for the spectacu-lar Iris, Rhododendron and Azalea Show at the Wesley Church Centre, National Circuit, Forrest, 11am-5pm, on Saturday, October 25, and 11.30am-4pm, on Sunday, October 26. Entry by gold coin donation.

Jottings… • When planting trees always dig a

square hole to prevent roots spiral-ling and becoming root bound.

• If you have a bulb-planting tool use this to plant potatoes. This saves digging a big area.

• When buying plants cover them in the car with an old sheet. The heat through the windows can scorch the plants before getting them home.

Dicentra spectabilis is now the tongue-twisting Lamprocapnos spectabilis!

Tree peonies in the Riek’s garden make a spectacular show.

WINNER of the “Dig Deeper” gardening book was Raylene Robertson, of Queanbeyan.

WINNER

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT CONTACT MICHELLE DZAKULA ON 0409 007 163 OR EMAIL [email protected] TODAY.

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*$25,000 is based on the $12,500 ACT Government FHOG and GEOCON’s $12,500 rebate. GEOCON’s rebate is only available on Chelsea and Observatory developments. Observatory properties must be priced above $400,000. GEOCON’s $12,500 rebate is also available to investors.

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