City Hub 10 September 2020 by Alt Media

@CityHubSydney

C I T Y H U B SY D N E Y. C O M . AU

S E P T E M B E R 10 , 2 0 2 0

LIVE STREAM OFF THE LEASH

BY RIDA BABAR ith COVID-19 restrictions causing large events, including concerts to be on an uncertain standstill, major event planning company October Sun has come to a halt. The company’s Director, Ben Eadie, has started up a COVID-friendly project called Sydney Underground Streaming Sessions (SUSS) to keep the magic of concerts alive in an innovative and refreshing way. SUSS started as a project to keep musicians and event organisers alike working during the pandemic and turned into a major success project that will continue to grow long after COVID-19 is gone. In an interview with City Hub, Eadie revealed; “It’s so uncertain.

“The gig economy right now has collapsed, including everyone from graphic designers to the artists themselves. It’s a massive economy and it won’t recover anytime soon. “Even if tomorrow we’re allowed to go back to normal, it will take a number of years for events such as festivals to get back on track because of all the planning that’s involved.” Eadie is endeavouring to make live streaming music a new normal in the entertainment industry, boasting the advantages of it. “There’s always positives to come out of any negative. At the moment, we are navigating COVID and live streaming is part of that. “I think people are getting very

savvy with transferring what they do to the online platform, so when things recover, I believe we’ve been given an additional tool and we’re now becoming very knowledgeable to promote our craft using this tool. In the long term I think its advantageous but in the short term it’s very difficult. “The really beautiful thing with the live streams is that artists are realising they can do it themselves, they can get out and get their craft out to an audience without having to go through the middleman. “It’s a very honest form of communication, whatever happens, happens, whether it’s chaotic or offensive.

“We turn on the cameras and the artists have a direct line of communication with the audience. We have the chat feature on during the stream so the bands can see it and talk to the audience while the show is on.” SUSS hosts fortnightly gigs, with Eadie revealing that the company will expand the types of shows they host in 2021. “This weekend we have On The Stoop, next month we’re getting into theatre cabaret with the Six Quick Chicks. The really important thing is that even though we’re running fortnightly now, next year we will be increasing all forms of entertainment including workshops and talks. Continued on page 2

IT’S SUSS

(Continued from the cover)

Christa Hughes. Photo: Supplied

“We’ve got a thing called Ex-Periment coming up with some really amazing musicians, we’ve got one of the drummers from Mr Bungle performing and Louis Burdett who’s the best drummer in the country.” Ex-Periment, a festival of sound presented by SUSS is an upcoming festival featuring local Australian

legends along the likes of Elsen Price, Kenya Wilkins, Louis Burdett, Trevor Brown, Matthew Syres, Ben Fink, Danny Heifetz and Tom Schutzinger. When asked about the future of SUSS, Eadie said, “We’re definitely going to keep it going post-COVID. A lot more people can enjoy gigs now, someone who is disabled was saying that the

live streaming has been fantastic because she can now get to see gigs, when before she felt left out. This is a good opportunity for us to cater to these things as well.

“We’ve had very solid numbers tune in to watch and fantastic feedback from audiences in regard to the quality of visuals, sound, and the entertainment itself. One of the highlights was Dog Trumpet a few weeks ago. “A lot of people say they’re dancing in their pyjamas with a glass of wine on a Saturday night.” Despite the highs of starting up SUSS as a successful initiative during the pandemic, Eadie gave insight into the lows, and more difficult aspects of organising the whole thing. “There are many moving parts to running a live stream with the quality that we’re doing. Managing all the moving parts such as; camera crew, making sure the internet doesn’t drop out, sound quality and everything else, as well as finding the right people to do it has been an interesting journey in making all the parts work together. We have an incredible Matthew Syres group of people making (Svntax Error) this all happen.”

All gigs are streamed live on suss.net.au were info around bookings and information on upcoming events can also be found

PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE OPTUS MOBILE PHONE BASE STATION WITH 5G AT Existing Monopole, 65 Epsom Road, Rosebery NSW 2018 Optus Ref: S0359, www.rfnsa.com.au/2018007

1. The proposed facility consists of the addition of new 5G equipment and associated works as follows: • The installation of three (3) new 5G panel antennas (0.59m in length) on the existing monopole • The installation of three (3) new 5G panel antennas (0.81m in length) on the existing monopole • New ancillary equipment including remote radio units, cabling and antenna mounts • Reconfiguration of existing equipment on the facility and within the equipment shelter 2. Optus regards the proposed installation as Exempt Development under State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 based on the description above. 3. Notification is being undertaken in accordance with Section 7 of Industry Code C564:2018 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment. 4. Members of the public may obtain further information on the proposed work, and we invite you to provide written comments about the proposal. Further information and/or comments should be directed to Optus’ representative c/- James McIver, Catalyst ONE Pty Ltd; phone: 02 4022 9533; email: consultation@catalystone.com.au and post: PO Box 1119, Crows Nest NSW 1585 by 25 September 2020. 2

CITY HUB 10 SEPTEMBER 2020

PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE OPTUS MOBILE PHONE BASE STATIONS AT MAROUBRA, HILLSDALE AND ALEXANDRIA WITH 5G S0147 Maroubra Junction: 7-23W Amour Avenue, Maroubra NSW 2035 (RFNSA 2035002) The proposed facility consists of the addition of new 5G equipment and associated works as follows: • Installation of three (3) new panel antennas, 0.59m long, on an existing headframe • Installation of new ancillary equipment, including twelve (12) Remote Radio Units, cabling and antenna mounts • Reconfiguration of existing equipment on the facility and within the equipment shelter, including removal of existing Remote Radio units S0032 Maroubra: Southpoint Shopping Centre, 238-262 Bunnerong Road, Hillsdale NSW 2036 (RFNSA 2036013) The proposed facility consists of the addition of new 5G equipment and associated works as follows: • Installation of three (3) new panel antennas, 0.59m long, on an existing rooftop facility • Installation of new ancillary equipment, including twelve (12) Remote Radio Units, cabling and antenna mounts • Reconfiguration of existing equipment on the facility and within the equipment shelter, including removal of existing Remote Radio units S1972 Alexandria 2: 21 O’riordan Street, Alexandria NSW 2015 (RFNSA 2015003) The proposed facility consists of the addition of new 5G equipment and associated works as follows: • Installation of three (3) new panel antennas, 0.59m long, on an existing headframe • Installation of new ancillary equipment, including twelve (12) Remote Radio Units, cabling and antenna mounts • Reconfiguration of existing equipment on the facility and within the equipment shelter, including removal of existing Remote Radio units 1. Optus regards the proposed installations as Low-impact Facilities under the Telecommunications (Low-impact Facilities) Determination 2018 (“The Determination”) or Exempt Development under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007, based on the descriptions above 2. In accordance with Section 7 of C564:2018 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment Code, we invite you to provide feedback about the proposals. Should you require further information or wish to comment, please contact Chan Chen at Axicom, 02 9495 9000, community@axicom.com.au or Level 1, 110 Pacific Highway, St Leonards NSW 2065 by Thursday 24 September 2020. Further information may also be obtained from www.rfnsa.com.au/2035002, www.rfnsa.com.au/2036013, www.rfnsa.com.au/2015003.

HubNEWS

Metro Theatre’s uncertain future (See p.5)

All news is fake news to Facebook

BY LAWRENCE GIBBONS acebook has refused to let the City Hub promote a news story written by the preeminent investigative journalist Wendy Bacon. The censored report criticised changes to state planning guidelines which will pave the way for the Star casino (with possible links to organised crime) to build a new high-rise development in Pyrmont. Appearing in the City Hub’s 25th anniversary edition, the article cited Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s objection to a new casino tower, saying the process was nothing more than “zombie planning.”

HubARTS: Diver City “we wanted to one day make music that our kids could enjoy” (See p. 7)

Published weekly and freely available throughout the Inner City. Copies are also distributed to serviced apartments, hotels, convenience stores and newsagents throughout the city. Copies are also distributed to serviced apartments, hotels, convenience stores and newsagents throughout the city. Distribution enquiries call 9212 5677. Published by Altmedia Pty Ltd. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy of content, we take no responsibility for inadvertent errors or omissions. ABN 52 600 903 348 Group Editor & Publisher: Lawrence Gibbons Publisher Assistant: Mal Moody News Editor: Allison Hore Contributors: Allison Hore, John Moyle Cartoonist: Sam Mcnair Arts Editor: Jamie Apps Contributors: Irina Dunn, Madison Behringer, Mark Morellini, Renee Lou Dallow, Rida Babar Cover Photo: Supplied. On The Stoop Designer: Nadia Kalinitcheva Advertising: sales@altmedia.net.au Mail: PO Box 843 Broadway 2007 Email: news@altmedia.net.au, arts@altmedia.net.au Ph: 9212 5677 Fax: 9212 5633 Website: cityhubsydney.com.au If you have a story, or any comments you’d like to share with us: news@altmedia.net.au @CityHubSydney

In social media terms, the City Hub sought to “boost” Wendy Bacon’s story to reach more readers. Why would a local publication even want to give Facebook money? In 2018 the company introduced new policies that buried posts from media organisations big and small. Several years earlier Facebook reduced the priority given to all posts on business pages, including those put up by news outlets. As a result, unless a publisher pays money to Facebook, only a fraction of a page’s total followers will ever see a given news item. While Facebook has been busy burying news from legitimate media organisations, its role as a source for news information and disinformation has grown exponentially. A recent Pew Research study found that social media is now the primary source for online news. Of the more than 2.4 billion internet users, nearly two thirds get their breaking news from social media. If you want a story to be read where people get their news -- on Facebook, you need to give money to Mark Zuckerberg and co. Assuming they will even take your cash. So why did Facebook prevent the City Hub from promoting Wendy Bacon’s story? A media spokesperson at Facebook explained, “As this ad is of a political nature, it discusses Lord Mayor Clover Moore, the associated page and account looking to publish this ad will need to be authorised as part of our advertising process for running ads of a political nature.” In recent months Facebook has implemented new policy guidelines that classify all paid news posts about anything to do with politics as being paid political advertising. If a media outlet reports on anything from a controversial casino development to the opinions of a democratically elected official that story

Time for Facebook to face the facts. Image: Google

cannot be boosted unless the media outlet first requests permission to place political advertising on Facebook. In the lead up to the US election, changes that were made to address concerns of fake news and foreign interference in the election process have been applied to all news stories that appear on the social media site. As far as Facebook is concerned it is all fake news. A report that is fact checked by a professional journalist is the same as a conspiratorial post written in a Russian troll factory. Facebook has become Fakebook. The move has been roundly denounced overseas. A global group of media organisations sent a letter to Zuckerberg denouncing the new policy saying, “Facebook will undermine journalism’s role as the Fourth Estate and legitimise anti-journalism narratives around the world. This is not a marketing or business issue. We see your policy as another step toward furthering a false and dangerous narrative that blurs the lines between real reporting from the professional media and propaganda.” The bottom line is that Facebook can afford to turn away the $AU25 the City Hub attempted to spend to promote Wendy Bacon’s news story. Political advertising is big business for Facebook. From May 2018 to November 2019, political advertising accounted for $AU1.2 billion. The largest political advertiser on the platform promoted the man who denounces all credible journalism as “fake news.” The campaign to re-elect Donald J Trump spent $AU28 million on Facebook. The American election is big business and the rest of the world is clearly an outpost for the US based global media empire.

Here in Australia, following an inquiry by the ACCC, the government has pledged that the tech titans will pay Australian media companies when their content is accessed via their sites. The Australian media duopoly of News and Nine has long been losing money to the tech duopoly of Google and Facebook. For years Rupert Murdoch has lobbied the government to implement laws that would force Facebook and Google to pay local media outlets for their content. Last week Federal Treasurer Josh Freidenberg pledged that Silicon Valley will pay Australian media companies for stories that appear on their platforms. Facebook has threated to prevent news items from being posted by anyone in Australia if this happens. This would not be the first time a government has attempted to force the tech giants to pay for using local news content. In 2014 Spain introduced a similar scheme and Google closed-down its Google News service permanently. The impact on traffic to Spanish media sites was severe with visitor numbers falling substantially. Recent studies suggest that major media organisations with a large digital footprint were less impacted over time. The nation’s largest newspaper, El Pais actually saw an increase in traffic. Presumably as a large and established media brand they had less need for external sources to bring readers to their site. In short Nine and News will survive. But the impact on smaller media companies – particularly during a global pandemic – is anyone’s guess. In a Trumpian era where all news is fake news, it is increasingly clear that Facebook has little interest in supporting or promoting serious public interest journalism anywhere in the world anywhere on its platform. CITY HUB 10 SEPTEMBER 2020

HubNEWS

Minister moves to extend The long road to Sydney’s economic detention powers recovery BY ALLISON HORE he Law Council of Australia has expressed concern about the COVID-19 situation being “used as an excuse” to extend controversial detention policies which are unrelated to the ongoing pandemic. The Law Council say the emergency COVID-19 powers have been used to extend the powers of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) to detain people for up to seven days to question them in relation to terrorism. This is despite the government’s plan to repeal these powers. “We appreciate that these are unprecedented times but given the extraordinary nature of ASIO’s detention powers they should not be further extended. We need to strike a balance between community safety and protecting individual freedoms,” Law Council President Pauline Wright said.

Once crowded city streets are deserted as people stay home to work. Photo: Allison Hore

By ALLISON HORE ith COVID-19 hitting the city’s economy hard there is a long road ahead to economic recovery. On Thursday it was announced that Australia had officially entered a recession for the first time in three decades. The country’s economy went backwards for two consecutive quarters, the commonly accepted definition of a recession. This is the first time negative growth has been observed for two quarters since 1991, but the scale of the recession is significantly greater this time around. The June quarter’s GDP numbers indicate the economy went backwards by 7% and figures from the March quarter showed a drop by 0.3%. The COVID-19 crisis has hit particularly in Sydney’s city center which relies on workers commuting in and out each day, something work from home orders and fears about the spread of the virus have all but stopped. This has led to a significant downturn in activity across the hospitality, arts and retail industries which SGS Economics and Planning economist Terry Rawnsley estimates will cost the CBD $7 billion. Last year, the CBD alone generated $140 billion which accounts for 7% of Australia’s GDP or 20% of the state’s economic activity. The Sydney Business Chamber says the State and local Governments should collaborate with the business sector to create and put into action a plan to revive the state’s struggling economy. 670,000 jobs

CITY HUB 10 SEPTEMBER 2020

With such a blow to the city’s economy, what does a pathway to recovery look like? Katherine O’Regan, Executive Director of the Sydney Business Chamber, said that both long term and short term solutions must be put into action to help the CBD’s economy recover. “The Covid crisis has taken people out of city offices, shops and streets, causing major disruption to this vital ecosystem and for it to recover, there needs to be both quick fixes and longer term changes to work patterns and land use of both public and private spaces,” she said. The Sydney Business Chamber points to five key areas they think will aid in the recovery of the city’s CBD. The first measure they point to is encouraging flexible hours of work so that not everyone is commuting at the same time, thus reducing anxiety about crowds on public transport and traffic congestion. More modes of active transport and safer public transport would also reduce pressure on commuters, the Chamber says. Turning Sydney into a destination for not just international travellers, but also domestic and local tourists, was also highlighted as keys for the city’s economic recovery. Ms. O’Regan thinks post-COVID changes like this would not only help to boost the city’s economy but also change its character for the better. “A clear pathway for the CBD’s recovery and revitalization can provide a real opportunity to shape Sydney as a truly global 24-hour City,” she said.

another six months. This is against the recommendations of Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (INSLM), the Hon Roger Gyles AO QC, who recommended in 2016 that the detention regime sunset without renewal. Reviews by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security and the COAG review of counter-terrorism legislation also recommended the detention powers be repealed. “It is a matter of concern to the Law Council that ASIO’s detention powers have once again been extended,” Ms. Wright said. “This is the second extension since the Government committed to letting the detention powers expire, and the third extension since former INSLM Gyles recommended that those powers should not be extended.”

One of 14 men arrested during terrorism raids in Sydney in 2014. ASIO’s detention powers were not used in this situation. Photo: Australian Federal Police

The legislation gives ASIO the power to seek “questioning and detention warrants” which allow people to be held for up to a week without being charged. Detention warrants may be approved if a person is likely not to appear for questioning, alert someone involved in terrorism or tamper with evidence. So far these powers have not been used. None of Australia’s closest intelligence partners including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand have equivalent powers within their laws.

THE SUNSET CLAUSE

The law came into effect in 2003 and was subject to a sunset clause- meaning after a set amount of time the law would be repealed. The law, which had already been extended several times, was due to expire on the 7th of September this year. However, Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton has put forward a new legislative instrument to extend these powers for

Due to the imminent sunsetting of the old bill, in May this year a new bill called the “The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill 2020” was introduced to the Australian Parliament.

We need to strike a balance between community safety and protecting individual freedoms While the new bill includes many controversial additions, the current detention framework would be repealed and replaced with an “apprehension” framework. The changes will allow for persons of interest to be questioned, but will remove the department’s power to detain people before charges have been laid. Ms. Wright said given the government’s plan to repeal the powers in the new legislation there is “no credible justification for extending the detention warrant regime”.

HubNEWS

Opinion

Abacus’ Metro-Minerva calculations go wrong BY JOHN MOYLE roperty developers Abacus Group have thrown down the gauntlet to Potts Point and Kings Cross last week when they sent out pamphlets outlining their intentions to begin community consultations on the future of the Metro Theatre with residents and business owners.

Writing to the residents under the cloak of the MetroProject, the pamphlet directed the reader to a website of dazzling execution that was audacious in its doublespeak and negativity for the building’s future as a working theatre. The only name attached to any email about the project was that of Julian Brophy, a self described “media influencer”. On the other side of the debate is MetroMinerva Theatre Action Group, formed a year ago to find a pathway to reinstall the 81 year old theatre as an active theatre. Julian Brophy was emailed five questions from City Hub. On the day of the deadline to the questions City Hub received a call from Cynthia Rouse,

General Manager of Abacus Group, saying enough was already being done to engage the community and there would be no comment and City Hub was not to report any of our conversation. “Cynthia Rouse, by not wanting to talk, just shows how little community engagement they actually want and it all seems to be on their terms,” Brandon Martignago, President, Metro-Minerva Action Group said.

They are trying to shift the narrative from the reality The MetroProject claims it has letterboxed the entire 2011 postcode with pamphlets outlining their argument the building is no longer fit for purpose as a theatre due to existing changes to accommodate office space for previous owner George Miller. City Hub has spoken to two residents who live near the El Alamein Fountain in 2011 who never received the letter box drops. Two committee members living in the postcode also received nothing from the organisation.

The Metro Theatre Potts Point is the subject of a looming community struggle. Photo: John Moyle

REVIVAL ISN’T IMPOSSIBLE

Some Sydney theatres have been brought back from the brink including the Enmore and Capitol theatres. But it appears Abacus is hell bent on knocking this option out of the ring and will most likely go with what they know best, office space. “They are trying to shift the narrative from the reality and into a version where everyone in Sydney feels sorry for a developer, and they want us to vaguely believe the developer has the best intentions, but in this case looking at the evidence it is hard to believe,” Mr. Martignago said. The Metro-Minerva Theatre Action Group has been in conversations with the Ministry for the Arts, the City of Sydney and Create NSW to explore options for a state/ private solution to the building’s future.

Meanwhile the City of Sydney has voted to make a contribution to a Create NSW feasibility study on revitalising the theatre. “The things Abacus are saying about engaging with Create NSW seem misleading after we have been talking to the Minister for the Arts for the past year and it is in no way in line with the two conversations,” Mr. Martignago said. It appears Abacus are following in the footsteps of the Bourbon development whereby the developer makes a token gesture to the community under the guise of community engagement which turns out to be as satisfying as spun sugar. As with anything to do with development in NSW any actions from the developer should carry the warning caveat emptor. (Disclosure: The writer is a member of Metro-Minerva Theatre Action Group)

COFFIN ED’S NAKED CITY

THE CREATIVE GUIDE TO LOCKDOWN PROTESTS

n case you hadn’t noticed, last Saturday was declared ‘Freedom Day’ with hundreds of antilockdown protestors confronting police in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. In every city the relatively small number of demonstrators comprised an unholy alliance of anti-vaxxers, religious fanatics, sovereign citizens, born again libertarians and purveyors of far right conspiracy theories. The Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has described the protestors as “selfish” and they have been vilified in most areas of the media. Protest is a democratic right, even in a pandemic, but you have to ask - is there a better way of doing it than an argy bargy tussle with the men in blue? A one hundred person Zoom choir, singing “we shall not be mandatorily vaccinated” is never going to satisfy the aspirations of the more vocally inclined anti-lockdown crew. What they need is a creative approach, one that avoids the normal scenario of police bumping heads, and appeals to the public at large. Here are just a few suggestions:

SATAN WALKS AMONGST US: Religious extremists, pimp preachers and the evangelical right have come up with some pretty wacky theories when it comes to the spread of COVID-19. They do, however, all have one thing in common. It’s that “fear of God” factor. Let’s blame the whole goddam mess, whether COVID is real or not, on the devil and those satanists who are now imposing their will up on us. Deep cleansing of venues associated with

COVID outbreaks is a waste of time but a series of public exorcisms would no doubt attract many more to the antilockdown cause. You’ll save a fortune on sanitiser when you tell the devil to get the hell out of there! PREPPING IN THE BACKYARD: Doomsday preppers in the US, who once listed a possible pandemic and the resulting civil insurrection as a distinct possibility, were often the subject of ridicule. Now that that

reality has set in many have gracefully retreated to their remote rural bugouts with two year’s supply of SPAM and an AK-47. Let’s have a national ‘bugout’ day where everybody snubs local Council compliance and digs a bunker in their own backyard, followed by a rush on the local supermarket where every tin of SPAM and roll of toilet paper is stripped bare from the shelves. There’ll be no mandatory vaccination when you are safely contained in your own subterranean sarcophagus. NAKED INTENT: A good sense of humour never goes astray when you are trying to get a message across to the public at large. Remember the old gag of the greasy pig let loose at a football game and the fun and games involved in rounding up the little pink intruder. Come on all you sovereign citizens, imagine you’re at a Spencer Tunick mass nudie session. Get you mask and your gear off, grease up with a whole jar of lube and really give the cops something to catch when you strut out on the banks of the Yarra or at Sydney’s Olympic Park. If you can afford a fine for not masking up you might as well cop another for public indecency. CITY HUB 10 SEPTEMBER 2020

HubARTS

(See p.7)

GLOBAL FRINGE WEEK 2

ydney’s enjoying the return to live theatre with sell out performances at the Old 505 Theatre as part of the inaugural Global Fringe festivities. Playing until this Saturday – safe and socially distanced of course – is Oliver

Mol’s Train Lord, before The Real Housewives Of Black Birds take the stage next week – bigger, badder and more blinged out than ever. Our Visions Begin With Our Desires – Chapter 2 plays next Wednesday to Saturday. If you can’t make the theatre in-person, join the Global Fringe Gala Live Stream on Wednesday September 16 – the triple bill Identity gala not only features a live stream of the blinged out Real Housewives Of Black Birds, but also Asian-American J. Elijah Cho’s Mr Yunioshi and Pasta e Lavaby Italian/ American My Homeless Lover. It’s a big week for streaming ondemand with all the gala shows as well as a special Swedish-Cypriot-German collaboration Egoland playing when it suits you. And true to Global Fringe’s ‘stay local, watch global’ mantra, Sydneysiders can tune into Stockholm Fringe’s Opening Party with Alex The Robot Dancer. Who said there’d be no performance this September? Get your tickets and watch the streams at sydneyfringe. com/whats-on

PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE VODAFONE MOBILE PHONE BASE STATION WITH 5G AT a) 624-634 New South Head Rd, Rose Bay NSW 2029 b) 124-140 Chalmers Street Surry Hills NSW 2010 1. The proposed upgrade to the existing facility includes: • Installation of three new 5G panel antennas for Vodafone on new mounts and new mounted pole; • Installation of six new 5G panel antennas for Optus on new mounts or new mounted pole;

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH A fter the forced closure owing to COVID-19 restrictions, The New Theatre reopens with Neighbourhood Watch, a tremendously funny and enjoyable play. The story centers on the friendship between two neighbours, Ana an elderly Hungarian born woman, and Catherine, a twenty-something aspiring young actress. Colleen Cook who plays the role of Ana explained that this play is about neighbourhoods, relationships, the need for friendship, and the concerns about loneliness. “Ana never shuts up!” laughed Cook. “She came to Australia as a refugee and has many stories up her belt. She’d had a hard life but she’s a strong resilient woman who builds an unlikely friendship with her neighbour. Ana is a very funny woman and she doesn’t know it half the time. I like Ana but sometimes she doesn’t press the mute button when perhaps it mightn’t be such a bad idea!” Ana inadvertently transforms Catherine’s

life with stories of war, her refugee experience, and the hardships of moving to a new country. “Some of these are not pretty stories, but the way they’re told they’re just engaging and interesting to discover. I’ve always felt that if you’re going to have sadness or any kind of anxiety you have to laugh as well otherwise the whole thing is indulgent. This play has many laughs through it.” The message Neighbourhood Watch sends out to audiences is to live life to the fullest. (MMo) Until Oct 8. New Theatre, 542 King St, Newtown. $30-$35+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.newtheatre.org.au

NSW Department of Education

Alexandria Park Community School redevelopment The NSW Department of Education is investing in the redevelopment of Alexandria Park Community School so students from Kindergarten to Year 12 can learn in innovative learning environments. Phase 1 works are nearing completion and Phase 2 works will start in October 2020.

We are temporarily changing some of the ways that we keep the community informed and maintain social distancing measures. Instead of community information sessions, we invite you to view more information about this project from Wednesday 16 September 2020 at schoolinfrastructure.nsw.gov.au/projects/a/alexandria-park-community-school.

• a) Replacement and relocation of existing panel antennas for Vodafone and Optus; • b) Relocation of existing panel antennas for Vodafone and reuse the existing panel antennas for Optus and Vodafone; • Installation and reconfiguration of ancillary equipment, including RRUs, cabling, a GPS antenna, breakout boxes, feeder, and other items associated with safety and operation of the facility; and

WRITERS wanted

• Reconfiguration and installation of equipment within the existing equipment shelter. 2. Vodafone regards the proposed installation a) as a Low-impact Facility under the Telecommunications (Low-impact Facilities) Determination 2018 (“The Determination”) and b) as Exempt Developments under Schedule 3A of State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 based on the description above. 3. In accordance with Section 7 of C564:2018 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment Code, we invite you to provide feedback about the proposal. Further information and/or comments should be directed to: Cathy Chung at Nokia Solutions & Networks on 0406 001 832 or at communityrelations.vha@groups.nokia.com by Thursday 24 September 2020. Further information may also be obtained from the RFNSA website at: a) www.rfnsa.com.au/2029002 b) www.rfnsa.com.au/2010009 6

CITY HUB 10 SEPTEMBER 2020

CITy Hub IS ExpandIng ITS CoVERagE fRom balmaIn To bondI. got a flair for news? do you have good writing and reporting skills? Send a CV and writing samples to news@altmedia.net.au

BLZ_LP1818

BECKY: A gory version of Home Alone starring Kevin James

HubARTS

THERESA HUNT AND KERRYN LEVY - LANDSKEIN

hile we’re all currently occupied with dealing with the COVID-19 threat and lockdown it’s easy to forget that this year began with one of the most devastating bushfires seasons on record. An upcoming exhibition of paintings and ceramic pieces at Curatorial+Co will look to remind us of the bushfire season and attempt to find the beauty in such a devastating event. Sydney painter Theresa Hunt has teamed up with Adelaide-based ceramicist Keryn Levy to create a love letter to the

DIVER CITY D

ecky is a horror film which showcases starring actor Kevin James’ attempt at a breakout from his usual comedic genre to Dominick, the leader of a group of escaped prisoners, the kind with Swastikas tattooed on the back of their heads. Lulu Wilson’s character Becky, the angsty star of the film, relayed an overused and shallow character concept of a disturbed teenage daughter, although it was refreshing to see

drawn back into the bush – part of me was devastated along with the landscape, and I had to be out in it, looking over it, feeling it. Seeing the incredible Blue Mountains, with their layers of rock and smoke and char and eucalyptus, that continued to the hazy horizon, I knew I had to paint it. It was so very sad, so unbelievable. Now the cycle of regeneration and hope has sprung up, but it’s still so raw.” Sep 16-26. Curatorial+Co., Studio 1, 175 Cleveland St, Redfern. FREE. Info: www.curatorialandco.com

creating through a pandemic, and how they hope to impact children with the project. “Matt and I had kids 5 days apart and so started the wild journey of parenthood at the same time together. We went away on a joint family holiday and both had mentioned we wanted to one day make music that our kids could enjoy. A cocktail by the pool later and we had workshopped song ideas and it all slowly developed from there. “I think it’s one really nice thing to have come out of the pandemic especially for me personally as I had my main source of income (touring) totally taken away from me. I found myself with a lot of spare time and creative energy on my hands and so being able to channel it into this was a huge outlet “We really hope these songs will bridge a gap between fun and educational songs that kids can sing and dance to, but that their parents also don’t mind listening to on repeat all day!” Welcome To Diver City is available now via ABC Music at www.abcmusic. lnk.to/DiverCity

BY RIDA BABAR iver City, a play of words on ‘diversity’ is a collaborative new kids project from musician Kristy Lee Peters (KLP) and comedian, actor, and writer Matt Okine. Their debut album, Welcome To Diver City was released in late August through ABC music, with a focus on promoting inclusivity, diversity, and multiculturalism to young children through catchy music. The album is designed to help parents and children through the day, with songs about waking up, getting dressed, showering, and going to bed. The use of animals and landscapes around them are engaging for little kids and help them get in touch with their emotions and promoting good habits like sharing and kindness. In an interview with City Hub, KLP revealed the inspiration behind Diver City, the experience of

BECKY

landscape devastated by the summer bushfires. When speaking about the bushfires and how they inspired her work Hunt said; “When I stand in the landscape or by the ocean, looking out into its enormity, its beauty engulfs me. I can’t drag myself away. This connection is so allencompassing that it physically feels as if it’s wrapped around me, and I could stay there forever. “When the bushfires came I took refuge near the waves, and at the same time was

SUNSHIP BALLOON - EVERYWHEN

unship Balloon, also known as Daniel Haggis and Tord Øverland Knudsen, are an eclectic upcoming band at the heart of the alternative pop scene are soon to release the entirety of their debut album, Everywhen. I was given the opportunity to listen to the album early and was bopping my head along to every track, with 1224 Fantasia, to A4 Life, and 1000 Conversations being some of my favourites. Everywhen is brimming with catchy ‘make you want to dance’ songs and there are quite a few that I’ll be adding to my playlists. Each song paints a beautifully vivid picture that leaves you in awe, tackling topics from the volatility of human life to facing the reality of our individual problems. Everywhen will be available to stream on September 18 and is an album you won’t want to miss. (RBa)

WWWW

Kevin James outside of his usual comedic and goofy character archetype. With critics and viewers alike comparing Becky to a gory version of Home Alone, the film failed to deliver on an idea which had the potential to be a crowd pleaser. The execution was somewhat cliché and slow, with the film lacking a sense of engagement and suspense. (RBa) (MMo) WWW CITY HUB 10 SEPTEMBER 2020

Ageing Support Supporting people living with HIV aged over 45, through the maze of aged care, disability, and healthcare services in NSW Contact Positive Life NSW on (02) 9206 2177 or 1800 245 677 (freecall)

The Good Neighbour Project Supporting responsible cat ownership Protecting wildlife and feline welfare Keeping your cat happy and healthy Join our Good Neighbour Project. Visit catprotection.org.au

Rehoming Organisation Number R251000224

CITY HUB 10 SEPTEMBER 2020