australian times newspaper: 29 may 2012 edition

OVERSEAS WORKERS DEAL HAS GILLARD IN HOT WATER

SPORT P10ENTERTAINMENT P5 ENTERTAINMENT P6

29 May - 4 June 2012 – Issue: 414

...continued on p3

SIGHTS SET ON PARISSam Stosur gunning for French Open crown

TRAGEDYFarewell to an Aussie

music guru

...continued on p3

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Aussie artist serves up an unusual treat

n Julia Gillard’s leadership has again been called into question, this time because of a deal that will see almost 2000 Australian jobs being handed to overseas immigrant workers.

Australians ‘appalled’ by Syrian massacreFOREIGN ministry officials have told Syria’s top Canberra diplomat that Australians are appalled by the massacre of more than 100 people in the Syrian town of Houla.

Syrian Charge d’Affairs Jawdat Ali was summoned to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade building in Canberra on Monday in the wake of his government’s artillery attack on Houla, which is believed to have killed 108 people and injured 300 more.

Senior DFAT official Paul Robilliard told Mr Ali that Australia expects President Bashar al-Assad’s regime to cease its attacks and abide by a ceasefire brokered by peace envoy, Kofi Annan.

2012 Festivals & sHORt BReaKs

See inside for details...

PRIME Minister Julia Gillard has stood by a deal to allow a major mining project to import as many as 1715 workers, despite facing a Labor caucus backlash and fresh leadership challenge claims.

MPs from Labor’s Left and Right factions have criticised the government’s first enterprise migration agreement (EMA), which will allow billionaire Gina Rinehart to use foreign workers to build the Roy Hill iron ore project in WA’s Pilbara region.

However business leaders are worried the axing of such deals risks serious damage to the Australian economy.

Amid renewed Labor leadership rumblings, damaging allegations were leaked over the weekend against the prime minister that she was kept out of the loop on the Rinehart decision.

But both Ms Gillard and Immigration Minister Chris Bowen, who backed Kevin Rudd in February’s leadership spill, told parliament on Monday the prime minister was involved in the decision.

Mr Bowen described the timing of the briefing as “early in (the) week of 21st May”.

The prime minister said she had been “fully briefed” on the decision last Wednesday on her return from Chicago for a NATO summit.

It is understood that the prime minister on Friday, just hours before Mr Bowen made his announcement,

had insisted that a jobs board, which would ensure Australians received first chance at the construction jobs, be made a condition of the agreement.

Ms Gillard told parliament she supported the agreement.

“In total, the Roy Hill agreement is about jobs for Australians, is about

training, is about indigenous jobs, is about this agreement for up to 1,715 foreign workers, and it has my support,” she said.

Union bosses have queried why Labor granted the first EMA to Ms Rinehart, given that the mining magnate had been made a focus of government attack.

Treasurer Wayne Swan told parliament he could disagree with Ms Rinehart over her opposition to the minerals resource rent tax “and still put in place a set of policies which grow our economy and spread jobs to every corner of our society”.

COP THIS Get loose and messy with Europe’s best partiesSPECIAL 8 PAGE TRAVEL PULL-OUT | INSIDE

29 May - 4 June 20122 | News

the hard word> NATHAN MOTTON

Publisher: Bryce LowryEditor: Tim MartinProduction/Design: Jackie LampardAustralia Editor: Ashlea MaherMusic Editor: Paul JudgeContributors: Bianca Soldani, Shannon Crane, Kate Ausburn, Sara Newman, Justin Ng, Phill Browne, Kristy Kenny, Carmen Allan, Mario Hannah, Amy Fallon, Rose Callaghan, Lesley Slade, Simon Kleinig, Kris

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Your Say

What’s your view?

On: Peering through the looking glass at life back homeReally good article. Thought provoking. I think the other thing is change at home generates fears that because things won’t be exactly the same you won’t fall into the place you used to exist in. My best mate broke up with his missus while I’ve been over here – it’s gonna be weird to see him without her and being single now. So how do I adjust to that? Of course this fear is illogical – if we can handle getting on in a new country on the other side of the world we can handle a slight change to the world we’re most comfortable in. But you’re right- you want the cake and eat it too – it’s needy but I wish my close mates would ring/text more when they’re all out together drunk so I can feel part of it. It’s all waiting for us though. Good article!

Joshua LloydAustralianTimes.co.uk/voices

Well that may be the case for some, but not me. I’ve been in London for 6 years, have had 3 of my 4 kids here and have loved every second of our lives here. But now we’re heading back to Sudney next year for work and the thought makes me feel sick. Don’t get me wrong, I love Sydney but I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything, the family we like visit, the ones we don’t, don’t. Friends call, some visit, and for the rest there’s facebook. Just saying.

StephAustralianTimes.co.uk/voices

One of the things that reminds me of what I’m missing back home (home for me is NZ, but all my family are in Australia so that’s home too!), is how much my friend’s children have grown. I have memories of 12 year old boys fishing for eels when they’re now driving cars, dating girls and going to Uni.

Vicki JeffelsAustralianTimes.co.uk/voices

On: Australia’s Gina Rinehart is the world’s richest womanNice to know we have been entertained in the house of the world’s richest

woman - shame some of it didn’t rub off onto me!

Glenys DaviesFacebook.com/AustralianTimes

Now, it will be good idea to share it with the poor. in fact she must just visit Africa.

Makate Simon Mojapelo Facebook.com/AustralianTimes

It’s funny how some of the richest people are the most miserable!

Diane SchulzFacebook.com/AustralianTimes

On: Ricky Nixon’s contribution to popular culture: spare us allMuch like the Osbournes – I thought “I wouldn’t watch that old has – been” But I did. And you will.

Des UmbersAustralianTimes.co.uk/voices

AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices

Each lunch break, check out what’s new on the website.

Every day on …

n Australians are being short-changed during summer months by over-zealous Local and State Governments and us Antipodeans know all about it when the UK turns the heat on. Why is it OK to drink alcohol in public places here, and not on our fair shores?

Everyone, and I mean everyone, loves an Australian summer. For those who were lucky enough to have grown up with it (most of us); to expats who’ve moved to our fair shores in search of the better weather; even all of our British work colleagues who, though they’ve never been, swear on their lives it’s (almost) better than Hobnobs, Pimms and Jaffa Cakes combined.

That’s because it is.If you weren’t lucky enough

to grow up near a beach in Oz, chances are you grew up close to a river. Australians grew up with sport in our blood, just as we did with water running through our veins and sunny skies overhead.

And I don’t know about you, but here at The Hard Word, it’s only until you move away from it that you realise you may have slightly taken it for granted all those years.

Spending time at the beach with family and friends, or by the river, or in a city park, lapping up weeks on end of 30 degree temperatures, enjoying a nice hot barbeque, washed down with a nice cold beer!

Wait. There’s something not right

British summer begs the question: why can’t Australia be just like the UK?

with that visual... sorry I wasn’t thinking about the land Down Under, I was actually talking about the United Kingdom.

Stay with me. I won’t take our fair country to task over our beaches and rivers, not quite, because needless to say the same rules apply there as they do in the city’s parks and gardens.

What I am on about is that little thing called alcohol. Moreover, it’s the fact that we cannot express our true appreciation for a cheeky lager in public, and yet our Commonwealth pals here in the UK can (almost) do with it as they please.

Our reputation is legendary for our obsession with drinking (despite the exorbitant price of the stuff) as well as our inability to drink anywhere but a licensed premise and at home. Given the aforementioned, most of us, including this scribe refuse to pay up to $10 for a bottle of beer, when you can spend $20 more and get an extra 23 bottles and drink them at home with your friends.

And therein lies my problem.When that glorious, beaming

ray of light called the sun does eventually show it’s shiny head in England, as it did so all last week, the first thing most of us want to do is head to the Thames (remembering I did not compare

that with our rivers) or Hyde Park, or any one of London’s hundreds of other parks, with our eskies full of cheese, crackers, hams and beers.

It’s such a social occasion. The breeze rustles your hair, the shirts are off, the bikinis are on, the dogs are out, the joggers are out, the personal training sessions are in full swing, the planes fly overhead, the games of football are heating up, and the beers are cold. It’s a visual feast and it’s one thing I’ll always remember about this great city. Most people here don’t have the luxury of a backyard, but they make the most out of something that could be regarded as a negative.

But it’s the same for a lot of people living in Australia’s biggest cities. Apartment living is increasingly becoming the norm, but they’re restricted from enjoying a few beers in their local park. Why? What’s the harm?

You don’t see the Brits stumbling around the streets and in parks drunk as drunk.

Is it simply a nod to the fact that if Australian’s were permitted to drink alcohol in public places, social chaos would loom large? Or is just another example of bureaucracy gone mad? Cheers Australia!

News | 3AustralianTimes.co.uk

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Gillard under fire over work migration

Ms Gillard told parliament that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott was “Gina Rinehart’s butler”.

Opposition workplace spokesman Eric Abetz said the coalition supported EMAs in principle, but the Labor battle showed that the “faceless men” of the unions were in charge.

Labor Left Faction convenor Doug Cameron said he would raise concerns about EMAs in caucus on Tuesday.

Right Faction member Kelvin Thomson said the government should scrap EMAs and instead better target the existing skilled migration programs.

Business Council chief Jennifer Westacott has written to the Labor caucus urging MPs to stick by the policy to protect jobs and investment.

“The successful delivery of these projects is far from assured and one

of the major barriers is the current shortage of labour,” she said.

Meanwhile, Sportsbet punters in Australia have put Kevin Rudd back into favouritism to take back the Labor leadership, moving to $2 ahead of Ms Gillard on $2.70.

An Essential poll on Monday showed that 73 per cent of Labor voters think the party’s main attribute is that it is “divided”.

For the Liberals, the key attribute is they “will promise to do anything to win votes” (63 per cent). - AAP

DFAT summons Syrian envoy over massacre

Foreign Minister Bob Carr said the Houla massacre was a “hideous and brutal crime”.

“The Syrian charge was asked to convey a clear message to Damascus - that Australians are appalled by this massacre and we will pursue a unified international response to hold those responsible to account,” he said on Monday.

Between 10,000 and 13,000 Syrians have been killed since an anti-Assad uprising erupted last year.

Senator Carr says the government is considering strengthening its autonomous sanctions against the Assad regime and boosting its humanitarian aid.

He also wants the international community to consider referring the massacre to the International Criminal Court and imposing UN sanctions.

UN officials say 49 children and 34 women were among those killed

in Houla.The UN Security Council has

condemned the killings, which it says were the result of government artillery fire on a residential neighbourhood.

The Assad regime has denied responsibility for the massacre.

Thousands of Syrians have flooded the streets to protest against the killings, which UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has described as a flagrant violation of international law. - AAP


SKA super telescope to be split between Australia and South AfricaAUSTRALIA, New Zealand and South Africa will share the location for the world’s most powerful radio telescope - the Square Kilometre Array.

“We have decided on a dual site approach,” said SKA board chairperson John Wommersley at a press conference held at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on Friday, following a meeting of the SKA organisation’s members in the Dutch capital.

The joint Aussie-Kiwi site spreads from the Murchison Shire in Western Australia’s Mid-West region to the top of New Zealand’s South Island while South Africa’s site for the project is the Karoo region in the Northern Cape.

The Square Kilometre Array, or SKA, will be the largest and most capable radio telescope ever made and will allow scientists to see back

in time.The $2 billion project comprising

3000 dishes will be funded by a consortium of 20 nations and seeks to answer the biggest questions about the early universe.

With a discovery potential 10,000 times greater than the best present-day instruments, it will observe such things as what happened after the big bang and how galaxies evolved, and will attempt to uncover more about the “dark energy” that fills the majority of the universe.

The telescope array, which is expected to have a working life of several decades, could even detect signals that may be from extraterrestrials.

29 May - 4 June 20124 | Voices

bron inthe don BRONWYN SPENCER

chris’s kitchen

> CHRIS ARK

n Already a self-confessed shopaholic, our resident adventurer could not turn down the lure of #38 on her London Top 100 list and return (time after time) to the crazy world of the Camden Markets.



Chris’s Thai seafood salad

IN the past two weeks I have had the unfortunate privilege of two friends gloating about their pre-summer holidays in Asia. I had to sit there and listen to how good Thai streetfood is, how delectable the warm weather was and how they munched on cheap and yummy salads jammed packed with seafood that we can only dream about here (unless we want to part with a wad of cash).

Looking at the forecast for this

A little taste of Asia to welcome in summer

weekend (summer, is that you!?) I have decided to give you my Thai seafood salad recipe and it is a real a cracker.

So it’s time to dust off the salad bowl and drag out the wooden tongs (that some random mate gave you at a BBQ years ago) and feast on this winning salad.

Now first, for a quick re-cap on the Thai cuisine. It’s all a balance of sweet and sour and it’s best to use natural sugars and citrus juices from fruits and paste to create those flavours that drive our palates wild.

An important tip to always remember is the ingredients must be combined

at the last second; this will keep the ingredients, the dish and the flavours fresh and pungent. That is why the street food is so good in Thailand.

So set your kitchen up like a street stall – main ingredients, meats, dressing in a bowl and a serving bowl, and not only will this combination help you throw together a salad to impress, it’ll make it damn tasty too.

So let’s get cracking on my Thai seafood salad. The top supermarkets have a great range of blanched fresh seafood portions available - look for prawns, mussels or a mixed seafood pack. Enjoy and happy cooking!

What you need:• 300g of mixed seafood: prawns,

mussels, scallops, crab and squid – you can use any of your favorite seafood’s

• 1 packet of vermicelli noodles – blanched in boiling hot water and refreshed in cold water

• 1 red pepper sliced in fine strips• 1 green pepper sliced in fine strips• Handful of snowpeas (mangetout)

blanched• 1 cucumber finely sliced• ½ bunch of fresh coriander• 1 red onion finely sliced• 2 ripe tomatoes cut in ¼s • 1 bunch of spring onions• 1 hand full of roasted peanuts

Dressing• 4 tblsp of fish sauce• Juice of one lime• 1 small fresh chili, seeds removed

and chopped finely

• 1 tbsp of palm sugar• 3 stalks of lemon grass

What to do:• For the dressing, combine

all the dressing ingredients and adjust the flavour so it has a nice balance of sweet and sour.

• Looking for an easy to swallow combination.

• Then take a large mixing bowl and throw in the seafood, noodles and vegetables, but not the peanuts.

• Give the ingredients a good mix before adding the dressing.

• Add half the dressing and mix well. Place the noodle mixture in your serving bowl and drizzle the remaining dressing over the noodles and sprinkle the roasted peanuts around to finish.

MY first experience of Camden Markets was when I was 16 and visiting my cousin who lived in London. She took my sister and I to the markets on the weekend and we were instantly overwhelmed and bewildered by it all. The markets are a permanent fixture in London and spread all the way from Camden Town tube station up to Chalk Farm.

Nine years on and I still feel overwhelmed when I visit the markets. Just the amount of stalls spread across the area with all the different types of things on sale – it’s a shopaholics dream come true! The best part about it is that, I have probably been more then a dozen times since living here and each time I discover something new.

When you come out of the tube station and head towards the markets the first section is filled with stalls selling t-shirts with funny slogans and other clothing, which is found repeated throughout this section. Once you cross the canal and over to the actual wooden stalls you find a bit more ‘one of a kind’ type goods with jewelers and print stalls – although these can also be repetitive. Across the road towards the horse stables is where you find the most variety and here is where you can really discover what is on offer!

The markets are so much more then just stallholders selling clothes, jewelry and other goods – it’s a whole experience of discovery. It wasn’t until maybe my second or third time visiting that I stopped to grab some food from one of the many choices of vendors and sat eating it beside the canals on the motorbike seats. From

Getting alternative at Camden’s markets

Asian to Mexican to hot dog stands, whatever kind of food you are in the mood for – you will most likely find. Another time I stumbled across Cyberdog – a place dedicated to ravers featuring what I feel is insane outfits and crazy accessories but for a place like Camden is par for the course.

Then there is the vintage clothing and antiques in the Horse Stables. Previous visits I had only glanced over these sections but once when I had time to spare I spent ages meandering through clothes racks looking at vintage Levi denim jackets and fur coats and old fashioned leather suitcases – wishing I could just take them all home.

Home to the ‘punk’ scene, Camden is a great place if you want a tattoo or piercings or just a great pair of Doc Martin boots as there are shops all along the high street providing it all. Next to a shop selling fishnet stockings and corsets is a young designers stand selling home made jewelry and printed t-shirts. There are antique traders, next to musicians, next to a coffee house, next to a fish pedicure stall and yet it all just mixes together and works.

The Camden Markets are a bit of a London institution and most Londoners would have visited them at one time or another, but the best part about it is that it is ever changing which means that there is always something new to see and discover.

Entertainment | 5AustralianTimes.co.uk

gallery lights. However, Linton would expect visitors to feel a little thrown after first viewing his art: “The repetition of these objects allows for the creation of [art that is] often at odds with the meaning of the original object. I hope that these works get people to think a bit more about things, such as plastic surgery [which] is easily glamorised and separated from the reality of bloody operations – the scalpels confront the viewer with that reality.”

Just quietly, I find Linton’s use of scalpels in these works amusing given that he studied medicine and still practices as a doctor today. An artist first and foremost (he began painting as a child), Linton says: “As a student, I was intrigued by the cold and clinical forms of the scalpels and pills that I saw every day at the hospital and I wondered how they would look when shown in a completely different context.” While the pills and scalpels would no doubt look significantly different to Linton from a medical perspective, the use of such objects as a collective, they are, quite frankly, transformed into striking pieces of fine art. If only I had a few thousand pounds to spare, I would take one of Linton’s bullet birds straight back home to Australia with me.

You can visit Linton’s birds, lips, guns and his scalpel piece of Kate Moss at Gallery 8, 8 Duke Street St James’s, London SW1Y 6BN. The exhibition runs until Sunday, 27 May.


By Melinda EdwardsTHAT’S Grouse: The British Show is a new exhibition in London by Australian artist Linton Meagher. He seems modestly proud as he walks around Gallery 8 in St James’s, chatting and taking congratulations from visitors to the opening of his first London solo exhibition of his semi-sculptural, mixed media works. Linton’s artworks are larger than life depictions of hunting foul (grouse) created using discarded bullet casings cast in resin and Perspex; and of giant sensual lips using thousands of imitation lipsticks and stimulating portraits of Kate Moss using surgical scalpels positioned to define the model’s body.

Using quite an untraditional choice of medium, Linton says that by taking ready-made, popular culture objects and displaying them in an unorthodox manner means these objects can then take on a different meaning. On his scalpel works, Linton says: “I like the fact that the viewer is attracted to the shimmering beauty of the steel, but then, on closer inspection, is disconcerted once they realise that the works are actually made from surgical scalpels. What I am exploring in the scalpel works are notions of beauty and the role of medicine in augmenting appearances and defining notions of perfection.”

Despite the fact that looking at thousands of empty bullet casings (which remind us of death) and the sharp scalpels (reminding of the possibility of pain), the artworks are beautiful, glinting under the

Aussie art in London that’s more than just Grouse

© 2012 The Wiggles Pty Ltd. Individual artists may be substituted.

THE FINAL SHOWS TOGETHER OF ANTHONY, MURRAY, JEFF & GREG!

GUILDFORD G LIVE THURSDAY 7 JUNE

T: 0844 7701 797, www.GLive.co.uk

LONDON, HAMMERSMITH APOLLO SATURDAY 9 & SUNDAY 10 JUNE

Ticketmaster: 08448 444 748, HMV Tickets: 08432 210 100, venues.meanfiddler.com/apollo/

Images by Matthew Edwards

29 May - 4 June 20126 | Entertainment

What’s On

For full details...

Hungry Kids of Hungary7 June@ Bull & Gate, Kentish Town

The Wiggles9 & 10 June@ Hammersmith Apollo

Christa Vi12 June@ Zigfrid von Underbelly, Hoxton

Bonjah15 June@ Nambucca, Holloway Road

Colin Hay16 June@ Bush Hall, Shepherd’s Bush

Hermitude2 July@ Barfly, Camden

Hilltop Hoods4 July@ Electric Ballroom

Wolfmother6 July@ IndigO2, North Greenwich

Cold Chisel11 & 13 July@ Shepherd’s Bush Empire& Hard Rock Calling

Xavier Rudd8 August@ Koko

Darren Hayes24 September@ IndigO2, North Greenwich

...and more Aussie gigs go to: AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment

music from the motherland

> PAUL JUDGE

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

us on Twitter @AustralianTimes

What we’re following

From the bad comes the good

IT was terrible news to hear of Australian music veteran Peter ‘Blackie’ Black being the victim of a vicious bashing last week. Blackie, who has been playing live music on the Aussie music scene as guitarist for punk veterans the Hard Ons for 30 years, was attacked when driving his cab - a part-time income to supplement his music career.The attack left him with a fractured skull, 16 stitches and bleeding on the brain. Blackie is still in hospital but thankfully his condition has stabilised after being found on the road next to his cab by police. Faced with months of rehabilitation and loss of income the music community across the country has stepped up to help him out and the band. Benefit gigs have popped up across the country with Regurgitator and the Spazzy’s taking some initiative in Melbourne while former members of the band will cover his spots in the Hard Ons upcoming national tour.Fans have taken to the band’s Facebook page to express support and sympathy which goes to show the majority of people out there are made of the good stuff.

Music is streaming, help for the Hard Ons, and vale to our fallen musicians

The music stream trickles down to Australia

Music fans in the UK have been able to access the joys of Spotify and other music streaming sites for several years now. However, our brothers and sisters Down Under have had to wait a few years. As is the norm in Oz, we are always the last when it comes to the getting the goods and it’s usually much worse out in the bush (I remember only getting Channel 9 and 10 on the TV when I was six and Triple J didn’t arrive until I was 12 – thanks Wagga! But then, we also had a car powered by our feet and my dad would yell out ‘‘Yabba Dabba Doo!’’ when he finished work).But as of last week – our Aussie brethren back home don’t have to wait any longer. Spotify launched in Australia in what some are saying is a massive shake-up to our local music industry. For those not in the know, Spotify is the one of the market leaders in music streaming sites. These sites have ginormous catalogues of music which users can access to listen to music without having to download it. Sort of like watching a video on YouTube. You can also get fancy by creating playlists, using apps, sharing with your friends etc etc

It’s definitely the best way to access large amounts of music and for a small amount (about a tenna a month here) you can type up almost any genre of music at a whim. I’m

Peter ‘Blackie’ Black (centre) and the Hard Ons

Robin Gibb

sure it will be a big hit in Oz and maybe the good folks back home will now have some other music to hum to rather than “Flintstones, meet the Flintstones …”!

Vale Robin Gibb and Peter JonesIt was a sad week for music fans across the world as two artists from prominent Australian acts both passed away due to cancer. Robin Gibb, founding member of disco kings the Bee Gees, died after a long battle with cancer. The Bee Gees brought us the boogie hits of ‘Staying Alive’, ‘How Deep is Your Love’ and ‘More Than A Woman’ but also were responsible for writing songs for artists like Celine Dion, Diana Ross, Barbara Streisand and Beyonce. The list goes on and it just shows how widespread their influence on the music industry was, not just for their fans but also other artists. The other passing was former Peter Jones

drummer for Crowded House, Peter Jones, who died earlier last week aged 45. Jones, born in Liverpool, joined the band after the departure of founding drummer Paul Hester in 2004 and played with the band until 2006. We salute these two musicians and their contribution to Australian music, both home and abroad.

AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment

By Will FitzgibbonSince summer 1989, Garsington Opera has welcomed opera lovers to country estates for weeks of musical and artistic pleasure. In 2012, Garsington’s concert pavilion, nestled in the Chiltern Hills of British millionaire Mark Getty’s Wormsley Manor, will have a distinctly Australian line-up.

A trio of Australians are occupying some of the most prestigious roles of the festival that features Mozart classics Don Giovanni and Magic Flute, Offenbach’s La Perichole and Vivaldi’s L’Olimpiade.

David Freeman is presenting Antonio Vivaldi’s little-known L’Olimpiade while Baritone Grant Doyle and Bass Baritone Joshua Bloom are pairing up to scandalise the women in Mozart’s Don Giovanni.

During rehearsals, Freeman and Doyle took the time to speak to Australian Times about their upcoming Garsington engagements.

Since setting London’s artistic establishment alight in the 1980s with his “radical chic” and accessible own company, Opera Factory, Freeman has applied his inimitable - and often controversial - style to operas both famous and unknown.

“Opera can turn over and die tomorrow,” says Freeman, who

Garsington Opera goes Aussie

OLYMPIC OPERA: Australia’s own David Freeman talks Garsington Opera 2012. (Image by Mike Hoban)

passionately advocates new and forgotten operas.

In 2012, Freeman will direct L’Olimpiade by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi. Set on the day of the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece, L’Olimpiade is a chaotic and comically inadvertent amorous tussle between best friends and a princess.

“It is shameless opportunism,” laughed Freeman, conceding that Garsington is using this year’s Olympic mania to its advantage.

But Freeman is far from seeing L’Olimpiade as a mere adjunct to the shot put and 110 metre hurdles.

“There’s some terrific music in it,” he says, describing its unusual twists and turns as a bit like a Shakespearean comedy.

“Intensity and spontaneity,” catechises Freeman. “If you have those two then the performance will be relevant.”

Freeman, who is soon to launch a new company in London, is an advocate of shaking up the “best of” classics that regularly appear on playbills.

“I’ve spent a lot of time doing new pieces, plays or operas. We can’t keep doing the same old repertoire, it’d be crazy.”

While reviving one Vivaldi opera is one example, Freeman also points

to his 2006 opera on former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi titled Gaddafi. While Freeman is proud that “95% of the audience had never been inside an opera house”, critics, including the New Statesman, labelled it “loud, lewd and nasty”.

While Freeman will be working behind the scenes, Australian Baritone Grant Doyle will be parading across the stage as a modern “more-money-than-sense” playboy in Mozart’s popular tale of fornication and fantasy Don Giovanni.

Like Freeman, Doyle is returning to Garsington on the strength of past performances.

“It [Don Giovanni] is an all-round wonderful challenge,” enthuses Doyle. “I think Don Giovanni is probably my favourite Mozart opera in terms of the music.”

“From a vocal point of view it’s less problematic [than others],” Doyle explains. “But it’s made up for by the fact that you have the play, this role and there has to be charisma.”

Doyle is known throughout the opera world as a versatile artist.

From traditional opera roles and BBC voice-overs to the Olivier-nominated 2012 opera Clemency and regular appearances with the State Opera of South Australia, Doyle is never far from the action. In the

space of one year, Doyle played roles as diverse as a 16 year old fast food chef in the 2011 opera Anna Nicole on buxom Playgirl and actress Anna Nicole Smith as well as playing the 175 year old Christian kingpin Abraham.

“That was an old man, a religious man, almost the exact opposite from Don Giovanni,” says Doyle.

Finishing off the ‘Trinity’ of Australian artists at Garsington 2012 is Melbourne-born bass baritone Joshua Bloom. Bloom, who will be interpreting Leporello alongside Doyle’s roue, recently performed Figaro in Benedict Anderson’s critically praised 2012


#Kangaroo@kilobeesWhat sound does a kangaroo make?

@PundamentalismI think we should be more curious about what Rolf Harris intends to do to the kangaroo once it's tied down.

@SydneyScoopIn a recent interview Oprah said she loved Australia but wasn't impressed with the low fat content of kangaroo meat...

@NICKIMINAJI'm not even gna say any names but sum1 in my entourage just asked if he could ride a kangaroo.

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Robin Gibb

e

n Celebrating the world’s best festivals with Oktoberfest, Pamplona and La Tomatina

OKTOBERFEST! PAMPLONA! LA TOMATINA! The holy trinity of European festivals! These bad boys are positively essential and nothing less than travellers’ rites of passage. If you don’t get your ass to at least one of them you aren’t trying hard enough! So, let’s get messy …

Festivals don’t come crazier

than those found in Europe, and as an Australian, you’re probably brave enough to venture to at least one at least once. Nowhere else do you find the sheer scale of wacky and weird festival choices; from the cheese rolling of England and medieval Italian horse races to the Cannabis Cup of Holland and the Edinburgh Fringe Fest in Scotland. In Europe, there’s truly a festival for everyone.

There remains, however, the holy trinity of festivals that are positively essential. Rampaging bulls, the mother of all food fights and loads of beer. They’ve been entertaining visitors and locals alike for years and years. Whether it be for the good times, the culture or just to say you’ve

been – if Munich, Pamplona or Buñol aren’t on the agenda for summer this year, then you are going to be seriously missing out.

We’ve got all the details on how to survive these heady and exhilarating must-do adventures - so get inspired, get excited, get ready!

Now, go get amongst them…

8 page Travel pull-out

29 May - 4 June 20122 | Travel Pull-Out

stoke

Where: Pamplona, SpainWhen: 6 July – 14 July What: The Running of the Bulls is only one part of the festivities for the town’s patron saint, San Fermin, including sports events, bullfights, fireworks, a giant-heads parade and a whole lot of wine and sangria. It is easily one of the wildest and craziest festivals in Europe and almost a rite of passage for Aussie travellers.

The daily ‘run with the bulls’ (encierro) is kind of like anti-bullfighting where men (and women, although this is frowned upon by the locals) run from rather than at the animal. The running of the bulls is the biggest of many events of its kind that take place in Pamplona and the surrounding region of Spain.

There’s no great story for the origin of the loony pastime that is the Running of the Bulls, but it’s basically developed from the foolhardy games of bored cattle drovers. The San Fermin festival was brought to the attention of the wider world largely by writer Ernest Hemingway, who was quite taken with the event.

Following his writings about the bull runs, young men have travelled from across the globe to prove their bravery on the streets of Pamplona, with the festival and its bovine dodging daredevils taking on ever greater proportions and notoriety.

The kick off for the San Fermin festival is midday 6 July each year, when a rocket is fired to signal the end of sobriety and the start of unrelenting drinking and merriment. Not for the faint hearted, and that’s not just because of the bull running – there is some serious partying to be had. The opening day is often regarded as one the best days of the entire festival, with wine fights galore (don’t wear your good whites!) and a lot of friendly interaction between the tourists and the locals.

For the bull runners, from 7 July onwards at 8am every day the bulls are released for their 848 metre sprint, which takes around four minutes to complete. It’s best to get ready for the run nice and early, with people usually gathering in the narrow cobbled stoned streets from around 6am.

Another major part of the festival is

n The famous San Fermin festival of Pamplona brings together daredevils and spectators of the world for a week of bull dodging and serious, serious partying.

the bullfight that happens every evening, and those who oppose the bloodthirsty charade want to make sure they’re up early each morning to see the bull’s get their own back on humans.

The primary colours of the festival are white and red – with most runners/revelers wearing white t-shirts and white shorts/pants, with red hankies, scarves, belts and bandannas completing the San Fermin look.

There is an airport in Pamplona but it is only accessible via domestic transfer. Other airports in the vicinity that are accessible from the UK are Bilbao - 170km away, Zaragoza - 172km away, and Biarritz (in France) which is 128km away. Staying there: Pamplona is a decent sized city with a population of around 200,000 so there is plenty of accommodation but, naturally, you will have to plan way, way ahead to have any options (over 350,000 visitors enjoy Pamplona over the festival period).

Top Pamplona travel packages:Company: Topdeck Price: From £179 for 5 days Site: Topdeck.travel/7-day-picadorCompany: Stoke Price: From 50€ a day Site: Stoketravel.com/pamplona.htmCompany: ContikiPrice: From £53 a day Site: Contiki.co.ukCompany: PP TravelPrice: From £129 for 3 days Site: PPtravel.comCompany: BusaboutPrice: From £219 for 5 daysSite: Busabout.com

AustralianTimes.co.uk/travel

Image by Infrogmation of New Orleans

Travel Pull-Out | 3AustralianTimes.co.uk

– 11.30pm. Last orders are at 10.30pm unless you are at the wine tent, which opens till 1am. If you haven’t got a tent reservation (which you probably don’t), aim to be at the fest by 10am on the weekend and 3pm during the week to nab a spot. You will only be served if you are at a table, but there’s plenty of room outside should you miss out on the coveted inside spots. The beer festival opens with the mayor’s tapping of the first beer barrel at midday on the first day (Saturday 22 Sept in 2012) and closes with a traditional gun salute on the final day (7 Oct in 2012). The beers come in litre glasses (steins are referred to as a mass or Maß in Bavaria) and cost around 10€ each.Get there: For flights check easyJet and Air Berlin. Once in Munich, the U-Bahn (subway) line U6 runs to the stop ‘Poccistrasse’ every 24 minutes, which is about a 10-minute walk to the Oktoberfest venue.Stay there: Though the hotels and hostels of Munich book up waaay in advance (not to mention hike their prices up) there are official campsites within a few kilometres of the festival, with bus transport available.

The most popular are Campground Obermenzing or Campground Thalkirchen, both of which take no reservations and are first come first serve, BYO tent.

If you have no tent, a good option is the Weisn Camp, a dedicated Oktoberfest Campsite where you can rent a tent or caravan from 48€ per night for up to 4 people.

Otherwise, an organised tour is the best hassle-free way.

Image by Infrogmation of New Orleans

pp travel

Where: Munich, GermanyWhen: Mid to late September til early October (in 2012: 22 Sept – 7 Oct)What: Oktoberfest is only the biggest festival in the WORLD! In 2010, 6.5 million revellers celebrated the Oktoberfest’s 200 year anniversary. Apparently 72% of the attendees are usually local Bavarians and approx 15% are foreigners (don’t worry - you’ll find plenty of Antipodean brethren, especially at the Hofbräu tent). There are six official Oktoberfest breweries and the beer they produce especially for the festival is made extra strong and easy on the palate. It’s more than just about the beer though, with a carnival atmosphere (complete with rollercoasters and rides), daily parades and more food than you can poke a bratwurst at.Then: The Oktoberfest festival started as a one-off celebratory parade of the royal wedding of Prince Ludwig to his Therese in 1810. Oktoberfest gradually grew into a horse race, and an agricultural festival and eventually blew up into the veritable orgy of food, fun and beer that it is now! Breweries have been representing their beers at the festival since 1887.Now: Oktoberfest takes place in the 16 days leading to the first Sunday in October. For the festival, 14 large tents and 20 small tents are erected, some of them requiring three months to set up. The festival is very much a celebration of Bavarian culture, Bavaria being the southeastern most state of Germany. Traditional Bavarian food and dress are a big part of the festival, as is the live music that is performed in the beer halls and the heartfelt singalongs that go along with it.

During the week the opening hours are 9am – 11.30pm, on weekends 10am

n Oktoberfest is not just the world’s biggest (and best) beer festival, it’s also the ultimate town fair in the heart of Bavaria.

Top Packages:Company: TopdeckPrice: From £129 for 4 daysSite: Topdeck.travelCompany: StokePrice: Various packages at 50€ a day Site: StokeTravel.com/oktoberfestCompany: ContikiPrice: From £53 a daySite: Contiki.co.ukCompany: PP TravelPrice: From £99 Site: PPTravel.com


Image by Gürken Segün

Image by Got Beer

29 May - 4 June 20124 | Travel

why choose Topdeck?

Everyone aged 18 to 30 something

40 years of festival & event experience

Topdeck crew on hand with all the insider hints and tips

Rely on us for quality, comfort, professionalism and an unforgettable experience!

www.topdeck.travel/austimes

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L8291 / Y2992Prices quoted are for specific departures only. All trips subject to availability. Flights not included. See online for full terms and conditions. CALL US 0845 257 5411 Open 8am-9pm

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No one completes the European festival circuit like Topdeck. We have nearly 40 years experience of sending travellers to the most exciting events in Europe. Each festival we visit runs in its own unique way and your friendly Trip Leader will be there to help you out with hints and tips to make the most of these popular events.

Pamplona running of the bulls

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4 DAYSEdinburgh Fringe Festival & TattooCentral hostel multi-share 24 -27 August 2012

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Make the most of the Summer Bank Holiday!

August bank holiday

Combine two world famous events; one of the largest arts festivals in the world with the Military Tattoo spectacular.

Our campsite atmosphere is second to none. All Oktoberfest camping trips include a fully cooked breakfast, plus transport between the campsite & the beer halls.

This festival attracts thousands every year for the bull runs and fights, fireworks each evening and celebrations. Join us for the excitement of closing weekend, including 2 bull runs!

Travel | 5AustralianTimes.co.uk

why choose Topdeck?

Everyone aged 18 to 30 something

40 years of festival & event experience

Topdeck crew on hand with all the insider hints and tips

Rely on us for quality, comfort, professionalism and an unforgettable experience!

www.topdeck.travel/austimes

3 DAYS Brugge August Bank Holiday 24-27 June 2012

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4 DAYS Amsterdam August Bank Holiday 24-27 June 2012

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4 DAYMake your own wayCamping21 - 24 Sep, 28 Sep - 1 Oct, 4 - 7 Oct

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£2296 DAYSteinmeisterCamping20-25 Sep, 27 Sep-2 Oct, 3-8 Oct

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2012Festivals & sHORt BReaKs

L8291 / Y2992Prices quoted are for specific departures only. All trips subject to availability. Flights not included. See online for full terms and conditions. CALL US 0845 257 5411 Open 8am-9pm

4 DAYSPamplona Running of the BullsCentral Apartments12-15 July 2012

ONLY

£259

No one completes the European festival circuit like Topdeck. We have nearly 40 years experience of sending travellers to the most exciting events in Europe. Each festival we visit runs in its own unique way and your friendly Trip Leader will be there to help you out with hints and tips to make the most of these popular events.

Pamplona running of the bulls

Edinburgh fringe festival & tattoo

Oktoberfest

4 DAYSEdinburgh Fringe Festival & TattooCentral hostel multi-share 24 -27 August 2012

ONLY

£279Closing weekend!

Make the most of the Summer Bank Holiday!

August bank holiday

Combine two world famous events; one of the largest arts festivals in the world with the Military Tattoo spectacular.

Our campsite atmosphere is second to none. All Oktoberfest camping trips include a fully cooked breakfast, plus transport between the campsite & the beer halls.

This festival attracts thousands every year for the bull runs and fights, fireworks each evening and celebrations. Join us for the excitement of closing weekend, including 2 bull runs!

Travel | 7AustralianTimes.co.uk

Ladies dust o� your fascinators & hats and guys get into your best threads Only with Contiki!Festivals

• Start & end in London or Pamplona.

• Welcome dinner & sangria party.

• Hot breakfast daily.

• Free transfer to & from the city.

• Running of the Bulls festival t-shirts.

• Witness the pageantry and colour of Edinburgh’s famous Military Tattoo.

• Sightseeing of Edinburgh castle, Holyrood Palace, the Royal Mile.

• Tickets to the Military Tattoo final performance.

• Flexible travel options including Camping, Hostel & Hotel from 4 to 7 days.

• Breakfast daily.

• Regular FREE coach transfers from accommodation to festival grounds.

• Start & end in London or Munich.

• Hit the streets at the world’s biggest New Year’s Eve street party.

• Tour Edinburgh’s famous castle and visit the Winter wonderland rides.

• Join the famous Loony Dook by braving the freezing waters of the Forth Estuary.

• 3 night multi share hostel accommodation.

.contiki com/festivals | 0845 026 8900

London prices start from £299 or meet us there from £199

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Stoke’s guide to getting it on at the ‘Big 3’JUST like developing a moon-tan and being on the receiving end of a Heathrow injection, travelling to the Running of the Bulls, La Tomatina, and Oktoberfest are forgone conclusions for the travelling bogan living in London. While these are extremely cultured and exciting events, which we love, they are also great places to get it on, which we simply adore. And while getting a root* at a festival is like shooting fish in a barrel, there’s no harm in increasing your chances by arming yourself with a Tommy gun.

Attire is always an important part of anyone’s pulling arsenal, and at the world’s greatest festivals this is no exception. At the Bulls everyone sports the same get-up, so a bit of self-customisation is in order. Think sleeves as headbands, plunging necklines and/or exposed guts. Oktoberfest is all about the traditional dirndl, or lederhosen

- traditional garb for the ladies and fellas respectively (the frauleins can rock either and still have their pick of the bratwurst). Tomatina is all about see through gear, though blokes should think long and hard, pun intended, when deciding whether to rock translucent pants or not. No one likes prawns in their bolognaise.

And while the regulations pertaining to decorum are a little more laissez-faire during festival time, one should behave in a way that behooves their carnal aspirations. Dancing is always advised as skills are irrelevant when giving it to a DJ Ötzi cover, as is liberal sharing of alcoholic beverages with both your fellow revellers and the front of your aforementioned festive finery. And while we don’t condone excessive alcohol consumption, we do strongly recommend you drink a lot. This should loosen your tongue, and give you the confidence required for a level 6 “lean in”, or even the Gold Coast swoop, which is when you hook the object of your affection with a loping forearm and pull them into your facial region like a three toed sloth with a bunch of almonds. Good luck, you won’t need it.

Stoke Travel operates camps to all of the Big 3 festivals, plus many more all over Europe - all for a flat rate of 50€ a day, with plenty of inclusions. We

provide the perfect environment for people to “get to know each other” with our massive pre and post festival parties, judgement free dance floor and open bar. If you mention Australian Times when booking we’ll hook you up unlimited beer, wine and sangria, totes free. Check us out at Stoketravel.com

*By “getting a root” we could mean “meeting the man/woman of your dreams and spending quality time together before eventually falling in love”, or we could just mean “getting a root”. The context is your call.

By Kara SegedinFESTIVALS are all about celebrating and living life to the full. They mark the change of seasons, religious occasions, royal coronations, harvests and birthdays. But then again, sometimes they’re just an excuse for a good old-fashioned knees-up.

Europe’s festival circuit is one of the oldest, most famous and most diverse in the world. It includes food fights, lighting fires, running from animals, toasting with copious amounts of beer and celebrating the arts.

For visitors, festivals offer an invaluable opportunity to get up-close and personal with local cultures and share in a memorable travel experience by taking part in age old traditions.

The Fiesta de San Fermin in Pamplona, Spain (famous, or infamous, for Running of the Bulls) includes traditions that date back to 75BC.

For nine days in July, Pamplona is transformed into a loud, raucous non-stop street party with daily firework displays, bull runs (encierro) and the ever controversial bullfights.

One of the first things you’ll notice at the festival are the striking red scarves worn during the celebration in combination with white trousers and shirts. The scarves are worn in remembrance of Saint Fermin, the town’s first bishop, who became a martyr after he was beheaded in France.

Or if you like a bit of culture to go with your partying you can’t go past the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Tattoo in Scotland that spans three crazy weeks in August.

Part of the larger Edinburgh Festival, the biggest arts festival in world with thousands of performers and hundreds of shows, the Fringe

Get the ultimate Topdeck festival experiencehosts shows from the performing arts particularly theatre and comedy. On top of paid events you will find street acts and performers vying for your attention alone the city’s main street, the Royal Mile.

The Festival also coincides with the Royal Military Tattoo – Scotland’s annual outdoor military spectacular featuring pipes and drums, international bands, dancers and acts from around the world.

To top things off the event is set against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle cumulating in a spectacular fireworks display.

If you can only attend one festival you’d be hard pressed to beat the grandest of all celebrations – Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.

One of the best social and cultural events on the planet, Oktoberfest is popular with locals and travellers alike.

The world’s largest public festival is held from mid-September to early October and centres on enjoying steins first class Bavarian beer.

Dating back to 1810, Oktoberfest began as a celebration to mark the marriage between Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese.

Today giant tents are erected for the celebration with large and small local breweries showing off their specially brewed “Oktoberfest-Bier”. If you’re feeling peckish there are traditional Bavarian delights on-hand to tempt the

taste-buds including pretzels, pork knuckles, bratwurst and delicious roast chickens.

Whatever festival you chose you can be sure it will be an experience that will last a lifetime.

Whether you want to run with the bulls, drink a hearty stein or laugh ‘til it hurts you can’t go past a Topdeck Travel festival trip. We have nearly 40 years’ of experience of sending like-minded young travellers to the most exciting events in Europe. Plus, your Topdeck crew will be on hand with all the insider hints and tips to make sure you get the most out of your trip. You can rely on us for quality, comfort, professionalism and an unforgettable experience!

For more information, please head to Topdeck.travel/austimes

Entertainment | 7AustralianTimes.co.uk

By Will FitzgibbonLONDON-BASED Australian conductor Kelly Lovelady is one very talented expat Aussie. Having already taken the UK by storm with Ruthless Jabiru, she’s now done it again with a thought-provoking experimental beat poem, Sensual Emergency, that featured as part of the Brighton Fringe Festival on Sunday.

Sensual Emergency is based on the fiery 1968 manifesto from American composer and pianist Frederic Rzewski and has been reworked for the occasion by Canadian composer Matthew Ricketts.

This year’s Brighton Fringe Festival featured a series of concerts and events linked to the theme of “The Musician’s Body” and devoted especial attention to the life and work of Rzewski.

After an initial successful performance of Sensual Emergency in Canada, the organisers of the Brighton Fringe Festival approached Lovelady and asked her and her small team of artists to reproduce the work in “London by the Sea”.

As an improvised work, Sensual Emergency is a constantly-mutating artistic creation.

“I’ll let you know where we are at in 24 hours,” said Lovelady, calmly enjoying the sun at a West London café before preparing for the successful show.

Lovelady is best known in London for her artistic direction of all-Australian chamber orchestra Ruthless Jabiru. While only a few years old, Lovelady’s Ruthless Jabiru has already been praised following successful performances at the City of London Festival. Lovelady’s cultural contribution itself was recognised when she was presented to Her Majesty

Kelly Lovelady’s Sensual Emergency has Brighton all taped up

the Queen at Buckingham Palace along with other Australian cultural ambassadors in 2011.

Lovelady is excited by the special challenges presented by the opportunity to direct the improvised performance art of Sensual Emergency.

“I’m usually someone that more micro-manages,” says Lovelady, alluding to her usual role as a conductor atop a podium before scores of attentive orchestral musicians. “But in this setting it is different.”

One of the most attention-grabbing features of Sensual Emergency is that the musicians are literally bound up in tape. This striking feature is Lovelady’s visual interrogation into the true nature of musical freedom and constraint, even in the context of improvisation.

“We all have our baggage with us in some way,” explains Lovelady.

When the tape has been untangled and Lovelady returns to London, further musical engagements await. The Australian conductor will be appearing with Australian guitarist John Williamson on 19 July at the City of London Festival and Ruthless Jabiru’s 2012/2013 season begins in September.


Image by Justin Ng

by Tim MartinTHE Temper Trap. They’re not just the biggest contemporary Australian band at the moment, they are also the latest conquerors of London’s Koko. Over two huge nights in Camden last week, the Aussie rockers (now famous the world over) served it up to screaming Aussie expats and thrilled to bits Brits.

While it may have taken the five-piece a little while to warm-up, as they played some new songs off their just released self-titled new album Temper Trap, once they hit their straps there was no denying that these guys are on a serious course for world domination.

‘Love Lost’ and new single ‘Rabbit Hole’ were the appetisers for the insatiable London crowd but it was ‘Down River’ that seemed to wake lead singer Dougy Mandagi up into the infectious force that he’s known to be. Once in full flight, Mandagi and his Temper Trap crew soared from blissful highs to soulful lows.

The Temper Trap hand London a Sweet DispositionThe build up to their encore was

mesmirising, which even had the visiting Chris Lilley (of Summer Heights High and Angry Boys fame) enraptured. ‘Science Of Fear’ led onto ‘Resurrection’ which fuelled ‘Drum Song’ and when Mandagi wasn’t belting out powerful notes from the front of stage, he was prancing around with drumsticks in hand, adding to the river of sound. They were electric, they were awesome, they were The Temper Trap. And when they were in their element, there was no stopping them.

When the band returned to the stage for their encore - after a brief break that had the palpable crowd wanting more (one excited expat tried unsuccessfully to get the chant ‘Aussie, Aussie, Aussie’ going), they lifted to yet another level. A beautifully drawn out ‘Soldier On’ had hearts in throats, but the night could only belong to one song – the internationally acclaimed ‘Sweet Disposition’. Masking it cleverly with another track to begin, when the famous chords started to show through - the crowd went crazy and the band even more so. The force that is The Temper Trap and their army of admirers lifted the roof and fed the night with what is, for this scribe at least, one of the best songs of all time.

It was hard to come down from the high that ‘Sweet Disposition’ left the crowd on but after the show The

Temper Trap frontman told Australian Times that it’s just as hard for the band to top playing in front of an Aussie crowd.

“It’s very good, very good playing in London – but nothing tops your hometown crowds,” Mandagi said after the gig. As an expat Australian living in London himself, he said he loved the support the band enjoys from the London Aussie community here but doesn’t necessarily want to limit their audience to just the Antipodean set.

“Luckily for us it’s not always just Australians, because when you go overseas you don’t want to play to just Australians, that means that something’s not right.”

However, no matter where they are in the world or where their success might take them, Mandagi said the band would never forget their Aussie roots.

“We’re not shy about the fact that we’re an Australian band – we’re quite proud of it and you know, we’re a long way from home so it feels good to be making a life somewhere - especially in a place like London - where there are so many things going on, so much competition. We’re just a small little band from Australia but we’re making an impact here – it’s a good feeling and we’re glad to be representing Australia!”

AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment Image by Justin Ng

29 May - 4 June 20128 | Jobs & Money

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Composed by Elizabeth Britz Note: The above exchange rates are based on “interbank” rates. If you want to transfer money to or from Australia then please register/login or call us for a live dealing rate. Make use of a Rate Notifier to send you alerts when the Australian exchange rate reaches levels you are looking for.

GLOBAL uncertainty continues to drive markets as the EU’s focus moves to Spain this week. The Aussie traded at 1.6108 GBP/AUD on Friday up from the 1.6073 AUD

The Aussie weakens on international strainon Monday.

Catalonia, an autonomous region in the north-east of Spain, has requested help from the Spanish Central Government in financing

GBP / AUD: 1.6039EUR / AUD : 1.2820USD / AUD : 1.0242NZD/ AUD : 0.7719

Exchange rates as of 08:22, 28 May 2012

their payments at the end of the month. ‘Your economy can’t recover if you can’t pay your bills.’ stated Catalan President, Artur Mas on Friday. Catalonia has the daunting task of refinancing 13 billion Euros on top of its expected fiscal deficit this year.

Chinese data released on Thursday supported the growing concern around the economic slowdown in the world’s second largest economy. The HSBC PMI fell to 48.7 in May on the back of weaker exports. This negative economic data supports

the strong calls for monetary easing in China which will see the effects filter down into the Australian Economic Climate.

The US markets will be closed on Monday as they celebrate Memorial Day.

Looking to the rest of the week we will see a number of local indicators being released. These include the retail sales and building approvals. The market will also speculate about next week’s Australian Monetary Policy meeting where the overnight cash rate will be discussed and set.

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We Offer • Generous starting salary for trainees, already established cargo brokers salary will be negotiable

dependent on experience + benefits (after qualifying period). • 10% commission on the gross margin on all charters sold to your clients. Commission is paid

monthly, is uncapped and there is no lower threshold necessary before commission is paid. • Smart Phone or PDA • Expenses paid • Solid training, mentoring and support mechanisms. • Opportunity for global travel. • Opportunity for career development. • A friendly, fun and very exciting environment enhanced with regular company-funded social events.

Key PurposeYou are responsible for developing customer relationships that lead to a stable client list by targeting freight forwarders and shippers to introduce our services, create an awareness of our presence in this market and culminating in them using the services of Air Charter Service.

Key Competencies • Sales • Business Development• Cold Calling• Account Management• Communication and negotiation • Customer service • Problem solving

A passion for aviation is essential. Additionally, we look for:• Business verbal and written fluency in English is essential. • Successful new business sales achievement. • Calm disposition and positive outlook, particularly when working under pressure. • Flexibility to change and adapt working hours and patterns if necessary. • Trustworthy and honest in all aspects of the role. • Self - motivated and happy to work with a high degree of autonomy. • Committed to the aims and objectives of Air Charter Service. • Team player who appreciates the value of co-operation within the local and international ACS

team. • Tenacious and willing to keep trying in challenging situations. • Adaptable and responds well to feedback and change. • Imaginative and dedicated to finding new ways to improve working practices.

**Applicants for this position must have the right to live and work in the UK and Australia**

Please e-mail your CV & covering letter to Gemma Pye – Human Resources Officer [email protected]

Jobs & Money | 9AustralianTimes.co.uk

I am currently in the UK on a student visa. However, I am not keen on continuing

my studies and am looking for other options to extend my stay in the UK. I am in a relationship with a British citizen and we have been living together almost since I arrived in the UK just over three years ago. Will I be able to extend my stay in the UK, based on our relationship?

Ask the Experts

JP Breytenbach Director of Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants

[email protected]

Breytenbachs Immigration

Unmarried Partner’s VisaQ:

It sounds as if you might qualify for the unmarried partner’s visa.

It is possible for persons in heterosexual and same-sex relationships to apply for this visa. In order to qualify, you will need to prove that you have been living together in a relationship akin to marriage, which has subsisted for two

A:years or more. If you are successful in your application you will be able to work in the UK without any restrictions.

Join the High Flyers!Executive Jet Broker - Based in Kingston, Surrey for training for 12 months to then relocate to Sydney, Australia

Air Charter Service is globally recognised as one of the leading names in cargo and passenger air chartering.

Founded in the UK in 1990, we now operate from 16 international offices with further expansion plans underway.

Our consistent year-on-year growth is delivering record profits and in 2011, we were recognised as an Outstanding Company' for employee engagement and listed in the Sunday Times 100 Best SME Companies to Work for.

We Offer • Generous starting salary + benefits (after qualifying period). • 10% commission on the gross margin on all charters sold to your clients. Commission is paid monthly, is uncapped and there is no lower threshold necessary before commission is paid. • Smart Phone or PDA • Expenses paid • Solid training, mentoring and support mechanisms. • Opportunity for global travel. • Opportunity for career development. • A friendly, fun and very exciting environment enhanced with regular company-funded social events.

Key Purpose The successful applicant will charter aircraft including helicopters, private jets and wide-body airliners for a diverse client base consisting of governments, High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI), corporations and the travel industry.

Key Competencies• Sales • Business Development• Cold Calling• Account Management• Communication and negotiation • Customer service • Problem solving

A passion for aviation is essential. Additionally, we look for:• Business verbal and written fluency in English is essential. • Successful new business sales achievement. • Calm disposition and positive outlook, particularly when working under pressure. • Flexibility to change and adapt working hours and patterns if necessary. • Trustworthy and honest in all aspects of the role. • Self - motivated and happy to work with a high degree of autonomy. • Committed to the aims and objectives of Air Charter Service. • Team player who appreciates the value of co-operation within the local and international ACS team. • Tenacious and willing to keep trying in challenging situations. • Adaptable and responds well to feedback and change. • Imaginative and dedicated to finding new ways to improve working practices.

**Applicants for this position must have the right to live and work in the UK and Australia**

Please e-mail your CV & covering letter to Gemma Pye – Human Resources Officer [email protected]

29 May - 4 June 201210 | Sport

AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport





Stosur searching for French Open successIf it’s sunny, it’s great for Sam,” said Stosur’s coach David Taylor.

“This is the best clay court in the world. You can really trust your movement and the bounce of the ball is more lively - but it depends on the sun.”

With the sun beaming down for Stosur’s opener, Baltacha conceded she was powerless to cope with the ferocity of the sixth seed’s heavy groundstrokes and high-kicking serve.

“She really let loose,” Baltacha said.“Obviously with such shape that she

uses, if you drop anything just a bit short, then she really takes advantage of it.

“Obviously she wants to run around that backhand and spank that forehand. She uses this really well.

“That was the thing that I really tried to be careful of, to really try and pull out wide. But it was very difficult.

“She played unbelievable in the second set. She went up a couple of levels, a couple of gears, and then she was just too good.”

The true conditions at Roland Garros are a far cry from the maligned blue courts of Madrid and the inconsistent

bounce of Rome.“It’s nice to be on a real clay court

again and actually feel like you can play more clay-court tennis,” Stosur said.

“I think that’s one of the things that’s probably annoyed a lot of people (at the other events), is that you’re on a clay court but you can’t play real clay-court tennis.

“This is obviously a beautiful court to play on. The ball definitely gets up high. You can use your kick serve and topspin groundstrokes.”

Feted in France for her stylish power game - and no doubt her former alliance with Lacoste - Stosur had the honour of playing the first centre-court match of the tournament on Philippe Chatrier for the second year running.

“It’s nice being out there. I definitely feel that there’s support there,” she said.

“I always feel like they’ve liked me over here.”

The feeling’s mutual and, unlike when she struggles under the public glare and pressure come Australian Open time, Stosur is also loving going about her business off court in a more relaxed environment.

“Even the street that I’m staying on

had a little antique flea market type thing through the whole street,” she said.

“So you go for a walk before buying dinner and you kind of feel like more of a French local where I’m staying than a tourist.

“I’m not really a good tourist, I have to say.” - AAP

Favourites tag too heavy for AFL sidesby a flag favourite as any.

But the Hawks are just one of five clubs to have spent time as favourites in a uniquely turbulent season.

Those include Collingwood - who were favourites in the pre-season and have now returned to that status with some bookmakers.

Geelong, Carlton and now West Coast - who like the Magpies are joint or outright favourites with various agencies - have also taken their turn.

Significant losses by the Magpies, to Hawthorn in round one; the Hawks, to Geelong in round two; the Cats, to North Melbourne in round three and the Blues, to Essendon in round four, all shifted the markets.

Hawthorn, though, had spent most time as the punters’ choice before Saturday’s loss to Richmond prompted a rethink.

A depleted Collingwood’s gutsy win over in-form Adelaide and West Coast’s derby demolition of Fremantle helped those two clubs take over.

Sportingbet Australia’s Bill Richmond said he was not aware of a previous AFL season in which there had been as many as five favourites by round 10.

There might still be one or two more this season.

Second-placed Essendon and Adelaide, third, were both huge outsiders early in the year but are now both inside the $10 mark and among the top five fancies, along with the Magpies, Hawks and Eagles.

The Blues and Cats have slumped outside that group, although there is still a clear break between them AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport

Injuries plague Socceroos squaddrafted into the national squad only to withdraw with injury.

Brett Holman is in doubt for this weekend’s match and the June 8 World Cup qualifier in Oman because of the expected arrival of his second child.

Carl Valeri (Sassuolo) and striker Josh Kennedy (Nagoya Grampus) have been allowed to complete club commitments before joining the Socceroos in Muscat.

Valeri’s club is pushing for promotion to the Serie A next season while Kennedy’s Japanese side has a midweek Asian Champions League fixture in Adelaide.

The disruptions are far from ideal for the Socceroos before clashing

with the world No.10 Denmark at the Parken Stadium on Saturday.

The Danes are using the match to prepare for Euro 2012 where they face Germany, the Netherlands and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal next month in the group stages.

Australia will use the run against the 1992 European champions to test out their combinations before starting the final stage of their World Cup qualifying campaign.

The Socceroos will take on Oman in Muscat on Friday week before heading home for the clash against arch rivals Japan in Brisbane on 12 June.

Australia will head to Muscat full of respect for world No.92 Oman after losing 1-0 to them last November at the Sultan Qaboos

Sport Complex.German-based Mitchell Langerak

has replaced Federici following his second season as No.2 goalkeeper at Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund,

Herd has not been replaced.The fitness of Harry Kewell

and Archie Thompson, who have not played since the end of their A-League seasons two months ago, will be tested later this week.

The Socceroos have played Denmark twice, with Australia winning their last encounter 1-0 on the eve of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. - AAP


and the next tier of clubs, such as St Kilda, Sydney and Richmond.

It is a stark contrast to recent seasons.

Last year, Collingwood were flag favourites from the time they won the 2010 premiership until Geelong took over three days before winning the 2011 decider. - AAP

MARK Webber yesterday became the sixth driver to win a Grand Prix this season, as he led the Monaco Grand Prix from start to finish.

The Australian Red Bull driver beat Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg into second place, while Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso took third.

Alonso’s third place sees him take over the sole leadership in the drivers’ standings with 76 points.

World champion Sebastian Vettel, who finished fourth on the day, and his teammate Webber are second on 73 points apiece.

Webber, who won in a time of one hour 46 minutes and 6.557 seconds over the 78 laps, said he felt incredible after the win.

“It was a very interesting race,’’ he said. “The start was reasonably straightforward, but then the weather was threatening.

“Later on, it became a bit crazy, as I had to manage Nico and then suddenly had to worry about Sebastian Vettel

Webber wins Monaco Grand Prixand make sure that he would not get the magical 21 seconds that would allow him to stay in front after a pit stop.”

Webber, who also tasted Monte Carlo victory in 2010, won the start after having inherited the pole position from seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher after the German, who posted the fastest time in qualifying, had to start from sixth after having been given a five-place grid penalty at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Webber led comfortably throughout, although with some 10 laps remaining, rain started falling slowly and the six leading drivers came together much closer, but there was not enough rain to cause any of the drivers to slip, thereby allowing those behind to overtake.

Webber’s victory sees an F1 record, as it is the first time in the history of Grand Prix racing that six different drivers have won the opening six races.


FROM SUITS TO BOOTS: The inaugural Try Tag Rugby Corporate Challenge champions, Tullett Prebon! Image by Neal Houghton

TRY Tag Rugby ran their inaugural Corporate Challenge tournament at London’s iconic Regent’s Park on Friday (25 May). Ten teams battled it out in sunny conditions for the title including companies such as Google, Yahoo! and Robert Walters.

With some outstanding Tag Rugby on display and many new players taking to the game for the first time, it was Tullett Prebon who stole the show, going through the tournament undefeated to claim the trophy!

Phibbers were victorious in Pool B with Robert Walters taking the title in Pool C. Meanwhile Goodman Masson’s Jack Retallack was awarded player of the tournament.

Try Tag Rugby CEO, Phillip Browne commented: “The Corporate Challenge has proved to be a successful and enjoyable event. The matches were played in good spirit and the facilities at Regent’s Park are first class. The after match presentations were a great chance for companies to network and make key contacts. This event will definitely be back on the calendar for next year!”

Then on Saturday (26 May), the Chargers of Finsbury Park were too strong at the mixed Tag Rugby tournament run at Old Deer Park in Richmond, which was run in partnership with Rugby Rocks. Taguila Shots from the Canada Water competition played exceptionally well but

Tag Rugby Corporate Challenge here to stay

the experience and skill level of the Chargers got them over the line. Players enjoyed the several matches of Tag Rugby during the day and partied through the night with famous DJ’s Benji Boko and Zane Lowe entertaining the crowd. Rugby Rocks Richmond will be another event that will be back on the Try Tag Rugby calendar for 2013.

Meanwhile, Late Summer Tag Rugby registrations in London & Reading are now open. Late Summer competitions commence in late June/early July and are expected to break the current record season (Early Summer 2012) participation figures of 142 teams!

Leagues will take place at; Acton, Balham, Canada Water, Finsbury Park, Highbury, Hoxton, Reading, Richmond, Rotherhithe, Southfields, Wandsworth Town, West Ham & White City.

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

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

Sport | 11AustralianTimes.co.uk


COUNTDOWN TO THE LONDON OLYMPICS 8 weeks to go

By Will Denton


THE RUBDOWN

You win some, you lose someContinued from p12...

Unforgettable Australian Olympic momentsAthens 2004: Carrigan leads Australia’s cycling ‘gold rush’

Greece was golden for our Aussie cyclists in 2004, with a remarkable haul of six gold medals. But Sara Carrigan’s gold in the Women’s Road Race was one of the best, as the little battler from country NSW came from nowhere with just a couple of laps to go to overtake the leading group of riders and pull away for an amazing gold medal win.


AS there is every week, there are winners and losers. If you get a ‘W’, things just seem to make sense. Beer tastes better. You realise you have in fact the best missus in the world. The job you were ready to stick up your bosses arse last week suddenly looks like a decent career. Even the next-door neighbours sewage problem doesn’t smell so bad. They are the blessed, for they are winners.

‘L’s on the other hand are questioning just why the hell do people bother with this stupid, boring, infuriating waste of a perfectly good Sunday arvo. The car suddenly does a head gasket. You forgot about that fully functioning volcano project that’s due tomorrow. Baked Beans for tea. Again. And so goes the highs and lows of an AFL fan, varying in depths of triumph and despair, depending on whom you barrack for.

If you’re a Tigers fan, (it’s probably amazing you’re still with us at all) you got the sweetest victory of all after totally dismantling the Hawks. After decades of building up the hopes of Tigerland, this was nothing short of pure euphoria for the long-suffering faithful who suddenly look

Finals bound. What about the Magpies. The win

over in Adelaide just simply has to be admired. The Crows hadn’t done much wrong all season and were looking to cement a top 4 berth. Collingwood were unbelievably on a big bird for the SECOND TIME IN 2012 and experts were waiting for them to lose against a proper contender. But the Magpies showed they could still make a tilt for the flag and ground out a superb win.

Melbourne were strangely still in it at three quarter time against Carlton but thankfully remembered ‘wins don’t get picks’ and went on to lose by 58. The Power scraped over the line by 48 against the Suns, that’s two on the trot for Port and honestly they have know idea what to do or how to feel.

Kevin Sheedy’s plan to ‘rock up in a Klu Klux Klan outfit – just to freak everyone out’ didn’t work, his old team smashed his new team. Finally, the Eagles took out Western Derby XXXV, after Freo put on a second half that the Russian Grannies from Eurovision would’ve been able to overcome. Ah to the highs, and the lows, of footy in Australia...

Demons, Lions and Magpiesdo the AFL business in London

In the Social competition, Travis Chiuchiarelli booted the winning point in the last minute in his first AFL London game, to get Ealing Emus across the line against South London Demons.

The other two matches resulted in massive blowouts with Putney and North London doing a number on Wimbledon and London Swans respectively.

Putney, away at Motspur Park, blew Wimbledon away in the second term with an eight-goal-to-one term to set up the 23.11 (149) to 8.3 (51) thrashing.

Magpies full-forward Andrew Slevison was best on ground with 11 goals – his second efforts once the ball hit the deck were sublime.

He was fed by a host of consistent midfielders including skipper Greg Chapman, Jared Jones, Aaron Knappman and Clayton Fitzgerald.

Big men Luke Jackson and Jacob Bailey provided plenty of structure up the spine, continuously pumping the ball back into the forward line throughout the day.

The win was the Magpies’ best for the year and sent a strong message to the Demons and Wildcats of their potential when they’re on-song.

Across town at Shoreditch the Lions found some bite for the first time this year, winning 20.15 (135) to 5.10 (40) against a luckless London Swans side.

Lions’ coach Adam Littlechild, who benefited from some handy work up the field to boot four goals, said the win would provide some much needed morale for the club which,

prior to Saturday was still winless.“I suppose it’s a realisation that

we can compete with the top four teams,” he said.

“It puts in the knowing that we should be able to play finals this year.

“I couldn’t speak highly enough of our EUs, you couldn’t really tell they hadn’t grown up with the game. They competed and looked really familiar with it.”

Kiwi Jimmy again troubled the scorers with three goals, as did compatriot Brian Chisholm.

Dean Ipaviz, skipper Courtney Shergold and Beau Jedd were among the Lions’ best.

Several incidents around the grounds on the sunny English weekend prompted spectators and players alike to mutter ‘only in AFL London’:

- three ‘Leigh Matthews-like incidents’ of goal posts coming down at Shoreditch due to players colliding with the uprights.

- a green flare let off on the boundary at Motspur Park during the Magpies-Hawks match.

- an EU player for the Magpies taking a mark whilst holding a water bottle, playing on and kicking the ball upfield (still holding water bottle).

And across at Peckham Rye, fans could be forgiven for thinking Australia’s AFL newcomers, GWS Giants, were making a guest appearance.

AFL London’s Dulwich Giants, affiliated with the AFL’s newest club back home in Australia, took to the field in GWS strips for the first time, which were donated by the Sydney team.

While the Giants were defeated by Putney, 14.12 (96) to 6.4 (40), they by

no means disgraced themselves nor the guernsey – in fact Kevin Sheedy could do worse than replicating some of their good work at centre bounces!

Looking forward, there’s no footy this weekend with a bye giving players and officials a well-deserved break and a chance to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee. However keep an eye on the news on Saturday night with several clubs heading to the gee-gees at Epsom for some shenanigans.

GIANT LEAP: Players from Putney Magpies and Dulwich Giants contest the ball in their AFL London match. Image by Jon Whiles

By Charlie InglefieldAS the dust settles over Wednesday’s controversial but thrilling first match of the 2012 State of Origin series (where the Maroons got that all important first up win), the New South Wales team and coach Ricky Stuart will be wondering what they have to do to get some luck - and more importantly a win. But fear not. To those Blues fans who think it is all over, it definitely isn’t, because for the first time in six years Queensland looked genuinely rattled with even skipper Cameron Smith admitting his team was lucky to get over the line.

Watching Origin amongst the city boys in Sydney’s Martin Place we all expected an easy Queensland victory but got in return a courageous performance from New South Wales with the hope that they can actually win this series. The Maroons were second best for most of this enthralling contest but when you have some of the best players on the planet, there will always be an opportunity - albeit a controversial one when big GI (Greg Inglis) fumbled his way over the tryline which by his own admission shouldn’t have been given. Blue hearts were broken earlier in the match when Sam Thaiday somehow managed to get a finger down on the ball just before Brett Stewart touched down. Add in a relatively straight forward penalty missed by Carney and a number of baffling refereeing decisions, perhaps the result would have been different. Lots of if’s, but’s and maybe’s but ultimately credit goes to Queensland for doggedly battling it out and they now look odds on to take an unprecedented seventh series in a row.

Or so we might think? This series is not over, not by a long shot. With a massive

Oh so close but Origin ain’t over yetsecond game coming up in Sydney, Ricky Stuart’s men have Queensland rattled. A sober and focused Michael Jennings threatened with every touch including a haymaker which nearly took Brent Tate’s head off. Jarryd Hayne looked equally motivated, swinging his hips to great effect that even Shakira would have been impressed. Paul Gallen was simply immense - snarling, inspiring and thundering into Queenslanders with almost sadistic pleasure. Robbie Farah made a mockery of his critics with an all action display that made Cam Smith look more like a mere mortal. The team’s display was refreshing in its vibrancy and intensity and it was only an extraordinary rear-guard effort by the Maroons to keep the Blues out.

So how does Ricky Stuart mastermind the next two games? Keep the same team, for one. Todd Carney was the biggest disappointment on both sides but should be kept because he has the ability to turn a game as long as he does not get too distracted by his amazing array of tattoos. Queensland has shown

that by keeping the majority of their squad together, the combination of an unbreakable team spirit and world class ability serves you well when the going gets tough. The Maroons got out alive because the players backed each other to make the big play when needed.

Queensland have to come to enemy territory in Sydney to win the series and Stuart and the whole of New South Wales need to make the atmosphere as intimidating as possible. Rarely do you see the likes of Cam Smith and Billy Slater get flustered and if Stuart and his team can find the same intensity and with it a bit of luck, then they should win. They have the backs, the attitude and the raw power to do the unthinkable and win back the series. Sam Thaiday, Queensland’s enforcer, tongue in check said that the biggest threat posed to Queensland was the buffet. Perhaps he will be eating his words come the Game II post-match party on 13 June at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium.


ROAD cycling star Michael Rogers is far from guaranteed Olympic selection, despite his outstanding form.

The 31-year-old member of the Sky team won the overall title at the Bayern-Rundfahrt to cap an excellent performance at the five-stage German race.

He took out the stage-four time trial, where teammate and fellow Australian Richie Porte was second.

Rogers also ended a two-year drought when he won stage two.

The three-time world time trial champion and regular Tour de France rider has recovered from illness and is enjoying a strong season.

He and Porte are likely to be key lieutenants for British star Brad Wiggins in this year’s Tour, although there is plenty of solid competition in the Sky squad for those berths.

But breaking into the Australian men’s road team at the London Games will be harder again for the pair.

Australia will have five riders in the men’s road race and two of them can compete in the individual time trial.

There are upwards of a dozen in contention, including Cadel Evans, Stuart O’Grady and Heinrich Haussler, as well as Rogers and Porte.

Matthew Goss’s silver medal at the worlds last September gave him an early selection nomination, but even that is subject to form and fitness.

There was a major controversy last year when Mark Renshaw missed out on the team for the worlds.

This time, the makeup of the team is far more complex because of a number of factors:

* The Olympic team is only five riders, compared to nine at the world titles.

* What is Australia’s best chance of an Olympic medal? Are Porte, Rogers or Evans realistic chances in the time trial against the likes of Swiss powerhouse Fabian Cancellara, or does Australia concentrate on the road race?

* There has been considerable

Rogers stakes Olympic cycling claim

debate over whether the Games road race course suits sprinters such as Goss and British favourite Mark Cavendish, or whether a breakaway will decide the gold medal. Do the selectors totally build the team around Goss, or hedge their bets?

* The team will be finalised on 17 June, but several riders are likely to compete the following month in the Tour de France. Selectors will have to consider how prospective riders will back up when the Tour ends on 22 July, given the Olympic road events are only a few days later. - AAP

Tag Rugby Corporate Challenge here to stay

GETTING CORPORATETry Tag Rugby suits the business set in London

P15

DAZZLING DEES DEMOLISH CATSn The AFL London competition came alive on the weekend with the Wandsworth Demons downing premiership favourites the West London Wildcats to throw the title race wide open.

...continued on p11...continued on p10

FEELING like a Parisian, Samantha Stosur looked right at home too as she romped into the second round of the French Open.

On court and off, Australia’s 2010 Roland Garros runner-up is once again revelling in conditions tailored to her brutal back-court game.

Stosur overwhelmed Scotland’s Elena Baltacha 6-4 6-0 in her opening match and will be hoping the brilliant summer sunshine continues for her next outing on Wednesday against unseeded American Irina Falconi.

In fact, Stosur will be praying for a full fortnight of scorching heat in the French capital as she looks to cash in on the faster claycourt surface.

“If it’s not sunny, it plays dead.

Stosur feeling right at home in Paris

Hawks the latest AFL favourites to slide

...continued on p10

IT’S the AFL tag that refuses to stick, with Hawthorn the latest in a succession of clubs to crash out of premiership favouritism.

The season is playing out like a group of kids on a slippery dip; clubs take their turn at the top in punters’ minds before sliding.

Hawthorn’s 62-point thrashing at the hands of Richmond at the MCG on Saturday - the club’s biggest defeat in more than two years - was as significant a loss

...continued on p10

Socceroo changes for Denmark friendlyAUSTRALIA’S playing depth is set to be tested against Euro-bound Denmark following a host of changes for Saturday’s friendly in Copenhagen.

English Premier League player Chris Herd misses out on the chance to debut, with Australia’s No.2 goalkeeper Adam Federici also sidelined.

It is the second time Aston Villa midfielder Herd has been

AUSSIE KING OF MONACOMark Webber’s Monte Carlo double | P10

By Lee CrossleyWANDSWORTH DEMONS have firmed as this year’s AFL London flag favourites after their come-from-behind win against reigning premiers the West London Wildcats on Saturday.

The Wildcats took a comfortable 27-point buffer into the main break but the Demons completely dominated the third term, booting 8.1 to nothing to steal the lead and set up a 17.11 (113) to 10.6 (66) win at Clapham Common.

Demons coach Jarryd Browne attributed the turn-around to a revised game plan in the second half.

“We were playing some dumb football in the first half,” he said. “We went through our structures and the wind died and we started to get on top in the middle.

“Once the momentum changed it was smooth sailing.”

Demons skipper Mark Brescacin continued his red-hot form, bagging another seven majors giving him 20 for the season from just three games.

While delighted with the result, Browne said nobody in red and blue were getting too ahead of themselves.

“They (West London) showed in the first half they will still be the team to beat,” he said.

“They had an important injury at halftime with their ruckman going down which allowed our ruckman Rhys McNay, to get on top in the middle.

“Make no mistake, they are still the benchmark. Yes we had a good win but we’re not counting our chickens just yet.”

Browne paid testament to the European players in his Demons team.

“We had three British debutantes who really asserted themselves really well. One guy had never seen the game before and kicked two goals!”

It was a different story in the conference division with Shepherds Bush Raiders defeating Clapham Demons 12.5 (77) to 8.4 (52) in a scrappy affair in windy conditions.

Lachy Dowling booted four goals for the Raiders.

australian times newspaper: 29 may 2012 edition

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