News

Underwear chain slammed

By JEHANE SHARAH blouse branded ‘‘teacher’s pet’’. Ms Gale called on the retailer to advocate criticised Bras N Things
Online, the company suggests stop selling the outfit. for selling sexually explicit mer-
UNDERWEAR chain Bras N Things chandise that could be easily
complementing the outfit with fish- ‘‘If you’re a chain store in family
is ‘‘inciting the fantasy of sex with viewed and accessed by children
net stay-up stockings. shopping centres, you need to be
minors’’ by selling a school and teenagers.
uniform-style outfit as part of its Kids Free 2B Kids founder and responsible,’’ Ms Gale said.
director Julie Gale said, ‘‘It’s not In response, the retailer
adult dress-up range, a child advo- Bras N Things did not return
directly sexualising a child, but it’s informed the inquiry it was
cate says. calls, nor did it respond to
indirectly encouraging sex with reviewing the way it packaged
Marketed as the ‘‘teacher’s pet’’ questions put to it by email.
minors. such products.
outfit, it is available in Bras N It is not the first time Kids Free Bras N Things has previously
‘‘I’m not some wowser who
Things stores and through the wants to quash people’s sexual 2B Kids has complained about the come under fire from the Aust-
company’s website. fantasies, but when it comes to sex company. ralian Nursing Federation for sell-
The ensemble consists of a with minors, and that’s what the In a submission to last year’s ing a nurse outfit, which the union
skimpy checked skirt and teacher’s pet fantasy is about, it’s parliamentary inquiry into the sex- said perpetuated stereotypes Bras N Things’ school uniform-style
matching tie, teamed with a white totally unacceptable.’’ ualisation of children, the child about the profession. outfit which ‘‘incites fastasy’’.

Charny and
proud of it,
bad hair
day and all
By MARKUS MANNHEIM
CHARNWOOD has clearly moved
on from cheap jokes about
mullets.
The suburb celebrated its com-
munity festival yesterday with a
closely contested ‘‘crazy hair’’
competition.
The annual Charny Carny,
staged by the local government
and Catholic primary schools,
drew an estimated 5000 people to
the local oval.
Joint coordinator Michael Pilb-
row said the turn-out was ‘‘defi-
nitely our biggest ever’’.
‘‘It was a fantastic day’’, he said
while cleaning up after the carni-
val last night. ‘‘We showed we’re
Charny and we’re proud of it.’’
Among the most popular events
was the celebrity mascot race,
won narrowly by Prime Possum
‘‘pending a stewards’ investi-
gation’’, Mr Pilbrow said.
The festival raises money for
Charnwood-Dunlop Primary
School, St Thomas Aquinas Pri-
mary School and the Mt Rogers
Scout Group. Savahna O’Donnell, 7, of Melba, and Chloe Davis, 7, of Dunlop, who were entrants in the crazy hair competition yesterday. Photo: KARLEEN WILLIAMS

Mysterious wheys of ‘secret’ cheese society

By LAURELLE PACEY The ‘‘no names’’ secretary judge Carol Willman who is cheese for only five months,
explained some of the mys- a teacher of cheesemaking using cow’s milk from a local
A DELICIOUS hint of mys- tery. around Australia. farmer.
tery surrounded the inaug- ‘‘Everyone knew someone ‘‘This is absolutely fabu- Fellow cheesemaker
ural cheesemaking compe- who made cheese in the lous – Bemboka is only the Megan Jordan-Jones of Buc-
tition at last Sunday’s Bega Valley region but, until fourth country show in Aust- kajo won silver medals for
Bemboka Show, yet its suc- recently, no one knew their ralia with a home cheese- her marinated fetta and
cess highlights a growing names, hence our name. making competition,’’ she
interest in home cheesema- white mould camembert,
‘‘We have meetings, make said. and a highly commended for
king in the region. cheese at various people’s ‘‘I’m astounded at the her quarg which is a fresh
The competition was places and talk cheese – you quality here, from the soft curd.
organised by the secretary could say it’s a maturing cheeses through to the
camemberts and the blues. ‘‘It’s fantastic to get
of the recently formed network.
feedback from Carol and
Bemboka Secret Cheese ‘‘This is such a dairy area ‘‘I’ve had so much trouble
trying to pick out the best, connect with other cheese-
Society who had gone to with a wonderful tradition of
which shows there are a lot makers,’’ she said.
great lengths to create the cheese, so I thought it would
right setting for the big be great to make Bemboka of good cheesemakers ‘‘I knew a couple of
event, complete with light the capital of the Bega Val- here.’’ cheesemakers before this
white material draped from ley’s hobby cheesemaking.’’ Fred Gasson of Bermagui, but now I know a lot more.’’
the rafters to evoke a mar- Eleven cheesemakers formerly of Forrest, was So is she a member of the
quee atmosphere and paint- from the region entered 47 delighted with a silver medal Bemboka Secret Cheese Fred Gasson of Bermagui was delighted to receive a silver medal for his
ing the area, white of home-made cheeses in the for his cheddar. Society? ‘‘It’s a secret,’’ she cheddar from judge Carol Willman at Bemboka Show’s inaugural cheese
course. show, much to the delight of He has been making said. making competition. Photo: LAURELLE PACEY

18 MARCH 22 2009 SUNDAY CANBERRA TIMES www.canberratimes.com