Preparation is secret ingredient

HOME COOK: Margaret Courtney says the secret to her Ginger Fluff Sponge is in the sifting.

WHETHER it’s sewing or cooking a three-course dinner party for friends, this week’s Home Cook Margaret Courtney loves to let her creative side shine.
Margaret, of Peregian Beach, said she loves to cook when friends visit her and husband George, but she does not enjoy cooking for the two of them during the week.
``I love entertaining,’’ she said. ``I love setting the table and doing the candles and serviettes.
``We really enjoy having friends around for dinner and I always do a three-course meal. I usually panic

K2RQ: Upgrade work on bridges

NEW deck beams will be installed at Padstow’s Memorial Drive Bridge from December 18-19, as part of the Kingsgrove to Revesby Quadruplication project.

The bridge is expected to reopen in March. In the meantime, construction on the bridge deck of Doyle Road Bridge is well under way, with the new bridge expected to be operating by Christmas.

The demolition of the old bridge is scheduled for the weekend of January 15-16. Works to lengthen Davies Road Bridge is also under way.

Source: whereilive

Firebug starts two fires in Roselands shopping centre

Police are hunting a firebug who started two fires inside a Roselands shopping centre yesterday.

About 12.20pm on Sunday, a customer noticed a small cotton bath mat on fire at the rear of a discount store within the shopping complex.

The customer threw the mat on the floor and extinguished the fire by stomping on it before alerting staff.

About 10 minutes later, customers at a second store spotted a large cardboard box on fire at the rear of the shop. They also managed to put the fire out themselves.
Neither store sustained any structural, heat or smoke damage.

Campsie

LMA gets political at Eid Al-Adha : الجمعية الإسلامية اللبنانية تتعاطى السياسة في عيد الأضحى

هاجمت الجمعية الإسلامية اللبنانية مسوّدة خطة ضبط التطوير العمراني التي
وضعها مجلس مدينة كنتربري والتي تفرض تقييدات على أماكن العبادة في المناطق السكنية ضمن نطاق عمل المجلس.
وقد أدّت الخطة “القمعية” برئيس الجمعية سمير دندن إلى أن يعلن أنه لا يمكن الاستخفاف بالمسلمين ونحن مقبلون على انتخابات في 11 آذار/مارس.
وقال السيد دندن: “إن ما هو مقترح ليس من العدل في شيء، وليس فيه من القيم الأسترالية شيء”.
غير أن عضو مجلس بلدية كنتربري كارل صالح ردّ على تصريحات السيد دندن التي جاءت خلال احتفالات عيد الأضحى الأخيرة يوم الثلاثاء الفائت، فقال إن المناسبة الدينية فرصة للتناغم والاحترام وليس لتعاطي السياسة.
وقال: “بكل بساطة، إنها رسالة غير مناسبة قيلت في مكان

Victim's machete 'like a teddy bear to him', witness tells

A man who was allegedly the victim of an attempted murder owned a machete that was ''like a teddy bear to him,'' a witness has told a Canberra court.

Phuong Viet Nguyen, 25, is on trial accused of trying to kill 31-year-old Thanh Tran and discharging a loaded firearm at him in a Belconnen backyard last year.

A prosecution witness, Rebecca Weatherill, told the ACT Supreme Court Mr Tran was her sister's partner's cousin and was living in a tent in her back garden at the time.

She said that on the night of October 19, she heard what sounded

Armed pair hold up Pulp Kitchen

Two armed men threatened staff at Ainslie restaurant Pulp Kitchen last night before escaping with stolen goods.

Police were called to the scene of the aggravated robbery in Edgar St, Ainslie at 11:40pm last night after reports that two men, one armed with a firearm and another with a knife, had entered the restaurant and demanded money.

The men had entered the restaurant after it had closed for the evening via the front door and forced the five employees into the kitchen area demanding money. Two staff members managed to escape via a rear door and alerted a neighbouring

Shortage may push PS out of ACT

The federal bureaucracy may be forced to shift parts of national offices out of Canberra as it struggles to recruit and retain enough staff.

The latest State of the Service report says more than half of the Commonwealth's senior executives and middle managers will be eligible to retire this decade.

It also reveals that, despite the looming personnel crisis, barely one in five government agencies has a workforce plan to help identify talent and manage succession.

The report warns the bureaucracy's labour shortage has already led to a lack of skills, particularly in IT, accounting, law and management.

Police arrest three after Palmerston raid

Three men have been arrested overnight after police executed a search warrant on a home in Palmerston.

ACT Policing's Drug Investigations Team executed the warrant just after 7pm last night, finding two male occupants inside the home, allegedly with an amount of pills, suspected to be MDMA, and numerous cannabis plants.

Police also found a hydroponic set up which they suspect was used to cultivate cannabis plants.

While the search was taking place, two men arrived at the house with additional bags of substances which police suspect to be illicit drugs. The men were arrested by police and charged with

Next move still likely to be up: RBA chief

Reserve Bank governor Glenn Stevens has indicated interest rates will remain on hold for the immediate future, but the next move is still likely to be up.

The bank lifted rates by 25 basis points to 4.75 per cent earlier this month, but the banks passed on much larger increases to their lending rates because of rising funding costs.

Mr Stevens, appearing before a parliamentary committee today, said monetary policy was now ''a little tighter than average''.

''Of course, we are aware as well that, particularly for business borrowers, non-price conditions remain tighter than they were for some years prior

Hills service for parents who have lost children

Rhonda and Howard McCallum will be joining other parents for a service of remembrance at West Pennant Hills

RHONDA and Howard McCallum lost their first child, Brent, to cot death.

Next year they would have celebrated his 40th birthday.

“Nothing prepares you for that,” Mrs McCallum said.

The Castle Hill couple went on to have three more children and are now kept busy with five grandchildren.

While the memory of their eldest child is always with them, the couple take great comfort from the annual remembrance service at St Matthew’s Anglican Church at West Pennant Hills.

The annual service

NBN bill passes Senate

The Senate has passed legislation to split Telstra, paving the way for the National Broadband Network, expected to cost $35.7 billion.

By 30 votes to 28, the Senate agreed to separate the retail and wholesale arms of Telstra during a special sitting of the Upper House.

The House of Representatives will return on Monday to consider the amended bill, which the Gillard Government wants to pass before the Christmas-New Year break.

Source: The Canberra Times

Stanhope backs Barr, but not his style of debating

Chief Minister Jon Stanhope says Andrew Barr is an excellent Planning Minister, but questions his style of community engagement.

The Planning Minister has angered eminent Canberrans over the urban infill debate, calling the territory's first architect Walter Burley Griffin irrelevant and accusing older residents of wanting to preserve museums to their childhoods.

Mr Stanhope said some of the language in the debate was poorly chosen with ''intensification'' and ''infill'' unnecessarily raising alarm.

He recently intervened to calm a row between Mr Barr and Dickson resident Marie Coleman, with an offer of a whole-of-government response to residents' concerns over

New blast at mine: 'no survivors'

A second explosion has rocked the NZ mine where 29 men are trapped and authorities have told their families that none of them would have survived.

The man in charge of the rescue operation, Superintendent Gary Knowles, said that he was at the mine when the blast occurred, and it was "horrific".

"Unfortunately I have to inform the public of New Zealand that at 2.37pm [12.37pm AEDT] today there was another massive explosion underground and based on that explosion no one survived," Superintendent Knowles said.

Superintendent Knowles has broken the news to the families, who were "distraught".

"It is our belief that no one has survived," Superintendent Knowles said.

He said the men had "perished".

"We are now going into recovery mode."

Distraught family members left a scheduled briefing a short time ago, only about 10 minutes after it had started and many of them in tears.

Lawrie Drew, the father of trapped miner Zen Drew, said officials had told the families that

Villawood man charged after pawning stolen iPod

A VILLAWOOD man has charged with four offences including receiving stolen property and furnishing false details to a licensee on Thursday after an iPod he pawned at Chester Hill was found to have been stolen from a break and enter in Birrong in July.

He was bailed to appear at Bankstown Court on December 8.

Source: whereilive

Cheap healthy food from your own garden

It's seldom out of the media these days: the weekly shop and the price of food.

One way to reduce the cost of feeding your family is to grow your own food.

Peter Kearney, organic food growing consultant and founder of Cityfoodgrowers.com.au, is on a mission to help as many people as possible become successful home food growers.

"Of the many benefits of growing your own food, the bottom line at the checkout is a major factor for many families who start to grow their own food.

"Every household can grow some of their own food organically – from a

Scientologists targeting drunk Aborigines

THE Church of Scientology is targeting alcohol-dependent Aborigines with a "drug bomb" therapy which the church has been warned could kill people with kidney problems.

The Scientologists this week responded to a warning by the Northern Territory Health Department and stopped distributing literature which promotes a dangerous drug detoxification therapy.

The group has been moving through remote Australia on an indigenous recruitment drive.

Volunteer Scientology minister Kevin Chapman has with others been operating from a tent in a public park in the middle of Tennant Creek, handing out a pamphlet called Answers To Drugs.

The church has taken out full-page local newspaper advertisements which use the Aboriginal flag and have photos of Aboriginal people - who appear to be sitting in the Todd River

Macquarie man charged with Le Dinh murder

A 37-year-old Macquarie man has faced the ACT Magistrates Court charged over the alleged murder of Andre Le Dinh.

Corey James Martin is accused of murdering Mr Le Dinh between May 19 and May 20 this year, stealing cash and cannabis belonging to Mr Le Dinh, and money laundering.

Mr Le Dinh was found dead in his Belconnen apartment on May 20. The 26-year-old had suffered massive head injuries.

Martin's partner, Rebecca Katherine Krutsky, is accused of helping him escape prosecution and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Last month, her 18-year-old daughter, Camilla Krutsky, was charged with trafficking in

Tip truck smashes into Spence home

Less than 24 hours after a car crashed through the wall of an Isabella Plains house, ACT Policing responded to a second incident in which a truck collided with a home in Spence.

About 1pm yesterday an 8-tonne Isuzu tip truck rolled down Bennet Street, Spence, into the front of a home, causing minor damage to the brick work.

No one was inside the home nor was anyone injured in the incident. The cost of the damage to the house is unknown.

ACT Fire Brigade officers attended the scene to assess the structural damage to the house.

The driver

Stolen car slams into Isabella Plains house

Residents were forced to evacuate an Isabella Plains home early this morning after a stolen car crashed through one of its walls.

Police are investigating the incident, which happened at 1am, and have spoken to witnesses who say they saw four young males flee the scene, leaving the car halfway inside the house with a large hole in the wall.

Damage to the house has been estimated at more than $100,000, but police do not believe anyone was injured.

The vehicle was stolen earlier in the evening from a house in Monash, according to police inquiries.

ACT Fire Brigade officers

Cheap healthy food from your own garden

It's seldom out of the media these days: the weekly shop and the price of food.

One way to reduce the cost of feeding your family is to grow your own food.

Peter Kearney, organic food growing consultant and founder of Cityfoodgrowers.com.au, is on a mission to help as many people as possible become successful home food growers.

"Of the many benefits of growing your own food, the bottom line at the checkout is a major factor for many families who start to grow their own food.

"Every household can grow some of their own food organically – from a

'Good' girl turns 90

In the company of around 15 of her closest friends and family, Mrs Lois Wilbow celebrated her 90th birthday at Blacktown Workers Club.

GARDENING, sewing and being a “good” person may just be the secrets to living a long life. Last Friday, Lois Wilbow achieved a milestone that many of us will never achieve.

In the company of around 15 of her closest friends and family, Mrs Wilbow celebrated her 90th birthday at Blacktown Workers Club.

The sprightly Blacktown resident comes from a strong lifeline of female family members who have lived a higher than average age-Mrs Wilbow’s mother

Gillroy College's Ian will be JO'K on the night

Gilroy College will present Shout: The Legend of the Wild One featuring year 10 student Ian Knighton

GILROY College year 10 student Ian Knighton will make his singing debut in the school’s production of Shout: The Legend of the Wild One.

Based on the book by John-Michael Howson, David Mitchell and Melvyn Morrow, on the life and times of Johnny O’Keefe, it will feature all the razzle and dazzle this musical is known for.

Music teacher and show director Veronica Crowe said the production would feature up to 40 students and would be full of high energy.

“Rehearsals have

Diabetics claim ACT's service failing them

Frustrated Canberra diabetics have spoken about what they describe as sub-standard services operated by ACT Health, with many saying they are now resorting to accessing medical care from interstate public hospitals.

Several people with diabetes have told The Canberra Times that follow-up care for people who have suffered major diabetes-related health incidents was difficult to access.

They also complained about long waits for endocrinologist and diabetes educator appointments and said that services were inadequate for young adults. The Canberra Times revealed last month that some senior doctors believe the ACT's performance in combating diabetes was shameful in comparison to

Plastic bag law targets retailers

Retailers who hand out plastic bags will face fines of more than $27,000 under the ACT Government's new hardline shopping bag policy.

The tough fines will put supermarket operators caught supplying bags in the same criminal league as adults who supply hard liquor to children and breeders of dangerous attack dogs.

A person convicted of taking a child into a brothel would be up for a smaller fine than a shopkeeper who gives a customer a plastic shopping bag under the new laws, according to the Opposition.

Environment Minister Simon Corbell introduced legislation into the Assembly last month that will

Crime on the slide in Melton shire

CRIME in Melton shire is on retreat, according to the latest Victoria Police statistics.

Significant reductions in drug offences and residential burglaries headlined the latest figures, which revealed the overall crime rate in Melton shire dropped by 5.4 per cent from the same time last year.

There were 5990 crimes committed per 100,000 people in the shire from October 2009 to September 2010, down from 6334 the previous year.

Drug offences fell 18.1 per cent from 269 to 220 offences while crime against property fell 7.3 per cent from 4734 to 4388 offences.

But crime against the person rose

Emily Koulioumbis draws on her Mediterranean youth

Island life is portrayed in Emily Koulioumbis' paintings. PICTURE: NICK BLOUKOS

VISIONS of the Mediterranean will adorn the walls of the Mytilenian House this month when Canterbury artist Emily Koulioumbis unveils her first solo exhibition on Thursday, November 16.

The 55-year-old, who was known affectionately in art school as “the flower girl” due to her penchant for bright colours and for painting floral arrangements, will display 10 artworks at the venue until November 18.

Mrs Koulioumbis, who hails from the island of Lesbos in Greece, said the pictures in the exhibition were colourful acrylics depicting rustic scenes from the

Milperra mum's push for Pompe treatment on PBS

MILPERRA resident Belinda Delacour is part of a small group of people with Pompe disease awaiting the outcome of an application for the medication used in the treatment of the potentially fatal disease to be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Australian Pompe’s Association lodged its application to the Federal Government’s panel on Wednesday, making it the fourth time it has requested funding for medication which could cost between $300,000 and $500,000 a year if not subsidised.

Myozyme is an enzyme replacement therapy used to treat the disease. It is funded by Genzyme Corporation but because of changes to the

Grand day for family elders

NANNYS, papas, nonnas and opas united for Queensland’s first official Grandparents Day on Sunday, November 7.
Regardless of the term of endearment they are branded with, grandparents across the state enjoyed an excuse to spend the day with their beloved grandchildren to mark the event.
Grandparents Day was established by the Bligh Government as part of its seniors strategy called Positively Ageless.
State member for Everton Murray Watt enjoyed the day with his mother Kathy Watt - a doting Grandmother to grandson George and granddaughter Abbie.
``Queensland is the first state in Australia to hold an official Grandparents Day,

Monaghan quits NRL

JOEL Monaghan has broken his silence on that ''moment of madness'', announcing he will quit the NRL and pleading with officials not to blacklist him forever.

Monaghan created headlines after a photograph of him simulating a sex act with a dog was published on the internet.

The Canberra, NSW and Australian centre unreservedly apologised for a prank which could spell the end of his NRL career.

For the full story see today's edition of the Sunday Canberra Times.

Source: The Canberra Times

Monaghan quits NRL

JOEL Monaghan has broken his silence on that ''moment of madness'', announcing he will quit the NRL and pleading with officials not to blacklist him forever.

Monaghan created headlines after a photograph of him simulating a sex act with a dog was published on the internet.

The Canberra, NSW and Australian centre unreservedly apologised for a prank which could spell the end of his NRL career.

For the full story see today's edition of the Sunday Canberra Times.

Source: The Canberra Times

Monaghan Twitter leaker breaks cover

The man behind the leak on Twitter yesterday of an embarrassing photograph of NRL star Joel Monaghan says he was surprised at how quickly his tweet spread around the country but the act was necessary to highlight the issue of animal cruelty.

Monaghan, who will now be immortalised as the man who engaged in a simulated sex act with a teammate's dog, learned the hard way that social media can be a dangerous place and indiscretions that traditionally may have remained secret can now be broadcast around the world within seconds.

WyattRoyMP - a fake Twitter profile impersonating Australia's youngest MP - was the first to publish the photo on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon and sent the link around to NRL insiders. By yesterday morning it had exploded and the scandal rocketed up into Twitter's top 10 trending topics worldwide.

The Twitter user, who spoke on condition of anonymity, would only say that he obtained the photograph

Lewd act derails Raiders' membership drive

The Joel Monaghan debacle derailed the Canberra Raiders' membership launch yesterday.

But his possible axing from the club could open the door for Joel Thompson to make a permanent move into Canberra's back line.

The photograph of Monaghan in an explicit act with a dog sent the club into damage control and overshadowed its membership launch at the Mawson Club.

Monaghan's future could be sealed as early as next week when the board meets to decide what action to take.

And his contract which expires at the end of 2012 is now in serious danger of being torn

Kellyville soccer coach on teen sex charge

A KELLYVILLE Ridge man, 40, has been charged after he was allegedly involved in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl who was in a soccer team he coached.
Blacktown Police began an investigation after the parents of the child discovered suspicious behaviour and text messages allegedly sent from the man's phone.
Following the investigation, police executed a search warrant at a home at Kellyville Ridge on October 19.
At 9am this morning, the man attended Blacktown Police Station where he was arrested. He was subsequently charged with three counts of aggravated sexual assault with a child under

A helping hand in times of need

CHRIS Arnott has weathered a few storms after 32 years as an SES volunteer.

He has stepped down from the role of Deputy Local Controller of the Moreton Bay SES Unit after 18 years in the executive ranks.

Mr Arnott joined the Arana Hills SES group when it formed in 1978 after he witnessed the devastating effect of storms and wanted to do something to help the community.

``Going through the `74 floods you saw a lot of graphic damage,’’ he said.

``When you’ve seen the howling winds and the rain and hail a lot of people realise it’s

Information watchdog launched

The Federal Government has opened a new watchdog that it says will gradually eliminate unnecessary secrecy in the bureaucracy.

Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor launched the Office of the Information Commissioner today to mark a "new era of transparency and accountability".

Parliament created the office earlier this year when it approved an overhaul of Australia's Freedom of Information Act.

The new law forces public servants to presume that the work they produce is a national resource that will be published, rather than information for their minister only.

Some documents - particularly those with sensitive information that could undermine national security