Politics

By Michael Moore

ACT Speaker Shane Rattenbury has a big job ahead of him to prove that he has not bitten off more than he can chew.  Traditionally, the Speaker is chosen on the grounds of experience, confidence of the House and impartiality. Instead, the Greens manipulated Labor into supporting someone with no parliamentary experience, without the confidence of the House and who has rejected his own impartiality by taking on portfolio responsibilities.
The Westminster parliamentary system is not sacrosanct. However, in varying parliamentary practice an assessment ought to be made about whether such changes are ones that are likely to achieve more open and effective democracy, or if they are just for short-term political expedience. In this case it seems that the Greens have gone for political expedience.
It would be unfortunate, but understandable for the Liberals to launch a barrage of attacks on the new Speaker. They owe the Speaker nothing. They owe the Greens nothing. Unfortunately, the result would be to drag the ACT Assembly back into the level of disrepute that plagued it during the early days of the legislature. At that time, No Self-Government Party Speaker, David Prowse, took on the role to uphold the dignity of the parliament. He did so even though he had been elected as a member of a party specifically created to oppose that very institution. 
The ACT Assembly takes its practice and procedures from the Westminster system. This does not mean that blind adherence to the British House of Commons Practice should be adopted.  Throughout the world, Westminster-based parliamentary systems have been adapted to take account of local circumstances. The Federal Parliament in Australia has now assumed a wide range of alternative practices from the House of Commons that recognise the different size and make-up of the two parliaments. However, the underlying Westminster principles still apply.
Impartiality is a fundamental characteristic of the Speaker in a Westminster system. Erskine May, who is recognised as the leading authority on the Westminster system, suggests “the impartiality of the Speaker is an indispensable condition of the working of procedure, and many conventions exist which have as their object not only to ensure impartiality of the Speaker, but also to ensure that his impartiality is generally recognised.”
In Australia, Ian Harris’ “House of Representatives Practice” carries a similar theme stating “one of the hallmarks of good Speakership is the requirement for a high degree of impartiality in the execution of the duties of the office”. 
The negotiations resulting in the Labor-Green accord entirely favoured the Labor Party and simply excluded the Liberals who do not even get to chair the powerful Public Accounts Committee. The outcome challenges any idea of impartiality of the Greens, including key negotiator Shane Rattenbury. The new Speaker in the ACT Assembly has shadow portfolio responsibilities. It is difficult to see how accepting such duties cannot mean excessive work, divided loyalties and the inability to remain impartial. 
In “House of Representatives Practice” Harris also says: “The role the Speaker… by virtue of the office requires the position to be filled by a dedicated, senior and experienced parliamentarian.” He then quotes Erskine May: “Experience that can only be acquired through many years spent on the benches of the House itself”.
In their manipulation to have a Speaker from their own party, whatever their reasoning, the Greens seemed to have missed some basic premises about the role and the extent of the duties of the Speaker. 
For the Speaker “the foremost duty is to the House and its Members in upholding its dignity and protecting its rights and privileges”. Although the manner in which a person is dressed generally is of little consequence. However, the fact that the very first issue for Speaker Rattenbury was a debate over whether or not to wear a tie does not bode well for his ability to meet this criterion.
Assembly Standing Order 16 (a) iii requires the Speaker to “arrange the order of private Members’ business and Assembly business”.  It may seem clever that the Speaker will now have the opportunity to favour his own portfolio responsibilities in determining what matter is to be debated first and what will be left to last. There will be many opportunities for him considering the wide range of portfolio duties beyond his role of Speaker. They include: Attorney General, Environment, Climate Change and Water, Energy, Police and Emergency Services as well as Tourism, Sport and Recreation. 
In this situation lies a conflict of interest. It is one of the reasons that Speakers have never carried portfolio responsibilities in any Australian parliament. On the matter of the election of the Speaker, perhaps the rush of power to the head meant that too little thought went into making such a poor decision. Or perhaps these new politicians are just too green to understand the consequences.
Michael Moore is a former independent member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and minister for health.

IT’S that time of the year again and right across the city there are lots of community events, mostly calling for willing voices to sound out the spirit of Christmas.

Carols at memorial
ONE of Canberra’s favourite Christmas events is the traditional Christmas Carols at the Australian War Memorial, which this year is on Friday, December 12 at 7pm.
Entertainers will be Beccy Cole, David Dixon and Hayley Jensen, backed by the Royal Military College of Duntroon Band and local choirs. It’s sponsored by ActewAGL.

Lighting of the tree
ON Saturday, December 6, the Christmas season starts in the heart of Canberra city, with the lighting of the Christmas Tree. It all happens with a free Christmas concert from 7pm to 9pm. Bring the family and a picnic dinner to Civic Square and be entertained by “Playschool” favourite Monica Trapaga and the Warrani Ensemble. There may even be a visit from Santa!

Music in the city
During December the regular city lunchtime entertainment will turn decidedly Christmassy with seasonal music featuring school and community choirs performing in Garema Place, City Walk, Petrie Plaza, Ainslie Avenue and Hobart Place.

Choir spectacular
A 400-VOICE choir will perform a Christmas concert in Civic Square at 7.30pm on Saturday, December 20 under the city’s Christmas Tree, with pre-concert entertainment and children’s activities commencing at 7pm. The concert will also feature local indigenous musicians and dancers and one of Australia’s finest recording bush bands Franklin M Paverty.

Carols by candlelight
THE Twincity Church and the Village Building Company, in conjunction with local community groups, are presenting carols by candlelight in the David Madew Oval, Bayside Circuit and Coral Drive, Jerrabomberra on Saturday, December 13 with more than 200 performers on stage. Santa will arrive via the SnowyHydro South Care Helicopter. Entertainment and sideshow activities will start at 4.30pm, carol singing at 8pm, followed by a grand finale of a fireworks display at 9pm. 

Christmas readings
BEFORE the Carols spectacular on December 20, the Civic Library is holding Christmas story reading by ACT Story Tellers Guild member Mollie Bialkowski from 6.30pm-7.15pm. Other special Christmas readings are on at 10.30am-11.30am on Wednesdays throughout December.  Also on December 10 is a special event titled “Learn how to Decorate your Christmas Cake” from 12.15pm-1.30pm.

Carols in the park
WODEN Valley Youth Choir and the Royal Military College of Duntroon Band will lead community singing at the 64th Carols by Candlelight on December 10 from 7pm in Commonwealth Park. Bring a picnic dinner and candles.

Christmas in Gungahlin
YERRABI Ponds District Park is this year’s venue for Christmas in Gungahlin on December 8, from 6pm. It will feature the dance sounds from popular local band Big Boss Groove.

Santa’s coming…
Father Christmas will have a very busy time in Canberra this year.  Apart from appearing at most of the evening carols events across the region, he will be spending his days (during retail hours) talking to all the girls and boys who have been nice at The Canberra Centre, Civic, the G in Gungahlin, Hyperdome Tuggeranong and Westfield’s in Belconnen and Woden.

Arts writer HELEN MUSA and photographer SILAS BROWN come face-to-face with the new National Portrait Gallery.

THE buzz is that it is the most significant building constructed in the Parliamentary Triangle for the last 20 years, but one of the first things people have been asking about new $73.6 million National Portrait Gallery, architect Graham Dix says, is “where is its address?”
Good question, as anyone associated with the brouhaha over the front entrance to the nearby National Gallery of Australia will know.
Dix is a director of the Sydney architecture practice Johnson Pilton Walker, the firm chosen to design the 14,000sqm gallery and he readily acknowledges that the building has “so many front doors”.
“We’ve simply taken a different route,” he notes, from the grand buildings alongside the new gallery in the Parliamentary Triangle, though the concrete and bush-hammered finish of the new building links it with the native Australian materials used in both the High Court and the NGA. 

A part of the idea was to break down the impression of a national institution by striving to “create a note of informality behind the formality”. 
And though you might enter from the underground car park, or the National Gallery via the High Court there really is an entry forecourt, subtly hidden behind the rather austere King Edward Terrace façade. The moment get you get behind it, there is an informal entrance plaza featuring little touches of the bush in its corrugated iron eaves and roof struts reminiscent of a shearing shed. 
But you have to look hard to see those touches, for this is an unobtrusively subtle and sophisticated building, built by John Holland Pty Ltd and funded by the Federal Government under former Prime Minister John Howard.
One of the things that Dix and the founding director of JPW, Richard Johnson, had in mind was that this was essentially a hanging gallery. Although there are well known, three-dimensional objects in the NPG holdings, such as the Ned Kelly death mask, their brief was to provide for 450 to 500 portraits to be hung. 
Everything in the new gallery will be light and airy and so far, Dix says, the use of reflected light to enhance some areas seems to work extremely well. Environmentally friendly control of the atmosphere within the site necessitated high-performance glazing, but for safety of works there will be screening blinds and blackout blinds similar to those in the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane.
So what were the architects’ main aims for the gallery?  “I wanted it to feel like an extremely comfortable place to be,” Dix says.
To that end, the new gallery opens with “Open Air: Portraits in the Landscape” curated by director Andrew Sayers, Sarah Engledow and Wally Caruana, and “My Favourite Australian,” a collaborative project with the ABC, the Australia Council for the Arts and the Nelson Meers Foundation.
On the weekend of December 6 and 7, there will be “The Festival of the Face” and until December 13 there will be “My Generation,” a performance work about social scenes in Sydney in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s by William Yang, commissioned by the gallery for the opening festivities.

IT’S official: Sage Restaurant at Gorman House is up with the best of the best, having just been placed a finalist in the national awards for excellence, Restaurant and Catering Awards.
The restaurant, under new owner and chef Kyle Prowse (pictured), has launched a new approach to dining
– a degustation designed for each table of diners – that showcases his flair for creating fabulous tasting food designed as pieces of whimsical art.
This award, which stole the limelight from many of Canberra’s more established restaurants accustomed to taking out top awards, is a fantastic start.
– Wendy Johnson

IT’S party time, and that means putting on a fresh face for parties and barbecues.
There are two key looks for this season, says make-up artist and proprietor of Rogue Avenue in Manuka, Melissa Rusconi.
Smoky eyes are paired with a very glossy but neutral lip; or bright lips in apricot, fuchsia or red are teamed with neutral eye shadow and understated mascara.
“Choose either lips or eyes to accentuate, but not both: Otherwise they’ll compete with each other,” Melissa says.
Foundation is dewy and bronzer is a must for those with spray tans, to blend foundation with neck and shoulders – this avoids the phenomenon where, in photographs, our faces may seem much paler than our bodies.

WITH a 1000sqm of Gold Creek Country Club frontage, this executive family residence is set on one of the best blocks in Harcourt Hill, overlooking the final fairway and green of the 18th hole.
Designed by Canberra architect Terry Ring, the layout features four bedrooms upstairs, study, an ensuite bathroom to the main bedroom, ensuite to the second bedroom, two powder rooms, a rumpus/granny flat downstairs with its own kitchen, 480-bottle wine cellar and triple lock-up garage. 
Offering 485sqm of living area, the kitchen is adjacent to the north-facing meals area that opens on to an entertaining deck.
Ducted reverse cycle air-conditioning ensures comfort and both the family room and spacious formal living/dining area have gas fireplaces. 
Informal living areas feature “flooded gum” timber flooring and there are two instantaneous gas hot water systems
The grounds have been professionally landscaped and an observation deck, facing west, offers 270-degree views including stunning sunsets.
EER: 3.

Address: 19 Hendry Close, Harcourt Hill.
Price: $1,599,000.
Exhibition: Saturday, 3.30pm 4.30pm, Sunday, 2.30pm-3.30pm.
Agent: James Burns. 0438 172911 or Terry Cooper 0448 710772, PRD Nationwide.

By fashion writer Megan Haggan

IT’S time to shed suits and shirts and relax – the holiday season is here and it’s all about barbecues, casual gatherings and chilling out by the pool.
“There’s a lot of shorts this year, and less skirts, and it’s all about dresses, dresses, dresses,” says Roslyn Wright, from Soho (Canberra City) and Momento (Manuka).
“There’s a lot of beautiful, flowing dresses in fabrics like chiffon and georgettes, as well as long tunics which can be worn with tights.
“There are bold colours and soft, but common to both are lots of different prints.”
When we’re standing around at barbecues or picnics in the park or walking along the beach, we don’t need to sacrifice comfort to look good, says Gail Lubbock, from Escala.
“The pretty sun-dresses and linens we’re seeing this year look good with a small heel with quite wide straps.”
Many people find their feet swell a little as the day wears on, particularly in summer, so strappy shoes should be chosen with care, she says.
“I think we’ve all experienced the tourniquet effect that straps can have when they cut in. To be comfortable, we can choose flat sandals or shoes that are on a wedge,”
Gail says.

“We also have to prepare our feet with a pedicure, and make sure our toes are done.”
Attention should also be paid to cracked heels and dry skin on the feet. “Looking after your feet is an essential part of summer!” says Gail.
The season’s hottest shoes make good use of colour, says Shaen Flakelar, from La Cobbler.
“There’s a lot of red and yellow this season. As for bags, they’re such a personal thing: It’s so important to get the size right!”
Ensuring that all our essentials fit in our chosen summer bag is a must,
she says.

By Wendy Johnson

THE ingredients are all there: Environmentally sensitive architecture, a setting on the Moruya River, regional food producers telling fascinating stories, and food created by three young chefs who own one of the best restaurants on the south coast.
It’s the regional producers’ dinner organised by Tim Saffery, Peter Compton and Tobie Patrick, who also own the River Moruya Restaurant, that drew a packed house of locals and interstate visitors, many from Canberra.
The restaurant rivals those found in our big cities. The building, a marvellous space, overlooks the river that is home to black swans, with mountain views.
The dynamic team of chefs worked in some flash restaurants before settling in tiny Moruya and they truly do focus on seasonal, regional produce. It took time to source suppliers who could provide consistent quantity and quality, but it was worth it.
The menu was $70 without wine or $100 with, for five courses including dessert and the food was sensational. To start were Sydney Rock Oysters, from Glenn Jones Oysters. These oysters, some of the best the world offers, begin their life in the Deua River and when fingernail size are moved to the Tuross River to grow for 18 months.
They are then transferred for fattening to Tuross or Wagonga Inlet. We started with some served natural and then the imagination flared and the chefs served a light and fresh chilled cucumber, horseradish and oyster soup topped with a crisped fried oyster.
The seared yellow fin tuna, crushed broad beans, pomme ecrasse, tomato and dill vinaigrette was next. This was followed by rolled saddle of rabbit, chorizo (made by a local producer using an old, family recipe, influenced by Russian and Polish heritage) and black olive. The piece de resistance was the dessert – new-season strawberry and pine nut tart with mulberry ripple ice cream (the mulberries were local, the ice cream made in-house and the strawberries tasted like strawberries should – packed with sweetness and flavour).
The River Moruya holds themed dinners like this one from time to time. Keep an eye out for them.
The River Moruya, fully licensed. Open lunch and dinner. 16B Church Street, Moruya.  4474 5505.

MEGAN HAGGAN visits an incredible garden in Red Hill.
IT’S hard to believe, as I look around Rosalind and Benjamin Walcott’s Red Hill garden, that it’s only five years old.
The Walcotts, who participate in Australia’s Open Garden Scheme, purchased the property – first developed in 1926 and used as the French government’s chancery for many years – in 2001, and planting began in 2003.
There’s a strong focus on the natural rather than the formal, with a meadow of grasses, forbs and lilies in place of lawns, and an emphasis on Australian native plant varieties.
The ponds and waterfall are highlights, with a creek running from the middle to the lower pond. The ponds are full of wildlife: They’re home to ducks, which use the waterfall as a refuge from foxes; frogs and a long-necked turtle.
The garden has already attracted more than 70 species of birds, and the Walcotts hope to attract more as the garden matures. The visitors so far have included a cormorant, egrets and herons, as well as hobbies (small falcons) that have produced fledglings.
As well as a multitude of Australian plants, some of which are now coming into flower, the garden features pines planted in the early 1930s.
The Walcotts have opened their garden to the public previously, and were delighted by the response.

Australia’s Open Garden Scheme is a self-funding, not-for-profit organisation which aims to promote the knowledge and pleasure of gardening.
The Walcotts will donate funds raised to the Friends of the Australian National Botanic Gardens.
The Wallcott garden, at 10 Wickham Crescent, Red Hill, will be open to the public on Saturday, November 29 and Sunday, November 30 from 10am to 4.30pm. For more information, go to http://www.opengarden.org.au.

Dining

By Wendy Johnson

In many ways Braddon lives a life of its own: A bit funky, a bit eccentric and a bit down to earth.
That’s what Lurdes Martins, the owner of Kitschen (in Londsdale Street), was thinking when she moved away from a strictly Italian restaurant to one that celebrates the style of food her new chef specialises in. And it was what she was thinking when the restaurant was branded with a quirky way of spelling that space where the chefs hang out.
The new chef at Kitschen, Michael Bradford, describes his food as a “combination of European and Asian, incorporating a lot of fresh seafood and working with the best of what’s in season”. Michael is formerly from the Fig Café, which Canberra food lovers will remember with a great deal of affection, and the Tryst in Manuka (now operating under another name).
Michael talks passionately about the farmed salmon he sources from Tasmania, the lamb rump and eye fillet from North Queensland and the fresh, local, black mussels and oysters from the south coast.
The menu offers a lovely range of food, prepared simply. The marinades, sauces and reductions are all prepared in-house in the open-concept kitchen, where there’s always a stockpot on the go, whether it be chicken, beef or vegetable.
We were in for a quick bite on a Saturday and, even though the restaurant has changed focus, there are still some quality Italian dishes on the menu. It was a chilly day, so I opted for the vegetarian risotto, which was a treat. The roasted pumpkin was not overcooked, the English spinach a lovely touch of green, the fetta a nice “bite” and the pine nuts wonderfully crunchy. And the risotto was cooked as it should be ($15.90).
My friend ordered the hearty penne pasta ($16.50), loving every mouthful of the Chorizo sausage, the tang of the kalamata olives and the fresh chilli. It was served with a traditional Napolitana sauce, a specialty of the chef.
Michael understands he is there to make customers happy, not only with the quality of his food, but with their preferences. He says variations on the menu are welcome (at least where practical) and so if you want your risotto without onion, that’s okay (Kitschen makes it from scratch, anyway) or if you have a special dietary need the restaurant is happy to oblige.
I feel comfortable and relaxed at Kitschen (where Da Cellini used to be). The interior design is warm and the floor-to-ceiling windows allow for great people-watching. The service was good and it’s certainly worth a visit. 

By Megan Haggan

THE ACT Emergency Services Agency (ESA) is urging Canberrans to develop home emergency plans to minimise risk from fire this bushfire season.
Minimising the amount of debris that could fuel fires is an important first step.
“This involves things like deciding, now, whether you will leave early if your area is in danger, or whether you would stay and defend your home; things like knowing the best evacuation routes out of your suburb,” says Darren Cutrupi, manager, media and community information at the ESA.
“I think the people of Canberra are still very aware of what happened six years ago – it’s something that will remain in their minds for a generation.
“The benefit of that is that people are, hopefully, more alert and aware of the preparations they need to undertake to protect themselves.”
According to Gareth Horton, managing director of rainwater solutions company Rain Harvesting, householders can prevent leaves and branches from settling in gutters in the first place.
Australian Standards recommend passive systems to prevent burning embers from entering a building or debris accumulating in a way that promotes ignition, he says.
“Passive systems include things like a fire-proof gutter mesh system and fire plugs that could save a home or even a life this summer,” he says.
Those without such systems need to clear away debris now, says Stuart Collins, ACT and Southern NSW executive director of the Housing Industry Association.
“Timber decks and balconies are a major fire risk and are a path into the main building for a fire,” he says. “If you are planning to install them, consider materials that will not burn, such as metal or concrete.
“Check your access to water supplies, which may include rainwater tanks, dams, swimming pools, as well as the mains. A sprinkler system connected to these supplies should be ready in case fire approaches.
“Do not store firewood against the walls or underneath the home, and make sure all doors have close-fitting screens.
“Keep grass close to all buildings cut short and remove fallen branches that could provide fire fuel.
“Plant trees and shrubs away from the home, as the resulting open space will create a fire break.
“Put screens over any chimneys to catch falling embers which otherwise will have a way straight into the interior.”
The ACT is predicted to have a similar bushfire season to last year, Darren Cutrupi says.
“There’s been a fair bit of grass growth across the ACT, especially on the western side, so we’re hoping for more rainfall over the summer period.
“Without more rain that grass will dry out, which is a cause for concern. A hot, dry summer is forecast, and hopefully, like last year, we won’t have any really bad winds.”
Home emergency plan worksheets can be downloaded from http://www.esa.act.gov.au.

By Megan Haggan
AS the weather warms up, it’s a good time to reassess our fragrance wardrobes and choose a scent that’s suited to summer.
International fragrance expert Michael Edwards has classified fragrances into 12 individual “families” based on their scent characteristics.
According to Perfume Box’s Sam Fakhoury, fragrances from the floral, citrus, water, green and aromatic families are the most suitable in summer.
“Our bodies heat up and perspire more in a warmer environment so, in general, we don’t want sandalwood or woody oriental fragrances, as they’re warm and heavy already,” Mr Fakhoury says.
“In summer, we look for something refreshing: biting into a peach, jumping into water, a lighter fragrance.
“Many women have a fragrance for night and a lighter one for day, or a winter fragrance and summer fragrance.”
Mr Fakhoury says that Chance Eau Fraiche, from Chanel will remain popular this summer, and that new Christina Aguilera Inspire will also be in demand.
In summer, an eau de toilette can be more appropriate than an eau de parfum, due to its lower concentration of perfume oils. Gucci by Gucci, which Mr Fakhoury describes as “vibrant and ladylike”, has now been launched as an eau de toilette, and he predicts it will be another of summer’s hot fragrances.
Despite its warm notes, Dolce & Gabbana’s The One will be a hit in the men’s market, he predicted.
Summer, particularly in Australia, creates special challenges for perfume lovers, as fragrance can go “off” if not cared for and stored under ideal conditions.
“People will often put their bottles of perfume in the bathroom window, thinking they look nice when the sun hits them. But that sunlight will make them go off,” Mr Fakhoury says.
“Fragrance needs to be kept in a cool place. Some people keep their fragrances in the door of the fridge, where it stays cool, which works quite well. Canberra winters are the right temperature for perfume storage, but summer can be very hard on them.”
Fragrance generally lasts two to three years, or longer if always stored correctly.

10PM UPDATE
Sitting members thumped in election

SITTING members across the major parties have been punished by the ACT electorate with Liberals Steve Pratt and Jacqui Burke and former Liberal Richard Mulcahy likely to lose their seats and Labor’s Mick Gentleman and Vicki Dunne looking wobbly.
“Using the Hare-Clarke electoral system to punish poor performing incumbents is one interesting aspects of this election,” said “CityNews” political commentator Michael Moore. 
Chief Minister Jon Stanhope’s personal vote appears to have taken a thumping while Liberal Leader Zed Seselja has consolidated his position in Molonglo.
The new ACT Assembly looks likely to be seven seats apiece for the Labor and Liberal parties and three Greens. The Labor Party has endured a nine per cent swing against it (and lost two seats), but votes went to the Greens (who increased their vote by six per cent) and not the Liberals, who also took a swing of more than three per cent against them.
This result spells the end of Labor majority government, the first since self-government. Labor is likely to continue to govern in a minority government with Greens support. The Greens have not confirmed whether they would remain on the cross bench or take a role on the front bench. Nor would Green MLA-elect Shane Rattenbury confirm which major party the Greens would support to form a government.
There will be seven likely faces new MLAs – Liberals Jeremy Hanson and Giulia Jones; Green Shane Rattenbury (Molonglo); Liberal Steve Doszpot, Labor Joy Burch and Green Amanda Bresnan (Brindabella); Liberal Alistair Coe and Green Meredith Hunter (Ginninderra). Independent Mark Parton still holds and outside chance of election in Ginninderra). He told “CityNews”: “It’s still mathematically possible, but seems unlikely I’ll get elected.”
Sources within the ACT Liberal Party have expressed disappointment at what looks likely to be the party taking seven seats – the same number they polled at the last election.
“I wouldn’t like to ‘call’ anything as yet, but I have to be honest and say I am a little disappointed,” the spokesperson said.
Liberal leader Zed Seselja has not yet fronted the Liberal function – and will not be likely to do so before a result is clearer.
“I wouldn’t count out Steve Pratt yet, either – there are a great deal of CAP votes from Val Jeffery and they will be preferenced, I believe, in our favour.”

8.30 UPDATE
Strong swing against Labor signals minority government for ACT

At this stage a there is a swing of 10.6 per cent against the Labor government and the composition of the new Legislative Assembly is likely to be seven Labor (down two), seven Liberal (up one) and three Greens (up two).
It is expected this will mean a minority Labor Government.
In the seat of Brindabella internal Liberal scrutineering suggests that sitting MLA Steve Pratt has lost his seat. 
“Steve Dospot in Brindabella certainly seems to be testing incumbent Steve Pratt, leaving him in a precarious position.” said “CityNews” political commentator Michael Moore. 
“The other interesting contest is between the two Green candidates who are running neck and neck.”
In Ginninderra, Greens newcomer Meredith Hunter looks likely to be elected. “At this stage the Liberal vote in Ginninderra favours the new young candidate Alistair Coe (8.7 per cent) who is outpolling incumbent Vicki Dunne (7.6 per cent),” said Moore.  “It is not clear whether the Liberals will even win a second seat – its too early to dismiss former radio announcer Mark Parton.”
Vicki Dunne told “CityNews”: “I am not surprised at Alistair Coe’s vote. He ran a great campaign on behalf of all young people. This shows that people of the ACT don’t want Jon Stanhope as Chief Minister.”
Ms Hunter said: “I am very pleased with the result so far, but there’s a lot more to be counted.”
In Molonglo, sitting independent MLA Richard Mulcahy seems certain to have lost his seat while all three Labor ministers – Deputy Leader Katy Gallagher, Education Minister Andrew Barr and Attorney General Simon Corbell – will be returned. The Liberals look like getting new faces Giulia Jones and Jeremy Hanson joining Opposition Leader Zed Seselja in the new Assembly.

7.30PM UPDATE
Minority Labor tipped for ACT

A minority Labor Government in the ACT seems certain based on early predictions that the composition of the next Legislative Assembly will be is seven Labour seats, seven Liberal and three Greens.
This result would represent an expected backlash against Labour (formally nine seats), the Liberal Party would appear to have recovered its missing seat in Molonglo, lost when independent Richard Mulchay left the party, and overcome the vacuum of the controversial departure of Bill Stefaniak in Ginninderra.
The Greens would appear to be the winners of the labour backlash and have the real prospect of having three members in the new Assembly.
Deputy Labor leader Katy Gallagher. said that the early vote is indicative of the backlash she expected. Currently Labor has had an 11 per cent swing against them
The swing to the Greens as at 6.45 was more than six per cent.
Based on early results, the Community Alliance Parties vote has been insignificant and at this rate no CAP member will be elected.
Estranged Liberal Richard Mulcahy’s following in Molonglo has also collapsed and, it is expected that he will not be elected.

THE popularity of tasting plates and degustation menus has started a new trend in glassware being used to serve not just drinks, but savoury and sweet foods as well.
That’s the view of kitchenware supplier Tomkin Australia’s managing director Perry Rabin, who says that although food is traditionally presented in or on porcelainware, the transparency of glassware has the ability to allow chefs to enhance the visual presentation of their food.
“Glassware technologies have also advanced by refining the manufacturing process and allowing true-colours to be seen through the glass. This is useful not only for food presentation, but also for the service of wine, allowing for the taster to appreciate the true colours between varietals,” he says. 
“We are seeing a change in traditional styles and uses of champagne and cocktail glasses. The Flutino – a small champagne glass – is being used at functions and to accompany tasting and degustation menus.
“Cocktail glasses are becoming narrower and deeper, as they move away from the traditional wide and shallow Martini glasses, presenting cocktail connoisseurs with new presentation style options.
“Longer stems are being introduced with certain styles as well, as it offers a sophisticated and elegant presentation, like the Stolzle Exquisite Royal with stems that are two centimetres longer.
“Decanters are also being used more and more often in restaurants and in the home. It offers a stunning appearance, as well as the well-noted benefits for the wine itself, allowing the sediment to separate from the wine before drinking and letting the wine ‘breathe’.” 

By Helen Musa
YOU’LL hear the mantra over and over again before November 29 – “75 screenings, 41 films from 20 countries over 12 days.”
It’s a mantra worth boasting about, as artistic director of the Canberra International Film Festival, Michael Sergi, made clear at the launch on October 8. 
After all, back in 1996, when it all started, there were just 12 screenings, and now the whole event looks set to take its place on the national film circuit. Sergi, who curiously likened his choice of films to a Creole gumbo recipe, has turned his attention this year to having, more or less, continuous screenings, including some double-ups, so that patrons can catch what they’ve missed at a later date.
The event kicks off with the gala screening on November 29 of the new Woody Allen movie, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” a sizzling look at adult relationships featuring Scarlett Johansson and Rebecca Hall, with an appearance by Penelope Cruz as the provocative ex-wife of the male lead. There’s a fair bit of sizzle elsewhere, too; not least with the Canadian film “Y.P.F.” which Sergi blushed to tell us meant: “Young People… you know.”
Sergi has been greatly assisted by the Festival’s founding sponsor (and his employer), the University of Canberra, which loosened the umbilical cord from the event six years ago, but still sends him on trips to European film festivals each year to help him finetune his choices.
On these trips, which Sergi swears are hard work, some serious wheeling and dealing takes place, so that this year’s program features no fewer than 17 Australian premieres. This goes a long way towards making the 12th Canberra International Film Festival a genuinely important event and one worth visiting Canberra to see.
Of the premieres, one that particularly excites Sergi is “Terribly Happy,” a dark comedy from Denmark made by some friends of his who cheerfully agreed to release their film to him. The film has recently won the Crystal Globe Grand Prix at the Karlovey Vary International Film Festival. 
The program features a fair swag of thrillers – the sexiest genre of the moment – in Norway’s “Night of the Wolf,” France’s “Crossed Tracks,” Finland’s “Black Ice” and Australia’s “The Tumbler.” But serious art films are not too far behind, with Majid Majidi’s “The Song of Sparrows.” from Iran, where a man’s life is changed after an ostrich runs away, and the Turkish film “Bliss”, which looks beneath the surface of honour killings. 
Documentaries take centre stage, with Alex Gibney’s “Gonzo: the life and work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson”, a tribute to one of America’s greatest eccentrics featuring Johnny Depp as narrator. As well, there is Julian Schnabel’s “Lou Reed’s Berlin,” and “Bigger, Stronger, Faster, Bigger,” a truly scary look at the American win-at-all-costs culture.
There are films from all around Europe, an impressive selection of Australian films curated by Canberra filmmaker Simon Weaving, and over at the Arc Cinema, a new print of the ‘80s classic “The Coca-Cola Kid” and a Rainer Werner Fassbinder marathon.
Maybe Sergi is right – it is a gumbo.
The 12th annual Canberra International Film Festival runs from October 29-November 9 at Dendy Cinemas and the Arc Cinema. Visit http://www.canberrafilmfestival.com.au for the full program.

By Michael Moore
OUR nation is getting fatter, drinking inappropriately and still smoking too much. Complacency will compound the problems. While others have been hoping the problem will go away, Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon has proposed some solutions.
However, with all the coverage of the stock market and the ACT election it was buried on the media back burner.
Until now, the hallmark of prevention in health by governments has been the “do little” or “do nothing” solutions as they focused on hospital care and waiting lists. Unfortunately, this sort of inaction means a huge increase in chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular illness, more premature deaths and more suffering. It will mean overloading of hospitals as well as health and welfare agencies in the not-too-distant future.
At the moment, there is less than two per cent of health funding put into prevention across Australia. Apparently we still prefer to spend money sending the ambulance to the bottom of the cliff rather than committing expenditure to repairing the fence at the top. 
Investment in preventive health measures not only saves many from incredible suffering and death, it makes good economic sense. It is possible to learn from some successes that have been achieved even with the trifling funding. For example, it is estimated that anti-smoking measures prevented more than 400,000 premature deaths between 1975 and 1995 and also saved Australian taxpayers $8.4 billion. 
Moodie’s discussion paper, “Australia: the healthiest country by 2020”, sets a target date and provides very specific goals to make Australia the healthiest of nations. These include: reversing the rises in overweight and obesity to the extent of halving the incidence; reducing rates of daily smoking to nine per cent or less; reducing harmful drinking by 30 per cent; and contributing to closing the 17-year life expectancy gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.
Obesity has been increasing at alarming rates. The discussion paper identifies that about five per cent of our children were overweight or obese in the ‘60s.  Last year it was 25 per cent. From 1990 to 2005, the number of adults in the same category increased by 2.8 million. At this rate, three quarters of all adults will be in the overweight or obese category by 2025. About 18 per cent of Australians still smoke. This is a low rate compared to many countries, but California has now achieved a reduction to just nine per cent. The taskforce target is realistic and achievable, but will take a determined effort including increasing the price through taxation, further regulation of the industry in such areas as point-of-sale display, more intense and targeted education campaigns and more services for people who are ready to quit.
Although many Australians rely on bravado to excuse the way they misuse alcohol, there is clear evidence that regular binge drinking is seriously harmful to physical and community health. More effort must be made to curb misuse of alcohol. Governments will need to grasp the nettle. This might mean examining and modifying the current taxation regime as price really does modify purchasing behaviour.
Obesity, harmful use of alcohol, inactivity and tobacco (along with the accompanying high blood pressure and high cholesterol) currently account for about a third of Australian illness.
Minister Roxon’s taskforce has released the discussion paper and is holding a round of consultations with further information available at http://www.preventativehealth.org.au. However, delay must be minimised – it is time for government investment and action.  The risks of further complacency are just too great.

Michael Moore is a former independent member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and minister for health. He is the CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia.

By Jorian Gardner
INSPIRED by the revival of the historic roller derby in the US and Australia in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, roller derby in all its glory is taking off in Australia with leagues forming in SA, Victoria, NSW, Queensland and WA.
It was only a matter of time before all-girl roller derby took off in the nation’s capital and four Canberra women, who have been bitten by the derby bug, have spent the last few months doing the groundwork to get a league up and running here.
Helen Doyle (“Dr Hell”), Kate Murphy (“Bullseye Betty”), Lee Dewar (“Peachy Keen”) and Lucy Quinn (“Roulette Rouge”) have been spreading the roller-derby message, finding places to skate, and now have 30 keen skaters turning up to weekly training sessions.
“It takes about a year to get derby skaters trained up to a level where they can compete against other teams in public bouts, so mid 2009 will see the Canberra League making it’s public debut,” says Lee Dewar.
“In the meantime, there will be plenty of opportunities for women interested in skating, men and women interested in refereeing and anyone interested in trying on a pair of old-school, quad roller skates to get in on the action and find out about derby.”
Contemporary roller derby is a contact sport played mostly by women. Two teams of five players each skate pack-style counter-clockwise around a track. There is one “jammer” from each team on the track who starts after the main pack, called “blockers”, and have to try and get through the pack and lap them. Points are scored by jammers for each member of the opposite team they pass on the second lap through. The aim of the blockers is to prevent the opposite team’s jammer getting past while helping their own jammer.
“Contact is expected – skaters use legal blocks with the butt, hip, upper arms and torso,” says Lee.
“Elbowing, using hands or feet is forbidden, and is penalised. Full protective gear is required for all sessions – this is a contact sport with a very real possibility of injury.”
The term roller derby dates back as far as the ‘20s and was originally used to refer to roller skating endurance races in the US. During the ‘30s it was adapted introducing an element of spectacle into the sport, emphasising physical contact between skaters. Professional roller derby teams travelled the country providing a popular form of sports entertainment that was broadcast initially on radio and later on television.
Over the past few years, a group of women in Texas revived the sport on a banked track and formed the TXRD Lonestar Roller Girls. Subsequently, banked and flat-track leagues have sprung up all over the world.
Skaters devise aliases that are included on an international names register, ensuring that no two skaters have the same name. The names are often a play on words and reflect an aspect of the skater’s own personality. Names can be sassy, witty and tough – some of the more inventive Aussie roller derby players’ names include: Barrelhouse Bessy, Hot Lips Cruelihan, Donna Khebab, Switchblade Sarah, and Velvet Thunderground. It all makes for a great sense of fun.
The Canberra roller derby girls are looking for new members and have classes and weekly skate meetings for anyone wanting to get involved. They are hoping to launch their league in 2009 and will be having practice matches and sessions at various public events to get the word out.
To register your interest in roller derby – whether it is playing, spectating, learning to skate or just curiosity – email , or for more information, http://crdl.wikispaces.com.

IN the leafy street of tightly held Belmore Gardens, Barton, this ‘20s home boasts character and charm.
After extending and renovating the original house, the owners have created what selling agent Gay Spooner describes as a solidly constructed, double-brick “masterpiece”.
The street presence is framed by fully landscaped gardens (with automatic watering system) and the house features an inviting entry to an elegant main lounge room with a gas fireplace and marble hearth and mantle.
There are five bedrooms plus study, formal and informal dining rooms, family room, modern kitchen and elegant Sydney Blue Gum timber floors.
Downstairs features a large master bedroom with Laura Ashley curtains, under-carpet heating, walk-in robes with an ensuite spa bath, marble vanity, dual basins, heated towel rail and under-tile heating.
The kitchen is modern with self-closing draws, Miele dishwasher, dual Bosch ovens –one fan-forced and one combined microwave/conventional.
Upstairs are two bedrooms with built-in robes, new carpets and curtains, with own balcony access and an additional large bedroom or playroom, with balcony access.
There is ducted electric reverse cycle heating/cooling; back-to-base security alarm system and a fully fenced, saltwater pool.
EER 2

AUSTRALIA’S love of the outdoor room, often in the form of a timber deck, has spawned a product that is being exported around the world.
Spa N Deck, a water-based finish for protecting and rejuvenating timber decks, has favourable environmental credentials and lasts three to five times longer than conventional solvent or oil-based deck finishes, according to Flood Australia.
Spa N Deck has been developed for Australian conditions to protect both native and imported timbers from harsh sunlight and salty coastal winds.
Instead of sitting on top of the timber and forming a protective film, Spa N Deck is absorbed into the grain of the timber and is guaranteed not to peel, blister or crack.
It is applied to a wet surface with a lambswool applicator; the water draws the finish down into the grain of the timber, exposing the natural texture of the timber.
The product dries to a semi-transparent finish.
Spa N Deck can be used on all exterior timber including pressure treated pine, cedar and hardwoods and comes in a range of six pre-mixed colours – natural, cedar, redwood, jarrah, sedona/walnut and merbau/kwila.
It is available from most hardware outlets and paint specialists at about $45 for 2.5 litres.

For further information call Flood toll free on 1800 226113 or log on to http://www.floodaustralia.net.

By Charlotte McBride
CHEERLEADING is making its way off the field and into a competitive arena of its own. 
As a sport, cheerleading mixes gymnastics, dance and impressive stunts.
“It’s everything for everybody… it’s for every age and physique. It’s just a lot of fun,” says Canberra City Mayhem and Chaos coach Michaela Morgan.
Many of the nation’s top cheerleading teams have been started in Canberra. Mayhem Cheerleaders is a new team based in Belconnen and already has a few titles under its belt including winning the the ACT State Pom Championships in Canberra in August. 
Rebecca Dean, one of the members of Mayhem, says that cheerleading is becoming a sport in its own right.
“Cheerleading is huge in the US and is now becoming quite big in Australia, too.  It’s a lot of fun and teamwork is the key to a good performance.”
This is true when considering the stunts that cheerleading features. There are a lot of jumps that would need a supporting team to be performed safely. 
Despite the impressive stunts, Rebecca says that a beginner does not need previous experience in gymnastics.
“We have wonderful coaches. The team helps each other as we go along.”

Anyone interested in becoming a Mayhem cheerleader contact Michaela Morgan on .

By Helen Musa
BEWARE the sleeping giant lying on the floor of the National Gallery of Australia. So terrifying was he once that people would crawl on all fours to get past him. And regard with respect the royal Maori Hauki cloak made of gold and flax and featuring three borders, two more than are absolutely necessary.
They can be seen in the NGA’s newest exhibition of sculpture and object art called “Gods, Ghosts and Men, Pacific Arts from the National Gallery of Australia,” in which more than 75 objects from the gallery’s collection of more than 2000 Pacific treasures, including the 3500-year-old Ambum Stone and works from Max Ernst’s private collection, are on display in the Orde Poynton Gallery and Project Gallery.
Crispin Howarth, curator of Pacific Island art, believes that the gods and demons of Oceania are much more interesting than mummies.
A Liverpudlian, he moved to Australia in 1990 to be closer to Papua New Guinea for research purposes and is now determined to give the art of our closest neighbours its rightful place. Howarth dismisses the old-fashioned term “primitive art” and snorts at the new French term “Arts Premieuses” – he prefers to call it Oceanic Art.
He arrived last year at the NGA just before a tiny corner of the building was set aside for a Pacific gallery. But now, with the arrival last week of Dr Michael Gunn as senior curator in the same area, he feels certain that Oceanic Art will take its rightful place in Stage Two of the NGA’s development plans.
“Gods, Ghosts and Men” aims to survey the entire Pacific area represented in the gallery’s collection. While strongest in the Melanesian arts of Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, other areas such as Fiji are not so well represented and Polynesia is illustrated by works from NZ, Hawaii and Easter Island.
This is an exhibition full of wonder. One of the most spectacular installations, which shows the interaction of gods and men, is an initiation chamber from Papua New Guinea and given to the NGA by Michael and Margaret Cockburn. Another extraordinary work is the tevau band, used as currency in the Solomon Islands and made from hundreds of feathers of the Scarlet Honeyeater, which remains unharmed in the process.
Crispin Howarth has been having the time of his life opening up old boxes and even potato sacks that haven’t been touched in 40 years. But priceless as the objects within may be, he doesn’t believe in being over-reverent about them.
“This is art for everyone,” he says.

“Gods, Ghosts and Men”, National Gallery of Australia, until January 11.

By Michael Moore
IT seems that the Greens are poised to hold almost a quarter of the ACT Assembly seats. This raises important questions about accountability and the Greens potential for a positive contribution to government.
The recent Patterson-Canberra Times poll reflects widespread disenchantment with both government and opposition.  
Is it just Chief Minster Jon Stanhope and his government who are on the nose?  Is it majority government?  Is there an attitude reminiscent of Mercutio, “a plague o’ both your houses”?  
This poll predicts a significant swing in the order of 10 per cent against Labor and precious little gain for the Liberals. At this stage, it seems that the Greens are the big winners with an outside chance for independent Frank Pangallo.
However, there are still a substantial proportion of voters are undecided.
On recent past performance, the Greens do not deserve an increase to four seats.  
However, indications are that their removal of the pleasant, but politically inept Deb Foskey to replace her with more astute candidates such as Shane Rattenbury in Molonglo and Meredith Hunter in Ginninderra seems to be working.  
We do know that a four-member Green team with the balance of power will take any Labor government significantly further to the left.  On climate change and other environmental issues this is probably what many ACT voters are seeking.  
However, there is not much evidence that there will be more accountability with a minority Labor-Green government.  
The Greens have never held Labor to account on any substantial issue.
For example, following the Coroner’s report on the Canberra bushfires, the Greens opposed a no-confidence motion and protected Stanhope. This protection was offered despite findings that identified a series of failures in his administration; failures with the direst consequences.
It is also, despite that fact that these were the same arguments he had used to unseat former Liberal chief minister Kate Carnell over the Bruce Stadium, an issue that certainly did not have such dreadful outcomes as the loss of life and the loss of so many homes.
In the no-confidence motions of February 27, 2007, and June 25, 2008, Stanhope should have been removed if his own standards had been applied.
However, the Greens voted to support him either by opposing the no-confidence motion or modifying it to one of “grave concern”.
It is not because the Greens are soft. They are able to support a no-confidence motion. Ironically, the Greens supported the Labor generated no-confidence motions on Carnell saying in June, 1999, that “government has to be rigorous and accountable in its processes. This is an absolutely bottom line for good governance”.  
The evidence suggests that Greens will hold Liberal governments accountable but not Labor ones. Unfortunately for accountability in the coming term, all indications are that we can expect a Labor minority government.  
With almost a quarter of the Assembly seats likely to be Green, voters should expect a positive and constructive contribution rather than the traditional carping and oppositional approach.  
The Greens have never had to wear responsibility or be held accountable themselves. If they really do achieve such a powerful influence in such a small Assembly it would be a reasonable expectation for them to take a role in government.
There are precedents and lessons to be learnt. The Greens have been Ministers in coalition governments in the German Parliament since 1998.
In Tasmania, they came to an arrangement (albeit an unhappy and unsuccessful one) with the 1989-1991 Labor-Green Parliamentary Accord.
There is an appropriate way for the Greens to govern with Labor (or much-less-likely, the Liberals) as a part of government.  
In SA, independent Rory McEwen and National Party MP Karlene Maywald have been successful Ministers in the Mike Rann Labor Government.
Their approach follows the model set by Kate Carnell and myself in the 1998-2001 ACT Government and involves flexibility for non-major party Ministers, enabling them to opt out of the principle of collective responsibility and cabinet solidarity on certain issues.  
It means that they are not always required to vote with the government. With four seats in the Assembly compared to a 6/7 for Labor it would be logical for Rattenbury and Hunter to both have Ministerial portfolios.
If voters really do support a substantial Green presence in the ACT Assembly after the October election, let’s hope that the party will not opt out of taking some real responsibility for government and will take the issue of accountability seriously.

Michael Moore is a former independent member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and minister for health.  

Stanhope still hot to trot

The Chief Minister tells JORIAN GARDNER that he’s sitting loosely in the saddle and is up for another full term in the top job. Oh, and he’s not arrogant, either.
STROLLING past the Melbourne Building, in Civic, musing about how to start this article, I turned the corner and there he was.
It’s 7.30 on a clear, sunny spring morning and Chief Minister Jon Stanhope is sitting alone at a café reading through papers. Sunglasses and stylish suit on, he looked relaxed and in control – certainly, not like a man about to lose his job.
After seven years in the top job, Stanhope is facing the toughest election of his career, and even he says the result is unclear. In weeks gone by, he and his team have looked ruffled, worried and sensing a real possibility of losing government.
The last four years have seen Stanhope and his government hold unprecedented political power in the ACT. The Territory has had its first majority government, which has, inevitably lead to accusations of arrogance.
“I am not an arrogant person and never have been,” says Stanhope. “Anyone who knows me, knows that I am not. I am intent on being a good leader and good leaders must be decisive – they must show strength and make decisions. But also, I am prepared to admit if I make a mistake and resile from positions – and I have.
“I have compromised – politics is about the art of compromise, but when I look back at my time in politics I want to be able to say I was always true to myself.
“I don’t believe in populist politics and I don’t believe in appealing to the lowest common denominator. I believe in standing up for principles and if the people of the ACT know anything about me, they know I have stood on principles on a range of issues, sometimes at personal cost.
“When I came into politics 11 years ago, I knew the principles and attitudes that I wanted to remain true to, and I have – that is that I wouldn’t do stunts and I wouldn’t pretend to be anybody that I wasn’t. I wouldn’t betray my beliefs for the sake of convenience or popularity. I have already served one term as the chief minister of a minority government so I would be honoured to serve again as chief minister, albeit in a minority if that’s the will of the people of the ACT, which is – of course – the rule (minority government) not the exception.”
Jon Stanhope is now the longest-serving leader of any government in Australia. He’s lead the Labor Party for more than 10 years, and been the ACT Chief Minister for seven. He says he’s never felt more content and relaxed in his job.
“I think any of us work our way into any job,” says Stanhope. “I have always been a very hard critic of myself and think in my first term I probably agonised more than I do now as I strove to do my best at all times.
“But now I am more confident in the role, I understand the ACT extremely well now and I am sensitive to issues across all portfolios and across the ACT.
“I have a depth of experience in this job that I don’t think anyone has achieved; just through longevity and the range of portfolios I have worked in.”
However, he also says, that ACT politics is even harder than other jurisdictions.
“We are the only government in Australia to be responxsible for two levels of government – municipal and state, and it’s a big load,” he says. “It’s unrelenting, unremitting and there is something of a goldfish bowl approach to public life in the ACT.  We are under more scrutiny by the media, I believe than perhaps any other government in Australia and that’s good and healthy, but it adds a lot of pressure to the job.”
Stanhope says it his intention to stay on until the next election as leader.
“But these are always difficult questions,” he says. “None of us know about our personal circumstances, our zest, and other issues and opportunities.  Nothing in life is static – our thinking, our energy, our enthusiasm, our health. Nothing is black and white.  But I will say this, that I intend to remain a politician here in the ACT, and while I remain a politician I intend, and it is my fervent hope and expectation, to remain chief minister.
“[When voters go to the polls] I want people to think on the record of achievement of this government, think on the quality of services, to acknowledge that we are a team with strong leadership, that is united, that is energetic, that is enthusiastic, that does have strong policies, that does have a vision. That’s what I want them to think about.”

Seselja says he’s ready

The Liberal Leader tells JORIAN GARDNER he’s tamed the party’s disunity and is experienced enough to handle the role of chief minister. But he’s still not talking about Bill Stefaniak’s defection.
AT the end of last year, a just-turned-30, first-term MLA with an unpronounceable last name who didn’t have much of a profile among the then-brawling Liberals sprung from nowhere as leader of the party.
Zed Seselja emerged at a time when his previous political ally Richard Mulcahy had been excommunicated from the party, leaving only six Liberals in the Assembly. The leadership of Bill Stefaniak and Jacqui Burke had crumbled and the Liberals were bickering and imploding. 
How things change. Just days away from the ACT election and people are using the words “Zed Seselja” and “chief minister” in the same sentence.
“We’ve been working hard over the last few months,” says Seselja.
“We’ve laid some punches on Jon Stanhope and shown the community that we have some really good ideas.
“I am hopeful that we can pick up a seat in Brindabella, and in Molonglo we won three seats at the last election and I believe we’ll do that again.
“We are very confident that we have made a good case to the electorate about what we are about.
“Most people will make a decision, I believe, on the basis of if they want to stick with the Stanhope Government or if they want to change government.”
Over recent months Seselja has been accused of accused of muzzling the rest of his party so as to have the full focus on him. Time after time, he makes announcements as leader, flanked by the relevant shadow minster – who doesn’t utter a word.
“This is an election campaign, where it primarily comes down to a battle of the leaders.  I am the leader of the Liberal Party, I speak for the Liberal Party, I speak on every major issue, but I make no apology for that,” he says.
But it’s housing affordability, class sizes and health care that Seselja really wants to focus on.  And he can rattle on about it for hours – convincingly, too.
“We want to see young people be able to buy a home and we have a raft of measures including abolishing stamp duty for first home buyers,” he says.
“Reducing class sizes in our primary schools – it’s necessary, and it’s affordable.
“Having GP clinics in the suburbs to take the pressure off emergency departments is key to our plan – and with that comes our plan to attract more GPs as well.”
So as the election approaches, can Zed hold it together?
“I have had the experience of raising four children in Canberra and as a public servant and lawyer,” he says.
“I already have more parliamentary experience than Jon Stanhope did when he became chief minister and my experiences have been broad.
“I am very focused on winning government on October 18.
“I have the full support of my party room as should be evident to everyone by now. 
“I believe we can win the election and I will be chief minister with Brendan Smyth as my deputy.”
When I question Seselja on the recent announcement about Bill Stefaniak’s retirement from the Assembly to take up a position to a tribunal appointed by Cabinet, a position that Stefaniak approached the Government about last February, his mood becomes decidedly uncomfortable. 
When did you know about Mr Stefaniak’s approaching the Government for a job?
“As I said at the time, we had private discussion over a period of time,” says Seselja. 
“Bill made his decision and I respect that. There were family issues that lead him to start contemplating his future.”
Yes, but when did you know he was in discussion with the Government – since February?
“It was an on-going process of dialogue,” says Seselja shuffling in his seat.
It’s clear that he’s not going to answer the question and after several more back and forth between us he says, to my protesting: “I think I have answered this question.”
Fact is, Seselja didn’t know at all.
He found out just before Stefaniak’s announcement – and word has it that he was furious.
How did the leader of a party, just eight weeks before an election, not know of the intentions of his longest-serving and second-highest vote winner?  The entire ACT Labor Cabinet did.
Seselja’s had egg on his face ever since and can’t shake it.
It was an internal party humiliation. But if that’s the only chink in his leadership armour, he’s doing well.

By property writer Rama Gaind
EMBRACING the finer points of a town villa design, only three of the four, three-bedroom residences are left for sale in this new Griffith development.
Large living areas of between 195sqm and 204sqm lend style and simplicity to the new two-storey houses.
Features include a spacious library/study, a three or four-car garage with internal access, high ceilings throughout and generously proportioned landscaped courtyards.
In addition to a functional kitchen in the main residence, a small outdoor kitchen is included in the paved courtyard.
Bohème’s tree-lined position in Griffith means it is a short walk to the Manuka and Griffith shops. EER 5

Address: Boheme, corner of Landsborough and Favenc Circle, Griffith.
Price: Between $1.2 million-$1.4 million.
Inspections: By appointment.
Agent: Tony Trpeski 6209 7777 or 0413 506316, Independent Property Group.

KING Furniture has joined forces with Italian design company, Former, to bring to Australia the Notto (night) range, with pieces that pay attention to comfort in the bedroom. 
Former’s Dossier wardrobe is a modular system that allows its owner to create small and simple or large and complex configurations depending on space and lifestyle. Modules can be inserted or removed to create walk-in cabinets, shelving areas or shoe space with the main aluminium structure providing a sturdy base. The Dossier is available in a selection of styles including matt lacquer.
The Big bed from Former features linear design complemented by a storage compartment in the base. It is available with a reclining function or a headboard with extra storage space in a range of timber veneer finishes and a selection of fabrics and colours for the headboard.
Available from King Furniture, Fyshwick.

By Helen Musa
DIRECTOR Michael Gow is rather proud of the simplicity of his props for the coming production of “Anatomy Titus Fall of Rome” – 500 on-stage books and an industrial bucket of stage blood.
The books are there because Shakespeare has crammed the play with literary references and the blood because this is the bloodiest of Shakespeare’s tragedies, reviled by generations of university professors for its grossness in action and language. Hands are chopped off, children are served up in a pie and one character’s tongue is pulled out.
Gow is aware of the contempt in which “Titus” was once held, but says that nowadays it is considered very contemporary. The on-stage blood, he says, resembles “something like the NSW Labor Party.”
Some years ago when the Melbourne International Arts Festival programmed both Romanian and Italian productions of Shakespeare’s “Titus,” audiences said: “Oooh, how Romanian” and “Oooh, how Italian”, but now that  Bell Shakespeare is doing “Anatomy Titus Fall of Rome,” a 1984 deconstruction  by  the late East German playwright Heiner Mueller, audiences are saying: “Oooh, how German.”
“Titus” is a co-production with the Queensland Theatre Company – the first one since “Richard III” in 2002 – and to Gow it makes perfect sense for Bell Shakespeare to be exploring angles on the Bard and also writers from the age of Shakespeare, such as Goldoni and Ben Jonson.
Gow says the contentious Mueller started on “Titus” as a translation, but found the play to be rather messy, so started rewriting act one.  Many of the characters in the original were cardboard cut-outs, so Mueller took them a step further, making the character of Titus’s son Lucius a study of a young man driven by power.
In Mueller’s version, Aaron the Moor, a Machiavellian forerunner to Richard III, becomes the object of gross racial taunting. Mueller keeps him as one of those enticing Shakespearean villains who delight in being evil and, so far, audiences have loved him.
But when Gow approached the text, he realised the often anti-Semitic insults Mueller had devised did not have the “hot-button effect” that they would in Germany, so he and the Bell cast had to cast around for more politically incorrect words like “spic, wog, xxxx, curry-muncher,” to give an authentic touch of racism. 
Gow says most people won’t be familiar with the Ancient Roman tale of Titus Andronicus, but he expects them to respond to the grimly funny modernity of the plot. In one scene, he says, “the Andronicus family is sitting by the road killing flies… it’s just like ‘Waiting for Godot’, or Brecht”.
As for the production, well apart from all that blood, it will have some great acting. Apart from Titus Andronicus, played by John Bell, there will be Timothy Walter as Aaron, Robert Alexander as Marcus Andronicus with a cast of under-27 blokes “having a great time.”
Oh, yes, Gow adds as a postscript: “It’s an all-boy production, just as in Shakespeare’s day… You could sum it up as a bunch of boys waging war on Shakespeare.”
“Anatomy Titus Fall of Rome: A Shakespeare Commentary,” Canberra Playhouse, October 8-18. 

By Tanya Davies
OCTOBER is internationally recognised as breast cancer month, and this month Australia is set to turn pink in the hope of raising awareness and much needed funds to fight the disease.
Last week universities around the country were lit pink to highlight the crucial role of research in the fight to prevent and cure.  And all manner of pink products are available in stores throughout the country including Estee Lauder counters and David Jones.  
One of the best ways to help is to host a Pink Ribbon Breakfast this month. Sarah Murdoch, patron of the National Breast Cancer Foundation says: “Money raised from Pink Ribbon Breakfasts form a substantial part of the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s annual fundraising income. “These funds are vital in taking us one step closer towards the prevention and eventual cure of breast cancer.” 
Breast cancer is the most common disease among women in Australia with more than 13,500 new cases expected this year. 
Since the NBCF was established in 1994, more than $44.5 million has been awarded to Australian based researchers. 
And since it’s inception in 2003, more than 15,000 breakfasts have raised $7m for breast cancer research. 
“I encourage everyone to register to host a Pink Ribbon Breakfast,” said Ms Murdoch.
One area that is currently being researched in more detail is the after-effect of breast cancer. 
Survivors often encounter physical limitations and/or psychosocial difficulties following diagnosis and treatment.  Although many survivors report positive changes following their battle with breast cancer, this is most often testimony to their survivalist attitude; survivors are often confronted with huge lifestyle cha