City Hub 14 January 2021

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HubNEWS

Cannabis over the counter (See p.15)

Art Deco icon receives heritage listing

BY ALLISON HORE fter “impassioned pleas” from the Kings Cross community, the NSW Government has announced their decision to grant state heritage listing to the Metro Minerva theatre building in Potts Point.

The much-loved Art Deco building, which opened in 1939 as The Minerva Theatre, received state heritage recognition in December. Built in Hollywood’s golden age, the theatre is recognised architecturally for being a rare example of the Interwar Functionalist style and Streamline Moderne features.

Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said the building not only makes a “powerful visual impression,” but is also a key piece of the city’s stage and screen history.

“The Metro forms an important part of the history of theatre and cinema in NSW, bracketing the boom of theatre development in the 1930s and television and film until the early 2000s,” Mr Harwin said.

The theatre was converted into the Metro Cinema in 1950 before reverting back to live shows just a decade later.

In the 1970s the building was transformed into a film studio for George Miller’s film and television production company. During its time at the Metro, the company produced more than twenty-five movies and TV series. A number of films produced from the building, including Babe, Happy Feet and Mad Max, received international acclaim.

When the company moved its activities to Fox Studios in 2017, the building was put up for sale. After more than a year on the market, Abacus Property Group purchased the property.

A HubARTS: The Merry Widow The Merry Widow is a triumph in every respect.

(See p. 21)

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PROTECTED BUT NOT RESTORED

City of Sydney Mayor Clover Moore applauded the NSW Government’s decision to give the building heritage listing and called the listing an “early Christmas present for Kings Cross”. She said heritage recognition would ensure the art deco icon is preserved.

“Residents have been advocating for so long to protect this significant building and its long cultural history,” she said.

“Listing will ensure The Metro’s significance will be protected for future generations, with any major changes now requiring the approval of the Heritage Council of NSW.”

The Metro Minerva in Pott’s Point. Photo: Urbis Pty Ltd

But the fight for the Metro’s future is not yet over.

The Metro-Minerva Action Group has been advocating for the building to be protected and recognised as heritage since 2019. They said they are “thrilled” by the “exceptionally good news” of the heritage listing, but that there is still more advocacy work to be done yet.

We are a ways off from

‘opening night drinks’ “There is no doubt this is an excellent step in the right direction but we are a ways off from ‘opening night drinks’,” they said.

The heritage listing guarantees the building will not be subject to unsympathetic renovations, but it does not necessarily mean the building will be restored to use as a theatre.

In 2019, member for Sydney Alex Greenwich questioned the NSW Government about the theatre’s future and whether it was possible the stage would return to the building.

In response the NSW Government said Create NSW met with the building owners to talk about potential uses for the building. Abacus Property Group said they had “sought professional advice from theatre operators” on how the building could be restored.

However, given the number of internal alterations, “substantial restoration work” would be required to transform the Metro into a theatre once again.

Work would include the mammoth task

of rebuilding the original sloped gradient of the current floor level for appropriate audience seating and viewing.

At the time, Abacus Property Group determined reconstruction and recommissioning of the building to be used as a theatre to be “not viable”.

MOVING FORWARD

Despite the property owner’s cynicism towards the possibility of live shows being returned to the venue, Mayor Moore is hopeful it may one day happen.

“I am hopeful that the space will be revived as a theatre or cultural facility, which would complement our vision for Kings Cross as a safe and lively area with a diverse economy including fabulous bars, restaurants, theatres and shops,” she said.

Ms. Moore said the City of Sydney has contributed to a NSW Government feasibility study to provide a “realistic estimate” of what it would take to make these hopes possible.

“We are looking forward to seeing the outcomes of the feasibility study soon,” she said.

The Metro-Minerva Action Group said they “will continue to lobby for the reinstatement of the theatre” with all the relevant stakeholders.

“We are also exploring other ownership models beyond government intervention should that not come through,” they said.

“When pressed this morning on the government purchasing the building Minister Harwin said it was a matter for the cabinet but “Never, say never!”

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HubNEWS

Mask up, Sydney

BY ALLISON HORE his month mask wearing wearing was made compulsory in certain indoor settings across the Greater Sydney area Despite high testing rates and low numbers of confirmed cases, the number of cases popping up outside of the Northern beaches area led NSW Health to make masks mandatory for certain indoor venues across the Greater Sydney area.

Venues where mask wearing will be required include shopping centres, indoor entertainment venues, places of worship, ride shares and hospitality venues. Commuters catching trains, buses, ferries or any other sort of public transport will not be allowed to board without a mask.

Masks must be fitted securely around the face and be worn over both the nose and mouth to provide the wearer with protection against infection.

Children under 12 do not have to wear a mask but will be encouraged to do so.

Premier Gladys Berejikilian said the mask mandate should not “come as a surprise” to the people of Sydney as

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NSW Health had already been strongly recommending that masks be worn.

“We have already strongly recommended mask wearing in these settings, but what we want to do is to make sure we’re not in a situation where we’re restricting people’s ability to go about their business,” she said.

State opposition leader Jodi McKay welcomed the mandate and said “mounting pressure from health experts, epidemiologists, doctors and frontline health workers” had “dragged” the premier into making the decision.

People wearing face masks on Sydney’s streets. Photo: Allison Hore

With COVID, ‘tis better to

Association called for masks to be made mandatory in Sydney saying they are a “simple way” to reduce the spread of the virus.

“With COVID, ‘tis better to neither give nor receive. Wearing a mask can reduce the risk by about 30 per cent,” the association said on Twitter.

“Make them mandatory.”

neither give nor receive Numerous health advisory bodies around the world, including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organisation, now recommend maskwearing for the general public as a course of action against the spread of COVID-19.

ANTI-MASKERS FINED

On the Friday before the mask mandate came into force, the Australian Medical

Police began enforcing the mask mandate from the 4th of January. Those

found to be in breach of the mandate are being issued $200 fines.

One 55 year-old Sydney man who claimed “COVID-19 is a hoax” even spent a night in a police cell after allegedly twice refusing to wear a face mask when requested by police. Another 28-year old anti-masker was issued a $200 fine after he claimed the public health order requiring him to wear a mask was a human rights violation.

The pair are among a growing number of Sydney-siders being fined for flouting the rules.

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HubNEWS

Stranded passengers struggle to distance

TANYA PLIBERSEK FEDERAL MEMBER FOR SYDNEY

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CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES My office can arrange messages of congratulations for people who live in my electorate and are celebrating their golden (50th) and diamond (60th) wedding anniversaries; and 90th and subsequent birthdays. Please allow for 6-8 weeks for congratulatory messages from dignatories.

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Stranded commuters wait for train replacement buses at Strathfield station. Photo: twitter/@SydneysiderAU

BY ALLISON HORE ollowing train line shutdowns and service cancellations across Sydney on Thursday, commuters crowded onto train platforms with little regard for social distancing.

A fatality at Lidcombe station in the early afternoon led to buses replacing trains in both directions between Strathfield and Parramatta, and a number of train services between Strathfield and central being cancelled.

Although the incident occurred in the early afternoon, delays continued well into peak hour and late into the evening.

Sydney trains urged commuters, including cricket fans on their way home from the SCG Test, to delay non-essential travel or to make other arrangements if possible.

Some lines across the network were closed for almost 4 hours as a result of the incident which is believed to have impacted overhead wiring. When trains began running again at around 6pm, the backlog of commuters led to crowding at a number of stations.

Throughout the afternoon videos and photos emerged on social media showing crowding at train stations and a lack of social distancing. One alarming picture showed crowds almost ten people deep of commuters waiting for train replacement buses at Strathfield station, with no social distancing.

Sydney local Michelle Michael posted another video to Twitter showing crowding on the platforms at Ashfield station in Sydney’s Inner West. She commended station staff on their efforts in controlling the crowds and making sure commuters maintained distance.

“Rail staff are actually doing a sensible

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job at stopping people from going down onto the platforms,” she said.

“This is not good for social distancing but absolutely everyone is wearing a mask.”

Another commuter called the delays and train cancellations following the fatality “understandable” but said the lack of physical distancing at stations and bus stops “is beyond a joke”.

COMMUTERS MASKED UP

Although the delays led to a worrying lack of social distancing, posters noted excellent compliance with the mask mandate through the ordeal.

Throughout December last year, only around a third of Sydney commuters were wearing masks, according to passenger monitoring data released by Transport for NSW. On New Years Eve, Transport for NSW officials counted only around 33 percent of customers on buses and about 28 percent of customers on trains wearing masks.

This is not good for social distancing But since the COVID-19 public health orders requiring all commuters wear masks came into effect, mask use on public transport has skyrocketed. Under the new rules people not wearing masks are not allowed to board their train, bus or light rail service. Failing to put on a mask after being warned by police will result in a $200 fine.

Since the mask mandate came into effect police have issued fines to almost 20 people for failure to comply. On Wednesday, police warned more than 50 people for not wearing masks.

HubNEWS

“Appalling” beachside Christmas party

BY ALLISON HORE iot Squad police were called in to help break up a huge crowd of party goers on Bronte Beach on Christmas Day. Video posted to Instagram and Facebook showed a huge crowd of people wearing santa hats, drinking and dancing together by Bronte Beach on Christmas day. Some revellers sat on others’ shoulders, in a clear breach of social distancing guidelines.

While the public health guidelines were loosened over the Christmas period to allow families to celebrate together restrictions remained in place. Indoor

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a “super-spreader” event but there is every chance that it could.

“It is absolutely appalling to see what was clearly a group of people, a large gathering of people who didn’t give a damn about the rest of Sydney,” he said.

“Obviously in the earlier stages of the pandemic we had some challenges with backpackers who clearly wanted to party in the eastern suburbs. It cannot go on.”

In March last year, 33 backpackers tested positive for COVID-19 after two parties in the Eastern suburbs. The first at the Bondi Hardware restaurant and the other was at The Bucket List at the Bondi Pavilion.

Viral vows: couple fined over Pyrmont wedding

The wedding party was at Doltone House in Pyrmont. Photo: Doltone House & Pexels/Daria Obymaha

BY ALLISON HORE “We appreciate that those milestone events are special times for people, but Sydney bride from the Northern please consider the greater risk you are Beaches has been fined for posing to every person in New South defying COVID-19 lockdown rules Wales and the broader community of to attend her own wedding at Doltone our nation,” she said.

House in Pyrmont in December.

Police crashed the wedding just after 5pm on the 26th of December after VENUE “FULFILLED OBLIGATIONS” receiving a tip-off which included Doltone House on Jones Bay Wharf pictures of guests mingling on a in Pyrmont is in close proximity to balcony. a number of other popular Pyrmont destinations including the Star Casino.

After the ceremony concluded, police issued twelve fines of $1000 to The venue said in a statement posted attendees who were identified as to Facebook they had received a residents of the Northern Beaches. number of assurances prior to the Following further investigation nine more event that all attendees were staying people, including the bride, were fined. outside the Northern Beaches.

They also said they had fulfilled The 21 people slapped with fines their “statutory included two people obligations” and all from Allambie  Consider the greater attendees registered Heights, a woman their attendance from Narraweena, a risk you are posing to through the QR code man from Frenchs every person in NSW app.

Forest and five people from Beacon “Had Doltone Hill. The groom was not fined, as he did House been advised that any person not breach public health orders. attending the wedding was doing so in breach of government restrictions, As a result of the growing COVID-19 then it would have taken all necessary cluster in the area, public health orders steps to protect the health and prohibited Northern Beaches residents safety of its guests and the broader from leaving their local government community,” they said. unless for essential reasons.

“Doltone House considers the spread A wedding ceremony was not of COVID-19 of paramount importance considered essential. and continues to offer its support to The family told Nine the wedding was its prevention.” originally planned for July but had NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mick been postponed twice because of the Willing said the “vast majority” of people pandemic. They say if the wedding was were complying with the orders but said postponed again they would have been police will continue to be “out in force out of pocket thousands of dollars. issuing infringement notices” when .

Instead, guests, including the wedding “Sadly, there have been some party, were out of pocket thousands of exceptions to those rules,” he said dollars in fines.

“People have to apply some common Premier Gladys Berejiklian sense, we don’t want to see repeats of condemned the event and said she those isolated incidents we have seen was “shocked” by the brazen breach across the last few days.” of public health orders.

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A huge crowd of Bronte Beach party-goers on Christmas day. Photo: Facebook/Morgan Drew

gatherings were limited to 10 people, not including primary school aged children.

For outdoor areas, gatherings of up to 100 people were allowed. However, the crowd of Christmas day revellers at Bronte Beach is estimated to have been between 200 and 300 people, many of whom are believed to be British and Irish nationals.

It is absolutely appalling to see Police broke up the crowd of Christmas revellers at around 5pm. One 25 year-old man will face court for failing to comply with a move on order. But as the rest of the crowd dispersed when directed no other fines will be issued, NSW police have stated.

Health Minister, Brad Hazzard, slammed the party goers saying their actions put the whole community at risk. He said he hopes the event will not become

“APPALLING” BEHAVIOUR

Waverley Mayor, Paula Masselos, echoed the Health Minister’s concerns about the gathering at Bronte.

She said she was “appalled” by what happened and that the event “threatens to undo the good work of Council and the entire community”.

“We are appalled by the behaviour that was displayed yesterday by a group of people visiting Bronte Beach,” she said.

“Many families are unable to be together this time of year because of restrictions on movement and border closures, so we must continue to be considerate and do the right thing.”

She urged the public not to visit public places if they did not wish to comply with the current health orders and to get tested if they are feeling unwell.

“Please do not visit our public places if you refuse to observe Public Health Orders and current health advice- you pose too great a health risk,” she said.



CITY HUB JANUARY 2021

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HubNEWS

Sydney foreshore NYE ghost town

BY ALLISON HORE he Sydney CBD was a virtual ghost town as the clock struck midnight, marking the beginning of 2021.

Unlike previous years there was only one fireworks display. A shortened 7-minute show with the fitting theme of love and solidarity amid COVID19 marked the beginning of 2021.

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 I would like to thank

those members of the community who made their plans COVID-safe

But more stark of a difference were the empty foreshore areas around the harbour. Despite extreme high temperatures and smoke lingering in the air, millions of revellers turned up to the harbour to mark the beginning of 2020.

This year the popular vantage points were eerily quiet.

The original plan was for front line workers such as teachers, nurses, firefighters and police to have a front row view of the fireworks at a number of vantage points throughout the city.

Aside from a handful of patrolling officers, the Sydney Harbour foreshore was deserted on NYE. Photo: Screenshot from ABC’s live coverage

However, as the Northern Beaches cluster grew and a number of other clusters started to emerge, Ms. Berejiklian said it would be “too risky”.

“We think it’s too much of a health risk having people from the regions and from Sydney and from broader regional areas congregate all in the CBD.” Instead, as the midnight fireworks lit up the sky the only ones with front row views were on duty police officers

patrolling popular vantage points to make sure no-one had entered the CBD without authorisation.

“BY AND LARGE” BEHAVIOUR GOOD

Reflecting on the evening’s proceedings on New Years’ Day, Assistant Police Commissioner Mick Willing said The CBD was “as quiet as we’ve ever seen it”. He said only 5,000 passes had been scanned for people to enter the green zone.

Where’ the bloody hell are you?

BY ASTRID WATT million tourists visit Sydney each year, flying into the world-class city to walk the Sydney Harbour Bridge, watch the sunset over the Sydney Opera House, and swim at the iconic Bondi Beach.

This Summer, with the closure of international borders, there will be no dodging selfie sticks or suffering the crowds at Circular Quay, but this means local Sydney city tourism is suffering.

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 Sydney is full of hidden stories and history

“That was mirrored on the harbour, with only 20 per cent vessel patronage compared to what we have seen in previous years,” he added.

Throughout the night five fines of $5,000 were issued to premises in relation to COVID-19 breaches. Police are still compiling data on the total number of fines issued to individuals and residences who failed to comply with public health orders as some matters are still under investigation. Mr. Willing said that one large airbnb party in the Hills area may see up to 30 infringements issued.

Mr. Willing said while police had to attend “a lot” of residences to investigate reports of potential breaches, the majority of these reports turned out to be false. He said the behaviour of Sydneysiders was “by and large was very good across the board.”

He added that a number of groups of people who had congregated in the CBD complied with police orders when asked to move on.

“I would like to thank those members of the community who made their plans COVID-safe and celebrated the beginning of 2021 responsibly, in what we hope is a better year for everyone,” Mr. Willing said.

Opinion

are crowding beaches up the Central Coast, and hotel bookings are scarce over Christmas and New Year. A Sydney staycation is the perfect alternative for locals with a travel-bug.

“Sydney is full of hidden stories and history that would surprise even the most avid Sydneysider.”

“There’s a dog statue with John Law’s voice, redirected parts of the tank stream underneath a historic building, a hidden whisky bar in an old puppet store, and rooftop bars serving eucalyptus cocktails up four flights of stairs in an unmarked building” Said Ms. Simpson.

DISCOVER SYDNEY SECRETS This year Sydneysiders won’t be enjoying a white Christmas in New York or living their best ‘Emily in Paris’ life with escargot along the River Seine. Instead, founder of I’m Free Walking Tours Justine Simpson suggests exploring what we have right here, delving into the history and culture of Sydney to find out why millions travel across the world to visit our iconic city.

This summer regional travel is thriving whilst Sydney tourism is at an all-time low, leaving local operators without bookings over Summer. Holidaymakers 8

CITY HUB JANUARY 2021

For many locals, the streets of Sydney are simply a thoroughfare for their 5 pm pilgrimage to the train station but step off the beaten path and there is a story waiting to be told. There are statues of Indigenous Australians carved into the sandstone facades on George St, singing birds off Martin Place, shells used for building material in the Rocks, and tales of notorious female gangsters waiting to be discovered.

“Although I have lived in Sydney for 16 years I didn’t know a single thing that Adrian told me about our beloved and

Can’t travel this summer? Why not try being a tourist in your own city. Photo: Pixabay/agmclellan

beautiful city. I would recommend this tour to everyone, including locals,” said Sydney local Juthapat Rerkdee after taking the Sydney insights tour.

I’m Free has been walking the streets of Sydney for over 11 years, offering guided explorations of the City and The Rocks districts. Their Sydney insights tour delves into the historical and contemporary landmarks of the city with anecdotes about theatrical beheadings,

a rum funded hospital, Indigenous history and architectural buildings.

The Rocks tour is a 1.5-hour adventure through the narrow lanes of Sydney’s first convict settlement. Captivating tales of murder, muggings and mysteries are shared by a knowledgeable local guide on this twilight tour, making it the perfect experience for curious Sydneysiders.

In the words of Lara Bingle, where the bloody hell are you?

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HubNEWS

Metro contractor fined for polluting harbour

Treasurer spends big on consultants

BY ALLISON HORE ublic service workers have hit out at the NSW Government for spending big on private consultants while cutting the wage increase of public sector employees.

In November last year, NSW treasurer Dominic Perottet revealed a plan to replace stamp duty with an annual land tax on newly bought or sold properties.

The Government claims the move could inject up to $11 billion over four years into the state’s struggling economy.

In order to bring the new tax plan into

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government are being outsourced to consultants at exorbitant rates. The Treasurer needs to do the maths again, because this doesn’t add up,” he said.

PAINFUL WAGE INCREASE CUTS

In the last state budget public sector wage increases were cut from the usual 2.5 percent to 1.5 percent. This came after discussions of freezing public sector wage increases entirely. Damien Davis Frank, Assistant Secretary of the NSWNMA St Vincent’s Hospital Darlinghurst Branch, told City Hub the

Concept art for the Central Metro station development. Photo: NSW Government

BY ALLISON HORE the harbour, however the pH level of the water which was dumped was well construction company contracted outside the limits of 6.5-8.5 permitted by the NSW Government to work by the licence. on the Sydney Metro Project at Central Station has been fined The company did not inform the EPA for allegedly dumping contaminated about what had happened until five wastewater into Sydney’s harbour. days later.

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) fined Laing O’Rourke REPEAT OFFENDERS Australia Construction $15,000 for Although a sub-contractor operates releasing low pH water from a water the water treatment plant on behalf treatment facility into Blackwattle Bay. of Laing O’Rourke, as the holder of In 2018, Laing O’Rourke, the the Environmental Protection licence, construction company behind the the company is responsible for any Wynyard station upgrades, was granted breaches. the $955 million contract for the But that wasn’t the last of the damage construction of the new Metro platforms done by Laing O’Rourke, EPA Director under Central station. The contract Regulatory Operations James Goodwin also included building Central Walk, a alleges another incident occurred just 19-metre wide underground pedestrian a few months later. concourse from Chalmers Street in “There was a subsequent, alleged Surry Hills. incident on 8 June 2020, when Upon the announcement of the approximately 18,000 litres of contract being awarded, Managing water with a pH of 5.9 to 6.15 was Director of Laing O’Rourke, Cathal discharged from the water treatment O’Rourke, said the company has plant, this time a “strong track onto land within the record” in delivering construction site,” Sydney’s harbour is transport projects Mr. Goodwin said. one of the most polluted and has “assembled The EPA says a team who will waterways in Australia following the deliver a world-class incidents Laing result for the NSW O’Rourke Australia has “undertaken a Government”. range of steps to upgrade its systems” The fine dished out to Laing O’Rourke to prevent unauthorised liquids was in relation to an incident on the 19th leaching into the bay. Should any spills of March 2020 when over 6,000 litres occur, the company must notify the of liquid from a water treatment facility EPA in a timely fashion. associated with the construction work Sydney’s harbour is one of the most was discharged into Blackwattle Bay. polluted waterways in Australia, with The wastewater had a pH of 1.09, around 15 Olympic-size swimming making it highly acidic. The low pH level pools of pollutants entering the water of the liquid dumped into the bay was each year, according to the Sydney caused by sulphuric acid used in the Harbour Research Program. water treatment process.

The Central Walk and Central Station Laing O’Rourke holds an Environmental Metro upgrade is expected to be Protection licence to release water into completed in 2022.

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CITY HUB JANUARY 2021

The NSW government’s spending on private consultants has been called into question. Photo: Facebook/PSANSW & Pixabay

action, last year the state government awarded a $5.5 million contract to consultancy firm KPMG to assist in its design.

The move has angered public sector workers who feel the spending is unnecessary and hypocritical, given the government’s decision to cut public sector wage increases last year.

Stewart Little, general secretary of the Public Service Association, said the consultancy contract is costing taxpayers “up to $4000 a day”. Under the NSW Government’s procurement policy the lowest rate for an analyst is $1200 a day.

“Once again the NSW Government is only happy to waste millions of taxpayer dollars on consultants when the expertise already exists in the NSW Treasury many times over,” Mr. Little said.

Mr. Little said the policymakers in NSW are among the country’s “best and brightest”. He said he thinks hiring external consultants to assist in the design of the new tax policy, when such a deep talent pool exists within the public service, is not necessary.

“The level of expertise isn’t easily matched, and they’re ready to do the work but instead vital functions of the

cut would be “painful” for frontline workers.

“It’s been quite painful to see… especially at the moment during the coronavirus pandemic where you see all your colleagues working so hard and dealing with not seeing family and friends and isolating from their loved ones,” he said.

The Treasurer needs to do the maths again, because this doesn’t add up

But treasurer Perottet said he thought the slash to wage increases was “fair and reasonable.”

“Obviously, we want to make sure that we have a balanced wages policy in our state, we’re going through a pandemic, we have an unemployment rate currently at 7.2 per cent,” he said.

Mr. Little thinks the treasurer has failed to deliver on his promise of boosting public sector employment.

“Treasurer Perrottet promised the government would go on a hiring spree - it seems he was only thinking of consultants.”

HubNEWS

Work begins on Redfern Station upgrades

BY ALLISON HORE ork has begun on a new southern concourse at Redfern Station.

The upgrades will give most of the stations’ platforms a much needed boost in accessibility but will still leave some platforms lacking.

Plans for the $100 million Southern Concourse, announced in May, include a six-metre wide walkway over the rail lines linking the east and west sides of the station and new lifts and stairs for platforms one to ten.

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 Tech Central will become

Australia’s answer to Silicon Valley and therefore needs excellent public transport Minister for Transport Andrew Constance said the new concourse will “significantly improve lift and stair access to the platforms, especially for less mobile commuters.”

Station accessibility upgrades will also include new and improved shared zones on Little Eveleigh and Marian Streets

Concept art for the new Southern Concourse entry to Redfern Station. Photo: Transport for NSW

and increased bicycle parking. Transport for NSW say the plans will both improve station amenity and aesthetics and reduce the amount of time it takes for commuters to leave platforms.

The upgrades to Sydney’s sixth busiest station come after an 18-month planning and design phase and were funded through the NSW Government’s Transport Access Program, which aims to improve station accessibility across the Sydney Trains network.

Despite federal government legislation requiring all modern train stations across the states to be wheelchair accessible within the next three years, Sydney’s network is far behind. Of the

307 stations across the Sydney Trains network, in 2019 just 169 stations were listed as wheelchair accessible.

NO UPGRADES FOR UNDERGROUND PLATFORMS

Even with $100 million in upgrades parts of Redfern station will have limited accessibility to less mobile commuters.

Underground platforms 11 and 12, considered the second most dangerous platforms on the network for people with mobility issues after Town Hall, will not see any upgrades as part of these works.

Platforms 11 and 12 only have one entry way, which raises concerns about how efficiently they can be evacuated in an

emergency situation. Being underground, this is a significant concern as should there be a fire in the tunnel the platforms can quickly fill up with smoke.

Responding to community concern about the lack of accessibility to these platforms, Transport for NSW said they “appreciate that station users want access to [the underground platforms] to be improved”.

They said they are currently “investigating options” for developing the land to the east of Redfern Station, above the underground T4 Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra Lines, to construct a new entryway.

If access to the underground platforms is improved following the Southern Concourse construction, Redfern station will be fully accessible.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the accessibility and capacity upgrades would pave the way for broader developments in the Redfern North Eveleigh precinct.

“Nearby Tech Central will become Australia’s answer to Silicon Valley and therefore needs excellent public transport facilities at Central and Redfern stations to reach its full potential,” Mr. Stokes said.

The upgrades are expected to be completed by 2022.

Happy New Year After a difficult 2020, no doubt many in our community are feeling a sense of relief to have made it through to 2021. In the Newtown Electorate Office we are back in full swing and are looking forward to another year of working hard for our community.

We know that the challenges of last year are still unfolding for so many people and our priority this year is to ensure that everyone is able to access the support and assistance that they need.

If you require specialist assistance as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may find this information helpful: Health Advice: 1800 020 080

Mental Health Line: 1800 512 348 Disability Services: 1800 643 787

Domestic Violence Line: 1800 656 463 Tenants’ Advice Line: 1800 251 101 @jennyleong.newtown

If you live in the Newtown Electorate please feel free to contact our office for assistance. If you are concerned about a local issue or are having problems with a NSW Government service or agency, we are here to help.

Please feel free to contact us on: Ph: 02 9517 2800 E: newtown@parliament.nsw.gov.au You can also drop by our office at 383 King St, Newtown between 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday.

As a result of COVID restrictions our office is adhering to strict capacity limits and can provide masks and hand sanitizer to individuals on arrival.

We also offer Justice of the Peace services by appointment on Friday mornings, please call ahead to confirm availability. @jennyleong

It’s a pleasure to represent our wonderfully vibrant and progressive community in the NSW Parliament and we are looking forward to another year of working with you towards a more inclusive society where difference and diversity is celebrated. Together we can continue to challenge inequality, call out injustice and act to address the climate emergency.

And remember - wear a mask, if you have symptoms get tested, and be sure to follow the NSW Health advice to keep yourself and our community safe.

Jenny Leong MP Greens Member for Newtown

@jennyleong.newtown

CITY HUB JANUARY 2021

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HubNEWS

Sydneysiders protest “cruel” puppy farming and Wagga came to the attention of authorities after allegations a pregnant 10-month old boxer named Strawberry died after being denied veterinary care for four days.

Strawberry successfully gave birth to three pups from her litter before she fell ill and was unable to give birth to the rest of the litter. An alleged former employee of the farm said over the days before the dog’s death she was “basically rotting from the inside out”.

The same employee identified two puppies for sale in WA pet stores as being survivors of the litter.

CUSTOMERS BLINDSIDED The Animal Justice Party says puppies born in puppy farms, and sold on to “unknowing customers”, can suffer from a range of health and behavioural issues as a result of unsanitary conditions on farms, inadequate veterinary care, improper socialisation and inbreeding.

NSW MLC of the Animal Justice Party, Emma Hurst, speaks before the crowd on Saturday. Photo: Facebook/Emma Hurst

BY ALLISON HORE undreds of protesters and their four legged friends gathered in Martin Place in December in support of proposed legislation which would put an end to puppy farming in NSW. Puppy farming, also known as puppy factories or puppy mills, are places where puppies are bred en masse to be sold in pet stores or online. Animal advocates say breeding dogs in these facilities and their litters often suffer from health problems due to neglect and unsanitary conditions.

Lax puppy farming laws in NSW have led breeders from around the country to move their operations to the state.

But with a new bill introduced before the legislative assembly by the Animal Justice Party’s Emma Hurst, this could soon change.

“The Government are going to have a fight on their hands if they want to vote against my Bill and keep puppy farmers operating in NSW,” Ms. Hurst said at the Martin Place gathering.

“We want to end puppy farming- and mark my words, we damn well will.”

Ms. Hurst said NSW currently has some of the weakest penalties for animal abuse in the country. Her bill, introduced before the NSW Upper House in November, would increase maximum fines for animal cruelty from $5,500 to $55,000 is passed. The bill

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would introduce a minimum penalty in line with Western Australia’s laws$2,200 for each act of animal cruelty and $3,850 for aggravated acts.

Those convicted of aggravated cruelty and beastiality would be subject to a mandatory lifetime ban on animal ownership.

Ms. Hurst’s bill has seen support from the Greens, Labor, Independents and fellow Animal Justice Party Members. Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Jenny Aitchison, told the crowd at Martin Place that the issue of animal welfare should not be a partisan one.

“This government is not a friend of animals,” she said.

“It shouldn’t be a politicised issue, noone wants to see animals suffer,” “Thousands without a name” Ms. Hurst’s bill rivals the coalition’s own animal cruelty bill, also introduced before the NSW parliament in December. The government says the maximum fines of $44,000 set out in their new bill, as well as the increased maximum jail terms, would make it the toughest in the country.

“In some cases, these punishments are more than double that in most other states, so when these laws are passed, NSW will have the toughest set of animal cruelty penalties in Australia,” Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall said.

But Ms. Hurst thinks the penalties set in that bill do not go far enough.

Should her bill pass through the Upper House, member for Sydney, Alex Greenwich, will introduce it before the Lower House.

“Animals feel physical and emotional pain and should not be treated like a commodity,” said Mr. Greenwich.

 We want to end puppy farming- and mark my words, we damn well will Georgie Purcell is the president of Oscar’s Law, an anti-puppy farming lobby group named after a puppy rescued from a breeding facility in Victoria. Days after the puppy was rescued, it was seized by authorities and returned to the farm. She also spoke at the rally calling for NSW to follow the lead of other states across the country and put an end to puppy farming.

“We’ll end puppy factories for Strawberry. For Sara. For all the thousands without a name and are just a number to their puppy farmer,” she said.

In Septmeber, two puppy farms in regional NSW were raided by the RSPCA over allegations of “extreme animal cruelty”. The farms in Inverell

The RSPCA says it can be difficult to tell if the dog you are looking at on the screen or in a pet shop has come from puppy farms because they produce all kinds of pups- purebred, crossbred and mixed-breed. Pups which have come from these facilities can also be sold anywhere including through internet listings, newspaper ads, markets, car boot sales and pet shops.

Ms. Aitchison said families buying dogs want to know that the dogs they are taking home with them have been treated well beforehand and with puppy farms being legal it’s not possible.

“We know that it’s not right for animals to be bred in these terrible environments where they’re not given the right care, protection and love that we give to these animals when we take them home,” “And it’s not right to expect that everyone will know what goes on behind the dogs that they are purchasing.”

In Mr. Marshall, said the Government would fund a new RSPCA taskforce to investigate and dismantle illegal dog breeding facilities.

“The new taskforce will consist of four new RSPCA inspectors [six in total] who will exclusively spend their time inspecting breeding facilities across the state, ensuring they meet the NSW Government’s robust animal welfare requirements,” he said.

Currently the RSPCA only has the power to remove dogs from puppy farms or shut them down if there is a proven act of animal cruelty.

HubNEWS

Multimillion dollar upgrades for National Art School

BY ALLISON HORE he National Art School in Darlinghurst is set for an $18-million dollar upgrade thanks to the NSW government’s funding pool to revitalise the state’s arts and cultural venues.

Since 1922 the National Art School has called the former Darlinghurst Gaol home. All 23 buildings on site will benefit from the upgrades. Remediation work will also be taken to repair the site’s 200-year-old sandstone walls.

“The sandstone walls on Forbes Street and Darlinghurst Street will be remediated, walkways will be improved, and the Cell Block Theatre will be upgraded to enable it to be used by more members of the public as an extraordinary performance venue,” said NSW Minister for Arts Don Harwin.

Before becoming a prestigious art school and incubator for one in five Archibald Prize winners, the building was the site of one of Australia’s most infamous prisons. Australian poet and writer, Henry Lawson, who served time for public drunkenness, even documented his experience in the prison in his poem “One Hundred and Three”.

Minister Harwin hopes the face lift will mean the history filled sandstone walls

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will be around for future generations of artists to learn within. He said the focus of the renovations will be on preserving the building’s “rich and layered” heritage whilst making it more accessible.

A GRIM PAST

Building work on the Darlinghurst gaol began in 1821 and the iconic sandstone walls were finished in 1824 through the use of convict labour. But due to a lack of funds, the site sat empty for 12 years before construction work began again.

 It’s a fantastic and uplifting way to end this difficult year The first prisoners occupied the gaol in 1841. Notable inmates included Henry James O’Farrell, an Irish Australian who was the first person to attempt a political assassanation in Australia and Sir George Richard Dibbs, three time NSW premier, was also held at the gaol for slander.

Throughout its history, over 70 prisoners were hung at the gaol. Regular public executions were held on makeshift gallows outside the gaol’s gates

The iconic gates to the old Darlinghurst Gaol building, now home to the National Art School. Photo: Wikimedia

on Forbes Street as well as private executions inside the gaol’s walls near the intersection of Darlinghurst Road and Burton Street. The last hanging at the gaol was in 1907.

But that wasn’t the end of the building’s grim history. After the gaol closed in 1914, the building was used as an internment camp during World War I. The site was then transferred to the New South Wales Department of Education in

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1921 who adapted the building to be used by the East Sydney Technical College.

Steven Alderton, National Art School CEO and Director said the announced renovations were “fantastic and uplifting way to end this difficult year”.

The works are part of the NSW Government’s $120 million budget for improving the “accessibility, sustainability and functionality” of art venues across the state.

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HubNEWS

Sydney’s water security at risk?

BY MERRILL WITT t the recent Independent Planning Commission’s hearings for the proposed expansion of the Dendrobium underground coal mine, Wollondilly Councillor Noel Lowry expressed disbelief that the Government was prioritising urban development over mining in coal-rich, semi-rural Wilton while at the same time allowing the expansion of coal mining under the Sydney Water Catchment.

“This is a discussion I just find intangible,” he said.

Councillor Lowry is not the only one to be bewildered by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE)’s recommendation to approve South32 Limited’s development application for the extraction of an additional 78 million tonnes of metallurgical coal from two new mining areas in the Special Areas of the Water Catchment.

million South32 has agreed to pay for surface water loss over the life of the mine is reasonable compensation.

Mr Preshaw also explained to the Commissioners that when the Dendrobium Mine’s original consent conditions were granted “it was expected that next to no water would be coming from the surface,” but it has in fact been “increasing over time, as they change their groundwater model predictions,” he said.

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WATER NSW OPPOSED TO EXPANSION

WaterNSW, the independent government agency tasked with maintaining and protecting Sydney’s 16,000 sq km Water Catchment, has been outspoken in its criticism of the Project.

WaterNSW’s Manager of Catchment Protection, Clay Preshaw, told the Commissioners that South32’s “project is predicted to double, or just over double, the amount of water losses that are already occurring from the existing mine.”

The scale of the water loss alone, he said, is “justification for why we consider the predicted losses from this project to be unacceptable and that we think that they could be avoided or minimised.”

The Special Areas are protected, pristine expanses of bushland near the main reservoirs. According to Duncan Rayner, the principal engineer at the UNSW Water Research Laboratory, these

CLIMATE IMPLICATIONS

The Commission now has the difficult task of deciding whether the socio-economic benefits of the Project outweigh its very significant environmental impacts.

Connective fracturing at Redbank Creek in the Sydney Water Catchment have caused damage and water loss. Photo: Ian Wright

swamps “act like a sponge and a filter, releasing pure drinking water” into the Catchment.

SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

The DPIE Assessment Report acknowledges that subsidence caused by the progressive collapse of the proposed 21 305-meter-wide, 1 to 2 kmlong underground longwalls will cause surface cracking in 25 swamps.

Despite DPIE’s candid assessment of the likely permanent damage to what could be described as an essential piece of WaterNSW’s infrastructure, it did not recommend modifications to the Dendrobium Mine’s original 2005 consent conditions.

The IEPMC’s Review of specific mining activities at the Metropolitan and Dendrobium coal mines compared the performance measures for the Metropolitan Mine in the Woronora Special Area with the Dendrobium Mine.

It found that the Metropolitan Mine’s more stringent 2011 conditions, which include lower extraction heights, greater underground mine depths and a much narrower average width for the longwalls, contributed to less connective fracturing and an average water loss of below 0.5 ML a day versus 5 ML a day for the Dendrobium Mine.

DPIE’s Executive Director of Energy, Industry, and Compliance, Mike Young, was somewhat dismissive of the Project’s predicted water losses.

 This is a discussion I just

find intangible

“My understanding is it’s a very small proportion of losses associated with other things like evaporation from dams, leakage from pipes associated with Sydney Water infrastructure and so forth,” he told the Commissioners.

The DPIE believes that the $103.1

The DPIE Report acknowledges that the Project will contribute to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions but argues that there is “no current alternative to the use of coking coal for the large scale, economic production of iron and steel.”

While this statement is technically true, Australia is not in danger of running out of coal from other sources anytime soon.

A 2018 report by Commodity Insights highlighted that the Bowen Basin is the world’s leading exporter of metallurgical coal and can easily meet expected rising demand in future years.

To further justify its decision not to oppose the project on climate change grounds, the DPIE Report states that “current policy frameworks do not promote restricting private development” to meet “the long-term aspirational objective of the NSW Government’s Climate Change Policy Framework.”

The Commission will likely decide early next year about whether the fundamentally different land uses of coal mining and Catchment protection can continue to be reconciled.

Hopefully, it will get this very important decision right!

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HubNEWS

CBD products to be sold over-the-counter

BY ALLISON HORE ollowing a decision passed down by the TGA, a prescription will no longer be required to access some low-dose medical cannabis products in Australia.

In December, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) announced a final decision to “downschedule” low-dose CBD products to a Schedule 3 substance. The decision will allow TGA approved low-dose CBD products to be supplied over-the-counter by a pharmacist, without a prescription.

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Simplifying access to

reasonable doses of CBD [...] seems like a wise option

CBD (or cannabidiol) is a nonintoxicating component of the hemp plant which is currently listed as a Schedule 4 “prescription-only medicine”.

For a cannabis product to be deemed legal in Australia, the CBD component of the oil must be more than 98 percent concentration.

Previously, CBD was only available with a prescription, and that prescription had

to be approved by the TGA through their Special Access Scheme.

When the interim decision was handed down earlier this year, it had set a maximum dosage of 60 milligrams per day. However, following further consideration of safety information, the public submissions on the interim decision and advice given during a committee meeting on the matter, the maximum dosage was increased to 150 milligrams per day.

Analysis by the University of Sydney’s Lambert Initiative show benefits of CBD products are usually seen at higher doses of between 300 and 1500 milligrams a day.

SIDE EFFECTS CONSIDERED

The decision followed a safety review of CBD products conducted by the TGA in April of 2020.

The safety review identified a number of possible side effects of CBD products but concluded that low-dose CBD products had “an acceptable safety and tolerability profile.” The most commonly reported side effects were tiredness, diarrhoea, changes in appetite and weight, sleep disturbances, infection and anaemia.

The TGA has announced a decision to make approved low-dose CBD products available over the counter.

Photo: Pexels/Harrison Haines & Pexels/Anna Shvets

Lead researcher at the Lambert Initiative, Professor Iain McGregor, said making CBD products easier to access in Australia is a smart decision for the TGA. “Simplifying access to reasonable doses of CBD for consumers seems like a wise option for regulators, given the inherent safety of the drug,” he said.

While the TGA’s decision is welcome news to those who rely on CBD products, there are currently no TGA approved CBD products which meet the criteria to be available over the counter.

To be sold as a Schedule 3 substance products will need to be listed on the

Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG). This hurdle will likely limit the range of products initially available and be reflected in higher pricing. On the flipside, this means that consumers can be certain the products they are buying in pharmacies are safe and quality.

Unapproved products will still have to be accessed through the Special Access Scheme or Authorised Prescriber scheme under prescription only.

It is estimated that more than 600,000 patients have been prescribed CBD since its legalisation.

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Diccon lines up his ducks always thinking up new plans. Inspiration comes from many quarters.

“In the past, our family always joined the Mother’s Day March around Mrs Macquarie’s Chair to raise money for breast cancer. We did it for five years,” he says.

This year he did it with his ducks. Each and every duck was decked out with pink bows, with the mother duck leading the procession wearing a fascinator.

ENDLESS IDEAS

Diccon Loxton’s duck tableaus included a zoo, a recreation of ANZAC cove and the Melbourne Cup. Photo: Sandra Symons

BY SANDRA SYMONS minent Sydney lawyer Diccon Loxton, who lives in the inner city, has 500 ducks. Well, he thinks he has 500 ducks, give or take. At home. All well behaved.

Mr Loxton, who has developed an interest in ducks during the Covid pandemic, has, due to health concerns, imposed a lockdown on himself. He is committed to staying at home, not seeing work colleagues or friends. He has even isolated himself from some family members.

So what to do in his isolation? He had a light bulb moment when he saw his grandchildren having a great time playing in the bath – with ducks.

Mr. Loxton decided he would join the play, but in his own fashion. He went online and ordered one big duck and 54 little yellow ducks. He put them on display, mother duck and her many ducklings, on the gravel driveway, near the front gate, so they were easily seen by passers by.

That was early April and people started noticing and talking about the ducks.

Mr. Loxton knows because he could hear them from his front veranda, hidden from the street by a high stone wall and shrubbery.

Then he ordered 180 ducks, in job lots of 18 per packet from a party supply

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company. Then he ordered 234 more, then a further 72. By this time, the kitchen was full of ducks and Mr. Loxton was embracing play time.

In May, he staged a wedding. It was a spectacular spectacle. The wedding itself, with bride and groom in full nuptial finery, was on May 2; the bridal waltz on May 5; reception on May 7; a going away event with ducky vehicle emblazoned with “Just Married” on May 8.

The next door neighbours contributed a couple of large imposing chickens to throw the confetti.

CREATIVITY IN COVID TIMES

He agrees with training consultant Andy Green, who writes about and gives training sessions on the important part creativity plays in our lives, who says, creativity is sometimes seen as a ‘niceto-do-when-you-have-the-time’ luxury.

But as Mr. Loxton acknowledges, there’s probably not been such an urgent need in living memory to maximise one’s creativity as required now to respond resourcefully to Covid19. Certainly as it applies to him, anyway.

While he no longer has to worry about the commute into the city every day, or office distractions, he still deals with a relentless flow of work emails and telephone calls. But, he says, the pandemic has allowed him space to play

and exercise his imagination in different ways.

In exercising his new ways of thinking and doing, Diccon Loxton says his hunt for ducks has refined his computer skills. The intricacies of his job as a senior finance counsel at a prestigious city law firm are as nothing compared to the sourcing of hundreds of little yellow ducks and, most importantly, all the props needed to set them up into narrative ranks.

At first, his family left him to his ducky devices. He spent many hours considering the most creative way to deploy his ducks and then his wife Liz joined the project by helping “dress” the ducks.

The pandemic has allowed him space to play and exercise his imagination Author Jean Marc Moncorger says being creative is child’s play – even if you must sometimes unlock certain, perhaps unfamiliar, parts of your brain to achieve, say, a May ducky wedding.

Diccon Loxton is not sure he has rewired his brain but he certainly acknowledges the value of play and storytelling, a world away from his legal life.

As he sits at his kitchen table, he is

The big challenge continues to be, what to do next. Diccon Loxton has marshalled his ducks for cricket games (to honour the Jane McGrath foundation), rugby, historical salutes to the pharaohs with pyramids and the Sphinx, the Beatles’ Australian tour and the throbbing crowd in Melbourne. He says his daughter deemed the crowd “too well behaved”.

From late June on, the ducks took to the water for water skiing and surf life saving events. Big crowds of spectator ducks turned up for those. There followed a medieval phase with King and Queen ducks, dressed by Liz Loxton, holding court.

By the time August rolled around, Diccon Loxton had decided his ducks would commemorate the exploits of the Australian and New Zealand forces (the ANZACS) in the Gallipoli campaign leading into World War I. And so he established “Anzquack Cove” and launched 30 boats each containing 12 ducky combatants on the little cove he created on the driveway. Liz Loxton suggested using catering boats from a party supplier as ideal vessels for the ducks.

The event may not have stopped a war but it stopped the foot traffic at the Loxtons’ front gate.

If the ducks had enough challenges to handle, Diccon Loxton had more. All tableaux had to be contained in an area that could comfortably fit under the family car as it came and went. There was the problem of the daily newspaper flying over the front gate or the family’s three big poodles swallowing the ducks.

After having created more than 20 scenarios, Diccon Loxton says he will keep going as he has at least three good ideas in mind.

“It gives me lots of fun and a great deal of satisfaction,” he says, adding that it is pleasing to know it is giving fun to the neighbourhood.

And as his colleagues attest, it fulfils his quirky turn of mind.

He is now turning his mind to a tableau based on the running of the bulls.

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HubNEWS

Goodbye greyhounds, hello metro

The NSW Government have released their final Pyrmont Peninsula Place Strategy. Photo: NSW Government

BY ALLISON HORE fter months of consultation with the public, the NSW government have released their final Pyrmont Peninsula Place strategy.

The construction of a new metro station at Pyrmont, the end of greyhound racing at Wentworth park and the green-light for a 6-star hotel tower at the Star are just some of the many changes the strategy proposes across the Pyrmont peninsula.

In early 2020, the NSW Government released their “10 Directions” for the Pyrmont place strategy. This was followed by the development of a draft strategy which was placed on public exhibition. This process culminated in the release of the final Place Strategy on the 11th of December, 2020.

Planning Minister Rob Stokes said feedback from the community on the draft plan has been taken into account, and the final strategy has been adapted so “Pyrmont remains a prosperous and unique part of Sydney.”

Over 400 submissions were put to the government through the submissions period between July and September of 2020. Key concerns brought forward by the community were conserving the peninsula’s heritage, protecting local amenity and improving transport links.

“Striking a balance in planning is never easy and the unique geography and history of Pyrmont’s settlement pattern provided a particular challenge,” he said.

“Our fundamental task was to encourage economic development while enlivening the peninsula, boosting jobs

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and providing for more quality public open spaces for everyone to enjoy.”

The final strategy highlights five “Big Moves” for the Pyrmont peninsula.

These moves include a focus on lowcarbon energy use, the development of a “world-class” harbour foreshore walk and better use of public land. Minister Stokes says the strategy paves the way for the foreshore between Blackwattle Bay and Woollomooloo Bay to be opened for the first time since the 1800s.

“The pandemic has shown us the importance of public space and this strategy provides hectares more open space, uninterrupted foreshore and plenty of community infrastructure to support new and existing development,” he said.

To open up more green space for public use, the strategy also pushes for Wentworth Park to be “returned to the people”. Currently home to a greyhound track, the Place Strategy would see Wentworth Park transformed into a mixed-use green space. A working group will be set up with government agencies and key stakeholders to identify a suitable alternative site for greyhound racing.

METRO WELCOMED, STAR QUESTIONED

Another “Big Move” put forward in the strategy is one to transform Pyrmont into a “vibrant” 24-hour cultural and entertainment destination.

To facilitate this, the NSW Government has highlighted improved transport connectivity as another focus area

and have given the green light to the construction of a Metro station at Pyrmont as part of the Metro West rail link. The $25 billion rail line will carry commuters from Sydney’s CBD to Parramatta in around twenty minutes.

Transport Minister Andrew Constance estimates the metro station in Pyrmont, likely to be located close to the Star Casino, would be the busiest along the line.

Katherine O’Regan, Executive Director of the Sydney Business Chamber, welcomed the announcement. She said a Metro station in the area was “always key” to developing the Pyrmont peninsula further.

Striking a balance in planning is never easy “A Metro station at Pyrmont was always key to the future development of Pyrmont and its revitalisation as a thriving new precinct that will drive employment and the city’s economy, never more critical as we emerge from Covid,” she said.

“This precinct can now realise its potential as a major growth area for the CBD and an exciting harbourside destination for Sydneysiders and tourists to shop, dine, work and be entertained.”

STAR TOWER DOWNSIZED

In a significant change from the draft strategy to the final document, The Star Casino would be allowed to build a tower of up to 110 meters tall, on the

northern end of the site the condition it is a 6-star hotel. The cap of 60 meters would remain for all other types of developments. On the southern end of the property towers of up to 140 meters would be allowed.

On release of the draft strategy Sydney’s Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, criticised the allowance of buildings of up to 180 meters on the site. She said it would have opened the doors for the Star Casino’s controversial tower which she called “a towering monument to gambling”.

Member for Sydney, Alex Greenwich, said the replacement of the greyhound track at Wentworth Park and the construction of a metro station in Pyrmont “is very welcome news”. But, he thought the development restrictions on the Star’s site did not go far enough.

“While the limitations and restrictions (including no-residential) placed on casino towers are welcomed, the tower is still inappropriate for the area,” he said.

According to the new strategy, any tower construction on the Star site would be subject to approval and would not be allowed to increase overshadowing of public space. No residential tower would be allowed to be built on the site.

Moving forward, the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment is working to prepare master-plans for seven “sub precincts” identified in the Pyrmont peninsula.

These are Pirrama, Darling Island, Blackwattle Bay, Tumbalong Park, Wentworth Park, Pyrmont Village and Ultimo.

COFFIN ED’S NAKED CITY

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COFFIN ED PREDICT (WITH APOLOGIES TO CRISWELL)

here was once a time when journalists, social commentators, futurologists, psychics and would be soothsayers would trot out a list of predictions for the coming year – some of them painfully predictable and others wildly improbable. Given some of the happenings of the past 12 months it’s little wonder few have been bold enough to do a Nostradamus in 2021.

If somebody had suggested at the beginning of 2020 that some 90 million people worldwide would be struck down by a highly contagious virus and that a crazed bunch of hillbilly hoons would invade the US Capitol Building, you would have shuddered in disbelief. Yet in the spirit of the Amazing Criswell, an American TV star and psychic, renowned for his often absurd predictions, the Naked City is more than happy to foresee the future.

So in the best Criswellian tradition here’s our punt of what might well happen in the rather scary year that lies ahead.

MEDIA

• Newspapers: Rupert Murdoch shuts down The Australian and moves the New York Post here to take its place. Miranda Devine is appointed editor and promises all headlines will be in at least 84pt.

• Free to Air TV: Channel 7 finally cans repeats of Border Security and replaces with repeats of Celebrity Splash. SBS announces a six hour slow TV version of Housos. Channel 10 slashes all B-grade content, leaving them only ten minutes of transmission each day.

starts work on a musical version of the notorious Elvis autopsy tape.

• Rolf Harris is mistakenly injected with the Corona Virus after visiting a Covid vaccination clinic.

POLITICS

• Pay TV: Sky News After Dark invites ‘QAnon Shaman’ Jake Angeli to join the panel provided he dispenses with his horns and furs – too much of a clash with Alan Jones’ pink suits.

•Social Media: Pornhub takes a lead from Facebook and bans Donald Trump.

POP CULTURE

• Vinyl: The vinyl revival loses its appeal, thousands of used turntables end up on eBay and eight-track cassette tapes roar back into popularity.

• Pop Music: There are multiple deaths in hotel quarantine from visiting has been US and English pop stars trying to make a last desperate buck in Australia.

• Baz Lurhmann cancels his current Elvis biopic and

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• Gladys Berejeklian orders 5000 fluffy toy koalas from China to restock Northern NSW forests.

• Scott Morrison has an epiphany at the football, quits as PM and joins the Hillsong Church as an extremely well paid pastor.

• Donald Trump trips and is impaled on a five iron in the rough whilst attempting to cheat (yet again) at golf.

• Donald Trump Jnr announces he is running for President in 2024, shortly after shooting the last white Rhino in the wild.

• Rudy Guiliani is disbarred from practicising law and ends up on late night TV flogging ‘miracle’ black hair dye.

• The Proud Boys amalgamate with the Proud Girls and Boris Johnson attempts to divert attention from the British COVID-19 disaster by declaring gonorrhoea the new battle ground.

• Tony Abbott accepts a position as Emeritus Professor of Eugenics at Oxford University.

And finally a prediction of truly Criswellian proportions: To borrow a line from Jarvis Cocker, in 2021 – “XXXX’s are still running the world”.

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FLICKERFEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 2021 In spite of COVID-19 Flickerfest is returning for its 30th anniversary

BY MARK MORELLINI

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OVID-19 may have cancelled or forced many film festivals to be screened online this year, but the Flickerfest International Short Film Festival returns for its milestone 30th anniversary on Bondi Beach in January 2021.

Over 2,700 entries were received from around the world of which 200 of the very finest will be screened across 10 days and nights. The 2021 festival program boasts 36 world premieres and 56 Australian premieres across the Academy Qualifying Competitions.

“The really important thing with film festivals like Flickerfest is that they are all about celebrating independent cinema,” explained Festival Director Bronwyn Kidd. “I mean we are inundated with Hollywood blockbusters and what Flickerfest allows us to present is an incredible diversity of voices, not just from Australian filmmakers but from filmmakers around the world.”

This year 64 Australian short films will screen across the Best of Australian Competition. Jasmin Tarasin is an Australian filmmaker and her first entry into Flickerfest, The Story Of Lee Ping, will be screening in the competition. She has been an accomplished filmmaker for 15 years working full time as a director making documentaries and commercials and was recently listed in the top five directors worldwide for her commercial work in Ad Forum.

The Story Of Lee Ping is set in 1918 and tells the story of a young Chinese refugee who is brought to Australia as an exotic dancer by a man who treats her as his own and puts her in circus-like shows. “She doesn’t have much contact with the outside world and then by a freak accident she meets Jack who is an Aboriginal soldier and they both see each other as being outlaws of that time. She finally feels that she wants to live a free life. It’s about freedom and finding your tribe, your family - that kind of thing.”

This short film was in production for six months and Tarasin is excited that it will have its world premiere at Flickerfest. “I think Flickerfest is a fantastic short film

James Robert Woods, Stephanie Jane Day Photo: Mark Dickson

festival and I’m really excited for my film to be part of that because whenever I have attended this festival it’s always had such a high caliber of films and it’s also such a great environment.”

When asked whether making a film can best be described as a labour of love owing to the difficulty in receiving financial backing, Tarasin quickly responded that “It’s beyond a labour of love – it’s insanity! I don’t know how feature films get made and as for short films, there are four funding rounds per year. We had private investment and self-funding for this short - it costs so much. It’s an impossible task but there’s always a way.”

Having one short film screen at Flickerfest is an honour but Sydneysider Peter Skinner incredibly achieved a rarity, having two shorts selected for screening. Skinner who attained his masters in film studies has been writing/directing on television shows, reality TV, films, narrative short films and is currently writing his first feature film. He had his first short film screened at Flickerfest in 2018.

“Lost Boy is probably the bigger film whereas Staring Contest is far more

intimate, but I would say they’re both relationship dramas and engineer the idea of identity and the identity you have within a relationship. Lost Boy looks more at the complex conversation around toxic masculinity and how that can be fostered in a relationship. Staring Contest is about the kind of relationships you have in your lives which don’t seem to work out.

“Flickerfest is great. They showcase a variety of work and to have not one, but both of my shorts screened is an honour and it shows the range I have as a filmmaker.” Skinner explained that he plans on being in attendance for each screening of his short films at the festival to gauge the audience’s reaction. “You want other people to see your work and when you see how they react sometimes it can be quite unexpected. You might see a laugh where you predict a laugh is going to happen, but it’s something about it that makes it feel real and it’s no longer your film but it’s everyone’s film.”

Skinner explained it’s important that his short films screen at Flickerfest not only because Sydney is his home

town, but also because of that sense of accomplishment filmmakers receive screening their films to family, friends, the people who were involved in the film’s production, and the public.

“As an artist, you want to get your work out there. I think Flickerfest is a good platform for so many different filmmakers but why do you make a film?

To watch on your laptop? No. You want to see it in a room full of people. Also, I found the most exposure I received compared to other festivals was actually from Flickerfest, where most were reaching out about my work overseas, especially from America for some reason.”

James Robert Woods and Stephanie Jane Day are husband and wife filmmakers who live in Sydney. What may very well be a first at Flickerfest they will both have their short films in competition to be crowned the Academy Qualifying Best Australian short at Flickerfest.

Woods directed A Problematic Gesture Toward Auteur Theory in which his wife served as producer. “It’s basically about the struggles of realising a strong artistic vision in the modern film landscape.

I wanted to make a bold statement about the importance of an essential authoritarian voice in a film project.”

Day’s short film entitled An Athlete Wrestling A Python deals with a filmmaker attempting to make a masterpiece which ultimately proves an unfulfilling experience.

Both filmmakers are honoured that their films will be in competition at Flickerfest, but is the pressure on for husband and wife competing against each other?

“While our films circle around similar themes it never feels like competition because we make very different work and we help each other,” Woods explained.

“Not at all,” Day quickly responded. “We both love each other and want to see each other succeed. I believe in what James is trying to do, he’s so unique and so intelligent and if I can help bring his work to life that’s amazing to me and I know he feels the same about me, so it’s not a competition.”

Jan 22-31. Bondi Beach. $22 -$75 + b.f. Tickets & Info: www.flickerfest.com.au 20

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HubARTS

CASEY DONOVAN:

“I won’t lie or sugar coat it 2020 has been up down and all around, as it was for most people.”

(See p.22)

QUEEN FATIMA REVIEW

THE MERRY WIDOW

Kristelle Zibara & Sheridan Harbridge. Photo: Noni Carroll Photography

raeme Murphy’s production of The Merry Widow is a triumph in every respect.

Supported by a fabulous cast, and with Murphy’s direction and choreography, this operetta is a delight to listen to and to watch.

Murphy sets the operetta 20 years later than the original (1905), in the art deco Paris of the 1920s, giving Jennifer Irwin ample opportunity to splash out with her costume designs, and Michael Scott-Mitchell the opportunity to go to town with his sets.

Julie Lea Goodwin and Alexander Lewis face off again after their starring roles in West Side Story, and they are a perfect match.

As Hanna Glavari, the widow in question, Goodwin dances and sings her way through

KENNY

the operetta’s plotline: the citizens of Pontevedro, a bankrupt Balkan state, conspire to retain the widow’s wealth in their country by getting her to marry a local man, in this case Count Danilovich, with whom she has history.

On the couple’s way to a happy ending are several dazzling dances, including the waiters’ frolics and the Slavonic-inspired folk dances reminiscent of the Russian.

The ensemble work is excellent, and it is really difficult to fault with this production that kept me smiling all the way through. (ID) Until Jan 16. Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $40-$369+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.sydneyoperahouse.com

Rodgers made for the stage and why.

“The way into the adaptation,” irector Mark he says, “was to do a TED talk so Kilmurry says that Kenny could talk directly to the he was “thrilled” when audience about his life.”

Clayton Jacobson gave Did the small Ensemble stage his permission for Kenny pose any difficulties for directing to be adapted for the Kenny? stage, and “delighted” “The idea of the TED talk frees that Steve Rodgers the space up and we’ve would be doing the converted the whole thing to adapting. make it look like corporate Kenny, Kilmurry says, environment.”

Photo: Christian Trinder “is the fearless Aussie Why has Kenny proven to be plumber who looks for the best in every such a success with Australian audiences? situation.”

“Kenny’s willing to help, he’s enthusiastic Remembering the film from years and optimistic, he sees the best in ago, Steve Rodgers says “Kenny is people and maintains a curiosity about an antidote to that win at all costs life, including finding a new toilet, and mentality, claiming decency and dignity that keeps him buoyant and alive.” (ID) as true measures of what it means to Jan 15-Feb 7. Ensemble Theatre, 78 live a good life.”

McDougall St, Kirribilli. $38-$79+b.f.

I asked Kilmurry what changes Steve Tickets & Info: www.ensemble.com.au

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aughter is contagious in this hilarious laugh out loud stage play which will leave audiences with glowing smiles on their faces as they exit the theatre!

Fatima is a boisterous overweight 31-year-old Lebanese woman, living at home with her parents, unmarried but deeply in love with her boyfriend Karim. Her parents are bakers – his parents are lawyers. But why hasn’t Karim introduced her to his parents? Is he embarrassed? Or perhaps is it that his parents may not accept her as the ideal future wife for their son?

Fatima rebels and signs up for the Queen Lebanon Australia pageant as a means of retaliation. She’ll show him and his family. But will she win and get even?

This is enjoyable live theatre at its best. Playwright James Elazzi has included themes of acceptance, class status, family expectations, and choices in his play that will also leave audiences questioning

the importance and relevance of body image. What truly is attractive?

Nothing is sacred as Lebanese culture is put under the microscope, all the stereotyped aspects carefully selected and woven into five diverse characters that will leave Lebanese Australians tastefully laughing at the relatable humour.

An ensemble cast of five experienced performers is led by newcomer Kristelle Zibara in her first professional show, whose vastly entertaining portrayal as Queen Fatima is the main reason for the show’s success.

This is an outstanding show and the perfect night out for anybody who feels like they need to get out and have a good long laugh!

(MMo) Until Jan 16. Riverside Theatres, Corner Market & Church St, Parramatta. $39-$59+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.riversideparramatta.com.au

Photo: Noni Carroll Photography

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HubARTS

CASEY DONOVAN

BY JAMIE APPS ost people would know Casey Donovan from her time on Australian Idol in 2004, after the then 16 year old would blow the competition away with her powerful voice and charming personality.

Since then Casey has gone on to expand her career by using her talents outside of the world of strictly music by venturing into the acting world via musical theatre productions.

Most recently Casey was on the other side of the country performing in Perth as part of the We Will Rock You cast prior to Christmas. It was at this time that City Hub spoke with Casey about her experiences during an incredibly challenging year for the arts in 2020.

“I won’t lie or sugar coat it 2020 has been up down and all around, as it was for most people,” Casey explained. “There was a

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whole lot of anxiety not working for six or seven months.”

Not one to dwell on the negatives Casey was quick to remind us of the positives that came from such a difficult year, “It’s been interesting finding the strength within myself to deal with what was happening.”

Being forced to step away from the stage for a period also meant that the excitement levels were at an all time high when Casey stepped back in-front of an audience in Western Australia, “By not having that constant adrenaline rush to feed off of it was certainly exciting and daunting all at the same time to jump back on stage.”

Given the current social distancing requirements we had to ask how Casey found the process of adjusting to the new COVID-normal atmosphere.

“Performing to an audience where there are a few seats in between groups is really interesting. It doesn’t lack emotion, sound or feeling it’s just that you see a few open seats here or there.”

As we all now adapt to the new normal Casey said the arts have never been more important.

“Anything to do with the arts is always very important. Arts are what bring people together, especially through music. A concert is a time where people can come together, zone out and be transported into another world... An event like the Sydney Festival is very important, and even more important than ever in times like these.”

Looking ahead in 2021 Casey said, “I’m getting back into writing and hopefully, fingers crossed, we’ll get an album out there. It’s all about restructuring and regrouping from the year that has been...

Let’s keep the music alive.”

TAYLOR SWIFT - EVERMORE

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n her second surprise album of the year, Taylor Swift continues to show off her folksy side while blessing fans with even more cottagecore.

As the sequel to Folklore, Evermore demonstrates how far Swift has come since her career began by showcasing her maturity as a storyteller.

Far past her days as a bright-eyed starlet, Swift dedicates this album to exploring deeper themes of betrayal, love and loss.

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Like its sister album, Evermore features mostly fictional tales sprinkled with some non-fictional details from Swift’s own life.

Specifically, Champagne Problems tells the hauntingly beautiful story of a made-up proposal gone wrong, whereas Coney Island includes numerous references to Swift’s past high-profile relationships.

From upbeat singles like Willow to heart-wrenching tracks like Happiness, Evermore offers a full collection of lyrical genius and musical mastery — there are simply no skips. (EE) WWWWW

TEDDY TAHU RHODES AND GUY NOBLE

Photo: Keith Saunders

BY RIDA BABAR inging in the New Year, acclaimed baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes joins pianist and conductor Guy Noble for two exciting shows at the City Recital Hall.

The pair will be performing an selection of popular arias and songs, complete with a delicate, classical flair and a touch of the two’s iconic comedy.

Guy Noble, being one of the nation’s top orchestral conductors, has worked with many of the major symphonies in Australia as well as international performers including Randy Newman, Olivia Newton John, Paloma Faith, and The Beach Boys.

He commented on the upcoming shows, saying “Teddy and I are so excited to bring this new show to City Recital Hall.

“We are old mates and decided to create something together, with Teddy’s big voice and personality and me at the piano. There’ll be something for everyone, opera, musical theatre, lieder, some folk songs, and even some comedy.

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“We want to bring people together in a safe way and usher in the new year with positivity and a sense of musical community. We both love City Recital Hall and the team who work there. It feels like home.”

Teddy Tahu Rhodes has been dazzling audiences for years, having performed in operas and concerts worldwide, in major cities including New York, Paris, and Vienna. Critics from The Australian have described his voice as “astonishingly powerful, yet subtle.”

Audiences of their City Recital Hall shows can expect a magical evening of music from the Barber Of Seville, to Clancy Of The Overflow, South Pacific, and more.

“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Teddy and Guy back on our stage. This beloved duo’s charming music always resonates with our audiences and the Hall,” said City Recital Hall CEO, Justin Boschetti.

Jan 23, City Recital Hall, 2 Angel Pl, Sydney. $49+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.cityrecitalhall.com

DEFTONES - WHITE PONY/BLACK STALLION

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ack in the year 2000 I was in the early stages of delving into the heavier side of music with bands such as Alexisonfire and Deftones being my entry points.

It comes as no surprise then that the Deftones album White Pony holds a special place in my heart.

With this in mind I was immediately intrigued at the end of 2020 when I received a copy of Deftones new album White Pony/Black Stallion. Investigating further I came to learn that this latest offering is a celebration record which remixes the iconic songs from the iconic White Pony.

Throughout White Pony/Black Stallion a raft of producers and DJ’s jump onboard to serve up their remixed version of the

tracks. The album is filled electro, minimal, industrial style remixes of the 20 year old nu-metal tracks which over time have became classics within the genre. Thankfully these remixes don’t detract from the original songs but rather breathe new life into much loved songs.

Black Stallion while a vast departure from the sound many expect when turning on a Deftones record is one which fans, both old and new, will no doubt enjoy. Even if the closing track leaves a sour taste in your mouth. (JA)

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SUMMER NIGHTS AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM

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Visitors can simply walk into the AM for Summer Nights At The Museum, tickets aren’t required for this special after-hours experience. The AM’s major exhibition Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family will also be open late on Thursday nights in January, February and March and entry fees apply.

“There is something magical about the Museum at night, and we’re thrilled to be able to extend our hours on Thursday evenings to provide a fun and vibrant space for people to connect and come together - which is now more important than ever. Visitors can pop in after work or after dinner on summer evenings and enjoy a ‘Night at the Museum,’ wandering through our exhibitions, encountering special talks, enjoying live music and even late-night shopping in our new AM store,” Australian Museum’s Director and CEO, Kim McKay AO said.

lthough we’re all concerned with the current COVID-19 outbreak sweeping the city we are still able to get out and enjoy the longer and warming evenings. And luckily for us the revamp Australian Museum (AM) has some fantastic COVID-safe events to enjoy during he summer months.

Every Thursday night the museum have a number of free events available to enjoy. Ranging from food and drinks to live music and dinosaurs there is something for everyone.

Part of the NSW Government’s Culture Up Late initiative where Sydney’s cultural institutions will be open for extended hours during the summer, the AM will be open from 5pm - 9pm on Thursday Nights in January, February, and March 2021. Summer Nights at the AM will give visitors the opportunity wander through the AM’s new spaces and exhibitions and enjoy food and drink while being entertained by local DJs.

THE FUTURE IS HUMANITY T

his past year has taught us more than ever that we as human beings are a unique species with a unique spiritual and emotional connection to everything around us. At the end of this month Sullivan+Strumpf gallery is bringing together a group of artists to showcase just this through their works.

In the new COVID/post-COVID world, digital innovation and transformation are increasingly vital. Yet though we use machines, we are not

that will be shown across the coming 12 months.

In 2021 the show speaks to a theme close to all of our hearts, as, these artists look forward to what our new COVID/post-COVID world will evolve or disrupt into and how; and share their hopes for a more aware human society.

Jan 28-Feb 6.

Sullivan+Strumpf Sydney, 799 Elizabeth St, Zealand.

For more info head to www.sullivanstrumpf.com

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AMMONITE A

ptly described as an art-house film, Ammonite may shock discerning audiences owing to the extremely graphic sexual content which literally borders on soft porn.

The story centers on Mary (Kate Winslet), a reputable palaeontologist who sells sea creature relics to tourists in a seaside town. She takes Charlotte (Saoirse Ronan) under her wings, a sickly young married woman who has recently experienced a tragedy.

A friendship develops which ultimately leads to a forbidden sexual relationship.

This film is set in mid-19th Century England, during an era unofficially known as the ‘age of innocence’ when elegance, manners, and virtue ruled middle to high-class society. However, the innocence of that age dissipates in this film, as full-frontal nudity,

ourselves of machines. Art, making, emotional and spiritual engagement save us from this end and enables us to connect like nothing else can.

The 2021 season launching group show will feature an impressive stable of over 40+ Australian an international artists.

A regular feature on the gallery’s calendar, this exciting showcase provides a unique preview of the year ahead, with pieces from each of the artists

and gratuitous, ultra-steamy lesbian sex scenes ‘grace’ the screen.

Not for prudish audiences, but the question needs to be asked – must the sex scenes be so graphic? Would it not be more romantic with these scenes toned down?

Written and directed by Francis Lee, this is a stylish, seductive, high-quality production which may be laborious viewing for mainstream moviegoers owing to the slowmoving style of storytelling. (MMo) WWW

elocating to New York all alone to pursue the ultimate dream of being a successful writer can be a daunting experience as Joanna (Margaret Qualley) discovered exclaiming, “I don’t want to be ordinary – I want to be extraordinary!”

She accepts a job at a literary agency run by Margaret (Sigourney Weaver) which represented J. D Salinger, an accomplished writer whose 1951 novel The Catcher In The Rye was deemed a masterpiece.

Instructed to read then destroy any fan mail directed to Salinger, she begins to secretly respond to many of these letters.

Touched by the fan mail and compounded by advice from notoriously reclusive Salinger himself to write daily, her road to success as a writer is pathed.

This is a small film based on true events

for discerning audiences that gives an insight into the behind the scenes running of literary agencies. It’s slowpaced with memorable performances but is suspiciously reminiscent of The Devil Wears Prada.

It’s not a blockbuster nor a holiday treat, but good viewing for the more mature audiences who expect quality viewing.

(MMo) WWW1/2 CITY HUB JANUARY 2021

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