Big Day Out Preview

By Christine Jaram

My greatest hopes for next year’s Big Day Out is that I don’t have to battle girls wearing rainbow bikinis and novelty sunglasses for a place front and centre when Tool come on.

The chances seem pretty good, as the one-day festival has moved back towards its rock roots (and hopefully, away from those who just want to drop ‘e’ and take their clothes off).

Frontman Maynard and his band of merry prog-rockers will be joined by pyromaniacs Rammstein and I-can’t-believe-he’s-still-alive Iggy Pop and the Stooges.

While the headliners are dominated by men playing heavy, the ladies of CSS will bring in some dance tunes and Crystal Castles will give us a set everyone can scream along to.

Sydney gets BDO Australia Day so Melbourne is left hosting this monster on a Sunday – you might want to start thinking about asking for a long weekend.

Date: January 30, Flemmington Park

Cost: $155 +bf

Also showing in: Auckland, Gold Coast, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth.

+ Crowding around

What to carry

By Nicole Jagger.

Whether it’s dragging a suitcase through an airport or trying to lug a heavy bag between hotels, many people are familiar with the difficulties of carrying luggage while travelling.

Health experts warn using the wrong type of luggage, or not handling luggage properly, can cause long-term injury to the back and spine.

For active travellers, Dr Frank Mechler from the Mechler Chiropractic Clinic said travel packs were the best option as they provided good spinal support when used properly.

“Modern backpacks are quite large so you can fit in enough to last you a few weeks, but it is important to wear the backpack properly, otherwise you can do quite a lot of damage,” he said.

“The straps should be fitted to your body so that the weight of the pack is evenly distributed over both shoulders and the bag fits snugly into the small of your back.”

Packs fitted with inbuilt wheels are also an option for travellers and Dr Mechler said these could be a better option for those who will not be hiking or carrying their packs through difficult terrain.

Dr Mechler also recommended travellers keep their bags as light as possible and remember to bend their knees when picking up heavy luggage.

“Luggage restrictions on airlines are good because it discourages people from packing more than they need,” he said.

“When you go to pick up your suitcase or take something down from an overhead compartment, never rotate your spine and keep your toes pointing in the direction that your hands are moving,” he said.

The best way to avoid pack problems on the road? Watch your back while travelling.

City Journal reviewed the different kinds of luggage available to travellers.

Is style more important than comfort when deciding on what kind of luggage to use? Have your say in the comment section below.

Back to Main

Greg Miles: The voice of spring

By Ayrton Woolley

Much has changed for veteran race-caller Greg Miles since his voice first graced the airwaves back in 1979. He is now Australia’s premier race-caller, after all.

Ironically he didn’t start calling the gallops, but greyhounds at Wangaratta – a far cry from the glamour of Flemington and the Spring Racing Carnival.

It didn’t take Miles long to make his mark, however.

“I started at the ABC (who called the races back then) in late 1979 and took over in 1981 to call the Melbourne Cup of that year. That was my first full-time job in broadcasting, so it was a big thing at the time,” Miles said.

Thirty years on, in the year of the 150^th Melbourne Cup, Miles is about to notch up a milestone of his own – his 30^th Cup call – and believe it or not, he still gets a few butterflies.

“It’s an important race that deserves to be done well and it’s important not to get caught up in all the hype,” he said.

“I still get nervous before every Melbourne Cup, I do. The more you do it the easier it becomes, but it’s not something that you ever really get on top of.”

Now working for RadioSport927 and Sky Racing, Miles calls races at Flemington, Caulfield and Sandown, his voice beamed across the country.

Surprisingly, the growth of the media industry has been more of a hindrance than a help for Miles, who said there was so many more facets to a race call than in the halcyon days of the early ’80s.

“What has changed a lot is the access to information. Video was just coming into its own back then, whereas now you can get replays instantly on the internet,” Miles said.

“There is also more form available now, so much more to be absorbed. People have immediate access to information, so they really expect the call to be more detailed and spot on correct.”

“Because of this, without a doubt, I’m still improving as a caller.”

What hasn’t changed, according to Miles, is the need for meticulous attention to detail and he sticks by a tried and true motto.

“The four Ps – preparation prevents poor performance. I know a five P version, but this one is probably more appropriate,” he laughs.

This, Miles said, involves hours of scouring video tapes of both races and trackwork, creating a virtual imprint of a horse’s characteristics in his mind.

So over these countless hours of racing analysis, just who does Miles rate as the best he has seen?

“It’s a dead-heat for the best [horse I’ve seen], between Kingston Town and Makybe Diva,” Miles said.

“You have to remember Makybe Diva kept on improving as she got older and went out at the at the peak of her powers [retiring after her record third straight Melbourne Cup win in 2005] – that doesn’t happen very often.”

“Kingston Town on the other hand was written off and came back to win three Cox Plates [winning in 1980, ’81 and ’82, despite being badly injured in all three years],” he said.

Despite emotions riding high in the historic wins of both Kingston Town and the Diva, Miles rates the Melbourne Cup of 2002 as the most memorable race of his career – with Damien Oliver riding Media Puzzle to victory just a week after the death of his brother, Jason, in a horrific race fall in Western Australia.

“That Melbourne Cup would certainly have to be the most emotion charged win [I’ve seen]. Everyone knew his [Damien’s] circumstances and the crowd rode with him down the straight of Flemington. It was quite amazing.”

There is now, of course, a movie – The Cup – being made about that famous race (due for release Easter 2011).

Ironically it was a member of The Cup cast – fellow media identity Tony Jones – who was quick to recognise the talent and longevity of Miles.

“Greg’s certainly got a distinctive racing voice,” Jones said.

“He continues a celebrated line of Melbourne race callers which includes Bert Bryant and Bill Collins. [Greg] is definitely the best caller of his generation.”

The humble Miles would no doubt dismiss the praise, preferring to focus on the horses. And while he may not rate himself as highly as some others, Miles does rate emerging champion So You Think, who he says could be destined for greatness.

“He was plunged in the deep end at the Cox Plate last year and of course won, so nothing would surprise me,” he said.

“If he [So You Think] continues the way he has started he could be up there with the best of them by the time he is finished.”

Perhaps up there in the racing annals with you, Greg?

Read about the rise the new people’s horse.

Return to Spring Racing feature.

So You Think, he’s the next big thing?

By Ayrton Woolley

I wrote this before the Yalumba Stakes, two weekends back. Honest.

[Read more]

Racing Lingo: A heads up on what they’re really saying at the races

By Julian Bayard

Get to grips with some common and not-so-common racing terms you may stumble upon this spring.

TERM	WHAT IT MEANS	WHAT IT CAN “ALSO MEAN”
Each way	To back a horse to finish both first and to finish in the top 3	Blokes in pink shirts who might be checking out both the fillies and the stallions
Daily Double	Select the winner in two consecutive races	Carrying around a beer in each hand
First Four	Select four horses in the correct order to finish the race	The first four beers of the day that usually occur before midday or on the train ride in
Maiden	A horse that has not won a race	High school girls who at the end of the day say, “Oh wow,  there were horses?”
Length	A horses length from nose to tail	Watch for dad jokes after you walk home with empty pockets like: “why the long face?”
On the nose	To back a horse for the win only	The port-a-loos at about 5pm
Scratched	When a horse is taken out of a race	When the girl you’ve been following all day goes home with some other bloke
Bird Cage	Exclusive area for arrogant hot-shots, corporate fat-cats and B-list nobodies	The female cop who locks you up for public drunkenness
Box Trifecta	When you pick a selection of horses to finish in the top 3 placings	Sensational after-hours work
Careless Riding Charge	Riding in a race that could endanger other jockeys or horses	Poor after-hours work
Mounting Yard	Where the jockeys get on the horses	Well…you can probably figure that out

Spring Racing Carnival 2010

Maiden’s guide to the Spring Racing Carnival

By Julian Bayard

So You Think you want to go to the races this year?

[Read more]

The race that stops a nation: 150 years of the Melbourne Cup

By Phoebe O’Sullivan

1861 The Melbourne Cup was born following the pursuit of the Victoria Turf Club to hold a “good handicap” race, which would rival its counterpart, the Victoria Jockey Club. The first cup was run on a Thursday (from 1975 the race has always been run on the first Tuesday in November) in front of an estimated crowd of 4000.

1880 Despite Melbourne’s population sitting at just 290,000, around 100,000 people made their way to Flemington to see Grand Flaneur win Australia’s greatest prize.

1890 No horse had ever faced as many opponents in the Cup as Carbine when he won brilliantly in 1890. Nicknamed ‘Old Jack’, racegoers loved Carbine for his quirky personality: he didn’t like the rain so trainer Walter Hickenbotham held an umbrella over his head to keep him dry when he walked on the track.

1930 The Cup’s most lasting tale is undoubtedly the story of Phar Lap.  Phar Lap’s presence on the Australian horseracing landscape was during the era of the Great Depression, when half the workforce was forced into unemployment. In 1930, he was the shortest priced winner in the history of the Cup. Around 80,000 flocked to the course, while 40,000 who couldn’t afford the admission price packed Scotchman’s Hill.

1954 Rising Fast galloped his place into history as the only horse to ever win the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup treble in the same season. No horse has achieved this feat since.

1972 In 1972, the metric system was introduced and the Cup was run over 3200 metres, marginally less than the traditional two-mile length.

1985 A royal visit to Flemington by Princess Diana and Prince Charles saw the presentation of the first $1 million Cup run.

1993 A turning point in history for the Cup, the winner of the race, Vintage Crop, was trained off a European preparation. This was no longer an Australian horse race – the Melbourne Cup had become an international event.

2001 With the victory of Ethereal, Sheila Laxon became the first woman to train a winner of the Melbourne Cup.

2002 Jockey Damien Oliver showed bravery and pure determination when he secured his second Cup win only seven days after his brother died tragically in a track accident in Perth. Oliver rode the race of his life on Media Puzzle.

2005 Jockey Glen Boss rode Makybe Diva to a record third Melbourne Cup. No mare had ever won the Cup with more weight than when the Diva carried 55.5kg in 2004 and then 58kg in 2005.

2008 On the 50^th anniversary of Bart Cummings’ first Melbourne Cup runner, Viewed won the Cup in the tightest of photo finishes, pipping Bauer for the prize and giving Bart Cummings his 12^th Melbourne Cup.

Reference: melbournecup.com

Read about the voice of the Spring Racing Carnival.

Return to Spring Racing feature.

Who is affected by domestic violence?

By Cambell Klose

A survey by the Federal Government, The International Violence Against Women Survey, discovered these statistics:

• 57 per cent of the women surveyed admitted to experiencing physical violence by a man.
• 34 per cent had experienced sexual violence.
• More than 12 per cent of the women surveyed said they had experienced sexual violence from a current male partner.
• The report also found that indigenous women were 45 times more likely to experience physical violence than non indigenous women.

Melbourne University social work professor Catherine Humphreys said women with low economic means were the worst affected in Melbourne.

“Women with a lack of economic resources are obviously worst affected because they need resources to be able to escape. So they are often stuck in abusive relationships with no chance to ever escape.”

Watch this short video where Lara Bardsley, Senior Psychologist at the RMIT Counselling Service, explains what constitutes domestic violence.

Video by Jessica Kennedy

• Back to AFL tackles domestic violence

Domestic violence does not discriminate

By Cushla Travers

Domestic violence is commonly thought of as between a man and a woman, but violence in same-sex relationships is as common as it is in heterosexual relationships.

• 30 per cent of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (GLBTI) people in Australia have experienced domestic abuse according to the 2005 survey, Private Lives.
• One in four Australians aged 12 to 20 witness domestic violence – a figure highlighted by the White Ribbon Foundation.
• Only one in ten people in gay and lesbian violent relationships report abuse.

Gary Adkins, the Executive Director of the Anti Violence Project, believes current figures on domestic violence in same-sex relationships are disproportionate to the actual number of incidents occurring.

“The problem is there are only one in 10 people in the GLBTI community reporting violence,” Mr Adkins said.

“We need them to all report so we can start to address the problem and get governments to allocate adequate funding.”

Eastern Victoria Domestic Violence service executive officer Jill Fawkner said humiliation was common for victims of domestic violence, but being in a violent same-sex relationship compounds those issues.

“If the violence is woman-to-woman they may feel uncomfortable about coming forward in case of further discrimination,” Ms Fawkner said.

“When you are part of a marginalised group you can worry about being further marginalised,” she said.

In the video below Lara Bardsley, Senior Psychologist at the RMIT Counselling Service, talks more about why victims may struggle to leave violent relationships.

Video by Jessica Kennedy

Domestic violence in same-sex and heterosexual relationships share many similarities including the types of abuse and the impact on the abused partner and the children involved.

But despite these similarities, victims of same-sex domestic violence face added challenges:

• Threat of being ‘outed’: new members of GLBTI community may not be ready to expose their sexuality and the abuser may threaten to expose the victims’ sexuality to family, friends and work colleagues.
• Fear of not being taken seriously: people may misread a same-sex domestic violence situation as a fair fight between men or a cat fight between women.
• Fear of being rejected by domestic violence services: Ms Fawkner and Mr Adkins believe victims may fear homophobic reactions as these services may have little experience working with same-sex domestic violence.
• Lack of same-sex domestic violence help services: Lesbians can access most general domestic violence services, like refuges, court assistance schemes and counseling services. But men cannot access these, Same Sex Domestic Violence Interagency and other organisations are developing strategies to address the issue.
• Ms Fawkner also believes fear of destroying the positive image the GLBTI people have fought hard to establish stops some victims from reporting abuse.

“The power that perpetrators use is the same no matter what the gender. Strip away the sexuality and the violence is the same,” says Mr Adkins.

Lara Bardsley, Senior Psychologist at the RMIT Counselling Service talks more about the challenges facing victims of same-sex domestic violence and where they can go for help.

Video by Jessica Kennedy

• Back to AFL tackles domestic violence

A guide to identifying and dealing with domestic violence

By Siobhan Marsh

City Journal sat down with Yvonne Lay from the Women’s Domestic Violence Crisis Service to get tips on how you can identify domestic violence and what you can do to help.

What signs do we need to look out for if we suspect domestic violence?

“Keep and eye out for these signs:

• The victims seems afraid of a family member/partner
• The abuser criticises or humiliates the victim in front of other people
• The victim has become withdrawn from close family and/or friends
• The victims seems anxious or depressed, quiet and lost confidence
• The victim has signs of physical injury.”

What steps can we take to defuse the situation?

“Whereever there is a threat of immediate danger, call the police on 000, but you also have the option of contacting a crisis service like ours. As the statewide crisis service, we would encourage victims of DV to contact our 24-7 crisis line. We would also encourage family members and friends who are supporting a victim of DV to contact our service also.”

Domestic violence creates ripples of negative affects that impinge on the victim’s family and friends. Lara Bardsley, Senior Psychologist at the RMIT Counselling Service, discusses what friends should do if they think a loved-one is being abused:

Video by Jessica Kennedy

What is the best way to support a victim of domestic violence?

“You need to believe and empower them. It is not uncommon for victims of family violence to minimise the abuse or downplay their situation and experiences. It is important to ensure that the victim’s support networks believe her and reinforces that the violence is not their fault. It is also very important to respect their right to make their own decisions without being pressured. You also need to assist the victim to think about their safety and the safety of their family and friends. Safety planning is an important facet of supporting a victim of DV.”

What should you do if you suspect a friend is committing violence against their family?

“If you suspect a friend of committing family violence it is crucial to keep the victim central to any further actions you may take in the situation i.e. considering how intervention may impact on the victim.

If you assess that it is safe to have a conversation with the perpetrator, it is important to treat the issue seriously, encourage the perpetrator to take responsibility for his or her behaviour and name his or her behaviour for what it is – abuse and violence. It is equally important not to accept their excuses.

If the perpetrator is open to seeking assistance we would encourage the perpetrator to contact the Men’s Referral Service. We would also encourage friends and family members who are aware of the violence to also call MRS to get assistance and further strategies.”

Contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1800 065 973

Contact the Women’s Domestic Violence Crisis Service on 1800 015 188

• Back to AFL tackles domestic violence

Next Page »