Radio 2CC’s Drivetime Host Mike Welsh has produced a TV documentary that provides an insight into the people who have a passion to phone in to talkback radio programs.

Directed by 2GB Producer Michael Thompson, the 26 minute documentary delves into the lives of five passionate talkback callers.

At a recent launch at Teatro Vivaldi, Mike introduced Lon, Geoff, Betty, Samuel and Steve, who met each other and saw the documentary for the first time.

After 28 years in radio, Welsh felt he had an interesting story to tell about the people behind the voices that regularly call him.

“These people have opinions on all kinds of things. I wanted to bring out the characters and get an insight into why they call talkback”, says Welsh.

A crew of six spent a day and a half in their homes, which was a challenge in itself.

What’s evident from the documentary is the diversity of the group: Lon, who is so passionate about radio he wears one around his neck at all times; Steve—Bruce the Goose’s nephew—who loves to be silly and try to trick the talkback jock; 75 year old Betty who doesn’t pull any punches; Geoff, an ex toastmaster who lost his confidence when he experienced bipolar disorder, and shy 20 year old Samuel who is passionate about talkback radio.

“Talkback radio is a place where I can have my say; I generally don’t find music radio overly exciting”, says Samuel. “I find that listening to talkback radio is much more interesting and it seems natural for me to take part”.

Welsh says that we all probably yell at the radio from time to time, but we won’t ring as often as these people do.

“There is usually an issue of the day that is spiking them, getting them angry enough to call”, says Welsh.

What is evident is that these five have their own demons to deal with, whether it be eccentricity, depression, mental illness, bipolar disorder or Aspergher’s Syndrome.

Talkback radio provides a connection for these five (most live on their own) into the community. It keeps them engaged. And as Betty says:

“It’s my right to give my opinion on that day at that time”.

Sustainable fashion collective Green Threads, in conjunction with ACT otherWISE will be holding their next public clothes swap this Sunday, September 20th at the Inner North Community Fair.

This is the perfect opportunity to spring clean your cupboard and swap some unwanted clothes (that are still in good condition) for some new and wonderful wardrobe finds for this lovely spring weather.

Everyone is welcome, girls, boys, ladies, men, fashionistas and otherwise. This swap is about giving unworn clothing a new lease on life, and reducing the impact of our lifestyles on the environment so our system is pretty casual. You can take more than you give, you can give more than you take, and if you have nothing to give at all then make a donation to ACT otherWISE and support youth led sustainability in canberra.

We’ll be there swapping from 11am to 3pm at the Banksia Street Wetlands O’Connor (next to the tennis courts). For more info comtact Michele on 0411 095 165 or [email protected]

The Inner North Community Fair will also feature food, stalls, entertainment, wetlands displays, and organic gardening advice. And hopefully sunshine, it should be a beautiful day for all!

and can’t feed your pet or water your pot plants? What a loss of freedom if you can’t go away, and if you can’t rely on the good will of your neighbour to watch out for your place while you are away! What about in times of crisis- a fire, an accident, a burst water main, or electricity pole down in the wind? Friendly neighbours will always take the trouble to check how you are going, and will help you out or share information where possible. Goodwill can be lost easily by believing or repeating stories or gossip Good will is easy to lose, and takes a little effort to create and keep. Knowing the person in good times is always an insurance against a mistake, accident or misunderstanding in rough times. Treating each other with respect, and listening to another point of view is vital. Gossip involving neighbours often spreads quickly, and as is often said, bad news travels faster than good. If we do not know a person first hand, it is much easier to believe something said by others, or even to make assumptions about their motives when something happens. It is too easy to develop suspicions without proof For instance, the bin is tipped over. There are young people in the house next door, who have been seen hanging out in the driveway at night. Of course it was them. We may never test the truth of this belief. But next time something happens, eg a letterbox is damaged, we are more than likely to believe the same young people are responsible. If people are wrongly accused, they can become anti-social. Find ways to build social connection among neighbours Street parties are not everyone’s cup of tea, but they are a great way of getting to know people in your street. Sometimes people even find they have skills to share, or information to pass on. Even chatting at the local shops can be helpful. The potential for hearsay to

It takes time to create a sense of belonging and connection. Many of us nowadays think time is a scarce commodity. We may complain that we hardly have time to spend time with family, so why would we bother building bridges with neighbours… That may be a policy that works in fair weather when all is going smoothly in our street. What about a time when a crime is committed, or a public nuisance? A flood, a burst water main or fallen power-line? Not to mention a fire- who has a ladder or a hose? There are many good reasons to take the time to know your neighbours, at well least enough to know who is in their household, and if they go away for a significant period. We may value our privacy because we are so busy, but others in our street may value an occasional kind word because they may be isolated or unwell. Whilst we cannot legislate for kindness, we will all benefit from it when the need for community solidarity arises. The Chair of the Social Inclusion Board noted in his Introduction to the ACT Government Report on Open Forums 2005 that: ‘Canberra has been through a period of social, cultural and economic transformation…there has been a significant growth in the number of households of one or two person(s)….In the past, many cohesive neighbourhoods were based primarily on larger families, and children provided some of the social ties of a community… There is also evidence that…Canberra in particular has a transient population, with approximately thirty per cent of Canberrans moving house each year.’ The people who have lived in a neighbourhood longer are in a good position to introduce themselves to new arrivals. Never under-estimate the power of a friendly greeting from an insider to an outsider coming in. Establishing a friendly and supportive neighbourhood is not difficult, but it takes good will and a decision to make that effort. Don’t wait till you have a problem before you talk to your neighbour If you let time go by without meeting your neighbour in a friendly natural way, something they do may begin to annoy you. It is after all easier to be annoyed with the neighbours than with your boss, the government, your own children, dog, garden, or heaven forbid yourself! Bad-mouthing the family next door may be a nice easy way to let off steam, but how easy is it in the long run if there are tensions between you and the neighbours? Chickens come home to roost! The lost opportunities when we don’t trust our neighbours The down side of not being able to talk to your neighbours Do you want to live in a stand-off situation where you avoid coming across them near the front gate, or worse, in a virtual war zone where you are nervous about one them or their kids deliberately damaging your plants, letterbox or car? Who will watch my place or water my pot plants? On the lost opportunity list, what about when you want to go away become rumour and social division is less if people are able to chat and find out first hand how their neighbour ticks. If you don’t want to hold or attend a street party, just be friendly when you cross paths, see them working in their garden or collecting the mail. A neighbour may hold the key to something valuable you want to know…ah yes, I can recommend a reasonable plumber. If there is a problem between neighbours that concerns you, contact Conflict Resolution Service on 6295 5998 If a misunderstanding or annoyance has arisen between neighbours, and you don’t feel able to express your concerns face to face, contact Conflict Resolution Service for advice, referral, conflict resolution strategies mediation, or counselling Appreciate your neighbours as a friend in times of need Remember to value your neighbour, as there may very well be a time when you need one another. Not to mention positive feelings are better for your health than negative ones, and social connection is the best medicine. This project aims to educate the community in ways to prevent, manage and resolve conflict in their neighbourhoods. The Conflict Resolution Service is a community organisation funded by ACT Government to provide a free and accessible mediation service to the Canberra region for neighbourhood disputes; parenting couple and family disputes; and community disputes which may include charitable organisations or sporting organisations. Mediations will also be provided on a fee for service sliding scale basis for disputes involving property settlements exceeding $30,000; corporations and workplace disputes. Conflict Resolution Service is now located on Level 3 Griffin Centre Genge St Civic. Call us on 6162 4050 for advice or information on resolving disputes or visit

This column answers questions I’m frequently asked about investing in property. Should I buy in Canberra? Invest where the fundamentals are right, to gain strong capital growth. Canberra has steady growth in some areas, but it’s not ‘hot’. And with the right property manager you don’t have to live where your investment is. Why specialise in Brisbane? Experts agree that SE Queensland is outperforming the rest of Australia — strong population growth, excellent new job creation, affordable real estate, and a tight rental market. Now’s the time to invest, before prices skyrocket like in Darwin and Perth. How fast do properties sell? Fast — so fast many Brisbane agents complain they have nothing to sell. What if I have problems renting my property? Rents in SE Queensland are regularly setting new records. There are more renters than properties. How much do properties cost? Boutique developments of units, townhouses, and house and land packages are available at all price points, some under $300K.

When announced in October 2006 that the Griffith Library would close on 1 December 2006, people in the community were stunned, angry, devastated, furious and more. With no consultation, there was little time to do anything about this unpopular decision. A couple, regular patrons to the library, went there the following Saturday armed with a pile of template letters asking other library users to explain why they wanted the library to stay open. The letters which delivered by hand the following Monday morning to Mr Hargreaves and copies circulated to other ministers. Energy levels ran high that morning as the community rallied, completing and signing over 200 letters on the first day. The same operation was carried out the following Saturday and just as many letters, as well as a petition, were signed and delivered to Mr Hargreaves. Mr Hargreaves was very dismissive about the hundreds of protest letters, writing that they were not ‘letters’ but merely templates, despite being personalised content. Ironically, his response letters to the protestors were all copies. After many more letters and e-mails which were directed at his office, he refused to take calls, was not available for any meetings from concerned citizens. He voted against allowing extra time to debate the issue, and effectively gagged the Assembly, reiterating his views that there was no point in consulting with the community as he already knew that we would vote against closing the Griffith Library because the community wanted the Griffith Library to stay there!! Many people joined in letter-box dropping information about a rally and the community support for this venture was nothing short of amazing. At the eleventh hour, Mr Hargreaves agreed to attend the rally and take questions. ABC News estimated that 1,000 attended the Rally. Speakers flawed the closure arguement, hailing it as one of Canberra’s most unpopular decisions, inconsistent with the Government’s policies on improved services for the ageing, improving literacy rates and life long learning, or regard for social justice. It was clear that the closure of the library would impact adversely on significant numbers of people in the inner south including the elderly, school children and various disadvantaged groups. In all these cases, most would consider ready access to a library vital. It seemed such a retrograde step to take away a facility that from a user perspective was working so well, especially against relatively minor savings. The extent of concern and anguish this has caused cannot be over emphasised The Lunn report conveniently ommitted some of the library’s catchment suburbs such as Forrest, Yarralumla, Queanbeyan, Oaks Estate, and Jerrabombera. Addresses of the letter signatories demonstrated the widespread use of the library. Children from nine schools in the area regularly drop in on their way home from school for homework or leisure purposes. Young mothers with their toddlers came for Story Time. The elderly and people with a disability would not be able to readily travel to the libraries put forward as alternatives such as Woden and Civic. So started the South Side Community Library Taskforce, from a handful of people who banded together to address this unacceptable situation. Four women started meeting on Friday mornings under the trees outside the library for Story Time. They brought chairs, ground sheets, books, some cordial and biscuits. A large banner was hung between the trees. After Story Time each week we would sit in the sun (and sometimes the bitterly cold wind) brain storming what we could do. Numbers were dropping off; it was just too cold to bring little children out now that Autumn was on the way. It seemed a disgrace that here were little children rugged up in warm clothes and sitting outside when the library was still being used by admin staff – we were not even allowed inside to use a toilet. We came up with many vague ideas, but nothing concrete. We wanted to start a modest library with books, newspapers, magazines, computer access to the internet. We would need shelving, books, computers, insurance and above all MONEY. We were just four ordinary people, plenty of heart, energy and enthusiasm. Somebody was looking after us. After attempting to rent various venues we were put in touch with the people at Boomanulla Oval – they had a demountable on their premises no longer being used. They were so supportive and although needing some work, we rented the place for six months as an interim measure. When our story was published in one of the local papers, offers of help rolled in. Weekly meetings moved to daily. Fears were aired but everyone stayed positive. What could we lose? What if nobody came? What if we didn’t get enough books? What if nobody joined or donated to our cause? At least we could say we saw a great need for our South Side community and we did our very best to achieve a solution. The Griffith Library was the heart of our community. We plan to make the Goyder Street Library that heart. This exercise will hopefully demonstrate to the Government that the decision to close the library was wrong and if we can get enough people to join our library and use it, perhaps the need for a permanent library for the Inner South will be acknowledged. Annual membership fees $20 for a family, $10 for a single member, $ 5 for a child or concession member. People can also become life founding members. We hope you get behind this wonderful initiative. Congratulations to the Goyder Street Library and grateful thanks to Boomanulla Oval, Col Williams and Noel Ingram from Ngunnawal Local Aboriginal Land Council.

Soon the revitalised building will feature a stunning re-creation of the old smokestack, turning it into a tower of glass and light. This project will be made possible thanks to the generosity of ActewAGL, a major sponsor of the project. Visitors who don’t pre-book classes will not miss out. The innovative ‘Off the Street’ program will provide them with opportunities to walk straight in and make under the guidance of a highly skilled glass-maker. Workshop participants will be able to feel the heat of the furnace and experience the movement of molten glass in the ‘Hot Shop’, enjoy designing and assembling glass elements from a range of coloured sheet glass in the kiln forming area, or simply create their own wearable art through flameworking a glass bead with a hot torch. World-class glass art The Canberra Glassworks will be home to two unique and exciting gallery spaces. ‘Gallery One’ will host major survey and cutting-edge contemporary exhibitions, including in August 2007, the prestigious touring exhibition Ranamok Glassprize, which showcases the very best of Australian and New Zealand contemporary studio glass art. When not supporting larger exhibitions like Ranamok, ‘Gallery Two’ which is located in the base of the former Powerhouse smokestack, will host contemporary project exhibitions and installations. Canberra’s international reputation as a centre for contemporary studio glass will be a focus of the Canberra Glassworks’ inaugural exhibition, Heartland: Imagination Creation Inspiration, curated by Barbara McConchie, Executive Director of Craft ACT. A survey of 21 years of the Australian National University’s, School of Art Glass Workshop, the exhibition “will celebrate the artistic vision and strength that has defined this region, which is now recognised globally in the field of studio glass,” Ms McConchie said. Artists at work Canberra Glassworks will provide artists with access to equipment, studios and storage facilities and unprecedented opportunities to expand their skills and explore new directions in their practice. Four studios within the Canberra Glassworks will support an artist-in-residence program and be available for periodic rental. A monthly lecture series by local and international glass artists will be held at the Canberra Glassworks. The program aims to broaden awareness of glass art and will create opportunities for knowledge exchange around glass making in all its forms. The Kingston Powerhouse and the Kingston Foreshore Originally intended to be a temporary structure, the Kingston Powerhouse supplied Canberra with coal-generated electricity from 1915, continuing to operate as a powerhouse until 1957. The Powerhouse is the oldest public building in the ACT. With construction beginning in 1913, it was designed by J S Murdoch, the architect of other important heritage buildings in Canberra such as Old Parliament House, East and West Blocks and the Hotel Canberra. The Powerhouse and surrounding precinct is included on the ACT Heritage Places Register and the Register of the National Estate. The prestigious Kingston Foreshore continues to develop into an extensive waterfront housing and retail estate which is being established by the ACT Government’s Land Development Agency. The multi-award-winning Bus Depot Markets are near neighbours to the Canberra Glassworks.