City Hub 14 January 2016

from Bondi to Balmain...

City News Since 1995 J ANUA RY 1 4 , 2 0 1 6 cityhub.net.au

FREE

SLEIGHT

OF HAND Short + Sweet premieres its Magic and Comedy Festival

Page 9

2

city hub 14 JANUARY 2016

Council prepares scathing report on Westconnex

By WENDY BACON Ashfield Council has prepared a scathing response to the latest Westconnex EIS report lodged with the Department of Planning.

The Council covers both Ashfield and Haberfield, which would lose hundreds of homes and businesses and be significantly affected by noise, pollution and traffic congestion caused by the Westconnex M4 East. If the project is approved by the NSW Minister for Planning and Environment Rob Stokes, a three year construction period will begin in the first half of this year. Already many homeowners have been forced to sell and move out, often at below market prices.

Ashfield Council hired independent consultants to prepare a detailed response to the M4 East EIS, which was produced by AECOM, a company that last year paid $200 to settle a negligence case based on its wrong predictions for a tollway in Brisbane. AECOM has been deeply involved in the Westconnex project since the beginning and has other Westconnex engineering contracts that have led to concerns about its lack of the EIS independence.

AECOM was required to file a “submissions report” responding to all submissions, including hundreds of concerns raised by Ashfield Council, 16 other Councils and government departments and more than 4800 individuals and community groups. Its three-volume response to the submissions was quietly published on the NSW Department of Planning and Environment in December 2015.

In comments prepared on the report, Council lists 20 key issues none of which have been satisfactorily resolved in the “submissions report” including concerns about the traffic modelling on which rests predictions for congestion, air quality and noise. Instead of responding, the Council argues that AECOM merely “requotes information provided in the EIS which was the subject of concern.” It criticises the lack of objective data supporting the project.

Westconnex has refused to release its traffic model leaving independent experts without the full information

Newtown anti-Westconnex campaigners.

Photo: Save Newtown from Westconnex

needed to test the results. Ashfield Council recommends that the model be “made available so that a complete peer review’ can be undertaken before any construction is allowed to begin.

Greens Spokesperson on the Westconnex Newtown MP Jenny Leong told City Hub that she also supported a review of the EIS. She believes that the process for both the M4 East and New M5 IS “deeply flawed.”

“With the M4 East process thousands of individual residents, concerned citizens and independent experts made submissions only to find their contributions bundled together and made pretty much inaccessible.”

Leong is referring to the Department dumping nearly 5000 submissions in more than 60 PDFS rather than presenting them individually as was done for the Northconnex tunnel project, which also attracted 1000s of submissions. Some were not published at all.

The AECOM submissions report states that a letter was sent to each person who lodged a submission informing them of an individual identification number that would enable them to track how their concerns were dealt with in the submissions report.

City Hub has checked with scores of people who filed submissions. Nobody received a letter leading this reporter to conclude that this statement is misleading and false.

used are unavailable which makes proper scrutiny impossible.”

Along with community campaigning groups, she wants “an immediate halt to all construction, contract signing and home acquisitions until there has been an independent review of the WestConnex project.” She says this includes, “ EIS documents which should be independently reviewed and evaluated to see whether they in fact address the basic environmental assessment (SEARs) that have been mandated by the Secretary of the Department of Planning and Environment.”

“The Planning Minister must intervene to alleviate growing concerns that his Department is simply a ‘rubber stamp’ on this mammoth infrastructure project. This includes ensuring the community’s submissions are adequately considered and responded to prior to any Concerns about the rationale and lack of accountability development approvals are issued, “ she said. for the Westconnex led the Shadow Minister for As soon as the M5 EIS was released City of Sydney Infrastructure Grayndler MP Anthony Albanese to join Lord Mayor Clover Moore put out a call to action, the Greens’ and community groups’ call for a Federal encouraging all community members to submit audit last week. Meanwhile the NSW Department of objections to the project.

Planning ploughs on releasing AECOM’s massive EIS With the deadline for submissions looming, for the New M5 that would tunnel from Kingsgrove in Westconnex Action Group campaigners in the South West of Sydney to a massive interchange at the Kingsgrove, Newtown and St Peter are spending their Princes Highway in St Peters and Newtown in December summer delivering information to the community before the M4 East process is even complete. about the long and complex New M5 EIS documents.

Leong is also critical of the government for releasing Spokesperson Pauline Lockie also challenged the this second EIS just before Christmas with the planning process, “Of course, when billion-dollar consultation period running until January 29 when construction contracts have already been handed out “families are on holidays, councils are on leave and small for the M4 East, there must be huge pressure on the retail businesses – who will be hit hard by the proposed Planning department to approve this project no matter plans – are in their peak season.” what. But it’s hard to see how Minister Stokes and “There’s been virtually no community consultation the Baird Government could have any credibility left with key stakeholders despite the EIS social impact if he rubber-stamps this project in the face of so much section claiming engagement has been undertaken,” she opposition and evidence against it.”

Wendy Bacon has been part of Westconnex said.

Action Group campaigns. She has filed an individual “Both these EIS documents have basically been complaint with the Department of Planning which is written to support the case for WestConnex by a published on her website. http://www.wendybacon. company, AECOM which has ongoing contracts for com/2016/how-the-department-of-planning-botchedwork on this project and so we see scant analysis of public-submissions-for-westconnex-m4-east/ genuine alternatives. The research methods and data

TAFE denies privatisation claims Published weekly and freely available Sydney-wide.

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, City Hub takes no responsibility for inadvertent errors or omissions.

ABN 52 600 903 348 Group Manager: Chris Peken Group Editors: Christopher Harris, Kenji Sato Contributors: Lucas Baird, Andrew Barclay Arts Editors: Jamie Apps, Alannah Maher Advertising Managers: Mark Barnes, David Sullivan Cover Photo: Ess Vaun - Alex Moffat 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

If you have a story you’d like to tell us: news@altmedia.net.au

altmediagroup

altmediasydney

BY LUCAS BAIRD TAFE NSW has hit back at reports of eight new administrators being appointed to privatise the institution as it sought to justify its “Smart and Skilled” initiative.

The Shadow Minister for Skills, David Harris, claimed that the decision to create eight new positions, each on a salary of $250,000, defied logic.

“Paying a bunch of fat cats top dollar salaries at a time when the Baird government has cut 2,500 TAFE teaching and support staff and enrolments are down 43,000 makes absolutely no sense at all,” he said.

Responding to these claims, the Department of Industry disputed this and said they are not recruiting new executives within TAFE itself.

“State Training Services moved from the Department of Education to the Department of Industry in mid-2015,” it said in a statement.

“All agencies are required to comply with the [law] and implement new senior executive structures. The positions advertised are not within TAFE NSW.” Despite this, questions remain surrounding the longevity of TAFE in its current form.

Responding to an inquiry into vocational training, Greens MP, John Kaye, highlighted that reforms recommended still left TAFE in a precarious position.

“Christian Democrat Upper House MP and chair Paul Green sided with the government to ensure that the Smart

Ultimo TAFE building.

Photo: Wikicommons

and Skilled training market continues to undermine TAFE without any limits on how much of the total state government training budget can be privatised,” he said.

“Each year more public funding is stripped from TAFE and put into the competitive market, where TAFE has to face up to low-cost, low-integrity private providers to survive.”

“He [Paul Green] has betrayed the hundreds of TAFE teachers, students and

community members who in good faith shared their experiences to this inquiry in the belief that we would take them seriously and come up with a lasting solution.”

“Instead of calling the government to account for privatising skills education, he has effectively given the Liberals and Nationals a free pass to continue down the road of undermining TAFE.” Last year, TAFE enrolled over 500,000 students. city hub 14 JANUARY 2016

3

Tree removal leaves locals stumped

BY KENJI SATO Randwick residents have mourned the loss of dozens of Centennial Park trees, which were cut down over the weekend to make way for the construction of light rail along the north side of Alison Road.

Randwick Council had led a campaign to “save the trees” by shifting the light rail line to the south side of Alison Road, as was originally proposed by the state government in agreement with local council.

Randwick Greens Councillor Murray Matson told City Hub that he welcomed the arrival of light rail, but was “disappointed” with the state government’s decision to go ahead with the new route.

“I had hoped that the council would be able to build and maintain a constructive cooperative working relationship with the government on the issue of returning light rail to Randwick,” he said.”

“But the removal of the trees over the last week from Alison Road directly undermines the credibility of the development agreement that Randwick city council signed with the government.”

Clr Matson told City Hub that local council was still “willing and able to work with government”, and that council was continuing to negotiate with state government over the fate of ten additional trees that are scheduled for removal.

Transport NSW did not respond to City Hub’s request for comment, but have previously said that they would plant at least two trees for every small tree removed, four for every medium tree, and eight for every ‘significant’ tree.

Cyclist groups have also opposed the new light rail route, which will see large

Randwick trees receive the chop. Photo: Facebook

stretches of cycling infrastructure removed to make way for construction.

Transport for NSW has assured residents that the cycle paths will be replaced, but has not indicated what path the new cycleway will take.

Margaret Hoggs, co-founder of the Pedal Pushers bicycle fitting shop in Rosebery, told City Hub that cyclists were “furious” about the changes.

“This is a fiasco, an absolute fraud on the public. The community has lost its cycle path and the tree shade that went with it,” she said.

“We haven’t been told where the new path is going to go, but we know, logically, cyclists will be forced to go onto the road and cross the rail line, which is very dangerous.”

Ms Hogg told City Hub that the Centennial Park cycle path was an essential cycling artery for cyclists all throughout the eastern suburbs.

“It’s the way people get to TAFE, it’s the way they get through from Randwick, Coogee Beach, and all those people to commute to the university or to work in the city,” she said.

“But now, it’s not going to work.

People can’t travel on those narrow roads safely, and we’ll lose cyclists.

This isn’t good planning. This is horrendous.”

“The only reason we can see for it - because there’s no benefit to the community - is for the high-rise developers.”

Medical centres A fresh approach to health

OPEN seven dAys Monday Wednesday Friday 8.30am - 7pm Thursday 8.30am - 9pm Saturday 9am - 6pm Sunday 10am - 6pm

2 hours

free pArking

4

city hub 14 JANUARY 2016

BROADWAY

BONDI

Broadway sHoPPinG centre level 1, 1 Bay street, Broadway

westField Bondi Junction level 6, 500 oxford street, Bondi Junction (opposite Fitness First)

Broadway General Practice 8245 1500 dental connect 9211 2388 eye care Plus 9211 6635 diabetes australia centre 9281 6816 eternity laser cosmedic centre 9098 4310 laverty Pathology 9282 9245

Bondi Junction Medical Practice 9389 9699 aBc dental 9388 9788 traditional chinese Medicine australia 9387 3319 advanced dermatology 1300 788 800 laverty Pathology 9389 9699 Physiotherapy seth Hirschowitz 9389 9699 Psychology dr timothy J sharp 9231 2522

(above rebel sport, below JB Hi-Fi)

Fresh therapeutics compounding Pharmacy 9281 6816

Fresh therapeutics compounding Pharmacy 9389 3168

www.sydneyhealthcare.com.au

This month is WEIGHT MANAGEMENT MONTH at FRESH THERAPEUTICS PHARMACIES Come and learn about the new CLIK FIT program to keep you healthy this year

www.freshtherapeutics.com.au

City East Community College Choose from hundreds of great courses at local campuses.

For complete details and to enrol go to:

FREE

AMEP ENGLISH COURSES

www.cityeastcc.com.au 9387 7400

ARTS · BUSINESS · COMPUTING + GRAPHIC DESIGN · ENGLISH · HEALTH + FITNESS · LANGUAGES + COMMUNICATION · LIFESTYLE · SUSTAINABILITY a not-for-profit community organisation

BITE. NIBBLE. CRUNCH.

NOW OPEN FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER 7 DAYS A WEEK. Discover the perfect sweet end to a sensational feast. An abundance of delicious, seasonal cuisine awaits you at Harvest Buffet.

Visit star.com.au for opening hours and prices.

LEVEL 1, 80 PYRMONT ST, PYRMONT

city hub 14 JANUARY 2016

5

Ice busts don’t impact supply or increase prices: report

By Andrew Barclay A report on the state of methamphetamine use in Australia has found that despite concerted efforts from law-enforcement agencies, the drug remains widely available with its price “stable” and the market “strong”.

The report from the National Ice Taskforce found that despite repeated attempts of successive governments to disrupt the supply of the drug, “ice usage in Australia is at high levels and is increasing”.

“The lack of any discernible market response to the efforts by Australian law enforcement agencies to prevent the supply of ice is greatly concerning,” said Ken Lay, Chair of the National Ice Taskforce.

Ken Lay, Chair of the National Ice Taskforce

“It is remarkable that despite very large seizures there has been no increase in the street price of the drug.”

Law-enforcement strategies, which campaigners said have focused on large-scale busts and arrests, seems to have had little impact on supply.

The continued low price of the drug, which can be as little as $50 a dose, has meant it has remained easily accessible and more likely to cause dependence.

The report’s findings directly counter the conventional narrative put forward by law enforcement agencies that large seizures “significantly dent” supply, said Drug and Harm Minimisation spokesperson for the NSW Greens, Dr Mehreen Faruqi.

“Successive governments at both [the] state and federal levels have been fixated for years on the failed idea that you can stamp out drug use through a war on drugs,” she told City Hub. The report also found that proportionally, Australians use more methamphetamine, the street name for ‘ice’, than any other country and that the figure continues to grow.

Despite the finding that seizures don’t impact supply or price, the report recommended the continued “disrupting [of] the ice supply chain through seizures and arrests of key players”.

“More than 200,000 Australians reported using the crystalline form of methamphetamine [ice] in 2013, compared with fewer than 100,000 in 2007,” the report noted.

The overwhelming focus in the report, which campaigners from the sector strongly welcomed, was an increased emphasis on a community-driven solution to the problem.

The report said the ice problem was “not something we can simply arrest our way out of” and that steps must be taken to prevent people using in the first place, by means of education.

Dr Faruqi welcomed the change in tone, but emphasised more needed to counter the “current heavy-handed ‘law and order’”.

“We agree with the National Ice Taskforce, particularly the focus on supporting the community as well as providing more effective and timely treatment services,” she said.

Crystal Methamphetamine.

Photo: Flickr

“We need to shift resources towards prevention, education, social services and mental health care to reduce both demand and the harm caused by drug abuse in our country.”

The quantity of ice seized at the Australian border has increased dramatically in recent years.

This increase in seizures has mirrored the trend in arrests with more than 26,000 arrests occurring between 2013-14 relating to distribution or possession of ice.

“The statistics show this punitive mindset mainly results in the arrests of a large number of people who use drugs rather than drug dealers or manufacturers,” Dr Faruqi said.

The NSW Police force, via a statement, said that their strategies focused on supply, demand and harm reduction through its support of “harm minimisation programs”.

“As part of the shift in focus, $300 million in new funding was announced, with the majority of that directed towards frontline treatment for ice addiction via primary health networks.

UnitingCare ReGen CEO, Laurence Alvis, said he believed the report found “the right balance” but stressed there was no “one size fits all approach”.

“The range of measures announced yesterday should have a substantial impact on the prevention of future use, reducing the harm from current use to support impacted individuals and families,” he told City Hub. A report in 2015 found that for every dollar spent on drug treatment, which represents a $7 dollar saving to the community compared with $2 for stronger policing.

In search of a silver bullet As part of our focus on the drug ice this week, CHRISTOPHER HARRIS investigates treatment options for those impacted by the drug.

Little is known of clinically tested best practice models for helping those addicted to the drug with withdrawal.

Methamphetamine addicts can function for many years in society unnoticed. But for most, the problems of addiction eventually bubble to the surface.

While Australia, like other countries around the world, grapples with the challenges of the rise of ice, researchers have been rushing to find a silver bullet, akin the methadone for heroin addicts, to stop addiction in its tracks.

Associate Professor Nicole Lee is a practicing psychologist in Melbourne who has been working with amphetamine users for over 20 years.

Like many health educators who specialize in methamphetamine and its psychological effects, she likes to talk about it in terms of heroin.

“Methamphetamine withdrawal is physically relatively mild, but psychologically it is more difficult for people than heroin.”

She says the strangest thing is that withdrawal nearly mimics meth intoxication: dependent people get very agitated, have trouble sleeping, and feel depressed or anxious, or both. They may have some mild psychotic symptoms, they will have a lack of energy, teeth, and they might eat more or eat less.

“It creates over a long period, some pretty big brain changes that take a long time to resolve.

The user experiences more chronic withdrawal 6

city hub 14 JANUARY 2016

symptoms during the next year. The biggest thing that leads to relapse is this strong psychological craving.”

The evidence indicates that more times than not, a person will relapse.

“More than 50 per cent relapse immediately after leaving rehab, and there is a high percentage who don’t even stay the course with rehab.”

Currently, all states around Australia have a best practice guide for presenting methamphetamine addicts, which was written in 2006 and usually, involves the prescription of benzodiazepine (valium) or antipsychotics.

When I ask professor Lee if this should be updated, she ponders and curiously answers the question.

“It is interesting that we do that, because there isn’t any actual evidence that it helps in the long term. What we tend to do in the absence of medication is offer symptomatic relief for anxious and irritated patients, and if they’re psychotic we give them an antipsychotic.”

While a lot of users who smoke the drug through a pipe can hold down jobs and go undetected for years, usage ultimately results in a psychotic breakdown.

On the frontline Greg* who works in the mental health wing of the Prince of Wales hospital in Camperdown has seen hundreds of addicts with psychosis and believes the process as it stands is a stab at success, which sometimes works and often doesn’t.

Like most people I spoke to who are looking at better ways to treat methamphetamine addicts, he is

Photo source: Flickr

neither convinced nor scathing of best practice as it currently stands.

“From a cynical point of view, a high proportion will go back to using. And a lot of patients, especially those who have been in the system a few times, know what to say to get out early. The psychiatric kind of recovery and compartment of health is so interesting because it is not black and white.”

He does say that ice is currently particularly prevalent, and like any other addiction, mental health is what both suffers and drives people to addiction in the first place.

“Most people have a popping point, and use of drugs has a definite stress on the mind and body.”

How then do we deal with these people whose lives have become so entwined with the cycle of meth?

Perhaps the answer lies in understanding what long-term use, which results in psychosis in presenting patients, does to the brain.

Professor Linda Gowing says GPs must be educated in how to detect the use of methamphetamine in patients early on and treat early.

“A lot of the negative side effects of methamphetamine take a long time to develop, and they might not happen at all in a year of usage.”

She is still optimistic about the power of a drug to help addict and mention an amphetamine vaccine, which has been trialed in the last couple of years at Scripps Research Institute in California.

Interestingly, Nicole Lee’s systematic review of drug trials noted that the use of four sessions of cognitive behavior therapy paired with the use of trialed drugs might have played a significant role in the results.

That is something which resonates with one recovering addict City Hub spoke to, who said even though his recovery is “probably better than most” that “every single day is a struggle.”

He got clean after a combination of the loss of income from his job, seeing a psychiatrist and realising that he had reached rock bottom.

“Now I just decide every day not to do it, and I have been making that decision for two years now.

Temptation is probably the best way to describe it now.”

If you or someone you know needs help regarding addiction contact Lifeline on 131114.

Annandale Interiors

ABC SEAMLESS $GUTTER DISCOUNTERS $ Licence No. 173676c

TIMBER, TEXTILE, LEATHER, WINDOW TREATMENTS AND CUSTOM MADE FURNITURE

All Types of Gutters Installed Factory Direct • Comprehensive Warranties  Leafguard  Metal Roofs  Watertanks  Roof Restoration  Gutter Vacuuming

Reliable Services & Competitive Prices

9748 3022 www.abcseamless.com.au

7 Days QUICK SERVICE SYDNEY’S CHEAPEST RUBBISH REMOVAL • Tree Lopping • Yard Clean Up

Ph: 9747 8471

ANY TASTE ANY SPACE

061ICT1203

All Areas Free Quotes

• Small Demolition

We Load • Deceased Estates

Mob: 0418 426 422

Broadway Sydney 1 Bay Street

NEW ARRIVALS IN STORE NOW 38-42 Parramatta Rd Stanmore 2048 Tel: (02) 9565 1275— annint1@optusnet.com.au

www.annandaleinteriors.com.au - www.facebook.com/annandaleinteriors

WORLD TOWER CHILD CARE

Phone (02) 9262 7927 www.worldtowerchildcare.com.au Level 14/87-89 Liverpool Street Sydney

Operating 52 weeks per year

Park st.

Druitt st.

Monday to Friday 7am to 7pm Pitt st.

George st.

Bathurst st.

Kent st.

■ Long Day Care and Pre School program for children aged from 6 weeks to 6 years ■ Approved for Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate ■ High quality education and care with all meals, nappies, linen, sunscreen and excursions included ■ Large spacious outdoor learning environments for all ages

st.

Sussex

LIMITED POSITIONS NOW AVAILABLE

Liverpool st.

Level 14 World Square

Goulburn st.

Car park

Convenient location and operating hours for CBD working families Licensed for 24 hour care city hub 14 JANUARY 2016

7

Leichhardt Council labelled “dysfunctional”

BY LUCAS BAI RD Leichhardt council’s decision-making ability has been crippled by animosity and it continues to operate in a “dysfunctional” way, according to a councillor.

The situation is now so bad that the council has been forced to hire mediators for meetings, councillor John Stamolis told City Hub .

“The level of aggression and disrespect has reached such a stage where we have had to bring in a consultant to try and assist us through those problems,” he said.

Leichhardt Mayor Darcy Byrne

“We also have another consultant working with us to get the meetings back on track because all of that has degenerated as well.”

“I don’t recall anything like this ever happening before.”

Cr Stamolis labelled the council’s current situation unworkable and indicated that several councillors may be there solely to “provoke and disrupt”.

Despite not naming any specific councillors, Cr Stamolis did indicate the major parties that were involved.

“The attacks between the Labor and the Greens have been dreadful and immature,” he said “When those attacks fire up it is immature, highly negative and I am sure other councillors are uncomfortable with what is being said in the chamber.”

Labor Councillor and Mayor, Darcy Byrne did not deny animosity within the chamber but sought to provide context to the situation.

“I think one of the things Cr Stamolis finds frustrating is that as an independent councillor he has consistently voted with the Greens party,” he said.

“He is a de facto Greens’ party member.”

“Perhaps he finds it frustrating that the Greens no longer have outright control of the council, as they did before.”

Cr Byrne said that the Greens’ leadership of the council has led to the degeneration of decorum and proper communication within the council.

He said he believes that under his leadership, council activities were returning to normal.

“Since I’ve come back as Mayor, we have been able to get on with some really positive policy ideas,” he said.

Leichhardt Town Hall

Deputy Mayor and Liberal Councillor, Vera-ann Hannaford, agreed with Clr Byrne.

She told City Hub that she thought it was “disappointing” that a councillor thought the current situation was

dysfunctional and she didn’t believe that herself.

Greens Councillor, Rochelle Porteous, was contacted for comment, though, she did not get back to City Hub in time for publication.

Public art or public nuisance?

BY CHRISTOPHER HARRIS Springfield Plaza in Kings Cross needs some “joie de vivre” according to the President of the suburb’s Heritage Conservation Society, but not from the proceeds of any nefarious activities.

In August, the City of Sydney Council moved a motion to consult on how to activate the pavement near the Sugarmill Hotel to “improve the urban design and amenity of Springfield Plaza in Kings Cross”.

It is not the first time the area has been said to be rejuvenated.

In 2002, the idea of a “Tunnel of Love” installation which would “grace the pavement” was raised.

The Heritage society has written to council making recommendations for the design and consultation process to jumpstart the conversation.

“It’s important residents and ratepayers take back control of our public spaces for the public benefit,” Mr Woodhouse said.

While the “Tunnel of Love” idea was decidedly unloved by local residents, it is certainly not the first public art idea in the world cause controversy.

The City of Sydney last updated its public art policy in 2011.

It states the City is committed to creating a flourishing and outward looking environment, that communities can be proud of, and adding to the “poetic dimension” of the neighbourhood.

“Thriving art and culture are the great indicators of a city’s pulse and should have a palpable presence throughout the city,” the policy reads.

It states that the City’s economic and social wellbeing is intertwined with innovation and creativity, the richness and diversity of its cultural life.

“These connections provide the bonds that maintain the City’s identity and social cohesion in an era of constant change,” it says.

Peter McGregor was the architect behind the lights at Lane Kelly Place, and also designed the Tunnel of Love sculpture for Springfield Plaza but it was never built.

The concept design for the arch contained lights on the 8

city hub 14 JANUARY 2016

Garden sculpture.

Photo: supplied

side, which faced the infamous strip clubs on Darlinghurst Road, and blank on the other side that faced nearby residences.

The piece was immediately controversial.

While the lights he designed for the nearby lane got installed, and came to be loved even by those who initially objected to them, the “Tunnel of Love” proved too controversial to be constructed.

Speaking to City Hub , Mr McGregor said the process of debate and ultimate rejection was a common occurrence for public art.

“The Llankelly lights were much more immediately palatable, the community made the decision the lights were easy on the eye, the tunnel was a little more controversial.”

“The lighting could only be seen from the strip clubs. It was a colorful light and theatre of the strip, and from the residential side, it was a neutral silhouette, it was checking the flow, a punctuation mark, holding the space of the square.”

He said that public art was extremely important, and cited the strands of lights installed in the Kings Cross lane as responsible for the numerous restaurants and cafes which now occupy the lane.

“Good public projects can generate change, like a new rail line completely changes a neighborhood, redoing a lane can change that lane for good.”

He said that while all his work aimed to be generative, it often came up against human beings who were normally resistant to change.

“People are fearful, it is a natural human instinct, and we have to manage that change.”

“Sometimes people pander to the fear, more than they might allow for change, it is a very careful balance.”

“The city is full of change, that’s life,” he said.

ARTS FEATURE

Short+Sweet kicks off for 2016

Alex Moffat Nyssa Booth Short+Sweet Sydney wasted no time in kicking off its 15th annual collective ensemble of mini theatre festivals earlier this month. Offering up bite-sized portions of cabaret, plays, voices, comedy and magic in a mission to build theatre-going audiences over eight weeks.

A special event side-festival as part of the annual Short+Sweet Cabaret Festival, the Short+Sweet Magic+Comedy Festival premieres over two big nights this month. With each night consisting of ten, ten minute magical and comedic acts, the evenings will feature a mixture of different performances. (So if you have some time up your sleeve, its well-worth heading along to both shows.)

Legendary Short+Sweet Festival Director, Pete Malicki, says that the only limitation on the performers is the time frame, which “gives people a really nice creative space to try something completely new”.

“We have a few magicians who are putting on completely new acts they have never done

Mystique Rose Naked Girls Reading

before, that maybe they’ve never had the platform to do before,” explained Malicki. “So this is giving them an opportunity to do whatever it is that they want to do – to try new material or just to do something really fun.”

Bringing a taster of his show Illusion through Expectation to Short+Sweet, Alex Moffat began his career as a magician when he was just seven years old. It was his Grandfather’s involvement with magic that enticed him as a child, and led him to an exciting career as a parlour magician.

“I love it when [the audience] draw gasps when something astonishing happens or [at] something that is visually amazing,” said Moffat.

Specialising in close-up magic, Moffat combines high impact visual effects with ‘English Gentleman’ style humour to create entertaining performances. “With close-up magic there are so many things you can do with everyday objects and playing cards that you often improvise as you go along as well,” Moffat explained.

After performing in last year’s Sydney Fringe Festival, Moffat was approached by the Short+Sweet Magic team and offered a place in the festival. For him, magic is all about the enjoyment that it brings him, as well as leaving his audiences astonished and wanting more: “It’s the buzz you get from it, the look on people’s faces, the reactions you get from people that keeps you going. I’d say the gasps and the ‘wows’ and the ‘oohs’ and the ‘aahs’ are sort of what I hope for.”

Performing alongside Alex on night one of Short+Sweet Magic+Comedy is an Australian performance veteran Timothy Hyde, as well as Dale Trueman, Darren Zhou, Andrew Boyd and many more. The second show will see the likes of young guns Cardistry (who were made Australian Junior magic champions at age 12), as well as Adam Milgate, Conway Restom and Victor Lee. Don’t forget that Short+Sweet Cabaret has a lot more than magic up its sleeve – with four marvellous weeks of music, drama, burlesque and song kicking off last week. Kay Armstrong, who has performed with Short+Sweet a number of times, says that the raw unpredictability of the festivals is what perpetuates her creativity and enables her to interact with the audience.

“I think that’s why I really enjoy being involved in Short+Sweet Cabaret, because it’s a form

With Short+Sweet this year boasting not just theatre, but cabaret, comedy and magic, there are more than

P

S 200 original 10-minute ‘bites’ of entertainment to sample over the summer. Some of the highlights include: CABARET PICKTHEATRE

Everything This play by 20-year-old rural QLD writer Sherry Harvey – about a girl seeking an abortion – is Sherry’s first to be staged and she’s made her way to Sydney for rehearsals and the premiere. It features Madeline Beukers, Conor Fogarty, Catherine Davies and Pamela Rome. (Its director is young, multi-talented Debbie Neilson who is also appearing in Short+Sweet Cabaret with Diamonds Last Forever (Jan 27-31) about Marilyn Monroe and James Bond on separate missions to kill each other!)

Jan 20–24. Short+Sweet Theatre.

Fangirl Alexandra Chambers is Fangirl – a girl obsessed with Dr Who and his companions (like Jenna Coleman!).A musical satire with accompaniment from David Macaulay, featuring songs like ‘Girl Crush’, which tells of Netflix, social media and obsessive fandom.

Jan 20–24.

Redeye to Bangkok Sue Turner’s hilarious Redeye to Bangkok is about a woman scared of flying who is sure she’s seated next to a terrorist – but she’s not the only one with a phobia! Based on a true story! Melissa Myles, Hako Crisden and Toast d’Bechamel star.

Jan 20–24. Short+Sweet Theatre.

COMEDY+MAGIC Show A In the debut night of the Comedy+Magic program is Double Trouble by Cardistry, a duo of 14-year-old illusionists – Lucas Itrawan and Ash Hodgkinson – who are already seasoned pros on the entertainment circuit! In the same show Seven Deadly Sins sees Adam Milgate as a hilarious mock evangelist magically divine each of his seven audience volunteer’s secret sins. Jan 17

TO

A Little Yarn and Some Patience In the Wildcards section (weekend matinees) a team all based in Western Sydney present this heartwarming comedy with a twist, featuring four women facing surgery. Brooke Davidson, Bec Fletcher, Clare Mason and Nicole Smith star in Smith’s own play, directed by Ian Fletcher.

Feb 6–7.

Hush Natasha Window, Sally Hare and their girls recreate a speakeasy cabaret of the 1930s in Hush – racy, provocative and seductive!

Jan 27–31.

Show B For multicultural LOLs sample Makedonka Stoilova’s Memoirs of a Wog Girl, ex-German comic CJ Delling or Thao Thanh Cao’s Appropriately Inappropriate.

With hosts Adam Mada (Band of Magicians) and Suzie Q (World Poledancing Champion), there’s laughs and surprises in equal measure.

Jan 24

For all show details and bookings see shortandsweet.org

Kay Armstrong that allows you to have that freedom, to break the fourth wall, and to know your audience in a really intimate way,” Armstrong explained.

‘Bike’, Armstrong’s stage alter ego, has been warming up and amusing the crowds after MC-ing the Cabaret Festival’s first week. She will return in week four of Short+Sweet Cabaret, for her own hilarious ten minutes in the spotlight.

“I quite like getting the opportunity to break her [Bike] out, just because my practices are based in…contemporary dance performance, and so Bike sort of gives me the opportunity and the permission to just let rip,” said Armstrong.

The main season of the Short+Sweet Sydney Festivals run until the end of February, with Wildcards and finals continuing into mid March.

Short+Sweet Cabaret: On now until Jan 30.

New Theatre, 542 King St, Newtown. $28-$33.

Tickets & info: shortandsweet.org/cabaret

Short+Sweet Comedy+Magic: Jan 17 & 24, from 5:30pm.

New Theatre, 542 King St, Newtown. $28-$33.

Tickets & info: newtheatre.org.au/ buy-tickets-2 city hub 14 JANUARY 2016

9

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Thomson the opportunity to create the interior of a spiegeltent on stage.

The two-tiered café scene in particular stands out as a show-stopper when the flirtatious Musetta, vivaciously sung by Lorina Gore, takes centre stage for her selfadmiring song, ‘When I walk alone in the street/ People stop and stare at me/ And everyone looks at my beauty,/ Looks at me,/ From head to foot...’

Conductor Carlo Montanaro wrings the emotion from the orchestra and by the fateful denoument, there was hardly a dry eye in the house. (ID) Until March 23. Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House. $44–$330.

Tickets & info: opera.org.au or (02) 9318 8200

Review: The Magic Flute

Mozart’s The Magic Flute returns to the Opera House in a production that must be one of the most visually spectacular of all time.

The combined talents of George Tsypin (set designer), Gary Marder (lighting designer) and Julie Taymor (original director, costume designer and along with Michael Curry, puppet designer), create an ethereal domain on the all-too-small opera stage, with plenty of depth, a playful chiaroscuro of light and shadows, and the most fantastic puppets, masks and costumes.

The huge dancing bears are a particular favourite with the youthful audience, although the dancers wearing flamingo heads also took one’s breath away, while my personal favourite was the three ladies of the night with their superb harmonies and removable masks.

Taryn Fiebig reprises her role as Pamina, and John Longmuir looks every part the noble Asiatic prince in his role as her lover

a&e

10

city hub 14 JANUARY 2016

Tamino, the protégé of the high priest Sarastro, sung in resounding bass by Daniel Sumegi.

Hannah Dahlenburg confidently performed the breathtakingly difficult coloratura role of the wicked Queen of the Night, Samuel Dundas and Katherine Wiles play Papageno and Papagena with charm and humour, and Kanen Breen reprises his comic role as the odious Monostatos, who resembles a portly bumble bee.

Based on the Metropolitan Opera production directed by the Taymor, this shortened version of 100 minutes is the perfect entertainment for first-time opera goers, including children, but must be seen by anyone who wants to experience a truly original, and gorgeous, production of this much-loved work.

(ID) Until Jan 16. Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House. $44-$149. Tickets & info: opera.org.au

10 STAGE 12 SCENE 13 SCREEN 14 Sounds

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

ABC SEAMLESS $GUTTER DISCOUNTERS $ All Types of Gutters Installed Factory Direct • Comprehensive Warranties  Leafguard  Metal Roofs  Watertanks  Roof Restoration  Gutter Vacuuming

Reliable Services & Competitive Prices

9748 3022 www.abcseamless.com.au

7 Days QUICK SERVICE SYDNEY’S CHEAPEST RUBBISH REMOVAL

All Areas Free Quotes

• Tree Lopping • Yard Clean Up

Ph: 9747 8471

061ICT1203

Gail Edwards’ much lauded production of La Bohème returns to open Opera Australia’s Summer Season with some new cast members and some familiar faces.

In this tragic tale of first love, Natalie Aroyan plays the consumptive seamstress Mimi, while Yosep Kang sings Rodolfo, her confused and fickle lover.

Rodolfo’s companions in artistic poverty are the painter Marcello, sung by Andrew Jones, while Richard Anderson and Shane Lowrencev reprise their roles as Colline the philosopher and Schaunard the eccentric musician respectively.

In setting the story in Germany’s Weimar Republic of the 1930s, rather than Paris in the 1830s, Edwards modernised the production and gave set designer Brian

Instead of having one long narrative, The Good Doctor at Glen Street Theatre will be composed of seven to eight mini narratives going for 15-20 minutes each. These plays written by Neil Simon will channel the works of Russian playright Chekhov.

These short plays are mostly of a comedic nature and each scene is obscure and entertaining. Actress Lenore Smith explained that these stories are quirky, with maybe one sweet piece to tug at your heartstrings.

“By-and-by they’re mainly whirly, a little bit heightened crazy, a little bit Monty Python,” said Smith. “[There are] two great scenes, one about a guy going to see a dentist, and this play shows the nightmare; the other is a father taking his son to a ‘lady of the night’ to initiate him into manhood, it’s poignant to see what happens after that.”

Smith joined the cast at the latter stages of rehearsal after another actor had to leave. Having worked with director/artistic director Sandra Bates before, and because this will be Bates’ last show, she couldn’t pass up the chance.

“It was great to be a part of her last production,” she said. “[And its] really great to be a part of her last play. It’s always a joy––it’s bittersweet.”

If you’re looking for something you don’t normally see at the theatre, this is perfect for you. (AMal) Jan 19–24, various show times.

Glen Street Theatre, corner Glen Street and Blackbutts Road, Belrose. $47-$64 ($16 student rush).

Tickets & info: glenstreet.com.au

Licence No. 173676c

Photo: Branco Gaica

Review: La Bohème The Good Doctor

• Small Demolition

We Load • Deceased Estates

Mob: 0418 426 422

Contributors: Brendan Modini, Carmen Cita, Craig Coventry, Greg Webster, Hannah Chapman, Alicia Sim, Nyssa Booth, Lauren Edwards, Peter Urquhart, James Harkness, Lauren Bell, Leann Richards, Lisa Seltzer, Mark Morellini, Matthew Bernard, Mel Somerville, Michael Muir, Olga Azar, Rocio Belinda Mendez, Sarah Pritchard, Sinead McLaughlin, Siri Williams, Athina Mallis, Leigh Livingstone, Joseph Rana, Jemma Clarke, Jacqui Rothwell, Anvi Sharma, Emily Shen, Silvia Cheung, Andrew Hodgson, Irina Dunn.

Birdman

(Or, The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance) Friday night sees the Sydney Festival make it’s way to Parramatta’s Riverside Theatre for a special performance by fourtime Grammy Award winning drummer and composer Antonio Sanchez as he performs the score to the very highly regarded film Birdman.

Joining an already packed lineup of music events in the area as part of the festival, this show will be unique as it will have the film playing with the accompaniment of Sanchez’s live score.

This will provide a unique opportunity for anyone who hasn’t already seen the film and fans alike to experience it in a new and more enthralling way. As Sanchez’s performance is often largely improvised, this will be a unique experience you cannot get anywhere else. “If you come to one of these performances, you’re going to see a

completely different thing every single time” Sanchez said to Time Out New York.

Birdman (Or, The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance) follows the progress of a washed-up actor, played by Michael Keaton, trying to reestablish his career and his sanity. The solo drum soundtrack by this luminary in modern jazz is an essential part of the film’s impact. Antonio Sanchez’s inaugural film composition was nominated for a Golden Globe, an Oscar and BAFTA award. Whilst being acknowledged as one of the most innovative and original scores of its time. (JA) Jan 15. Lennox Theatre at Riverside Theatres, corner of Church and Market Streets, Parramatta. $49.

Tickets & info: 1300 856 876 or sydneyfestival.org.au/birdman2

The Golden Age The Sydney Theatre Company launches the 2016 season with a production that still resonates with theatregoers since its inception in 1985: The Golden Age by Louis Nowra.

It’s a play that strikingly explores Australia’s dark commencement as a nation by asking the questions at the very core of our history.

“This narrative of belonging is one that permeates throughout our entire cultural history since white settlers first came back in the 18th century, and from that moment onwards there’s been a very fractured narrative of Australian cultural identity and the question of belonging,” explained director Kip Williams.

The sheer scale of the narrative is something that excites Williams greatly, as he looks to tell a story for people to reflect upon our history and re-examine our present: “I think this is one of the most remarkable plays ever written in that the score of this narrative is huge, the story spans from the wilderness of Tasmania through to war-torn Berlin. Although the play was written 30 years ago, the questions that Louis was asking back in the mid-eighties are questions that we’re still grappling with 30 years later, and I think will be grappling with for many decades and possibly centuries to come.”

The fact that this is a story that still reverberates in Australian culture does cause some concern, as it asks questions of our intricate national identity.

Williams expanded on this: “Often we say we have a lack of national identity because we’re not able to clearly articulate it. We’re

Sarah Peirse.

PHOTO: James Green

still forging a sense of what narratives we’re interested in defining ourselves through.

There’s a resistance in Australia to define ourselves through the problematic elements of our history.” (AH) Jan 14–Feb 20. Wharf 1 Theatre, The Wharf, Pier 4/5, Hickson Road Walsh Bay. $64.

Tickets & info: sydneytheatre.com.au or 9250 1777

Jimmy Carr – Funny Business The poster boy of obscenity in a designer suit, you’ve surely seen his particular brand of cheeky British comedy cropping up on any given English panel show – with appearances on Would I Lie To You and Big Fat Quiz along with hosting gigs on 10 O’Clock Live and 8 Out of 10 Cats (now in its fifteenth series).

Now you can see Jimmy Carr in his element when Funny Business, his new live show, makes its way to Sydney on the Australian leg of his international tour.

Even more outrageous on stage, Carr’s show will be packed with one-liners, stories and jokes – unleashing thick and fast on a sliding scale of clever and outlandishly rude.

KING LEAR The long-shared history of two of Australia’s leading artists, director Neil Armfield and actor Geoffrey Rush, is at the centre of Sydney Theatre Company’s new production of William Shakespeare’s King Lear.The master portrait of a man in decline, attempting to reconcile the reality he has constructed in his mind with the physical world around him.The aging Lear (Rush) makes a surprising decision; he’ll hand over his kingdom to his three daughters and their husbands.

To determine their share, each of the siblings must make a public declaration of their love for their father. Rush is at his prime in one of Shakespeare’s most coveted roles. (AM) Until Jan 9. Roslyn Packer Theatre, 22 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay. $93-$120.

Carr has built a reputation as an intelligent comedian (even having written a book on the art of humour) and is an unapologetic “posh man who says crude things”, but his cutting observations and well-executed puns are often dotted with generic chauvinism.

So if you do go in for a heckle (and Carr does indeed encourage a good old fashioned heckle), one can’t tell if you’ll be met with outstanding wit or a rudimentary stab about “your mum”.

Be prepared to see the man you know from television in full form, unbarred by broadcast censoring. (AM) Jan 18–22. State Theatre, 49 Market Street, Sydney. $79.90+bf.

Tickets & info: ticketmaster.com.au

Tickets & info: sydneytheatre.com. au or (612) 9250 1700 THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS A well-loved summer tradition continues with The Wind In The Willows picnic event returning the beautiful surroundings of the Royal Botanic Garden. In past years this outdoor theatre production of Kennet Grahame’s timeless classic has received widespread critical acclaim for its music and comedy aspects. Kids are encouraged to get involved in the action by the Head Chief Rabbit who asks them to dance and sing along. (JA) Until Jan 23.The Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. $25 (Family of Four $90+bf).Tickets & info: shakespeareaustralia.com.au or 1300 122 344

CIRCUS OZ – BUT WAIT… THERE’S MORE After two years of touring, Circus Oz are bringing their unique collection of characters and clowns to Sydney.

12 artists will twirl, twist and spin to the sound of live instruments surrounded by an illuminated, interactive, inflatable set. This is an intimate affair with attractions that will delight everyone from grandparents to children. A unique opportunity to see circus in a big top setting, it will enchant, thrill and entice leaving the visitor yearning for more. (LR) Until Jan 24. Circus Oz Big Top, The Showring,The Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park. $22-$95.

Tickets & info: circusoz.com or ticketmaster.com.au

THOMAS MURRAY AND THE UPSIDE DOWN RIVER Evoking the expanses and isolating beauty of rural Australia, Reg Cribb’s (Last Cab To Darwin) new play is about a man ravaged by drought, family secrets and love. Tom Murray’s family have been farming the land alongside the Darling River for five generations, this is all he as ever known. When his childhood friends Lucy and Billy reappear, deep friendships are tested while long buried secrets are exhumed, forcing him to journey into his past and reconcile all of his wrongs to fight for his wife. (JA) Until Jan 30. SBW Stables Theatre, 10 Nimrod St, Kings Cross. $30-$38.T ickets & info: griffintheatre.com.au or 02 9361 3817

THE FANTASTICKS The longest running musical in the world, with its original offBroadway production going for a total of 42 years, the Hayes Theatre Company brings us The Fantasticks. Directed by Helen Dallimore, this musical is about two fathers trying to bring their children Luisa and Matt together, with the narrator El Locco putting them through trials and tribulations to teach them you have to go through struggle before you can love someone. (AMal) Until Jan 31. Hayes Theatre Co, 19 Greenknowe Ave, Potts Point.

Tues-Sat 7.30pm, Wed and Sat 2pm and Sun 5pm. $45-$55.

Tickets & info: hayestheatre.com.au

JASPER JONES Dealing with a lot of issues––from race matters, to growing up and issues about women––it’s partly a ‘whodunit’ story but mostly a coming of age story about a couple of kids in Western Australia in the 60’s.“The best thing about Jasper Jones is its energy, its heart and its diversity in terms of characters and representation,” said Charles Wu, who plays Jeffrey, a 12-yearold Vietnamese boy.“My character has faced a lot of discrimination and so has Jasper Jones, who is part Aboriginal.”

Jasper Jones is fictional, but set within the time frame of the Vietnam War and Australian politics. (MS) Until Feb 7. Upstairs Theatre, Belvoir Street Theatre, 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills. $37$92. Tickets & info: belvoir.com. au or 8396 6242 city hub 14 JANUARY 2016

11

THE NAKED CITY

INSTALLATION SCINTILLATION! comment on urban antipodean consumption. Better still, in a radical synthesis of art from two hemispheres, why not throw the goddam trash into the grotty unmade bed and let the public be the judge.

Here at the Naked City we thoroughly endorse the concept of the art installation, but let’s democratize the medium so anybody can set up their own artistic statement. On garbage night for example neighbours could be encouraged to arrange their whirly bins in a series of unique configurations, Stonehenge one week and a cubist design the next. Garbos might kick up a stink, but would be soon placated when told it’s all in the name of art.

It’s now fashionable to leave strings of padlocks, old thongs and even bras in public places and along fences, but let’s expand the inventory to include old prosthetic limbs, well thumbed copies of Fifty Shades Of Grey, Barbie dolls and old street directories – anything in fact that is likely to spark the public imagination. One or two of these objects might seem relatively insignificant – but fifty or more and you are making a statement baby!

Whilst some art installations are relatively small, it’s size that really turns on the viewer.Think of the big yellow ducky and Jeff Koon’s massive floral puppy which once graced the outside of Sydney’s MCA. Build a towering monolith of old pizza boxes in your backyard, complete with a 45 degree tilt and you not only have the ‘leaning tower of pizza’ but an installation worthy of a major festival.When it comes to homemade installation art the world really is your oyster, or anchovy, or pepperoni…

With Coffin Ed, Jay Katz and Miss Death What is it about so-called art installations that capture our imagination, at times ignite our disdain, and are often totally perplexing?

Imelda Marcos assembles a shoe collection in its thousands and we label it rampant greed. Somebody fills a swimming pool full of old boots and rubber thongs and we call it art!

Hoarders in Bondi fill their house and backyard with old cardboard boxes and it becomes a community concern. Yet The Sydney Town Hall hosts ‘The Object Lesson’ for the Sydney Festival and it’s an installation sensation, with the blurb stating “the audience is welcomed into an immense, towering installation of cardboard boxes to explore a memory palace: haphazard piles of trinkets, objects and souvenirs of a life’s worth of recollections and relationships.”

Sounds a lot like the front yard of the infamous Bobolas Family in Bondi, who for years have repeatedly installed a mountain of trash surrounding their house, much to the chagrin of neighbours and Waverley Council who have spent thousands hauling away their mess. Nobody has ever described the Bobolas family as artists, yet in many ways their collection of household garbage was an ongoing statement on the disposable society.

Perhaps their latest collection of plastic bags, supermarket trolleys and assorted pavement junk should have been reassembled in London’s Tate Gallery, possibly alongside Tracey Emin’s ‘Unmade Bed’ and declared a biting

Chen Qiulin:

One Hundred Names

Prominent Chinese photographer Chen Qiulin will be holding an exhibition, One Hundred Names at the 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art. The exhibition includes over a decade of work focusing on the central issues of migration, displacement, ancestry, urban development and its disruption of traditional culture and way of life.

All of these issues and themes are close to Qiulin’s heart as she has been greatly affected by them over the years. To portray these themes she uses a combination of video installments, photography and other imagery.

Her favourite piece is the installation ‘One Hundred Names for Kwong Wah Chong’, it’s the latest iteration of her ongoing video works documenting the decaying process of one hundred common Chinese family names carved from tofu.

MAAS SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM The Powerhouse Museum’s school holiday program has a number of activities suited for everyone. Running since the late 80’s, the school holiday program provides the opportunity to engage with the museum’s current exhibitions. Art of the Brick: DC Comics is a large-scale, collaborative and participatory program including a drop-in experiences centre on comics and superheroes. The Sydney Observatory also has programs on for kids including a new workshop exploring the site history called Hidden Histories. (AMal) Until Jan 29. Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris Street, Ultimo. Various 12

city hub 14 JANUARY 2016

Qiulin said she found fifteen surnames that are not included in her previous works so she looked for people of these surnames on the Internet and invited fifteen individuals to participate in the work.

She started taking photos in 2001 when the construction of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River forced mass migration from her hometown. As a result she lost many friends, so to counteract that she became interested in making documentaries to keep alive the memory of her friends and hometown.

Her future plans include going to Guizhou to photograph a village where the Dong ethnic minority live. (AMal) Jan 16–Feb 27. 11am-6pm. 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, 181-187 Hay Street, Sydney. Info: 4a.com

prices and times.Tickets & info: maas.museum/school-holidays BOOMALLI’S ANNUAL MEMBERS SHOW Following in its tradition of showcasing exceptional Indigenous art, the Annual Members Show by Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative features the diverse works of 25 Boomalli members.Also on show are two solo exhibitions in the front galleries featuring artists Jenny Fraser and Val West.West’s work is deeply rooted in “the representation of my connections to the Dreaming”. Fraser’s video work dissects mainstream beach movies.This multi-media exhibition explores a wide range of topics and issues, be prepared to be enchanted! (JR)

Until early Feb. Boomalli, 55-59 Flood Street, Leichhardt.

Info: boomalli.com.au DISOBEDIENT OBJECTS Purely worth a visit to the Powerhouse Museum for its inspired collection of diverse objects from 30 years of political activism across the world, with items borrowed from noncommercial activists and activist groups. Disobedient Objects is currently on loan from London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. It displays ‘how to protest intelligently’ with artifacts from international movements as diverse as improvised gas masks from the Gezi Park protests in Istanbul, costumes from the Guerilla

So Frenchy, So Chic in the Park

When Jean-Francios Ponthieux created So Frenchy, So Chic in the Park, he envisaged a festival where guests could escape to the country side and enjoy a day of French food, wine and music. Fast-forward five years and So Frenchy, So Chic is gearing up for another spectacular afternoon set on the lush greens of St John’s College.

“I think the alchemy of festivals is that there is a great atmosphere,” said Ponthieux. “And it’s a hard alchemy to achieve. To do that, to me, was huge.”

This year, the festival features music from the likes of French artists such as Soviet Suprem, Brigitte, Hindi Zhara, and Lou Doillon (who was the recipient of Best Female Artist at the 2013 Victoires de la Musique).

Girls feminist art movement, and the hauntingly stunning Tiki Love Truck featuring an executed man’s death mask amongst an encrusting of vibrant decorations. (AM) Until Feb 14. Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris Street, Ultimo. Included in museum entry ($8-$15).

Info: maas.museum/event/ disobedient-objects/ LLOYD REES: PAINTING WITH A PENCIL 1930-36 A celebration of Sydney telling the artists story through a series of stunning pencil drawings and sketches. Having been an active artist for more than 70 years, Rees’s work has been the center of many exhibitions. However, this is an in-

“On the food… we’ve got some local artisans…we supply picnic hampers, we’ve got oysters, so all kinds of French food and artisans that are passionate about food,” explained Ponthieux. So Frenchy, So Chic wouldn’t be complete without a selection of imported French wines, beers and of course, champagne, which can be enjoyed throughout the afternoon.

So Frenchy, So Chic has plenty of activities to keep the little ones busy, including face-painting, puppet shows and croquet. “It’s trying to create an experience for everyone, including kids.”

With kids under 12 free, the festival is a great opportunity for a family fun-day out. (NB) Jan 16. St John’s College, 10 Missenden Rd, Camperdown. $89-$99.

Tickets & info: sofrenchysochic.com.au

depth examination of Rees’s drawings from the 30’s period and includes over 30 never seen before images. During the 1930’s Sydney underwent a period of rapid modernisation, with suburbs expanding and the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.A classically beautiful exhibition. (NB) Until Apr 10. Museum of Sydney, Cnr Bridge and Phillips St, Sydney. $5-$10. More info: sydneylivingmuseums.com.au WHEN SILENCE FALLS Providing a voice for those who have been silenced, this exhibition encompasses painting, video and sculpture; presenting the work of contemporary Aboriginal artists

alongside contemporary international artists. It considers the violence and loss of often-unacknowledged historical events – cultural displacement, political oppression, ethnic cleansing and massacres.

Featuring a new major acquisition by Australian Indigenous artist Judy Watson, as well as significant loans from Naomi Milgrom, Ben Quilty, and Gene and Brian Sherman; this exhibition speaks strongly of conflict, but does not look to blame. (AM) Until May 1. 10am–5pm daily, Weds until 10pm. Art Gallery of NSW, Art Gallery Road, The Domain, Sydney. Free (exhibition catalogue $16.95).

Info: artgallery.nsw.gov.au

Every nineties kid remembers the Goosebumps book series by R.L. Stine, so to finally see these stories come to life on the big screen is a dream come true for many I’m sure, and thankfully it recreates what we all imagined very nicely.

The way the stories are brought together is in the vain of Jumanji, with magic books summoning the monsters from the stories whenever they are opened. This was a great way to bring these nonconnected stories together into one.

The three main protagonists in the film Zach

(Dylan Minnette), Hannah (Odeya Rush) and Champ (Ryan Lee) play off each other really well, with Champ providing a perfect amount of comedy relief. Jack Black is effective in his role as R.L. Stine, but at times the voice he uses for the character can become grating.

This is a film for the entire family mixing comedy, scares and a touch of drama. It’s not overly scary for the young ones but also not too corny for the parents to enjoy. (JA) WWW1/ 2

Point Break Ardent movie-goers may have assumed Cate Blanchett had reached the height of her career with her Oscar-winning performance in Blue Jasmine, but here she exceeds in a role which most actresses could only dream about.

Blanchett plays the titular role of Carol, a glamorous and refined lady living in a loveless marriage who meets and falls in love with Therese (Rooney Mara), a much younger lady who is desperate to break away from her mundane life.

The priorities in these women’s lives slowly diminish, significance placed only on their undying love, defying social standards and being together, at whatever cost.

FREE MOVIES BY THE BOULEVARD This popular and free event returns for its fifteenth year, with an exciting new family-friendly program which caters for all tastes.

Attendees can bring blankets, cushions and their own packed picnics or may opt to enjoy a nice meal in one of the many quality eateries across Sydney Olympic Park.Attendees can bring blankets, cushions and their own packed picnics or may opt to enjoy a nice meal in one of the many quality eateries across Sydney Olympic Park.

Top picks include Oddball (Thurs), Inside Out (Fri) and Jurassic World (Sat). (MMo) Until Jan 17,Thurs–Sun, 8:30pm.

Cathy Freeman Park, Olympic Boulevard, Sydney Olympic Park.

Free. Info: sydneyolympicpark.com. au/movies WORLD SQUARE SILENT CINEMA The World Square is hosting its free outdoor cinema and it will be difficult to find a better way to spend those lazy summer evenings than just taking a seat back and

This unconventional love story set in the early 1950’s (when same gender relationships were considered immoral), builds slowly and audiences will savour each moment, as the beauty and intellect unfolds on screen.

Undeniably the best film of the year, this is pure cinematic indulgence, artistically flawless with electrifying performances from Blanchett and Mara who are supported by a high-calibre cast. Audiences will be allured by their magnetic attraction and the love affair, which escalates sensually and erotically.

(MMo) WWWW1/ 2

relaxing as you get to enjoy the classics: favourites like The Holiday and Love Actually and cult-classics such as Muriel’s Wedding, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Romeo & Juliet will ensure that audiences are glued to the headphones and deck-hairs provided by the organisers. (JR) Until Mar 16, 7pm Weds.World Square, 680 George Street, Sydney.

Free. Info: ticketpro.com.au or worldsquare.com.au SUFFRAGETTE A slow paced dramatic story about the working class foot soldiers of the early feminist movement.Through a mix of fictional characters and historical figures, Suffragette highlights a time of extreme women’s activism, but it’s a white washed interpretation. Cary Mulligan is genuine in protagonist Maud’s journey from a passive victim of circumstance to active member of the suffragette movement, as is AnneMarie Duff as the tough-as-nails Violet.

Underlying tones in the dialogue highlight problematic attitudes that still exist today. By all means let the drama

absorb you, but for a better historical understanding, do your homework.

(AM) WWW THE BELIER FAMILY A heart-warming and very funny comedy-drama from France about family, first love, independence and the emotional stress in making lifechanging decisions. Paula Belier (Louane Emera) lives and works on a farm with her parents and brother who are all deaf and mute.When her music teacher suggests she audition for a reputable music school in Paris, she must consider the possibility of leaving her family to follow her dream of becoming a singer.The ongoing use of sign intensifies the emotions as the parents inadvertently disallow their daughter from taking her first step towards independence. (MMo) WWWW YOUTH Fred (Michael Caine), a celebrated composer, is being badgered to come out of retirement for one last performance. On top of

Directed by Ericson Core and written by Kurt Wimmer, Point Break is a re-make of Kathryn Bigelow’s 1991 surfer-crime film but fails to retain the charisma and chemistry that made the original such a cult classic.

Starring Luke Bracey as Johnny Utah, a motorcross champion turned FBI recruit, Point Break follows his undercover assignment into a group of extreme athletes who pull off a string of fantastical crimes to complete a series of challenging (and fictional) ordeals: the Ozaki Eight.With Edgar Ramirez as Bodhi, the

that, his neglected daughter Lina (Rachael Weisz) needs advice and comfort. His old friend Mick (Harvey Keitel) struggles to complete the script for what he hopes will be his last great film.Together, they ponder life, relationships, the future, the past, and other guests at an exclusive retreat.A picturesque, wry and poignant film which will leave you pondering what exactly is ‘youth’.

(CCov) WWW CROSSBONES – SEASON 1 The addictive new television series from NBC. Filled with adventure and excitement, Crossbones offers a new tale of the infamous pirate, Blackbeard.

Set in 1729, Blackbeard, or Edward Teach as he is better known, reigns over a rogue nation of thieves and outlaws on the secret Island of Santa Compana. Hollywood legend, John Malkovich’s performance as Blackbeard is brilliant, as he brings a real sophistication to the show and to his malicious character. Surrounded by an all-star cast, including Swedish-born

group’s leader, the crew traverses countries like Venezuela and France, performing fantastical feats of snowboarding, wingsuit flying and free climbing.

While the stunts are extraordinary to watch and remain well-paced throughout, it hardly makes up for the constant dismissal of logic in the plot nor the failure to develop rich characters.

For a film so focused on the bigger picture, Point Break misses the point on how to engage its audience. (ES) WW1/ 2

Australian actor, David Hoflin, Malkovich’s portrayal of Blackbeard is not the only attraction. (NB) WWWW TRUTH Telling the story of a 60 Minutes piece which aired in the Unites States in 2004, about George W. Bush potentially avoiding serving in Vietnam,Truth explores the concepts of investigative journalism versus entertainment in our news sources, and how those in power react to anybody who seeks to challenge the status quo.A thriller about journalistic ethics and practices may not be the flavour for everybody, but the performances by Cate Blanchett (Mary Mapes), Robert Redford (Dan Rather), Dennis Quaid and Topher Grace make this a film that you should see. (JA) WWW1/ 2 LOVE THE COOPERS Setting the tone nicely for this holiday season, a laugh out loud hysteric comedy of a dysfunctional but loveable family called the Coopers.When four generations

of the Cooper family come face to face with their inner selves, the artificial facades of who they are are shattered. Even though it doesn’t offer anything out of the ordinary, the movie is nonetheless a fun ride. Boasting the acting talents of John Goodman, Diane Keaton,Amanda Seyfried, and Olivia Wilde among other big names, there is no way that you’ll sit through this comic caper and not Love the Coopers. (JR) WWW1/ 2 CREED Following much of the tried and true formula that we have seen from the Rocky film franchise over the course of the past three decades, Creed is a worthy addition to the stable and as a spinoff film is strong enough to stand on its own two feet. Michael B. Jordan’s performance as Adonis Johnson Creed is powerful and compelling, with a simmering rage and intensity. Rocky fans will be pleased to see a number of homages to the originals. (JA) WWW city hub 14 JANUARY 2016

13

Sydney Live Music Guide LIVE WIRE

By Jamie Apps Thee Oh Sees: Following their initial shows in Melbourne and Sydney selling out,Thee Oh Sees have had to add extra shows in both cities.

Sydney’s bonus show is tonight and will have the group bringing their loudest, fastest and tightest set ever to the stage.

Thu, Jan 14, Newtown Social Club The Japanese House: Also known as 20 year old Amber Bain, she will be performing her debut show in Australia tomorrow night in our fine city.After generating an unmissable buzz online early last year with her debut EP Pools To Bathe In and then following it up with Clean,The Japanese House has risen to prominence rapidly.With a unique, brooding and luscious alt-pop sound this will be an enthralling, intimate show.

Fri, Jan 15, Plan B Small Club Franklin Electric: These Canadians have quickly conquered their home country over the past 18 months and will be making their way down under for the very first time tomorrow.

Having performed with Half Moon Run and City & Colour in 2014, Franklin Electric captured a piece of the audiences mind and have grown from there.

Fri, Jan 15, Oxford Art Factory Courtney Barnett: Last year was an absolutely phenomenal year for the

Melbourne based singer-songwriter, picking up a Grammy Award nomination and selling out across the UK and Europe. Mixing in a run of festival performances with a theatre headline tour, Barnett is set to kick 2016 off in a big way too. If you have Saturday free, go out of your way to see this show.

Sat, Jan 16, Enmore Theatre This Way North: The Melbourne guitar and drums duo are celebrating the release of their second single with an East Coast tour which stops off in Sydney this weekend. Having originally crossed paths on the Canadian festival circuit in 2013 while performing in respective bands, the two have created a formidable duo who read off each effortlessly while creating their mix of quirky pop through to punchy rock tunes.

Sat, Jan 16,The Annandale Julia Jacklin: Kicking off 2016 with a run of full band shows, Sydney’s own singer/songwriter is laying the foundation for a breakout year.

Recently Jacklin has been putting on the finishing touches to her upcoming debut album, but prior to this she has been quietly charming audiences around the country for the past two years. Head out and check this show out so when she inevitably breaks out, you can brag to friends about being there where the wave started.

Mon, Jan 18, Brighton Up Bar

The Cairos

By Jamie Apps Prior to taking time off for the Christmas and New Year break, the City Hub had the opportunity to speak with Jacob Trotter of Brisbane band The Cairos, who at the time were in the midst of preparations for their Love Don’t Feel Right tour. Since then things have changed quite rapidly, with the boys announcing this past Monday that they have decided to part ways indefinitely, and these shows will now be their farewell.

In December Jacob spoke about how excited the group was about the future, given that they had just left Island Records and were set to become a fully independent band.“Over the past three or four years we’ve been working on music and building our skills as producers and songwriters, we’ve developed to the point where we can do everything ourselves,” he explained.

“In the day and age we live in it’s really good to be able to have full creative control, so when our contract came to an end it seemed like the

Swaying Wires – I Left a House Burning

perfect time to throw ourselves into the ether.”

At the time Jacob sounded very excited to be returning to the stage in Australia, as they haven’t played here for some time:“We’re really looking forward to getting out there, seeing some friends and playing these new songs on our own shows.”

With the benefit of hindsight however, it seems as though the signs of the breakup may have been evident even then.When speaking about the creative process, Jacob explained how the band had been doing less and less together as a group:“We’ve all put a lot of time, effort and money into building our own studios over the past two to three years, so now we kind of all

write separately. It’s very different to the album we wrote largely as a band working together in the rehearsal studio and I think you can hear that in the recording as well, it (Love Don’t Feel Right single) doesn’t sound like as much of a band as our album did.”

The Cairos now have three final shows together where they can thank fans for their support over the years.

They stated on their Facebook page: “After spending the best part of seven years in planes, vans, rehearsal rooms, sleeping on couches, it’s time for new creative challenges, projects and adventures.

To everyone who has come to a show, supported us or bought our music we want to say thank you so much. We’ve achieved more than we could have imagined and we’re extremely grateful to those who have been a part of the journey. We couldn’t have come this far without you.”

Jan 22. Brighton Up Bar, 1/77 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. $15+b.f.

Tickets & info: http://bit.ly/CairosSydney

Cosmo’s Midnight EP

Sweet and off kilter, like a child with a knife, these songs come up as if of nothing. Beginning and ending in the same vein, bubbling up for a few minutes and disappearing back into the unseen world within the lines that trace blood through our bodies.

There are dark sides to even the sweetest songs, and here they all are wrapped up together. Connected and separate, lending an uncomfortable feeling to the moment the listener hears the lyrics and a stronger one to the second later when they understand them.

Like a familiar thought that you haven’t had for a while, they are part of the make up of the world, unassuming and unquestionably true. Lovely but with a slight perversity weaving through the soothing melody, leaving the listener newly aware of where they are. (SP) WWW

As soon as I put on Cosmo’s Midnight’s new EP they had me “caught in their snare”, but instead of feeling like I “went back in time” I walked away feeling like I had seen the future.

The two track offering has a wonderful blend of summery up beat vibes, love songs and a hint of heartbreak.‘Snare’ leans more towards the love song side with a nice little jazz flair that will certainly have people grooving along to it.‘Walk With Me’ brings the summer sunshine to life with its sound while the lyrics convey the story of conflicted emotions.

This is a fantastic outing for the duo and is sure to see their reputation skyrocket within the Australian indie-pop dance scene. (JA) WWW1/2

Don’t put up with cracked floors, walls, pavement or driveways Don’t put up with cracked floors, walls, any longer!

pavement or driveways any longer!

Don’t put up with cracked floors, walls, pavement or driveways any longer!

www.resinect.com.au

Resinject relevel and re-support sunken homes, factories,

Call today to receive

Don’t put up with cracked floors, walls, pavement or driveways any longer!

Resinject relevel and re-support sunken ahomes, factories, FREE assessemnt! warehouse, airports, seaports, railways and other construction Ph: 0408 489 245 by improving the structure of the ground. We lift and relevel Call today to receive aasFREE assessment!

Call today to receive a FREE assessment! concrete slabs as well fill voids in the underlying soil strata. warehouse, airports, seaports, railways and other construction Resinject relevel and re-support sunken homes, factories, warehouse, airports, seaports, railways other We construction by improving the structure of the and ground. lift and relevel by improving theas structure ground. lift and relevel concrete slabs well as of fillthe voids in theWe underlying soil strata. concrete slabs as well as fill voids in the underlying soil strata.

NSW Project Manager: 489 245 NSW Project Manager: 04080408 489 245

www.resinject.com.au Call www.resinject.com.au today to receive a FREE assessment!

NSW Project Manager: 0408 489 245

www.resinject.com.au

14

city hub 14 JANUARY 2016

city hub 14 JANUARY 2016

15

AUSTRALIA DAY 2016 on Tall Ship James Craig Join us for some Australia Day activities out on the harbour and you will be up close observing the spectacular Australia Day events including the Ferrython, 21 Gun Salute, Tall Ship Race and a tug’o’war!

This cruise begins at Pyrmont and finishes at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Circular Quay.

There will be festivities and bands on the wharf at the OPT for the day.

Cruise tickets are $120 for adults, $100 for members and $50 for children (16 & under).

Book Now 02 9298 3888 www.shf.org.au eriNg f f o e we ar aders e r B u price!

City H d e t e k the tic f f o 25% ption e c e r l l ca simply ote CH116 and Qu u book! o when y 16

city hub 14 JANUARY 2016

SYDNEY HERITAGE FLEET THE MUSEUM THAT GOES TO SEA