australian times weekly newspaper | 3 april 2012

SPORT P14VOICES P5 TRAVEL P9

3 April - 9 April 2012– Issue: 406

Wizards of AusAFL talent on display in the UK

Sounds of thenRemembering Gallipoli,

Turkish style

A sunga summer

Will you join the revolution?

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Bob Carr hails Burma vote as big step forward AUSTRALIA has hailed Burma’s by-elections as a big step forward and now looks likely to further ease its sanctions against the troubled nation.

Burma’s long-suffering opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party appear to have won decisive victories in parliamentary polls at the weekend.

The veteran activist’s election to political office - after spending most of the last 22 years under house arrest - is the most dramatic signal yet that Burma is serious about democratic reform after decades of strict military rule.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr hailed the voting as a substantial step forward.

“Some irregularities have been alleged but nothing that would have

...continued on p3

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LANDSLIDE LOSS LOOMSFOR LABOR AND GILLARDn Julia Gillard’s government is now at the same level of unpopularity which swept her Queensland Labor colleagues from office and the carbon tax issue is not helpingCABINET MINISTER Greg Combet admits the Gillard government has some convincing to do on the carbon tax as a new opinion poll shows support for Labor has dropped to near-record lows.

Its primary vote has slumped seven points to 27 per cent in the latest Nielsen poll, published in Fairfax newspapers around Australia on Monday.

After preferences, the coalition leads Labor 57-43 per cent.

The poll also shows six out of 10 voters remain opposed to the carbon tax. Only 36 per cent are in favour.

Mr Combet admits the government has “plenty of advocacy to do” on the carbon tax, which starts on 1 July.

But he says polls aren’t the only driving factor for the government.

“You’d be the first to tell us that everything can’t be run by opinion polls,” he told ABC Radio.

It was understandable that some voters were concerned, given the tough economic conditions, the opposition’s relentless attacks on Labor and the government’s large reform agenda.

“I’m also very confident that the government’s got a good strong reform program that is in the interests of the people that we represent,” Mr Combet said.

There were few glimmers of hope for Labor in the poll.

While Labor holds a two-party lead of 51-49 per cent in Victoria, that’s four points down on its performance at the 2010 election.

Mr Abbott’s disapproval rating is at a record high of 56 per cent.

However, he remains ahead of Ms Gillard as preferred prime minister 48 per cent (up one point) to 45 per cent (down a point) with Ms Gillard’s approval rating languishing at 36 per cent.

Nielsen pollster John Stirton says the figures probably reflect the negative media coverage Labor received in the wake of the Queensland election that

swept the Liberal National Party to victory a week ago.

“Labor are in trouble but I wouldn’t be writing them off,” he told ABC radio on Monday.

“I think we need to see the Queensland effect wash out of the numbers before we really know what’s going on.”

That could take up to a month.

Statistically Ms Gillard and Mr Abbott’s personal ratings were identical, Mr Stirton said.

“Tony Abbott’s got his nose ahead as preferred prime minister but again, statistically, they’re tied,” he said.

The carbon price’s unpopularity remains at about the same level since

SOMEBODY THAT THE WORLD NOW KNOWSKimbra braces for global domination | P8

3 April - 9 April 20122 | News

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What’s your view?

On: Why the AFL should take a leaf out of soccer’s bookI agree. The AFL bosses can be overly dictatorial at times. Clubs and players should be allowed to express their feelings, pay homage, etc. to someone or something they feel strongly about. I think they could dtermine what is appropiate so the gesture does not become overused and thus diminishing the gesture

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On: Feeling posh? A Fortnum & Mason visit will do itI walked past this the other day (been in London a week) and thought it was the coolest place I’ve seen....from the outside. Thanks for the article will be sure to venture inside when I have time!

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On: London’s Big Ben may become Elizabeth TowerWhat a shame, old King Clock will have something to say...

David GristFacebook.com/AustralianTimes

On: London’s Big Ben may become Elizabeth TowerI think that it is a good idea because it will mark the queens dimond jubilee, and people will remember this in years to come, yes people may still call it big Ben but in. Most of us we will remember it Elizabeth Tower.

Mike GriggFacebook.com/AustralianTimes

On: London’s Big Ben may become Elizabeth TowerIt’s called St Stephen’s Tower and no one calls it that, so why not Elizabeth’s Tower? Sure we’ll all smile, admire the obligatory naming ceremony; and keep calling it Big Ben as we have done, erroneously, for ages. That said BIG LIZ has a certain ring about it (bit like the BELL CALLED BEN!)

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METLINK’S ticket inspectors latest alleged run-in with a Melbourne commuter (this time for allegedly biting a passenger), has reinforced the overwhelming need for the ailing public transport operator to start addressing the need for prevention rather than pointless attempts at a cure.

A report commissioned by Metlink and released last year stated: “It is clear the authorised officers are perceived poorly within the community, the role is not respected and perceptions are entrenched through negative personal experience.”

A Victorian Ombudsman’s report in 2010 was scathing in its assessment of rogue ticket inspectors, revealing numerous incidents of commuters being assaulted.

Anyone who has ever used the service will be familiar with incidents of a similar ilk.

And anyone who has ever used the service would struggle to argue these inspectors are not ‘perceived poorly’ within the wider community.

The privately owned Metlink estimated in 2008 that one in 10 travellers failed to pay and that fare evasion cost Victorians between $35 million and $40 million in lost revenue.

The Hard Word could not believe more vehemently in the premise that the punishment must fit the crime. Fare evasion is one of the many scourges of society. Too many hard working taxpayers are forever ripped off by, in Melbourne’s case, a majority of people who take it upon themselves

Ticket inspectors mask fundamental problems with Aussie transport system

to take the system for a ride.But there needs to be a greater

emphasis on stopping the problem before it arises, rather than employing cowboys to dish out thousands of $200 fines every year.

I relied on Melbourne’s public transport system for some five years so I consider myself authority enough on the subject to voice my immense displeasure at the way in which the whole system is operated, from the top down.

I was fined on a number of occasions for “failing to produce a valid ticket”. I bought monthly tickets each and every month and over the course of a few years occasionally forgot to buy a new ticket for the next month. I wasn’t after leniency, but to say I was treated unfairly would be selling the experience short.

Many of these men and women are bullies. They thrive on confrontation, enjoy the prospect of using force and believe they’re in possession of powers from a higher being. Many are rude, arrogant and at times volatile. Of course they are forced to deal with twats on a daily basis, but so are police, so are shopkeepers, so are publicans.

Commuters can be forgiven for not respecting a system that is average at best. Constant delays and cancellations are compounded by the fact that in a city of some four million people - trains, trams and buses are terribly infrequent. Ticket machines (when working) are rendered useless by their inability to accept debit cards, and a failure to hand over anything more than $10 dollars in change. Many of them still don’t accept notes altogether! Talk about reasons not to buy a ticket.

But there is light at the end of the

tunnel, albeit on the other side of the world. Transport for London (TfL) is a public body controlled by a board, and organised in three main directorates - London Underground, London Rail, and surface transport, which is responsible for London buses, the city’s road network and the congestion charge among other things.

I’ve relied on this system every day for 12 months and (contrary to British public opinion) find it mostly reliable, clean and convenient. Yes it is expensive, but like anything in life, you get what you pay for.

To get onto a train you can only do so by swiping your Oyster card or travel card at ticket barriers to allow you access to platforms. These gates are manned throughout the day by TfL staff. To get onto a bus you can only do so by swiping in at the door next to the driver. The middle door is only used for passengers exiting the bus. Articulated buses are for this scribe a bit of a nonsense, and were introduced in London but then phased out last year, mainly because of fare evasion. Ticket inspectors in the English capital, are from my experience, polite and friendly. And ticket machines accept debit cards, notes and coins and don’t restrict change making the experience far more seamless.

It all sounds so incredibly simple, so why can’t these few basic steps be implemented across Melbourne’s transport network?

Quasi-police patrolling the city’s network merely accentuate the frustrations of disgruntled and disaffected commuters.

the hard word> NATHAN MOTTON

n Melbourne’s public transport provider should take a leaf out of Transport for London’s book and invest more money in their service, rather than employing bully-boys to roam the city’s trains and trams looking for a fight.

#Matthew Scarlett@AFL_PKeaneMatthew Scarlett can accept 3 matches for striking Hayden Ballantyne.

@DamoMKlol, Scarlett can spend three weeks learning how to not punch like a girl #AFL

@BenWiseMelbGeelong slugger Matthew Scarlett won the bout against Hayden Ballantyne, in the purple corner, on a points decision; 3-2. #AFL#Boxing

@Cornesy12Anybody else feel M Scarlett should get bonus points instead of suspension?

@Ken_SutcliffeIt's not PC but Matthew Scarlett's punch that decked Hayden Ballantyne was so sweet,it belonged in the boxing ring...it was so flush.

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Gillard govt slides further in new pollits announcement, although support varied markedly by political affiliation.

Mr Stirton said the poll numbers showed Labor had not managed to convince people the compensation would be of assistance.

Government frontbencher Craig Emerson acknowledged Labor was going through tough times.

“The good news is that we have a tough leader who is prepared to make decisions in the national interest,” he told Sky News.

The poll result seemed to reflect apprehension about the carbon tax.

But Dr Emerson wasn’t too surprised

by that given similar trends in opinion polls during the introduction of the goods and services tax (GST) in the late 1990s.

“There’s this striking similarity in terms of the GST.

“It was just as unpopular when it was legislated as it was (and) when it was first mooted.

“The truth is, the carbon price’s price effect is less than one-third of that of the GST.” - AAP

Who is your preferred leader for Australia? Tell us now at

Suu Kyi walks tall in Burma

Continued from p1...


affected the outcome,” Senator Carr told reporters on Canberra on Monday.

With many repressive laws still on the books and political prisoners still behind bars, the country still had a long way to go, Senator Carr said.

But he signalled that the government was planning to further ease its sanctions.

“We’ve got to see that there is a promise of continuing reform as well as some authentication that these by-elections have been well and truly robust,” he said.

“We want to go far enough to encourage the government to continue to move and roll out democratisation, but we don’t want to remove all the pressure to do the good work.”

Asked whether he would also consider finally recognising Burma’s official name change to Myanmar, he said, “I’m open-minded about that.”

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop described the elections as a great relief.

“It shows the people of Burma share the aspiration of people the world over - they want to live in freedom and in

peace,” Ms Bishop told AAP.But she said sanctions decisions

should be taken in consultation with other sanctioning nations like the United States.

The Australian Greens said Ms Suu Kyi’s win would bring joy and hope to millions of Burmese.

“Aung San Suu Kyi’s courage and selfless determination, coupled with commitment to non-violence, is turning the tide in Burma,” acting Greens leader Christine Milne said.

But she cautioned Senator Carr against easing sanctions too soon.

Burma’s government has surprised even its harshest critics with a string of bold reforms over the past year.

Former foreign minister Kevin Rudd began easing Australia’s sanctions against the country in response earlier this year.

Suu Kyi was freed from house arrest in November 2010.

A nominally civilian government replaced the long-ruling military junta in March last year but the parliament is still composed mainly of military figures. - AAP

3 April - 9 April 20124 | Voices

Grilled asparagus with black olives and marinated feta


bron inthe don BRONWYN SPENCER

chris’s kitchen

> CHRIS ARK

THE first time I went into Topshop, I was 16 and it was a ‘teenager on holidays’ heaven! Armed with our holiday spending money and lots of London sightseeing behind us, my sister and I managed to spend several hours (and all our money) in this overwhelming multi-story shop nestled on Oxford Street. We came out with our bags full of clothes which we couldn’t get at home and stories of the store that had, like, everything.

Nowadays, Topshop has gone from being my heaven to being my hell. I know that sounds dramatic but I have good reason – Topshop was where I first worked on arrival to London. I managed to get the job through a temp agency and was extremely excited to finally be earning some sterling and doing it in such a fantastic place! My excitement soon turned to exhaustion after my first of many long days of shift work.

Those of you who have been into the store might understand how exhausting and overwhelming it is to shop there. With its several levels of clothing including, shoes, accessories, vintage area, specialty pieces often by celebrities, denim section as well as the beauty parlor, EAT café, personal shopping, information desk and yes sometimes even a DJ – there is just SO much going on in the store.

While all this was going on it was

Heaven and hell in Topshopn It may be surprising to find a specific British high street store on London’s Top 100 list instead of ‘Shopping on Oxford Street’ or something similar. However there it is at #29 – Topshop. And more specifically, the flagship store right at Oxford Circus.

our job to tidy the sale rack (I still shudder thinking about this), hang clothes by style, colour and size order in the fitting room, unload trucks, debag clothes while putting them in storage in the underground basement. In other words - the behind the scenes work that goes into the smooth running of this massive store. We had to do all this while dealing with the crowds of up to 200,000 customers a day not to mention about 1000 staff who churned through the place.

Not only was working a shock to the system after being a backpacker who had bummed around Europe for four months but looking at some gorgeous clothes and shoes while being dirt poor was torture! Although working there was not all bad, after two weeks of hard work and long days I was happy to earn my very first pounds as a Londoner. I was also extremely lucky to meet a good friend who I have since stayed close with two years on.

Even though the memories of working there have put me off the place, I still manage to pop into one of the smaller stores occasionally. Don’t let my rant deter you either. It really is a great place to go if you want a true London high street experience!

THE FINE SHOWING of sunny weather last week not only brought out the familiar aromas of steaks and fresh seafood grilled on the BBQ, but an old favourite of mine was making an appearance on the table too.

I ducked into my favourite food import shop to gather ingredients for my BBQ and straight away spotted the marinated feta cheese destined for my salad.

This creamy, firm, white cheese made traditionally from ewe’s milk but more commonly now from

cow’s milk is one of the most widely used cheeses in the world (it’s even produced from buffalo and goat’s milk now too). First made in Greece centuries ago, many countries have adopted the cheese making method and Australia is one of the leading makers of this fine cheese.

This cheese is a top choice when the weather and the friends arrive for a BBQ. Feta can be used in so many ways: either grilled, marinated with olives, used in sweet pastries, baked in pies, crumbled, pureed into a spread, the list is endless. That’s why I always have a couple of jars marinating in the fridge.

Feta will hold it’s own in so many dishes. Whether you choose to marry

it with an aged balsamic vinegar or serve tossed in a spinach salad with grilled rosemary lamb cutlets from the BBQ, you won’t be disappointed. The freshness this cheese adds to salads is always memorable, and is even great just tossed in with a handful of beans, peas and fresh mint with a lug of top quality olive oil.

I am going to share a simple feta recipe for your next BBQ that will have your mates reaching for more. This recipe is in two stages, marinating the feta days before or you can buy marinated feta instead.

Any other feta cheese recipes you may have, please tweet me @chrisarkonfood. Happy cooking and enjoy.

What you need:• 1 bunch of English green asparagus• Top quality olive oil• Sea salt• Black pepper mill• Aged balsamic vinegar• Handful of black olives

Marinated feta:• Olive oil• 1 block of good

quality feta• 1 sprig of Thyme• 1 sprig of

Rosemary• Pinch of whole

black peppercorns• 1 clove of fresh

garlic

For marinating the feta:• Remove the feta from the

brine and pat dry • Dice the feta into 2cm x

2cm cubes• Place the cubes into a

spring lock jar• Toss in the herbs and peppercorns• Fill the jar with the olive oil• Place the jar in the fridge, which will keep for one month.

It’s Greek and it’s good

For the salad:• Toss the asparagus in olive oil and

place on a hot char grill or BBQ until lightly grilled.

• Remove and place on a large platter.• Throw the feta and olives together

and mix well.• Scatter the mixture over the

asparagus and drizzle olive oil over the salad. Season with sea salt and add a few splashes of balsamic to finish.

Voices | 5AustralianTimes.co.uk


life afterlondon

> SHANNON CRANE


NO MATTER what your position may be on a man’s bikini (or even the ‘mankini’ – thanks Borat!), there is no doubt that board shorts have taken on the life of Speedos – a change some say is a serious fashion faux pas.

This became more apparent on a recent adventure to Brazil for this year’s Carnival season, in which I was firmly instructed to purchase a “Sunga” prior to soaking up the sun at Rio’s Ipanema Beach.

A ‘Paulistano’ (resident of Sao Paolo city) friend of mine gave me these wise words of advice: “Wearing board shorts to a beach here compares to that horrible family day out at the beach when you’re dad changes into his Speedos.”

According to this friend, ‘gringos’ (foreigners) are repeat offenders . It’s the equivalent of turning up at school on casual clothes day in your school uniform – and I was never that kid.

Dressing like a ‘Carioca’ or native inhabitant of Rio de Janeiro requires bravery. But don’t be fooled, looks can be deceiving and as it turns out, I can safely say the ‘Sunga’ is nothing like the ‘Speedo’.

The far more flattening Brazilian style is several inches wider at the sides and a much looser fit than the Speedo. It’s often made with double-

The Speedo-lutionn Speedos have hit the headlines again this month thanks to Australia’s ‘Olympic swimwear war’. So in keeping with the theme, MARK REDDIE investigates the ‘Sunga’ and asks - if women have managed to move from the one-piece to the bikini, then is it not about time men caught onto the evolution of swimwear as well?

ply nylon, which, if required, can do justice for the ‘not-so-confident down under’.

After three weeks of wearing something that I initially thought resembled a pair of Speedos I had owned when I was 10 years old, I came to the conclusion that Brazil, although a developing country, was actually far more advanced when it comes to male swimwear.

Not only did I leave the sunny mecca of Rio with an even tan, I also found that wearing a Sunga meant I avoided being a target of every panhandler, Acai salesman and potential thief infiltrating the cracks between the crowds of umbrellas.

Our Brazilian counterparts are leading a ‘Speedo-lution’ that bridges the gap between the Speedo, and those unflattering board shorts worn by the average beachgoer disguised as a surfer. Are you game to join this summer?

ALBURY, you’ve outdone London.I never thought I’d utter these words.But surprisingly it’s true.

This country town on the border of NSW and Victoria has given me a better birthday bash than London could for my two previous birthdays.

You’re probably quite confused, so I’ll explain.

As with Christmas and New Year’s Eve, birthdays tend to be hyped-up, overrated occasions.

And given that I’ve hit what I call the Reality Stage* of my return home, I expected this year’s birthday

You just can’t beat an Aussie bush bashto be pretty poor.

I wasn’t about to try and top my London birthdays, so I popped up to Albury with a couple of close friends for some quiet time with my folks.

I was pleasantly surprised.Country horse racing, wineries,

delicious meals and great company in the countryside turned out to be a winning recipe for a great 27th.

Being among friends who had never been to Albury before certainly heightened the excitement.

But all in all, keeping fuss to a minimum and surrounding myself with close friends and family proved to be a winning formula.

Note to readers: I am in no way suggesting a trip to Albury for your birthday. Or Easter. Or Christmas.

* The point at which people reach this stage differs from person to person after moving back to Australia from living abroad, but commonly occurs between two and four months after returning home. This stage follows the ‘I Love Australia’ and ‘It’s So Nice to Feel Settled’ stages. Signs include: fear and worry that this is how you will spend the rest of your life, you realise you have lost your ‹just returned home› glow, you no longer find gumtrees and wide open paddocks as beautiful, and hearing the bogan accent makes you cringe instead of smile from ear to ear as was the case in earlier stages.

3 April - 9 April 20126 | Entertainment

AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment

music from the motherland

> PAUL JUDGE

Thanks Wally but now it’s Kimbra’s turn for world dominationSHE GOT a lot of attention for lending her vocals to Gotye’s hit song ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ but Kiwi-born-turned-Aussie-adopted Kimbra is proving she’s more than just a backup singer.

Kimbra was already gaining her own following at home when her sultry role as the female vocalist for

Kimbra’s turn, bye bye Jet and Aussie milestonesGotye’s skyrocket hit the airwaves, not to forget the sensual film clip which has racked up over 100 million watches on YouTube. Suddenly everyone was talking about her and realising this 22 year old had her own swag of talent.

So how’s the year been for her so far? Well there was the Big Day Out national tour where in-between the Sydney and Adelaide shows she jumped on a plane to Los Angeles for a night to join Gotye on stage for his American TV performance. She then promptly returned to Australia to finish off her festival commitments.

Since then she’s been signed

to Warner Music in the US, is embarking on two American tours supporting Foster the People and Mr Gotye himself. And she’ll be ducking back to Australia for her largest headlining national tour to date. Who said musicians don’t have a good life... We’re tired just writing about it.

Jet; small name, big legacyAustralian rock band Jet have called it a day after 11 years of loud guitar music and screeching vocals.

Forming in 2001 the four piece have been quiet the past few years

with band members working on individual projects and thus allowing the music industry cynics to scoff they didn’t know they still existed.

Yet the boys from a small town just out of Melbourne have left us with some great albums and paved the way for international recognition of Australian bands at the start of this century when not many were getting a look in.

Not to mention making black jeans and leather jackets cool again.

Sure their signature tune ‘Are You Going To Be My Girl’ was and is played at ad nauseam but the reason being is it’s a damm right catchy tune. Get Born, the album which this song came from is a contemporary classic Australian album and has plenty of anthems we as young ‘rebel’ kids listened to because we knew our old fogey parents wouldn’t get it.

Cheers Jet, enjoy retirement.

Salutes to some Aussie legendsThere are a couple of Aussie icons celebrating significant milestones which makes you realise they have been around your whole life and are

as Australian as Vegemite and hating the English cricket team.

First up Sir Rolf Harris, Aussie larrikin and wobble-board maestro. He celebrated his birthday last week. He’s knocking up 82 this year and his famous tunes and infamous covers still get people dancing away. This guy had the main stage of Glastonbury in the palm of his hand only two years ago. Not bad for an old age pensioner.

Secondly it’s with much sorrow we’ll be bidding farewell to our unofficial first lady as she heads to her retirement home in Moonee Ponds. Dame Edna Everage will be hanging up the frocks after 40 years of shocking and entertaining the world with her irreverent humour.

Announcing the upcoming Australian tour will be her last, Barry Humphries, the man behind the world’s most famous cross dresser is indicating the time has come for this famous dame to take one last twirl of the stage. Us possums will miss you Edna.

Wednesday 18 AprilO2 SHEPHERDS BUSH EMPIRE0844 477 2000 | gigsandtours.com|stargreen.com

bicrunga.comA Metropolis Music presentation by arrangement with CAA

BIC RUNGA

Entertainment | 7AustralianTimes.co.uk

3 April - 9 April 20128 | Entertainment

What’s On

For full details...

Parkway Drive7 April @ Indig02

Boy & Bear10 April@ The Borderline, Soho

Pete Murray12 April@ Scala, King’s Cross

Matt Corby17 April@ The Bowery

Bic Runga18 April@ Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Tracer24 April@ Islington O2 Academy

Midnight Youth15 May@ The Borderline, Soho

The Jezabels17 May@ Electric Brixton

Temper Trap21-22 May@ KOKO, Camden

Cold Chisel13 July@ Hard Rock Calling, Hyde Park

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

By Guy LoganORDINARILY, violence is justifiable against someone using their phone in a film screening, whether they’re making calls, receiving text messages or distracting you with bright lights as they check various sports scores.

But 2012 has seen a new trend emerge: Tweet-a-long interactive film screenings for the DVD and Blu-ray release of films like Drive, The Adventures of Tintin and – as of last week – Snowtown, Australia’s most successful based-on-a-true-story serial killer film since Wolf Creek. Which, if you want to feel old, premiered seven years ago.

Given how popular Twitter has been for discussing television as it happens, it makes sense why film companies are giving it a go as well. After all, the only real problem is potential spoilers from inconsiderate sods who have seen it already. It’s a serious concern though. Imagine watching Memento, The Usual Suspects or The Sixth Sense with someone who can’t keep their mouth shut.

But unlike Drive and Tintin, the plot of Snowtown is well known. The ‘bodies-in-the-barrels murders’ both horrified and fascinated an entire nation with tales of horrific torture, vigilante justice and extremely dysfunctional families.

But does this event work for a film described as “impressive but exceptionally disturbing” “unrelenting nastiness” and infamously by Today’s Richard Wilkins as “the most

Movies, mobile phones and murderdisgusting, horrific, depraved and degrading film I have ever seen”?

Audiences seemed to think so, both those at the London screening by Revolver and those who joined in from home using the #SnowtownLive tag. Even the film’s director Justin Kurzel – who holds a healthy amount of cynicism for Twitter – was impressed.

“I must admit, when it comes to registering a mood for something like Snowtown, I found Twitter enormously helpful. You need to debate and dialogue about your work, and Twitter’s great for that,” Kurzel told Australian Times. “My biggest concern with the Tweet-a-long was that there would not be a level of discussion or input that was sensitive to the film.”

And rightly so. Kurzel’s desire to present the human element largely ignored by the media during the “macabre, ghoulish spectacle” meant going to sometimes extreme lengths to protect – or provoke. The director met with critics early in the film’s development, inviting them to private meetings to discuss the plot, and even filling lead character roles with locals found in shopping malls as– some of whom had even met the infamous killer John Bunting.

But is the openly anti-Twitter Kurzel willing to defend a Tweet-a-long interactive screening for a film as dark and brutal as Snowtown? Apparently so.

“It’s very similar to a director’s commentary, so in that context it works. Likewise if you want to watch the film with a bit of distance,” he says. And given the number of people who walked out of cinemas over the brutal killings of both humans and animals, that distance is a welcome addition to some.

Kurzel spent a year in London in 2004, unemployed, watching hundreds of films, and trying to find his identity. Ultimately, he found it as a director.

“Muscular Australian films like Chopper, Wake in Fright and Animal Kingdom all deal with a search for identity – sexual identity, masculinity, etc. It’s a preoccupation of Australian directors and has a lot to do culturally where we’re at,” he says.

While the discussion surrounding masculinity in the 21st century is sure to run and run, debate over the benefits and drawbacks of interactive film screenings probably won’t. But whether or not you take part, be sure to avoid Tweeting any spoilers, or society may find itself plagued by further vigilante justice.

Have you participated in a Tweet-a-long? What are your thoughts on the new craze? Tell us now at

The Snowtown film experience via

0:00 - @JackKirby: The film begins! A delightful comic romp, right?0:15 - @FrankieClarence: First ice cream now a kangaroo’s head. I’m loving it :-)0:25 - @DogAteMyWookie: Cricket and brotherly love, who said Australia wasn’t a very good holiday destination?0:35 - @JackKirby: They’ve shaved their heads. Never a good sign. See also: The Divide0:55 - @EyeforFilm: If it wasn’t for the vigilante murdering streak, John would be a charmer. Such twinkly eyes. Henshall nails the nuances.1:10 - @Charmarh: Can’t watch this bit.1:25 - @DannyJGraham: Horribly good, the bathroom scene made me almost stop watching!1:40 - @TomMimnagh: Not sure where the climax of this is going. Assume it’ll be violent.End - @theraygun: Hope no one was expecting to see Downton. They might be a bit shocked.

AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment

Travel | 9AustralianTimes.co.uktravel

NO ONE crossing the straits of the Dardanelles can miss the huge impression of a soldier on the European side of the channel. The relief, drawn out in stones, is there to remind us of the unfortunate battle of Gallipoli, where almost 100,000 people lost their lives. Turks, Anzacs, British, French, Indians and others. A poem is inscribed on the hill next to the soldier to remind the passer-by of the brutal and sad confrontation of World War I.

Dur yolcu! Bilmeden gelip bastýöýn, Bu toprak, bir devrin battýöý yerdir.

Traveller halt! The soil you treadOnce witnessed the end of an era.

Foes become friendsGallipoli is unique in world history. It is not just a battle, it is also an epic tale of courage, self-sacrifice and stubborn endurance. It’s a story of enemies who displayed mutual respect during the battle and who became friends after it. No battle has forged such strong comradeship and everlasting peace in its aftermath. On the shores of Gallipoli, Australia and New Zealand became nations and Turkey embarked on its journey to become a republic from the ruins of an empire.

When you visit the peninsula, you will see the trenches of both the Anzacs and the Turks, which in some places stood only a few metres apart. Great mutual respect still exists between the two cultures as it did back then. The Turks could not help but admire the way the Anzacs fought with such courage and tenacity. Enemy soldiers, at times, would toss cigarettes and food to each other instead of bombs and bullets. During cease fire, when it was time to clear the slain from dead man’s land they would each help carry the others fallen to their enemies trenches.

To die for one anotherThe one that got me from all the Gallipoli stories is from the Fatal Shores documentary, where a man tells the story of being shot. Wounded and returning to the trenches, he saw four of his mates lay stricken. “They were crying for water,” he tells the camera emotionally. “They were wounded, fatally wounded, and they were crying for water.” Holding back tears, he

Anzac Day is the perfect time to remember Gallipoli

continues: “So, thirsty myself, I threw them my water bottle. They needed water...so I threw them my water bottle.” It was such a simple act, from one wounded man to another - but it showed these boys would do anything for one another, even if they were at risk of dying themselves.

Until recently, it would have been seen as somewhat provocative for a local Turkish group to link itself to Australia’s Anzac experience. But, over the past decade or so, there has been a remarkable change in the public mood of these one-time protagonists. Turks and Australians have seemingly buried their enmity and now see Gallipoli as a unique bond shared between the two nations. The Turks now think fondly of the Anzacs. “In Turkey, we don’t consider them as the enemy any more. They fought bravely, Turkey is proud of those who fought on both sides. It was our greatest military victory. But your sons, buried in Turkey, are our sons.”

It is quite like Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s immortal pronouncement almost eighty years ago:

“Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives... You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side now here in this country of ours... you, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land. They have become our sons as well.”

This respect between Turk and Australian, born out of war against each other, is truly unique. Come Anzac Day each year, neither Australia’s political leaders nor the RSL embraces the Germans or Japanese as it does the local Turkish community. Lest we forget.

Don’t miss the chance to experience Anzac Day in Gallipoli this year with Fez Travel. For more information go to FezTravel.com

AustralianTimes.co.uk/travel

SPRING has sprung and Mother Nature is feeling mighty frisky. On a casual stroll through the common one can smell the aromas of arboreal affection in the air, and it seems that every bee that buzzes by is burdened with a decent amount of leafy love custard. Spring is the season when the planet earth gets it on, and when on planet earth…

Do as the earthlings do! And if that means fornicating like foliage, then we recommend you hop to it. And speaking of hopping, how’s about those rabbits? Insatiable little scrowlers*, banging like badgers, or any other of the numerous small mammals that like to make the

Stoked on springbite-sized beast with two backs as frequently as possible.

We at Stoke Travel don’t get much action, so we’ve converted the ubiquitous sexual energy into trip planning! And it’s surprisingly satisfying. Like, while we’ve not been bed breaking we’ve been planning one hell of a Spring Break trip to Ibiza. And it’s easy to plan the best Running of the Bulls trips when half the office is horny and the other half is sporting a pair of wheels akin to those of the bovine protagonists at that hallowed festival.

We reckon that between rampant rooting you lot should be planning your trips too. We also reckon that you’d be a dud human to not

consider joining us in San Sebastian for some surfing and assorted horse play, or hitting Spain a week before the bulls to join us at the wine fight (literally, a fight with wine). We know you’re coming with us to the bulls, because you like having fun, scrowling and drinking piss, not in any particular order.Oh, and mention Australian Times when booking any Stoke Travel European surf camp or festival to receive UNLIMTED beer and sangria. No bullshit, scrowlers!

*Scrowl = screw, just with oodles more class

More info at StokeTravel.com


What’s OnPROMOTION

PROMOTION

3 April - 9 April 201210 | Travel

BOOKING a trip can be a lot of hassle. You are never sure if you got the best deal and in the back of your mind you will always be wondering ‘what if I had waited?’, ‘should I have booked sooner?’, ‘is that six hour stopover worth the £30 saved?’. Ultimately it is a mine field of possibilities and you can honestly

Travel tips for the hungry travellern It’s a well purported fact that Australians love to travel. If it was a competition, we would probably win gold hands down (maybe with some stiff competition from the Irish). But you can never have too much advice before your next adventure and with this in mind, RAQUEL MESSI gives us a few of her favourite travel tips

never really understand the way airlines and airfares work (having worked in the industry – I don’t think they even know how it works half the time). So it’s often best just to bite the bullet and enjoy.

Saying that, I recently helped my parents book a trip to Peru. The package tour and flights seemed

a reasonable price – from my experience – so I just told them that if they were happy, then to book. I have since failed to tell them that had they waited until January, I have seen flights for about £200 cheaper and the tour company are doing a 2 for 1 on the tour…oh well…it also could have just as

easily gone the other way and been £400 more expensive per person. That’s the beauty of travelling, the unpredictability.

Here are a few simple pieces of advice I give to friends when they are planning a holiday/trip.

If you are 100% happy with the price, book it. Don’t faff and NEVER check

a few weeks later just to see…Scheduled airfare systems work

as follows: the fuller the flight, the more expensive the ticket – simple as that. They may release cheaper seats a day or two before departure, but generally it is not worth the risk as many airline companies will overbook flights. So book early and

Travel | 11AustralianTimes.co.uk


look out for the myriad of sales they have throughout the year.

Use agents to your advantage! Companies like Flight Centre and Trailfinders will have the same prices as the internet with the added bonus of being able to hold them at that price for a couple of days. It can all be done in a couple of phone calls and saves the hassle of trawling the internet (how much is your time worth?).

Other advantages of using agents – if your flight is cancelled they will be more helpful than the internet. They will also verbally advise you of any visa requirements. And fundamentally, travel is their job, so their knowledge will probably be better than yours (no matter how hard it is to accept).

Explore the options. Booking everything separately doesn’t always save you money as airlines offer lower fares with strict conditions that the price must be packaged… Then again, it can work to your advantage to book separately, so be thorough in your research (or again, use an agent).

Use open jaw tickets – flying into one city and out of another. For example, if you’re travelling to Vietnam – fly into Ho Chi Minh City and out of Hanoi. Even if it costs

slightly more you will probably save on domestic transport (and there will be no need to backtrack).

Unless you are a teacher avoid the following departure dates: 01 July – 15 August, 11 December – 24 December (basically anytime there are school holidays – fares will go up).

The best deals can be had when departing in May and June, September and November.

If the length of your trip is undefined then make sure your ticket is flexible. The cheapest tickets will either be fix dated (especially true of KLM/Air France) or will cost a lot to change. Change fees are unavoidable but paying more from the outset may save you much more down the line (especially if you don’t have a specific itinerary – are ‘flying’ by the seat of your pants).

Finally…don’t try and do too much in a short trip! As well as regretting it - you will probably also resent yourself, resent the country and may end up resenting the person you are travelling with!

So get out there and enjoy! And if you’re booking a trip to Peru...well, maybe it’s best not to ask me for advice (sorry mum and dad!).

3 April - 9 April 201212 | Jobs & Money

BUSINESS and unions are urging the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to cut the official cash rate when its board meets this week.

However, financial market economists generally expect the central bank won’t move for at least another month.

One leading business lobby group said there was a “chronic lack of confidence”, with a new survey showing trading conditions, sales, profitability and hiring intentions either at contractional levels or below their five-year averages.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (ACCI) survey of investor confidence released on Monday also showed business investment intentions sank in the March quarter to the lowest level since the global financial crisis.

“We don’t think there could be a clearer case for business requiring a rate cut at the moment,” the chamber’s director of economics and industry policy Greg Evans told reporters in Canberra.

“Monetary policy is far too restrictive.”The national secretary of the

Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) Michael O’Connor went further, saying it would be “economically irresponsible” if the central bank board did nothing.

“If the RBA continues to twiddle its thumbs, we are going to see manufacturing, retail, tourism and other vital sections of the economy experiencing a severe downturn,” he said in a statement.

“Such a downturn will mean job losses for thousands upon thousands of Australians.”

He pointed to new data showing the manufacturing sector was again contracting.

The Australian Industry Group-Price Waterhouse Coopers performance of manufacturing index was 49.5 in March, down 1.8 points from the previous month.

A reading below 50 suggests contraction in the industry.

Rate cut calls grow ahead of RBA meeting

The RBA’s cash rate has remained at 4.25 per cent since it was cut in November and December last year.

Other data showing a 7.8 per cent slump in building approvals drew a stinging attack from the housing industry, which is again demanding a rate cut and urgent reforms from the federal and state governments to boost flagging levels of new housing supply.

“Current policy settings are failing the housing industry and therefore the wider Australian economy,” Housing Industry Association chief economist Harley Dale said.

Opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey said the data was a further sign of a fragile economy and showed a lack of trust among households that the Labor government could deliver stability and confidence.

“The government must immediately act to restore confidence in the Australian economy by repealing the onerous carbon tax,” he said in a statement.

However, there was good news on the inflation front, with a marked downturn likely in the annual consumer price index to be released on April 24, before the 1 July introduction of the carbon tax.

The TD Securities-Melbourne Institute inflation gauge grew 0.5 per cent in March for an annual rate of 1.8 per cent, the lowest level in two years and below the RBA’s two to three per cent target.

And the RP Data-Rismark Hedonic home value index of capital city home prices rose by just 0.2 per cent in March to be 4.4 per cent lower than a year before.

“Another fall in the manufacturing gauge, weak dwelling approvals and a low inflation reading keep the Reserve Bank poised to cut rates,” Commonwealth Securities economists Savanth Sebastian said.

“Still, the stabilisation in home prices works the other way - keeping the Reserve Bank on the sidelines.” - AAP

Govt wants US and overseas workers to fill skill gapsOVERSEAS engineers and tradies struggling to find work at home are being encouraged to fill skills shortages in Australia’s booming resources sector.

The federal government has announced it is streamlining the way US plumbers, electricians and other tradespeople can get licences to work in Australia.

Skills Minister Chris Evans said that while the government’s first priority was to train Australians, overseas workers would be needed to fill temporary gaps - particularly in the resources sector - set to peak over the next few years.

With US unemployment still

hovering above eight per cent, Senator Evans said the opportunity for well-paid work in Australia would prove enticing, despite the long distance.

“I think the wages and conditions will be attractive,” he told reporters in Canberra.

Applications are expected to open later this month.

The government will also stage a “Skills Australia Needs” expo in the US city of Houston, Texas, in May to attract skilled workers in the resources, energy and infrastructure sectors.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said he expected high demand for visas in the wake of the changes.

“I expect demand and interest to be strong,” he said.

“We’re not setting a target, or a cap, or a limit.”

US Ambassador to Australia Jeffrey Bleich welcomed the changes, calling them a “win-win” for both countries.

He shares the government’s view that US workers will be prepared to make the move, even to remote areas in northwest Western Australia.

“It’s beautiful country out there,” he said. “I don’t think this will be a tough sell in that sense.”

Business groups including the Australian Industry Group, the Business Council of Australia and the

US Chamber of Commerce applauded the changes.

“There are clearly opportunities in Australia for skilled US citizens seeking work,” they said in a joint statement.

But unions say an overseas recruitment drive is premature and claims of skills shortages should be independently investigated first.

ACTU president Ged Kearney said there was no independent evidence to back up claims that Australian workers could not meet the needs of future resource projects. - AAP

AustralianTimes.co.uk/jobs-money

AustralianTimes.co.uk/jobs-money

Jobs & Money | 13AustralianTimes.co.uk

Dollar Review

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KINDLY explain to me how the new Tier 2 rules will work that will limit

leave in this category. Also, will the new rules only apply to new applicants?

Tier 2 Leave

Q:The UK Home O f f i c e h a s introduced a new rule that will limit

leave in the Tier 2 category to a maximum of six years. This new rule will only apply to applicants who entered Tier 2 after 6 April 2011. Applicants who entered Tier 2 on or before 5 April 2011, will not be affected and will be able to apply for further periods of leave in this category. However, migrants who do not apply for or obtain settlement must leave the UK on expiry of their leave and wait 12 months before applying to return in Tier 2. This ‘cooling off’ period of 12-months will apply to any Tier 2 migrant who leaves the UK and applies for entry clearance on or after 6 April 2012, regardless of when their previous leave was granted.

A:

THE AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR has lost ground this week against the majority of its leading currency peers. The Aussie weakened to 0.646 to the British pound and 1.034 to the US dollar.

This comes as a result of Asian markets showing a downwards trend, sapping demand for higher-yielding assets. Concern has arisen that Chinese manufacturing has started to slow which in turn will have a negative effect on resource export orientated countries. Takuya Kawabata a researcher at Gaitame.com Research Institute was cited as saying that a drop in Asian stocks would be a negative catalyst for the South Pacific nation’s currencies.

The Aussie rallied late Friday, although markets are still cautious before the Reserve Bank’s policy meeting on the 3rd of April. Expectations have been steadily rising over the past few weeks that the Reserve bank will cut interest rates; this comes hot on the heels of the

Aussie Dollar weakens

last cut in November and December. Market sentiment seems to be that traders are pricing in a 50% chance of a rate cut. Economic evidence shows that the economy has slowed; this may tempt the Reserve bank to lower the cash rate.

GBP/AUD: 1.5475EUR/AUD: 1.289AUD/USD: 1.0347AUD/JPY: 85.6941

Exchange Rates at 08:13, 2 April 2012

3 April - 9 April 201214 | Sport

By Will Denton

AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport

THE RUBDOWNIN A REPEAT of last years tour, the AFL’s future stars from the Australian Institute of Sport will take on a representative European side in the EPG Easter Series on Saturday 7 April.

Surrey Sports Park in Guildford will host the event on its elite playing surface which is just a short 35 minute train ride from Waterloo station.

AFL Europe General Manager, Ben MacCormack said spectators will witness the best 30 players at Under 18 level from across Australia take on the ‘European Legion’.

“This match will provide all people with an interest in Australian Football a window into the future of the game, as on average over 80% of the AIS team end up playing in the AFL competition.

“Lachie Whitfield (future top 5 pick) and Jack Viney (father-son listed with the Melbourne FC) are some of the returning stars for the AIS,” MacCormack said.

Each year the AIS-AFL Academy offers thirty 12-month scholarships to young athletes who are entering the last year of their junior football development

Players in previous academies

Wizards of Aus return to Europeinclude the likes of Chris Judd (West Coast/Carlton), Luke Hodge (Hawthorn), Joel Selwood (Geelong), Lance Franklin (Hawthorn), Adam Cooney (Western Bulldogs), David Swallow (Gold Coast) and Stephen Coniglio (♯2 draft pick for GWS in 2011).

The European squad is made up of top players from Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, Germany, Italy and Finland.

“AFL Europe is extremely pleased to have secured the services of Tadhg Kennelly (ex-Sydney Swans player and GAA All-Ireland winner) and Peter Schwab (Director of Coaching – AFL) as head coaches of the European Legion.

“These boys have the talent to surprise a couple of the AIS young guns which will lead to a great spectacle” MacCormack said.

In addition to the main event the day will also see the European launch of the AFL 9’s concept with a celebrity match including the likes of Dipper, Stephen Silvagni, Glenn Lovett, Ang Christou, Brad Smith, Brad Lloyd, Adam Jones, Tony Woods, Gabriella Cilmi (singer), Emma Quayle

(football columnist), Marcus Ryan (comedian), Tadhg Kennelly and Peter Schwab having a run.

Don’t miss the AIS-AFL Academy v European Legion game at 1pm 7 April at Surrey Sports Park, Guildford

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON: Jack Viney, son of Melbourne Demons legend Todd Viney, on the attack for the AIS AFL Academy team.

WOW-WEE. Time for a cup of tea and a lie down, because that was quite possibly the greatest opening round of anything in the history of modern man. All the ducks and drakes of preseason are nothing but a distant bad dream as REAL footy showcased its true beauty and brutality, proving it giveth as swiftly as it taketh away.

OK, what we learnt: 1.The Dees are in for a long winter. If the death of one of your team’s greatest ever players/human beings isn’t enough to inspire you to victory then nothing will.

2.Nathan Buckley is still a loser - although he may be forgiven as Buddy produced a game of footy that will possibly go down as the most awesomest of all time.

3.Hayden Ballantyne is now the world’s most hated individual. Matthew Scarlett actually did what every opposing player wants to do, crack him in the scone. This didn’t seem to faze the little fella as he inspired the Dockers to an incredible win over the Cats.

The rollercoaster ride of Round 1

4.Blokes still can’t kick goals after the siren. Big Kangaroo Hamish Macintosh had the chance to win the game for North, however he only could manage a behind. It’s not entirely his fault though…well, it sort of is.

5.Port aren’t rubbish. Maybe Saints are. Experts are baffled as the Power managed to win a game.

6. Nic Natainui is getting better. As scary as this sounds, the human palm tree is starting to make AFL look really easy.

7.The Suns are still going to get belted. The Crows took great delight in taking their lunch money as well as strolling away with a 10-goal win.

8.Richmond were OK. But Carlton were just better. Although, Jarrod Waite pushed his case to be footy’s biggest moron after he managed to get reported one minute into the game.

And so it begins. Let’s just hope Round 2 can live up to what was truly a remarkable ‘weekend’.

THE SKY SPORTS cameras were down at The Stoop for the first time this season and the London Broncos certainly took the opportunity to put on a performance as they blew away the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 36-0 to take the London boys off the foot of the table.

The Broncos got off to the best possible start when Craig Gower’s searching kick-off bounced back off Michael Robertson to Chris Bailey who made a superb offload for Tony Clubb to score. Witt added his first points of the evening with the conversion.

Soon after the Broncos extended their lead with a penalty converted by Witt after a high tackle from Wakefield inside their own 20.

With 15 minutes gone there was more joy to come for the home fans.

Liam Colbon’s fumbled offload was seized upon by Chad Randall who sent the ball down the left to Dan Sarginson. The young starlet stepped

Broncos give Wildcats a London wakeup call

outside of his man before pacing past him and the covering defender to claim an outstanding try. Witt was again good for the extras.

Chad Randall’s cross field kick was then met by Kieran Dixon who leapt superbly above his opposite man and grounded the ball to score his first Super League try.

Not long after the Broncos further extended their lead when a kick down the center of the pitch was chased down by Robertson who went over to claim his fifth try of the campaign.

The second half began exactly the same as the first. Wakefield again failed to deal with Gower’s high kick as Cockayne spilled the ball right into the path of the on-running Robertson. The former Australian NRL man made no mistake as he scooped up the ball up and touched down for his second try of the evening. Witt missed the

conversion to leave the score 28-0 to the Broncos.

Half way through the second period a break down the right by the Broncos left the Wildcat’s defensive line exposed and Jamie O’Callghan fed Colbon who showed great strength to squeeze over in the corner.

Wakefield enjoyed their best spell of possession with five minutes to go but were consistently met by a solid Broncos defence.

The Wildcat’s misery was compounded when a sloppy loose ball was worked quickly to Dorn who showed a clean set of heels as he ran the length of the pitch to round off the scoring.

Don’t miss the London Broncos next match, at home against the Catalan Dragons on Thursday 5 April at 8pm

IN A SPORT famous for its biggest and baddest, accountant Johan Linde can knock over stereotypes as well as opponents if he comes away from the London Games as Australia’s first Olympic boxing gold medallist.

Mild mannered and articulate, super heavyweight Linde stunned not only his highly-credentialled Oceania opponents but also his coaches to earn a berth in London.

And the 28-year-old from Adelaide is now the father figure of the largest-ever Australian men’s Olympic boxing team - a team as diverse as it raw, with all 10 fighters heading to their first Games.

Amongst his teammates is curly redhead Billy Ward from Queensland who looks more jockey than fighter, and 16-year-old heavyweight Jai Opetaia who, as a fourth generation boxer, says he was born to fight.

However, of all 10 contenders, clean-cut Linde seems the oddest fit of all, having come back into the sport in 2010 after a six-year break when he completed a commerce degree.

“There’s this perception that we’re meat-heads and a little rough around the edges ... but most of the boxers I know, they’re the nicest guys in the world,”

Aussie boxers line up a shot at Olympic goldsaid Linde when the boxing team was officially announced in Canberra.

“The fact that we get a lot of aggression out in training and in the ring means that you’re generally not a very violent person. You’re very calm.

“After I stopped boxing I wanted to prove to myself that I’ve got the brains to do something with my life - at the time I wasn’t planning on boxing (again).”

Opetaia, a NSW Central Coast product, has no such plans.

“Boxing is the only goal I’ve ever had. I’ve never thought of anything else but being a boxer,” said Opetaia.

“Fourth generation on my dad’s side and third on my mum’s side. I was born a boxer.

“People always ask me ‘Do you have a plan B? ... there’s no plan B - this is my plan, this is what I feel like I was here to do.”

Ward’s path was nowhere near as clear-cut, having been a junior state champion gymnast before donning the gloves.

He only switched sports when his level of gymnastics ability exceeded that of the coaches available in Gladstone. Instead of moving base to further his gymnastics career, he moved sports.

“A lot of people come up to me and

ask me if I’m a jockey being here at the AIS,” said Ward, who is 165cm tall and weighs just 49kg.

“They look at me and say ‘you’re not a boxer, you’re too small’.”

By far the best medal prospect is light heavyweight Damien ‘Super’ Hooper, the only Australian to qualify via last year’s world championships where he finished eighth, losing to the eventual champion in the quarter-finals.

Bantamweight Ibrahim Balla, who has boxed since the age of 10 at his dad’s gym, ensured the family was represented in London after his brother Qamil lost out to Jeff Horn in the light welterweight category at the national championships.

Horn continued his rapid rise, having won the 2011 Australian light welterweight title less than a year after taking up the sport.

Another late starter was lightweight Luke Jackson, a bronze medallist from the 2006 Commonwealth Games who finally gets his shot at Olympic glory aged 27.

The team is rounded out by flyweight Jackson Woods, welterweight Cameron Hammond and middleweight Jesse Ross. - AAP

Sport | 15AustralianTimes.co.uk

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By Phillip BrowneLAST SATURDAY, 14 Tag Rugby teams battled it out over two divisions for the Finsbury Park Tag Rugby Festival A grade and Social grade titles!

After a glorious week of weather in the capital, Saturday was a little milder and overcast but still good conditions for Tag Rugby.

In the A grade, the Chargers of the Acton competition finished top of the pool matches and set up a finals clash with Taguila Shots from White City. The Chargers were in great form in the pool stages going through undefeated while Taguila Shots lost only the one match. However the Chargers were too good in the end with a 10-5 victory in the final!

Taguila Shot’s Martin Ams was named “A grade player of the tournament” with the Charger’s Simon Kang named “player of the final”. Both award winners have been London Australia representatives.

In the Social grade, Moves Like Tagger from Barnes topped the pool stages alongside Eye of the Tagger from Highbury. The final was a very even contest with Moves Like Tagger just pulling away in the end with a 7-5 triumph.

Eye of the Tagger’s Luke Forrest

CHARGING AWAY: The Chargers of Acton went through undefeated to win the 2012 Finsbury Park Tag Rugby Festival.

Chargers reign supreme at Finsbury Park

was named “Social grade player of the tournament” with Moves Like Tagger’s Steve Drury named “player of the final”.

If you’re curious about Tag Rugby and want to give it a go, Try Tag Rugby will be running two free taster sessions in April. These taster sessions will be run on 15 April (Tooting Bec Common) & 17 April (Hyde Park). All details can be found at Trytagrugby.com

Meanwhile, registrations for the Early Summer Tag Rugby competitions starting from 30 April are now open. Leagues will take place at Acton, Balham, Blackheath, Canada Water, Finsbury Park, Highbury, Hoxton, Reading, Richmond, Rotherhithe, Southfields (Wimbledon Park), Wandsworth Town, West Ham, White City and Willesden.

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, go to www.trytagrugby.com or email [email protected] for more details.

AFL players all a-Twitterthe jaw during Geelong’s fiery loss to the Dockers in Perth.

“As long as I can remember, there’s always been a Hayden Ballantyne in the game,” Demetriou said.

“There’s always been a player who can irritate the opposition, it’s all part of the gamesmanship.

“That doesn’t mean you can condone retaliation.

“Players today are above that and have to learn how to deal with someone who irritates them.”

But the AFL seems to have no problem with players publicly backing anyone who punches an irritant.

Port Adelaide defender Alipate Carlile and Gold Coast’s Trent McKenzie will not be sanctioned after going on twitter to support Scarlett.

Carlile tweeted: “Matty Scarlett just done what a lot of other footballers would love to do #brilliant.”

McKenzie also voiced his support: “Matthew Scarlett did a favour for

most people #lethimoff”.The AFL, usually sensitive about

players speaking out on issues, said on Monday no action would be taken against the pair.

Demetriou said social media like twitter were becoming a part of the football landscape but cautioned players to be careful with what they say.

“You’re going to see more of that,” Demetriou said.

“That’s just the social media world we live in.

“The players are entitled to have a view on various things. They have been briefed about what they can and can’t comment on.

“They’ve got be very careful, particularly about tribunal and umpiring decisions.”

The AFL warned players last month about commenting on tribunal decisions after Geelong captain Joel Selwood was asked to explain himself over a tweet about Greater Western Sydney’s Israel Folau’s fate at the

match review panel.Demetriou says the debate provoked

by Fremantle’s feisty win is a healthy part of football.

“I don’t see much harm in it,” he said.“There was a bit of banter off the field.”Demetriou said he also had no issue

with an exchange of words at halftime between Ballantyne and Geelong coach Chris Scott, who coached the small forward when he was an assistant at Fremantle.

“It depends what’s said. If it’s lighthearted banter, I don’t think there’s much wrong with that,” Demetriou said.

Ballantyne was also cited by the match review panel on Monday and can accept a two-week ban for striking Paul Chapman off the ball. - AAP

England chasing Mateo for World Cupanother twist to the tale, would be eligible for New Zealand next year through residency, having lived in Auckland for two years.

Mateo is one of the most talented ball-playing forwards in the NRL, but has constantly been overlooked by NSW selectors.

His decision to play for Tonga currently makes him ineligible for any other nation and NSW until he makes a formal application to the Rugby League International Federation to change his allegiance.

McNamara is a big fan of the 26-year-old, who also holds a British passport which he acquired before a brief spell in the Super League with London Broncos in 2005.

Wests Tigers’ Gosford-born back-rower Chris Heighington, whose father is from England, pledged his colours to the Lions’ mast for last year’s Four Nations campaign.

And McNamara has a list of 40 NRL

players who could do likewise for next year’s World Cup, with Mateo topping the list.

However, McNamara said he’d want Mateo to show his commitment to play for the right reasons before he’d consider him for selection.

“Feleti is a class player, but it wouldn’t be right for me to chase him to play for us,” McNamara told AAP.

“I want players to play for us, not for me to ask them to play for us.

“It was Chris who contacted me about playing and we met up and he convinced me he wanted to play for us for the right reasons. But I’d love to hear from Feleti.”

Mateo’s manager David Riolo said he would discuss his client’s options this week when he sees him at the Warriors’ camp in Kiama, NSW, where they’re staying ahead of Saturday’s clash with Canberra.

“He’s in a bizarre situation where he’ll qualify for four countries, but until I speak to him, I have no idea what he’ll do,” Riolo told AAP.

McNamara is midway through a three-week trip to Australia catching up with his English stars to outline to them his plans for the World Cup, which takes place in England and Wales from October 2013.

This Wednesday he’ll will meet with Gareth Ellis, Sam Burgess, James Graham and Chris Heighington in Sydney where he’ll reveal plans for a week-long high altitude training camp in South Africa in October.

McNamara will head to Melbourne next week to sit down with Storm five-eighth Gareth Widdop and do likewise with Brisbane centre Jack Reed on Friday before the Broncos’ clash with Wests Tigers at Allianz Stadium.

“We’ll leave no stone unturned ahead of the World Cup, and it’s vital to start planning things now,” he said.

“We’ll be the best prepared team next year and that will give us the best opportunity to win the World Cup for the first time.” - AAP

with 10 men for the last half hour of the match.

Holman’s teammate, Niklas Moisander, later criticised the referee’s decision.

“I think we (would) have won with 11 men,” the Finn told De Telegraaf after the game.

“But Brett Holman was an easy second yellow card.

“The referee seemed to occasionally lose. He dealt the cards very easy.”

Aston Villa-bound Holman, 28, claimed two of the six yellow cards shown in Sunday’s match with four going to AZ, as the team slipped into second place behind Ajax, who defeated Heracles Almelo 6-0 on Saturday.

Elsewhere in the Dutch Eredivisie,

Aussie players on the ball around EuropeAustralian Tommy Oar came off the bench for Utrecht on Friday to secure a 3-2 victory over Excelsior with a goal in the 89th minute.

In the English Championship Australian midfielder Mile Jedinak has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to injury.

The Sydney-born 27-year old missed this round’s 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest and has joined a long list of his countrymen sidelined from the League due to injury.

Jedinak will not return to the pitch for some time after sustaining a groin injury during the club’s loss to Derby last week, clubcall.com reported.

A handful of Aussies in the Championship are out due to injury, including Middlesbrough’s Rhys Williams, who the club hopes will

return late in the season from an ankle ligament injury.

Williams’ teammate and fellow Australian Scott McDonald overcame medial ligament damage to come on as a substitute in Middlesbrough’s 1-1 draw with top-of-the-table Brighton.

Reading remain in second place on the Championship table after their 4-2 win over West Ham United, thanks in part to their Australian keeper Adam Federici and his impressive five-save performance.

The 27-year old had a tireless 90 minutes at Upton Park on Saturday, which saw him concede goals in the eighth and 77th minutes, but took clean saves including that of a James Tomkins’ shot early in the second half. - AAP




for what they did in the one-dayers and T20s here but I guess by the end of the Test matches we’ll have a better idea of where they’re at,” he said.

“We’re definitely not taking them for granted or taking them lightly.

“That’s a big part of my job in the next few days, to make sure we don’t get too

carried away with things and prepare as we would for one of the powerhouse nations in world cricket.”

Ponting is also aware his return to form with the bat in the 4-0 series win over India in the domestic summer will quickly dim in memory unless he can back it up in the Caribbean.

The 37-year-old scored 544 runs and two big hundreds against the Indians but

his one-day axing shows he’s on limited time if his form slumps again.

“International cricket’s not about having one good series here or there. It’s about being consistent and putting performances on the board game after game,” he said. - AAP

Australia can eclipse England in WindiesContinued from p16...


Taggers touch at Finsbury Park Festival fun for London Tag Rugby

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Holman sees red for AZ Alkmaar

Pommy spot for Aussie Mateo?

AFL won’t punish players over tweetsIPLAYERS need to rise above the urge to lash out at niggling irritants like Hayden Ballantyne, says AFL chief Andrew Demetriou.

Pests like Ballantyne have always been in the game, according to Demetriou, but opponents should be able to deal with them without retaliating like Geelong defender Matthew Scarlett.

Scarlett faces a three week suspension after he snapped on Saturday night and punched the Fremantle antagonist in

FELETI MATEO is set to be at the centre of an international tug of war for his services, with England coach Steve McNamara targeting the Warriors NRL star for next year’s Rugby League World Cup.

The Sydney-born former Parramatta utility qualifies for the Lions by virtue of his English mother.

However, he represented Tonga in the 2008 World Cup and to add

SOCCEROOS star Brett Holman received a costly red card as AZ Alkmaar surrendered top spot in the Dutch league on Sunday.

AZ were held to a 2-2 draw at Vitesse as Holman was sent from the pitch, fuming, in the 63rd minute when he was shown a second yellow for a tackle on Renato Ibarro, deemed a trip.

The decision angered the Australian and AZ manager Gertjan Verbeek, leaving the side

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PUT ‘EM UPSuper Hooper and our Aussie Olympic hopefuls | P14

AUSSIE BOYS OUT TO DISLODGE THE POMSn On the eve of Australia’s Test series against the West Indies, Michael Clarke’s team are set to eclipse the old enemy, England, in the world Test Match cricket rankings.IT SEEMED impossible 12 months ago but Australia can overtake England in cricket’s Test world rankings if results go their way during the series against the West Indies starting this week.

Australia plummeted to fifth in the world after last year’s home Ashes humiliation while England were on a climb that took them to No.1 following their mid-year thrashing of India.

Since then Australia have risen steadily under new skipper Michael Clarke’s leadership, as England were swept 3-0 by Pakistan in the UAE before another defeat in the first Test in Sri Lanka last week.

England must now win the second Test in Colombo to avoid another series defeat and the loss of the top ranking to South Africa. A defeat would open the door for Australia to also move above the old enemy.

A 3-0 series sweep in the West Indies would then move Australia into second on the rankings, above India and England.

It’s a scenario that appeals to former skipper Ricky Ponting, who has made it his goal to regain the Ashes in England next year.

“It goes to show we’re on the right track to turning our cricket around and probably goes to show that England might have been at the start of the end of their cycle,” Ponting told AAP.

“It’s really hard to stay up and dominate international cricket as long as we did a few years ago.

“England have got a taste of it up there for a little bit and have started to struggle a bit in their last couple of series.

“When you’re up the top and you’ve got everyone trying to chase you, it’s hard to maintain that.

A lot has to happen that rankings scenario can play out and Ponting warned his teammates not to get ahead of themselves, insisting they treat the Windies with respect ahead of the first Test in Bridgetown starting on Saturday.

“You’ve got to give the Windies credit

australian times weekly newspaper | 3 april 2012

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