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Canberra Today 15°/21° | Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Canberra Confidential: Coralie couldn’t resist

coralie wood and dame kiri“MY finger hit the shutter. No self control,” is how “CityNews” snapper Gary Shafer tried to weasel his way out of taking this wonderfully cheeky pic of local promoter-to-the stars Coralie Wood having a fan moment.

That’s Coralie in the middle between Reps Speaker Bronwyn Bishop and legendary opera star Dame Kiri Te Kanawa at Parliament House. And Coralie, who was promoting the soprano’s recent Canberra show, confessed to CC that she just couldn’t resist the moment. “I had to be seen with a dame and the Speaker!”

Sun down on the knees-up

“IMAGINE a spectacular setting, sipping a glass of champagne overlooking a sunset panoramic view of Canberra, Lake Burley Griffin and beyond…”

Imagine indeed, for despite the soothing promise, there will be no sunset for guests at the Conservation Council’s World Environment Day Dinner at the National Arboretum on Saturday, May 31 because the knees-up starts with canapés and bubbles at 7pm, two hours after the scheduled sunset at 5pm.

Nevertheless, the night promises a three-course meal, guest speaker ecology professor David Lindenmayer and entertainment from the irrepressible Shortis and Simpson. Tickets are $95 and bookings to 6229 3200 or online at conservationcouncil.org.au

Tongue twisted

CC’s arts snout reports from the flash opening of the exhibition of Pacific art “Atua”, at the NGA, that director Ron Radford did a sterling job pronouncing very difficult Polynesian words, but slipped up – indeed, gave up – on “iconoclastic” and “Qantas”.

Give to live, really?

LYNNE Harwood, from Communities@Work, would have us believe that people who give to others live longer than their non-charitable peers.

In launching her charity’s “Do Good, Feel Good, Real Good” campaign, she quotes UC’s Prof Thomas Nielsen, whose research suggests that giving is one of the stongest predictors of increasing our happiness and health.

“Go to commsatwork.org/dogood. Change someone’s life for the better and add years to your life!”, Lynne urges. No mention of a money-back guarantee, though.

On paper, they’re stuffed

THEY huff and they puff about the digital genius of giving their work away for nothing, but never mention the faltering paid circulation of “The Canberra Times”.

“Masthead readership” is the mantra in Fairfax’s Fyshwick bunker, but the reality is the paper that pays salaries is slip sliding away; its advertising premium probably gone forever, too.

The latest March circulation numbers peg the sales at startling lows as the flagship Saturday edition slumps 16.8 per cent against last year to 35,612; Sunday is down 15 per cent to 24,124 and the weekdays have dropped 10.4 per cent to 24,300.

Mice with that?

TASUKE Japanese Restaurant in the Sydney Building, Alinga Street, in the city, has a grand sandwich board out the front that lists, amid its array of technicoloured offerings, the lip-smacking hot and spicy pork “mice” ramen.

Joy turns to nightmare

FLYNN grandparents head off on a joyous trip to Sydney for their granddaughter’s graduation in nursing.

Things took a difficult turn when nana was rushed by ambulance to Hornsby Hospital following a bad gastric attack.

Worse yet, the following evening she fell over in hospital after being tangled in drip lines, resulting in two fractures in her left pelvis.

After a rough week at Hornsby she was transferred to Calvary by ambulance to face six to eight weeks of rehabilitation. Get well soon, Joyce.

Short, back and chords

SINGING barbers we’ve heard of, but not a guitar playing one. CC couldn’t help but notice the instrument at the doorway of Barbero, a new hairdresser in Bailey’s Arcade. Alas, snipper Karan Khanna admitted he wasn’t much of a player, but said waiting clients would often pick it up and some were quite good, especially the guy from Civic Shoes down the hall.

We won’t call you

AFTER weeks of nail-biting, a candidate calls the NCA to see if the job she had applied for weeks ago had been filled. No, no decision, she was told, but now they’re uncertain if they will fill it, what with all the cuts to the public service.

On this logic, the NCA may be the only Federal agency surprised by the Budget.

Despondently, she was told not to wait to hear back from them.

“I’m trying not to think it was a waste of time, but an opportunity to practise writing/interview skills!” she sighs.

Who can be trusted?

In a world of spin and confusion, there’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in Canberra.

If you trust our work online and want to enforce the power of independent voices, I invite you to make a small contribution.

Every dollar of support is invested back into our journalism to help keep citynews.com.au strong and free.

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Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

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