City Hub 11 July 2019

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city hub 11 JULY 2019

Just get the jab

By Michael HITCH NSW health officials are urging the public to get influenza vaccinations for the 2019 national ‘horror flu season’ as the national death toll nears 300, following the death of a 13-year-old girl from Melbourne last week.

Crystal-Lee Wightley had been experiencing flu-like symptoms for three days before she slipped into unconsciousness and later died.

Her death comes after 43-year-old Victorian father, James Day, who succumbed to the virus late in June despite being vaccinated.

South Australia’s death toll has also risen to 82 and the total number of reported cases is now set to hit 20,000, while more than 27,000 cases have been reported in NSW since January.

A spokesperson from NSW Health has said that despite the 50-70 per cent effectiveness of the flu vaccine, the best protection for the public is the flu jab.

“The flu vaccine is still the best protection and will reduce your risk of catching the potentially lethal virus by half,” said the spokesperson. “It is never too late to get vaccinated.”

Vaccine still the best protection The spokesperson also commented on the NSW Government’s plans for tackling this year’s flu season, which includes heavy emphasis on immunisation assistance and awareness campaigns.

“The NSW Government is spending a record $22.75 million on state-wide immunisation programs which will assist with flu prevention this season,” they said. “This includes $2.6 million for free flu shots to children up to five years of age and a $1.5 million immunisation and influenza awareness campaign.

“Flu shots are free under the National Immunisation Program for pregnant women, people over 65 years of age, Aboriginal people and those with medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes and heart problems.”

Public warning posters 1918 (left), 1939 (centre) and 1941 (right). Photos: Wikimedia Commons

So far this year there have been 131,000 flu cases across Australia, with 42,000 cases diagnosed in June alone.

The death toll from the flu has also risen to 287 nationally according to the federal health department. However, NSW Health has said that lab testing indicates that the circulating viral strains remain similar to the strains in the vaccine.

2.4 million government-funded influenza vaccines have been distributed to providers across NSW and the NSW Government has invested approximately $130 million in the 2018-19 Immunisation Program budget, including Commonwealth and state vaccines.

Founder of the Australian Vaccinationrisks Network, Meryl Dorey disagrees with NSW Health’s efforts and believes that flu vaccinations are both ineffective and “reactive”.

Ms Dorey referenced the 2009 case of Saba Button, a Western Australian child who successfully sued the state government after

becoming severely disabled from receiving a flu jab.

“The flu vaccine has been used since the late 1970’s and since that time it has been shown to not only be incredibly ineffective but also incredibly reactive,” she said. “In 2009 an experimental flu vaccine was pushed by the government in Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria in the lead-up to the so-called swine flu epidemic, which never occurred. One child sued the government successfully because she is now permanently disabled as a result of the flu vaccine.

“When people vaccinate, they do so because they think that the vaccine is going to prevent a disease and keep them healthy. The flu vaccine has shown that it does not prevent flu, in fact flu like symptoms are one of the most common side-effects reported after the vaccine and it doesn’t keep you healthy because it can cause life-long disability and even death.”

Vaccine forces body to produce antibodies This season’s flu vaccine effectively protects against four different strains by specifically targeting the H and N proteins found on the surface of the virus.

The vaccine forces the body to produce antibodies which develop roughly two weeks after initial vaccination. These antibodies protect against the weakened viruses found within the vaccine, limiting the risk of catching the flu and reducing the severity of flu symptoms.

However, immunity from flu vaccination decreases over time and the influenza virus is constantly mutating, and this season’s not different. A mutated H3N2 strain of the flu has been recently discovered – making the current vaccine potentially less effective.

Lauren Towler, a full-time student at the University of Sydney is still recovering from a week-long case of the flu, despite receiving a flu vaccination.

This season’s flu vaccine effectively protects against four different strains of the virus “Some people don’t want to get the jab because they think it’s dangerous or they can’t be stuffed, but trust me, you don’t want to risk it with this one,” she said.

“I’ve had the flu before, but this hit me like a train. One moment my throat is a little scratchy and the next minute, I feel like I’m going to die. No in-between!

“I’m still a sick bitch and it’s been nearly two weeks. I’d rather try to protect myself with a vaccination then leaving myself out in the open. If you can’t afford to drop your entire life for a whole week, get a jab. It’s commonsense.”

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ABN 52 600 903 348 Group Editor & Publisher: Lawrence Gibbons Production Manager: Michael Hitch Contributors: Michael Hitch, Alec Smart, Vanessa Lim, Andrew Woodhouse, Allison Hore Arts Editor: Jamie Apps Advertising Manager: Georgina Pengelly Cover Photo: Supplied. Philly 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: altmedia.net.au

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By MIKE HITCH Does this image seem inappropriate to you?

Does it offend you? Are you uncomfortable with the human body?

The issue of censoring women’s bodies and specifically, their breasts, rears its ugly head again after the City Hub newspaper’s online back issue was censored by digital publishing platform, Issuu.

When City Hub uploaded the digital copy of their newspaper last week, an email was sent shortly afterwards stating: “Content in your publication does not appear suitable for safe mode. City Hub 4 July 2019 has been flagged as not meeting these guidelines.”

The warning continued: “This means the following: It will not appear for users with ‘Safe Mode’ enabled. It will not appear in the iOS app. Users will be asked to log in to view the publication or given a warning that the content may not be suitable for Safe Mode.”

The team at City Hub were confused as to why a chunk of their readership was being barred from reading their paper. It wasn’t until the image was uploaded again, this time with the model’s breasts covered by a black square, that the problem was resolved and Issuu’s “guidelines” were met.

Controlling and prudish It seems that Issuu saw fit to censor City Hub content due to the presence of a woman’s breasts but unlike Instagram or Facebook, Issuu didn’t even need a ‘nipple-alert’ to block access to the paper, just a flash of the side of a breast.

Now, in an age where #freethenipple has over 50,000 hits on Instagram, and the fight to end the fetishisation of the female form is at the forefront – why does Issuu seriously push

Offensive? Here’s how we had to fix it

their outdated mindset onto a progressive community newspaper who pays for their service?

Performer, singer and model in the photo, Anya Anastasia and the photographer, Aaron Austin Glen both agree that Issuu’s actions are the issue here.

The double standard between male and female bodies is frustrating “It’s by the beach!” exclaimed Ms Anastasia. “You see women in bikinis and old men in speedos all the time and it’s just a bit of side-boob! The double standard against male bodies and female bodies is just frustrating.”

“It’s frustrating and quite ridiculous,” Mr Glen agreed. “I’m confused as to how that image can be read that way by anyone.”

Publisher of the City Hub newspaper and Star Observer magazine, Lawrence Gibbons, is just as outraged and said that censorship of the female body is completely out-dated and needs to be called-out.

“This is just completely ridiculous!” he said.

“The fact that we’re having this dispute… it’s just completely out-dated. We’ve done images far raunchier than this with men and never heard a peep. What I want to know is where does a publishing platform get off in pushing such a backward agenda?!

“This kind of behaviour needs to be put in front of the public and shamed for what it is: controlling and prudish. They [Issuu] can live in the 50’s if they want but that’s not going to cut it here, we’re better than that.” city hub 11 JULY 2019

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Astrolobe Park not going to the dogs

By VANESSA LIM Plans to utilise Astrolobe Park in Daceyville, near Kingsford, as a sporting ground have been opposed by regular users who want to keep it as the last off-leash dog park in the area.

Last year, a consortium that included UNSW, Cricket NSW, AFL ACT/NSW, and the NSW Government, made a proposal to create a recreational sporting ground in Astrolobe Park. The proposal was met with backlash from the local community over concerns about the loss of green space for relaxation and dog walking.

Concern for the park catalysed opponents of the scheme to form the Friends of Astrolobe Park, a community-led organisation focused on maintaining the public space free of sporting grounds. Robyn Gilbert, Secretary of Friends of Astrolobe Park, said, “There are not that many parks where you can actually just take a walk.

Centennial Park would probably be the closest, but one of the things about Daceyville is that it is 80 per cent public housing. A lot of people don’t have cars and Centennial Park is not particularly accessible by public transport.”

Green space not public Ms Gilbert explained that while there was a lot of green space in Daceyville, most of them consisted of golf courses and other sporting facilities, not openly accessible to the public or dogwalkers.

“I understand that there’s pressure for people who want to play organised sport,” Gilbert conceded, “and there’s always going to be demand, but there are also people who don’t want to play an organised sport, who just want to relax.”

Adrian Martano, a 19-year-old UNSW student and Eastern Suburbs resident who uses Astrolobe Park, was also opposed to the consortium building a sports ground.

Dog walkers oppose plans to develop Astrolobe Park for sports as it’s the only off-leash dog park in the area.

Photo: Vanessa Lim

“I do like to walk my dog a tonne, so I get the backlash. There are hardly any off-leash parks in this area.”

UNSW had sporting fields they sold, now they say they’re short of them Mr Martano said by taking away off-leash parks not only would locals with dogs be frustrated but also everyone else. “By limiting off-leash areas, even more, it just means that people would have to resort to using not leash free areas to let their dogs

run, which really, nobody wants.”

Ms Gilbert explained the motives that UNSW, in particular, would have in building a sports oval.

“It goes back to ten years ago. They used to have sporting fields down at Little Bay that they sold for about 150 million dollars, now they say they are short of sporting grounds.

“The other part of the story is that they are now building over their cricket oval at UNSW,” Ms Gilbert continued. “They’re putting some sort of multifunction sporting area instead, and apparently, that’s to do with a lot of international students wanting to play ultimate frisbee and new sports.”

UNSW not trusted Mr Martano, who sometimes plays casual soccer at Astrolobe Park, understood the demand, but thought public spaces were still necessary.

“I get why they’re doing it. It’s simply because UNSW is getting more students, they have to expand sporting areas. But, as a local, I kind of disagree with them taking up our local parks.

Is it even necessary to build a stadium? Why don’t they just utilise the oval they already have more effectively. Most of the time I see it’s empty anyway.”

Ms Gilbert also discussed the recent knockdown of the Allianz Stadium, which forced the consortium to move elsewhere.

“The other part of the story is that there’s a lot to do with the Allianz Stadium. They’re all cashed up because the government has given them a whole bunch of money to move out of Moore Park when they knocked down the Allianz Stadium.”

Ms Gilbert said the past history UNSW had with the David Phillips Field increased local’s suspicions that an additional sporting ground would negatively affect the community.

“It wasn’t supposed to have big high fences around it; we saw the consent documents for that and it was supposed to have quite a small fencing.

Now it’s got eight-foot-high black fences around it and they lease it out and they have games, day and night. It creates a lot of noise and traffic. We feel concerned because they say they just want a little oval now and it will just have a little picket fence around it, but we don’t really trust them.”

Another objective for Friends of Astrolobe Park is to upgrade the park.

“One of the problems is that the council refuses to invest in the park, it’s not super attractive,” Ms Gilbert said. “Our ultimate goal is to not maintain it as it is, but we want to properly improve it.

There should be a lot more trees, plants, paths, benches and playgrounds like a park.”

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Skatepark saga continues

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Rushcutters Bay Park users oppose a new skate park, like this on Bondi Beach. Photo: Alec Smart

By ANDREW WOODHOUSE Take my one-minute quiz.

Question: when is a park not a park?

Answer: when its open space, the one thing that defines it, is reduced.

And what if it’s jam-packed already with two cafés, megaconcrete paths, a gym, tennis courts and club kiosk, a cricket oval (complete with white picket fence), grandstand, football playing fields, sail drying area, offleash dog playground for man’s best friend, two toilet blocks and a kayak launch ramp?

This is Rushcutters Bay Park today. It’s under threat from further open space reductions.

Now another mega-structure is proposed by Woollahra Council.

The park is controlled by two councils, Sydney Council on its western side and Woollahra Council on the eastern side.

Woollahra Council proposes a mega-Olympic swimming pool-sized skateboard structure.

Paradoxically, the very name Woollahra is Aboriginal for a sitting down place.

Ms Charlotte Feldman, President of the Darling Point Society and a public paladin for common sense, is concerned. She says, “If we let people in charge destroy the harbour foreshore and the beauty that we love, then respect for heritage, and for green open space, becomes even more paramount. People need open space for their health and wellbeing, both mental and physical.”

Green lungs needed The neighbouring Sydney Council agrees. It’s expanding and revitalising our public domain by injecting $400 million by 2030 to increase open space by 16.2 per cent and has already increased open space by 23.5 hectares since 2004.

Why? Because these spaces are people’s backyards in dense cities with high-octane living environments. They are our green lungs. More trees and spaces increase canopy cover, help

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city hub 11 JULY 2019

keep the city cooler and support biodiversity and native fauna.

What’s Woollahra Council doing? The reverse.

It’s being dragged by the scruff of its neck to acknowledge the park’s heritage after the NSW Heritage Office issued a 12-month Order in January 2019 stating the park is “likely to have heritage significance.”

This time-line could be extended.

Council hasn’t provided a Heritage Study despite requests to do so.

And the Local Government Act section 232(1)(d) states: “The role of a councillor is to represent the collective interests of residents, ratepayers and the local community” The “community” includes anyone with an interest in the park including those in nearby suburbs I say.

People need open space for their health and well-being, both mental and physical It’s true, the park has been used for physical activities in the past, such as cricket, tennis, kayaking, even 19th century golf croquet (with a circuit of hoops organised by a Mrs Harewood), but all on the Sydney Council side of the park. Woollahra Council’s proposal has three main problems: location, location, location. And locals have identified nine other better locations.

Paul Fraser, Woollahra’s Manager of Open Space and Trees, notes that, as of April 2019, council is working on “ongoing development of the [heritage] reference by consultants, whilst council awaits more information from the Heritage Council so we can respond to the Interim Heritage Order.”

Stewart Kennedy, a Rushcutters Bay resident for over eight years and keen park user, is more

pointed. He asks “what exactly is going on at Woollahra Council?

They apparently still want to build a skateboard structure in one of the most precious parks on the Sydney Harbour foreshore, destroying more green space.”

Overwhelming objections Six years ago, in September 2013, Woollahra Council agreed to consider a skateboard facility.

The first location in Rushcutters Bay Park was rejected by a majority of a full council in May 2017. The idea and location attracted more objections, over 12,000, than any other in Woollahra Council’s history - ever.

Staff were overwhelmed. Only 22 percent of the written submissions were in favour.

In October 2017 revised plans were requested and they were approved in February 2018, but not by a full council - evading democratic due process, some say.

The current plan would be a few metres from New South Head Road with its three busy lanes of traffic, creating a major safety issue.

“But here’s the dig,” says Mr Kennedy, “council still intends to go ahead, to cut into the green space of the park and threaten mature trees. Can it do whatever it wants to? Can council ignore all park users who cherish the park: dog walkers, families, singles, sports groups, joggers, walkers, picnickers and children, who want to keep it just the way it is for everyone to enjoy?”

Locals aren’t snoozing. On June 26, Gabrielle Upton MP, State Member for Vaucluse, lodged a petition of 1,500 signatures on behalf of local residents with the NSW State Parliament registering their concerns.

It is true that with parks, less is more when it comes to reduction in open space.

After almost six years, and now 15 months from a council election, the retention of green space issue is still politically potent.

Sewer side no solution

BY ALEC SMART In a Federal Court battle at the end of June, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) lost a significant case against toiletries giant Kimberly-Clark, over ‘flushable’ Kleenex brand wet toilet wipes, which the ACCC claimed were not suitable for sewage systems.

The ACCC alleged that Kimberly-Clark breached Australian consumer law by marketing their wet wipes as flushable, although the wipes did not break down like regular toilet paper and clogged up outflow pipes and sewage processing plants.

Federal Court decision. Head of Campaigns and Policy Sarah Agar said, “This is terrible news for people who care about the environment and our waterways.

Calling something ‘flushable’ when it doesn’t actually break down and can cause costly blockages isn’t good enough.

“Choice is warning Australians not to flush wipes following this disappointing court decision that means flushable wipe companies won’t be held to account for clogged sewers, damaged waterways and terrible plumbing bills for Australians.”

Kimberly-Clark is an American multinational corporation that specialises in personal care

paper which totally disintegrated in no time at all.”

Choice continued: “Our in-house test backed up what consumers and wastewater facilities around Australia have been telling us: flushable wipes don’t break up and are likely to block pipes. In fact, the problem has been estimated to cost the Australian wastewater industry $15 million a year (and growing) to clear blockages caused by ‘flushable’ wipes.”

Ironically, in December 2016, when the ACCC announced they would pursue Kimberley-Clark in the Federal Court, a former employee of the corporation revealed to News.com that hundreds of staff at one of their American offices were banned from using flushable wet wipes in 2014. The reason: they “caused major issues with the sewer system because they did not disintegrate”.

“Their statement was that the building had old plumbing and could not handle 300 people using flushable wipes,” the ex-employee told news.com.au.

Flushability suitability On 12 December 2016, the ACCC instituted proceedings in the Federal Court against Kimberly-Clark Australia and separately against Pental. On 12 April 2018, the Federal Court ordered Pental to pay penalties totalling $700,000, for making false and misleading representations about its White King ‘flushable’ toilet and bathroom cleaning wipes.

The Federal Court hearing in June this year against KimberlyClark was expected to lead to a similar outcome, with legal firm Shine Lawyers predicting a class action of householders suing Sydney Water are among many organisations that oppose flushing wet Kimberly-Clark to reimburse wipes in toilets. Photo: Supplied plumbing bills to clear blocked drains. However, it turned But Justice Jacqueline Gleeson, products. They own multiple unexpectedly against the ACCC. presiding, declared she was not brands but their more well-known Peter Hadfield, spokesperson convinced the wet wipes were products in Australia include for Sydney Water, said he hoped unsuitable for flushing down the Huggies disposable nappies, the June 2019 ruling against toilet. She dismissed the ACCC’s Kleenex tissue paper, Kotex ACCC wouldn’t encourage case and ruled that Kimberlyfeminine hygiene products and people to use wet wipes in their Clark’s claims of ‘flushability’ did Scott paper towels. lavatories. not breach Consumer Law, and He reiterated that “the only were therefore neither false nor things that should be flushed Water services are misleading. down the toilet were the “three Ps” faced with the multi- - poo, pee and paper.”

ACCC chairman, Rod Sims, argued: “Are they flushable? Do In a press release sent to City million-dollar clean- Hub , Hadfield said “Sydney Water they break down like toilet paper? removes over 500kg of wipes from They don’t.” up costs our network every year at a cost of Kimberly-Clark’s Australia-New over $8 million dollars… In order Zealand managing director, Doug to save the environment and to Cunningham, said. “We know that In October 2015, Choice prevent expensive future plumbing our flushable wipes are suitable to announced Kimberly-Clark was bills for Australian households, be flushed and this has now been a recipient of one of their annual confirmed by the Federal Court Shonky Awards for their flushable it is up to all consumers to stop flushing wet wipes or any other of Australia. We have always been wet wipes, contradicting the bathroom or personal hygiene committed to ensuring that our company’s claim that the woven product down the toilet.” flushable wipes products meet or Kleenex Cottonelle Cleansing Water Services Association of exceed international guidelines for Cloths disintegrated in sewage Australia (WSAA) is currently flushability.” systems “just like toilet paper”.

“Unfortunately, this was not the working to develop a national standard on wet wipes to define Sewers suing case when we tested the product,” Choice, the non-profit advocacy said Choice. “We ran the wipes in whether they could meet a certain standard of biodegradability to be group that researches and an agitator alongside toilet paper campaigns on behalf of Australian and after 20 hours those flushable labelled ‘flushable’. It is expected to consumers, condemned the wipes were intact – unlike the toilet be certified by the end of the year.

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7

Steps to a greener Sydney

By ALLISON HORE In the last week of June, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a $340 million dollar “Open Spaces and Greener Sydney” package, outlining her commitment to increasing Sydney’s tree canopy and creating more quality green spaces in residential areas.

“Planting trees and creating new parks is just as important as building new roads, rail lines, schools and hospitals,” Ms. Berejiklian announced in a press release.

“Green and public open spaces should be accessible to everyone across the State, no matter where they live. That is why, for the first time, I have made it a priority to make sure more people are within walking distance of quality public space.”

In the next two years the Premier wants to see Sydney’s tree canopy grow by planting 1 million new trees in the region. This will contribute to the government’s 2030 goal of 5 million trees planted across the state.

According to the 2014 Benchmarking Australia’s Urban Tree Canopy report, Sydney’s Northern beaches had the highest tree canopy coverage, with almost 60%. Botany Bay and Randwick, on the other hand, had little over 10% tree canopy coverage.

Other areas in inner Sydney that fared poorly were Sydney City, Auburn, Marrickville, Waverley and Strathfield - all with under 20% tree coverage.

Newly appointed Planning and Public Spaces Minister, Rob Stokes, joined Ms. Berejeklian in Sydney’s South West to announce the $430 million plan.

“We’re backing councils like Campbelltown City Council to increase the tree canopy cover across Sydney through funding and support,” said Dr. Stokes.

More green space needed The City of Sydney announced plans of their own for more green space. Last week the council released their design concept for a new playground

“We have a number of wonderful playgrounds throughout the local area, and this unique playground will give the growing number of families with children living in the city their own space to play,” she said.

While the focus of the new playground is for play, green spaces are not just important for recreation purposes. They also provide an important environmental benefit.

“More trees means more shade, cooler suburbs, more oxygen and a better urban environment for communities to enjoy,” explained Dr. Stokes.

In a year just one mature tree is capable of absorbing 3,400 litres of stormwater and filtering 27kgs of pollutants from the air. But it can take decades for a tree to reach maturity and, in the name of urban development, it’s these mature trees that are often lost.

But NSW Govt felling 1000s of trees The NSW Government was criticised by environmental groups for their removal of old growth trees in the city’s East for the construction of the new Artist’s impression of Sydney’s new children’s playground in Cook & Phillip Park near William Street. light rail. While around 120 trees were saved to be Photo: ASPECT Studio & City of Sydney replanted, many old growth trees were lost, including in the heart of the city. Situated in Cook and The new park is designed to be inclusive, with a historic Moreton Bay fig tree known as the ‘Tree of Phillip Park near William Street, the park will step-free access to custom-designed play equipment Knowledge’ which had stood in Randwick for over feature a nature play area, treehouses, climbing and accessible pathways. The city council hopes 150 years. ropes, sandpits, swings and slides. the playground will be used by children of all An estimated 827 trees were also earmarked for “We know we need more places in our city abilities. removal in the construction of the WestConnex. And for local and visiting kids to enjoy. We want to those projects aren’t the last of the mass tree removals ensure that this park in the heart of our city is in Sydney. Green spaces are not just a welcoming and accessible place for people of Around 2000 trees are set to be removed in all ages,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said on the Sydney’s west for the construction of Paramatta’s light important for recreation; they announcement of the design. rail line and a proposal for Macquarie Park’s Ivanhoe provide an environmental benefit Estate would see the removal of more than 800 To design the park, extensive consultation with local primary school students, early childhood mature trees for the construction of 3500 dwellings. educators, the Australian Museum and the Since 2005 the City of Sydney has created 21 new There’s still a long way to go before the Premier’s surrounding community was undertaken. parks in the CBD and surrounds, and has undertaken green space and tree canopy target will be metDesigners also consulted with a local Aboriginal major upgrades to a further 100. The Lord Mayor especially if mature trees continue to be removed.

Cultural Consultant in order to interpret the site’s says she hopes the new playground offering will serve Construction of the new Sydney playground is Indigenous stories. the growing number of families in the CBD. expected to start in late 2020.

The CiTy hub is seeking friendly and reliable people (with a vehicle) to deliver our newspapers.

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trans and gender diverse community survey

Tell us what you need to live life your way as a trans and/or gender diverse person! Your advice will mean your lived experience can be included in policy and strategy to improve support services for other trans and gender diverse people.

Take the survey online at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/TGDSURVEY For more information contact Bella at Positive Life NSW P: (02) 9206 2177 or 1800 245 677 (freecall). E: contact@positivelife.org.au

This survey has been made by trans and gender diverse people for trans and gender diverse people.

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Bike lane blind spot

By VANESSA LIM Safety concerns were raised for Randwick Council’s planned South Coogee to Kensington cycle path, which includes a blind spot that places cyclists at risk of collision with motorists.

While Randwick Council’s cycle path plan – revised to save 27 trees and plant 60 new ones – is environmentally friendly, concerns remain for users’ safety.

Mary Richard, an Eastern Suburbs resident, said that the absence of a risk assessment was problematic.

“Public safety should be uppermost in the design. A risk assessment has not been conducted, which could have implications of liability for the Council. General Manager Therese Manns admitted at the Council meeting that Randwick Council will be liable, as they own the infrastructure.”

Ms. Richard pointed out one of the safety concerns was the narrow downhill road curve on Bundock Street in South Coogee where the cycle path was routed. Ms. Richard mentioned that cars often cross the white lines in the middle of the road and it is a blind spot.

“This section will be dangerous as it will push oncoming cars closer to each other.”

Safety concerns Emma, an Eastern Suburbs’ parent who lives on Bundock Street near the road curve, voiced her concerns about the planned cycle path. “The biggest danger for a cycleway here is the speed. The cars come down this hill fast and there’s tightness at the corner of the road, which is unsafe for vehicles.”

Emma recalls seeing multiple road accidents at the road curve of Bundock Street. “We’ve seen numerous incidents and if a cyclist was there, I would fear for the cyclist.”

Emma is anxious about the new cycleway’s

Bundock Street, South Coogee: a narrow road curve where the cycleway is planned. Photo:Vanessa Lim

potential increase in cyclist and road traffic.

“It’s an incredibly busy street. I worry for my children; they get off the bus on the other side of the road upon Rainbow Street and walk down the hill home. Crossing this road already is busy for them and I worry about their safety.”

A network of cycleways encourages people to get on bikes and reduces road traffic

would encourage more people to get on bikes and could reduce road traffic.

“If facilities like this are provided, we believe they will attract people to cycle. This includes people who wouldn’t usually ride and people who currently ride but on a less risky route.”

Mr. Worthington said that facilities like this cycleway were intended to increase safety, especially in environments that weren’t so safe to ride on. “We have to have safe design and we would not build or construct if it was unsafe.”

Mark Worthington, President of BIKEast, said that safety concerns for the narrow turn could be lessened if there was a shared cyclistpathway. He added that the cycle path would create a bigger network of cycleways, which

Hidden driveways Ms. Richard stated that the hidden driveways further down Bundock Street would also raise safety concerns. “Hidden driveways I believe, were approved with extra wide verges, so cars

PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE THE EXISTING MOBILE PHONE TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES IN CHIPPENDALE

reversing up could sit on the level section before meeting the road, for safety reasons.”

Mr. Worthington countered that people are already using the footpath that intersects with the driveways. “If needed, there should be obvious signs to warn you that you’re going into a driveway area.”

Ms. Richard said that while the council said that 27 trees would be saved, she still didn’t think it was definite. “There are no guarantees that RMS will save the trees on this design. 16 trees are marked to go and this number could rise.”

Mr. Worthington stated that building necessary infrastructure, such as cycle paths, couldn’t be halted because trees were in the way. “It’s frustrating because it’s always going to be a problem with cycleways. 30 or 40 years ago a lot of the trees seen around Sydney were planted. Before that, councils didn’t want people planting trees because they create a lot of problems for infrastructure.”

Mr. Worthington acknowledged the necessity for trees to exist in urban environments and said that the council’s revision of the cycleway project to protect more trees was a win.

“Trees will grow again; we live in an urban environment and we have to have balance.”

Keep Sydney Beautiful, a community-led organisation against overdevelopment, believe that the proposed cycle path will not only be beneficial to the cyclists but could be good for drivers on the road. However, a spokesperson expressed their anxiety: “Keep Sydney Beautiful is concerned that this cycleway will, in fact, create another major east-west road corridor bringing more, and not fewer, cars to the area.”

They voiced concerns for the consultation process and want Randwick City council to come up with a win-win situation for residents and cyclists.

Canterbury Olympic ice Rink

Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA) plans to upgrade the telecommunications services in Chippendale with the introduction of new equipment to improve coverage in this area.

The proposal is to upgrade the existing telecommunications facility at 128 Broadway Chippendale NSW 2008 involving: • The replacement of (6) existing Tower Mounted Amplifiers (TMAs) with six (6) new TMAs behind existing antennas; • Associated and necessary ancillary works to ensure the proper functioning of the telecommunications facility including cabling, earthing, signage, safe access, electrical works and replacement or strengthening of the existing mounts and existing façade of the building.

The proposed works are defined as Exempt Development in accordance with the State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 and “maintenance activity” as defined in Schedule 3 of the Telecommunications Act 1997. The proposed infrastructure complies with the ACMA EMR regulatory arrangements.

Further information can be obtained from Emma Lachlan on (02) 9363 3815 or email to info@commplan.com.au or from www.rfnsa.com.au/2008002.

Written submissions on the proposals should be addressed to VHA C/- CommPlan Pty Ltd, PO Box 267, Edgecliff NSW 2027 and received by 29 July 2019.

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FEATURE

The Voice Of Australia Kobie Dee. Photo: Supplied

Wayne Quilliam.

Photo: Supplied

Rebecca Hatch.

Photo: Supplied

By Madison Behringer This year’s NAIDOC Week runs until July 14 with the theme ‘Voice. Treaty. Truth. Let’s work together for a shared future’. NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and showcases the work and lives of Indigenous Australians with a new theme curated each year.

NAIDOC Week 2019 is focusing on the voice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia’s current political environment. With 2019 being celebrated as The United Nations International Year of Indigenous Languages, Indigenous Australians are highlighting the need for their knowledge to be heard through voice.

This year’s theme encourages all Australians to fight for that voice as, “it is the history of all of us, of all of Australia, and we need to own it.”

(NAIDOC.org) Throughout NAIDOC Week, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists showcase their work all over the country, from art exhibitions to live music events and more. Each year a National NAIDOC Awards Ceremony is held, recognising outstanding contributions made by Indigenous Australians, including an award for Artist Of The Year.

Many events are being held across Sydney this July for NAIDOC Week, with Indigenous artists showcasing their work in a huge range of areas.

On Saturday, July 13, Redfern’s Carriageworks will team up with Koori Radio and Bad Apples Music to host their annual NAIDOC Week event Klub Koori. The event showcases emerging and established Indigenous musicians and will celebrate this year’s theme of voice, treaty and truth. The line-up this year has been curated by both Carriageworks and Bad Apples Music, featuring artists BIRDZ, Nooky, Rebecca Hatch, Philly and Kobie Dee. The Bad Apples Music label was founded by Briggs, who says that he “formed Bad Apples Music to allow other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists to flourish at the highest level within the music industry nationally, and internationally.”

Head Curator of Aboriginal Programs at Carriageworks Hannah Donnelly spoke about the importance of working with labels such as Bad Apples on an event like Klub Koori.

“This way of showcasing artists and allowing other people to curate lineups is really important for an event like this, so that people can feel like they’re involved in decisions and so that we can work with different and cool people every year.”

Hannah went on to explain the importance of supporting and hosting an event like Klub Koori, saying: “It’s really good to have these artists.

Something like Klub Koori, it’s for the community but it’s also for Carriageworks’

wider audiences in Sydney to learn about these artists as well.”

Klub Koori is keen to promote this year’s NAIDOC Week theme ‘Voice, Treaty, Truth’ with multiple artists having similar themes throughout their music.

“It’s such an important theme this year and it has its own political meaning outside of being a NAIDOC theme as well,” Hannah said, continuing, “but the beauty of it for us for this Klub Koori event is that all of those artists have their own stories to tell about their experiences as young Aboriginal people.”

Klub Koori will also be broadcast live on Koori Radio 93.7FM. Indigenous artist, photojournalist and photographer Wayne Quilliam is bringing his newest exhibition Instaculture to Darling Quarter as part of NAIDOC Week 2019.

Former NAIDOC Artist Of The Year, Wayne is bringing his large-scale digital-art exhibition to Sydney alongside family-friendly workshops to celebrate this year’s NAIDOC Week theme. Wayne’s ‘traditional digital art’ will showcase across 24 hours, a large-scale outdoor exhibition highlighting the six seasons of Aboriginal culture.

Of the size of the pieces, Wayne laughed and said: “If nothing, they’re biiiiig!”

Wayne spoke about his newest exhibition Instaculture and the creative process behind it saying, “I was just looking at the world and how we’ve advanced and how much we’ve embraced this incredible movement in technology but still our culture and our ancient practices are valid and important to us.”

Instaculture features an installation of digital artworks with 16 large cubes sprawling throughout the Darling Quarter. The pieces use digital technology to project Wayne’s images onto the surface of each cube.

“This is more a showing of where the people are from, salt water, fresh water, the mountains or the hills,” said Wayne of Instaculture, going on to say: “That’s what this is about, the showing of the seasons and the culture and how quickly we adapt and adjust.”

Wayne celebrates NAIDOC Week from one end of the country to another, with different exhibitions showing in all parts of Australia.

As an Indigenous artist, Wayne embraces the opportunity to celebrate and showcase the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, especially through art.

“This is the week where we as Aboriginal people showcase and highlight the incredible work that we’re doing and we along with the non-Indigenous community enjoy and engage in this beautiful thing that is Aboriginal Australia.”

Klub Koori. Jul 13, Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh. $15+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.carriageworks.com.au Instaculture. Until Aug 3, Darling Quarter, 1-25 Harbour Street, Sydney. Free. Info: www.darlingquarter.com 10

city hub 11 JULY 2019

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Now after a brief one month break, we are back in time for our 40th anniversary edition.

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city hub 11 JULY 2019

11

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PLUCKED!

Claire Ellen O’Connor tweezes apart her tumultuous relationship with hair in Plucked!, a glittering cabaret show hitting Sydney for one night only.

Set in a teenage bedroom circa 2003, this show takes us from O’Connor’s first time picking up a razor, through to the decision to shave her head at 17-yearsold, and beyond.

“It seems like this really insignificant thing that grows out of our bodies but really people can make all sorts of assumptions [based on hair] about our sexuality, our socio-economic background, our age, our personality, all of these things because of hair!” said O’Connor.

“Hair can represent a man’s masculinity but it can also represent a woman’s femininity, so where is that grey area?”

Plucked! was first performed at Adelaide Fringe Festival where it took home the Weekly Emerging Artist Award. However, this show’s first incarnation began back in 2013, when O’Connor first began to unpack her insecurities around hair as a music theatre graduate.

O’Connor revisits this show with a decade’s worth of experience in the entertainment industry, where a woman’s body and her choices on how to groom it come under particularly intense scrutiny, and from a place of more confidence in herself and her identity.

“I always have looked at the flaws in myself and wanted to be different...I think as a show that really is talking about identity, and sexuality and beauty, it really requires a performer who is confident in who they are...I’m really proud of who I am and I’ve come such a long way as a performer.” (AM) Jul 12.The Newsagency, 74-76 Pyrmont Bridge Rd, Annandale. $25-$30.Tickets & info: www.thenewsagencyvenue.com

Jack And the Beanstalk 3D

Pantomimes have always been incredibly popular in the UK and thanks to Director and Producer Bonnie Lythgoe, Australians are also falling in love with this unique and entertaining form of theatre.

“From our first production, Snow White, here in Australia, we have felt the same expression of unbridled joy and love from audiences for our productions. The fact that the audience participation in the show is an important factor makes it a very special experience for everyone,” Lythgoe explained.

The giant 3D family panto musical spectacular Jack And The Beanstalk is Lythgoe’s latest incarnation to grace the State Theatre stage and fans of pantos won’t be disappointed.

“Interlaced into the familiar tale and what makes a true panto come to life, are scenic moments of pure comedy,

city hub 11 JULY 2019

year’s cast is a very strong company indeed.”

But is it a myth that pantos are solely for ‘young children?

“Definitely a myth! The jokes are always contemporary so that they are understood by modern audiences with some priceless innuendos that make the adults laugh out loud.”

Lythgoe is adamant that this show will be a fun night out for

young and old. “We promise you the most enjoyable and joyous two hours money can buy. A truly luscious magical spectacle that you will not forget.”

(MMo) ** REFER TO OUR WEBSITE FOR FULL INTERVIEW WITH BONNIE LYTHGOE** Jul 12-21. State Theatre, 49 Market St. $49-$99.Tickets & Info: www.ticketmaster.com.au

REVIEW: Disney On Ice For 90 years the legacy of Walt Disney has been entertaining children in various mediums.

Whether that be short television cartoons, feature-length animated or live-action film and now even an ice-skating spectacular.

Leading the charge on this show is the perennial favourite Mickey Mouse, along with his lovely partner Minnie. Also joining

Mickey and Minnie are various classic and modern favourites such as Pocahontas, Donald Duck, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Moana and of course Anna, Elsa and Olaf from Frozen.

Throughout this magical evening of entertainment kids of all ages will be entertained as their favourite characters come to life before their very eyes. Mum and

Dad are also in for a treat by attending this show as the choreography and thrilling acrobatic displays will leave everybody in the audience aghast.

(JA) Jul 17-21. Qudos Band Arena, 19 Edwin Flack Ave, Sydney Olympic Park. $30-$99+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.ticketek.com.au

This Bitter Earth This July Newtown’s New Theatre will be presenting the world premiere of Australian writer Chris Edward’s play This Bitter Earth. The play is hilarious, heart wrenching and gay. Really gay.

Exploring the ins and outs of being a 20-something queer living in Sydney,This Bitter Earth was written

by Chris while completing his Masters of Writing for Performance at NIDA in 2018.

Directed by Riley Spadaro and featuring a stellar cast of upcoming Australian actors, This Bitter Earth is unbearably funny while also existential crisis-inducing.

Director Riley Spadaro spoke with City Hub about his initial thoughts and feelings after reading the play for the first time.

“I was really struck by how honest it was and how true to life it was. There was something

a&e

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madness, and mayhem that drive the story along.The sense of humour is often full of obvious jokes, topical references, and slapstick comedy but it brings on the laughs.”

This production is the most ambitious to date comprising of a first-ever 3D segment which should mesmerise audiences. “Embedded in the story of Jack And The Beanstalk is the exciting journey to the Giant Blunderbore’s castle and we thought what better way than to take audiences on that journey and let them actually feel and experience the adventure for themselves in 3D. It is going to be very exciting, I guarantee that!”

The show stars an A-List cast including Richard Reid, Lucy Durack, Peter Rowsthorn and Jimmy Rees.

“Casting is never an easy task, as it has to be perfect, but I have to say that this

12 STAGE 14 SCENE 15 Sounds 15 SCREEN

about it that was very truthful, very witty and then it also had a lot of opportunities to be theatrically daring.”

Although This Bitter Earth focuses on the journeys of queer characters, Riley says the play also looks at themes that will be universal to the audience saying, “it’s about queer lives in queer times but it kind of speaks to the fears of our time as well.”

This Bitter Earth is packed with emotion and is both tear-jerking in its sadness and its humour. Riley says,“Throughout the work, there’s this kind of thread of existential horror and fear for the future but also a kind of hopefulness about it.”

With the piece being so new and so prevalent to Sydney’s current queer culture, Riley hopes audiences will leave having more than just a good

Arts Editor: Jamie Apps For more A&E stories go to www.altmedia.net.au and don’t forget to join the conversation on Twitter at @AltMediaSydney

laugh, saying, “I hope that audiences laugh, and I hope that there’s some kind of catharsis. I also hope that it’s a bit of a gut-punch.” (MB) Until Jul 27/. New Theatre, 542 King Street, Newtown. $20-$35+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.newtheatre.org.au

Contributors: Irina Dunn, Mark Morellini, Olga Azar, Rita Bratovich, Joseph Rana, Madison Behringer, Allison Hore, Renee Lou Dallow, Alannah Maher.

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REVIEW: ZIRK! CIRCUS – The Big Top Circus Spectacular In Sydney for the first time ever is the internationally acclaimed ZIRK! CIRCUS – The Big Top Circus Spectacular.

Bringing with them 18 incredible acts from around the globe this is a circus performance unlike any other.

Combining elements of traditional circus performance, in the form of the uproariously funny Russian clown and ringmaster combo, with daredevil acts such as the globe of death and finally theatrical elements from Cirque du Soleil this show has something for everyone.

Witnessing the full ZIRK! spectacular will see you going from

laughing one moment to sitting in stunned wonderment the next and then finally mouth agape and sweating with fear.

In yet another nice alteration to the typical circus, there are no animal acts, so there is no cause for animal cruelty concerns.

Simply sit back and enjoy some of the world’s best performers excel at their craft during a night which is certainly one to remember for audiences of all ages. (JA) Until Jul 28.The Showring, Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park. $45-$145+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.ticketmaster.com.au

THE NAKED CITY

THE BIG ‘BOTHER’ HOUSE!

With Coffin Ed As we know only too well, many things are allowed to happen in the USA that are totally forbidden in Australia – at least for the time being. In ‘God’s Own Country’ you can amass your own private armoury of automatic weapons, keep a personal zoo of dangerous and endangered critters and set up a haunted house designed to scare the crap out of all those who dare enter.

The latter, sometimes dubbed “extreme haunt” is a modern-day phenomenon that draws on the traditions of sideshow alley with haunted houses and ghost trains. Often located in rural settings, these houses run as a commercial proposition, attracting thousands of predominantly young thrill-seekers each year. Unlike their ‘soft scare’ carney predecessors, their aim is to use all manner of shock, surprise and psychological warfare to shake the bejeezus out of you.

Whilst most of these haunted house attractions play essentially on the mind with a minimum of physicality (i.e. you don’t get knocked around), one such enterprise sets out to tear you apart – body and brain. McKamey Manor, which originally began in a family home in suburban San Diego, is a notorious experience in which ‘guests’ are subjected to hours of very real cruelty, torture and physical degradation.

Founded by Russ McKamey, ex-US Navy and a part-time wedding singer, the Manor has a supposed waiting list of over 20,000. Participants, who must be over 21, are required to sign an

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extensive list of waivers and are now given a safe word to end the experience if it all becomes too much. Despite an impressive list of participants including ex-marines, cage fighters and numerous assorted tough guys, nobody has yet has made it all the way through what can be an eight-hour torture experience. As of a few years ago, it was actually a woman named Sarah P, who held the endurance record of six hours!

The question is could such an ‘attraction’ ever

happen here or more importantly would it ever be allowed to do so? Imagine fronting your local suburban council with a DA to set up your humble inner west pad as a kind of Guantanamo Bay meets the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Noise objections from your neighbours would be enough to kill it dead in the ice bath, even if you promised there would be no more hysterical screaming after 10pm.

You could, of course, chose a rural, more

Bastille Festival July is a month of national celebrations around the world.

Beginning today Sydney will embrace its French side as Bastille Day celebrations kick-off around the city. For the ultimate French celebration head on down to the Circular Quay and The Rocks precincts to take in the annual Bastille Festival.

Formally known as The Bleu Blanc Rouge Festival this annual event has been sweeping through Sydney every July since 2013.

This year’s iteration of the festival has seen it continue to grow and has now evolved into an all-encompassing area known as The Family-Friendly French Village.

By visiting the village Sydneysiders will be able to celebrate the best elements of French culture, food, wine and arts.

Jul 11-14. Circular Quay & The Rocks, Sydney.

FREE (some ticketed experiences).

Tickets & Info: www.bastillefestival.com.au

remote location, similar to what Russ McKamey has recently done in the US. Here amidst clandestine meth labs and illegal bush doofs you might well find the right environment to set up our own version of McKamey Manor, complete with some distinctly down under features.

Instead of copious amounts of fake blood, participants could be smeared with generous amounts of vegemite, or even scarier OzEmite.

The onesie is a popular and degrading dress requirement for the US experience, but our extreme haunt might see the psychological vulnerable clad in old tattered and torn Wilderness Society koala outfits.

At McKamey, many of those crazy enough to sign the waivers are given unwelcome haircuts and perhaps everybody at the Australian equivalent could emerge looking like Kim Jong Un. Waterboarding would not be in the Aussie spirit but a more subtle form of torture could be applied as your guests are locked in a windowless room and forced to watch three hours of old episodes of Family Feud and Australian Ninja Warrior.

After being pelted with meat pies and lamingtons, forced into a play pool full of slimy cane toads and rolled around in a Snowtown barrel, your tough guy and tough gal daredevils will be spitting out their safe words and wondering why they ever agreed to participate in such madness. Who needs a haunted house and an emotional mugging when day to day life often provides the biggest scares of all?

By Jamie Apps Prior to becoming a full-time musician American artist K.Flay completed a double degree majoring in psychology and sociology.

These studies, as well as her own personal experiences, have heavily influenced how K.Flay approaches life, songwriting and touring.

“My studies more than anything taught me the guiding principles of how to ask good questions,” she explained, “Throughout my songwriting career I’ve tried to ask what I think are good questions which lead to interesting answers in the form of songs.”

When looking at K.Flay’s discography and accolades it’s clear that her music must be asking ‘good questions.’ Notably, her debut record on the Universal label, Every Where Is Some Where, received two Grammy Award nominations. For some artists to receive such praise right out the gates could apply more pressure to the successive releases but for K.Flay she says it had the opposite effect.

“I actually think that in some ways it reduced the pressure on me. I had been making music for a long time in the indie scene so to then get an acknowledgement from a mainstream organisation like the Grammy’s felt like a real pat on the butt and encouragement to keep going.”

This encouragement was certainly needed at that time in K.Flay’s career because as she told City Hub, “ I had been on the road for

K.Flay

almost three years touring and I was in rough shape in all honestly. I was having trouble locating the joy in the music performance experience and wasn’t really taking care of myself, both mentally and physically.”

Booksmart

Beanie Feldstein, who delighted in Lady Bird, is back in high school. This time, it’s the last day before graduation. Both she

and her bestie Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) have completed a brilliant academic year and have the world at their feet.

Only trouble is, after being delivered some home truths, they realise they haven’t lived and haven’t bothered to get to know people, and in fact, have misjudged their fellow students badly. They decide they need to do something memorable before college and plan to attend a wild party hosted by a popular school jock – once they find out where he lives!

Director Olivia Wilde’s first feature is a smart and slightly different coming-of-age story that will bring many smiles.

The writers have avoided superficial stereotypes and all have interesting qualities, while Feldstein and Dever capture the essence of friendship perfectly in their roles – their journeys being both moving and fun. (CCov) WWWW

It was during this time that K.Flay once again employed the knowledge she had gained from her studies to begin reframing her mental approach to everything, particularly her music on her new record Solutions.

“This new wave of music was inspired by my mental and emotional state when I started writing. I felt like my last record was largely about problems and things that were causing me anguish, anxiety or pain. So I really wanted to pivot my songwriting perspective on this record to a place where I could reframe those pains and look towards some kind of answer, which was a process which actually felt really natural and exciting.”

This positive outlook on life and songwriting also carried over into K.Flay’s planning of live performances.

“The core foundation of these new shows is that they have to be divorced from any part of my ego. That means it doesn’t matter how I look in photos, if I sing every note perfectly or if I forget a word or lyric occasionally.

What does matter is that I am creating a night and experience for people to have catharsis, have fun and be able to feel connected to something outside of themselves. Which has meant that these shows feel like my first shows again and has made me much more excited to play.”

Jul 17. Oxford Art Factory, 38-46 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. $55.90+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.oxfordartfactory.com

Kim Petras - Clarity

Rising pop artist Kim Petras has released her newest album Clarity featuring recent singles Icy, Broken and Personal Hell. In the 10 weeks leading up to the album’s release, Petras dropped a single weekly, taking her fans on a journey in the lead up to Clarity’s release.

Petras’ newest album explores her journey postheartbreak with Clarity, the first song on the album exploring a sense of bouncing back and being more grounded after a relationship break-up.

Sweet Spot and Personal Hell bring more of a club anthem vibe to the album and are a celebration of moving on from a broken heart.

Petras’ Clarity is a greatly curated journey from heartbreak to healing and her songwriting is equal parts emotion, humour and anthem. (MB) WWWW

Stuber His name is Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) and he’s an Uber driver who inadvertently helps a semi-blind cop (Dave Bautista) with official police business to capture a ferocious killer he has been chasing for years.

High on ‘dumb’ and low on ‘intellect’, this comedy contains many idiotically hilarious situations and plenty of fight and car chase scenes which delivers 93 minutes of absurd ‘entertainment’ for audiences who enjoy films of this genre.

Discerning moviegoers, however, may cringe at the exorbitantly graphic violence and inappropriate crass and sexual references in a film which is seemingly marketed for teenage audiences.

Nanjiani (The Big Sick) is perfectly cast as the quasi idiotic Uber driver. Generally, he provides the most laughs but many of the comedic scenes border on repugnant which unfortunately downgrades the film considerably.

Stuber is quintessentially a comedy where the popcorn is somewhat more enjoyable and most audiences will have forgotten about the film soon after leaving the cinema.

(MMo) WW1/2

An Unexpected Love This film which questions the validity of lifelong love between couples heading into their golden years was an unexpected surprise.

Ricardo Darin (Marco) and Mercedes Moran (Ana) play empty nesters whose son has left for university in another city. Suddenly faced with the fact that they now have only each other to spend the rest of their lives with they begin to question whether the love they have shared over 25 years will be enough to

sustain them. Everything they have strived for together has already been achieved. They have a lovely apartment, good jobs, a son they both adore and a great group of friends to grow old with and they still love each other. So what’s missing? It is Ana who poses the important question to her husband, “are you still in love?”

The surprising answer is, “no.”

So begins the next phase as they find themselves suddenly negotiating the world of singledom in the modern age.

Described as a comedy of ‘Conscious Uncoupling’ and superbly directed by Juan Vera, the film also features a wonderful script by Daniel Cuparo. In all, the film is a sensitive, soul searching look at truth. Set in a colourful, vibrant city of Argentina it is a reflection on the difficulties of keeping up the pace and trying to remain an essential cog in the wheel of the everchanging 21st century. What happens when people beyond a certain age try their luck on

Tinder? The results can be at once comedic and terrifying.

Ana’s 82-year-old mother has managed to find herself a new man though. One that can still dance too. Now if that doesn’t make your heart sing and inspire you to stay in the game then I don’t know what will? The chemistry between the two leads is pure magic with great performances too from a magical cast. To boot the whole film is just... you guessed it... magic! (RLD) WWWWW city hub 11 JULY 2019

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ON NOW SCHOOL Y HOLIDA FUN!

W W W.WAYOUT WESTFESTIVAL FESTIVAL.COM.AU .COM.AU Dive into a packed program of theatre, interactive installations, dance, music, literature, food, yoga, workshops and FREE family events guaranteed to inspire joy, creativity and curiosity during these winter school holidays. On now until Sunday!

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city hub 11 JULY 2019