Thursday, 15 November 2007

Buyers stay clear of Rover paintings, The Australian, 15 November, 2007.

Buyers stay clear of Rover paintings: [2 All-round First Edition]

Corrie Perkin, John Stapleton. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 15 Nov 2007: 8.
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After viewing the image via email, the trustee and executor of Mowaljarlai's estate, Hannah Rachel Bell, said she was concerned about the painting's authenticity. "Nobody's doubting ([David Banggal Mowaljarlai]'s) been in the Dandenongs with Neil," she said. "The doubt arises with what Mowal painted ... and what he was prepared to hold up for a photograph."
TWO paintings by artist Rover Thomas failed to sell at a Sydney auction last night following debate about their provenance.
Ngarin Janu Place (Cyclone Tracy) and Rainbow Jowie, Lake Billiluna had a total estimated value of $160,000-$200,000. Their provenance notes link them to Neil McLeod Fine Arts in Melbourne, a source that has attracted the attention of experts familiar with Thomas's style.
Several Aboriginal art scholars, dealers and artists this week told The Australian they were uneasy about the provenance of some paintings in the Lawson-Menzies sale, including four Thomas works.
A 1995 Thomas work linked with the McLeod studio, Cyclone Tracy, last night sold for $204,000, including buyer's premium, while Thomas's 1984 Grugrugi Owl fetched $40,800.
A highlight of the evening was a record for Paddy Nyunkuny Bedford, who died in July. His 2004 painting Joogoomoondiny -- Grawler Gully fetched $300,000, more than $200,000 above its estimate.
Another painting featuring the McLeod provenance, Storm Wandjinas (1994) by David Banggal Mowaljarlai, was passed in at yesterday afternoon's L-M sale. It had an estimate of $9000-$12,000.
Yesterday L-M sent The Australian a series of photographs of Mowaljarlai, taken during his 1994 trip to the McLeod studio. One photo features the artist beside Storm Wandjinas.
After viewing the image via email, the trustee and executor of Mowaljarlai's estate, Hannah Rachel Bell, said she was concerned about the painting's authenticity. "Nobody's doubting (Mowaljarlai's) been in the Dandenongs with Neil," she said. "The doubt arises with what Mowal painted ... and what he was prepared to hold up for a photograph."
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Monday, 12 November 2007

Nation unites in remembrance, The Australian, 12 November, 2007

Nation unites in remembrance: [8 NSW Metro Edition]

John Stapleton, Paul Maley, Additional reporting: Siobhain Ryan. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 12 Nov 2007: 2.
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Under the traditional words, "Lest We Forget" and "To Our Glorious Dead", wreaths were laid at cenotaphs around the country by everyone from John Howard to ordinary citizens, from premiers and a host of civic and military dignitaries to the grieving families of returned and fallen soldiers.
In Sydney, Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said no group of Australians had done more to shape our values than the men and women who bore silent witness in distant fields. "We are a democracy, a nation confident in who we are," Dr Nelson said. "It is those we honour today who gave us that legacy."
As part of ceremony at Sydney's Martin Place, Colonel Roger Noble reflected on the 90th anniversary of the Charge at Beersheba bythe Australian Light Horse. He said the traditions of courage, endurance, mateship and sacrifice that underlined the conduct of theLight Horse were "quite literally part of what we are today".
FROM the Australian War Memorial in Canberra to tiny rural hamlets, the nation stood briefly united yesterday for a minute's silence -- at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
Under the traditional words, "Lest We Forget" and "To Our Glorious Dead", wreaths were laid at cenotaphs around the country by everyone from John Howard to ordinary citizens, from premiers and a host of civic and military dignitaries to the grieving families of returned and fallen soldiers.
Ceremonies for Remembrance Day, including the playing of The Last Post, marked the 89th anniversary of the end of World War I, and the deaths of more than 100,000 Australian soldiers in overseas conflicts.
In Canberra, the Prime Minister said the deaths in Afghanistan of Trooper David Pearce and Sergeant Matthew Locke had been a sad reminder of the nature of sacrifice in war on behalf of a free people.
"Whether the deaths occurred in Gallipoli or the Somme, in the Western Desert, Kokoda or Milne Bay, in bomber command over Europe, in Long Tan or Oruzgan Province in Afghanistan, all Australians who have died in conflict have died for a common ideal ... that men and women might choose how to live their lives and to shape their futures," he said.
At the same ceremony, Polish-born Henryk Kustra, 82, who attends the War Memorial each year, applauded Mr Howard's recognition of the human cost of war but decried Australia's involvement in Iraq as a tragic mistake.
"I don't believe in war, because I saw some terrible things happen," he said.
Mr Kustra lost his brother and father to the ravages of Siberian prison camps when World War II ended his childhood at age 14.
Later released, he fought alongside Australians in North Africa during the Battle of Tobruk.
Alone and barely out ofhis teens by war's end, Mr Kustra emigrated to Australia armed only with the photos and addresses of soldiers he had befriended.
In Perth, Kevin Rudd took a break from campaigning to lay a wreath at the King's Park War Memorial. Five defence force cadets fainted in the wilting heat. The Opposition Leader later checked on their welfare as ambulance officers treated them.
In Sydney, Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said no group of Australians had done more to shape our values than the men and women who bore silent witness in distant fields. "We are a democracy, a nation confident in who we are," Dr Nelson said. "It is those we honour today who gave us that legacy."
In Melbourne, about 5000 people gathered at the Shrine of Remembrance for a moving ceremony in warm sunshine.
They included Judy Bush, whose father, Ernest Hibbert, was a light horseman in World War I and whose late husband, Horrie, served inthe military for 33 years. "You come in memory of them, it's as if they were here," said Mrs Bush, who wiped away tears during theceremony.
In Brisbane, Queensland Governor Quentin Bryce and Premier Anna Bligh were among the dignitaries to lay wreaths at the Shrine of Remembrance in Anzac Square.
In western Sydney, the Bankstown Multicultural Youth Service organised school children to participate in a morning service at thelocal cenotaph.
Kristina Mitropoulos, 16, who won a prize to travel to Gallipoli next year, said: "To me, it is learning about the ultimate sacrifice thefathers of our nation gave. Although they are not directly related to us, they made the nation what it is today. We are keeping that spirit alive amongst the youth of Australia."
As part of ceremony at Sydney's Martin Place, Colonel Roger Noble reflected on the 90th anniversary of the Charge at Beersheba bythe Australian Light Horse. He said the traditions of courage, endurance, mateship and sacrifice that underlined the conduct of theLight Horse were "quite literally part of what we are today".
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Saturday, 10 November 2007

City bids farewell to much-loved MP - ELECTION 2007, Weekend Australian, 10 November, 2007.

City bids farewell to much-loved MP - ELECTION 2007: [7 NSW First Edition]

Stapleton, John. Weekend Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 10 Nov 2007: 10.
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Political colleague Borry Gartrell described him as a man who was "of the people, for the people". Tim Payne and Tim Mahony, who worked for Mr [Peter Andren] in his office, described a "leader of staff" whose principled stands on many issues, from Iraq to theGovernment's use of the Tampa incident for electoral gain, had inspired all those around him.
Mr Andren's brother Max remembered the idyllic rural childhood they shared as "railway kids", fascinated by the impact of steam trains on the coins they placed on the tracks. He said their father Victor's sense of fairness and belief that all men should be treated equally was a guiding beacon that motivated Mr Andren throughout his life.
BELLS pealed out over Orange in the NSW central west yesterday for the passing of its favourite son and greatest champion, Peter Andren.
Crowds spilled into the street from the Holy Trinity church, where a service that blended Aboriginal and High Anglican symbolism proved more a celebration of a remarkable man's life than a normal funeral.
The fiercely independent and widely admired MP for the seat of Calare was remembered as an uncompromising, compassionate and principled man whose spirited representation of his constituents won their devotion. As the order of service recorded: "He loved his family, he loved his country and he loved its people. And in return they loved him."
During the lengthy funeral there were tributes from family, former work colleagues and politicians who spoke of his integrity and decency. In a break from tradition, the crowd at one point burst into sustained applause.
Greens senator Bob Brown described Mr Andren as "the refreshing rain of decency in the parched land of politics".
"He was the conscience of Australia's parliament," he said.
Political colleague Borry Gartrell described him as a man who was "of the people, for the people". Tim Payne and Tim Mahony, who worked for Mr Andren in his office, described a "leader of staff" whose principled stands on many issues, from Iraq to theGovernment's use of the Tampa incident for electoral gain, had inspired all those around him.
Mr Andren's youngest son, Josh, his voice breaking, spoke of his father's love of literature and read a much-loved poem, On The Night Train, by Henry Lawson.
Mr Andren's brother Max remembered the idyllic rural childhood they shared as "railway kids", fascinated by the impact of steam trains on the coins they placed on the tracks. He said their father Victor's sense of fairness and belief that all men should be treated equally was a guiding beacon that motivated Mr Andren throughout his life.
Mr Andren's partner, Valerie Faber, a childhood sweetheart he met later in life after two divorces, said the short and severe nature of his illness from pancreatic cancer had meant many of his friends and admirers had not had the chance to say goodbye. She thanked people for the thousands of messages of support the family had received and said Mr Andren was enormously proud of his sons, Greg and Josh, but also treated his staff like his extended family.
The service concluded with a recording of a song, Country Town, written and recorded by Mr Andren: "Boys played cricket while thegirls watched hard; We sneaked a kiss while our mates kept guard."
After the service, the hearse was driven through the streets of Orange as its residents applauded.
Inquirer -- Page 25
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Monday, 5 November 2007

Towns evacuated after wild storms, The Australian, 5 November, 2007.

Towns evacuated after wild storms: [2 All-round First Edition]

Richard Kerbaj, John Stapleton. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 05 Nov 2007: 10.
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"We've had over 100mm of rain up in the ranges north of the catchments in Gippsland and currently Southern Rural Water are releasing water from Glenmaggie Weir, which is going to put pressure on the river downstream and impact potentially on thetownships," SES operations director Trevor White said. Residents in these and nearby towns such as Bairnsdale spent much of the day sandbagging the river banks to secure against flash flooding.
The rains will boost dam levels in regional areas and help Melbourne's water shortages, the Bureau of Meteorology's senior forecaster Scott Williams said, with runoff into the Thompson reservoir expected to increase in the coming days. Melbourne's dams are at 39.9 per cent ofcapacity.
Sydney's water stores should also rise after the weekend's rain, with NSW Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Neale Fraser noting the catchment had received "very useful" falls.
WILD storms lashed much of Victoria yesterday, leaving one man dead and forcing hundreds of people in the state's southeast to evacuate their homes.
State Emergency Services urged residents of Tinamba and Newry, small towns in Gippsland, to leave the area while they could as floodwaters continued to rise following nearly 24 hours of heavy rains.
The towns were only just returning to normal after bearing the brunt of crippling floods that hit the Gippsland region four months ago.
"We've had over 100mm of rain up in the ranges north of the catchments in Gippsland and currently Southern Rural Water are releasing water from Glenmaggie Weir, which is going to put pressure on the river downstream and impact potentially on thetownships," SES operations director Trevor White said. Residents in these and nearby towns such as Bairnsdale spent much of the day sandbagging the river banks to secure against flash flooding.
Yesterday's storms, which swept across Victoria's south carried by strong winds, were just as devastating to the west of Melbourne, leaving a 19-year-old camper dead after a tree branch fell and crushed his tent in Lorne, on the Great Ocean Road. Emergency workers and a doctor camping at the Sheoak campground battled to save the teenager.
Three friends who were also in the tent escaped injury.
The rain, the most in a 24-hour period in the region in a century, forced the evacuation of many visitors from Cumberland River Holiday Park, west of Lorne.
While the Bureau of Meteorology said as much as 150mm fell overnight in Gippsland, Mr White said he believed the flooding would be less severe than in June and July, when much of the area was inundated.
While the Otways and Gippsland recorded heavy falls, the nation's food belt, the Murray-Darling Basin, missed the big falls, receiving about 80mm.
The timing of the rains could not have been more heartbreaking for farmers.
If they had come four weeks ago, hundreds of millions of dollars worth of wheat crops would not have been ploughed back into theground or turned into hay.
Don White, of the consultancy firm Weatherwatch, said the widespread rain, which also fell across much of NSW, could have been worth hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars but it "just came too late".
The rains will boost dam levels in regional areas and help Melbourne's water shortages, the Bureau of Meteorology's senior forecaster Scott Williams said, with runoff into the Thompson reservoir expected to increase in the coming days. Melbourne's dams are at 39.9 per cent ofcapacity.
"It's not all bad news in that we'll get very good rainfall into our storages out of this," Mr Williams said.
"Overall it's been a pretty good event in the state."
Mr Williams said weather conditions were likely to ease overnight and settle by Melbourne Cup day tomorrow.
"It should improve quickly enough for the Melbourne Cup to be run in fine conditions, with sunny periods and 20 (degrees)," he said.
Sydney's water stores should also rise after the weekend's rain, with NSW Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Neale Fraser noting the catchment had received "very useful" falls.
Mr Fraser said other parts of the state had seen widespread and welcome rains, with isolated areas receiving more than their average November monthly falls.
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Friday, 2 November 2007

New grandad dies after fight over water wastage, The Australian, 2 November, 2007.




New grandad dies after fight over water wastage: [1 All-round Country Edition]

Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 02 Nov 2007: 3.
Neighbours described Mr Proctor as a "top bloke", "a typical Australian", a popular and helpful neighbour who liked a beer, a punt, was a devoted follower of the South Sydney Rugby League team and who, four weeks ago, had become the proud grandfather of his first grandchild, Reegan. He had worked at Sutherland Shire Council for many years as a truck driver, where he was nicknamed "Bradman" because he couldn't be got out of his truck.
"His face was as red as a beetroot," he said. "After he was hit he stood for four or five minutes and then slowly fell to the ground."
Relatives of Mr [Todd Munter], who were present in court yesterday and were clearly upset, refused to speak to the media, except for one woman who said: "We are decent people."

Full Text


KENNETH Proctor was watering his front lawn on Wednesday afternoon in the southern Sydney suburb of Sylvania. For the well- liked, retired council worker, it was a regular habit that he followed to the letter of local council water restrictions.
But an argument about water wastage with a stranger quickly escalated into a fight. He was allegedly knocked to the ground, and after ambulance officers rushed him to hospital, Mr Proctor, 66, was declared dead from a heart attack.
Todd Munter, 36, of Sylvania, has been charged with Mr Proctor's murder.
He suffers from depression and was heavily medicated when he appeared before Sutherland Local Court yesterday. Mr Munter did not apply for bail and
was remanded in custody until a bail hearing at Central Local Court on November 15.
Police allege that Mr Munter, who lived about a kilometre away, was walking past the house when he became upset over the perceived waste of water. The two men argued and then Mr Proctor allegedly wet the younger man with his hose. Mr Munter allegedly responded by pushing the elderly man to the ground.
Neighbours described Mr Proctor as a "top bloke", "a typical Australian", a popular and helpful neighbour who liked a beer, a punt, was a devoted follower of the South Sydney Rugby League team and who, four weeks ago, had become the proud grandfather of his first grandchild, Reegan. He had worked at Sutherland Shire Council for many years as a truck driver, where he was nicknamed "Bradman" because he couldn't be got out of his truck.
Bruce Buscombe, who lives next door, saw Mr Proctor after the alleged assault.
"His face was as red as a beetroot," he said. "After he was hit he stood for four or five minutes and then slowly fell to the ground."
Mr Buscombe said everyone in the neighbourhood was "just shocked. We are all used to the water restrictions; we all stick by them," he said, adding that he was surprised that the restrictions would be linked to any crime.
Mr Buscombe said the first words uttered by widow Lynette Proctor yesterday morning were: "It was such a stupid thing."
Mr Munter was arrested by an off-duty policeman who lives opposite the Proctor house.
Sydney Water reports that regulations covering Sylvania permit the watering of lawns by hand before 10am and after 4pm on Wednesdays and Sundays; therefore Mr Proctor was not in breach of them.
Relatives of Mr Munter, who were present in court yesterday and were clearly upset, refused to speak to the media, except for one woman who said: "We are decent people."
Mr Proctor was a regular at the Sylvania Bowling Club, which is located just up the street from where he lived. Drinks were held in his memory last night.
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