canberra citynews november 22, 2012

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news

When manners go out the @#$%ing window!

IS civility seriously in decline? Regrettably, I think so, and I don’t think I’m alone in that view.

Scarcely a week goes by without some headline about cyber bullying and radio shock jocks insult-ing someone, and all manner of people engaging in rude and aggressive public behaviour that in previ-ous decades just wouldn’t have been tolerated.

The other week I was standing in a queue at the local supermarket. Just ahead of me was a young man, probably in his early twenties, who was talk-ing loudly on his mobile phone.

The conversation was punctuated by an extraor-dinary string of expletives and explicit sexual references uttered, or rather shouted, without any regard for anyone within a 30-metre radius. A few people were cringing, but most appeared to accept this conduct as unobjectionable, unremarkable.

I don’t have a problem with expletives in private conversation, but this recent incident, together with numerous other recent encounters that family and friends have had with rude and hostile people indifferent to the feelings or interests of others, really has made me wonder what’s happened to civility.

It seems to me that good manners, politeness, civility in public conduct have fallen out of fashion, or at least don’t rate anywhere the importance they once did.

Now, being assertive, indeed aggressive, shout-ing the loudest, pushing over the top of others, thinking only of one’s self and being uncaring in-creasingly seem to be accepted as the norm.

Unfortunately, what our children see around them is what they learn and how they will ulti-mately behave themselves. When uncivil, uncar-ing behaviour is accepted as routine, just part of day-to-day social interaction, then it’s even harder to deal with difficult issues such as bullying, be it in schools, workplaces, aggressive driving on our roads or trolls in social media.

We are entering the Christmas season. We all have too many commitments and dates in our di-ary, queues seem to go on forever and the weather is getting hotter. We’re often tired from a long, hard year, tempers are frayed, and we still have this last big month to get through before we collapse into January. But maybe it’s precisely the season of goodwill when we should take a deep breath, and make that extra effort to practice the old adage: “Politeness costs nothing and gains everything”.

Sonya Fladun mum in the city

Women who made the cityFROM Edith Cameron to Lauren Jackson, a new exhibition will celebrate women across the eras and their contribution to Canberra.

Ahead of Canberra’s Centenary, “The Women Who Made Can-berra” will explore the changes in women’s lives over 100 years.

Social history curator at the Canberra Museum and Gallery, Rowan Henderson, has been gath-ering and researching material for the exhibition for the last nine months, and discovered “rich and fascinating” stories.

“It makes you realise just how much history Canberra has,” she says.

“The aim is to not just look at prominent or significant women,

although we do look at those too in the exhibition, but also to give insight into the broad range of experiences and backgrounds and professions.

“We have women who have lived their entire lives here, and nurses, politicians, women who worked in science and universi-ties. We also have public servants; people who moved here when the public service was transferred to Canberra.”

Twenty different sections will feature in the exhibition, includ-ing women’s groups and individu-als, and Rowan says it highlights just how far women have come.

“When the oldest woman in this

exhibition, Edith Cameron – who lived here all her life – was born in 1875 women could not vote or be elected to Parliament... when the youngest woman, Lauren Jack-son, was born in 1981, she had the world at her feet in comparison to the opportunities available to Edith a hundred years earlier,” Rowan says.

“From the research I’ve done, it seems that Canberra really made a contribution through being that political centre of Australia, so people were involved in things like women’s liberation, and the women’s electoral lobby for equal opportunity.”

As well as photos, posters and clothing, the exhibition features objects belonging to significant women or representing a time of change.

One of the most memorable sto-ries for Rowan surrounds a pram belonging to Heather Henderson, the daughter of former Prime Minister Robert Menzies.

Heather would take her baby out in the pram when Menzies was living at The Lodge, but struggled because the footpaths weren’t very good.

“She went home and com-plained to Robert about the lack of facilities in Canberra and that was what really brought home to him that Canberra needed to be

developed into a place to live, it couldn’t just be a sort of tempo-rary home for politicians and the public service – it needed to be a city,” she says.

Rowan says the exhibition’s subject matter is still “extremely relevant” today.

“Equal rights for women is such a modern thing, and so much a part of Canberra’s history,” she says.

“We were really fighting for those rights and denied all those things, so I think it’s important to acknowledge those achievements and the way those women actu-ally did fight for the rights we had today.”

“The Women Who Made Can-berra”, Canberra Museum and Gallery until March 17.

Curator Rowan Henderson. Photo by Silas Brown

Women’s Liberation members outside The Street Theatre in 1972.

Heather Henderson’s pram... brought home to Menzies that Canberra needed to be developed into a place to live.District Nursing Service, circa 1950. Courtesy ACT Heritage Library.

Phone 6262 9100 / www.citynews.com.au / Since 1993: Volume 18, Number 44

Laura Edwards reports


news

Call for all-star Open help

PLENTY of people – and not just golfers – are getting excited about the 2013 Australian Women’s Open, which is set to be one of the major events on Canberra’s Centenary calendar.

To take place at Royal Canberra Golf Club in February, the historical event will bring the world’s best golfers and the global LPGA golf tour to Canberra for the first time.

“It’s an event that Canberra really hasn’t seen before because it’s US sanc-tioned,” says Royal Canberra Golf Club’s women’s captain Gail Potts.

“This event probably won’t happen in Canberra again... It’s got the top 156 women players in the world so it’s a ma-jor event and it’s not only [exciting for] golfers but any people who appreciate quality sporting events.”

Big names to head to Canberra in-clude Karrie Webb, American rookie Jessica Korda and leading world ama-teur Lydia Ko.

An event of this size needs volunteers to help with everything from holding up “quiet” signs to handing out bibs and drinks.

Tournament volunteer co-ordinator Nikki Brown says almost 300 people have

signed up to volunteer already, but Golf Australia has asked for 400.

“The tournament will be held across four days, but we don’t expect people to volunteer for all four days, they might want to do one or two days or even a half day,” Nikki says.

Available positions include: caddy bibs, wardrobe notes, car park attend-ants, carry board holder, courtesy car driver, drinks distribution, hole mar-shal, media centre, on-course leader board attendant, roving marshal, walk-er scorer, program sellers and locker room attendants.

Gail says there is a great vibe at the picturesque Royal Canberra in the lead

up to the event, which will launch the LPGA’s 2013 Global Tour.

“We’ve got the right golf course for it and we’ve had a number of international players play at Royal Canberra over the years,” she says.

“We also have the advantage of hav-ing a golf course in the middle of an arboretum and there’s nowhere else I know that has that.”

The 2013 ISPS Handa Women’s Aus-tralian Open, February 11-17. For a full list of position descriptions and to reg-ister as a volunteer go to royalcanberra.com.au/guests/ladies/ladies-classic.mhtml

The Test is yet to come...CANBERRA remains the only capital of a Test-playing country not to have held a cricket Test match. That must change.

Capital cricket fans are over the moon that the Centenary has brought with it our first one-day international involving our national team. That’s great. We’ll all be there when Australia takes on the West Indies in a day-nighter at Manuka Oval on Wednesday, February 6. We must pack the place out to ensure that it’s the first of many.

It’s not the absolute first ODI in our town. South Africa played Zimbabwe as a part of the cricket World Cup in the early ‘90s and India and Sri Lanka clashed at Manuka in 2008. I wasn’t here for the World Cup game, but I did go to the ’08 ODI, with a Sri Lankan flag draped over my shoulders. It was a great day and it’s a major disappointment that we’ve had to wait five years for the next one.

It’s an absolute disgrace that Cairns and Darwin have had a shot at hosting a Test, but we haven’t.

I was dismayed to see the vast expanses of empty seats at the Gabba in Brisbane on the final two days of the first Test of the summer. Despite our relatively smaller population, I’m sure that Canberra would have provided bigger crowds in the final days

because we “get” Test cricket here.

I concede that when we do finally score one, it’ll be against the likes of Bangladesh or Zimba-bwe, but I really don’t care. All I can see is that wonderful carpet of green under an impossibly blue Canberra sky, a healthy intelli-gent crowd and baggy green caps being worn in the centre.

Consider also the growing ar-ray of first-class cricket talent that has emerged from Canberra in recent years. From Michael Bevan and Brad Haddin through to the likes of Nathan Lyon and Jason Floros, we are proving to be a lucrative nursery for stars of the game with the promise of much more to come.

Come on, Cricket Australia – it’s inevitable, give us a Test match. I won’t shut up till it hap-pens!

Mark Parton is the breakfast announcer on 2CC

There are 10 Test-cricket playing nations in the world. Nine of them have

hosted Test matches in their respective capital cities. One hasn’t, says cricket tragic MARK PARTON

Libby Hillreports

Royal Canberra Golf Club volunteer co-ordinator Nikki Brown, left, and women’s captain Gail Potts. Photo by Silas Brown


politics / comment

Time for the Libs to grab the needles

BETWEEN 2008 and 2010 the government of Iran ran trials of Needle and Syringe Prisoner Programs (NSPP) in three prisons in its country. This was at a time when the Canberra Liberals were put-ting in every effort to stop such a process in Canberra.

The outcomes of the Iranian experience should give courage to the ACT Government. As in other countries, there was a reduction in the spread of HIV and other blood-borne viruses. However, it was not achieved without similar challenges as the government is facing.

At a meeting last week in Tehran with Iranian health and prison officials along with representatives from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, I listened with interest to an evaluation of the programs by an academic from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria. As co-ordinator of the evaluation, he explained the challenges and outcomes of the project in three Iranian prisons. They were Ghezelhesar prison in Tehran province, and central prisons in Hamedan and Esfahan.

Like so many people in Iran, the officials at the meet-ing were helpful, friendly and concerned. They were also keen to understand the three pillars of the Australian ap-proach to illicit drug policy which is based on supply reduction, demand reduction and harm minimisation.

Iranian drug use has been influenced by the level of drug trafficking that crosses their country – particu-larly through its borders with opium-growing countries. It should not be surprising that their problem with injecting drug use has increased mark-edly over the last decade. Prison warders, govern-ment officials and the public generally were wary of the provision of needles and sy-ringes in the prison. However, according to Dr Shahbazi, the spread of blood-borne viruses outweighed such concerns as “condoning drug use”, “tempt-ing” prisoners”, “syringes as weapons” and “undermining abstinence and methadone programs”. These are largely the same concerns that have been expressed in the ACT.

Additionally, many of the

prison wardens and health-care providers such as physi-cians, nurses and counsellors, who were interviewed before the commencement of the pro-gram, believed that there was inadequate infrastructure to support implementation of an NSPP.

The Iranian authorities made the needles widely avail-able in the selected prisons. Detainees in the trial wings of the prisons could request as many needles as they wanted. There was not even the demand for a 100 per cent return of the needles. Despite the concerns and such an open system, there was not even a single incident of needles being used as weapons or of an infected needle creating a needle-stick injury.

There was a reduction in the spread of blood-borne vi-ruses. The evaluation showed an increasing percentage of needles being returned and needle sharing virtually ended – 8.1 per cent of nee-dles were unreturned in the original six months with this figure dropping to 2.8 per cent in the last six months of the trial as trust increased.

Prisoners involved in the trial had a significantly im-proved interest in their own health with increased testing and participation in education and other harm-reduction programs.

The reality is that the ACT is not alone in looking for lateral solutions to prevent the spread of blood-borne viruses. Aus-tralia was amongst the most successful countries in the world in reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS. This was because brave politicians across the political spectrum recognised the importance of disease prevention as more important than ideological commitment.

Hopefully, in the new term of the Assembly, the Canberra Liberals will be able to shed this part of their ideological commitment and support an NSPP in the Alexander Ma-conochie Centre.

Michael Moore was an inde-pendent member of the Assem-bly and was Health Minister. As CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia, he was responsible for a report on an NSP in the Alexander Maconochie Centre in 2011.

In their last term in government, the Canberra Liberals were even more conservative in some ways than politicians in Iran, says political writer MICHAEL MOORE


politics / profile

Young mums get first taste of politics

WHILE they may be on opposing sides, newly elected Canberra Liberals MLA Giulia Jones and Labor MLA Yvette Berry both feel they will bring “fresh ideas” to their respective electorates.

Giulia, who ran for the Liberals in 2008 and narrowly missed out on a seat, admits she’s been like “a fish out of the frying pan” since the election.

“I’ve been enjoying it all, it’s a lot to take in,” she says.

“Losing [the 2008 election] was hard, but it means I can appreciate where I am now more.”

With four children under seven, Gi-ulia, 32, is used to “blending work and family life.”

“I think the important thing for people to remember is there’s no such thing as a supermum,” she says.

“There’s just a mum with a super-team. I think my kids learn a lot by having a sort of exposure to what I’m doing. I’m not so big on the term to ‘juggle’, mums aren’t clowns. It’s a job of blending all the different aspects of your life as it suits you best.”

Growing up in Tasmania with an Italian migrant mother and four siblings, Giulia says she learnt

quickly how to make her voice heard.“I grew up in a family where we

talked about the outcome of politics a lot but no-one ever talked about get-ting involved,” she says.

“I wanted to be part of the solution, not just part of the whingers.”

She studied a bachelor of arts before moving to Canberra with her husband, who works in the Defence Force, in 2006.

“I think Canberra is the best city I’ve ever lived in – it’s so beautiful, and there’s so many opportunities,” she says.

Giulia, who has previously worked for the Department of Veterans’ Af-fairs and as a political staffer for Tony Abbott, says the main focus of her Mo-longlo electorate are the “bread and butter issues.”

“I’ll be working on improving peo-ple’s daily lives, things like transport and facilities and close shops and parks for mums, that’s going to be my main focus and, of course, when people bring things to my attention,” she says.

“I’m interested in more options for young people. I want to see a situation where kids are able to have as many

opportunities as they can and stay in this beautiful city.”

Yvette has lived in Canberra all her life and grew up with politics in her family: her father Wayne served as Deputy Chief Minister from 1991 to 1994 and was Speaker of the Assembly from 2001 to 2008.

Yvette worked in the hospitality in-dustry before joining workers’ organi-sation United Voice. For more than 15 years she worked as a community organiser, representing workers and their families.

In her electorate of Ginninderra, Yvette says she wants to focus on early childhood education and childcare and encourage federal politicians to fund the sector.

“I believe it’s important to recognise the work of early childhood educators through funding and the federal gov-ernment, but my passion for this came from my children being in childcare and having a real understanding of the work these people do in giving our children the best start in life,” she says.

With two children, Yvette believes it’s important to find time for family.

“It’s not easy, but you have to be strong,” she says.

“You have to keep that time as fam-ily time. I put the phone down, put the

ipad away. When I get home, I like to play basketball or walk the dog with the kids.”

She says her strength is her ability to “engage the community”.

“I think with politicians in Canberra, people are realising we are accessible,

and that they can talk to us,” she says. “Women in particular have a differ-

ent style with the way they negotiate, and it’s good to see politicians are human beings as well, they’re moth-ers, they have family, and they play basketball.”

They’re both young mothers, new to the Assembly and passionate about their city. LAURA EDWARDS meets some new faces to politics

Labor’s Yvette Berry, left, and Liberal Giulia Jones... “It’s good to see politicians are human beings as well, they’re mothers, they have family, and they play basketball,” says Berry. Photo by SIlas Brown


news dose of dorin

Bitter memoriesof the dragwayTIM Gavel, who I consider an excellent, open-minded sport commentator of many years, stated in his col-umn (CN, November 15) that, with the ACT election behind us, it will be fascinating to see the outcome for sport and if the proposed new indoor stadium to replace the Canberra Stadium is going to fly.

I clearly remember a previous election when the then-Chief Minister Jon Stanhope made a rolled-gold guarantee that a new dragway facility would be operational within 18 months and committed $8 million to the project.

This was to replace the original Canberra International Dragway that was privately funded, constructed and successfully managed until, through the courts, the government of the day had CID closed as it was a stumbling block to a then supposed private venture. Well, 12 years later the facility is a derelict and overgrown paddock.

Prior to the 2008 election, a proposal was put forward for a National Automotive and Driver Education facility in the Majura Valley, a fully costed proposal that would have seen several major motorsport disciplines built around a central facility, an automotive industrial precinct, a CIT campus and government offices, but sadly it went off to the too-hard basket.

Meanwhile, the question is: what has Sport Minister Andrew Barr done with the CID proposal he inherited from Mr Stanhope?

Michael Attwell, Dunlop

Got it in one, ChrisYOU got it in one, Chris Doyle (letters, CN, November 15). I would have preferred a complete “wipe out” of the Greens in the Assembly as they are simply acting as the left wing of the Labor Party and operating in a subterfuge manner.

An examination of their voting pattern, especially on issues such as the appeal against the bushfire Coroner’s findings and every no-confidence matter, reveals this. And Rattenbury’s insouciant manner towards illegal activities against the CSIRO research facilities and Parkwood Eggs reveals him to be best suited to his previous activist role rather than as a representative of the people.

The ACT Green/Labor government has been in power for too long and it is time for a change, even if for one term, to prevent abuse, complacency, arrogance and staleness.

Already the arrogance has been revealed by Corbell’s appointment of Tony Graham to head up Emergency Services despite trenchant criticism of him by Coroner Doogan and the concerns of rural and voluntary firefighters and fire-victims like myself. Ric Hingee, Duffy

Boomers about to do it again

CANBERRA’S baby boomers are about to shake up the social scene again.

According to demographer Bernard Salt, the biggest shift will be the explosion of our retirement population, predicting that as the boomer generation turns 65, there will be shockwaves throughout the economy. Older, skilled workers will leave the work-place, they will stop paying taxes and they will start accessing the public services that they helped to fund. As Salt says, this is an educated generation that has worked hard and they will be looking to put the taxpayer dollar to good use.

Salt, a renowned trend forecaster and KPMG partner, was addressing an ACT Property Council lunch on Canberra’s post-GFC recovery and the big trends likely to have an impact over the next decade.

He says we can expect to see more down-shifting as the boomers move away from the family home into apartment-style liv-ing. And in Canberra, we are also likely to inherit a cohort with the time and energy to engage in well-researched public debate!

As one generation puts its feet up, another will be looking for a comfortable place to settle down. The Gen Y’s – Salt calls them KIPPERS: ‘Kids in Parents’ Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings’ – will be hitting their stride as they tumble into their 30s and have to leave the nest.

Moving into a peak earning period and looking to start a family, Salt predicts there will be an increase in demand for high-quality, affordable housing – a challenge in Canberra where the median house price is still more than $500,000.

And in a sobering prediction, Salt pre-dicts changes in employment trends post GFC. With negative job growth in the con-struction, manufacturing and agriculture industries, we can expect to see an increase in the number of unemployed, unskilled workers. The implications for the commu-nity and governments will be significant, particularly if we are to ensure that young people have access to meaningful work op-portunities.

Catherine Carter is ACT Executive Direc-tor with the Property Council of Australia

Catherine Carterproperty

letters


Get the looks for less

cover story / beauty on a budget

$20 and underTHE cheapest and easiest way to achieve an “in-stant makeover” is an eyebrow wax – a neatly defined set of brows lifts the face and enhances eyes. Civic’s Brazilian Butterfly does an eyebrow tidy from $18. brazilianbutterfly.com

WHILE your eyebrows are getting some at-tention, you may as well make them stand out. Brazilian Beauty in Woden can tint brows for a more prominent look, for just $18. brazilianbeauty.com.au

CASH-STRAPPED this week, but keen to get fit? Many gyms around Canberra offer free weekly or daily passes to trial their equipment and classes. Visit gymlink.com.au for more details.

AN eyelash tint goes a long way, and it means you don’t have to bother with mascara. Faces Day Spa in Woden offer tints for $20, ranging from deep brown to jet black. Call 6281 1027 to find out more.

$50 and underA NATURAL-looking spray tan is one of sum-mer’s necessities: it creates a gorgeous glow and has an instant slimming effect. City Walk’s Zaija boast $40 full-body spray tans, and they even have the new, two-hour tan so you don’t have to stay sticky for long. zaija.com.au

THE Body Shop (Canberra Centre, Belconnen and Woden) offers makeovers with one of its professional make-up artists for every $40 spent in store – so you can get glam for that big event and also bag the goods for touch ups. thebodyshop.com.au

IF you want the perfect hairdo, but don’t have the time or patience, Canberra Centre’s Mod-ern Classic does a blow wave from just $40, and styled to your liking – so you can have knockout locks without breaking the bank. canberracen-tre.com.au/retailer/Modern-Classic

YOU’LL be showing them off this summer, so why not get your tootsies in top condition with a pedicure. Professionail in the Can-berra Centre does a mean pedi from just $35. professionail.com.au

A GREAT set of pearly whites is the perfect base to a flawless face. B’Dazzled stocks teeth-bleaching kits in chemists in the Canberra

Centre from $49.95. Visit bdazzled.com.au for stockists.

NEVER mind those sets of glue-on lashes that fall off by night’s end, the real deal are eyelash extensions. But don’t fret, they’re not as la-boured as they sound. A session simply involves about half an hour’s application of individual lashes to your natural ones – and it’s pain-free. They usually last about two months and fall off in the way natural lashes do. Lyneham’s Beauty to You offer outer-corner lash extensions from $50. beautytoyou.com.au

Under $100A FRESH glow is the first step to looking gor-geous, and a facial will get rid of any dry, dull skin left over from winter. For $60 at Civic’s Beauty by Penelope, you can get an express 30-minute facial and be summer-ready by the end of your lunch break. beautybypenelope.com.au.

WANT a designer outfit without the price tag? Renting is the way to go, and websites, such as dressedup.com.au, offer dresses from design-ers such as Wayne Cooper, Rachel Gilbert and Jayson Brunsdon, which can be all yours – for a week. Dresses start from around $69.

STUCK for ideas when it comes to updating the wardrobe? Westfield Woden and Belcon-nen offer $75 consultations with one of their stylists, offering one-on-one advice on key pieces to suit your body shape this season.

LOOKING to update your look this holiday season without busting the budget? From bronzers to blow waves, we’ve got you covered – top to toe – with the city’s best beauty deals this summer. Research by LAURA EDWARDS

Cover… Model: Janette Lenk, make-up: Cloe Pacoe, The Body Shop and photography by Silas Brown.


summer fashionLook your best for the party seasonHave fun this summer with fabulous clothes, bags, shoes and jewels to see you through the party season...

IF there’s one quality Gail Lubbock admires in women, it’s fashion bravery – something she sees in abundance on her European buying trips.

“We need our young people to be brave fashion-wise and embrace the more edgy side of our collection,” says the owner of Manuka’s Escala Shoes.

Gail’s newest stock features a variety of shoes that are perfect for the younger woman looking for versatile shoes that can be suitable at the office or at parties, weddings and special occasions.

“We’ve got some edgy designs that can be worn anywhere – they can be casual and they can be dressy,” she says.

From fun wedges to elegant stilettos, the selec-tion at Escala is chic and quality is guaranteed.

Brands including Red Valentino, Audley and Magrit are synonymous with beautiful design that stands the test of time.

“Brights are very prevalent again for next sum-mer so people buying now should not feel they’re buying something that’ll be here today and gone tomorrow,” Gail says.

“Tan features strongly in the collections and

navy is also a very strong colour for the next two to three fashion seasons and the two colours work beautifully together.”

Escala Shoes, Shop 1, 21 Bougainville Street, Manuka, escala-shoes.com.au

Time to be brave

Red Valentino shoes, $389, wedges, $499, bag, $699, and Franco Ferrari scarf, $195, from Escala.

Magrit heels, $420 a pair, from Escala.

Audley black/pink heels, $325, yellow and taupe wedges, $289, from Escala. Guglielmo Rotta heels, $369 a pair, from Escala.


summer fashion

THERE’S a new boutique on Lonsdale Street in Braddon called Designer Op Shop, which specialises in stocking the cream of the second-hand crop.

Designer Op Shop is “unlike any other boutique in Canberra, with a unique vibe like a little Melbourne boutique”, says Daniella Morr, whose family owns the store.

“We pride ourselves in recycling and reusing. “We’ve handpicked the best pieces from ladies

fashion to vintage homewares for a sustainable and enjoyable way to shop, with very reasonable prices.”

Designer Op Shop features vintage glassware, housewares, clothing and accessories.

Daniella’s family has plenty of experience in fashion: her mum Sharyn Pitsilos had a store, Chin-Chin, in the Canberra Centre for 18 years and her sister Taylor is studying fashion.

Daniella `is known in Canberra for her modelling and was the People’s Choice Award winner for the Miss World Australia competition this year.

Designer Op Shop, 28 Lonsdale Street, Braddon, designeropshop.com.au

Flattering in vintage

Recycling and reusing

VINTAGE inspired clothes are flattering on many women, says Darla Darling of the Darling Sisters.

At Darling Central, in Gold Creek, there are a range of 1940s style Katharine Hepburn-inspired jeans and pants.

“It can be so hard to find a good pair of pants but these ones are so flattering and much better than the ones that show your bottom when you bend over,” she says.

There are also beautiful dresses with “fantastic” prints in 1950s style cuts that are perfect for Christmas parties.

In addition to the frocks, there are swimsuits and other clothing by Bettie Page Clothing, Igigi, My

Sister Pat, Tarantula and more.The Darling Sisters, Unit 9, 7

O’Hanlon Place, Gold Creek, open Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, thedarlingsisters.com

Bettie Page silver roses dress, $160, from The Darling Sisters.

Check Shirt, $49.95, 1940’s style jeans, $130, Hair tie, $16.50, from The Darling Sisters.

Miss shop red summer top, $40, from Designer Op Shop.

Straw floral hand bag, $45, from Designer Op Shop.

Red bow shoes (vintage inspired), $20, from Designer Op Shop.

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summer fashionSecrets go tropicalFASHION retailer Trade Secret says tropical resort prints have made a massive comeback this season. They suggest mixing and matching printed pants with pop-coloured tops, and seeking out flowing maxi dresses in floral prints for the party season ahead.

Sweet pastels are also revived this season. They mix well with textured fabrics, lace and metallics.

Men’s classic shorts and tees get a makeo-ver this summer in earthy hues. Coloured bottoms are essential as well as graphic tees in geometric prints.

And for kids – bright pop colours are a key trend for kidswear this summer, with delightful dresses with prints and embellishments for little girls, and coloured denim for boys.


LEBANON celebrates its 69th anniversary of becoming an independent nation with a national holiday on November 22.

In the capital city of Beirut, Independence Day is celebrated with pomp and fervour with a grand parade featuring military and Lebanese dignitaries.

“An independent Republic since 1943, Lebanon is located at the meeting point of the three continents (Asia, Africa and Europe),” says the Lebanese ambassador, Dr Jean Daniel.

“Over the centuries, Lebanon has been at the crossroad of many civilisations, whose traces may still be seen today.

“The Phoenicians, who lived in this land (1200BC), were the first pioneers to venture in the seas. They exchanged science with nations, spread the alphabet from Byblos with Cadmus, geometry from Tyre with Pythagoras.

“As good merchants they introduced the market system of bargain trade. A few millenni-ums later, Lebanese reinitiated the same process of migration.

“Nowadays, millions of Lebanese descend-ants are established abroad, most of them are successful scientists, prosperous business people, influential politicians, creative artists and poets, excellent doctors, etcetera; most importantly, good citizens.

“Given its location on the Mediterranean shore, coupled with the advantages of its politi-cal, cultural and legal systems, Lebanon is ideally situated for trade, investment and tourism. It has traditionally shared very friendly ties with Australia.”

Lebanon was under the administrative rule and political sovereignty of the Ottoman Empire

from 1516 to 1918. The territory that is defined by the present-day

boundaries came to be known as a state called “Grand Liban” (Greater Lebanon) by decree of Gen Gouraud, head of the French troops in the Levant in 1920.

The state remained under French Mandate un-til November 26, 1941. A constitution adopted on May 25, 1926, established a democratic republic with a parliamentary system of government, but that came into full effect only on November 22, 1943. This day in Lebanon’s history became its Independence Day.

Lebanon then became a founding member of the League of Arab States as well as a member of the United Nations in 1945.

After the independence, the Lebanese state was founded in 1943 by an unwritten agreement between the two most prominent Christian and Muslim leaders, Khouri and al-Solh, and which was later called the National Pact (al Mithaq al Watani).

Lebanon’s Independence Day / special feature

The Lebanese capital Beirut... the place to be on Independence Day.

Proud Lebanon takes timeto celebrate independence

All about Lebanon• A small, largely mountainous country in the

Middle East, located at the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, and Israel to the south, with a narrow coastline along its western edge.

• The name Lebanon (also “Loubnan” or “Leb-nan”) is derived from the Semitic root “LBN”, meaning “white”, a reference to snow-capped Mount Lebanon.

• The population of Lebanon is 4,259,405.• The country’s religious profile is: Muslim 59.7

per cent (Shia, Sunni, Druze, Isma’ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39 per cent (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Or-thodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Coptic, Protestant) and other 1.3 per cent.

The flag of Lebanon features the Lebanon Cedar in green against a white backdrop, with three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle, double width), and red (bottom). The red bands symbolise blood shed for liberation, the white band denotes peace, the snow of the mountains, and purity; the green cedar tree is the symbol of Lebanon and represents eternity, steadiness, happiness, and prosperity.

Lebanese cuisine… Fattouche.


Canberra Confidential Know something? / [email protected]

Speechley cut shortANOTHER senior manager at the highly anticipated Cente-nary of Canberra has followed the late-June departure of Centenary director Sarah Hitchcock.

Jane Speechley, pictured, senior public relations manager for the yet-to-start Centenary celebration, quietly slipped away in recent days to form her own business. Hitchcock resigned for what she told “CC” at the time, was a “personal decision”.

Suddenly, David Polglase finds himself in as PR flak, but not for long we hear. Polglase is better known as Centenary contractor The Content Group’s communications man-ager. The program for next year is daunting enough, even to CC, so imagine what it must be like for those working there.

New world menaceBOTTLE tops are the latest global security threat, but not chicken salads. Well, that’s how it seemed to “CC” shuffling through the intrusive security shakedown to get into the Elton John concert at Canberra Stadium the other night.

Highly trained, grown men were trawling through patrons’ bags in a singular search for the emerging menace of bottle tops and drink-can ring-pull tops. One patron, heart in mouth, had to wait for supervisory clearance on the lid of his chicken salad, held above the crowd for approval, before being granted entrance. Others sallied forth to their seats

minus the screw tops on their bottled water. Why? Who knows. Worse still, who knows why we put up with it.

Socks trump KevinFORMER Foreign Minister Alexander Downer launched our prickly “Gadfly” columnist Robert Macklin’s new book “One False Move”, praising its “beautiful writing” and “engrossing read”. Unsurprisingly, he was less kind about Macklin’s earlier work, “Kevin Rudd: The Biography”. They were never the best of friends, in Parliament or as young Foreign Affairs’ officers. “I didn’t read it,” he said. “I was rearranging my sock drawer that day.”

Macklin has also launched an e-book collection of his “Gadfly” column.

“Since Canberra is Australia’s best-kept secret, I decided to collect the best of them in e-book form to give the rest of the country the chance to share in our conversation, especially at Christmas time,” he opined.

Buy it at www.robertmacklin.com for $6.99.

Con between coversGREEK community identity Con Tsoulias had one of his school teachers travel from the south coast to attend the launch of a book that recognises the contribution to the Queanbeyan and Canberra community by Con and his family.

Former Chief Minister, Kate Carnell, launched the book, “Celebrating a Sound Contribution of a Pioneer Family of Can-berra”, the first of “A Trilogy of Greek Voices in Australia” by Prof Anastasios Tamis, of Notre Dame University, and acknowledged the contribution made by Con and his father, Nick, spanning many years.

Con spoke with emotion as he reflected on his early years as a young Greek immigrant growing up in Queanbeyan. He thanked each of the 150 people at the launch for their impact on his life (with special attention to his former teacher) and they, in turn, coughed up a tidy $25,000 for the Newborn Intensive Care Foundation.

Cedric’s a tall poppy“CityNews” gardening guru Cedric Bryant was bemused to find himself ushered to the front of the tall poppies in the VIP section at the recent Remembrance Day ceremony at the War Memorial. Ever modest, the blushing Bryant asked, why the courtesy? Turns out it was to thank him for providing emergency cuttings of the memorial’s “Gallipoli Rose” after Yarralumla Nursery exhausted its stocks of this nostalgic plant and, unthinkably, couldn’t propagate any more.

“They knew that I had advanced plants

in our garden and asked if I would provide cutting material. Naturally, I readily agreed,” our hero says.

The plant was noted in the landing at Gallipoli and so cherished by Australian troops that they brought seeds home and scattered them around fields and gardens as a symbol of peace.

Er, whatshisname?EVER found yourself being introduced to someone and instantly forgetting their name? Well, you’re not alone – there’s a new workshop designed for the forgetful on November 29, run by so-called “Austral-ian Memory Record Holder” Chris Lyons, who promises to teach “the secrets to remembering people’s names, how to deliver presentations completely from memory and how to tackle information overload using speed reading techniques.”

More info at TheHiddenAdvantageWork-shop.com. Just don’t ask us who sent out the press release – we’ve already forgotten.

A different planeJOURNALIST Nicholas Crisp took the Canberra Times’ recent redundancy purse and moved from wordsmith to furniture artisan, making his debut at the recent Orana Steiner School’s Spring Fair Gallery. The former sub-editor specialises in decorative inlaid patterns.

Give the kids a break“CC’s” heart sunk at the gleeful press release announcing that Latham Primary School has most gloriously won the ACT section of the tacky Muffin Break Great Bake Sale Facebook Fundraising Competition. The school won a nauseating 1000 low-fat muffins, valued at almost $4000, that it then had to onsell to turn into money. And what did Muffin Break get out of the participation of our primary schoolchildren and their parents? Lots and lots of “Likes” on the baker’s Facebook page during the five-week voting period. Dear Minister Burch...

Tsoulias, left, and John Efkarpidis.

The golden girlsMAMA mias! Here’s a lovely backyard snap with a story. With a total age of 375 years, these five, local “golden girls” are the greatest of friends, all Italian immigrants, sadly all widows, but hap-pily all share a birthday within a week or so of each other. So happy birthday to, from left, Flavia Perisan, Valentina Tosolini, Anita Tolon, Carla Rahen and Betty Forner. Roll on 380!


scene Canberra’s only locally-owned Subaru dealerBROUGHT TO

YOU BY ROLFE SUBARU

At ‘Better than Winning’ book launch, EQ Café, Deakin At the opening of Designer Op Shop, Braddon

Aimee Davidson, Ben Gathercole with Simon and Samantha Thompson

Des Proctor and Steph BoxallNigel Freeman, Jade and Angie Coleman, Carol Bruch and Mick Shanahan

Arthur and Marilyn GrayBarbara Gaymor and Marianne Eynon

Shelley Dorey, Dot Foster and Naomi Orchard

Sarah Kennewell and Clare Fetherston

Grace Minehan and Minna Demetriou

Emma Donaghue and Kaila Dunn

Taylor Tinson and Kayla Piris

Andrea Pitsilos, Alex Hogg with Sharyn, Dion, Taylor and Daniella Pitsilos


scene ROLFE SUBARU AT PHILLIP & BELCONNEN

At launch of the Nespresso Boutique, Canberra Centre

Rhiannon McClelland with Nick and Sonya Georgalis

Elise Clement and Sharon Duchenne Nicole Parker and Tero Blinnikka

Dimitri and Rachel Evagelou

Krystyna Frassetto and Emma Witson

Katrina You, Laura Bradley and Mary Yang


sceneAt ‘Canberra Rocks Movember’, King O’Malley’s

Kate Inman, Sam Irvine and Claudia Vannithone

Rod Crompton, Ivan Slavich, Omania Terry and Wayne Hoy

Sharon Feist and Michelle Dzakula

Angelo Paonne and Spero Cassidy

Michael Richards, Liam McLean, Peter Barclay and Jason Whitfield Stephanie McKew and Tom Betts

Sophie-Marie, John and Alexander Efkarpidis


scene ROLFE SUBARU AT PHILLIP & BELCONNEN

At the opening of ‘Glassimations’, Canberra Glassworks

At Matthew Jukes wine tasting, Old Parliament House

At AFFIRM & CBC’s ‘Luncheon with SAP’, Hyatt Hotel

Debbie McIntosh, Natalie Mather and Mel George

Deirdre Feeney, Ruth Oliphant and Christine Cholewa

Paul and Sam Potter, Kylie Eldred and Shannon Pickles

Matthew Houston and Celia Hevesi

Diana Ryan, Zoe Phillips, Therea Orme and Dianna Evans

Prof Kathy Griffiths and Sarah Knaggs

Michael Ryan and Brian Evans

Cindy Young, Sophie Andrews, Barbara Knackstedt and Lynne Harwood

Myles Harrison and Patrick Barbat

Leon Wadley, Kathy Knipler, Fran Coventry and Stephen Knipler

Ann Jakle, Colette and John Mackay and Cathy Winters

Brendan Smyth MLA and Andrew Wall MLA Valerie Kirk and Angie Wyman

Joan Harmer and Ginny Acworth

Michelle and Tony Clarke with Susie Beaver

Mikael Svensson and Sharon Sloan


Sudoku hard No.93

General knowledge crossword No. 387

Solution next week

Solution next week

Crossword No.386 Sudoku med No.93Solutions

puzzles pageJoanne Madeline Moore your week in the stars / November 26 - December 2 Across

1 Which alloy consists essentially of copper and tin?8 Name a ball game of American Indian origin.9 To have put on a theatre production is to have done what?10 One who suffers from bouts of otalgia experiences which pains?11 Name the Australian scientific wheat breeding pioneer, William James ...12 What is a couch also known as?13 Name the religion of the Muslims.16 Which term describes a small spot?19 Name the British actor, Sir ... Guinness.21 What are long-haired leopardlike felines?22 What is a pale, bluish purple colour?23 Name the Chinese island, formerly known as Formosa.24 Which term is descriptive of an animate being?25 What is a religious nun called?

Down 2 The tough stems of which palms are used for canes, wickerwork, etc?3 Abuja is the capital of which W African republic?4 What are tribal chiefs or rulers called?5 Which term is descriptive of fleets of warships?6 What do we call one who is sensitive to the beauties of art or nature?7 To suffer from mal de mer is to be what?13 Which printing types usually slope to the right?14 What are the glass slats, or the like, used as windows?15 What do we call a dominant person in some field of business?17 Which copper coins were equal to one twelfth of a shilling?18 To reduce a corpse to ashes by fire is to do what?20 Name the Spanish conqueror of Mexico, Hernando ...

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)Mars and Pluto hook up in your career zone, so it’s time to be passionately proactive at work. You’re also full of ambitious ideas and plans for the future, as the Lunar Eclipse lights up your communication zone. But heed the wise advice of action-man Bruce Lee (born on November 27, 1940): “If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.”

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)Avoid going on a shopping spree or lending money to others. You’re liable to make decisions based purely on your emotions, which are fluctuating wildly under the full moonbeams. Focus your attention on repairing a close relationship. The Venus/Saturn conjunction may make you feel a bit standoffish but don’t be a lone Bull – remember, it takes two to tango!

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)Gregarious Geminis are real chatterboxes and you’ll be back to your talkative best this week, as Mercury moves forwards again. Activities involving communication, computers and travel should also improve, as you get your mojo back in spades. Your quote for the week is from birthday great Bruce Lee: “Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself.”

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)The Lunar Eclipse activates your wellbeing zone so it’s time to shine the spotlight on your health and fitness, and make sure you’re up-to-date with your medical checks. And don’t make mountains out of molehills, especially in close relationships. If you can maintain a sense of perspective (and humour), then you’ll get through this feisty Full Moon week just fine.

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)Lions can expect a volatile week as the Lunar Eclipse, Mars and Pluto stir up petty jealousies and insecurities, at home and at work. When it comes to a fragile friendship, think (carefully) before you speak – and avoid adding fuel to the fire by making thoughtless remarks that antagonise others. If you don’t pull your domestic weight, a housemate may get in a huff.

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)Have you been feeling frazzled? Thank goodness Mercury (your ruling planet) moves forwards this week, and you’ll start to get your Virgo vim and vigour back again. But relations with a child, teenager or friend may be fractious on Saturday, so tread carefully. Sunday favours communication and conversation, as you re-connect with people in your local community.

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)Money may be tight this week, as Venus and Saturn join forces in your finance zone, so budget accordingly. And don’t be too laidback about the future Libra. With the Lunar Eclipse (and Jupiter) energising your travel zone, it’s time to overdose on adventure. Be inspired by birthday great Mark Twain: “Sail away from the safe harbour … Explore, dream, discover.”

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)With Mercury moving forwards in your sign (and Mars linking up with Pluto in your communication zone), you have the power to inspire or wound others with what you say. So try the gentle art of persuasion – and choose your words wisely. You can also expect dramatic developments to do with sex or money, as the Lunar Eclipse lights up your lust and loot zone.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)Don’t rush Sagittarius! Hasty words and actions could land you in a heap of trouble on this loopy Lunar Eclipse week. Think things through before you act – especially when you go shopping. And avoid being seduced by buy now, pay later offers. Be realistic about your financial situation, otherwise there could be serious consequences in the months ahead.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)A flexible approach is the secret to a successful week. A stubborn attitude will only lead to a fraction too much friction. If you are patient then your personal relationships will gradually improve. Avoid being a selfish Capricorn – compromise is the key. And don’t limit your peer group to the same old safe crowd. New friends are waiting to add pizazz to your life.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)Have you been so busy solving the world’s problems that you’ve neglected home and hearth? The Lunar Eclipse stimulates your domestic zone, so it’s time to lavish your Aquarian abode (and your loved ones) with plenty of TLC. Your words could be misinterpreted at work though, so it would be wise to embellish them with some tactful sugar-coating.

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)Avoid being swallowed up in an ocean of emotion. Tune into your deepest feelings but don’t let them overwhelm you, or allow loved ones to treat you like a doormat. By all means help others – just make sure it’s a two-way street. Aim to get the balance right between professional projects and domestic responsibilities. Sunday is super for having fun with family and friends.

Daily astrology updates at www.twitter.com/JoMadelineMooreCopyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2011

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arts & entertainment Dougal MacdonaldFrank and droid go thieving

Expecting the unexpectedMOIRA Finucane is without doubt the Queen – intellectually and in practice – of the burgeoning Australian burlesque scene.

This enormously popular art form, which she points out goes back at least to the 15th century and derives from an Italian name, can mean all things to all people.

To some, it is about a mockery or parody of contemporary societal issues. To others, it’s a form of operetta.

But to Finucane and her col-laborator, Jackie Smith, who back in 2004 created the formula (though there’s nothing formulaic about it) “it fits into a very unique place”.

The best of burlesque, Finucane asserts, “is as intelligent as it is amusing… it’s equal parts charming and alarming.” As well, in burlesque, nothing is sacred.

Mind you, she says: “If you’re an artist who just wants to shock an audience, you don’t have a place in our show.”

As for whether it’s art, in her

view: “It’s a sensibility rather than an art form.”

She’s been asked to deliver master classes on cabaret and bur-lesque all around the country and she urges upon those who study it to cultivate a razor-sharp wit, but at the same time to “always assume that the audience is intelligent”.

“Entertainment is like an electricity cable – it can take power from anywhere,” she says, and it’s wonderful to perform.

“If people are enjoying them-selves in sumptuous surroundings you feel fantastic.”

They’ve had “dancing ovations” all over Australia. Performing recently in the middle of the Pilbara, she was approached by a 70-year-old farmer who told her, “the wife made me come, but I’m bloody glad I did, you made me laugh and you made me cry”.

Finucane and Smith have travelled all around the world to many countries, but love Canberra, where they have played at The

Street Theatre before. She’s promised artistic director Caroline Stacey that 80 per cent of the coming show,

“Glory Box”, will be new work.But what are her own favourites?

Here are just a couple. The Queen of Hearts, a showgirl in a red velvet bikini and 150 red balloons that go off with a bang, a new piece devised in col-laboration with the National Gallery of Victoria where the ceiling pours down rain, and Parisian burlesque artist Holly Durant, swathed in 20m of chiffon scarves.

So, expect the unexpected, with classical music, hard-core industrial music, Indian dance, Gothic literature, you name it.

Finucane & Smith’s “Glory Box,” at The Street Theatre, November 28 to December 6. Bookings to 6247 1223 or thestreet.org.au

Helen Musa reports

Moira Finucane.

Maude Davey in “Finucane & Smith’s Burlesque Hour”. Photo by Paul Dunn.

Parisian burlesque artist Holly Durant as Salome. Photo by Paul Dunn.

Anthology’s touchof ‘Underbelly’

CANBERRA’S literati are hoping for a big crowd to the NewActon Courtyard at 6pm, on November 29 when Irma Gold’s Centenary anthology of Canberra writing, “The Invisible Thread”, is launched by “Underbelly” writer Felicity Packard, along with readings from Blanche D’Alpuget, Jane Francesca Rendle-Short, Adrian Caesar and Meredith McKinney and music from Wicked Strings. Everyone’s invited. RSVP to 6262 9191.

“THE Polyphonic Bard”, directed by filmmaker/theatre director Tamzin Nugent, inter-weaves all-male vocal ensemble The Pocket Score Company with Shakespearean scenes and sonnets, and Thomas Tallis’ 40-part motet “Spem in Alium”. Singers Ian Blake, Paul Eldon, Daniel Sanderson, John Virgoe, and David Yardley will be joined by actors from the Canberra Academy of Dramatic Art. At The Street Theatre, November 30- December 2, bookings to 6247 1223 or thestreet.org.au/

CANBERRA Opera Workshop is holding a seasonal concert, “Christmas at the Opera”, at St Ninian’s Church Hall, Lyneham, 8pm, November 30 and December 1-2. Bookings to cow.org.au/tickets or 6249 1831.

‘TIS the season for music, music and more music – especially on Sunday, November 25:

BREAKING a leg is an old performance tradition, but pianist

David Miller went too far when he broke a hip recently, forcing Art Song Canberra back to the drawing board for its final concert. Fortu-nately, Simon Kenway will step in to accompany soprano Helen Barnett at Wesley Music Centre at 3pm on November 25 in “Romance and Passion: Songs of France and Italy”. Tickets only at the door.

ON the same day, Worldly Goods choir, run by John Shortis and Moya Simpson, will launch its first CD “Sombamba” with South African guests Valanga and Andrea Khoza joining with vocal harmonies, guitar and stick drums, at Belcon-nen Arts Centre, 5.30pm, bookings to allourworldlygoods.eventbrite.com.au

ALSO at Lerida Estate winery, Lake George, from 12.30pm on No-vember 25, the Canberra Mandolin Orchestra will perform tunes from the early jazz age, light classics and popular music. Admission and music free, lunch a la carte.

ON the same, crazy day at the Salvation Army Hall in Anketell Street, Tuggeranong, at 3pm, the Blamey Street Big Band, with conductor Ian McLean and jazz singer Leisa Keen, will assist the Salvation Army in a Christmas gift concert to raise funds to construct a mission hospital in Zambia. Entry by paper money donation.

South African guests Valanga and Andrea Khoza.

Helen Musa arts in the city


arts & entertainment

Frank and droid go thieving“Robot and Frank” (M)

THIS is director Jake Schreier’s debut film and Christopher Ford’s first screenplay for the big screen. Do these novitiates entitle them to special consideration for this amusing, agreeable drama observing technology’s role in daily life some 30 to 40 years hence?

Three decades after divorce, Frank (Frank Lan-gella) lives alone, his memory in an early stage of decay. But he remembers his profession – cat burglar, requiring special skills and imposing special risks. His son (James Marsden) brings him a droid to ease his housekeeping burdens.

The plot skips between Frank’s new domestic arrangements and his visits to the local library where Jennifer (Susan Sarandon) and IT guy Jake (Jeremy Strong) are converting reading into a paperless activity. The library has a treasured antique copy of “Don Quixote” that Frank and the robot (voiced by Peter Sarsgaard), after settling into an amicable relationship, steal. Next, they steal prime jewellery belonging to Jake’s wife. Here, the screenplay raises a neat moral issue. Should a robot, programmed to do all manner of useful things, be punished for criminal behaviour?

There’s enough here to sustain a film where the ambience bridges now-time with a near future in which every home and every person has its robot.

“Robot and Frank” has numerous little moments that wound its verity. One of them is not little, easily recognisable but not so serious as to render the film beyond redemption or forgiveness.

This review begins with a question. Its infinitely

variable answer depends on one’s point of view. Every life should experience agreeable small surprises. And every film.

At Dendy

“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2” (M)

I SAW this film in an otherwise deserted cinema except for a pair of young (here a relative term) women who watched in silence and, when I asked how they had found it, gave a non-committal answer.

Designed for an unsophisticated and predominantly adolescent audience for whom fantasy creatures and situations bring richness into otherwise humdrum lives, the culmination of Stephanie Meyer’s novel employs a well-worn plot, good guys versus bad guys.

Part 1 ended with human Bella (Kristin Stewart) giving birth to daughter Renesmee whose father

is vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson).It is well-known that the conventional

technique for creating new vampires involves not copulation, gestation and parturition, but an established vampire drawing a meal of blood from an attractive human of the other sex who then transitions into the life vampirical with all its attributes – immortality, threats from garlic, sunlight or a crucifix, social ineptness. Unat-tractive victims of vampires do not survive the process.

Volturian vampire Irina thinks little Renesmee poses risks for her tribe. After sorting out issues confronting the Cullen family, a coalition of vampires and werewolves confronts the Volturi on a snow-covered battlefield.

Big spectacle. Big special effects (those involving werewolves look a bit fakeish, which is regrettable since the animals look magnificent). Much blood. Heads forcibly ripped from shoulders or torn apart at the jaws (gruesome as this looks, its artificiality is patent). The end. Happy ever after. Who cares?

The cast is mostly young men and women cho-sen for buffed and burnished appearance rather than acting prowess. Playing Aro, the chief of the Volturi, well-regarded British actor Michael Sheen fills the gap between “mostly” and “all”, giving every impression of enjoying his involvement in such well-rewarded nonsense.

Director Bill Condon does his best to tell a story unburdened by credibility, verity or twilight, but at the end of the line, evaluating its worth would be difficult if it were not so obviously a no-brainer.

At all cinemas

Frank Langella in “Robot and Frank”.

Poetic emotion of the landscape

FROM the ancient Aboriginal songlines to the impressionistic beauty of the Heidelberg school, from the figurative renderings of the Antipodeans to the abstraction of Fred Williams, let there be no doubt the Australian landscape is integral to the ethos of Australian art.

“Marking Place” encompasses the work of three local artists, and highlights the way the Austral-ian outback informs and extends expressions of belonging. Working in a range of mediums G W Bot, Anita McIntyre and Wendy Teakel move beyond the mere physical and geographical dimensions of landscape, and respond to its emotional and temporal fabric.

G W Bot’s work is striking with a disciplinary range including bronze sculptures, linocuts and watercolour paintings. In “Journey Through A Landscape” she reduces the terrain to a few squiggly lines and a lush

red-ochre wash. As the exhibition catalogue states: “Each mark offers an interpretation of the movements of time and its effect on the natural world”.

McIntyre’s fabulous ceramic platter series draws influence from Eastern artistic traditions and also references indigenous culture. These works explore the tension between the domestic utilitarian status of the platter and its pictorial beauty. Through a blend of earthy, sun-drenched hues “Untitled” captures the textural grains and rhythmic contours of the familiar overlapping Brindabella ranges.

In Teakel’s work we encounter a rural Australia. This is brilliantly portrayed in “Drought” where white settlement is invoked through the barbed wire segmenting on the landscape, and the plowing of fields. The piece’s minimal design and its grading of ancient and indigenous colours further suggest a mapping of white ownership.

“Marking Place” is a fascinating exhibit that encapsulates the poetics of landscape as expressed through the careers of the three remarkable artists.

visual art“Marking Place”Works by G W Bot, Anita McIntyre and Wendy TeakelCMAG, until March 21Reviewed by Johnny Milner

Dougal Macdonaldcinema


Wendy Johnsondining

reviews

WE decided to go for a wander on Saturday afternoon in Braddon, to check out the new Lonsdale Street Traders, a renovated warehouse space now home to creative boutique shops – fashion, design, hair and more.

Starving, we thought we’d grab a bite only to discover that most eateries don’t open in Braddon on Saturday afternoon. Huh?

So we kept wandering and eventually hit the city where Tongue and Groove “saved the day”.

T&G, as the hip people call the place, won an award not long after it opened, for its seriously cool fitout, created by Sydney’s Paul Kelly Design, which specialises in bar, club and entertainment venues.

The space is massive – six-metre ceilings, a 3000-piece paper chandelier,

huge postmodern concrete beams and other industrial components. You’ll be impressed by the power of it all.

The restaurant part is towards the back with some leather lounge furniture, to the right, near the windows where we sat to watch the world go by (actually Civic was pretty quiet, but you get my point… the streets are at least alive at night).

The wine list is reasonably priced with a fair number of decent whites (not all sauv blanc) and reds, starting at $7 a glass with many hovering below $10. And some Canberra wines feature – congrats on this front. Beer lovers won’t die of thirst with the large range of tap and boutique bottled beers.

T&G offers heaps of weekly specials… all great deals. Tuesdays, for example, of-fer two-for-one pizzas, Fridays $6 Coronas and on recovery Sundays, burgers are $10 all day. And speaking of burgers. That’s what

I had for lunch (although it was Saturday, so mine was $21) and it was one of the best I’ve had in yonks. Worth every cent.

Chef Ayhan Erkoc has created a spicy pulled lamb burger that is addicting. The red cabbage coleslaw and goat’s curd rounded it all out nicely. And the heap of fries it came with (no skimping here) were crispy on the outside with soft mashy

potato on the inside and they didn’t get soggy through my meal. I bet the slow-roasted brisket burger ($21) would be just as addicting.

My friend got into the wood-fired pizza, wanting to keep it simple by order-ing the buffalo mozzarella, napoletana sauce, fresh basil (well most of it anyway) and olive oil ($20). Clean tastes and not too heavy. Other pizzas include a pork belly, an exotic mushroom and a smoked salmon (which topped the price list at $25).

Mains include beef fillet, poached market fish, gnocchi and slow-roasted pork belly ($27 to $40).

The music at T&G was very chilled out. Big tick there – indeed, a very big tick for T&G.

T&G. Open seven days. Corner Genge and Bunda Streets, Canberra City. Call 6230 4455.

CYT’s visually stunning take on Sarah Kane’s final play shows a carnavalesque cast of characters acting out the inner workings of a young woman’s deeply troubled psyche.

Shortly after completing the play in 1997, its author took her own life. “4:48 Psychosis” is described by Kane as: “A performance for one or more voices”. The text specifies no characters and could be performed as a monologue.

CYT artistic director, Conway, and her cast distilled six characters from the text, each carrying a different thread of consciousness. Choreography and costuming were outstanding and all performances showed deep focus and commitment.

The subject matter of the piece, an ongoing battle with suicidal depression, is confronting and dark.

CYT’s promotional material and the text itself both mention “gallows humour” as a feature of the experience. CYT’s production failed to fully articulate the script’s potential for irony, its sardonic humour or its dark, slapstick potential. In her director’s notes, Conway writes: “This is not a passive night at the theatre.”

However, the relentless emotional pitch of the production, ranging from mild distress to enraged hysteria, had the effect of distancing the audience. If we had been made to laugh at death, to share in the black humour of the deeply depressed, we would have been more able to do as Conway’s director’s notes urged us to: “Allow the work to affect you, to infect you”.

THIS “play for voices” has survived many ways of presentation over 60 years. Beginning as a radio play, it is music in words; dense in descriptions and metaphors.

Nixon’s version is a visual radio play. We see the sound effects being made and the readers simply reading as they might in a recording studio. There are subtle theatrical contrivances adding to the mood of the play.

A limited audience number was given the opportunity to simply lie down on mattresses and enjoy the sound pictures contained within the presentation. Subtle music and occasional singing were beautifully integrated into the work.

The lush and descriptive nature of the writing makes it difficult to ascertain the stories and the narrative that threads its way

through the piece. Perhaps it is best to simply let go and grab those moments that jump out and excite the imagination.

Wild Voices provided an aesthetically easy listening presentation while still having dif-ficulty in delineating the plot lines. For many listeners, including those who know the work, this is not likely to be problematic. The large cast provided clearly differentiated readings; a children’s ensemble provided some balanced recitation; and the musicianship was of a high standard.

Visual radio playtheatre“Under Milk Wood”By Dylan Thomas, directed by Dianna Nixon for Wild Voices and The Street TheatreAt The Street until November 17.Reviewed by Joe Woodward

Affected, but not infectedtheatre“4:48 Psychosis”Canberra Youth TheatreDirected by Karla ConwayAt Canberra Theatre Courtyard Studio, season ended.Reviewed by Simone Penkethman

Big tick as T&G saves the day

Pulled and spiced lamb, red cabbage coleslaw and goat’s curd burger.

Yellowfin Tuna, wasabi, cucumber.

Smoked salmon, creme fraiche, fennel, cucumber and dill pizza.

Tongue and Groove… seriously cool fitout, created by Sydney’s Paul Kelly Design. Photos by Silas Brown


Cedric Bryantgardening

garden

I NEVER cease to enjoy a relaxing walk through the Botanic Gardens, considered by most in Canberra as “our” botanic gardens, although we do encourage outsiders to visit!

In fact, I suspect that a large proportion of our residents have never visited the gardens.

Late spring is the perfect time to visit, seeing such gems as the emerging flowers of Telopea speciosissima or waratah (pictured here) about to burst into its unbelievable beauty and complexity. This particular species, the NSW floral emblem, is only one of five species listed in Wrigley and Fagg’s “Australian Native Plants” and is rated as “the best known of our Australian wild flowers”.

Closer to home is the hybrid Telopea “Braidwood Brilliant”. For growing in Canberra this is more adaptable to cultivation and is more frost tolerant. The rare T. “Wirrimbirra White” somehow, for me, does not have the same impact as the brilliant red flowers. On your visit, collect the “In Flower this Week” leaflet from the Visitor Centre.

I ALWAYS encourage the regular pruning of native plants to provide more bushiness that, in turn, results in more flowers the following season. Or with some plants we can be rewarded with a second flush of flowers even in the same season.

In the case of Callistemons or bottle brushes, cut the heads off at the base of the flower immediately after flowering. If left, the plant ends up with long stems and bulges of unsightly dried seed heads and few flowers the following season. A good example is shown here with a neatly clipped hedge of Callistemon.

MANY folk consider Aussie plants are suitable only for bush gardens, where the plants tend to end up wild and woolly. Few people consider their use in a formal garden and yet this example of Callistemon dispels that theory, separating different areas of the garden.

In our Yass Nursery, years ago, I used Philotheca myoporoides (syn. Eriostemon myoporoides) as a clipped hedge bordering the paths to the formal rose garden. The fragrance of the leaves when brushed against almost competed with that of the flowers.

The numerous Westringea species can also be used as a formal, low hedge and will take to clipping, once again the best time is immediately after flowering.

ORNAMENTS in the garden are no different to those in the home. They can include pots, statuary to sculptures and provide a focal point of interest in the garden.

We have an abundance of talented Canber-rans who make local works of art. Here I have illustrated a whimsical work by Bev Hogg, with a very realistic dog named Clayton that resides in our garden and causes problems to our resident geese. Bev will hold her Ceramic Studio Sale and Garden Party at 8 Brennan Street, Hackett, 10am-4pm, on Sunday, November 25.

And on Saturday, November 24, there is the promise of a “spectacular floral display” plus a plant stall at the Geranium and Fuchsia Show, 9.30am to 4pm, at St James Church Hall, Gillies Street, Curtin.

THE wonderful, recent rain will keep the garden ticking over for another few weeks and the

Gungahlin Weather Centre predicts we will receive our November average of 73mm. This private weather station is the district’s premier weather site with updates every 10 minutes. Go to gungahlinweather.com

Joy down the garden path

When visiting open gardens:• Stop and look backwards every now

and again, you will be surprised by how many features you may have missed.

• As a courtesy always ask to take photos.• No dogs into the gardens unless, of

course, guide dogs.• Never take cuttings or pull seeds off

plants without asking.• Take photos of special features and

plants you can use in your own garden rather than the whole garden.

Use Callistemon as a formal hedge.

Intricate emerging flowers of a waratah.

Clayton giving grief to the geese.

canberra citynews november 22, 2012

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