australian times weekly newspaper | 13 march 2012

TRAVEL P10VOICES P4 ENTERTAINMENT P8

13 March - 19 March 2012– Issue: 403

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What’s the craic?Celebrate St Patrick’s Day in true Irish style

Farmers march to highlight CSG ‘threat’FURIOUS Queensland farmers have marched in the key Brisbane seat of Ashgrove demanding action to ward off the coal seam gas “threat” to agriculture.

Up to 1000 farmers marched on the offices of Labor incumbent Kate Jones and her rival Liberal National Party (LNP) leader Campbell Newman before moving on to protest at the steps of the government’s CBD executive building.

Each time, the protesters threw their hats on the ground to show, in the traditional bushman’s way, they’re up for a fight.

The farmers say a large percentage of the state’s food-growing regions have mining tenements and the coal seam gas (CSG) rush is the biggest threat to their industry.

Radio talk show host Alan Jones, who joined the protesters after hosting a food security forum, said CSG mining threatened underground water and had the potential to drain aquifers and contaminate good farming land.

“We are talking about the destruction of prime agricultural land,” Mr Jones told the forum.

On the streets of London

One woman’s fight for peace and hope

The Aussie BBC DJChris Hawkins on our Oz music resurgence

A KATTER’S Australian Party commercial intended to paint Liberal National Party (LNP) leader Campbell Newman as a hypocrite for supporting gay marriage has backfired on the minor party.

The ad asks how well voters know Mr Newman and features him repeating the words: “I support gay marriage.”

It also features images of two shirtless men, and Mr Newman

AFGHAN MASSACRE WON’T ALTER OZ MISSION: GILLARDn A rogue US soldier’s Afghanistan killing spree will not distract Australia from its mission in the war torn country, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has staunchly vowed.

AN American soldier slaughtered 16 civilian Afghans - including nine children and three women - in a shocking predawn attack in southern Kandahar province on Sunday.

The US has condemned the attack and promised a thorough investigation, but the massacre has sparked a fresh crisis in Washington’s relations with Kabul and will increase Afghan hostility to the allied mission there.

Ms Gillard labelled the killings “appalling” but promised her government would hold its nerve.

“Our mission in Afghanistan is clear and our commitment to it remains firm,” she told reporters in Canberra.

“Of course, an incident like this is a truly distressing one, but it’s not going to distract us from our purpose in Afghanistan and our clear sense of mission in Afghanistan.

“We know what we’re there to do.“We know the timeframe that we

are doing it on and our commitment remains clear.”

Defence Minister Stephen Smith offered his condolences to his Afghan counterpart.

“I welcome the swift US condemnation of the incident and the commitment from US Secretary

AUSSIE WOMEN OF THE YEARAnd the winner is? We reveal the 2012 Qantas Australian Woman of the Year in the UK | P7

Katter’s Australian Party ad in gay marriage furorehandling a skirt.

But instead of achieving its goal, the ad has sparked outrage among Queensland’s gay and lesbian community and support groups.

Equal rights campaigner Phil Browne on Monday lodged a complaint with the Advertising Standards Bureau, labelling the ad as “vile”.

“The ad uses fear and hate to target homosexuals, an oppressed minority group,” Mr Browne said in his

complaint.“This is vile and unacceptable.“It would be totally unacceptable to

use another minority group to promote the same message.”

Mr Newman told reporters in Brisbane it was “immaterial” that he supported gay marriage but his party didn’t.

He said the priority should be on looking after “normal Queensland families who need their cost of living pressures reduced right down”.

But when asked what a “normal family” was, Mr Newman did not exclude same-sex couples from his response.

“(They are) families who are trying to pay their mortgages, trying to make ends meet, who need low vehicle registration costs frozen,” he said.

Premier Anna Bligh criticised both the LNP and the party founded by eccentric federal MP Bob Katter.

The ad would not have been made if

Mr Newman was clear on whether he would repeal Queensland’s same-sex civil union legislation, Ms Bligh said.

“If Mr Newman had given a clear answer on this issue I would suggest it wouldn’t be such a big one during the campaign,” she told reporters in Brisbane.

“That doesn’t excuse Mr Katter’s ad though.

13 March - 19 March 20122 | News

AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices

the hard word> NATHAN MOTTON

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CHANNEL 10’s daytime program The Circle has taken a battering over the past fortnight. Public outcry quickly and viscously spread following comments made by host Yumi Stynes and journalist George Negus decrying that Australian war hero Ben Roberts-Smith was too buff to have a brain and thus may in fact be a “dud root.”

The outrage came thick and fast with many, including The Hard Word rightly frustrated at such an overtly stupid remark. The throwaway line made in jest does not excuse the stupidity of it. Serving members of any country’s defence forces, of any generation, are true heroes. Their self-sacrifice is too often ignored and as individuals, should most importantly be spared of any cheap shots, especially made on behalf of Australia’s ever expanding list of d-grade celebrities.

Advertisers of the show have made their presence felt where it hurts most, a handful severing all ties with the program for its “abhorrent comments”, afraid of being associated with this PR nightmare.

Stynes and Negus (eventually) apologised for their comments. Yet both, Stynes especially, seemed to

How the Ben Roberts-Smith affair bared a nation’s feral underclassn The “dud root” fallout continues for Channel 10’s The Circle as advertisers flee. Yet the story quickly moved beyond those absurd comments, revealing a racist, sexist, redneck underclass.

fail to grasp the magnitude of such cheap, childish behaviour with an apology that was insincere at best. Media careers have been ruined for far less serious sins. For that reason it’s difficult to see how both can have a future with the program.

That buff man in question, Corporal Roberts-Smith was awarded Australia’s highest military honour for bravery shown against the Taliban in Afghanistan two years ago. The Victoria Cross recipient has made it clear he understands no malice was intended and has since accepted the apology.

This is where the story should have ended.

But of course, cue the twitterati and the faceless Facebookers who’ve now well-and-truly hijacked the whole debate. A mature and reasonable sense of displeasure has been overtaken by that self-righteous web brigade, destined to wreak havoc on whoever it can.

The Circle’s Facebook timeline has been swamped with all manner of judicious and repugnant commentary and everything in between. Stynes has borne the brunt. Death threats, racist remarks and sexual and misogynistic chatter have all been flung at the host, which would make this scribe think twice about the need for some form of protection.

At the risk of allowing such disgusting statements to (again) the

see the light of day, here’s a mild taste (there are loads more that are totally unacceptable to print…).

One said “I want to kill both Yumi Stynes and George Negus,” while an enlightened chap screamed “Next time I see that Yumi Stynes I’m gunna stab the ***** to feel better”. Really? Another implored The Circle’s Facebook commentariat to “forget Yumi and George. Everyone else has headed over to Kony 2012. We can all raise hell over there.”

Where does one get off on such gutless behaviour? Of course such sickening commentary is not restricted to our fair shores. But why oh why do we have to reduce such important conversations to amoral members of our community hurling meaningless, harmful and petty mud at those who’ve, for whatever reason, wronged? This isn’t about quashing public debate, far from it. Rather an attempt to point out that it is possible to express an opinion without becoming a bigot.

Initially this whole saga was the umpteenth example of the foibles of the human character, to which none of us are immune. Sadly, it quickly progressed to a sad indictment of Australia’s feral underclass.

IT ALL looks very Neighbours, but while the Labor party are busy playing out their personal dramas, Australians can’t help but question: is this what we pay them for?

We were left boggle-eyed and open mouthed when just as Stephen Smith was hoping to rekindle his relationship with the Foreign Affairs Ministry, former NSW Premier Bob Carr burst back onto our screens, superbly snatching Steve’s ex, in the wake of Kevin Rudd’s sensational departure from prime time.

In a devious manipulation of the parliamentary loophole that allows members to enter unelected as a Senate replacement - in this case, to fill the vacancy left by Mark Arbib’s shock resignation - Bob was parachuted back into politics by the one everyone loves to hate, Julia Gillard.

Although it is possible to sneak into Canberra this way, it is highly unusual for a minister to be so immediately rocketed into such a senior portfolio as Foreign Affairs.

Shock, drama and deceit: Australia’s latest soap has it alln ALP party politics have adopted an uncannily soap-opera like quality of late. For suspense, farce and disbelief, their latest series of comebacks, kill-offs and yet even more comebacks rivals any 6pm weeknight television series worth its salt.

It seems all too much like a cleverly conceived diversion by scriptwriters in NSW’s right faction to advance our attention on from the Kill Kevin episode.

But Labor’s troubles aren’t so easily hushed up. Is Mark’s mysterious resignation to “spend more time with his family” just a cover for something more sinister, soon to be revealed in an exclusive Today Tonight tell-all? And what if Kevin’s retreat to the backbench is just part of another cunning plan? Is he simply buying time as he diabolically plots yet more mischief and mayhem?

Labor’s attempt to move past their leadership drama by staging further theatrics is certainly a creative response, but can it be called an effective one whilst the ghosts of Labor leaders past still haunt Canberra – or should that be Ramsay Street?

And in the lead up to the federal elections, should we be preparing for another bombshell to explode onto our screens? Parties don’t take losing leaders to the public, so if polls don’t pick up, we could just see another leadership challenge

before the Christmas special. In this political climate, one can never be sure what new surprise is lurking just around the corner. After Bob’s resurrection, who will be next to make a comeback: Keating? Hanson (again)? Paul Robinson – or is he back already?

But what does all this mean for Australia? It’s entertaining – yes. But is this really how we want the nation to be run? Julia has said the Australian public is “fed up” with the political brawl. Perhaps what we’re really fed up with is this dramatic self-absorbed behaviour unbecoming even of politics.

Is it wrong to expect actual policy making from our politicians? Maybe it’s time they leave the drama to the professionals. What the Labor party needs to do right now is to straighten its tie, take three deep breaths, and get out there and lead our country.

Meanwhile, political junkies cling to the edge of their seats, craving the next instalment of the great ALP saga.

By Bianca Soldani

News | 3AustralianTimes.co.uk




Continued from p1...



of Defense (Leon) Panetta to work with Afghan officials to investigate the incident,” Mr Smith said in a statement.

“Until the incident has been fully investigated and we have a better understanding of the circumstances, it is not appropriate to be drawn on the possible motivation behind the incident.”

Acting Foreign Minister Craig Emerson called it a horrible incident but defended Australia’s continued involvement in the decade-long conflict.

“We are there in Afghanistan because of terror attacks, not only on the United States but in Bali,” he told ABC Radio.

“We’ve had a lot of young Australians killed as a result of terror attacks. That’s why we’re in

Afghanistan - not because we like war, but because we’re against terror.”

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott condemned the attack.

“It is simply a terrible, terrible crime,” he told reporters in Wagga Wagga.

“The perpetrator should be punished and, obviously, the victims we mourn for them and we grieve with their families.”

The massacre coincided with a US survey that found 60 per cent of Americans believed the Afghanistan war was not worth the cost.

The poll by ABC News and The Washington Post found 54 per cent of Americans wanted US troops pulled out even if the Afghan army was not adequately trained to carry on the fight. - AAP

“The potential contamination and exhaustion of water supplies.

“If that is not an issue at the Queensland election, then we are in big trouble.”

Mr Jones told AAP he was disappointed the CSG threat had hardly rated a mention in the Queensland election campaign.

He said he regretted not running as a candidate so he could give the issue “a voice”.

Cattle and grain farmer John Cook wants Ashgrove voters to think about the bush when they cast their vote.

“The mining industry is threatening our food bowls,” Mr Cook said.

“Voters need to think about where the food comes from.”

Farmer Lise Leatherbarrow, of Kerry in the Scenic Rim district, said city voters should shun the major parties to show they were serious about food security.

“Vote against the major parties, I say,” she said.

Premier Anna Bligh told Sky News on Monday that her government had passed “world-first” laws to protect agricultural land from mining.

She said CSG miners in Queensland

were subjected to the most rigorous environmental conditions.

Before the government went into caretaker mode, she said she planned to require CSG miners to pay for groundwater monitoring.

LNP deputy leader Tim Nicholls says Labor had made a mess of CSG regulation, but his party would fix it if elected.

“The LNP is very sympathetic to Queenslanders’ concerns about landholder negotiation issues, water security and protection of the environment,” he said.

Farm adviser Graham Boulton said he was not convinced that fracking, the process used to extracting gas from coal seams, was safe.

“The aquifers sit on top of the coal seams, and the miners are drilling through that,” he said.

“From what we’ve seen in the US, there is no way to stop the water from being polluted.”

The Queensland Greens and Katter’s Australian Party, the only parties to call for a 12-month moratorium on coal seam gas mining, took part in Monday’s rallies. - AAP

‘Regretful’ Jones warns of coal seam threat

“But there’s nothing surprising about Mr Katter doing something that’s bizarre.”

Katter party spokesman Scott Barrett told AAP the image used in the ad was a bought stock photo and the men were not party supporters.

State leader Aidan McLindon last month publicly criticised a billboard promoting safe sex among same-sex couples with an image of two men hugging.

The party’s gay marriage ad has an image of two men kissing.

But Mr McLindon told AAP his party’s ad was different from the controversial Rip N Roll campaign because it was shown in PG timeslots only.

“Billboards are a whole separate issue,” he said.

“You’ve got everybody from one-year-old right through to 99 years old (seeing them) ... and they can’t be censored.”

Mr Katter’s half-brother Carl Katter,

who is gay, is also among the ad’s critics.

“This ad ... is totally disrespectful of the many gay Queenslanders who proudly contribute to their state every day of their lives,” he said in a statement.

Bob Katter told Network Ten he respected his half-brother’s position.

“I admire his candour, his forthrightness in coming forward,” he said. - AAP

Australian politicians condemn Afghan attack

Gay marriage ad backfires on Bob Katter

13 March - 19 March 20124 | Voices

The Aussie peace protester of Londonn Peace campaigner Barbara Tucker has spent almost 50 straight nights without any sleeping equipment in London’s Parliament Square, following the introduction of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act. Cold, persecuted but defiant she told REBEKKA HODGES her remarkable story.

ALL around me the low and slowly changing sounds of bells resonate, passing through the walls of Parliament Square. It is 6:00pm and the sun is fading into the night sky, casting a golden hue on everything it touches. Although the days are becoming longer and warmer, the evenings remind us that summer is still beyond our grasp.

Her chocolate brown hair cascades over a brightly checkered jacket and falls to rest on a hand-knitted pink scarf.

“This is the three pound ‘Holloway special’,” she jokes, fingering the scarf’s stitching with her left hand while referring to the all-female prison in Holloway, London. Her Australian accent is still heavy after all these years of living abroad. “I made it in prison,” she continues, sensing my confusion. “The wool and the needles, it all cost me three pound,” she states as she begins to roll a cigarette between her stained fingertips, each

nail a notably different length. Finishing her smoke, she sits down

on a plastic armchair and wraps herself in a thin cotton blanket. This has been her bed for the last 40 odd evenings, thanks to last year’s introduction of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act ss 143(2)(b), which prohibits the erection of or maintaining a structure in the

controlled area of Parliament Square that is designed, or

adapted, (solely or mainly) to the purpose of

facilitating staying in the area.

She has a sleeping bag too, although it is still rolled up, hiding under a tarpaulin because the act also bans any

equipment designed for sleeping overnight in

the area. I ask to take a look,

expecting to see some

over-sized and hence

banned

object, and she meets my eye, slightly tilting her head as if to question my sanity. “Don’t you think I would have it out if it was allowed?” she asks. “They’re just waiting for me to do the wrong thing so they can lock me up again. Any excuse to get rid of this old ‘eyesore’ in time for the Olympics.” Behind her, over the other side of the square, a police van lurks, awaiting its prey like a vulture.

Doing hard time for peaceMelbourne–born Barbara ‘Babs’ Tucker began her peace campaign in Parliament Square six years ago, in what is now over a decade-long campaign founded by the late Brian Haw. Since the beginning, she has been arrested 44 times and jailed twice.

“The first time that I was arrested was in 2006. I had a pink sequined banner that said ‘Peace Love and Justice for All’. 10 police officers marched in here on Easter Sunday and handcuffed me. It seems as though ‘peace’ has become a dirty word because they are making too much money out of war. In the six years I have been campaigning, it has never mattered if we’ve had one banner, a whole display or if we spoke on a loud speaker. It doesn’t matter how we campaign, we just keep getting arrested.”

As we are speaking, a young gentleman pulls up beside us on his bicycle and looks around wearily. “Um, can I speak with you for a moment Babs?” he asks. Lifting herself from the seat, she walks out of earshot and the pair exchange words, seemingly in silence. Moments later she returns with a handful of fruit. “It’s like a little community around here,” she beams, holding up her gift beneath the light of the street lamp. “People are always worried about us. Even the homeless people have been stopping by recently to check up on us. They feel so sorry for us, because even they have tents.”

The world that ‘doesn’t exist’“I’m living in a world that most people don’t even know exists. Coming from Australia, and even England, we’re raised with this idea that we live in a democratic society and that we have access to freedom of speech, but here we are, our message so simple - ‘stop killing’, and yet we are arrested for it. A lot of people really have no idea what goes on here.”

“I mean look at the young people in Egypt. They laid down their lives, fighting for justice. And I remember last year as the backdrop to that, here in London they were trying to get rid of us for the Royal Wedding.

A wedding! As if it were the most important thing in the world. We had the world’s press here trying to get us to say something disparaging about the Queen and they were shoving cameras in our faces, asking us our opinions in the hope of getting us arrested and out of public view. I mean we are an embarrassment to them.

It’s a question of who’s frightened

of whom

HIS LEGACY LIVES ON: The late Brian Haw who started the Parliament Square protest over a decade ago

Voices | 5AustralianTimes.co.uk


The Aussie peace protester of London

tired eyes. “It was actually my ex-mother in

law who said that you have to do the extreme things to make any change at all. One wouldn’t normally choose to do something like this, but someone has to.”

Not normal lifeConsidering the amount of time Babs has spent living this lifestyle she is motivationally upbeat and somehow radiant. “It’s physically and mentally demanding because this isn’t my normal life. I’d never had any confrontation with the police or political authorities prior to my being here and I still see my identity outside of what I am doing. But, I’m very old, so in the whole context of my life, six years is not a big deal.”

“I was a mum before this. I have two grown up sons. I was a chair of government at school, ran a childcare and helped out people in their homes with health care. My life was so normal. But, where are we as adults in the year 2012 when we let our young people go to wars and kill people for a job? It just blows my mind. I have no wish to die here on the pavement, but I’ll lay down my life here before ever watching my sons go and fight a war. I’m effectively doing what any mother would do for their kids.”

Having resumed her position on the tacky plastic chair, Babs looks around noting the sudden lack of human presence. I wonder if she too imagines them sitting around inside their homes with steaming cups of tea. A light whistling sound whips between the passages created by the overhanging buildings within the square. After saying our farewells, I turn around for one final wave before crossing the street. Wrapped in her blanket, her eyes are already closed and her pursed lips are slightly upturned as if smiling. Despite the obstacles in this never ending pursuit for peace, Babs can rest knowing that she has fought as hard as possible for her beliefs.

Words and images by Rebekka Hodges

We are an embarassment

to them Here we are peacefully campaigning for our beliefs, and if you think about it, the beliefs of a lot of people, and they don’t like it because we aren’t playing their game. I think they would love us to have machine guns and they’d love us to be insurgents. We are ‘criminals’ anyway and these are the things they know how to deal with; violence they know how to deal with.”

Babs stops and takes in a deep breath of the cool night air.

“We, the campaigners, we can’t be Brian, because he was a one off, he really was, but we can still carry on the job that needs doing. His message was - it shouldn’t be one person. If one million people took one week out of their four weeks’ annual holiday, it’s not about losing your job, it’s not about going on strike, it’s about people coming together, and that would force the government to make concessions.”

‘Happy little families’By now, the streets have begun to clear, people heading underground towards the tube to escape the chill. All that stands between the Thames and ourselves; ironically the only barrier to protect us against the breeze sweeping off the water is Parliament House, the home of the government. Babs looks up at Big Ben with those big, all-knowing eyes. “I won’t miss that thing when I’m gone,” she says. “They want London to be this big happy family for the Olympics. I know they’ll do everything in their power to lock us up during the Games.” She talks as if her future has already been decided.

“But, we’ll just keep coming back. It’s a question of who’s frightened of whom. If they lock us up, it’s because they’re worried about what we’re saying. We’ve been dragged through every court in the country and we’re still here, which just goes to show that you can write things down on a piece of paper but it doesn’t make it true. It’s the process; they try to wear you down through various mends; that’s how they play the game. And I get the game, but it’s so silly; they’re spending so much time trying to maintain a system that’s of no use to anyone.

She fixes me with those intense but

Share your comments on these and more stories online: AustralianTimes.co.uk

Your Say

What’s your view?

On: Returning to Australia – what a culture shock! I’ve been away for 20 years and haven’t been back since. Traveling and being open to new cultures is what life is about. I think what I do find jarring is the drawn out aussie accents and taking forever to explain

something. I will say tho that after living in Europe as well and even after 17 years in the USA, I still think in kilometers and can’t figure out farenheit…I’m still a metrics child…

ZiggyVia AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices

On: Kony 2012: Who is Joseph Kony? Of course it can make a difference we live in a world where at last the ordinary

person has a voice and when united it makes a roar.We are now in a time if we use the power of technology for good we can achieve the impossible including getting rid of this parasite……who dares to use the label Christian…..beware when he meets his maker.

Jeremy GilmerVia AustralianTimes.co.uk/news

13 March - 19 March 20126 | Voices

chris’s kitchen

> CHRIS ARK

THE days are slowly getting longer which means only one thing – summer is on its way! With the temperatures rising, London opens up a whole other side of adventures made for clearer skies. More specifically, Number 61 – Shakespeare’s Globe.

The Globe is an exact replica (or as close as you can get) of the theatre where the bard’s sonnets and plays were originally performed. Located on the Thames and open all year round for tours, the Globe Theatre is better known for its summer programme of open air theatre, which does continue rain, hail or shine, with a schedule of Shakespeare works acted every year.

The Globe is set up unlike a traditional theatre as it has general admission standing tickets in “The Yard” (the cheapest at £5) which means you have to stand for several hours but probably have the most engaging view of the play. Then there are the Lower, Middle and Upper Galleries which provide better views and seating (although it really is just a wooden bench so take the option to hire a cushion) from any price up to about £50.

Tickets to the Globe aren’t easy to come by unless you are early off the mark or prepared to queue on the day so I would recommend booking early (for example the Twelfth Night is already sold out for the upcoming season). Last year I managed to snag some tickets to a show by booking three months in advance. A couple of friends and I went to see Midsummers Night’s Dream in September and had a fantastic

Getting Shakespearian at the London Globe theatren Our London adventurer decided to transport herself back to the fabled days of William Shakespeare and tick a legendary experience of her London Top 100 list - #61 London’s Globe Theatre.



time. We were lucky enough to score a rare clear night during an Indian summer but by the end of the show we were huddling in our coats.

When we got in we were seated in the lower gallery meaning we were slightly raised off the ground but didn’t have spectacular seats. This didn’t matter too much as we got to see most of the action as the characters often walked through the crowd, ran across the stage and climbed up the pillars. As I am not a literary expert or theatre buff I was a bit worried about not being able to follow the story line but thanks to a friend who’d read the Wikipedia version and the fantastic acting of the players I was easily able to follow and enjoy the show.

The Globe also attracts some famous faces with Stephen Fry featuring in this year’s line-up. During my show of Midsummers Nights Dream I kept thinking one of the players had a familiar face and it wasn’t until halfway through the second half I realised that it was Joseph Marcell – otherwise known as Geoffrey in Fresh Prince of Bel Air!

While I can’t account for the atmosphere at a show in times of the famous British bard, I can certainly say that when I went to the Globe it was fizzing. The open air, the murmuring and interaction in the crowd and a gorgeous story is the perfect recipe for a dream ‘mid summers night’.

bron inthe don BRONWYN SPENCER

What you need:• Knob of good quality butter • 1 onion, chopped • 1 large potato (Maris Piper or King

Edward), peeled & chopped • 750 ml chicken stock• 500 grams of wild garlic leaves,

washed • 100 ml double• Cream salt, pepper

What to do:1. Melt the butter, and add the onion,

cooking on medium heat until the onion is soft but not colored.

2. Add the potatoes and seasoning, stirring for a few seconds. Pour in the chicken stock and cook until the potatoes are almost cooked through.

3. Add the wild garlic and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Blitz the soup using a blender or hand mixer. Finally, stir in the cream and heat through.

4. Optional extras for flavour variations: add some chopped parsley in along with the wild garlic, or add a pinch of mild curry powder to the seasoning before pouring the stock on, to give the soup added flavour.

Foraging for fantastic food in the UKn Our resident Aussie chef from Claridge’s Restaurant, Chris Ark, turns forager to sniff out some tasty treats for you and your kitchen.

AS the days grow longer, the slight rise in temperature can only mean one thing for us chefs. The imminent delivery of wild ingredients found in hedgerows, forest floors and coastline shores. ‘Foraging’, as it’s called, is a multi million pound industry support by dedicated enthusiasts scouring the land for wild ingredients to supply the kitchens of London.

This week I am going to give you the heads up on what to look out for. Even though it’s a few weeks off from the first real crops arriving in the markets, getting the knowledge is the key to adding these wild ingredients to dishes. I was first introduced to foraging when I worked in Italy. I was shown how to collect wild garlic, fennel and asparagus for dishes such as wood fired suckling pig. From then on I was always searching the

hedgerows for ingredients to add to my menus.

For centuries populations have farmed the natural growing herbs and fruits of the land. Not only have they provided ingredients for everyday use, many of the native herbs and fruits have very high nutritional and medicinal properties.

Foraging has a big following here, you can even take tours and workshops on what to look for and how to prepare your find. I will be heading to Wales next month to join Outdoors@hay on an expedition where we will paddle up a river, collect and cook ingredients found in the far reaches of Wales.

Chefs go crazy for foraged ingredients, a welcomed change from herbs and fruits commonly available throughout the year. Wild garlic would be one of the most talked about foraged ingredients in UK kitchens. Flavour wise - it’s more robust, crisp and distinctive compared to bulb garlic. Prepared as a soup or sauce it can’t be beaten.

This month we can look forward to others wild ingredients like wood sorrel and hedge mustard to marry with freshly pan-seared tuna. Wild berries are also a nice addition to the foraging repertoire. There is a bountiful supply of raspberries and blackberries to be collected (even in London) in the later part of summer. These are perfect for baked tarts, or just to collect a bucket load for jams and preserves.

I would suggest firstly you buy a good book on foraging and go out with someone who knows what they are doing before collecting any ingredients. Some can be poisonous or have a bad effect on the stomach. There are a number of single day courses out there, which are fun and a great way to meet people.

This week I will share with you my very simple wild garlic soup. It’s so simple but packed full of flavour and nutrition. Here we go – happy cooking!

Chris’s Wild Garlic Soup

Entertainment | 7AustralianTimes.co.uk


SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA: Qantas Regional General Manager Paul Yankson celebrates with Liz Koops after naming her the 2012 Australian Woman of the Year in the UK. (Image by Tim Martin)

NOMINEES and over 180 guests gathered at the Langham Hotel in London on Thursday 8 March to celebrate the 101st International Women’s Day and to recognise Australia’s confident, creative, forward thinking and talented women who are achieving great success here in the UK.

This year’s Australian Woman of the Year in the UK winner was Liz Koops - Managing Director of Back Row Productions. She was honoured for her dedication to theatre production both in the UK and around the world and the incredible success that has come with it.

«It›s an honour to receive this recognition from my peers,” Ms Koops said. “It really represents 20 years of hard, but fun work with many wonderful people, some great shows and a lifetime of experiences around the world.»

Tours developed and presented by Ms Koops’ Back Row Productions (established in 1995) include seasons of Miss Saigon, Chicago, Cats, Grease, the first international arena tour of Starlight Express, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and the international tour of Mathew Bourne’s Swan Lake (as featured in the film Billy Elliot).

Since 2006, Back Row Productions produced the box office hit stage musical Priscilla, Queen of the Desert to sell out seasons in Sydney, London’s West End & New York’s Broadway. Priscilla also recently opened in Milan, Italy in December 2011 and opens this week in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

“I was totally surprised to receive this award and it’s a huge honour,” Ms Koops told Australian Times on the night. “It just shows what a little hard work can do!”

Of the annual Award, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said: “The Qantas Australian Woman of the Year in the UK is a pivotal award that recognises and celebrates the achievements of Australian woman who have left home in pursuit of their dreams in the UK. These successful Australian women are leaders and an inspiration to their younger counterparts. It’s fantastic that Australian Business and Qantas annually bring together these Australian women to collectively

Liz Koops is the 2012 Australian Woman of the Year in the UKn Qantas, Australian Business and Australian Times are delighted to announce Liz Koops as winner of the 2012 Qantas Australian Woman of the Year in the UK Award. Ms Koops is the Managing Director of Back Row Productions, responsible for theatrical hits including Priscilla, Miss Saigon, Chicago, Cats, Grease, and Starlight Express.

By Anna Hardie celebrate their many achievements.” Qantas Airways Regional General

Manager for UK & Ireland, Paul Yankson said, “Qantas is a proud supporter of this Award which recognises the achievements, dedication and passion of Australian women in the UK. We are thrilled to be recognising the global achievements of Liz Koops. These awards bring together candidates from the widest range of backgrounds – from the very well-known to unsung heroines doing outstanding work in their community. Their accomplishments are testament to the great Australian spirit of achieving success away from home.”

Ms Koops wins two return Business Class tickets to Australia flying Qantas – which is very fitting as it was with Qantas in 1992 that Liz first arrived in London.

Five other outstanding Australian women were short listed for the Award and recognised for their accomplishments. Honoured and applauded on the evening, they are:

- Cathy Payne, CEO of Endemol Worldwide Distribution, heading up one of the largest independent TV programming distribution companies in the world;

- June Mendoza, an accomplished Portrait Painter of Royal family, Business and Religious Leaders. She has painted the Queen five times!

- Yasmin Sewell, Fashion Consultant and recent winner of the Young Australian Achiever in the UK Award;

- Entertainment lawyer Lisbeth Savill, Partner, Head of Film & Content Team, at law firm Olswang, Lisbeth specalises in putting together financing for film and TV; and

- Jill Watts, CEO of Ramsay Health Care UK who was last year voted the most influential person in the independent Health Care sector. Jill also Chairs the NHS Partners Network.

Guests were treated to speeches from the 2011 Award Winner Skye Gyngell and Editor of Glamour Magazine Jo Elvin.

Make sure you check Australian Times next week for our special interview with successful Aussie woman Jo Elvin.

BRETT DEAN: decorated viola soloist, chamber musician, conductor, music pedagogue, cultural policy advocate and Australia’s most celebrated contemporary composer.

As a sign of his place among the cannon of contemporary composers, Dean is the subject of a day-long event on 17 March at the Barbican Centre, London. Organised by the BBC as part of a three-part series devoted to modern and contemporary composers, the event, titled Total Immersion, will showcase different aspects of Dean’s recent work.

“I try to write music that engages the mind, the heart and the stomach,” says Dean over the phone from his “kind of

A day in the life of Australia’s most celebrated contemporary composerBy Will Fitzgibbon warehouse” home in Melbourne.

“To be down the back of the viola section,” he recalls in evoking his 15 years of playing experience with the august Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, “right in front of an incredible line of double basses was an incredibly visceral experience.”

“In my own music,” Dean elaborates, “there’s a desire to try to capture something of that energy level.”

In this year’s Total Immersion: Brett Dean, the day begins with a morning session of Dean as a composer-cum-soloist as he performs his work for viola, Intimate Decisions. Post-prandially, Dean himself conducts an all-vocal programme. The afternoon continues with some film screenings testifying to

Dean’s compositional career, including the opera Bliss. The all-day event concludes with the BBC Symphony Orchestra performing The Lost Art of Letter Writing, Carlo and the UK premiere of Fire Music, Dean’s musical in memoriam to victims of the 2009 Victorian bushfires.

With so much Brett Dean in so many roles, a casual observer on 17 March would be forgiven for wondering who exactly Brett Dean is. But the tag of “multidimensional musician” is one that Dean wears with pride. It also keeps the critics rhapsodic, the fans happy and the diary full.

For more about Total Immersion: Brett Dean and to book tickets for the event, visit Bbc.co.uk/orchestras/events/574.

13 March - 19 March 20128 | Entertainment

What’s On

For full details...

Tall Poppies13 March@ Boogaloo, Highgate

Christa Vi23 March@ Lock Tavern, Camden

Australian Pink Floyd24 Mar @ Hammersmith Apollo

Steve Hughes5-6 April@ Leicester Sq Theatre

Parkway Drive7 April @ Indig02

Boy & Bear10 April@ The Borderline, Soho

Matt Corby17 April@ The Bowery

Tracer24 April@ Islington O2 Academy

Bogan BingoEvery Thursday @ The Underdog, Clapham Common

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

us on Twitter @AustralianTimes

What we’re following

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

music from the motherland

> BACKPACK SOUNDS

By Chris Hawkins The first Australian rock star was

the world famous Johnny O’Keefe, inspired by Elvis Presley. The emergence of the Beatles led to countless imitation bands in Oz but none that made a significant mark elsewhere. There was a period of quiet through the early 70s which would eventually be shaken to the core by AC/DC. The metal band’s emergence saw the beginnings of real Australian talent finally establishing on the world stage. Midnight Oil, The Little River Band and The Birthday Party were among the bands successfully competing with those from the UK and USA. Nick Cave’s The Birthday Party are regularly cited as a hugely influential band and Cave remains a much revered talent and musical pioneer.

It would be remiss to leave out mention of INXS when plotting the history of Australian music. Every man, woman and child owned a copy of their 1987 album, Kick. Then what happened? Not to INXS, we all know

The Australian at the heart of the BBC alternativen BBC Radio 6 presenter Chris Hawkins guest edits Music from the Motherland this week to give you his thoughts on the state of Aussie music and where to next.

how that story plays out but what happened to the Aussie music scene? Despite the ARIAs being set up in 1987, Triple J playing new bands on a daily basis and Big Day Out being responsible for a line-up that bands from all over the world want to play on, still Australian bands struggled to achieve worldwide notoriety. With the emergence of electronica in the 90s it seems all went very quiet, again. Yes, there were artists coming through but that steady flow into the international market had begun to dry up. Aside from Kylie, all was quiet on the Australian front.

However since BBC Radio 6 began in 2002, we have never played so much new Australian music. Never out of obligation, always by choice and I believe this demonstrates that Australian music is back in the groove or perhaps, in a better groove than ever before. Gotye is nothing short of a phenomenon. At the time of writing, the video for ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ had been viewed nearly 100 million times. Cut Copy, Temper Trap, Empire of the Sun, Gypsey and the Cat, Tame Impala, The Jezabels and Cloud Control are just a handful of acts who are not just rocking Oz

but waking the rest of the world up to what’s coming out of Down Under. So to speak.

Chris Hawkins is a radio presenter at BBC Radio 6 where his colleagues include Jarvis Cocker, Steve Lamacq & Elbow’s Guy Garvey. 2012 marks the 10th anniversary of the UK’s ‘Triple J’ style station and Radio 6 is “a radio station which brings together the cutting edge music of today and the iconic and groundbreaking music of the past 40 years”.

Our guest editors are brought to you by Backpack Sounds (Backpacksounds.com). Next week we get down to business with a piece from UK based APRA rep Cathi Ogden. Tune in then!

AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment

#MalcolmTurnbull@Joe_HildebrandSooner or later Malcolm Turnbull and Bob Carr will end up in a duel over who gets to become Emperor of Australia.

@vanOnselenP“better than relying on their long attention spans” MalcolmTurnbull on voters...that’s why he is great but probably not suited to politics!

@jessmcguireI think I like Malcolm Turnbull better in my head, not when I’m actually watching him captivated by the sound of his own voice.

@Richard_CarrollMalcolm Turnbull on Q&A: “God made Adam and Steve, just as he made Adam and Eve.” Legend! Please let this man be PM.

@SuzeSussemsMalcolm turnbull = Malcolm Fraser?

@regamentalsThe best part about everyone cheering for Malcolm Turnbull on#qanda and him trending worldwide is how cranky Tony Abbott would be right now. tehe.

@OKNaysayerIf Malcolm Turnbull lead the Labor party I’d be proud to brag about being Australian. #qanda

Entertainment | 9AustralianTimes.co.uk

AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment

THE Australian Pink Floyd Show (TAPFS) may not be the real Floyd but they come as close as you will get these days.

The group, that first formed in Adelaide in 1988, has gone from strength to strength and they will make their presence felt with a UK tour this month.

Australian Times asked the rhetorical esoteric Pink Floyd question ‘Is There Anybody Out There’ and got an answer from original TAPFS founding member Jason Sawford.

So Mr Sawford, what’s on the cards for March?

“We’ll be doing a very representative set of music of all the greatest hits and some unusual ones as well. We’ll play some early Pink Floyd, bits of Darker Side [Of The Moon], Wish You Were Here and The Wall right up to the Divisional Bell. There will be the inflatable pig, the same one that was used by Pink Floyd and a newly designed light show from the one we had last year.”

British soil is something Jason and TAPFS are more than familiar with.

“We sort of developed our career in the UK. We came here from Australia back in ’92 and that’s where we really developed the show so it’s always good to come back to England and tour.”

The Aussie Pink Floyd Show may be a tribute band but they are not just any old tribute band.

The band was notoriously requested by David Gilmour himself to play at the original Floyd member’s birthday celebrations.

That must have been something, hey Jason?

“Yeah that was a big memory, he asked us to play certain songs and we played a really great set list to all

Aussie acid rockers keeping Pink Floyd aliven Ahead of a huge evening in Hammersmith later this month for The Australian Pink Floyd Show, CONOR McGLONE got comfortably numb with Jason Sawford and talked everything from inflatable pigs to David Gilmour birthday parties.

ON THE TURNING AWAY: Jason Sawford (inset) of The Australian Pink Floyd Show will be giving London the full Floyd force later this month at the Hammersmith Apollo.

these famous people. We were really nervous but it was a great experience and afterwards David Gilmour and Rick Wright [the real Pink Floyd rockers] came up on stage and played hand instruments.”

Sawford, the 44-year-old TAPFS keys player, clearly began to grow in confidence during our interview and he soon reflected on the increasing success of the ‘most famous tribute band in the world’.

“I think we put on a bloody good show now. It’s a huge show, musically we try and get things note for note. I think a lot of people come out feeling that it sounds just like a Pink Floyd show which is what we aim to do.

“Coming to see our show is probably the only way you are going to see a Pink Floyd concert.”

So how did it all start? Didn’t you ever feel restricted just playing one band’s repertoire?

“I had finished a degree in biochemistry and pharmacology and then I went on and started doing music but that’s when the band started getting serious. I had started doing this music thing as a kind of hobby but then it kind of took over.”

Very Brian May-esque? “Brian May [guitarist for Queen]

was an astrophysicist but yeah I’ve got an interest in science.”

Sorry Jason, pray continue… “When I joined the band years ago I

was just a Pink Floyd fan really and it was an interesting project just to play the music of this great band and that’s how I got into it.

“It’s always nice to play other things but it’s pretty varied in itself and for a musician there are a lot of things to play,

so I don’t feel restricted in doing it.” Sawford and TAPFS have now been

around for some time and the Aussie musician certainly got some stories to tell.

“One of the biggest memories I’ve got is when we played in Malta the first time. It was almost a national event and we got escorted from the airport by these big hairy bikers on Harley Davidsons. They escorted our limo to the hotel! I remember seeing we were front-page news.

“Another time, we had to stop a show because some guy in the audience -his wife was in hospital in labor at that particular point. We had to announce that this guy was having to go to hospital because she was having a baby so of course we had a big cheer from the audience and we went back to playing, so that was interesting.”

What venues have stood out for you? “We’ve done a lot of impressive

venues, we’ve done the likes of the Royal Albert Hall in London and the Montreal Bell Centre in Quebec –we played to about 10,000 people there.”

Indeed TAPFS has become rather well acquainted with the larger venues as their success has rocketed.

“During the last ten years it has become basically an arena touring band.

“It is the full Pink Floyd Show.” It may be too late to see the real

thing but The Australian Pink Floyd Show doesn’t sound like a half-bad alternative, not by a long way…

Don’t miss The Australian Pink Floyd Show at Hammersmith Apollo on 24 March.

Peeling back the IronBark of Aussie theatre in the UKn Nicola Samer is the Australian theatre director bringing fresh Aussie drama to the London stage. The co-founder of the exciting new theatre production company IronBark, spoke to BIANCA SOLDANI about promoting the work of Australian playwrights in the UK, her experience of the London theatre scene so far and her latest undertaking, Ruben Guthrie.

masterpiece about the others’ country.“I think playwrights and theatre

audiences respond to ideas which although are essentially interesting, also have heart and aren’t just a gimmick. I think it’s a testament to all involved that when the pieces were performed in the pouring rain at Latitude Festival there was even a sustained crowd at all!”

IronBark’s next big project is to launch an ‘Australian Theatre Festival’.

“Our aim is to create an event which will see the culmination of Australian work programmed across a centralised London venue to promote and produce plays, live work, music, readings, poetry and exhibit Art.

“A festival to celebrate the diversity of a country so far away and yet so familiar to the British public.”

Nicola comments on the unique experience of theatre in London, saying it provides a “fantastic cross section of genres and an abundance of international work”. She reveals that what she likes most about the London scene is the fact that on any given day, there is always something to see - and that it’s very accessible.

“Theatre in the UK isn’t for an elitist audience, it specifically aims to include and embrace cross-sections of the community and can cost the same as a cinema ticket.”

To read the full interview please visit AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment

NICOLA Samer’s latest theatrical endeavour is the internationally celebrated play Ruben Guthrie, a shocking but dizzyingly funny comedy by Australian actor and playwright Brendan Cowell.

“Ruben Guthrie is a comedy about a guy trying to reconcile his world and his place within it,” Nicola told Australian Times. “He could be any one of us - he’s an individual who finds himself answerable for his relationships with alcohol, drugs and those nearest and dearest to him. He’s trying to find his voice amongst the chaos of a world in which he’s essentially an alien. But aren’t we all?”

An advocate for Australian theatrical writing, Nicola’s production company IronBark - launched in 2010 - was inspired by a desire to have the voices of talented Aussies heard in the UK.

“Although there are many theatres who program Australian work and organisations who support the international arts, there didn’t seem to be any one company whose remit focused on promoting and producing Aussie work.”

And so IronBark was born. A particularly interesting initiative the company undertakes is the “Theatre Ashes”, a creative adaptation of the infamous cricketing competition. It involves three Australian and three British playwrights who go head-to-head to create a winning 10-minute

13 March - 19 March 201210 | Traveltravel

ON THE MAP

This week we’re putting

dublin

MY husband and I took advantage of the final public holiday of the summer and spent a long weekend in Dublin last year. We flew with Aer Lingus; the cabin crew greeted us with ‘good morning’ spoken in the lilting Irish accent, and classical music played softly as we took our seats. The pilot’s voice crackled over the intercom, informing us that it was ‘A rather pleasant tir-teen degrees in Dublin’. That’s summer in Ireland for you.

We went straight to O’Connell Street, Dublin’s main thoroughfare. You don’t have to look far to ascertain

that you are in Ireland – the pillar boxes are not red but a sedate shade of green and we spotted shamrocks decorating the street lamps. Street signs provide both the Irish and English, which is handy as you can’t get by just pronouncing the Irish phonetically, for example ‘Dan Laoghaire’ is pronounced ‘Dan Leery’.

Up the DubsO’Connell Street is home to The Spire of Dublin, a 398ft stainless steel spike that looks like it is waiting to receive a

In Dublin’s fair city, where the girls are so pretty

n It’s St Patrick’s Day this Saturday and in honour of the Irish (now global) celebration of Guinness, leprechauns and clovers, NINA McGRATH recounts her visit to the Emerald Isle.

receipt the size of a city block. The Spire is located on the site of, and is a replacement monument for, Nelson’s Pillar which was bombed by former IRA members in 1966. This bombing inspired (amongst other things) the folk song ‘Up Went Nelson’ by The Go Lucky Four, which maintained the number one spot on the Irish music charts for eight consecutive weeks.

O’Connell Street is also home to the General Post Office, where we posted postcards in the aptly titled ‘All Places Except Dublin’ slot. During the Easter Rising of 1916, the GPO served as the headquarters of the uprising’s leaders and was extensively damaged in the assault by the British forces. It was repaired years later when the Irish Free State government came into power, but bullet holes can still be seen on some of the original columns. The leaders of the Rising didn’t fare so well, they were court-martialled and executed.

‘Black’ nectar of the gods

We crossed the Liffey River via the Ha’penny Bridge (so named as this was the toll once charged to cross it) and wandered through the narrow cobbled streets of Temple Bar. We were keen to find a pub and see if there was any truth in the rumour that Guinness tastes different in Ireland. There certainly is, the delicious dark

pint I sampled in Temple Bar was a world away from the bitter brew I had tried on St Patrick’s Day back in Oz, or the can I had grabbed at the off-licence last St Patrick’s Day in London to make ‘black velvet’ (Guinness and champagne). A further surprise was how well Guinness complements oysters.

Our newly discovered taste for Guinness inspired us to visit the Guinness Storehouse and make the seven floor ascent of the pint shaped building. The Guinness brewery business was founded by Arthur Guinness. A somewhat far sighted fellow, he took a 9,000 year lease on the 4-acre brewery at St. James’s Gate for an annual rent of £45.

We had visited the Heineken Brewery in Amsterdam earlier in the year so were familiar with the ingredients and process of brewing beer. Guinness differs in that roasted barley is used, giving a distinctive colour (ruby red, not black as we are shown by holding the glass up to the light) and burnt aftertaste. Nothing quite awakens a craving for Guinness like learning how it is made while breathing in the sweet, malty scent this produces. Thankfully we didn’t have to wait until the seventh floor to taste the Guinness, instead sampling it in the tasting lab on the first floor. We had a laugh at the Guinness advertising, had a go at pouring the perfect pint and finally arrived at to

Travel | 11AustralianTimes.co.uk

the head of the pint, the Gravity Bar, where we sipped Guinness while taking in 360 degree views of the Irish capital. It has to be one of the most scenic bars in the world, let alone Dublin.

The ghosts of Irish past

Our next stop was Trinity College Dublin, Ireland’s oldest University. Amongst the graduates are writers Jonathan Swift, Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, scientist Ernest Walton (Nobel Laureate in Physics), three Presidents of Ireland and even a Premier of New Zealand.

We took a walking tour of the campus and strolled around taking in the art, architecture and tall tales. At the sculpture of George Salmon, the provost of the College from 1888 to 1904, we were told that Salmon fought bitterly to keep women out of the College, threatening to admit them ‘over my dead body’. He fulfilled this promise by dropping dead shortly after the College was finally open to female students. To add insult to injury his statue is dressed in women’s clothes one day a year. Bram Stoker, author of Dracula studied at Trinity College and we’re told of the ghost of a professor that haunts one of the residences. A group of disgruntled students were throwing rocks at his window and he retaliated by sticking his rifle out the window and letting off a couple of shots. The students scattered, but soon returned with their own firearms and a gunfight ensued in which the Professor was killed. The incident was deemed a prank that spiralled out of control and the students were

not punished. In protest, the Professor haunts the residence to this day.

We strolled through the atmospheric Trinity College Library. A dark wooden ceiling arches high over the vast hall which is lined on both sides by both a ground and mezzanine level containing rows of wooden bookshelves marked with gold lettering. Marble busts of College alumni guard the ends of the ground floor rows. The library is unusual in that the books were arranged by height; wooden ladders are built in to allow the librarians to reach the smaller books on the highest shelves. The result is aesthetically pleasing, but must make it difficult to locate the books. One book that is easy to find is the Book of Kells, an elaborately decorated Latin manuscript of the four gospels which was produced early in the 9th century by the monks of Iona. The book is magnificent; the pages are so much more than mere lines of text. Meticulously copied by hand and embellished with richly coloured historiated initials (the enlarged letter at the beginning of a section of text, which contains a picture) and other miniatures. The full page illustrations are breath-taking.

Irish eyes are smiling

I was keen to see the statue of Molly Malone, whom I knew from the song on one of my Dad’s records by The Fureys which had the following lyrics:

In Dublin’s fair city, Where the girls are so pretty,

I first laid my eyes onsweet Molly Malone.

She wheeled her wheelbarrowThrough streets wide and narrow,

Crying ‘cockles and mussels, alive,alive-o’

I was quite shocked to hear her described as ‘the tart with the cart’ or ‘the trollop with the scallops’ (amongst other unpublishable epithets). It turns out that the song fails to mention that Molly moonlighted as a lady of the night.

We caught the bus to Howth, and worked up an appetite walking through the heather and gorse, and avoiding the prickly blackberry bushes on the climb to Howth Summit. We took in the view whilst being buffeted about by the wind and then walked back to Howth Harbour for a delicious fresh seafood lunch accompanied of course by a pint of Guinness.

It was amongst the rhododendrons on Howth Head that Leopold Bloom proposed to Molly Bloom in James Joyce’s book Ulysses (eager Molly said yes seven times). It would be interesting to spend 16 June in Dublin as this is Bloomsday, when the life of Irish writer James Joyce is celebrated. This involves enthusiasts dressing in Edwardian costume and retracting the route taken by character Leopold Bloom in Joyce’s novel Ulysses, for example stopping at Davy Byrne’s pub on Duke Street for a glass of burgundy and a Gorgonzola sandwich. The pub still exists and does a roaring trade in Gorgonzola sandwiches all year, but particularly on 16 June.

Of course, it would be wonderful to spend 17 March (St Patrick’s Day) in the fair Irish city too. But that’s another story...

AustralianTimes.co.uk/travel

13 March - 19 March 201212 | Travel

This week’s top Travel Deals

More great travel deals on AustralianTimes.co.uk/travel

Contiki are offering huge last minute savings on a range of European tours starting in

March and April. Get your coffee fix in Italy with the Simply Italy tour, discover the best

of Europe and Egypt on the Ultimate Europe tour or tick those must sees off your list

with the European Magic tour. Contiki’s Magic tour takes travellers on a whirlwind

tour of seven countries in nine days, taking you through the most iconic destinations

Europe has to offer. It goes through France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, the

Netherlands, Belgium (in transit) and Austria. Depart 17 March for £660, saving £165

off the original price. Price includes accommodation and some meals.

For more information and other last minute deals visit contiki.com/lates

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INCREDIBLE INDIA

Celebrate St Patrick’s Day in true Irish style and raise your glass with the locals on

TopDeck’s Dublin tour. TopDeck are offering a four day tour of the Irish capital this

March. So pack your bags and experience the St Patrick’s Day parade in person this

year. Guided walking tours of Dublin are included plus plenty of free time to roam the

city on your own and soak up the atmosphere. Prepare to sing and dance and party

into the wee hours! Prices from £189, departing 15 March.

For more information visit topdeck.travel/street-festival-trips/st-patricks-

day-htsp/dublin-2012-trip

ST PATRICK’S DAY TOURS

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Jobs & Money | 13AustralianTimes.co.uk

In the light of the recent recommendation by the Migration Advisory

Committee (MAC), the annual limit will in all probability stay at its current level.

The MAC recently recommended that the annual limit should remain unchanged for the new financial year, starting April 2012. The MAC further said that although the current Tier 2 limit is undersubscribed, they recognises that cutting it may affect the perception of the UK as an attractive place to do business.

When the annual limit on the number of Certificates of Sponsorship for Tier 2 workers came into effect on 6 April 2011, 20,700 certificates were made available for the first year. In April 2011, 4,200 certificate of sponsorship were made available and thereafter a monthly allocation of 1,500 places. Unused places are rolled over to the next month.

This lead to a rollover of Tier 2 sponsorship certificates that is getting bigger every month, and according to the latest information from the UK Home Office there are 12,441 sponsorship certificates available for allocation in March 2012!

This is thus a golden opportunity for employers and employees, interested in the Tier 2 scheme!

With all the proposed immigration changes in the pipeline, especially those affecting Tier 2

workers, do you foresee a change in the annual limit imposed on the Tier 2 worker category?

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THE Australian Dollar started off strong Monday the 5th - trading at 1.474 to the British Pound, and 1.228 to the Euro.

What followed thereafter was a sharp decline to the region of 1.487 against the Pound on Tuesday ahead of the Greek bond swap deal as investors shied away from risky assets, turning instead to faithful stalwarts such as the US Dollar and Sterling. Late Tuesday trading saw the Aussie briefly hit the 1.493 region before spending the next two days in limbo between ranges of 1.495 and 1.487- disclosing investor sheepishness.

Friday saw the release of all the long awaited news and data that the financial world had been anticipating. First off was the release of the Aussie balance of trade, which reflected a deficit of $673 million in January (adjusted). The news was shrugged off by analysts, who laid the blame at the foot of the Chinese new year, which reportedly had the effect of decreasing

Mixed emotions over Eurozone restructuringChinese demand for Aussie exports. Questions remain, however, regarding the Aussie reliance on the mining sector, which has the ability to be affected by such externalities.

Last, but certainly not least, was the release of the results of the Greek bond swap which took place on Thursday night. The end result was positive as the required amount of subscribers to Greek debt agreed to the deal, which has the effect of substantially slashing Greece’s debt burden- avoiding the risk of default by the Euro nation.

GBP/AUD: 1.488EUR/AUD: 1.244AUD/USD: 1.052AUD/NZD: 1.286Exchange rates as of 08H30, 12th March 2012

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BIZARRO world. That is probably the only way to possibly to describe the past weekend’s events, although considering it’s still only March, let’s not get too carried away. It must be said though, when Richmond plays a game of footy against Geelong, be it at home or on the Cats dung heap, the Tigers will try valiantly for the first few minutes before spending the rest of the match picking up their pants. Not the case in the ‘alternate universe cup’ though! Nope, the reigning premiers looked nothing short of a rabble as they were given a lesson by the yellow and black. A statement that may have to be traced back to the last millennium as to when it was last muttered. Another weirdo result was the Crows totally smashing the Pies. Again, had this match actually meant something; some South

The weird and wonderful world of ‘lukewarm’ footyBy Will Denton Aussies might have bothered to

show up. Have to mention the AFL’s new boys - the Giants - got their first official win over the AFL’s (slightly older but not by much) new boys the Suns. This game was played somewhere that no one actually knows. Teams were given a hand drawn map a few hours before bounce down with instructions on how to get to the ground. This was the official reason as to why several players ended up at an illegal warehouse rave in Western Sydney.

So after 3 weeks of runarounds, and a ranking system that requires a PhD in calculus, the Crows and the Eagles will play off in the final and will give 110% showing how much they don’t care about it. One more week of lukewarm footy to go! And then bring on the good stuff.


THE RUBDOWN

THERE was little to choose between the London Broncos and the Castleford Tigers in the first half hour on Saturday but a stirring second half performance from the home side saw them rack up 20 points while conceding just a solitary try.

Michael Witt and Craig Gower gelled in an Australian combination at half back and were a constant threat and the final quarter saw the whole team playing with confidence as that first victory drew ever closer.

The Broncos began in positive fashion, racing into a 10-0 lead in as many minutes. David Howell grabbed the first from a long pass from dummy half by Chad Randall after they had forced a goal line drop out. Randall then charged down a kick, regathered and fed Chris Bailey who raced to the line. However, the Tigers came roaring back. Antonio Kaufusi knocked on from the re-start and the ensuing scrum saw the ball whipped along the visitors’ back line before Aussie terror Nick Youngquest squeezed over in the corner.

Kirk Dixon converted from the touchline and soon after Kaufusi was forced off with a hamstring injury. As the game progressed both sides had their chances but failed to take them. Then, midway through the first term, a forward pass gave the Tigers a good attacking position in the Broncos’

Aussie Broncos notch first Super League winn The London Broncos finally got their first win of the season with an eight-try demolition of Castleford.

BRONCO STAMPEDE: The London Broncos secured the first win of their Super League season trouncing the Castleford Tigers 42-16. (Image by Gary Baker)

half. They took full advantage with Dixon taking a pass from Rangi Chase to score and he converted to give the visitors a 12-10 lead.

The Tigers, thanks to errors and indiscipline from the home side, began to threaten once again and it took a superb tackle from Luke Dorn to deny Youngquest after a brilliant break from Rangi Chase. As the final minutes of the half started to tick down, young Castleford hooker Daryl Clark broke from deep but lost the ball when being tackled and Gower raced through a gap in the visitors’ defence to score. Witt’s conversion gave the London boys the lead and just before the break, the Broncos struck again, with Dorn tapping back a bomb from Witt which Matt Cook seized on to score. Witt’s conversion gave them a 10 point lead going into the interval (22-12) but the visitors struck first in the second half when Ryan McGoldrick crashed over after heavy pressure on the home defence following a penalty and a goal line drop out.

This was as close as the Tigers would get for the rest of the match. Danny Orr failed to appear after half time thanks to an injury so Castleford’s attacking options rested squarely on the shoulders of New Zealand harrier Chase.

They were still able to put the Broncos under pressure but the home defence held firm and once in the opposition half

they began to play with real confidence. Midway through the half they increased their lead when Michael Robertson batted down a Witt bomb to Dan Sarginson, who showed great strength in forcing his way over the line despite the attention of two defenders.

With the Broncos firmly in the driving seat, Jason Golden touched down after a fine break by Gower and then Chris Melling came in at pace on a great angle to take a short pass from Witt to touchdown. Howell wrapped things up by finishing off a break by Witt who finished with five conversions. The Broncos winning 42-16.

Broncos coach Rob Powell was clearly delighted with the first win of the season but refused to get carried away.

“We know we have been playing better than to have lost all those games, especially the home games,” Powell said. “We’ve talked about this. We got our rewards today and played well. We’ll get confidence out of this especially our defence in the first 20 minutes of the second half and offensively we know we are a team that’s challenging now and opposition teams will look at us differently.”

The London Broncos next play Wigan Warriors away on Sunday 18 March.

Weekend to forget for Schwarzer and WilliamsAUSTRALIAN Rhys Williams has returned to his English Championship League side Middlesbrough following suspension, only to leave the pitch injured during a 2-0 loss to Leeds United.

Following two first-half goals from Leeds on Sunday, Williams produced his side’s best attempt with a bullet header in the 53rd minute which went just wide of the post.

A short time later the Australian international was involved in a clash with Leeds striker Luciano Becchio.

Despite attempts to play on, a struggling Williams was substituted for his injury in the 63rd minute.

The West Australian midfielder missed

his side’s 2-0 victory over Barnsley on Tuesday after being suspended last Saturday for a second bookable offence in a match against Portsmouth.

Boro remain in fourth position on the ladder after Sunday’s home-ground loss.

In English Premier League an uncharacteristic fumble by Socceroos keeper Mark Schwarzer saw Fulham concede a 1-0 loss to Aston Villa on Saturday.

The Aussie saved a attempt by Gary Gardner in the final minutes of play but failed to hold the ball, allowing substitute Andreas Weimann to find the net with a well-directed right foot shot, producing Villa’s first home win

in four months.Fulham remain in 10th place on the

Premier League table. - AAP

Sport | 15AustralianTimes.co.uk



team and much will be revealed when the cars hit the track for practice on Friday.

“We’ve managed to tick most of the boxes that we wanted,” Horner told ESPN.

“Of course you never know what your opponents are up to and there’s quite a bit of gamesmanship that goes on at this time of year.

“But we’ll soon know ... where the pecking order is.”

Webber won just one GP last season - the final race in Brazil - while teammate Vettel swept to 11 victories and a landslide drivers’ championship victory.

Now 35, Webber has seven career

Red Bull confident in new F1 carGP wins and status, but time would appear to be running out if he wants to fulfill his dreams of winning in Australia.

He faces his toughest battles this season from within, as Vettel should remain the sport’s dominant force if the RB8 rolls out of the box with speed.

And young Australian Daniel Ricciardo is auditioning as perhaps Webber’s long-term replacement, driving this season with Red Bull’s B-team Toro Rosso.

Helping Webber’s cause will be changes to tyres - his biggest source of on-track problems last year.

Manufacturer Pirelli has made its dry weather tyres softer and attempted to narrow the gaps in life between its

four compounds - great news for Webber who struggled badly with tyre life last year.

In Melbourne, drivers will be able to choose between medium and soft compounds for their dry tyres.

Horner sees McLaren’s Jenson Button as the biggest threat to Red Bull this season.

McLaren showed big improvement in pre-season testing and rival drivers also suggest they and Red Bull are the teams to beat.

Crews have started to assemble in Melbourne for the GP, with the majority to arrive on Tuesday and Wednesday. - AAP


AustralianTimes.co.uk/sportAustralianTimes.co.uk/sport

0.21s in her wake.Uncharacteristically sluggish out of

the blocks in her semi-final, Pearson was back to her best with a 0.136 start reaction time as she powered away to win the final in 7.73 seconds - the equal fourth fastest of all-time to win from Porter and Belarusian Alina Talay (7.97).

“I am so excited. I was so nervous for that race. I was nervous but I want to stay calm. I didn’t want to jump the start. My semi-final was yuk. I hated it. I’m glad that I won in a good time,” said Pearson.

Beijing Olympic silver medallist Pearson added the world indoor title to her 2011 world championship (outdoor) crown and 2010 Commonwealth title and now turns full focus to Olympic gold in London.

“World indoor was my main priority this ‘winter’ season,” said Pearson. “Now I have 10 days off before starting to train again.

“I’ve never done a world indoors before and I really wanted to do it.”

“I felt the pressure but I was in fantastic shape. And I was ready.

Pearson’s time fell short of Susanna Kallur’s world record of 7.68s with Swede Ludmilla Engquist 7.69 and American Lolo Jones 7.72s the only others faster.

Coincidentally, Pearson is also the fourth fastest ever outdoors over the longer 100m hurdles.

Pearson’s brilliance helped inspire countryman Henry Frayne to a silver medal in the long jump with an Australian indoor record 8.23m leap,

Aussie Olympic hopes taking shape

just missing the gold in a countback to Brazil’s Mauro Da Silva.

Australia’s best triple jumper, Frayne opened with an 8.17m leap but then had three fouls followed by a 7.89 to be lying third behind Da Souza’s 8.23.

“I was feeling a bit flat and started to think I had spent all my bikkies with the 8.17m in the first round,” said Frayne.

“Then I saw Sally run. She timed it well. She did a run-by just before I was about to go. Then I had the crowd all to myself. It was the perfect combination to pull a jump out of a tired body.”

Frayne soared 8.23m, matching the Brazilian and securing the silver.

Named in the Olympic team in both long and triple jumps, Frayne declared: “I’m still a triple jumper who long jumps and that’s the way my training is going to stay.”

Australia’s men’s long jumping stocks continue to appreciate with Frayne the latest to enjoy success

under the guidance of Gary Bourne.The Queensland coach with the

midas touch can lay claim to the success of two-time world outdoor champion Mitchell Watt, Australian women’s record holder Bronwyn Thompson and also guided the early career of Sydney Olympic silver medallist Jai Taurima.

American Ashton Eaton set the second world record of the competition with a dominant performance in the heptathlon, breaking his own standard with 6645 points.

Kiwi Valerie Adams regained the world title she lost in 2010 in the shot put. - AAP

two Twenty20 matches and three Tests, completes a hectic nine-month period for the Australians after visits to Sri Lanka and South Africa were followed by a six-Test summer and the one-day tri-series which only finished with an Australian victory in Adelaide last Thursday.

While some have expressed concern that the gruelling schedule could leave the Australians fatigued and vulnerable to a fresh West Indies line-up, former Queensland player Nash believes it’s likely to prove the opposite.

He says their match sharpness could be a key early given the West Indies last played together in a one-dayer against India in Chennai in December.

“The Aussies will have the edge

having just recently played in a tough 50 overs competition and the West Indies team haven’t played much 50 overs for a little while,” Nash told AAP.

The 34-year-old Nash, who is still hoping to add to his 21 Test caps for the Windies in the upcoming Australian series, also feels the tour will be a big one for the hosts’ skipper Darren Sammy.

“Sammy as a captain is still developing his skills in this department,” Nash said of the allrounder who took over as captain in October 2010.

“It will be a tough challenge for him as he has a relatively inexperienced side, especially the batting, and the Aussies love to pressure the captain on and off the field.”

Watson said on his Australian

squad’s arrival that the first hurdle will be overcoming the 30-plus hours of travelling to get to St Vincent.

“In the end that’s the most important thing, to make sure we recover from our flight and make the most of the next couple of days to make sure we’re ready for the first game on Friday,” Watson told reporters.

“We’ve just come off a big series in Australia so hopefully we can continue that form that we’ve shown throughout that one-day series and bring it into the games against the West Indies.”

Australia are likely to get their first look at the Arnos Vale Cricket Ground, which will host the first three ODI matches, on Tuesday. - AAP

Windies wary of Watson’s Australia




COUNTDOWN TO THE LONDON OLYMPICS 136 days to go

WEST Coast skipper Darren Glass says it would be nice to win the pre-season final, but insists round one of the AFL campaign remains far more important.

The Eagles battle for the NAB Cup against the Crows in Adelaide on Saturday night.

But Glass’s priority is the round one encounter against the Bulldogs on 1 April.

“We’d love to win it, there’s no doubt about that, but the aim and the purpose is to prepare for round one,” Glass said on Monday.

“If some players can draw some experience from (a pre-season final), then, good.

“But it’s not crucial to where we’re going.”

West Coast also played off in the 2005 pre-season final - a loss to Carlton - with the experience helping the group reach the premiership decider against Sydney later that year.

But Glass said pre-season success didn’t necessarily translate into the season proper.

The skipper was rested from last weekend’s win over St Kilda and is likely to join Shannon Hurn as key inclusions against Adelaide.

Midfielders Andrew Embley (shoulder), Luke Shuey (ankle) and Andrew Gaff (groin) are also chances to return, but ruckman Dean Cox could be

Eagles not fazed by pre-season success

rested for the first time this pre-season despite silverware being up for grabs.

“None of the boys like missing games, we all like to play,” Glass said when asked about Cox’s chances.

“But I think he’s very comfortable with the preparation he’s had.

“He’s trained well all summer. He’s obviously playing some great footy now.

“I don’t think he’ll be fazed either way.”

Forwards Quinten Lynch (hamstring) and Josh Kennedy (foot) aren’t expected to play this weekend.

But defender Eric Mackenzie, who was knocked out while attempting a smother against the Saints, remains a chance to take on the Crows after recovering well from the incident. - AAP

TAG YOUR ALLEGIANCE: Tag Rugby World Cup trials held at Balham.

WITH the last of the Late Winter finals taking place last week at Borough & Rotherhithe, there was a golden point extra time final and a major upset on the cards.

The Borough Mixed final was played out between Scrum & Coke and Garlic Breed. The two sides met in regular competition earlier in the rounds (on 20 February) with Scrum & Coke walking away with a 13-12 win. The final didn’t disappoint and went right down to the wire again! This time around - the scores were locked at 11 all at the final whistle but Scrum & Coke secured a 12-11 victory after being the first team to score in golden point extra time! Aurora Albert from Garlic Breed was awarded player of the tournament.

Over at Rotherhithe defending champions, Finished Roving Your Mum hadn’t lost a match all year. Saints & Taggers produced their best performance of the season with a convincing 14-8 victory over the mighty Finished Roving Your Mum to the shock of all spectators. Saints & Taggers’ Estelle Alley was named player of the tournament.

In other news, the third of four Great Britain & Ireland World Cup

Last chance for Tag Rugby World Cup Selection

By Phillip Browne open trials took place last Sunday at Balham. The last open trial to take place will be on Sunday 18 March at Tooting Bec Common, Balham with any Australians eligible for Great Britain & Ireland welcome to attend. All World Cup open trial details can be found at Trytagrugby.com

With the Spring season now in full swing; a record breaking 94 teams are now registered! The previous record amount of teams taking part in Tag Rugby competitions across London was 91 last summer. If you would like to get involved in one of the fastest growing sports in London, there is still limited space available at the following competitions; Highbury (Mon) - Males, Southfields (Tues) – Females, Highbury/Kingsbury (Thurs) – Males/Females.

New individual registrations are welcome as 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, go to www.trytagrugby.com or email [email protected] for more details.

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TAG A WORLD CUP SPOT Final chance to get into the Tag Rugby World Cup

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Aussies have edge on Windies: Nash

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EVERGREEN Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is targeting a slice of World Cup history after reiterating his desire to carry on for Australia until Brazil 2014.

The Fulham keeper turns 40 in October but wants to continue playing for at least another two seasons as he eyes an international swan song in South America.

Should Schwarzer make it to Brazil, he would become

AUSTRALIA cricket captain Michael Clarke hopes to miss just one limited-overs international due to his leg muscle injury.

Clarke said scans on Monday returned “good news” by revealing just a slight strain to his right hamstring.

“I have a grade one hamstring strain so will be out of Friday’s game,” Clarke posted on Twitter.Australia will be forced to name a

MANLY coach Geoff Toovey says Brett Stewart is leaps and bounds ahead of where his fitness was at this point last season and he expects the NRL will see the best of the star fullback in 2012 following an injury-free preparation.

Stewart, who missed the 2009 and 2010 seasons with successive knee injuries that threatened his career, returned in a big way last

Ponting could be captain again

Stewart nearly back to best: Toovey

FORMER Australian captain Ian Chappell has never been one to mince words. And he’s now come out firing about the polarising ‘switch hit’ technique, which David Warner pulled off with aplomb in Australia’s recent T20 win over India.

“I think I wrote it first in the 1990s, early 1990s, that it’s ridiculous,” Chappell told Australian Times. “I mean it’s a terrific skill but can someone explain to me how it’s fair? If the bowler has got to tell you which way he is bowling - over the wicket, round the wicket, right arm, left arm - how can it be fair if he then places a fielder for a left hand batsmen and just as he’s about to deliver the ball, the batter becomes a right hander.

Chappell said he “admires” the skill of the technique but has called for balance to be maintained.

“There’s a thing called balance between bat and ball and to me that’s the most important thing that administrators have got to do – to keep that balance pretty even. Now if I was playing the game and someone did that [switch hit], I know exactly what I would be doing. I’d make it known that I’m very unhappy about it and I think it’s unfair. And I’d do something to try and get it changed. I’m not in any doubt at all, sure it’s very skilful, but no way in the wide world is it fair.”

The cricket legend and now television commentator said he’s impressed with the Australian team at the moment but he’s not sure if they’re back to their world beating best.

“Australia have certainly found a pace attack during this summer and they’ve been well captained and that’s the way to turn things around quite quickly. That’s not to say they still

CHAPPELL SAYS SWITCH HIT IS ‘RIDICULOUS’n Australian cricket legend blasts cricket’s ‘unfair’ switch hit technique and says Australia still has a way to go to before reclaiming top Test team status

By Tim Martin

don’t have some flaws there which I’m sure they’d like to fix up, some of the top order batting leaves a bit to be desired and I’m sure they’d like to see some young batsmen coming through but it’s a hell of a lot better than it was 12 months ago.”

Yet he wouldn’t go so far as to say Australian cricket was entering a new golden age.

“No. No I wouldn’t say that. Certainly – our bowling, it’s very good, very strong. You are going to

have next summer, if they all get fit, nine or 10 guys who have all played a bit of international cricket with a bit of success and all looking to be in the Test side which is a very good thing.

“But I don’t see a batting lineup at the moment. If you look at some of the heavy lifting in the Test series against India, apart from Warner, a lot of the heavy lifting was done by [Michael] Clarke, by [Ricky] Ponting and by [Michael] Hussey.”

And Chappell agrees that Australia

have to reinvest in youth for the future. “Australian cricket has got to get

back to finding young batsmen who are good enough for first class cricket and ready for first class cricket at age 18. And that’s when you start to get a few guys coming into the Test side at age 20-21-22. Ponting and Clarke both came in at around that age and you’ve got to have those guys feeding through and I don’t see those guys at

AUSTRALIA AGAINST ENGLAND The road to London starts now | P15

Schwarzer closes in on World Cup history

Webber looking for first F1 home winRED Bull Racing boss Christian Horner is confident Mark Webber will have a car capable of winning his home grand prix for the first time on Sunday.

Horner is happy with how the new RB8 has progressed in testing, giving Webber every chance of beating his best result at Albert Park.

Webber placed fifth in 2002, 2005 and again last year as teammate Sebastian Vettel won the race en route to a second world championship.

Some late aerodynamic tweaking in official testing - particularly an exhaust moved as far forward as possible - has added speed to F1’s benchmark

SALLY PEARSON enters the countdown to her quest for London Olympic glory with confidence sky high after demolishing the field to win the 60m hurdles at the world indoor championships.

The 25-year-old Australian produced the most dominant hurdling display in the history of the championships in Istanbul on Saturday, leaving American-turned-Brit Tiffany Porter trailing

THE Australian cricketers’ gruelling home summer could give them an edge on their tour of the Caribbean, according to former West Indies vice-captain Brendan Nash.

The Australians, under stand-in captain Shane Watson, arrived on Saturday in the tiny Leeward Islands nation of St Vincent, where the series gets underway with the first of five one-day internationals on Friday.

The tour, which also features


MELBOURNE Storm skipper Cameron Smith says other sports view rugby league’s mid-season signings as a “joke” and is united with his coach Craig Bellamy supporting calls for an NRL draft.

The situation has come to a head again just two weeks into the 2012 season after St George Illawarra star Beau Scott revealed he’d signed a four-year deal to join his former coach Wayne Bennett at Newcastle from 2013.

Bennett described the current signings process as “diabolical” and said the Knights were only doing the same as every other NRL club.

South Sydney chief executive Shane Richardson and his Canterbury counterpart Todd Greenberg both called for the NRL to again review the possibility of a player draft.

Kangaroos captain-in-waiting Smith and Bellamy said it was the only way to go.

“I think we need to bring a draft in, it’s fair for everyone,” said Smith after Sunday night’s 24-10 win over South Sydney.

“In other sports it’s spoken about as a bit of a joke the way we sign players mid-season and they’ve got to play a whole competition season knowing they’re going to be leaving in the next year.”

The draft concept was crushed back in 1991 when Terry Hill challenged the system in the High Court as a restraint of trade after he was drafted by Eastern Suburbs.

Bellamy said he’d long believed the draft, which is successfully used by the AFL, was a good idea.

Last year Bellamy’s Storm centre Beau Champion signed with Gold Coast in May, with months of the season to run.

“I think we should have a draft, I’ve thought that for a long time,” he said.

“We’re about evening out the game and that’s one way of doing it.

DRAFT SYSTEM FOR THE NRL?n Heavyweights call for AFL-style draft system to replace rugby league’s ‘diabolical joke’

“I know there’s some negatives to it as well with guys brought up in one area having to go somewhere else and play.

“But at the same time I think guys going to another club, when they have to play the whole year or half the year at the club they’re at before they leave, I don’t think that’s good for our game.

“It’s what we’ve been used to for so

long and I think we’re a bit blase.“I suppose this Beau Scott thing has

brought it up again.“I’ve always been a fan of the draft.

It’s not my decision but that’s my opinion.”

Meanwhile in other NRL results from the weekend the Sea Eagles beat the Tigers 22-18, the Cowboys beat the

Broncos 28-26, the Raiders downed the Titans 24-12, the Bulldogs smashed the Dragons 30-4, the Knights beat the Sharks 18-6, the Panthers kept the Roosters scoreless 18-0 and the Warriors overcame the Eels 36-20. - AAP

Flying high for the NAB Cup final | P15EAGLES V CROWS

AAP IMAGE/JAMES ELSBY

australian times weekly newspaper | 13 march 2012

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