TRAVEL P6NEWS P2 SpoRT P11

9 - 15 October 2012 – Issue: 433

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VETERAN vs YOUTH

How footballers keepon top of their game

ITALIAN INDULGENCESFerrari’s, Fiats and Florentine steaks

Bishop challenges Labor women on “obscene” SlipperDEPUTY Opposition Leader Julie Bishop has challenged Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her female ministers to say where they stand on “sexist” texts sent by Speaker Peter Slipper.

Senior Liberal George Brandis on Sunday said it was up to female members of the government to declare if they were protecting “a vile misogynist”.

It follows the revelation of crude text messages about women sent to his staffer James Ashby, who has accused Mr Slipper of sexual harassment.

Ms Bishop said the text messages sent by Mr Slipper were disparaging, offensive and obscene.

“This is a real leadership test for Julia Gillard,” she told Sky News.

“If she is so concerned about what she terms sexist and misogynist behaviour, then she cannot possibly maintain her support for Peter Slipper as the House of Representatives Speaker.”

The prime minister must state whether she supports Mr Slipper continuing in the role, Ms Bishop said.

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SUSTAINABLE CULLING?

planned badger cull parallels kangaroo kills

n WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has hired lawyers for a possible defamation case against Prime Minister Julia Gillard over the diplomatic cables controversy.

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THE Prime Minister made an unwise decision to presume WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s guilt, which has prompted him to pursue a possible defamation case, Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop says.

Ms Bishop says Mr Assange, who has reportedly hired Sydney lawyers to pursue a defamation case against Julia Gillard, is entitled to seek legal remedies if he believes he’s been defamed.

Mr Assange has told left-leaning activist group GetUp! that Ms Gillard defamed WikiLeaks when she allegedly told a radio station in 2010 he had broken the law by releasing hundreds of thousands of US diplomatic cables, according to a statement released by the group on Monday.

Ms Bishop said she had always held concerns about the prime minister’s statement that Mr Assange had committed an illegal act under Australian law.

“I’m not aware of any law that Julian Assange has broken in Australia,” she told Sky News.

“The prime minister is a trained lawyer. She should know that to state that someone has committed an illegal act when there’s no evidence is highly prejudicial.”

The prime minister had plenty of time to withdraw, retract or apologise for the statement, Ms Bishop said, and a Senate motion had called on her to do so.

ASSANGE WILL PURSUEGILLARD FOR DEFAMATION

9 - 15 October 20122 | News

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On: PM Gillard denies Abbott’s claim mining boom overAlan Jones is just an irrelevant old Queen who needs to retire. Old people always say the silliest things.

Mick F On Anzac Day Centenary: 2015 Year of Turkey in AustraliaIf I can get a visa I’ll be there!! Been planning to attend it (and saving) since 2010

Jason

On: From Cronulla 2005 to Sydney 2012: What’s the difference?People tend to gloss over the series of incidents that sparked the Cronulla “riots”… This was a case of a community saying “enough is enough”. It’s all well and good to say people should “…find a sensible and peaceful way to engage in a genuine discussion about the important underlying issues…” but they’d still be discussing this now while the locals were being harassed and girls spat on and called sluts for wearing bikinis on the beach because Muslims didn’t agree with Australian values and customs.The protest that unfortunately turned ugly because of a few idiots (many from out of the area) who had a few too many drinks, sent a clear message and solved a problem

that wasn’t being solved using the established channels. Go figure.

Neil On: Badgers and Kangaroos: To cull or not to cull?Once again the problem is too many humans encroaching on wildlife habitat.

Pamela On: Shape of Australia found in ‘miracle’ breadLooks more like a rabbit to me! Where’s the Bight?

Brian

By Paul Bleakley

AS TENSIONS in the UK between farmers and animal rights activists escalate in the lead up to the planned culling of 100 000 badgers, debate has been revived in the Australian community over the national practice of killing kangaroos as a form of population control.

An outbreak of tuberculosis in the British badger population, particularly in the rural region of Gloucestershire, has prompted a call from farmers to shoot the animals in order to prevent the spread of the disease through their herds of cattle. It has been suggested that the strain of tuberculosis currently infecting the nation’s badgers is transmittable to cows. With 24% of farms in south-west England being affected by the disease many fear their livestock are under threat.

The Gloucestershire badger cull is a trial program set up by the National Farmers Union in response to the perceived lack of government action in combating the issue of bovine tuberculosis. Vice-President of the union, Adam Quinney, claims that farmers in the region were promised a vaccine against the disease over 20 years ago that is yet to materialise. He suggests that the badger cull is the best solution available after decades of inaction.

“We shouldn’t have got to this point. Bovine TB is hardly a new disease. We all want the same thing in the end: healthy cattle and healthy badgers,” Quinney said.

The backlash against the badger culling trial, led by former rocker Brian May, has drawn parallels with the Australian campaign against our national practice of slaughtering kangaroos in order to maintain a sustainable population and protect the interests of the Australian farming community.

Between ten and twenty per cent of the total kangaroo population is ‘harvested’ each year for commercial purposes, with over two million kangaroos regularly culled by professional shooters in order to prevent unsustainable growth. There are approximately 25 million

Badgers and Kangaroos: To cull or not to cull? n A planned Gloucestershire badger cull that has inflamed tensions between farmers and animal rights activists in the UK invokes parallels with the debate over kangaroo culling currently raging in Australia.

kangaroos in Australia, which is roughly equivalent to both the cattle and human population within the country.

Opponents of Australia’s kangaroo culling industry suggest that the maintenance of a sustainable animal population is not the central motivating factor in the continuation of what they perceive as a “cruel” practice. Nikki Sutterby, President of the Australian Society for Kangaroos, claims that kangaroos do not meet the criteria for culling and that the mass killing of the animal is instead a concerted commercial exercise endorsed by government.

“This industry is not for population control, environmental protection or damage mitigation as the kangaroo industry and government industry proponents have brainwashed the public to believe,” Sutterby told Australian Times.

“Government kangaroo management managers as well as leading kangaroo scientists have admitted publicly and in court that the industry is not about population control or damage mitigation but profit.”

Kangaroo culling has been justified as an environmentally sound practice, with proponents of the action suggesting that unregulated growth of the kangaroo population at the exponential rate at which it currently stands would devastate the Australian ecosystem and negatively impact upon native wildlife as well as the interests of commercial farmers.

Former Federal Minister for the Environment Barry Cohen has been an outspoken supporter of kangaroo culling since his time in office during the Hawke Government. In 2010,

Cohen wrote an editorial for The Australian in which he derided the “nonsense” claims of the anti-culling lobby and chastised the “gullible media” for disseminating their views.

“I became incensed by the hypocrisy of sections of the environment movement and the outrageous lies they told about Australia’s kangaroo management program.”

The former politician rejects claims that kangaroos are at risk of becoming an endangered species if culling continues at the rate currently allowed by the Australian government.

“Population numbers are prepared by scientists, using sophisticated methods and the latest equipment.

“The animal rights organisations, which have neither, make outrageous claims about government estimates without any evidence.”

Sutterby, on the other hand, believes that it is the government that lacks the evidence to justify the culling process.

“The proponents of kangaroo culling such as those that stand to profit from their destruction will use various myths to promote their cause, but they have not one shred of credible evidence to support their claims that it is a necessary and essential process.”

The Australian Society for Kangaroos is dedicated to stopping the practice of kangaroo culling, although Sutterby believes that the public must be told ‘the truth’ about the process before there will be sufficient pressure on governments to reverse their position on the practice.

“That is what our role is and we will continue to tell the world the truth about the magnificent kangaroo and how it is being decimated to make pet food, sports shoes and bangers and burgers.”

With the British badger cull scheduled to begin in late October, protest movements such as Team Badger have begun teaming up with the RSPCA in a media campaign to raise awareness of the threat to the badger population posed by the government-sanctioned cull. However whether this debate is likely to reach the level of animosity experienced in the Australian debate on kangaroo culling is yet to be seen.

“we will continue to tell the world the truth about the magnificent kangaroo and how it is being decimated to make pet food, sports

shoes and bangers and burgers.”

News | 3AustralianTimes.co.uk

“It was all very well for them to comment on the Slipper Ashby case when they thought they had a political point to make,” she said.

Meanwhile, Julia Gillard received some sexist messages of her own during an open Facebook Q&A session on Monday. The prime minister’s office quickly censored the hateful comments.- AAP

Continued from p1...

Continued from p1...

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Gillard ‘unwise’ to say Assange broke the law

“It was a very unwise thing to do for Julia Gillard to presume Julian Assange’s guilt before he had faced any charges anywhere.”

Mr Assange remains in Ecuador’s embassy in London after seeking

asylum as part of a bid to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over rape allegations.

The Australian citizen is concerned if he goes to Sweden, authorities will allow him to be extradited to the United States. - AAP

Carbon tax a shambolic mess, Tony Abbott saysOPPOSITION leader Tony Abbott has reminded the coalition the big, “shambolic” carbon tax has got to go.

“Colleagues, today marks the 100th day of the carbon tax”, Mr Abbott told a shadow cabinet meeting at Parliament House on Monday.

First up on Tuesday the lower house will debate legislation to remove the floor price from Labor’s planned emissions trading scheme and link it to the European market from mid-2015.

Debate is likely to go along familiar lines.

Mr Abbott reiterated to his team that the carbon tax was a “shambolic tax as well as a bad tax” and it had to be axed.

“So far the government has announced no fewer than eight major changes to the carbon tax,” he said.

“The floor price change is, I suppose, just one of the major readjustments that the government is making and what it shows is that not only is this a government that we can’t trust, it’s a government which is just making it up as it goes along.” - AAP

The deputy opposition leader said she herself would find it difficult to appear in the lower house and show respect for a speaker who held and expressed the views Mr Slipper had done in text messages revealed to the court.

“His statements... about women indicate a very obscene, extreme, degrading view of women,” Ms Bishop said.

She also called on Labor women, especially women who are ministers, to state where they stand on the

remarks.Labor had targeted Opposition

Leader Tony Abbott for being sexist and misogynist, so should apply the same standard to Mr Slipper, she said.

The federal government has said it won’t comment on the case any further while it is before the Federal Court.

Ms Bishop said the government was using that as “a fig leaf”, considering Foreign Minister Bob Carr had previously described Mr Ashby as more rehearsed than a kabuki actor and that Attorney-General Nicola Roxon had labelled Mr Ashby’s claim vexatious.

Slipper sexist texts a test for PM, says Bishop

AustralianTimes.co.uk/news

Get MoreNews

TEXTIST: Speaker of the House Peter Slipper arriving at the Federal Court in Sydney on Friday. Mr Slipper sent crude text messages about women to his staffer James Ashby, who has accused him of sexual harassment.(AAP Image/Dean Lewins)

9 - 15 October 20124 | Entertainment

Check out what we’re following today on AustralianTimes.co.uk

and follow us on Twitter @AustralianTimes

What we’re following

Tame Impala30 October@ O2 Academy, Brixton

Julia Stone 5 November @ Scala, Kings Cross

Gotye12 November@ Hammersmith Apollo

Ladyhawke14 November@ London Forum

Parkway Drive17 November@ The Roundhouse

The Cat Empire10 December@ O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Tommy Emmanuel16 March@ Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Pam Ann28-29 March@ Hammersmith Apollo

The Australian PinkFloyd Show25 February 2013@ London 02 Arena

for full details......and more Aussie gigs go to:

AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment

What’s on

By George Katralis

WHEN it was first suggested I spend an autumn afternoon being entertained by a showcase of Australian talent inside a quaint little apartment in London’s Soho, my mouth literally watered at the thought. Why not? Soho is cool, Australia has some great talent to show off and the event was “Footy Finals” themed – a chance for me to wear my team colours with pride.

Which is why, on Sunday 30 September, I was to be found decked in my Red and White (St. George-Illawarra Dragons for those playing at home) and heading down to “Sunday at the Apartment” – a quarterly event introducing established and emerging Australian artists to London, in a ‘classy and cosy’ setting.

Although peppered with promise, I must admit I was initially concerned that the event was hosted by Australian Business. How would the business world and the art world – two industries who rarely meet and very seldom see eye-to-eye – fuse together on this rainy afternoon. How will they put aside the eternal battle of corporate v creative aside, and deliver to the audience an afternoon of musical and theatrical entertainment?

Well, you can start with drinks. On arrival guests were shown to a bar before heading into the show. The mingling began, but despite the attempt at “footy fever” using some home-made streamers and banner decorations, it slightly resembled a grand final BBQ you might find at your uncles house. The crowd too did not seem to be the meat pie throwing, ref-abusing ‘footy finals’ type, and would probably be more at home at Friday after-work drinks than a BBQ before a footy match.

The MC at least embraced the theme, appearing in Swans getup accompanied by cheerleaders, and the daughter of Bulldogs great Steve Mortimer singing the Tina Turner, and 1990’s Rugby League anthem, “Simply the Best”.

Overall the event had more of a cabaret feel than a showcase feel. A loose and free flowing mix of singing, interviews, banter, comedy and more banter gave the afternoon an easy going and light-hearted tone. The show was filled with a vast array of theatre talent, which, although excellent, may have been better served by mixing it up with many of the other talents Australia has produced.

Nonetheless we were treated to a range of incredible vocalists and talented musicians, inspiring a sense of pride and accomplishment that so many young Australian actors and singers were making the move to London to, like most of us here, follow their dreams. Acts included Michael Falzon from the musicals We Will Rock You and Rock of Ages, Josh Piterman from West Side Story and An Officer and a Gentleman, and Tania Doko from Bachelor Girl with a rendition of her 1998 hit “Buses and Trains”.

For me, the highlight came in the form of a very beautiful and

Sunday at the Apartment supplies a showcase of great Australian talentn REVIEW | Sunday at the Apartment, 30 September 2012

exceptionally talented harpist by the name of Tara Minton. Dressed in what I can only imagine an Ancient Greek Indie Angel would wear to serenade Zeus in a secret garden whilst he fed on grapes, Tara took to the stage. Whilst with her appearance I anticipated we were about to be treated to the orchestral sounds of a classically trained harpist, the reality was quite different.

Instead, Tara surprised us with a very well written, cheeky, clever and funny tongue-in-cheek acoustic indie quip about a young girl trying to give a presumably clueless and unassuming boy a not-too-subtle hint.

One could imagine that the song, titled “Play with me”, would traditionally be at home being played on acoustic guitar, possibly included on the soundtrack to a Michael Cera film. It was only amplified in its beauty by being played on the harp, with the incredibly innocent Julia Stone-esq voice that accompanied it.

By the end of the afternoon, one thing was clear: Australia has some extraordinary talent and we do well to show it off. Whether the ‘business’ and ‘art’ worlds truly found their common ground in this event is a slightly different question, as it did feel some attendees were there in order to expand the reach of their business card more than appreciate the talent on show. However, if it is your intention to extend your business networks amongst fellow Australians, whilst also being treated to a range of inspiring musical and theatre acts, then this event is the one for you.

The next Sunday in the Apartment will be held on Sunday November 25. Visit Sundayintheapartment.com or email info@sundayintheapartment.com for information and tickets.

AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment

Get MoreMusic

Ricky Gervais @rickygervais

@rickygervais“so what do you think being dead feels like?” You know what it felt like for the billions of years before you were born? Exactly like that. @rickygervaisFollowing someone on Twitter & then complaining about what they tweet about is like stalking someone & complaining that they walk too fast. @rickygervaisEven if you just think Candyman 3 times, HE WILL APPEAR. RT to break the spell. @rickygervaisHave you ever been so drunk that you were convinced you were fluently speaking a foreign language? @rickygervaisI’m not that bothered either way about Marmite. @rickygervaisShopkeepers, “Back in 20 minutes” doesn’t give us all the necessary information.

By George Katralis

MY FIRST foray into the world of live music as an impressionable teenager in Australia only carries fond memories. Great music, good people and the highlight – seeing Tim Freedman pour his bottle of red wine over the front row hecklers who were constantly berating him with South Park inspired calls of “TIMMY!”

Fast forward to today. I again have the chance to see Tim Freedman live – only this time without The Whitlams backing him, without a rambunctious university bar crowd to compete with, but charmingly still armed with that same bottle of red wine.

The gig took place at the Union Chapel; a functioning Church by day and a pumping gig venue by night. We’re seated in pews, under a very ornate ceiling surrounded by flickering candles, velvet curtains, Corinthian columns and religious sculptures. A gothic backdrop to the Devil’s music played in the House of the Lord … let us pray.

As the lights grew dim on a mixed crowd of Brits and expats, conversations were silenced as Tim Freedman confidently took to the stage and to the piano to sermonise us with the gospel according to Tim. Kicking off the journey with “Beauty in Me”, it was followed through story and commentary by “Charlie No.1” from Eternal Nightcap.

In this surreal environment, where one would think Rock-n-Roll would burst into flames as it crossed the threshold, we were treated to one of the most amazing and intimate performances I have ever seen. Funny and charismatic, Tim took each and every member

Devil’s Music in the house of the Lordn REVIEW | Tim Freedman in a “Fireside Chat” @ Union Chapel, 5 October

of the crowd by hand and led us wherever he wanted us to go. And happily we went, without struggle or apprehension.

With an arsenal of great songs under your belt spanning a 20-year and seven-album career, you must ponder how best to present these to a willing and expectant crowd? Simple. Turn them into your life story. A guided tour of the last 20 years of Tim’s life.

“I wrote this song in my 20s” Tim tells us after he played the first of his Charlie Trilogy. “And as the night goes on I’ll play more songs from my 20s, then 30s and now 40s.”

From the “Charlie Trilogy” to “Blow up the pokies”, “No Aphrodisiac” to “Louis Burdett” and newer classics like “Keep the Light On”, each song was accompanied with a story about its subject, composition, and – more often than not – a humorous quip. Like accidentally crashing Gough and Margaret Whitlam’s 60th anniversary dinner, or spending $42.50 on TDK cassettes to market “No Aphrodisiac” to Triple J music programmers.

The journey was completed with soon-to-be hits off his new solo album Back When We Were Beautiful, but were not to be outdone by the final offering of a very Whitlam-a-fide Rolf Harris cover called “Two Little Boys”.

The audience were left feeling like they had just been through something special, a feeling experienced by Tim himself as he told me over a glass of wine at the bar post show.

“I didn’t know how’d it go tonight, I’m not used to this … but I went for it and somehow it worked.”

It certainly did. Thanks for a great show Tim and till next time – cheers.

Entertainment | 5AustralianTimes.co.uk

n Benedict Andrews directs his version of the classic Russian play, Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov, at the Young Vic.

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rEViEW | Three Sisters at the Young Vic

By Will Fitzgibbon

BENEDICT Andrews, one of Australia’s most feted theatre directors of the moment, is having a sizzling 2012 in London. Having recently staged Big and Small at the Barbican, featuring Cate Blanchett, Andrews is now directing his own version of the Russian classic, Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov, at the Young Vic.

The Adelaide-born director seems to enjoy shaking up the theatre establishment.

“I would rather my work polarised audiences than anaesthetised them,” Andrews told the Sydney Morning Herald in 2010. And this current production certainly polarises; in the cramped foyer of the Young Vic theatre departing audience members could be heard praising and condemning the performance as they popped open umbrellas and disappeared into the rainy September evening.

The Three Sisters - Olga, Masha and Irina - are spirited young women living with their brother in a remote Russian village. Drunk doctors, earnest schoolteachers and libidinous army officers are the only human company. The sisters dream of a fuller existence in Moscow but never reach the bright lights.

Andrews’ production features some strong performances, notably from the tortured Masha (Vanessa Kirby) and from the corpulent and failed intellectual Andrey (Danny Kirrane). Also strong is the country bumpkin Natasha, played by New Zealand actor Emily Barclay. Natasha is a Russian Kath and Kim-style peasant who transforms from a vulnerable victim into a cruel dominatrix. There is also one particularly good scene that will, I think, prevent any woman from ever wearing a green belt over a lavender dress.

The staging is the night’s highlight. The action takes place on top of small, square, grey tables. From Act Two, stagehands start removing the tables one by one. Just as the characters’ lives begin to crumble before them, so does their stage and their world come undone. Ultimately, the empty space reveals a large pile of dirt or, one suspects, something more unpleasant. The foundation of these characters’ lives has been nothing but dung.

Andrews’s version is often fun but not always coherent. There is a clash of epochs when a solider can take a group photo on his iPhone, but a wife doesn’t even think of divorcing her unsuitable husband. The play’s original sense of sad longing and unattainable happiness rings less resonantly in Andrews’ Russia, where the young head-bang to Nirvana, than in Chekhov’s time in which class distinction and the role of women were mobility straightjackets.

When the sisters come to the realisation that their dreams are dust,

they console one another through dialogue that would embarrass even the worst screenwriter for The Bold and the Beautiful.

“We have to live,” they say tearily from atop their mound of dung. It’s a cute bit of staging but not as poignant as it should be. I found myself looking around to see whether or not other audience members were sniggering along with me.

Perhaps that’s the problem. The play’s timeless atmospherics should be capable of reaching into 2012 London. People today are as bored and unhappy as ever. But Andrews’ version awkwardly straddles the two worlds; Chekhov’s imperialist Russia and Nirvana-singing modernity.

Yet many positive reviews of Andrews’ Three Sisters have disagreed. Long live polarisation.

Three Sisters continues at the Young Vic until Nov 3. See Youngvic.org/whats-on/three-sisters for more details.

FilmFest Australia celebrates successful debut at London’s Picturehouse CinemasBy Alex Ivett

FROM the team behind the former London Australian Film Festival, the inaugural FilmFest Australia has successfully debuted to sold-out crowds in its new home – the Picturehouse Cinemas in Hackney and Clapham. Held over two weekends in September, FilmFest Australia firmly embraced its mission of showcasing all that contemporary Aussie cinema has to offer to both Antipodean audiences keen for a slice of home, and British audiences looking to be impressed with new and exciting works. Festival patrons Geoffrey Rush and Noah Taylor injected the requisite star quality into the proceedings, but for most it was all

about the quality of the films. FilmFest Australia certainly delivered

with a program of films that covered a breadth and depth of cinematic styles and subject matter. From the edgy comedy Not Suitable for Children starring Ryan Kwanten, to the beautifully executed documentary Life in Movement (Sophie Hyde and Bryan Mason) that explored the tragically short life of the amazingly talented dancer and choreographer Tanja Liedtke, there was something on the bill for every viewer.

With themes such as family, life in the indigenous community and social relationships all covered, films also flaunted the incredible diversity of the Australian landscape as locations flitted from the shiny slickness of Melbourne

life in Any Questions for Ben? through to the eerie isolation of Tasmania’s haunting hills in the Hunter.

However, the winner of the day for delighted audiences was Mark Lamprell’s Goddess! Starring Ronan Keating and Laura Michelle Kelly, this kitsch-tastic musical set in Tasmania took out FilmFest Australia’s Australian Times Audience Choice Award with its quirky tale of a housewife’s rise to fame as a singing internet sensation. Viewers who voted went in the draw for tickets to the inaugural AFL Australian Football European Challenge match. The lucky winner, Rebecca Lindsey, will have the opportunity to watch Port Adelaide and Western Bulldogs battle it out at Kia Oval in London on 3 November 2012.

With the success of this year’s event, it is likely FilmFest Australia has a long future ahead in its new home. FilmFest Australia’s director Moira McVean is pleased with the warm reception received from loyal supports of the festival from its days at the Barbican, as well as the positive response from first time viewers attracted to the new look FilmFest at the Picturehouse cinemas.

“There is a genuine love for Australian cinema amongst UK audiences, so we’re delighted to have fuelled their interest and look forward to returning in 2013.”

9 - 15 October 20126 | Travel

travel

on thE Map

This week we’re putting

italyn Ahhh, bella Italia. The sun, the sky, the socialising. The pizza, and pasta and piazzas. Culture and history, or swimming and eating? The rolling hills of Tuscany or the coordinated chaos of Rome? With so much on offer, how can anyone decide. MELINDA EDWARDS helps us road-test the options and comes up with five quintessential Italian experiences.

CRADLED at the bottom of Europe, Italy offers a little something for everyone. From indulgent bowls of pasta catering to the travelling foodie through to the thrillseekers who just want to feel the power of the ‘prancing horse’ underneath their feet (that’s a Ferrari for those not in the know), Italy has it all.

With so much to see and do in one country, where do you start? After some difficult in-depth research, I’ve whittled the list down to five must-do Italian experiences:

Feed your inner foodie with Italy’s famous fareYou can’t go to Italy without making the most of what Italians do best: food. Follow your nose and chase the locals for the best quality fare to get your laughing gear around.

Rome in particular is a good place to start your foodie adventure. Try San Crispino for the freshest gelato; its humble but creamy flavours will keep you deliciously satisfied. Pizzeria Ai Marmi in the alluring district of Trastevere is best for wood-fired pizzas with simple toppings and a crust to die for. Though there is always a wait for a table, its popularity is a good sign this restaurant knows what they’re doing.

Drop in for an espresso at Sant’ Eustachio Il Caffe in the small piazza of the same name. Hold off on the extra sugar however, it’s sweet enough as it is. Next, head to Freni E Frizioni for aperitivo – a very Italian eating experience where your drink comes with a buffet of cold meats and pastas. Perfect for those on a backpacker budget!

Elsewhere around the country, tuck into a Florentine steak in Florence. Traditionally cooked blue, don’t even bother asking for anything past medium-rare or you might just be asked to leave the restaurant. Other highlights included ragu in Bologna where the

Five Italian Must-dos

famous bolognese sauce was born (although call it by that name and fear the wrath of the locals) and anchovies in the Cinque Terre. Try anchovy and raisin pasta at A Pie’ de Ma’ in Riomaggiore for an unusual twist on the typical pasta dishes you’ll find elsewhere in Italy.

Fanging it in a FiatThere is no doubt that the Tuscan countryside is a rich treat for the eyes. There are rolling hills, wheat fields, olive groves and vineyards as far as you can see. But if you really want to experience the soul of Tuscany, and Italy for that matter, you can’t go past the Fiat 500 Touring Club.

Grab your bestie or significant other (because you’re about to get up close and personal) and squeeze into the pride of Italy in the 60’s – the Fiat. Taking one of these classics on a pleasant drive through private vineyards and quiet lanes in the Florence hills makes for a spectacular couple of hours.

Not only that, it will also allow you to get off the beaten tourist track. We found a private 12th century cellar in which to indulge in a lunchtime wine and olive oil tasting and sample local produce including bruschetta, cold meats, freshly baked bread and cheeses.

This little bit of Italian heaven is a must-do for foodies and car enthusiasts alike. The only problem is, you’ll leave wanting to pocket an oh-so-cute Fiat for yourself.

Legging it in LiguriaNowhere in the world is quite as unique as the Cinque Terre, the five cliff-top villages that hug the coastline of the Liguria region of Italy. Houses seem to cling to the rocky cliffs and each town’s colourful main pedestrian street leads to the lifeblood of the community: the ocean.

Try to stay in one of the villages itself rather than La Spezia, the

Travel | 7AustralianTimes.co.uk

eastern gateway to the Cinque Terre towns. Dedicate a full day to hiking between the towns, stopping off for refreshing ocean swims whenever you please. While there, make sure you grab the

hand of your loved-one and lead them along Via dell’Amore (lovers lane). Here you can lock your love to the fence that fringes the 1km pathway connecting the towns of Riomaggiore and Manarola.

Pay it forward by perfecting your pastaTake a little taste of Italy home with you by learning to make pasta – the skill that keeps on giving. There AustralianTimes.co.uk/travel

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are cooking experiences on offer to hone your abilities throughout the country, but we couldn’t go past the chefs at inTavola in Florence.

The best thing about learning to knead and roll the perfect string of spaghetti under the fun instruction of the chefs is the opportunity to gorge yourself on the finished products. Plus, you’re sent away with recipes to take home with you. All you need is a pasta roller and you’re all set to impress your mates back home with your newly acquired talents.

Reward your inner rev-headAnd lastly, for the Formula One fanatic in you, don’t travel past Maranello, near Bologna – the birthplace of Ferrari. Save up your

pennies however, as this experience is expensive but well worth it to feel the roar of the 480 horse power V8 F430 Spider for 20 minutes at least.

Finish it off with a visit to the two museums dedicated to all things Ferrari. Museo Casa offers a fascinating insight into how Enzo Ferrari, the Italian motor racing driver, grew his company from very modest beginnings in his garage to the multi-million dollar enterprise it is today. And if that’s not enough, head to Museo Ferrari to get a close-up look at Ferraris - past and present. But please, no drooling on the cars!

9 - 15 October 20128 | Jobs & Money

Dollar Review

Composed by Trevor Brewer of 1st Contact :: Note: The above exchange rates are based on “interbank” rates. If you want to transfer money to or from Australia then please register/login on our website, or call us on 0808 141 2335 for a live dealing rate. Make use of a Rate Notifier to send you alert when the Australian exchange rate reaches levels you are looking for.

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“No” is not a dirty word

receive a request:

1. Notice what your immediate reaction is. Your body provides signposts for what you really want to do.

2. If you are still unsure, clarify any concerns you have. If you need more time, you can say something like “I need to think about it. I’ll get back to you tomorrow”. Make sure you get back to them when you say you will.

3. If you decide to say “yes”, make sure you are comfortable with that decision.

4. If you decide to say “no”, be clear, concise and considerate in your response. Remember, you are saying “no” to the request, not the person.

5. Use words you are comfortable with. No-one has a right to ask for personal or specific details. For example you can:

5.1 Self disclose – “I feel uncomfortable saying this but no”

5.2 Provide an alternative – “I am not able to but Josh might be able to help”

5.3 Acknowledge the other person – “Is that ok?”

6. Once you say “no” do not linger; change the subject or physically leave the situation.

Overusing “yes” can be an unhealthy habit. Learning to comfortably say “no” comes with practice. One advantage is you will learn to trust yourself to make decisions that are best for you. Others will benefit too, as they learn you will help when you are able to.

Aussie Dollar slumps to four week low

release will show an increase in unemployment. This would fuel speculation that the RBA may further reduce its key rate next month, adding downward pressure to the Australian Dollar.

AUS/ GBP: 0.6340AUS/ EURO: 0.7882AUS/ USD: 1.0269AUS/ JPY: 80.458

Exchange rates as of 9:30am, 8 October 2012

MY English friends always point out how easy going we Australians are and how happily Aussies say “yes” to most things. However, whether at work or at home, always saying “yes” can sometimes put us between a rock and a hard place. We may not really want to do something, but we have committed ourselves. If we say “yes” and pull out later, we can feel stressed and guilty. If we try to follow through, we may not perform at our best, miss targets or become resentful.

Being helpful and considerate does not mean being a pushover. Putting the needs or requests of others first can be a sign of low self-esteem and a lack of confidence. Feeling pressured to do something you do not want to do, and disregarding your own needs in the process, can result in stress, anxiety and at worst, depression. In these cases, get some extra support and make the changes you need.

All behaviour is learnt – including being the “nice one”. It takes many thousands of hours to form habits. Our survival instincts help form habits that are meant to make life easier. Learning to say “no” can be difficult because of the reactions you may have gotten in the past, such as anger or being made to feel guilty. Sometimes saying “no” results from fears about how people will react. Like any habit, saying “no” and surviving the guilt or fear, gets easier over time. By recognising your natural reaction when faced with a request, and practising a “no” response you are comfortable with, you can break the “yes” habit. Like learning to ride a bike – once you get it, it stays with you forever.

Changing any habit requires a strategy and practice. Next time you

THE Australian Dollar dropped to a three week low early last week after the Reserve Bank of Australia announced a cash interest rate cut of a quarter of a percentage point to 3.25 per cent, in direct response to a worsening global economic outlook.

The Aussie continued to slide during the week, reaching a four week low on Wednesday after Australia recorded its widest trade deficit since 2008 and data showed China’s non-manufacturing industries grew at the weakest pace since at least March 2011.

Thursday and Friday saw the Aussie claw back some ground against the US Dollar as risk appetite grew following European Central Bank President Mario Draghi announcing the bank is ready to buy bonds to curb Europe’s debt crisis. The Australian currency closed the week at 1.026 US Dollars.

This week will be another trying time for the Aussie with the possibility that a report due for

Jobs & Money | 9AustralianTimes.co.uk

to the United Kingdom Derek Leask The event was organised by Australian Business, British American Business, Canada United Kingdom Chamber of Commerce and KEA – New Zealand’s Global Network.

New Zealand’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Derek Leask welcomed those in attendance in English and Maori, and gave a short but humorous speech about his family ties to the banking industry, appropriate given the sponsor.

Don’t let your UK pension stay behind when you return to oz

Going Home

Wayne 07768 393630 | info@carsaustralia.co.uk

Transatlantic friends are givenwelcome at new Zealand house

DECIDING on what to do with your accumulated UK pension or superannuation money when transferring between countries can be a headache. In fact it could be the last thing you want to think about.

There are however significant potential benefits from transferring your pension. As some of these are time-sensitive it’s important to get it right – at least if you want to retire richer, keep more in your pocket and not pay any unnecessary tax.

The first thing to realise is you can’t cash out your UK pension when you move, so don’t get caught out at the last minute.

There are many types of employer pension plans around. There are those which can be transferred directly overseas, whilst others may need a two or three step strategy before moving them offshore.

For example, National Insurance contributions (the State Second Pension) cannot be transferred home directly. However you may get access to this pension by transferring it to a separate, personal pension plan in the UK first.

How does it work?Non-UK residents have the ability to move UK pensions to outside the UK using an international pension fund. The receiving fund needs to meet certain conditions as set out by the HMRC. Generally those satisfying these standards are given official “Qualifying-Registered-Overseas-Pension-Scheme (or QROPS) status”.

So, if you are getting advice about where to put the money transferred back to Australia, a good question would be: “Is the fund QROPS compliant?”

The pension scheme must have similar characteristics to UK pension funds. Importantly, lump sum payments or income payments from the fund cannot be made until you are “of retirement age” – similar to UK laws; and the pension regulations in the destination country (for the purposes of this article, Australia) must be acceptable to the UK government.

Fortunately, Australia does have appropriate superannuation regulations, and there are many QROPS funds available back home. Alternatively you may be able to create your own self-managed superannuation fund in Australia, and thereafter have greater management and control over how and where to invest your retirement savings. Either way, you have the potential to transfer into a structure with a broader choice of investments, or leave the funds in cash if you like, even keeping it initially in GBP currency.

You can then of course start

making new contributions in Australia (possibly from your new employer) to your new Australian fund.

What tax will be paid on the fund?It’s critical to realise that the tax paid by the fund is different depending on when you make the funds transfer. That is – how long after you return and become resident again. Generally speaking, transfers within 6 months are the most tax effective, ensuring your retirement money is not eaten up unnecessarily by taxes. Therefore pension transfers are very much time-sensitive as well.

What are the benefits of transferring my pension?It’s not straightforward estimating how your fund might perform in the future in different countries, and you should be wary of advisers promising superior performance. However, there are some potentially significant tax benefits to consider – which can help you move your retirement savings ahead much faster.

Freedom from UK inheritance tax on the pension amount is possibly the greatest benefit. This benefit alone could save your family 55% in taxes upon your death – otherwise payable if you are not in a Registered QROPS offshore fund.

In addition, UK taxes are no longer payable when contributions are made to the fund that has transferred overseas to a qualifying fund.

Another benefit is the ability to withdraw funds in a more flexible way when it comes to winding down,

between the ages of 55 and 75, and even outside these ages. Income and capital payments can be made from the fund when in retirement without needing to deduct any UK taxes which would otherwise apply if your pension remained in the UK. Funds withdrawn from an Australian superannuation fund after the age of 60 are at present not taxed at all.

As mentioned, moving pensions to Australia can also open up opportunities to move into a more flexible structure with a broader choice of investments for your retirement savings.

Before taking advantage of all the benefits, there are some conditions you need to meet personally. Chief among them is that you need to plan to remain outside the UK for a period of at least 5 years.

Not everyone will benefit from transferring their pension fund overseas however, so getting good advice is critical. This will involve an adviser comparing not only what’s legally possible, but also what’s in your best interest in the long term when it comes to planning for retirement.

More information about QROPS is provided by the HMRC at Hmrc.gov.uk/pensionsschemes

Daniel Shillito is a Financial Adviser, CPA and Expat specialist at Aussie Finance and Property Group, qualified both within Australia and throughout Europe. Daniel can be contacted on Ph. 0203 2390479 or in Sydney +61 2 80033472. www.aussiefpgroup.com

The information above is not specific financial advice. It is general in nature and does not take into account your specific goals or objectives. Information should not be relied upon without first seeking advice that is tailored and relevant to your own circumstances.

your money> Daniel Shillito

AustralianTimes.co.uk/jobs-money

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NEW ZEALAND business people had the chance to mix and mingle with counterparts from Australia, Canada, Britain and the United States at a cocktail function on 24 September 2012.

Held in the Penthouse Suite at New Zealand House – with arguably the best view in all of central London – close to 100 people had the chance to enjoy the setting, eat and drink, and make connections with fellow workers at the ANZ-sponsored Transatlantic Cocktail Reception.

The event was organised by Australian Business, British American Business, Canada United Kingdom Chamber of Commerce and KEA – New Zealand’s Global Network.

New Zealand’s High Commissioner

n Are you moving back to Australia, have a UK pension and you’re not quite sure what to do with it?

9 - 15 October 201210 | Sport

Continued from p12...

AUstrAliAn

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£40 ticket (inc VAT) includes:Food and Drink• Australian sparkling on arrival• Australian wine and beer• Selection of canapés

Entertainment• Watch the ‘big race’ on a large screen• ‘Fashion on the Field Parade’• ‘Fashion on the Field Parade’• Fairground Game – race to win!

Prizes and Gifts• Prizes for best dressed Filly and Fellow• Australian goody bag to take home

Dress: Racing attire – hats & fascinators

BOOK ONLINE NOW!www.australianbusiness.co.ukEnquiries: 020 7099 8444Enquiries: 020 7099 8444

Tuesday 6 November 6.30pm – 9.00pmLondon’s Flemington Racecourse,

re-created at Australia House

against France, England Italy and Wales - will then determine whether he can fight another day and lead Australia against the British and Irish Lions next year.

A 3-1 return should keep him safe while a failed 1-3 campaign is unlikely to be tolerated. The last time a depleted Australian squad went to Europe and won just one Test, in 2005, Eddie Jones was sacked.

Behind the four-yearly World Cup, Lions tours are the biggest, most-anticipated events on the rugby circuit and the ARU will be desperate to ensure they have a team brimming

with confidence.Queensland coach Ewen McKenzie

isn’t campaigning for the top job but he is an obvious successor who has proven he can orchestrate immediate reversals of fortune.

With an unprecedented amount of injuries robbing Deans of more than half of his best 22-man squad, a host of rising rookies have gained valuable Test experience in the 10 Tests thus far 2012 (six wins, four losses) to ensure depth will be stronger in 2013.

“Obviously we’ve experienced a fair amount of adversity but we’ll get the benefit from this time,” the beaming coach said after the gutsy Rosario win.

A 3-3 record in the Rugby Championship and a second-place finish in the tournament shouldn’t be sneezed at but also shouldn’t be celebrated.

The fact remains the Wallabies never challenged the All Blacks in their two opening matches - continuing a frustrating decade-long Bledisloe Cup drought - and that was before the bulk of injuries hit.

Since then they split their matches with the erratic Springboks and scored tense wins over Argentina.

The spirit shown in the weekend’s success over the Pumas made a mockery of disgruntled playmaker Quade Cooper’s claim the Wallabies house a “toxic environment”.

Wallabies second place shouldn’t be celebrated

By Phillip Browne

THIS Saturday will see a clash of the titans in the northern hemisphere Tag Rugby world when the Chargers take on Tumeke at the Wasps Tag Rugby Festival at Twyford Avenue Sports Ground in Acton.

The Chargers won this year’s Pig N Porter Tag Rugby Festival in Limerick which is the biggest tag rugby festival in the world, where they defeated some of Ireland’s finest teams to lift the trophy. They are also the Finsbury Park competition back-to-back champions.

Tumeke won this year’s London Tag Rugby Championships which is the UK’s biggest tag festival by defeating London’s premier teams as well as the Bircroft Panthers who travelled over from Dublin and have been the all-Ireland champions on numerous occasions.

The Wasps Tag Rugby Festival which will be played at the London Wasps training grounds in Acton from 12pm to 5pm on Saturday, 13October will see both of these champion teams battle it out for tag rugby supremacy. There will also be a host of other sides looking to steal the limelight away from the two champion outfits.

2012 London Tag Rugby Championship winners, Tumeke of the Acton competition.

Clash of the titans at Wasps Tag Rugby Festival

In the Mixed social division, the Cyborg Sharpshooters from Reading will start as favourites but will have to get through the likes of Phibbers, Tagerbomb and Tags McGee to lift the trophy.

In other news, Try Tag Rugby’s Late Autumn season will be the last competitions of 2012, with the first Late Autumn competition kicking off on 24 October.

After the Late Autumn season, all tag rugby in the capital takes a short break over winter, so this will be the last chance in 2012 for your teams to get amongst the action.

Late Autumn season competitions will take place at the following venues: Acton, Balham, Barnes, Bermondsey, Borough, Rotherhithe, Shoreditch Park and Tooting Bec.

If you would like to get involved in one of the fastest growing sports in London, new team and individual registrations are welcome. This is a great chance to develop a network of friends if you are new to London.

To register for a Try Tag Rugby competition or event, go to www.trytagrugby.com or email info@trytagrugby.com for more details.

Sport | 11AustralianTimes.co.uk

The Doha leg of the World Cup series finishes on Sunday night before moving to Stockholm next weekend. - AAP AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport

Get MoreSport

Continued from p12...

PROFESSIONAL sport can be a harsh environment, and football is no exception. A career can turn on a single win or loss. Even a simple individual mistake can have huge consequences for a player should the media get hold and run with it. It’s not uncommon for a player to be adored by the fans one minute, only to be dropped in the space of a season should performance waver.

Only a small minority of players are able to continue well into their 30’s. A feat that’s even more remarkable considering the volume of training, number of games and constant travel involved in being a professional footballer.

Some would say it’s all down to luck, with an injury-free passage the sole reason why some football veterans are still playing. Though if this were true, the likes of David Beckham would be retired – he snapped his Achilles whilst playing for AC Milan in 2010. Yet he continues to lead LA Galaxy around the field with panache and aplomb.

Experience may be invaluable, but is youth the answer?n The man in charge of keeping the Fulham FC football players in top shape, Aussie fitness coach SCOTT MILLER looks at the difference between experience and youthful potential when it comes to professional football.

inside the cottage

> ScoTT mILLER

“quality on the ball”So what is it that keeps players like Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Andrea Pirlo and Australia’s own Mark Schwarzer at the top of their game if it’s not just a lack of injury? What motivates them every day to train just as they did when they were 20 years of age?

All players get injured at some point in their career. It just happens. It’s the reaction of the athlete to this adversity that determines whether they will return to the game or fall down at this hurdle. It’s the player’s professionalism in adhering to advice from coaches and sports science and medical staff that will allow him to return to his peak once again.

I happened to watch David Beckham play for LA Galaxy just recently, and the intensity in which he pressed the opposition and his quality on the ball amazed me. Pirlo recently played England off the park at the European Championships. And Ryan Giggs – simply phenomenal. The way he glides past defenders, and still has the ability to find that crucial ball in the final third.

Closer to home, I have the pleasure of witnessing Mark Schwarzer in action every single day with Fulham. His work ethic is something all Australian football lovers should

witness. His desire to play, his passion and his professionalism put most players within the game to shame!

Simply put – the common theme is that they are driven by the high standards they apply to everything they put their hand to. You could almost say it’s an obsessive compulsive disorder for excellence. No doubt their sock drawers and pantry are all very well organised too.

“it’s a young man’s sport” Despite these veterans ceaseless thirst for football, the game has definitely become a young man’s sport. Watching the Euro 2012 competition, the average age of the squads was staggering. I found myself repeating the age of the player whenever the commentator mentioned a name: “20 - you have to be kidding – 20, and it’s already his 10th international cap!”

A result of increased investment in the development of young professional footballers and grassroots football, it is undoubtedly a good thing for the sport. Improving standards in the footballing environment and quality of coaching is fast tracking an elite crop of individuals. It clearly demonstrates that the system is

working, and younger players are at the level to break into their first team sooner. We have seen this at Fulham FC this season with a number of younger players being involved in the club.

“there is a balance to be achieved”There is, however, a balance to be achieved. There have been a number of voices in Australia asking for the older big name players to step aside and allow the youth to develop on the international stage. Firstly - it is unlikely (and this is coming from a diehard Aussie) that Tim Cahill or Lucas Neill, for example, would make the hard decision to retire from international football. They are loyal and patriotic men - and it will have to be the Football Federation of Australia and the current manager that makes that tough decision.

Further, it is vital for a country like Australia to qualify for every World Cup as it is far too important commercially to miss an opportunity for our sport to grow on the biggest stage. From a development and funding perspective, and to ensure football is accessible to more people within Australia, the national team

must keep to the high standards it has set over the last decade.

It is only when the youth players who are knocking on the door are better players, or have at least had exposure to top level football with their club, that they can take over from the senior professionals. They should get a run in friendly internationals certainly, but would they have the mettle for a MCG World Cup qualifier in front of 90,000?

“the Australian football philosophy”Development has to start somewhere though, and this should be with providing the best coaching through building the Australian football philosophy with Australian coaches. I prefer this approach to employing coaches from other countries to come and implement their philosophy.

Quality is the key. For Australian football to grow, we must set the standards high and ingrain that same mentality into our youth as you find in the Beckham’s, the Giggs’, the Pirlo’s and the Schwarzer’s of this sport. With that in place, I have no doubt Australian teams will continue to compete competitively and successfully at an international level.

Tadhg Kennelly, Emmett Bradley and Sean Hurley. (AFL Media)

AHEAD of the upcoming live AFL match in London at Kia Oval on 3 November, where Port Adelaide is set to take on the Western Bulldogs in the European Challenge, it seems many in Europe are experiencing a flush of aussie rules football fever.

For European fans at least, this may just have a little something to do with the inclusion of two Irish AFL players, Emmett Bradley from Derry and Sean Hurley from Kildare, in the NAB 2012 AFL Draft Combine held at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne from 2-5 October.

The Draft Combine (formerly the Draft Camp) is said to be the ultimate test for young footballers aspiring to be picked in November’s 2012 NAB AFL Draft, to be held Thursday 22 November on the Gold Coast.

All players face rigorous testing and fierce competition in their battle to present their case for inclusion on an

Irish AFL players attend 2012 AFL Draft Combine in Melbournen Two Irish AFL players have headed Down Under for their chance to take on Australia’s next generation of AFL talent in the NAB 2012 AFL Draft Combine.

AFL list. With the inclusion of both Bradley and Hurley, Ireland now make up 20% of the 10 strong international contingent, alongside players from the USA, PNG, New Zealand, Ireland, Nauru and China. However, the odds are significantly lengthened when measured against the hundreds strong home-grown contingent also vying for attention.

Bradley and Hurley made the cut after being selected from an International Combine held at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght, Dublin in February. The testing they experienced there may have served them well when faced with the four day program of physical, medical psychological, psychomotor and skills tests of the Draft Combine.

AFL National and International Talent Manager Kevin Sheehan acknowledges the growing importance of sourcing talent internationally. “It’s a glimpse into the future.”

Grab tickets now on KiaOval.com to the huge AFL showdown in London between Port and Bulldogs or head to the Aussie Times website to win a pair. Goal!

five golds in Qatar for Aussie swimmers AUSTRALIANS Tommaso D’Orsogna and Kenneth To dead-heated for gold in the 100m freestyle at the FINA World Cup short-course meet in Doha on Saturday night.

The pair touched the wall in a time of 47.10s ahead of American Anthony Ervin while another Australian, Kyle Richardson, was fourth.

With two gold medals presented for a dead-heat, they contributed to five golds for Australian swimmers on the opening night of the event in Qatar.

Rising 20-year-old To won his second with victory in the 100m medley final in a time of 51.58.

Fellow NSW swimmer Robert Hurley also won double gold with a narrow triumph in the 100m backstroke and a comfortable victory in the 400m freestyle.

After winning the backstroke double in Dubai during the week, Victoria’s Rachel Goh had to settle for silver in the women’s 50m backstroke behind Japan’s Noriko Inada.

Statement of intent from Port Powerhand-outs from the AFL to stay afloat, wanted to appoint Leon Cameron as their head coach but he chose an assistant role at Greater Western Sydney instead.

Others on Port’s wish-list, including West Coast assistant Scott Burns, didn’t want to apply for the position.

And others still, including sacked Carlton coach Brett Ratten and Collingwood’s senior coaching strategist Rodney Eade, withdrew their bids.

Hinkley, overlooked by several other clubs in the past, said being named Port coach achieved a long-held ambition.

“I have been through a number of processes to try and achieve this result for myself,” he said.

“Never was there a doubt that I wanted to be an AFL coach.

“I have been through a very long journey and am really passionate about getting the opportunity because I have great belief in what, perhaps, I am able to do.”

Ex-Carlton assistant Alan Richardson was announced as Port’s director of coaching and strategy while the Power have also lured back high performance manager Darren Burgess from English soccer club Liverpool.

“As a combined group, we think this is a very, very significant statement of intent for the Port Adelaide footy club,” Port chief executive Keith Thomas said.

“These guys ... will add immediate value to a playing group that is desperate for success, keen to learn, and wanting to build their own piece of history.”

Hinkley said Port, winners of just eight games in the past two seasons, were in a “renewal stage” but was

adamant he would rejuvenate the club.“I have great confidence in what I

do,” he said.“My track record, if you look over

it, I have been involved in something like six premierships.

“And just recently (I have) been at the Gold Coast Suns - I have seen a blank canvas and the way it takes time to build. But I understand what it takes to be successful.”

Hinkley’s task was made somewhat easier on Monday when talented utility Angus Monfries left Essendon to join Port, who have lost experienced duo Troy Chaplin to Richmond and Danyle Pearce to Fremantle under free agency rules.

TAKING POWER: Ken Hinkley, the newly appointed senior coach of Port Adelaide, at Alberton Oval on Monday. (AAP Image/Regi Varghese)

Kyle Richardson

WIN

P10

By Jim Morton

ROBBIE DEANS rightly says the Wallabies will benefit from the adversity of their rocky Rugby Championship campaign but the question still remains whether he’ll be around to reap it in 2013.

Injury-ravaged Australia’s scrappy yet highly-admirable 25-19 win over Argentina in Rosario guarantees Deans will stay in control as coach for the last five Tests of this year.

After a third Bledisloe Test against a full-strength All Blacks side aiming to equal their record winning streak of 17 on October 20, he will then take the Wallabies to Europe for a four-match spring tour.

The results and their play -

n Holden driver Jamie Whincup defied the criticism of motorsport great Dick Johnson to claim his fourth Bathurst 1000 crown on Sunday by the narrowest of margins.

Deans’ Lions hopes hinge on Spring Tour

i’m the right man to coach Port: hinkley

CLASH OF THE TAG RUGBY TITANS

Gearing up for Wasps Tag Rugby Festival showdown

By Steve Larkin

KEN HINKLEY insists he didn’t become Port Adelaide coach by default.

Hinkley rejected suggestions that he will coach Port for the next four AFL seasons only because other candidates didn’t want the job.

“Sometimes these things happen and there is a reason for some people to come out at the top at the right time,” Hinkley told reporters when his appointment was announced on Monday.

“People have said ‘last man standing’ - I have heard those comments.

“Maybe I was the right man standing.”

Hinkley joins Port from the Gold Coast Suns, where he was an assistant coach for the past three years after previous assistant roles at St Kilda and Geelong.

Port, who haven’t played finals since 2007 and receive financial

...continued on p10

...continued on p11

BATHURST THRILLER

KINGS OF THE MOUNTAIN: Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell of Triple Eight Racing Holden Commodore team won the V8 Supercars Bathurst 1000 on Sunday. (AAP Image/Edge Photographics, Mark Horsburgh)

By Ed Jackson

TOLD he was too mentally fragile to win the Mount Panorama endurance classic, Holden’s Jamie Whincup showed plenty of grit to hold off a determined challenge from Ford’s David Reynolds in the 1000km race.

The victory margin was just 0.3 seconds, the fourth-narrowest in Bathurst history, and lifts Whincup alongside Greg Murphy and Allan Moffat as a four-time Bathurst winner.

It was co-driver Paul Dumbrell’s first win in 12 starts at the mountain.

Pushed all the way by Reynolds, who earned the first podium of his V8 Supercars career, Whincup said the

victory held a significant place in his heart in the 50th year of touring car endurance racing at the iconic venue.

He said lifting the Peter Brock Trophy in front of 57,939 fans - part of a record four-day attendance of 207,205 - easily matched anything he’d achieved in his career beforehand.

“This could be up there with the highlight of my career,” he said.

“I’ve massively enjoyed my other Bathurst wins and championships and all that but this is a massive event. We got here on Tuesday and got swamped in the main street.

“To stand on the top step for the 50th year, without doubt, it’s unbelievably special.”

Whincup said Johnson’s comments had given him the motivation needed as Reynolds, who partnered with Dean Canto for the race, closed in over the final few laps.

“What came in to my head with 10 laps to go was probably Dick’s comments during the week that I didn’t have the mental capacity to win the race,” he said.

“Thought of that and that definitely helped me the last 10 laps.”

Whincup’s victory extended his championship lead to 161-points with teammate Craig Lowndes now his nearest rival after the 38-year-old stormed home to take third place on Sunday with co-driver Warren Luff.

Ford Performance Racing duo Mark

Winterbottom and Will Davison did their title chances no good with 11th and 24th place finishes respectively.

Davison, though, was just glad to be leaving the track in one piece after his brakes failed as he hit Conrod Straight at up to 300 km/h.

The 2009 Bathurst champion speared through a sand trap and across the track, narrowly missing an oncoming car, but was unharmed when the car came to rest against a wall near turn one.

It was also a tough day for 2011 Bathurst champions Garth Tander and Nick Percat, whose title defence effectively ended when their Commodore hit a wall in the 38th lap with the pair eventually limping home in 25th position.