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city hub 14 may 2015

Dangerous boarding houses still operating in Sydney

By Callum Cyrus A City Hub follow up investigation has identified several rogue boarding house operations just five months before state reforms are set to be introduced to tackle covert housing operations. Six months ago, the City Hub and other outlets uncovered similar operattions.

City Hub spoke to agencies letting six different properties, each cramming between six and ten tenants into apartments with only one or two bedrooms.

Two of the apartments had tenants sleeping in the living room, their privacy protected solely by a curtain or wooden screen.

Although one nine-bed residence provided 3D television by way of entertainment, most featured no living room or dedicated communal area.

Tenants were left with just a bed and a small kitchen for living space.

A City of Sydney spokesperson told City Hub that this is a problem for all councils, particularly in areas where there are a large amount of students or backpackers.

“The City receives numerous inquiries each week relating to non-approved residential uses and is currently undertaking 74 investigations,” the spokesperson said.

The City declined to comment on any ongoing investigations individually.

At a viewing in Harris Street, Ultimo, the apartment’s ten residents labelled their tiny portions of allocated storage to give the living arrangement some degree of order.

Six bunks were placed against the narrow living room wall, with all tenants sharing the flat’s single bathroom.

“Oh we’ve got all the racks labelled bro, so your space will be this one,” one resident told a City Hub undercover reporter posing as a prospective tenant.

The building on Harris Street where one of the covert operations is run. Photo: Callum Cyrus.

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 the Alternative Media Group of Australia. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy of content, City Hub takes no responsibility for inadvertent errors or omissions.

ABN 48 135 222 169 Group Publisher: Lawrence Gibbons Group Manager: Chris Peken Group Editors: Joe Bourke & Emily Contador-Kelsall Contributors: Wendy Bacon, Stephanie Hua, Jessica Yun, Callum Cyrus , Georgia Fullerton & Lauren O’Connor Arts Editors: Jamie Apps, Alannah Maher Dining Editor: Jackie McMillan Advertising Managers: Robert Tuitama, Mark Barnes Cover Photo: Chris Peken – Bree Langridge and Phil Scott Email: question@alternativemediagroup.com Advertising: sales@alternativemediagroup.com Contact: PO Box 843 Broadway 2007 Ph: 9212 5677 Fax: 9212 5633 Web: altmedia.net.au

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The property agent, a student at nearby UTS added, “Don’t worry about the bathroom, normally people come back at different times so it’s not busy.”

“The good thing about my agency is we allow people to do their business. One bedroom should only be two people, two bedrooms four people only. So that’s why we do it like this, it is illegal but everyone is doing the same. In my experience, they [the authorities] never come.”

Apartments seen in the investigation were listed online for rents varying between $115 and $140 a week and were concentrated throughout the Ultimo, Chippendale and Haymarket districts.

The findings underline the acute accommodation crisis which continues to grip most of Sydney’s CBD. According to realestate.com.au, median unit prices for a one bedroom unit in Ultimo, Pyrmont and Haymarket are $510, $535 and $580 per week respectively.

“Some years ago you used to see all those telephone numbers on lamp posts. These have more or less disappeared because now you can put them on websites, and it is a much more effective way to promote these things,” Robert Henke, Backpacker Operators Association board member, told City Hub. “The problem has definitely not just appeared. It is off and on, particularly with all the apartments that are being built, and it is very much to do with the rental market.”

“These properties are taking away from the housing market. They are being used to accommodate a lot of people at the same time so that landlords can get more money.”

Amendments to the Environment Planning and Assessment Act due to come into force later this year will boost the powers available to local councils and the Land and Environment Court.

New provisions will see the court’s mandate to

cut brothels from the electricity and water supply extended to cover rogue boarding houses.

Furthermore, local councils will be able to enter a non-residential building without notice and use reasonable force to enter premises without written authority.

It is unclear whether the reforms will strengthen the inspectors’ hand in practice.

Currently landlords and tenants have the right to refuse entry unless a suitable term of notice and in some cases a search warrant are produced.

A spokesman at the NSW Planning Department said, “These reforms came out of consultation with councils and the community who asked that increased powers be provided to ensure boarding houses comply with the relevant standards and rules.”

But Mr Henke argued that it is vital councils are given the ability to properly investigate around circumstantial pieces of evidence.

“I think what is very important is that it will be made easier for councils to get evidence, particularly circumstantial evidence like listings on websites and advertisements. If that was enough for councils to investigate it would be a lot easier because basically, they can’t just walk into places whenever they like,” he said.

The issue was thrown into sharp focus last year when fires broke out at two backpacker hostels in Sydney. While nobody was killed in the blazes, investigations by ABC News and City Hub uncovered whole networks of illegal boarding houses evading health and safety precautions.Mr Henke said that backpackers should seek out legitimate residences rather than run the risk of disaster, “These places are built to house 4-5 people, and if you put 20 people in there they just aren’t built for that. The fire protection isn’t in place, they don’t have all the warning systems.” he said.

Guns in courts won’t make anyone safer: Shoebridge

By Emily Contador-Kelsall Greens MP David Shoebridge has urged that the “centuries of tradition of removing weapons from courts” remain in place as the Police Association of NSW (PANSW) intensify calls for police witnesses to be armed in courts.

The PANSW slammed the Chief Magistrate and Sheriff’s Office last week for continuing to disallow armed police in courts.

They brought forward several incidents over the past two weeks, which they said raised concerns over police safety. One of these incidents included a prosecutor being knocked out at the Downing Centre in Sydney’s CBD. Seven police were required to restrain the offender and court sheriffs took five minutes to arrive on the scene.

But Mr Shoebridge said if firearms and armed police had been added to any of the incidents PANSW listed, they would have been “far more likely to end in more violent and tragic circumstances”.

“It is very difficult to see circumstances where having a firearm in a packed court would make anyone safer, whether it’s the police, the public, the judges or the litigants,” he told City Hub. “The Police Association is entitled to their opinion but we cannot have them seeking to bully the Chief Magistrate in NSW with threats of withdrawing witnesses unless police can be armed in their courts.”

The PANSW criticised Mr Shoebridge’s comments for being “hypocritical” and the association’s president Scott Weber said Mr

Police in Sydney. Source: twitter.com

Shoebridge showed “sheer contempt for police and their safety”.

“It just seems ludicrous that in courts the judiciary are not only not protecting themselves but they’re not protecting their staff and people that use the court system… it shows that Mr Shoebridge but also the judiciary are out of touch with the community sentiment and reality,” Mr Weber told City Hub.

“Reality is there’s imminent terrorist threats available and there’s also a lot of violent people out there who are willing to hurt the community and police officers.”

Mr Weber cited last year’s Martin Place siege and the “ongoing terrorist threat” as a further argument for police officers to have access to “all the arms and appointments to utilise all their tactics”.

Despite Mr Weber’s comments, Mr Shoebridge said police need to “understand their role in court is to be there as honest and truthful witnesses” and not as additional security, which is provided by the “well resourced” sheriff’s office.

Across New Zealand and the United Kingdom, general duties police do not have access to firearms, but according to Mr Shoebridge “keep their communities safe, keep their streets safe and keep themselves safe,” highlighting that “NSW Police can safely participate as witnesses within our secure court facilities without also carrying a weapon.”

Although there is a state-wide ban on police being armed in courts, some magistrates make exceptions and can allow police to carry firearms.

A spokesperson for the NSW Police Force said officer safety remains an “extremely high priority” and they are confident the matter will be successfully resolved.

“The one thing that police don’t want is to say ‘look we could have actually stopped this incident if we had our arms in appointment’ and we’re getting so close to that point,” Mr Weber said. city hub 14 may 2015

3

Government property sale brings forward planning problems

The Miller Street property. Source: commercialrealestate.com.au

transparency from the government when it comes to their plans solving Sydney’s transport needs,” she said.

“You can’t expect families to willingly give up their homes without knowing what the plans or intentions are. It makes people question, does the government actually know what their plans are?”

The Pyrmont site’s zoning permits for a mixed-use development incorporating residential accommodation with business or other nonresidential uses at street level. Exactly what type of development will be undertaken on the site is uncertain, but CEO of Government Property NSW Brett Newman said in a statement that it was “expected to attract significant interest for mixed use redevelopment” which would provide more inner-city housing.

Convenor of the Pyrmont Action Group Elizabeth Elenius said there was a strong desire for the site to be used as a childcare centre. Ms Elenius added that the site would be “very suitable” for affordable or social housing and a good space for a sporting centre that Pyrmont currently lacks. Tender for the site remains open until early June, but its impending sale signals the movement of the property into private hands despite having never been utilised by the government. “[The premature purchase of property] is happening in St Peters, well before plans are finalised for the extension of WestConnex – and given the timeframe for this extension it is possible that this won’t proceed, or will happen many years hence,” Ms Elenius said.

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By Joe Bourke and Emily Contador-Kelsall The transparency of the state government’s planning policy has come into question following the announcement that a property acquired for the failed metro line will be sold.

108 Miller Street Pyrmont, previously owned by photo and imaging company C.R. Kennedy, was bought by the former Labor government for the Metro rail line. The plans were shelved in early 2010.

The Pyrmont property was one of seven sites the government acquired for a total of $102.6 million. In the 2010 annual report of the Metro, it was stated that all seven properties would remain in government ownership to “support corridor protection for future transport requirements in the long term”.

But the site’s sale has instead been marketed by the Office of Finance and Services as an opportunity to create much needed inner-city housing for Pyrmont, one of the most densely populated suburbs in New South Wales.

Stuart Cox is Divisional Director for Residential Site Sales at Savills Australia, the company managing the sales process on behalf of the state government. He told City Hub the site went to market last week and has already garnered very strong interest from local, interstate and offshore development groups.

The way in which the property was acquired is similar to the process for acquisition of properties for the contentious WestConnex project. Greens spokesperson for WestConnex and MP for Newtown Jenny Leong criticised the government for acquiring properties, before releasing the project’s key documents.

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5

Baird’s plan to decide future of ICAC

Give your business the recognition it deserves.

The City of Sydney is a proud sponsor of the NSW Business Chamber Business Awards 2015.

Together with our local chambers of commerce, we encourage businesses within the City’s local government area to participate across all categories in the newly formed Sydney City region of the program.

We’re here to help your business, or a business you love, be part of this unique experience.

Find out more cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/business/business-support 02 9265 9333 citybusiness@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

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6

city hub 14 may 2015

NSW parliament. Source: twitter.com

By Joe Bourke The Coalition government last week passed a bill to review the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) and determine its jurisdiction following a high court ruling that the commission would not be allowed to investigate Crown prosecutor Margaret Cunneen.

Premier Mike Baird also announced that the government would legislate to ensure previous corruption findings would stick.

The bill had bipartisan support and the review will be carried out by an expert panel chaired

by Murray Gleeson and Bruce McClintock, who conducted a review of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act in 2005.

The panel will report on ICAC’s jurisdiction, its appropriate powers, and consider whether any limits or extra powers should be applied to the Commission. The report is due on July 10.

Greens MP Jamie Parker told City Hub that although the Greens didn’t oppose the legislation, they were “disappointed that the government didn’t respond to ICAC’s call”. Mr Parker criticised the plan for a panel “with very wide ranging terms of reference”.

“We think there are very real concerns about this panel decision that the Premier has made,” he said.

“In the end, the Premier is holding ICAC in his hands. He and the government will decide what happens after the panel’s recommendations.”

ICAC’s past findings and future powers were brought into disrepute after the Cunneen case, prompting the commission to ask the government to appropriately extend their jurisdiction.

In a statement, ICAC said the case meant that they would be “unable to investigate or report on several current operations” and that two specific operations would be reverely restricted.

“In the Commission’s view, the narrow construction adopted by the majority in the High Court is contrary to the legislative intention evidenced by the second reading speech when the ICAC Act was first introduced, the analysis of the section in the report of the McClintock review of the ICAC Act and the ordinary meaning of the

words used in the section,” it read.

Although the addition of the expert panel to the review has come under scrutiny, the government’s response to the Cunneen case has been well received The decision to legislate to ensure that all previous findings of corruption will stand was applauded by all parties, and Mr Parker said this was a critical part of the bill.

When introducing the bill, Mike Baird said the government would “not tolerate corruption in the State, end of story”.

“A strong ICAC plays a vital role in investigating, exposing and preventing corruption involving or affecting public administration,” he said.

Opposition leader Luke Foley said the Labor party was on a “unity ticket” on the legislation.

Mr Foley welcomed the idea of having an expert panel recommend the best option for ICAC’s future, saying it would ensure ICAC acted within an appropriate jurisdiction while stilll ensuring “that those characters found to have engaged in corrupt conduct cannot wriggle their way out of it”.

“There has been much commentary in the three or so weeks since 15 April about what people understand or have understood to be the extent of ICAC’s powers concerning corrupt conduct, and a range of views have been put out,” he said.

“This is a contested debate; it is not simply the rogues who have put a view that at times ICAC may have gone too far.”

Whether or not the bill will limit or enhance the powers of the anti-corruption commission will be known on July 10, but some are concerned over possible restrictions.

Before the bill was announced, Greens councillor Max Phillips tweeted “If you wanted to reduce ICAC’s powers, first you’d conduct a legal review to provide the cover”.

Mr Parker affirmed the Greens position in parliament, saying that the government must “maintain not only its jurisdiction but its powers”.

ICAC has not yet responded to the bill.

Dine out harbourside to help children at risk of abuse and neglect

Pyrmont Festival kicks off Pyrmont festival is set to kick off again this weekend in style.

Five years after first hitting the Pyrmont Precinct, the festival returns with a giant 10 day program to showcase the best of the Mudgee Region and Pyrmont.

Guests have the chance to experience both the country charm of the Mudgee Region, coupled with the best of the city, including a plethora of wine dinners and tastings, and art displays. It is a unique opportunity for Pyrmont, just two kilometres from the CBD, to demonstrate its position as

one of Sydney’s fastest growing tourist, creative, cultural and dining precincts.

The highlight of the festival will be a two-day outdoor event in the City’s award winning Pirrama Park, held this weekend, marking the beginning of the festival. Mudgee winemakers will be on site offering over 120 of the area’s premier wines for tasting from along with a number of gourmet food producers from the region.

This event is designed for the whole family, with live music, local artists, rides and children’s’ entertainment. Approximately

100 stalls will be set up where guests can meet wine-makers, participate in tastings and sample a broad range of fine foods.

Some of the best producers from the Mudgee Region will be on show at the event including Burrundulla Wines, Robert Stein Vineyard, Lowe Wines, and Huntington Estate.

Pyrmont eateries, including Blue Eye Dragon, Café Morso, Flying Fish and the new LuMi bar & dining will showcase the best of their dining experiences with Mudgee wines to match at lunches, dinners and tastings across the 10 days.

Throughout 2013/14, Barnardos Australia directly helped 7,544 children and young people across NSW and the ACT who were at risk of abuse and neglect. To help Barnardos continue its important work, Harbourside Shopping Centre is holding a Progressive Dinner Safari to raise funds that will go to supporting children who are victimised by abuse and neglect.

The Progressive Dinner Safari starts with pre-dinner drinks at Cohibar before moving on to the two-hatted Zaaffran, where Chef Vikrant Kapoor serves up Indian delights that are beautifully presented. The evening then progresses on to Criniti’s for popular pasta dishes and wood-fired pizzas paired with Mudgee wines, and finishes with dessert at Cyren.

Joining the Progressive Dinner Safari is Christina Batista and Renae Smith from MasterChef Australia.

“My two passions in life are cooking and helping children.

The Barnardos/Harbourside Shopping Centre progressive dinner is not only a chance for you to experience some of Sydney’s finest food by visiting such incredible restaurants, but also a chance to support children who need it most, said Renae Smith. “By dining out and enjoying yourself, you are also supporting Barnardos so that they can continue to do the incredible work they do for children across Australia/ Sydney. I urge everyone to get involved!”

Barnardos Australia is a child protection organisation that builds relationships between children, young people, their families and the community.

“The funds raised from this event will allow us to continue our vital programs to stop child abuse and neglect by supporting families in crisis and finding

safe homes for children through our foster care and adoption programs,” said Barnardos’ Director of Marketing and Fundraising, Manish Amin.

The Progressive Dinner Safari is in conjunction with Pyrmont Food Festival and will take place on 21 May with two seatings, the first to start at 6.30pm and the second sitting to start at 7.30pm. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased online at The Sydney Connection (www. thesydneyconnection.com. au). For more information, call Maree Sheehan on 0435 050 367.

Lawrence Gibbons, President of the Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce said, “We are happy that Pyrmont Food Festival, Harbourside Shopping Centre and its retailers are involved in helping to raise much needed funds for organisations like Banardos to continue its good work.”

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city hub 14 may 2015

7

Residents remain in the dark over WestConnex plans

By Wendy Bacon Groups campaigning against the WestConnex motorway have criticised the WestConnex Delivery Authority (WDA) community feedback sessions for being a “useless sham”and little more than a “tick and flick” bureaucratic exercise.

Last week, WDA announced that Cintra Hockey Park near Parramatta Road in Concord would be the mid tunnelling point for the extension of the M4 East extension from Homebush to Haberfield. This came as a shock to residents who have been kept in the dark about negotiations between WDA, Cintra Hockey Park and Canada Bay Council.

After negotiating with both Canada Bay Council and the Briars Hockey Club for months, WDA presented the decision as a foregone conclusion despite no Environmental Impact Statement having been published for that section of the motorway project. There had also been no opportunity for other councils, community members and experts to present their views.

Concord resident and Co-Convenor of the WestConnex Community Action Group Amanda Bull attended a WDA feedback session on Friday. Following the session, she described the process as “negligent” and a “useless sham”. Ms Bull said that when she and other residents asked for details about the operation of the construction sites and the current planned route of the M4 extension, they always received one of two standard answers: either wait for the EIS or wait for the successful tenderer for the project to be announced. Ms Bull described this as a “tick and flick” bureaucratic process that had no real meaning for residents.

Some residents who attended the session, held far from the park at Burwood RSL, had to present photo identification to security to get into the club. Others asked why the feedback session had not been held during a weekend on the park itself. They received no answers.

Ms Bull said although the possibility of Concord park land being involved in the project has been mentioned,

Residents from WestConnex Action Group protesting against lack of answers at Burwood RSL. Photo: Wendy Bacon.

nothing had been heard from WDA after a large Concord community rally opposing the project had been held more than 12 months ago.

It appears that WDA has followed the same method of decision making in Concord as City Hub revealed in its investigation of the St Peters Dial-A-Dump site late last year. In that case WDA began secret negotiations to acquire the large highly polluted dump for a massive WestConnex interchange in St Peters about five months before the federal and state announcement that the interchange was planned. As the announcement was made, letters were being delivered to residents telling them that their homes were in danger of acquisition and demolition for the project.

When asked to explain the secrecy of the negotiations

in Concord, the WestConnex Communication Manager Ed Scully referred to the St Peters situation, saying it was a similar situation where negotiations were conducted with a “commercial organisation and it would not be good practice to reveal to the suppliers and customers” that there was a possibility of acquisition.

When asked to explain why the majority of submissions that raised concerns about the rationale for the project were brushed aside during the EIS process for the M4 Widening, he explained it was because the decision making was ‘issues based” and the extent of community opposition was not a deciding factor.

Ms Bull said it was “ludicrous” for the NSW Minister for Roads Duncan Gay to suggest that local roads would not be affected.

WDA representatives present at the session were unable to give detailed answers to residents’ questions but took notes of objections.

Canada Bay and the Briars Club were both contacted for their views about the secrecy but had not responded at the time of publication.

City Hub also attended a feedback session for the design of the King George’s Interchange on the M5 in Beverly Hills which is another early stage in the WestConnex project. This feedback session was held at Canterbury Council Chambers during working hours instead of in one of the small parks that could soon be taken for construction work.

Attendance was low. NoWestConnex Beverly Hills group coordinator Kathy Calman rearranged her work schedule to make sure that her general opposition to WestConnex and detailed critique of the design were not missed. She later took City Hub on a tour of the area.

The extent of the trees and other vegetation grown by residents which will be lost to widen the M5 became apparent. When the author asked about this at the feedback session, it was glossed over. One resident we spoke to didn’t know that works could soon begin very close to his house.

WDA’s Ed Scully explained the lack of response to opposition on the grounds that the WDA has been “given a remit to plan and execute” the motorway despite expected strong opposition from residents living near the route. But opponents of WestConnex claim that public expert arguments against the whole project are gaining acceptance as people throughout Sydney become aware the project will not solve traffic problems.

Spokesperson for the WestConnex Action Group Emma Pierce said, “Everyday more experts are saying that WestConnex is a huge waste of public money... there has been an appalling lack of communication and community consultation.”

Wendy Bacon has lived in the inner city for half a century and attended anti-WestConnex protests

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Public Exhibition

Australia Post is proposing to decommission the Street Posting Box (SPB) located at Flood Street

Draft Residential Apartments Sustainability Plan

• One Stop Shop (CBD) Level 2, Town Hall House, 456 Kent Street, Sydney Monday to Friday: 8am–6pm • Glebe NSC 186 Glebe Point Road (cnr Wigram Road), Glebe Monday to Friday: 9am–5pm • Green Square NSC 100 Joynton Avenue, Zetland Monday to Friday: 10am–6pm

• Kings Cross NSC 50–52 Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross Monday to Friday: 9am–5pm Saturday: 9am–noon • Redfern NSC 158 Redfern Street, Redfern Monday to Friday: 9am–5pm Saturday: 9am–noon

Submissions marked ‘Residential Apartments Sustainability Plan’ can be posted to: Chief Executive Officer, Attention: Kristen Gabriel, City of Sydney, GPO Box 1591, Sydney NSW 2001 or emailed to kgabriel@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au Submissions should be made by Thursday 11 June 2015.

For more information please contact Kristin Gabriel, Senior Community Engagement Coordinator on 02 9246 7398.

and Old South Head Road, Bondi.

The decommissioning is a result of low patronage and is scheduled to take place in 30 days.

Should you have any queries concerning this action please contact Australia Post on 13 13 18.

GT15197

cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au Sydney2030/Green/Global/Connected

The City of Sydney’s draft Residential Apartments Sustainability Plan is on public exhibition until 11 June 2015.

This draft plan sets out actions for new and existing apartment blocks that could help significantly reduce greenhouse emissions, save water and keep waste out of landfill.

Apartments are responsible for around 10 per cent of the city’s greenhouse emissions and use more than a third of the city’s water. These apartment buildings are also home to over three quarters of the city’s residents, and this number is increasing as more apartments are built.

The City aims to slash emissions across apartment towers by 40 per cent and water consumption by seven per cent by 2030. We also aim to divert 70 per cent of waste from landfill within the next six years.

We invite you to view the draft plan and fill out a feedback form at sydneyyoursay.com.au Printed copies are available for inspection at the following Neighbourhood Service Centres:

auspost.com.au

WRITERS AND OPINION MAKERS WANTED The Alternative Media Group of Australia is looking for writers.

Opportunities in print and online are available to opinion makers and up and coming journalists.

Send a CV, writing samples and a covering letter to: cityhub@alternativemediagroup.com

For more information call 02 9265 9333 or email council@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

Public Exhibition

TELSTRA IS PLANNING TO REMOVE A PAYPHONE

City of Sydney Housing Issues Paper

It is proposed that a coin /card payphone be removed from: Outside 60 Park Street near Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Payphone ID: 02926925X2

The City of Sydney’s Housing Issues Paper is on public exhibition until 31 July 2015.

The paper invites comment and debate on the housing affordability and diversity issues impacting Sydney’s social and economic sustainability.

The next nearest coin /card payphone is located at: Outside 197 Elizabeth Street near Park Street, Sydney NSW 2000 (approximately 40 metres away from the proposed location) Payphone ID: 02926707X2

The paper addresses declining affordability in the residential property market and the impacts on growing numbers of young people, key workers and lower income earners.

It proposes options for action across all levels of government and private and not-for-profit sectors.

This includes actions to address inflationary market drivers as well as responses relating to the supply of non-market affordable rental housing, social housing and innovative housing models that address chronic homelessness.

Submissions on the paper will inform the development of a new housing policy for the City.

The Housing Issues Paper and report on the City’s recent Housing Summit are available at sydneyyoursay.com.au where you can submit your comments.

Printed copies are available for inspection at the City’s Neighbourhood Service Centres: • One Stop Shop (CBD) Level 2, Town Hall House, 456 Kent Street, Sydney Monday to Friday: 8am–6pm • Glebe NSC 186 Glebe Point Road (cnr Wigram Road), Glebe Monday to Friday: 9am–5pm

• Green Square NSC 100 Joynton Avenue, Zetland Monday to Friday: 10am–6pm • Kings Cross NSC 50–52 Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross Monday to Friday: 9am–5pm Saturday: 9am–noon

• Redfern NSC 158 Redfern Street, Redfern Monday to Friday: 9am–5pm Saturday: 9am–noon

Submissions marked ‘City of Sydney Housing Issues Paper’ can be posted to: Chief Executive Officer, Attention: Allison Heller, Manager Social Strategy, City of Sydney, GPO Box 1591, Sydney NSW 2001 or emailed to socialstrategy@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au Please provide your comments in writing before 6pm Friday, 31 July 2015.

For more information call 02 9265 9333 or email council@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au Sydney2030/Green/Global/Connected

The paper also discusses the need for better housing and transport planning across the Sydney metropolitan area to help address inner-city housing pressures.

Telstra intends making a final decision on this proposal by: 30th June 2015 To assist us in making a final decision, we invite your comments on this proposal. Please send us your comments in writing to Telstra Payphone Siting Manager Locked Bag 4850 Melbourne Vic 3001 or by calling us on 1800 011 433 selection Option 2 or by email to Payphone.Solutions@team.telstra.com For more information on payphone services (including, any applicable payphone consultation document) see: www.telstra.com.au/payphoneservices/index.htm city hub 14 may 2015

9

Moore stadiums a possibility for Sydney

By Lauren O’Connor A report for the state government into the management of Sydney’s sporting facilities will be released at the end of May and could recommend a third stadium to be built at Moore Park.

The sale of the state’s electricity assets under Premier Mike Baird may be used to fund an $800 million stadium. A leaked report outlined plans for a 65,000-seat complex at Moore Park and an upgrade for Allianz Stadium.

Former Liberal MP John Brogden AM, now the Chairman of Urban Growth NSW, will present the report to Premier Baird. News Ltd reported on May 8 that Mr Brogden is likely to recommend a “super trust be created to manage major stadiums.”

Although reports suggest the plan will be subject to a “rethink”, spokespersons for Sports Minister Stuart Ayres and Mr Baird both refused to rule out changes to Allianz Stadium or Moore Park.

“The Government will consider plans to upgrade sports stadiums in Sydney once it has received Mr Brogden’s report. We have nothing further to add at this stage,” a spokesperson for Mr Baird said.

Tony Ryan, Chairman of the Centennial and Moore Park Trust said the trust rejects the proposal for a third stadium in the parklands.

He said in a press release that community access to playing fields and open space at Moore Park could be affected.

“Moore Park is part of the green lungs of the city, let’s not take it for granted. Just like previous generations over the last 150 years, we must work to protect the Park from permanent loss,” he said.

Reasons for the trust’s opposition included a potential exacerbation of traffic congestion in the surrounds of Moore Park and the loss of green

Moore Park. Source: wikipedia.commons

space and the historic Kippax Lake.

“The overall outcome would be to bring more intense congestion to eastern Sydney, while robbing the residents of western Sydney of much needed investment in infrastructure and opportunity,” Mr Ryan said.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore criticised the plan and said demand for more sport fields, footpaths and parklands would only increase with the city’s growing population.

“By 2030, Green Square, which sits on the edge of Moore Park, will be home to 54,000 residents.

What we desperately need is more space to play sport, not more places to watch sport.”

Stadiums in Campbelltown, Penrith, Homebush and regional venues in Wollongong and Newcastle may be overlooked in favour of a Moore Park solution. Mr Ayers did not confirm whether a decision has been made.

“I hope that the NSW Government will reject this idea and follow the plans they laid out in

the recent Metropolitan Strategy, which clearly says the top priority for new sporting stadia should be Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park and outer Western Sydney,” a spokesperson for Ms Moore said.

Independent Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich also voiced his opposition following media coverage over the last two weeks.

Mr Greenwich said he hopes Mr Brogden’s report will rule out a “land grab of Moore Park” in anticipation of a population boom by 2031.

“Cutting revenue to our parkland trusts and building on the remaining grasslands used by residents for sport and recreation is not an appropriate use of funds. There is already local gridlock when major events are held at the stadia and Moore Park.”

Mark Speakman, Minister for Environment, Heritage and the Centennial and Moore Park Trusts forwarded all inquiries to the Premier’s office.

Central to Eveleigh consultation still “challenging”

By Jessica Yun UrbanGrowth NSW’s latest round of consultation for their Central to Eveleigh Transformation project began last week but controversy over plans and transparency continues to surface among the community.

The ‘study night’ last week was the first of a series focused on green space, preserving diverse community services, school capacities and explaining jargon within documents.

Geoffrey Turnbull, spokesperson for resident group REDWatch attended the study night. He said that while he “didn’t have huge problems with the session”, there were key voices missing from the discussion including human services.

Mr Turnbull was also concerned over the lack of material available before the discussion, the short notice of the date of the study night, and what he regarded as a typical fault of governments failing to mention facts and figures because “they think it might upset some people.”

Other residents expressed concerns about the Central to Eveleigh project moving in a direction where community assets were pushed out, economic and business activity increasing and turning the surrounding areas into a “damn tourist centre in the middle of a park.”

UrbanGrowth NSW Program Director Troy Daly told City Hub that the evening’s discussion was “challenging”.

He said the main point he took away was that “it’s not just about housing diversity, it’s about service diversity, and it’s obviously a key message we’ve been getting back lately”.

“Things need to be explained simply and concisely, not in consultant’s words, and we need to be better on our definitions when we talk about open space,” Mr Daly said.

The second study group was held recently at Darlington’s Yaama Dhiyaan Hospitality Training Centre with a focus on heritage sites, and the following week will deliver further discussions on housing diversity.

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PYRMONT FESTIVAL POP UP EVENT

Mudgee Wine and Pyrmont Food in support of local media and additional open space in Pyrmont

SUPPORT MORE OPEN SPACE IN PYRMONT Help Us Expand Ballaarat Park

When: THURSDAY 21 MAY from 6pm to 9pm Where: Signorelli Gastronomia Ground Floor of Accenture/Google Building, Trouton Place, Pyrmont Why: Closing night of the City Hub’s crowd funding campaign: www.indiegogo.com/projects/ don-t-make-your-news-limited

Local residents and businesses are joining forces to call for additional open space at Ballaarat Park in Pyrmont.

Pyrmont and Ultimo are in desperate need of additional park land. Figures from the Bureau of Statistics show Pyrmont-Ultimo had 13,850 residents a square kilometre in June 2012 making it Australia’s most crowded suburb.

Just 20 years ago, when the first issue of the City Hub hit the streets, Pyrmont had less than 3,000 people living in the area and less than 5,000 people worked there. Today the peninsula is not only Australia’s most densely populated precinct, it is also one of the largest centres of employment in NSW after the CBD, North Sydney and Macquarie Fields.

The area is now home to a number of large media companies and start up

information and technology businesses.

The growth in digital companies has led to an overall 46 percent increase in new jobs in the area, bringing the total from 19,869 in 2007 to 29,010 in 2012.

Situated on Darling Island on the northern edge of Darling Harbour and directly opposite the new Barrangaroo development -- providing stunning views of the Harbour Bridge, Ballaarat Park is engulfed by a sea of ugly asphalt. Local residents and businesses are calling for the expansion of this sliver of open space on the foreshore. Removing the roads around the park would almost double the size of the existing waterfront park, providing much needed additional open space for residents, workers and visitors to Darling Island on the Pyrmont Peninsula.

Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority

was responsible for overseeing the development of Darling Island, and was the last part of Pyrmont to be redeveloped as part of an urban regeneration strategy for the peninsula.

Today, as the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority exits the area and transfers oversight of the area to the City of Sydney, the opportunity exists for the City of Sydney to expand the footprint of Ballaarat Park and to embrace open space and park land by closing off the streets and replacing asphalt with grass. Local residents and businesses are calling on the City to seize the opporuntity to expand much needed park land on the Sydney Harbour foreshore. Find out about the community campaign to expand Ballaarat Park over some of Mudgee’s best wines at the pop up Pyrmont Festival event.

Launch of a new community campaign to expand Ballaarat Park in Pyrmont.

SUPPORT SYDNEY’S LAST INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER: Don’t Make Your News Limited.

Country wine will be on offer at one of the city’s premier dining establishments at a pop up event during the Fifth Annual Pyrmont Festival.

Wine has been donated by the Mudgee Grape Growers Association with all proceeds going to the City Hub’s crowd funding campaign. Support Sydney’s last independent community newspaper and learn about a new community campaign to champion much needed additional open space in Pyrmont at Ballaarat Park. Enjoy some of Mudgee’s best wines and one of Pyrmont’s most popular Italian restaurants.

Thursday May 21 also marks the end of the City Hub’s six week long crowd funding campaign. Nearly $20,000 has been pledged to date. The City Hub is Sydney’s last remaining independent community newspaper, providing vital coverage for the inner city. In 1995 the first issue of the City Hub hit the streets vowing to “print the news and raise hell”. Over the last two

decades we have promoted more than a half million performances, events and shows. We have broken news and offered alternative views to Sydney’s mainstream media outlets. We are not your everyday paper.

A range of local businesses have contributed perks including free dinners, theatre tickets and cinema passes. Wine from some of Mudgee’s

best wineries will be available with proceeds from the Pyrmont Festival Pop Up event donated to the City Hub’s crowd funding campaign. A range of perks can be purchased on the night. By purchasing a perk, you will become a member of the HUB CLUB, ensuring that Sydney’s last independent community newspaper can continue printing the news and raising hell.

city hub 14 may 2015

11

Alternative roots needed to save High Cross Park trees

Potential pitfalls for Waverley economic plan

By Georgia Fullerton Works for the CBD and South East Light Rail (CSELR) are moving forward in Randwick despite sustained community and local government opposition to the proposed route to Randwick through High Cross Park.

Earlier this year, Randwick Council proposed an alternative light rail route that could potentially save up to $25 million and 30 trees but the state government has not adopted it. This plan would see the route move from High Cross Park to High Street in Randwick, safeguarding the park’s 90-year-old war memorial and trees.

The Better Planning Network reported last Monday that the alignment for the CSELR has changed to accomodate new development on Randwick Racecourse resulting in the loss of 30 mature fig trees.

The alternative route was discussed at a community forum hosted by Transport for NSW (tfNSW) hosted last Thursday May 7 at TAFE in Randwick to engage the community at Randwick, Kensington and Kingsford.

Keeping Randwick’s Trees, a community group dedicated to saving the trees slated for removal by the light rail in Randwick, attended the forum.

High Cross Park and Centennial Park will see a significant loss of trees to the light rail.

On their Facebook page, Keeping Randwick’s Trees posted about tfNSW’s responses to questions on tree removal.

“We heard you both state different figures about tree removal - first 370, then 340 - but it was 435 trees to be removed - so does that mean there’s some good news for us about trees being saved?” The post read.

“They said...we’re taking all ‘reasonable’ steps to assess trees.”

The construction of the light rail project is due to start later in September.

By Stephanie Hua Waverley Council’s Draft Economic Development Strategy (DWEDS) has faced criticism for being “rushed” and a possible route towards over development.

Greens councillor Dominic Wy Kanak told City Hub he was “cynical and puzzled” by some aspects of Waverley’s draft economic strategy.

“I am anxious that the Draft Waverley Economic Development Strategy not be rushed and just become a route to more building over development to satisfy the powerful construction development lobby in NSW,” he said.

The draft economic development strategy was released at the start of May and sets out a series of strategic directions and actions to help strengthen the Waverley economy by 2020. The four main pillars adopted by the strategy are to “renew, innovate, collaborate and enable”.

As of 2015, Waverley has a population of over 70,000 people, making it Sydney’s most densely populated local government area.

Council has held consultations with the Waverley Business Forum and with the Bondi and Districts Chamber of Commerce, but many smaller businesses in the Waverley area told City Hub they were unaware of the proposed strategy.

Clr Wy Kanak supports the economic development strategy, but said in its current form there were potential pitfalls.

“The process of DWEDS opens up all sorts of tangled relationships. From the domestic fallout of Free Trade Agreements to amalgamating local councils into larger centralised points of call more easily targeted for the influence of strategies from groups like the NSW Urban Taskforce and developer lobbyists,” he said. “[The DWEDS] covers policy discussions where some past views say local councils should not interfere this deeply in the ‘market’ and blurs past planning

Westfield in Bondi Junction. Source: westfieldpopup.com

He gained unanimous support from Waverley councillors in favour for the NSW Aboriginal Land Council Network and has received positive feedback.

“Representations I have heard from constituents are strongly in favour of opportunities that will creatively enhance Aboriginal Community Economic Development being a strong part of the final DWEDS,” he said.

Council began taking submissions from the community on April 23 and is set to close on May 22 and a revised strategy is set to be adopted by Council in mid-2015. A spokesperson from the Waverley Economic Development team did not respond in time for publication.

URB0039 CH

thinking where economic residential property related flux valuations were not supposed to be a relevant consideration in assessing a Local Council development and building construction application.”

The draft states that the vision of Waverley involves the “support of a sustainable economy by 2020”.

“The long-term approach focuses on supporting existing business, and attracting new business to increase economic diversity. This encourages greater job opportunities for the community, as well as maintains and enhances our quality of life,” it reads.

Another aspect of Waverley’s economic landscape is the Aboriginal Community Economic Development that Clr Wy Kanak brought to council.

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12

city hub 14 may 2015

DENDY NEWTOWN! 3-14 JUNE 2015 ON SALE NOW! FLEXIPASSES & SINGLE TICKETS From its birth at the University of Sydney in 1954, to screenings in the ‘60s, Sydney Film Festival had quite a history in the Newtown area.

At long last the Festival returns with a new program of 21 screenings at the recently renovated Dendy Cinemas on King Street!

To add to your Festival experience, there will be two Dining Delights offers from restaurants in the

neighbourhood. Turn to the back cover for the exclusive dining offers from local favourite bloodwood and the Newtown Hotel’s upstairs restaurant The Animal.

The Newtown Hotel will also be the official Festival Bar for the area, the perfect place to meet for a drink before screenings or to dissect the films afterwards.

FREAK ME OUT GERMAN ANGST

GOODNIGHT MOMMY

THE INVITATION

SPRING

SUN 7 JUN 8:30 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST SUN 14 JUN 9:45 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST Three twisted tales of sex, death and the supernatural unfold in this Berlin-set horror anthology directed by Jörg Buttgereit (Nekromantik ), Michal Kosakowski (Zero Killed ) and Andreas Marschall (Tears of Kali ).

THU 4 JUN 8:15 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST SAT 13 JUN 9:20 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST A mother returns from hospital with bandages covering her face. Her twin sons suspect she is not really their mother and take drastic measures to determine the truth in this elegant and gruesome award-winning horror film.

SAT 6 JUN 9:00 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST FRI 12 JUN 6:15 PM DENDY NEWTOWN After disappearing for two years, Eden invites former partner Will and their mutual friends to a reunion party in this riveting horror film from director Karyn Kusama (Girlfight, Aeon Flux ).

WED 10 JUN 7:00 PM DENDY NEWTOWN SAT 13 JUN 8:30 PM DENDY NEWTOWN In this seamless blend of monster movie mayhem and charming romantic drama, Evan falls in love with Louise while backpacking through Italy, but soon discovers there’s something very different about Louise.

ATTACK OF THE DOUBLE FEATURE TURBO KID

WE ARE STILL HERE

INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS

THEM!

SAT 6 JUN 8:00 PM DENDY NEWTOWN MON 8 JUN 8:15 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST In the post-apocalyptic year of 1997, a lovable young scavenger, The Kid, and his cheery sidekick, Apple, enter a deadly duel with Zeus, tyrant of the wasteland. Winner of the Midnighters Audience Award at SXSW.

WED 3 JUN 7:00 PM DENDY NEWTOWN FRI 12 JUN 9:00 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST In the dead of winter in 1979, a grieving couple moves into an old house with a hideous secret.

Barbara Crampton’s (You’re Next ) cracking good chiller is made with a satirical streak that never undercuts its mounting terror.

WED 10 JUN 6:45 PM DENDY LOUNGE FRI 12 JUN 9:00 PM SKYLINE DRIVE IN Hysteria and paranoia mount as alien invaders assume the bodies of earthlings in a sleepy Californian town. Don Siegel’s 1956 sci-fi masterpiece remains as scary and chillingly relevant as ever.

WED 10 JUN 6:45 PM DENDY LOUNGE FRI 12 JUN 9:00 PM SKYLINE DRIVE IN This classic sc-fi horror from 1954 established the template for tales about nuclear radiation turning everyday creatures into giant-sized marauding monsters, with it’s Oscar-nominated special effects.

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SOUNDS ON SCREEN AMY

BREAKING A MONSTER

MR. DYNAMITE: THE RISE OF JAMES BROWN

LAMBERT & STAMP

FRI 5 JUN 6:15 PM DENDY NEWTOWN SAT 6 JUN 9:30 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST From the BAFTA-winning team behind the acclaimed documentary Senna : comes the story of Amy Winehouse, five-time Grammy Award winner and arguably this millennium’s greatest British female singer/songwriter.

FRI 5 JUN 8:00 PM DENDY OPERA QUAYS MON 8 JUN 6:15 PM DENDY NEWTOWN Three Brooklyn teens with a dedication to metal take on the spin of the record industry (with the help of ex-Jonas Brothers manager), when their band, Unlocking the Truth, becomes a YouTube sensation.

SUN 7 JUN 6:00 PM DENDY NEWTOWN THU 11 JUN 8:30 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST This documentary directed by Alex Gibney and featuring previously unseen interviews and performance clips, is a vivid portrait of Soul Brother No. 1 – the inimitable Mr. James Brown.

FRI 5 JUN 6:00 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST SUN 7 JUN 1:30 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST One of the world’s biggest rock bands came about thanks to a chance meeting between two unlikely lads in London’s Swinging Sixties. This is the fabulously entertaining story of the birth of The Who.

MAX & LENNY

SONG OF LAHORE

STATION TO STATION

SONGLINES ON SCREEN

WED 3 JUN 6:30 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST TUE 9 JUN 6:45 PM DENDY NEWTOWN Max & Lenny is the gritty and heartwarming tale of the friendship between two girls who form an intense bond through rap music. A vibrant film about friendship, migration and the liberating power of music.

THU 11 JUN 12:00 PM STATE THEATRE SAT 13 JUN 7:30 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST Lahore’s musical heritage, declining after Pakistan’s 1977 coup, is revitalised when a group of determined players are invited to join Wynton Marsalis on stage in New York after their version of Dave Brubeck’s ‘Take Five’ goes viral.

SAT 6 JUN 4:30 PM DENDY OPERA QUAYS SAT 6 JUN 6:30 PM DENDY NEWTOWN Beck, Savages, Thurston Moore, Giorgio Moroder, Cat Power and Patti Smith are just a few of the creatives that joined artist Doug Aitken’s innovative project: 61 one-minute films shot during a transcontinental train trip.

TUE 9 JUN 6:30 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST A special Screen Australia initiative in conjunction with NITV, Songlines on Screen aims to give place to some of the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander songlines that are integral to the makeup of Indigenous Australia, incorporating the full spectrum of storytelling including dance, song, art, body painting and sites of significance.

TANGERINE

VINCENT

LAST CAB TO DARWIN

THE SMELL OF US

FRI 12 JUN 6:30 PM STATE THEATRE SAT 13 JUN 11:40 AM STATE THEATRE Wickedly funny and refreshingly offbeat, Tangerine is a hilarious journey with two transgender sex workers through the lively streets of LA. The film is all the more remarkable given that it was filmed entirely on an iPhone 5s.

SAT 6 JUN 9:45 PM STATE THEATRE SUN 7 JUN 9:30 AM STATE THEATRE A young man takes on superhuman qualities when he comes into contact with water in this gentle, minimalist French superhero film with a difference, filled with playful humour, deep emotion and constant surprises.

SAT 6 JUN 7:00 PM STATE THEATRE SUN 7 JUN 11:30 AM STATE THEATRE SUN 14 JUN 8:30 PM HAYDEN ORPHEUM CREMORNE A perfect balance of drama and humour, this tender film stars Michael Caton as a terminally ill cabbie who drives 3000km from Broken Hill to Darwin where new euthanasia laws could enable him to control his fate.

THU 4 JUN 7:00 PM DENDY NEWTOWN TUE 9 JUN 8:40 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST Twenty years after his controversial Kids, Larry Clark turns his attention to Parisian youth in this energetic and explicit study of French teens who meet every day to skate, goof off or get stoned.

THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL

GRANDMA

MY SKINNY SISTER

ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL

SAT 6 JUN 6:15 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST SAT 13 JUN 6:45 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST A hit at Sundance based on the popular novel, The Diary of a Teenage Girl is a warm, comic coming-of-age drama about a teenage girl discovering her sexuality. With Bel Powley, Kristen Wiig and Alexander Skarsgård.

FRI 5 JUN 8:30 PM HAYDEN ORPHEUM CREMORNE MON 8 JUN 6:30 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST The incomparable Lily Tomlin stars as the titular character, but she’s no ordinary granny. She’s a foul-mouthed, stony-broke, gay poet, who’s out to help her troubled granddaughter in Paul Weitz’s charming comedy-drama.

MON 8 JUN 12:00 PM DENDY OPERA QUAYS SAT 13 JUN 11:30 AM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST Winner of the Crystal Bear at this year’s Berlinale, this is an insightful drama with moments of genuine humour and standout performances from Rebecka Josephson as golden-haired tween Stella, and Amy Deasismont as her sister.

SAT 13 JUN 7:25 PM STATE THEATRE SUN 14 JUN 9:30 AM STATE THEATRE This wonderfully original film about friendship, creativity, mortality and the love of cinema was the winner of the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

FEATURES

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DOCUMENTARIES THE PEARL BUTTON

GAYBY BABY

LISTEN TO ME MARLON

THE WOLFPACK

FRI 12 JUN 12:00 PM STATE THEATRE SUN 14 JUN 5:45 PM DENDY OPERA QUAYS Revered documentarian Patricio Guzmán’s Berlinale-winning film blends exquisite imagery of the wild Chilean coast with haunting stories of ‘the disappeared’, indigenous histories and early exploration.

FRI 5 JUN 6:30 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST SUN 7 JUN 10:00 AM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST Kids raised by same-sex couples are growing in numbers worldwide. This intimate, humorous doco offers a refreshingly frank picture of the GaybyBoom we seem to be experiencing in the midst of the marriage equality debate.

SAT 6 JUN 9:30 AM STATE THEATRE MON 8 JUN 4:00 PM HAYDEN ORPHEUM CREMORNE A fresh, fascinating portrait of Marlon Brando, crafted from Brando’s personal archive of previously unseen and unheard footage, including hundreds of hours of audio tapes.

SUN 7 JUN 4:00 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST SUN 14 JUN 6:00 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST Seven movie-mad siblings, who spent most of their lives in their NY apartment under the control of a domineering father, are the subject of this strange, compelling documentary, the Grand Jury Prize winner at Sundance.

BEING EVEL

DEMOCRATS

LIFE IS SACRED

OF MEN AND WAR

WED 3 JUN 8:20 PM DENDY OPERA QUAYS MON 8 JUN 6:45 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST The amazing story of the King of Daredevils, Evel Knievel, whose motorcycle jumps (and crashes) entertained a generation and kickstarted extreme sports, as told by Oscar winning director Daniel Junge.

TUE 9 JUN 10:00 AM STATE THEATRE SAT 13 JUN 2:20 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST Zimbabwean President Mugabe’s corrupt regime comes under scrutiny in this rousing, awardwinning doco. Tensions rise when two men from opposite ends of the political spectrum join forces to draft a new constitution.

SUN 7 JUN 6:15 PM DENDY OPERA QUAYS SAT 13 JUN 4:05 PM DENDY OPERA QUAYS From director Andreas Dalsgaard (The Human Scale ) and producer Signe Byrge Sørensen (The Act of Killing ), comes this inspirational story of a political maverick, Antanas Mockus, and his radical campaign for change in contemporary Colombia.

THU 11 JUN 6:00 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST SUN 14 JUN 10:00 AM DENDY OPERA QUAYS Winner of the top prize at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, this skilfully crafted, poignant documentary follows a group of Californian veterans undergoing treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.

THE RUSSIAN WOODPECKER

THE SHORE BREAK

SERGIO HERMAN: FUCKING PERFECT

DRUNK STONED BRILLIANT DEAD: THE STORY OF THE NATIONAL LAMPOON

SUN 7 JUN 6:15 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST MON 8 JUN 2:00 PM DENDY OPERA QUAYS An eccentric artist is obsessed with 1986’s Chernobyl nuclear disaster in this cross between a Cold War thriller and a paranoid drug trip, which won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at Sundance.

SAT 6 JUN 2:15 PM DENDY OPERA QUAYS SAT 13 JUN 10:15 AM DENDY OPERA QUAYS South Africa’s spectacular Wild Coast is the setting of this award-winning doco. A community is divided when government forces and entrepreneurial interests threaten their traditions, heritage and pristine environment.

TUE 9 JUN 6:30 PM DENDY OPERA QUAYS FRI 12 JUN 6:30 PM DENDY OPERA QUAYS This intimate, mesmerising portrait captures a turning point in a Michelin-starred chef’s life and career. Can a driven perfectionist, who expects nothing less than the fucking best, shift gear and slow down?

FRI 5 JUN 8:45 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST MON 8 JUN 2:15 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST The story of influential satirical magazine National Lampoon is told through interviews with contributors from P.J. O’Rourke to producers of The Simpsons, with laugh-out-loud-funny footage of John Belushi, Bill Murray and Chevy Chase.

ANIMATION ANIMATION AFTER DARK SHOWCASE 18+

INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION KIDS ANIMATION SHOWCASE 18+ PROGRAM

FRI 5 JUN 8:15 PM DENDY NEWTOWN Drawn from the farthest edges and the deepest pits of the thousands of submissions we received, this jamboree of animated mayhem charts a path through Animation Land’s most lawless territory.

This is not a program for the faint-of-heart or the easily offended.

SAT 6 JUN 3:15 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST If an animator can imagine it, they can create it – and animators have some of the most boundless imaginations on the planet. This program, selected from over 3,500 submissions, is a diverse and description-defying journey into the international independent animation scene.

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CTC

SAT 6 JUN 2:00 PM CASULA POWERHOUSE MON 8 JUN 2:30 PM EVENT CINEMAS GEORGE ST A selection of animated short films chosen for a discerning young audience. Expect lots of clever animals, plenty of laughs and the odd scary moment for good measure! Suitable for children aged 3-8 years.

SFFTV @ MARTIN PLACE ANIMATION PROGRAM

Sydney Film Festival brings a vast bounty of extraordinary animated diversity to the big outdoor screen in Martin Place with eight short, sharp programs. An audio-visual parade of eye-popping moments that will have an audience of any age spellbound.

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DENDY NEWTOWN

ON SALE NOW! FLEXIPASSES & SINGLE TICKETS

DESTRUCTION CINEMA DJANGO KILL… IF YOU LIVE, SHOOT!

EVEN DWARFS STARTED SMALL

DEUX FOIS

THE RED LIGHT BANDIT

SUN 14 JUN 7:45 PM DENDY OPERA QUAYS One of the most extreme of all Italian westerns, this delirious assault on cinematic decency is a surreal nightmare of the American West. Censored on its first release, Django Kill has now been restored to its original gory glory.

SUN 14 JUN 5:00 PM DENDY OPERA QUAYS The inmates of an isolated institution for dwarfs overthrow their guards and engage in a rampage of futile destruction. An anarchic, mad breakthrough film by maverick director Werner Herzog.

SUN 14 JUN 2:30 PM ART GALLERY OF NSW All meaning breaks down in this playful, beguiling and uncompromising film. Part savage feminist allegory, part droll deconstructed psychodrama, it’s also a brilliant exploration of the storytelling impulse.

SAT 13 JUN 2:00 PM ART GALLERY OF NSW A ruthless and nihilistic young man goes on a criminal rampage in this fiercely energetic landmark of Brazilian cinema from 1968, brilliantly directed in a lurid and vibrant B-thriller style.

DINING DELIGHTS

BLOODWOOD 416 King Street, Newtown 02 9557 7699 info@bloodwoodnewtown.com bloodwoodnewtown.com Opening Hours Monday-Friday 5pm-late Saturday 12pm-12am Sunday 12pm-10pm Closed public holiday Monday 8 June

This year, SFF has teamed up with some of Sydney’s favourite restaurants to offer great savings exclusively for Festivalgoers. $15 DESSERT OR POLENTA CHIPS WITH A GLASS OF EDEN ROAD WINE OR LITTLE CREATURES BEER

SFF FESTIVAL BAR IN NEWTOWN AT THE NEWTOWN HOTEL Newtown Hotel is the official Festival Bar for Newtown, the perfect place to meet for a drink before screenings or dissect the films afterwards.

Situated in the heart of Newtown’s colourful King Street, Newtown Hotel leaves no stone unturned. From drag queens to punk rock and anything in between, the Newtown Hotel is a snapshot into the rich and vibrant history and culture that is Newtown.

EVENTS AT SFF FESTIVAL BAR IN NEWTOWN

During the Festival, grab a bite at Newtown Hotel’s rock inspired meat eatery THE ANIMAL upstairs: $25 for a coal roasted free range chicken with lemon & thyme, roasted spuds and green beans, garlic butter & shallots, and any middy of local beer or house wine.

DRINK DEALS DOWNSTAIRS Show your SFF ticket for a $5 Little Creatures Pale Ale or try a special Freak Me Out Vodka, Vanilla and Raspberry Cocktail for $15.

For $15, take your choice from bloodwood’s popular dessert menu, or choose bloodwood’s famous polenta chips with gorgonzola sauce, and pair your choice with a glass of Eden Road Wine or Little Creatures beer. bloodwood is owned and run by chefs Claire van Vuuren and Mitch Grady who together create a menu of seasonal dishes, using the best quality produce they can source.

TEXAS CHAINSAW TRIVIA MON 8 JUN 7:00 PM Downstairs at Newtown Hotel It’s a trivia night like none other when Jay Katz and Coffin Ed team up with Miss Death for a special Newtown edition of Texas Chainsaw Trivia.

Test your knowledge on a range of cult cinema subjects far afield of the usual trivia questions.

FREAK ME OUT DISCO

174 King Street, Newtown newtownhotel.com.au

FRI 12 JUN 9:30 PM Downstairs at Newtown Hotel Legendary Sydney DJ Jay Katz joins Freak Me Out curator Richard Kuipers on the turntables for the wildest Freak Me Out Disco yet. Get ready to shake, throb and gyrate to highly danceable sounds ranging from slinky and seductive exotica to mind-bending psychedelic wig-outs and deliriously demented rock’n’roll monsters.

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ARTS FEATURE

Come To The Cabaret: The Hayes Theatre Co. Cabaret Season

BY Alannah Maher The Hayes Theatre Co. brings its second annual Cabaret Season to the people of Sydney this June.

With an ambitious line-up, it promises to bring a month-long celebration of cabaret for performers and spectators to enjoy, experienced and amateur alike.

“There’s a whole lot of really exciting things that are coming in and we’re just thrilled with the line up and the quality of the shows,” says Victoria Wildie. The manager at the Hayes is one of the people behind the scenes of the four-week procession of feathers, sequins and high-notes. She has been at the helm of arranging the 17 performing artists and 40 individual shows that will be running throughout the season.

The season provides the perfect first taste to cabaret virgins and an excellent opportunity for musical theatre fanatics to get their fix in a city that has been sadly lacking in cabaret festivals for some time. It will launch with Australiana, a concert celebrating Australian music and musicals on June 1. “That’s going to be a really exciting night,” Victoria enthused.

“It’s a great way to start off the season and bring a focus that we perhaps don’t pay much attention to in Australia, which is the work of our own writers.”

The season will then follow on with an impressively diverse line-up of shows, forums and master classes beginning June 3.

Reviewing The Situation tells the life story of one of Britain’s most celebrated composers and the creator of the iconic musical Oliver! Under the direction of Terence O’Connell, Phil Scott plays the role of Lionel Bart: “Nobody remembers much about him as a person, and he had a really interesting life. He became

very famous and rich, and then very poor, and he lost the rights to the show which was his masterpiece.”

Set in the tiny apartment where he spent his final years, Scott portrays a post-fame Bart as he indiscriminately drinks and tinkers at the piano, playing his famous songs and gradually revealing the story of his life in random order.“It’s like we’re having a little party in his apartment and that reminds him of the big parties he used to have when he had all the money,” explained Scott. With the assistance of old documentary footage and a long lunch with Barry Humphries (who was involved in the original production of Oliver!), Scott gives a noteworthy portrayal.

Inspired by the history and passion of the Motown music and era, Bree Langridge fronts Little Diana And The Big Fuzz. In the role of Little Diana (a character inspired by the likes of Diana Ross and Tina Turner) Langridge takes us on a tumultuous personal journey that gets down to the roots of Motown: “We will do some fresh takes on some songs, some we’ve broken down a little bit, others we will amp up in certain areas.”

With esteemed musicians Kevin Mendoza and Darryl Beaton on board, the talented band joining her on stage are an essential component and Langridge describes them as “living versions of Motown”. With an original blend of music and theatre, this cabaret is an educated tribute to a musical genre that was started from nothing and forged from blood, sweat and tears: “You get the songs you want to hear, but with real heart and understanding.”

From the likes of Kurt, a cabaret exploring the life

Phil Scott - Photo: Chris Peken

and music of the influential Nirvana front man, to an intimate evening with Marina Prior in A Prior Engagement – diversity is a running theme not only in the acts but also in the talent. Newcomer Josie Lane will explore the lighter side of what its like to find your ground as an Asian woman working in an art form often fronted by white women with blonde hair in Asian Provocateur.

“We’re just very excited that we’re bringing a whole lot of artists that people might not have ever heard of before in Sydney,” Victoria enthused.

First time cabaret performer and long time entertainer, Rob Mills also joins the bill with Surprisingly Good. “I was talking to him the other day and he’s really excited about the prospect of bringing it here and premiering it at Hayes Theatre,” Victoria told us. “It’s a bit of a tongue in cheek look at the fact that despite his quite extensive career, every time he does anything the reviews always come back saying: ‘that guy from Australian Idol, he’s actually quite good!’”

As Victoria explained, it was the vision of the theatre’s original founders that the venue would become Sydney’s home of cabaret and musical theatre: “There is such a wealth of talent throughout the country, they just thought it was a shame that Sydney was missing out on that experience.”

Audiences are encouraged to indulge in a double pass package as part of the HUB Club.

The Hayes Theatre Co. Cabaret Season 2015, June 1 – June 28, Hayes Theatre Co, 19 Greenknowe Avenue Potts Point, single tickets from $35-$40. Three and five show ticket packages available. Tickets & info: http:// www.hayestheatre.com.au/what-s-on/cabaretseason-2015/ Reviewing The Situation, June 3 – June 6. More info: http://www.hayestheatre.com.au/cabaretseason-2015/reviewing-the-situation.html Little Diana And The Big Fuzz, June 9 – 10. More info: http://www.hayestheatre.com.au/cabaretseason-2015/little-diana-and-the-big-fuzz.html

FESTIVAL

Call us anytime on 9557 2777 - Newtown

ON THE

ROAD WITH

city hub 14 may 2015

17

EAT & DRINK

Cottage Point Inn Descend onto one of the leafy green fingers that protrude into the Hawkesbury, a mere fifty minutes from the city, for a rather special dining experience. Parisian born Chef Guillaume Zika delivers a modern, fad-resistant menu that satisfies both the restaurant’s long-standing customers; while still containing something new for the adventurous. Linecaught Snapper Carpaccio ($28) utilises familiar ingredients - strawberry sauce vierge and celery – united by white

$ - mains less than $15

$$ - mains between $15-$22

GREATER SYDNEY Firefly During the Festival of Guilty Food Pleasures, the shoestring fries at Firefly, usually Parmesan-dusted and truffle-oiled, come baconenriched with a paprika aioli.

Labelled Cheesy Bacon Truffle Fries ($14), the resultant plate somehow outdoes the description.

Enormous open windows front the street, and people-watching is best enjoyed over a smooth Vinicola Poletti Sangiovese ($12/glass). A Feral Brewing Hop Hog ($9.50) is the ideal foil to their healthy (okay, healthier) alternative to the aforementioned cheesy-truffle

By Jackie McMillan balsamic to transport the dish somewhere new. Spatchcock ($45) scratches the old roast chicken dinner itch, but lands looking beautifully contemporary alongside endives topped with edible flowers, and snowy Parmesan and peanut crumb. While floor staff fling strips of raw steak to a waiting kookaburra, I get equally excited by the Grilled Wagyu Rump Cap ($48). Sitting under a fluffy layer of shaved foie gras, the beautifully cooked beef is perfectly balanced by plump blueberries, king brown mushroom boasting artful grillmarks, and roasted onion and lemon puree.While strong French technique is evident across the menu, it explodes in sides like Dauphine Potatoes ($10.50) - the best crunchy mashed potato balls I’ve ever put in my mouth.A fabulous wine list, producing an interesting and nicely textural 2013 Château Petit Roubié Picpoul de Pinet ($83), and a ripper Raspberry Salad ($19) dessert, further cement my affection for this unique spot.

2 Anderson Place, Cottage Point (02) 9456 1011 cottagepointinn.com.au Modern Australian $$$$

$$$ - mains between $22-$30

mountain: Zucchini Fries ($15).

Heartier share plates, like Lamb Backstrap ($23) with buckwheat, artichoke puree and mint yoghurt, come conveniently portioned. End with an appropriately decadent Warm Chocolate Brownie ($10).

24 Young Street, Neutral Bay (02) 9909 0193 fireflybar.com.au Bar, Bar Food,Wine $$-$$$ Dachshund Coffee Despite two gleaming russet gold Hungarian Vizslas sitting at the door, co-owner Rob Stein explains Dachshund Coffee is “just a name, though one that’s a little preppy and playful.” The resulting café has injected some Surry Hills-style into the changing face of Hunters Hill.

$$$$ - mains over $30

Their carefully selected produce starts with Fat Poppy coffee, scrubbing up quite nicely in a Latte ($3.50). Handcrafted Brickfields bread makes an excellent platform for Reformed Avocado ($18.50), buried in a flurry of vine-ripened tomatoes, tabbouleh, quinoa and crisp sage leaves, topped with an optional poached Egganic Egg ($4).

Or there’s Zucchini and Goat’s Feta Fritters ($19.50) with smoked ocean trout-spiked red leaf and dill salad.

Shop 4, 64-68 Gladesville Road, Hunters Hill (02) 9879 4619 facebook.com/dachshundcoffee Café $$

Little Jean

By Alex Harmon Double Bay has had a little makeover, and riding on the coattails of the impressive InterContinental Hotel, is Little Jean.Tucked away on the fringe of a shopping mall and a construction site, it’s not in the prettiest of spots, but amazingly, once you step inside, you’re welcomed into a relaxed and streamlined space. It’s like a first-class

ROCKS & CBD The Gantry Restaurant & Bar Raw materials are a focus at the refurbished Pier One Sydney Harbour.

Interior designers Bates Smart have done wonders with reclaimed timbers; while in the kitchen, Canadian Chef Chris Irving pays reverence to the bounty of our seas. On a blustery evening, it’s his handling of land critters that beckon, from Venison Tartare ($20) to brutally satisfying Smoked Bone Marrow ($16). Rustic Beetroot Homefries ($8), salt-crusted slabs of earthy-sweet beetroot, provide a good stick-to-your-ribs supplement to judiciously sized mains, including the ultra-pretty Jumjum Muscovy Duck ($36) with citrus

airport lounge, so keep it classy with freshly shucked Sydney Rock Oysters ($20/6) and glasses of Prosecco ($9.50) from Victoria’s High Country.The café (bistro by night) is by the guys behind the Golden Sheaf’s bistro and showcases seasonal, sustainable produce to the nautically clad families of the east.The Bruschetta ($16) with house-cured salmon is fresh and filling DIY job with just the right amount of tart radish, fennel and capers.The Steak Frites ($28) are Frenchy and chic like the clientele, but uses an Aussie “butcher’s cut” sirloin and comes smothered in maître d’hotel butter. On the lighter side, and my personal standout, is the Roasted Cauliflower Salad ($18) balancing a creamy and nutty tahini and yoghurt dressing. For something sweet there’s a selection of house-baked pastries. It’s so hard to be faithful to just one – go on, double your pleasure, double your fun.

1 Kiaora Road, Double Bay (02) 9328 0201 littlejean. com.au Modern Australian, Café $$

glaze, carrots and purslane. End with the deceptively simple Fresh Austral Figs ($15) - dessert elevated to near perfection.

11 Hickson Road,Walsh Bay (02) 8298 9910 thegantry.com.au Modern Australian,Wine $$$$ EASTERN SUBURBS & BEACHES

Stillery Inside this luxurious Double Bay bar, decked out in pale blue and marble with stately gilt settees, Bar Manager Aaron Gaulke commands an impressive array of gins. While the subtle saffron notes of Boudier Saffron Gin ($13) are best sipped straight, many gins benefit from

lengthening with tonic. In that department this bar also excels, offering up many choices from artisan syrups like Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. Small Batch Tonic to East Imperial Tonic. The latter is perfect against the nutty sesame of The Cambridge Distillery’s Japanese Style Gin ($22), and also well matched by Charred Fremantle Octopus ($16) with hunks of mortadella from Executive Chef Julien Pouteau’s tasty bar menu.

Level 1, InterContinental Hotel, 33 Cross Street, Double Bay (02) 8388 8388 intercontinental.com/ Doublebay Bar, Bar Food, Cocktails $$$ Banana Blossom After starting at the Good Food

Calling all artists to enter the

PYRMONT ART PRIZE

thousAnDs of $ in PrizeS To Be Won Cavas supplied (12”x 12”or 31cm) $20/$15 entry or postage + $5 Collect canvas from TAP Gallery: 45 Burton St. Darlinghurst or supply your own unframed (must be 12”x 12) enquiries: 9361 0440 | www.tapgallery.org.ay Delivery works to TAP by Wednesday 13th May

A DAY of Art, wine, fooD, live music conjunction with the muDgee fooD & wine fAir PirriMA PArk, PyrMonT 11AM - 5PM

SATURDAY 16TH & SUNDAY 17TH MAY 18

city hub 14 MAY 2015

EAT DRINK

EAT &&DRINK

By Jackie McMillan

Knuckles Sandwich Bar

By Alex Harmon It’s the inkblot test – whether you think of a knock to the face, or a succulent hock of pork.

Although here, co-owner Diana Thompson assures us, “Knuckles is just a fun and easy to remember name.” The sandwich bar lies amongst factories in the industrial fashion precinct of Alexandria, and it’s seriously the only decent place to get a sanga

Markets, then setting up shop on the Northern Beaches, Ben Thomas has now brought his ‘Eat More Green’ mantra to Bondi. Using fresh, local ingredients and lots of Asian flavour, these huge salads are great option when you want something healthy but filling. Ben promises the popular Tokyo Classic ($14), loaded with chicken coated in black sesame seeds, Chinese cabbage, avocado, cherry tomatoes and green soba noodles in a sesame dressing, won’t disappoint. On the sweeter side, Coconut Chicken with Crispy Egg Noodle ($14) is brimming with crunchy egg noodles in tamarind and sesame dressing.

Super hungry? Start with Tofu Rice Paper Rolls ($8).

INNER WEST Runcible Spoon My favourite Camperdown café is now opening on Friday nights between 5pm and 10pm. Kick back with a Mountain Goat India Pale Ale ($8) on the large shared table with a crowd of easygoing locals. Eat from a concise menu inspired by the path Chef Alex Watts takes to work. From Marrickville’s Faros Bros, the Salmon Belly ($22) is nicely fatty, and turned slightly Japanese with miso, tahini and bottarga. Enjoy it with Heirloom Tomato,Whipped Feta

By Ryan Kennedy Usually I’m not a fan of the theatre around teppanyaki grills—I just want to eat; but at Kujin the deft hot-plate work is less about theatre, and more about the food. Here the chefs are Japanese and the cuisine Osaka-style. the teppan grill is hot, and the udon are hand-made. Scalding-hot off the teppan comes Osaka-style Okonomiyaki ($18) with pork and egg noodles. Smeared in okonomiyaki sauce, highlighted with mayo, dusted with aonori seaweed, and topped with a feathery

DARLO, KINGS X & SURRY HILLS DiWine Newcomer DiWine is tucked between perennial favourites, Lucio Pizzeria and Phamish, in the Republic 2 courtyard. Owner/ chef Vittorio Esposito is making pasta in-house, and it shows in Strozzapreti with Swordfish ($26).

From the decent, inexpensive by-the-glass list, the 2012 Bertani Soave Sereole DOC ($11/$44) gives you a taste of the Italian seaside when taken with sweet, fleshy Figs ($10) with prosciutto and Gorgonzola. Spot-on cooking keeps Mussels in Black Pepper

on McEvoy Street. With that in mind, you must try the Veal Schnitzel Ciabatta Roll ($12) made fresh to order with lemon aioli, rocket and Parmesan.

Everything is made fresh here, Diana tells us, because there’s “nothing worse than a toasted sandwich with warm lettuce.” Agreed. However don’t neglect the burgers! The Cheeseburger ($10) is popular (and cheap!) with a sesame milk bun. They have a golden crust that reminds me of the old school milk bars. Speaking of which, you must order a side of Hand Cut Chips ($3.50) and the Belgian Chocolate Milkshake ($6.50) to wash it all down. If all this bread and milk is too much, simply opt for a salad, the Spanish-inspired Grilled Corn Salad ($10) is as healthy as it is colourful, what with quinoa, avocado, radish, toasted pepitas and a spicy lime dressing. Go on, knock yourself out.

88 McEvoy Street, Alexandria (0403) 821 117 knucklessandwichbar.com.au Café – $-$$

18/2a Jaques Avenue, Bondi (0409) 908 364 eatmoregreen. com.au Pan Asian, Salads $

Kujin

By Jackie McMillan jackie@alternativemediagroup.com

& Herbs ($14) using tomatoes plucked from his mother’s garden. Mum is also responsible for the rhubarb in his Rhubarb and Fig Upside-Down Cake ($8).Think healthy, homey, and relaxed.

27 Barr Street, Camperdown (02) 9519 2727 facebook.com/ runciblespooncafe Modern Australian, Café $$$ PizzAperta The entry-level Manfredi is stylishly crafted to fit into the alcove below older sibling Balla, on the outside edge of The Star; right behind the large letters tourists love posing in.

So grab an Aperol Spritz ($15) or a jug of Birra Moretti ($24) and a front row pew.Your pizza is served in a box, irrespective of whether you eat in, or take it with you.The point

billow of bonito flakes, it is a sticky, umami-rich taste of real Osaka. Similarly grill-hot Eggplant ($14) topped with miso and cheese, tastes like a vegetable-substitution vegemite and cheese toastie—take that as you will.And while I was sceptical of blowtorch-burnished Grilled Oysters ($9) with miso mayo, they are a revelation: smoky, briny, salty and funky. Murky and gently spicy, the winter-special of Red-Brown Miso Simmered Udon ($16) showcases their pleasingly dense udon. For a lighter option the Soft Shell Crab Salad ($14) plays textures against flavours in classic Japanese style.

Simple elegance characterises the sweet Japaneseomelette log of Tamagoyaki ($8) rolled deftly off the Teppan—engrossing viewing with a glass of Yuzu Sake ($8) or a frosty Sapporo ($8) in your hand. Kampai!

1/41B Elizabeth Bay Road, Elizabeth Bay (02) 9331 6077 kujin.com.au Japanese $$

Broth ($15) plump and briny.

Buddy up your bivalves with beer – clean and well-balanced Sardinian Ichnusa ($7) or an even better artisanal Birra Gjulia TOZ ($14). Finish with a straight-ahead Beef Tagliata ($26) – charred on the outside, and pleasantly pink within.

248 Palmer Street, Darlinghurst (02) 8354 1086 diwinesydney. com.au Italian $$$ Casoni If you loved this spot as Foley Lane, you should breathe easier knowing that Nathan Moses and Julian Marchetto are still very much behind this new incarnation.

They’ve switched out Spanish for Italian, and made your choice of aperitif easy with both Negroni ($16) and Aperol Spritz ($14) on tap. Head Chef Lachlan Robinson is dishing up contemporary Italian eats, from small plates like Bucatini and Provolone Croquettes ($8/2 pieces) to ‘Pasta of the Day’ Beetroot and Tarragon Risotto ($24) topped with braised lamb shoulder.The vivid magenta risotto is well complemented by a 2012 L’Isola Bianco ($15/glass), a Sicilian inzolia blend, whose coastal crispness slices through lamb fat.

371-373 Bourke Street, Darlinghurst casoni.com.au Bar, Cocktails, Italian $$-$$$

Pitt St Diner

By Ryan Kennedy Every neighbourhood should have a little Parisian bistro. Better still, one with young French chefs from the south-west of France in the kitchen who play to their seaside strengths and offer up a clattering mound of Moules Marinières ($25) in a white wine and cream sauce, slightly smoky from a good flambé.

Sitting just off Redfern Street and a block from

of difference is the lightness of the pizza - even my favourite double carb.

- Potato, Rosemary and Gorgonzola ($19) - looked like a Neapolitan pizza, but sat much less heavily. Meaning you can squeeze in an airy Roman focaccia, topped with Prosciutto, Burrata and Eggplant ($20) too.

The Star, 80 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont (02) 9777 9000 star.com.au/pizzaperta Pizza $$

NEWTOWN & ENVIRONS Clubhouse Land-locked and industrial, Rosebery is far cry from where you’d expect to find beachside motifs and a menu to match; but with Surf Life Saving Australia’s National Headquarters situated above

Redfern Park, the little converted terrace that is Pitt St Diner assumed its most recent mantle two years ago, and has been building a solid local customer base using classic French cookery and friendly service.

Steak and Frites ($31) here is a blushing, charred, rib-eye with shoestring fries. The Whole Fish of the Day ($25) is a crisp skinned and meltingly tender baked ocean trout. A side of Broccolini and Beans ($10) comes al dente, sautéed in butter and crunchy with hazelnuts. Both the menu and space are simple, unpretentious, and completely at ease. Owner Gary Prebble takes orders and is a dab hand at matching wines. Tonight he suggests the Chocolate Fondant ($12) against the spice and fresh fruits of a Storm Ridge Pinot Noir ($45/bottle); it’s a knockout combination. Cosy, tasty and friendly, this is the perfect neighbourhood local and a charming escape from the gathering winter chill.

96 Pitt Street, Redfern (02) 8668 5936 pittstdiner.com.au Modern French $$$

it, Clubhouse is an incongruous but welcome presence.A pair of ‘slaw-filled Flathead Tacos ($12) are scrunchingsand-between-your-toes good. Smoked goat’s curd and quinoa in the earthy Pickled Beetroot Salad ($20) feels as healthy as it is delicious.An artful tangle of sticky Spiced Lamb Ribs ($24) find their perfect foil on a bed of tahini and za’atar yoghurt. Pork Belly Slow Cooked ($29) is everything you’d want pork belly to be – made wonderfully complex with heavily caramelised radicchio and pickles.

789 Botany Road, Rosebery (02) 9669 2828 clubhouseaustralia.com Modern Australian $$$ Pu’er Most of my meal was spent debating and creating the perfect cup of tea,

FOOD NEWS

starting with Osmanthus Phoenix ($9) - a little too flowery for me - but it scrubbed up better in a Peaches & Phoenix ($17) cocktail. My favoured pot - High Mountain Red Tea ($9) – is imported from Yunnan, China by this surprisingly charming teahouse tucked under the garish-orange awning.

You’ll also find competent pan-Asian tapas with a bit of a Western twist.

Beyond the ever-popular Shanghai Soup Dumplings ($7) you’ll also find wackier Pork and Peanut ($7) versions alongside street food options like panko-crumbed pork Hong Kong Mini-Burgers ($15/4) or BBQ Duck ‘Tacos’ ($16/4) in steamed white buns.

20a Danks Street,Waterloo (02) 8399 1331 puer.com.au Chinese,Yum Cha, Pan Asian $$-$$$

By Jackie McMillan Mother’s Day can be about painful memories for those of us who don’t relate well to our biological families. Despite this, Love & Food at Gran’s Table [RRP$49.95] may still hold some value. While Kiwi cook Natalie Oldfield’s book definitely celebrates grandmothers, it’s also about showing love “through simple, everyday actions” – something we can all do with our urban families of choice.What you’ll find within is a collection of recipes by sixty grandmothers from around the world. Being grandmothers, most of these recipes come from a time period before pre-packaged food, which is quite in tune with the contemporary food trend about ‘cooking with ingredients your grandmother would recognise’. So expect to find great recipes for Mustard Pickle, Lemon Cordial and Three-Fruit Marmalade.You’ll also find lots of comfort food, made on few ingredients, and generally inexpensive ones at that.

Biscuits, sweets, baking and desserts are well represented, with the Boston Bun and Lil’s Saffron Buns both piquing my interest.The global nature of the recipes means Lebanese comfort food Riz Bi Jaj (chicken and rice) and Irene Elfriede Deckert’s Swabian Potato Salad from South-West Germany, are likely to get a run in my kitchen too. Interspersed with the recipes are stories about the lives of these female home cooks, including what making food means to them. www.granstable.com.au

bar fly

By Amie Barbeler

Barrel Bar & Dining “This is stupid!” My date exclaimed, stuffing another fork full of sautéed oyster mushrooms and neon green parsley sponge into her mouth.“This is seriously so good that if I died right now, I’d die happy,” she clarifies, stealing the remaining mushroom bark from my plate. Barrel Bar & Dining might have only been open for a few weeks but they’re onto a winning combination: great service, a stunning space and eccentric share plates that taste every bit as good as they look. Our evening started like all good evenings should – with copious amounts of wine. I went for a glass of the versatile Hiedler Gruner Veltliner ($12), while she went for the pleasantly tangy Isolabella della Croce ‘Le

Marne’ ($12).While my date went gaga over the mushroom ecosystem ($14), it was the deliciously bizarre combo of slow cooked carrots with smoked carrot

puree and salted honeycomb ($14) that will have me coming back to Barrel.

3/362 Military Road, Cremorne (02) 9904 5687 barrelbar.com.au city hub 14 MAY 2015

19

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The Unknown Soldier

AN EVENING WITH SAMMY J & RANDY Sammy J took the time to explain his upcoming one night show at The Enmore as part of the Sydney Comedy Festival. He will be performing alongside his puppet counterpart, Randy.

“Randy and I have been working on a TV sitcom for the ABC [airing in June]...This live show is a result of having spent two years taking notes from TV executives. It’s the sort of live show you write after that experience.We’re just doing whatever we want, no filter at all.There’s a whole hour of song, sketch and audience participation. It’s a very silly hour of comedy.After being through that process it’s really nice to be back on stage again and talk directly to the audience.”

“Low brow smutty musical comedy filth is how I would describe our comedy. Live comedy is a very specific joy.

There’s no filter, no one in between you and the audience. In this day and age when so many people are just watchingYoutube or TV, the experience of being in a live comedy show can never be replaced by that.That’s the most fun thing about being a comedian. Creating a unique night for people”, he says.

Sammy made his first television appearance when he was 15 years old on Hey Hey It’s Saturday, in the final year of the show: “I’ll never forget standing backstage and seeing Plucka Duck and Daryl Somers. I thought it’s a pinnacle, I’ve made it. I didn’t realise the show would be axed few weeks later. I still deny all responsibility for that,” he jokes. (MS) May 15,The EnmoreTheatre, 118-132 Enmore Road, Newtown, $42-$36, Bookings: www. sydneycomedyfest.com.au

Monkey Baa Theatre, widely known for their adaptation of books, have created their first original piece titled ‘The Unknown Soldier’.The production will open from May 18th - 22nd at Lend Lease Darling Quarter Theatre in Darling Harbour. Following that the production will tour NSW regional towns all the way through to June.

Written and created by Sandra Eldridge, ‘The Unknown Soldier’ came from her discovery that a group of friends had all had their great grandfathers pass in the war, as well as her viewing of several different war memorials. She wondered what a young child may think of this.

With the collective help of the Monkey Baa team it has been turned into their first original production.

It tells the story of two young boys, Charlie whose father has arrived home from fighting in Afghanistan with PTSD, and Albert, a sixteen-year-old in the time of World War One.These two characters are both played by relative newcomer Felix Johnson.With the celebration of the centenary this year, the play is one that hopes to leave its audience asking questions and uses these two characters to show how war affects us all.

(LB) May 18-22,The Monkey Baa Theatre,Terace 3, 1-25 Harbour St, Sydney, $25+b.f, monkeybaa.com.au

(Extra)ordinary (Un)usual III Fans of Pete Malicki’s (Extra)ordinary (Un)usual series can rejoice, with episode three set to debut later in the month at Newtown’s New Theatre.

“Extraordinary Unusual is a monologue showcase with eight short monologues in one show.There is no specific theme that ties them all together, but typically my monologues are about ordinary people in extraordinary situations, hence the name,” said Malicki.

The show features an exciting and varied cast, with none other than former Miss Nude Australia and internationally recognised pole dancer Miss Suzie Q set to star. Other performers include Debbie Nielson, Glenn Wanstall, Luke Reeves, Matt Friedman, Raechel Carlsen, Rosemary Ghazi,Tiffany Hoy and Yannick Lawry.

Malicki states part of his creative philosophy is that entertainment should be affordable. Priced at $17 a ticket, (Extra)ordinary (Un)usual aims to be accessible by all audiences and not just avid theatre fans.

“Theatre can often be elitist or pretentious. I’m an everyday guy who loves movies and TV series.Trust me, if you see this show you will realise theatre can be for everyone,” he tells.

With almost five months in rehearsals, episode three is sure to be an engaging and unique stage experience – be sure to check it out! (MB) May 13, 20, 27, New Theatre, 542 King St, Newtown, $16.50-$19.50, newtheatre.org.au

a&e

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20 STAGE 22 SCENE 24 SCREEN 25 Sounds

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

Contributors: Brendan Modini, Carmen Cita, Craig Coventry, Greg Webster, Hannah Chapman, Jacob Harrison, James Harkness, Lauren Bell, Leann Richards, Lisa Seltzer, Mark Morellini, Matthew Bernard, Mel Somerville, Michael Muir, Olgar Azar, Rocio Belinda Mendez, Sarah Pritchard, Sinead McLaughlin, Siri Williams

city hub 14 may 2015

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Review: Reluctant Confidence Man

Domestic Violence Rhymes With Silence

Fresh on the heels of placing as a finalist in the 2014 national Raw Comedy competition and featuring in the ABC’s Fresh Blood initiative, Cyrus Bezyan has been a busy man. He brings his unique brand of imaginative and observational comedy to an endearing show for the 2015 Sydney Comedy Festival.

Reluctant Confidence Man is a quaint story hour delivering intelligent humour without being too nerdy, insider observations about race and multiculturalism without being too confronting, and random tid-bits of fact without being too obscure.

His background in studying film and screenwriting is evident in brief moments of role-playing where he embodies characters, such as an interpretation ofVladimir Putin with a desire to start a knitting group.

Upon leaving his show you’ll be questioning whether sharks are militant feminists, how desperately you’d scoff down a punnet of blueberries if it were about to be confiscated by customs, and whether terrible fusion restaurants are the end point of multiculturalism.

I urge you to go see this man live before his reluctance towards confidence completely dissolves and the ticket prices escalate. (AM) Cyrus Bezyan: Reluctant Confidence Man. May 23.The Wild Oats Wine Bar @ EnmoreTheatre. 7pm. $10-$15. Bookings: www.sydneycomedyfest.com.au

Bringing an uncomfortable subject out from behind closed doors, Redfern’s 107 Projects presents Rhymes With Silence, a collection of new short plays that grapple with the issue of domestic violence.

Produced by Improvising Change - a production company that uses storytelling as a tool for social development - the thirteen plays contemplate interconnected themes of motherhood, family, denial and intervention.

Artistic Director Joy Roberts says,“The subject of domestic violence is regularly hidden within our community due to fear or shame.This is a wonderful opportunity to get together and speak up about the harsh realities - it moves us towards better dealing with the issue.”

While violent imagery of war, terror and murder floods our news feeds, for many women, the family home is the most dangerous battleground.Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety claims that nearly one woman per week is killed by a partner (current or former) in Australia.

ABS statistics show that women are more likely to be assaulted at home by a male partner than anywhere else or by any other person. It is impossible to measure the full extent of the problem because many incidents of domestic, family and sexual violence go unreported.

Supported by DVNSW and Women’s Legal Service NSW, Rhymes with Silence is a bold attempt to break that silence, by creating a world of real stories in a safe, shared space. (CC) May 16 - 24, (Saturdays 7pm, Sundays 2pm, 7pm), 107 Projects, 107 Redfern Street, Redfern, $20-$25, Bookings: www.moshtix.com.au

REVIEW:

Blue Italian and Nil By Sea Katie Pollock’s companion plays cleverly speak to each other of the human need for safety and belonging. A privileged young woman sets out to ‘find herself’, and an African man seeking asylum falls out of an aircraft wheelbay onto a suburban street below. Together they are gently unsettling.

Rachel Chant’s direction is deft and light, making the most of the beauty of Pollock’s phrasing. The cast bring a youthful zest to an otherwise weighty subject, with Alex Malone a standout.

Benjamin Brockman’s staging is genius. Rather than fight an awkward space Brockman and Chant have turned it around, so the audience enters through barricades at the rear with the cast already in place. Sound and lighting is simple yet foreboding, with some clever touches. The ghostly rotating ceiling fans draw the audience’s eyes upward and the carefully timed arrival of aircraft overhead, bound for Sydney Airport, brings an eerie quality to the soundscape. (GW) Until 17 May, (Wednesday – Saturday, 8:00pm, Sunday 6pm), Leichhardt Town Hall, Cnr. Marin and Norton Street, Leichhardt, $20-30,Tickets: www.trybooking.com/hfho

THEATRE & PERFORMANCE All That Jazz: Jam Nights at the World Bar The World Bar has a strongly grounded reputation as one of Kings Cross’ most popular weekend venues for drinking and dancing. However, there is more to this unique venue than dance music and teapot cocktails. Ankle down on a Monday evening and you’ll discover one of the Sydney jazz and Latin music communities best kept secrets. The weekly Latin & Jazz Open Mic Jam Sessions are a welcoming place where anyone and everyone can come along to enjoy some timeless Jazz standards, whether they are performing or observing..

Whether you plan on taking the 22

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stage or not, you can enjoy the open atmosphere in the venue’s main bar (front room) where the doors open onto the terrace and the standing piano is rolled out. In the colder months you can enjoy the ambiance of a roaring fire. A diverse lot of performers take the stage every week – from students of the Australian Institute of Music, to former X-Factor contestants and regulars like Valda, a spritely woman in her nineties who plays a mean French horn. This regular event fosters the artistic side of the city’s musical community, free of cover charge. Even if you’re just looking for somewhere to enjoy a fine glass of wine on a Monday evening, it’s worth a look. If you’d like to join the ‘cats’ on stage, all you need to do is call or email your sheet music and/or ideas to latinjazz@theworldbar.com up to

the day of the jam session, and the jazz house band will prepare to accompany you. (AM) Every Monday, 6-11pm at The World Bar, 24 Bayswater Road Potts Point.

FREE. Merchant Of Venice Shakespeare wrote about love, hate, envy, passion, justice – themes that are still relevant today. Throw in a romantic setting like Venice, a story that is entertaining, dark and funny and you have Shakespeare’s controversial The Merchant of Venice. Sport for Jove Theatre Company brings to the stage their production, directed by the legendary British theatre-maker Richard Cottrell.

It’s been years since a production of The Merchant of Venice has been staged in Sydney. At the end of the play you’re questioning who

is really the good guy and who is the villain. This production of The Merchant of Venice promises to be thought-provoking and relevant.

May 7-16th, Riverside Theatre, Cnr Church & Market Streets, Parramatta, $19-35, riversideparramatta.com.au May 22-30th, Seymour Centre, Cnr of City Rd & Cleveland St, Chippendale, $25-42, seymourcentre.com WIZARD OF OZ REINVENTED The red shoes, the tin man, sweet evocations of childhood escape that easily translate into adult anxieties; “Wizard of Oz” has taken on mythic proportions in the collective psyche. Belvoir Theatre’s co-resident director Adena Jacobs is exploring the undercurrents of the book and film adaptation in her wild and unexpected take on

Oz. A.M Baum’s 1939 work was ostensibly a story for children, but a closer look reveals hints of creepiness and confusion. Jacob’s “dreamscape” Oz is where the collective psyche understands the tropes of the collective imagination to bring audiences somewhere else and perhaps far from the fabled yellow brick road.

Note: This is a show for adults.

May 2–31, Belvoir St Theatre, 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills, $50-72, 9699 3444, belvoir.com.au THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL The original School for Scandal may have been created in the 18th century, but it would seem that society still places wealth on a sky-high pedestal. Our world of Illuminati and industries based on over-sharing the life details of celebrities is surely comparable to the upper class of Richard Brinsley

Sheridan’s time. “Isabella Andronos, our designer and I spent a disgusting amount of time looking at Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton, and Rich Kids of Instagram…we looked at people worshipped for their wealth and that as the basis for our aesthetic. Think wasteful, always on their iPhones, wearing Gucci,” explains David Burrowes, “I think we are stuck – because we always are driving for this wealth.

There’s an attitude that we should never be satisfied; we can always do better, get more money. Celebrities are what we want them to be, then when we look at them under a microscope they’re nothing to aspire to.”

28 April – 30 May, Thursday – Saturday 7pm, Sunday 5.30pm.

New Theatre Company, 542 King St, Newtown. $17-32, bookings at www.newtheatre.org.au

T H E N A K E D C IT Y

COMMODIFYING THE POOR

By Coffin Ed and Miss Death and Jay Katz We’ve all heard the government line that those on welfare, especially the poorest members of our society, along with the homeless, are a serious strain on our economy. But remove them completely from the landscape and there are many amongst the ‘better off’ who would be severely disadvantaged.

It’s all very hypothetical, loaded with irony and down right cynical to suggest, but without a financially destitute lower class many Australians would be looking for a new job. Let’s start with the so called “payday lenders”, shamed in a recent Four Corners program for their exorbitant fees and massive interest rates. The $400,000,000 industry would not be worth a cracker without a regular underclass to exploit.

These days many of the various welfare charities who look after the poor and homeless are run like corporations with well paid C.E.O’s and a bureaucracy that employs a large number of people.

Few would argue that the services they provide are sorely needed and without them the government would find it almost impossible to cope. Yet despite their omnipresence throughout the city and suburbs the problems they address don’t seem to be getting any better. That’s certainly not their fault, and unlike the nasty payday lenders, their motives are essentially altruistic. The fact remains however that the nongovernment welfare sector is a growth industry.

Then of course’s there’s the latest SBS ratings blockbuster Struggle Street, which pulled in a remarkable 1.3 million viewers last Wednesday, after

a week of largely adverse publicity. The three part series is rumoured to have cost upwards of a million dollars to produce, most of that no doubt going into healthy production salaries. Great for the local film industry and the SBS bosses, but just another kick in the guts if you live in Mt Druitt.

The Mayor of Blacktown Stephen Bali could not have been more succinct when he labelled it “poverty porn”, despite the predictable squawking from the documentary makers that they set out to make a program that was sympathetic to the plight of local residents.

Heaven help us that the commercial networks don’t jump on the SBS bandwagon and produce their own big budget poverty porn. They’ve already been doing it on a smaller scale for years with shows like A

Current Affair and Today Tonight, exposing so called welfare cheats and suburban neighbours at war.

Maybe we’ll soon see a version of The Block where the contestants get to renovate trashed public housing or a Masterchef where you get to feed a family of five with a ten dollar note...

You could well argue that across the broad spectrum of finance, welfare and now entertainment, that the poor and the homeless have become a commodity – one that supports a variety of industries and keeps many well reimbursed workers in a job.

God help us that we ever get rid of this precious commercial commodity. Shock and horror - If we ever did eradicate homelessness and poverty we could well have thousands of Australians out of work and living on the street!

Nathan Miller: Somewhere in Jaffa SOHO Gallery is well known for its promotion of dramatic and provocative works by up-and-coming artists. For the first time it will display a photography exhibition, ‘Somewhere in Jaffa’, by Australian photographer Nathan Miller. Launching on 9 May 2015 it will be running until 5 June 2015 as part of Sydney’s Head On Photo Festival.

‘Somewhere in Jaffa’ is a meander through the ancient streets and laneways of multicultural Jaffa, on Tel Aviv’s south side. Jews, Christians, and Muslims not only live together in peace but thrive in an atmosphere of culture, entertainment, and good food. Miller captures the diversity, hospitality and complexities of his subjects through starkly beautiful black and white photography, heightening the contradictions of life in Jaffa.

“My interest in photography lies in the visual storytelling of people and places, and in capturing moments and certain realities that are often not seen by others.” Miller says, “I hope ‘Somewhere in Jaffa’ can transcend some of these cultural beauties as well as contribute to Australians’ overall understanding of Jaffa’s vivid cultural identity.”

‘Somewhere in Jaffa’ is a singular exhibition, and an excellent selection for SOHO’s first photographic exhibition, opening on the 9th of May with a talk from the artist at 2pm May 17.

(JH) Exhibition: May 9 - June 5, Soho Galleries Sydney - 104 Cathedral St, Sydney.

Artist Talk: May 17, 2pm. Further information: https://headon.com.au/ exhibitions/somewherejaffa#sthash.3pTd2DXa.dpuf

exhibitions Thou Didst Let Me Fall Tony Albert’s latest exhibition at Sullivan + Strumpf Gallery explores the roles aboriginal Australians have played in Australia’s armed conflicts, examining the often thankless, and even derisive response they received for their contribution.Albert’s exhibition was partially inspired by his own family history – his grandfather served in the armed

forces during WWII and was a prisoner of war before Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were even recognized as Australian citizens.

Albert’s work is a composite of what he calls “kitsch Australiana” focused on Aboriginal Australians, collected over many years and displayed as a series of installations, paintings and sculptures, in such a way that the viewer must untangle their meaning for themselves. His exhibition explores the stories on the

periphery of popular history, and asks viewers to consider what might be hidden behind and to consider what purposes particular historical narratives might serve.This exhibition is the culmination of four years of work with Albert having been commissioned by the City of Sydney to create a monument to honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and women and in which he served a tour of duty as Official War Artist for the Australian

War Memorial.

Until 16 May 2015, Sullivan+Strumpf, 799 Elizabeth St, Zetland.

CHRISTINE WEBB The use of colour can often be the downfall of an artist’s work, particularly in still life.With a limited colour palette, evoking a sense of life and space in the environments around us can be a gargantuan task that leads to unsatisfying results. Christine Webb’s newest exhibition is an unabashedly

vibrant series of works that show colour as something to be played with without fear.Webb’s works are a bold and fascinating exploration of colour, space and light. (MB) May 12-14, Art2Muse Gallery, 357 New Sout Head Rd, Double Bay, art2muse.com.au THOMAS JACKSON ENTOMOLOGY In this exhibition, Jackson removes all movement from his work and focuses on the beauty of still, lifeless insects as he studies

their form.This is an extremely intriguing project that explores the intrinsic beauty displayed by Mother Nature within these preserved and decoratively posed animals.

Thomas, who is known and recognised for his illustration work and painted street murals, has long been inspired by the natural world and the inherent conflict between it and man-made structures in his work.

Apr 17-19, China Heights Gallery, Level 3 16-28 Foster St, Surry Hills city hub 14 may 2015

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INFINI This ambitious Australian sci-fi film is set in the 23rd Century, where 95% of the Earth’s population is living on the poverty line and most jobs are in the perilous fields of interplanetary mining, the military and space exploration sectors.

When a catastrophic accident occurs on a mining station in outer space, a rescue team is deployed to save lone survivor Whit Carmichael (Daniel MacPherson), but a deadly alien force awaits.

This respectable deep space disaster film is not an original concept and is obviously filmed on a smaller budget than its Hollywood counterparts, but is equally as suspenseful and frightening.

Immaculate sets, impressive CGI and good performances from a talented cast should allure and satisfy sci-fi enthusiasts.

Owing to technological advances and changes in movie viewing trends, this film will be readily available digitally from May 8 on many platforms including iTunes, Google Play, Quickflix,Telstra, Foxtel On Demand and Dendy Direct. (MMo) WWW

STATIONS OF THE CROSS Audiences will be confronted by this intense German drama, which is unconventionally filmed in fourteen long shots at fixed angles.

Maria (Lea Van Acken) is a fourteen-year-old girl who comes from a conservative family who have an unparalleled devotion to their Christian faith, bordering on bizarre and radical.

She believes that to reach heaven she must endure the fourteen Stations Of The Cross as Jesus did on his path to death.

This coming-of-age film is sombre with long monologues, and highlights that obsessive faith can lead to extremist beliefs as it consumes and depersonalizes.

Prevalent themes including religious tolerance, bullying and the hypocrisies of the church translate into an extremely powerful and controversial film. (MMo) WWWW

May 13-31, Chauvel Cinema & Norton Street, $19.50, Bookings: Information & Tickets: goethe.de/ozfilmfest CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA This German-French-Swiss coproduction is a brilliantly written and intense drama which focuses on an actress’s emotional upheaval once she has signed on for the resurrection of a stage play. Many viewers will be exhausted by the depth in themes and perplexed by the complexities in characterizations and storylines, but lovers of fine cinema should be absorbed and challenged by these intricacies.

Beautifully filmed in the stunning and remote regions of the Alps, this is a performance driven film with the talents of three exceptional actresses also including Kristen Stewart. (MMo) WWWW HUMPBACK WHALES 3D Audiences join the expedition as scientists traverse the oceans of the world in search of humpback whales and make new discoveries about their feeding and mating habits.Narrated by Ewan McGregor, this documentary which is exclusively filmed in the 70mm IMAX format for giant screens is insightful and educational.

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In all its grandeur, this production translates to an exhilarating and rewarding experience for the entire family. (MMo) IMAX, Darling Harbour, $17 – $23, imax.com.au WWWW KUMIKO,THE TREASURE HUNTER This drama explores the ideal that obsession can lead to disillusionment and a slow path to self-destruction.

Kumiko (Rinko Kikuchi) is depressed and lives a lonely and mundane life in Tokyo. Upon viewing a discarded copy of the 1996 film Fargo, she obsesses over the illusion that the hidden fortune exists and embarks on a desperate search to America. She loses touch with reality and ultimately fantasy leads to danger.

Comic elements are welcoming and stem from the delightful and quirky characters Kumiko meets on her journey.

Beautifully filmed, especially scenes in the frozen Minnesota wilderness, this film thrives from its originality. (MMo) WWW½ SUNDAY Sunday opens on what appears to be a couple in a

physical and emotional paradise.

This atmosphere is soon completely shattered; we have been watching a flashback. No longer a couple and separated by distance, Australian Charlie (Dustin Clare) arrives in Christchurch hoping to win back Eve (Camille Keenan) and contend with the arrival of what usually is considered a bundle of joy.

Throughout the film we are not treated to grandiose scenes of adventurous and comedic wooing but instead revel in the reality of the characters situation. It is easy to relate to them because the actors play them with such honesty, we often find ourselves siding with one but also understanding the motives of the other.

Shot in an earthquake ravaged Christchurch; the terrain also adds an element of either hope or impending disaster.You’ll just have to find out! (BM) WWW MONGOLIAN BLING What happens when western influence meets eastern tradition, well you get Mongolian Hip hop. Australian Documentary filmmaker Benj

Banks has unearthed a thriving musical scene that few knew existed in his film Mongolian Bling.

Mongolian Bling primarily follows three differing hip hop artists. Just like the music itself the film also shines a light on the social and political conditions in Mongolia.

However it is the celebration of history and tradition included that is most refreshing from an audience point of view.The musical youth of Mongolia are not motivated by “big cribs and cars” but by educating and celebrating the past.

An accomplished film on a world that few knew existed. (BM) WWW BANKSY DOES NEW YORK Banksy is one of the most controversial artists in the world today, yet no one knows who he is. In October 2013, Banksy covertly took to the streets of New York to create a series of public artworks, chased along the way by the NYPD who wanted to arrest him, and members of the public who wanted to know who he really was, and profit from stealing his art. Filmed without Banksy’s original knowledge, or his

assistance, Banksy Does New York has brought the artist’s residency to a wider audience, and accesses the pulsating hub of the city itself.

(LS) Playing exclusively at the Dendy Theatre Newtown from Apr 23 THE AGE Of ADALINE At the age of 29, Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively) is involved at near-fatal car accident, after which she ceases to age. Constantly on the run from authorities who want to ‘study’ her and her fear of hurting others, she leads a relatively isolated existence, safe for her daughter from her pre-accident marriage (Ellen Burstyn).When she meets wealthy philanthropist Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman), who also happens to be charming and goodlooking, her resistance to his persistent attempts to engage with her predictably is challenged.

Eventually, her passion to live and to love begin to be reawaken, but just when it seems she is letting go, a chance encounter threatens to expose her and spreads the seeds of panic. A ‘magical reality’ film in the tradition of The

Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, this well-crafted tale from director Lee Toland Krieger celebrates the under-appreciated joy of growing old with someone. (CCov) WWW LEVIATHAN Audiences will be lured by the dark side of human nature, as this pessimistic story of an array of unlikeable and negative characters unfolds. Long and laborious, further complicated by quick-flowing subtitles, this modern day tragedy is strangely effective as it de-glorifies relationships and society in general.

Stereotyped Russian characters whose abhorrent overuse of alcohol and cigarettes complement the repressed mood of the film, are brilliantly portrayed by a cast little known outside Russia.

Visually stunning photography of barren and isolated landscapes is also cleverly utilised to highlight the pervading moral desolation.

Audiences will be divided by this award winning film about faith, power and corruption. (MMo) WWW½

Sydney Live Music Guide LIVE WIRE

By Jamie Apps Count Basie Orchestra: Led by veteran trumpeter Scotty Barnhart the 18-piece Count Basie Orchestra, features a countless array of top calibre instrumentalists from the international jazz world. Over their 80 year existent the orchestra has provided backing music for some of the most legendary names in the world such as Billie Holiday, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole & Ella Fitzgerald.

Thu, May 14, Sydney Opera House - Concert Hall Adam Harvey & Luke O’Shea: Two of Australia’s most highly regarded and respected acts join forces for one night only.Adam Harvey will be recent triple Golden Guitar winner Luke O’Shea are to be featured in the Sydney Opera House which is a rare occurrence for country acts, this is a special highlight and a recognition of both men’s talent and popularity.

Fri, May 15, Sydney Opera House Spyglass Gypsies: This energetic and playful five-piece jazz ensemble from Sydney provide a modern take on traditional French gypsy tunes. In February last year the group launched their debut self-titled album of originals and have since spent their time touring all corners of the country, establishing themselves as one of the leading jazz ensembles in the country.

Fri, May 15, Foundry 616

Sharon Corr and America

David Bridie & Fred Smith: Two quiet achievers on the Australian music scene make their way to Sydney this weekend for an intimate and personal performance. Bridie will take the stage solo with just his piano to give his passionate, complex and honest insights into the state of being human.

Fred will then entertain the audience with his engaging folk sound tinged with wry humour.

Sat, May 16, Glebe Town Hall

By jamie apps Two extremely well known and respected acts join forces this week to entertain Sydney’s discerning music community. Forty-five years after their arrival onto the music scene America return to Australia, and they are being joined by a woman of many talents in singer/ songwriter and violinist Sharon Corr.

Sharon is most recognisable for her time as one-quarter of Irish group The Corrs. She has since embarked on a solo journey to great success.This was never anything Sharon and envisioned during her time with the group, however as she explains:“I’ve been writing songs, playing piano and violin since I was six years old”. It was only logical that she would continue making music in some form or fashion as a creative outlet. Sharon offered

Rhythm River: Audiences that head along to this show are in for an extremely dynamic and powerful experience. Because of the intimate nature of the venue, they will not only hear the music performed, but will no doubt also feel the vibrations from the taiko and bamboo shinobue flute ripple through them.

Sat, May 16, Goodgod Danceteria Adam Gibson And The Ark-Ark Birds: Forging a path with his own unique style of spoken/sung tales of Australian life and landscapes. Now with his new band The Ark-Ark Birds, Adam Gibson will be releasing a new album with the final show of the launch tour in Sydney this weekend.

Bringing songs of love, life, houses lost, coastal nights and obscure towns - this is truly a special reflection on the Australian way of life.

Sun, May 17,The Vanguard

Sharon Corr Photo by Barry McCall

some interesting insights into the transition to a solo act:“The Corrs was such a huge thing which I’m immensely proud of, but you become conditioned to writing songs for a group, so I had to learn to write songs for me.

Obviously that took a little bit of time, with the first solo album I look back and it’s a beautiful album but it feels like it’s sort of half Corrs [and] half me. On Same Sun I feel like I really found my voice and opened up, the lyrics are very vulnerable and I just let myself go.”

Having recently become an ambassador and

Hunck So Far So Deep The new single from Hunck is just a taste of dreamy sound melding that’s so slick it’s hard to hear where each member of the band begins and another one ends. Listening to the aptly named track feels like being pulled down the rabbit hole by the delicate hand an illusive white rabbit.This psychedelic tune encourages light thoughts, deep breaths and indiscriminate swaying. (SP) WWW

face of OXFAM Ireland Sharon traveled to Tanzania with OXFAM to start up the Ending Poverty Starts With Women campaign which she said was “a very moving experience” which greatly influenced her writing on the second album, particularly in the title track Same Sun.“[While] travelling on a rickety bus down a dirt road I saw a little shepherd boy, about six years old, the same age as my son at the time, standing on his own beneath an acacia tree with his own herd working, and he smiled at me, so those are the little images you see in the song,” she said fondly, remembering the trip.

For the show Sharon will be taking the stage in support of America, a band which holds a coincidental significance for her:“The first song I ever sang on stage was A Horse With No Name Name when I was 16, so when the opportunity to perform with them came up I immediately said yes. It was full circle and just felt right. I’m dying to hear them on stage and be a part of the tour.”

May 14, State Theatre, 49 Market St, Sydney, $125-105+b.f, statetheatre.com.au

In Hearts Wake Skydancer The Byron Bay metalcore outfits third album, a concept piece, was written, recorded and produced simultaneously with their previous release Earthwalker.The restrictions this placed on the band however is a major concern, as it is hard to decide whether this should be held to the high standards of what we would expect from a true third album.Throughout the album the lyrical work is impressive creating a nice contrast between clean and gruff vocals. Insomnia is the most compelling and captivating track.(JA) WWW1/2

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25

FREEWILLASTROLOGY

by Rob Brezsny

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): The danger of resisting a temptation too strenuously is that the temptation might depart. I suggest that you prevent that from happening.

Without throwing yourself at the mercy of the temptation, see if you can coax it to stick around for a while longer. Why? In my view, it’s playing a useful role in your life. It’s motivating you to change some things that really do need to be changed. On the other hand, I’m not yet sure that it should become anything more than a temptation. It might serve you best that way, not as an object of your satisfied desire.

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TAURUS (April 20-May 20): My astrological colleagues discourage me from talking to you Bulls about financial matters. “Most Tauruses know ten times more about the mystery of money than you will ever know,” said one. “Their excellent instincts trump any tips you could offer.”

Another astrologer concurred, noting, “The financial advice you give Tauruses will at best be redundant and at worst simplistic.” A third colleague summed it up: “Offering Tauruses guidance about money is like counseling Scorpios about sex.” So although I’m shy about providing recommendations, I will say this: The next five weeks will be a favorable time to set in motion the plans to GET RICHER QUICKER!

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “Endings to be useful must be inconclusive,” wrote science fiction novelist Samuel R. Delany. I endorse that theory for your use in the coming weeks. Interweave it with this advice from playwright Sam Shepard: “The temptation towards resolution, towards wrapping up the package, seems to me a terrible trap.

Why not be more honest with the moment? The most authentic endings are the ones which are already revolving towards another beginning.” In other words, Gemini, don’t be attached to neat finales and splashy climaxes. Consider the possibility that you can simply slip free of the complicated past and head toward the future without much fanfare.

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CANCER (June 21-July 22): In mythic terms, you should be headed for the winner’s circle, which is inside the pleasure dome. The parade in your honor should follow the award ceremony, and let’s hope you will be on the lead float wearing a gold crown and holding a real magic wand while being sung to by a choir of people you love and who love you. If for any reason you are not experiencing some version of these metaphors, I urge you to find out why. Or better yet, get busy on planning a homecoming or graduation party or award ceremony for yourself. From an astrological perspective, you have a mandate to be recognized and appreciated for

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the gifts you offer the world.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): British Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley was a brilliant military commander. Renowned for his ability to beat larger armies, he also had great skill at minimizing loss of life among his own troops. His most famous triumph took place in 1815, when he led the forces that defeated Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo. In the aftermath, the French tyrant lost his power and went into exile. What was the secret of Wellesley’s success?

“Bonaparte’s plans were made in wire,” he said. “Mine were made in string.” In other words, Wellesley’s strategy was more flexible and adaptable. As circumstances changed, it could be rearranged with greater ease. That’s the approach I recommend for you in the coming days.

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VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You may not be strong enough to take a shot at a daunting challenge that’s five levels beyond your previous best. But I think you are at least ready to try a tricky challenge that’s one level higher than where you have been operating.

And that, in my opinion, is a more practical use of your courage. I think it would be a waste of your energy to get wrapped up in grandiose fantasies about impossible perfections. As long as you don’t overreach, you can accomplish small miracles.

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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I suspect you are about to experience some prime contenders for The Most Unusual Adventures of 2015.

Are you thoroughly prepared?

Of course not. There’s no way you can be totally ready to adapt to unpredictable wrinkles and change your mind at a moment’s notice. But that’s exactly what will make these experiments so fun. That’s why they will be effective in building up your resilience and willpower.

For best results, apply your nighttime thinking to daytime activities, and vice versa. Spend minimal time on responsibilities that don’t teach you noble truths about your fellow madmen and madwomen. Now here’s my big question: How can you tap into the extra power you will need during your rite of passage?

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SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Many modern astronomers are allergic to astrology, but from my perspective there is no inherent conflict between the two fields. Four of history’s greatest astronomers were practicing astrologers, after all: Johannes Kepler, Galileo Galilei, Tycho Brahe, and Pierre Gassendi. One of my friends in college, a Scorpio woman named Martha Maiden, is a firstrate astrologer who got a degree in astronomy and became a top scientist at NASA. In the spirit of finding reconciliation between apparent opposites, I’m happy to say that you are now a virtual virtuoso in your ability to reconcile both apparent

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opposites and actual opposites.

I invite you to use this aptitude with flair and daring.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian Matt Stutzman competes in the sport of archery. He’s the world’s record holder for longest accurate shot, having hit a target 230 yards away. What makes his accomplishment so extraordinary is the fact that he was born without any arms. He holds each arrow in his mouth and grasps the bow with his right foot and the help of a chest harness. In the spirit of this armless archer, and in accordance with your current astrological omens, I invite you to initiate an attempt to triumph over one of your so-called disadvantages.

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CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Long before Lou Reed recorded the song “Walk on the Wild Side,” Nelson Algren wrote a novel titled A Walk on the Wild Side. It depicts the luxuriant depravity of New Orleans’ French Quarter in the 1930s.

One of Algren’s most enduring bits of spiritual advice goes as follows: “Never, ever, no matter what else you do in your whole life, never sleep with anyone whose troubles are worse than your own.” What do you think of that, Capricorn? Even if you don’t regard it as a universal rule that you should unfailingly obey, I suggest you observe it in the coming weeks. For the sake of your mental hygiene, be extra discerning about what

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influences you absorb -- not just in bed, but everywhere.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The cosmos has authorized you to be hungrier than usual. You may also feel free to respond to your enhanced hunger with an extra aggressive quest to be fed. Therefore: Be voracious!

Risk being avid, ardent, and even agog. Fill yourself up with pudding, pleasure, praise, peace, perks, and privileges.

Anything else you’d like to engorge? If some unenlightened person questions your right to claim the biggest piece and the sweetest taste and the best fuel, inform them that your astrologer says you have ultimate permission.

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Is there an interesting ally whose path rarely crosses yours? Do you draw inspiration from a like-minded dynamo who is not fully available? Has fate kept you and a friend from getting as close as you would wish? According to my reading of the astrological omens, relationships like these could become more substantial in the coming weeks. The dream of a more robust connection could ripen into an opportunity to actually collaborate. So be alert for the openings, and be prepared to do what’s necessary to go deeper.

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WRITERS AND OPINION MAKERS WANTED The Alternative Media Group of Australia is looking for writers.

Opportunities in print and online are available to opinion makers and up and coming journalists.

Send a CV, writing samples and a covering letter to: cityhub@alternativemediagroup.com

26

city hub 14 may 2015

Kings Court Massage Kings Court is the only place that has twenty two massage rooms and eleven hot tubs, spas, and bubble baths.

Wall to wall beautiful ladies, pool tables and luxurious leather lounges. You can have a coffee and enjoy the friendly atmosphere.

Approachable managers help you choose a lady for your massage.

There is a fair queing system and no hidden charges or credit card fees. We are just along from Central Railway at 261 Parramatta Rd Glebe, Sydney NSW 2037 Phone 02 9660 0666 Its a $10.00 Taxi Ride from the CBD Visit our web site at

www.kingscourt.com.au We are open 9 am to 1 am and 24 hours on Weekends. There is a 20% discount from 9 am to 12 noon & FREE ENTRY before 9 pm each day.

After 9pm there is a $20 entry fee that protects the massage ladies from dealing with men who have no intention of being polite.

Parking is available in the Broadway Shopping Centre near our discreet rear entrance at 18 Grose St Glebe.

Check out the website for information, funny stuff and pictures of pretty women. There are no photos of the regular girls as they are too shy. We don’t provide full service.

Also check out our Facebook to see a mixture of really funny pics, photos, stories and links to the best pages of our website. This is updated regularly:

www.facebook.com/Kingscourtmassage

Kings Court Massage: Where the first time customer can meet the first time massage girl!

VACANCIES Kings Court is the best place to learn adult massage. You

can work with us part time or casual. Work times can suit students or young mothers. We have off street parking for ladies with cars and for your interview you can park in the Broadway Shopping Centre near our discreet rear entry at 18 Grose Street Glebe 2037 with two hours free parking. The Grose St address is the best way to find us using GPS plotting.

Ring us on 02 9660 0666 Some ladies from out of town stay over when they visit. We have the bestest and sweetest customers of any place. The website is www.kingscourt.com.au Have a look at, “Is this your first time” and see the ten tips that help customers to understand how we do business.

Hi, this is Big John the owner of Kings Court Massage.

This week the cartoon advertising pays homage to the TV program “Lost in Space.” This week we have another of the recurring story where St James who is a rich bastard tries to figure out where the boys are going for fun. Each week you can see how things don’t work out for him due to his personality of being a prick. Naturally the guys do not want him to mess up things for them at their favourite place. Here at Kings Court Massage we have a simple test that keeps the wrong men out. It is coincidental that the kind of person who is likely to be a trouble maker or demanding of the girls will not pay the $20.00 non refundable entry fee and is not admitted while at the same time nice, polite and considerate men never hesitate to pay.

VACANCIES We are currently looking for new ladies who would like to do a massage with a happy ending. It is a safe place to work, where you do not do full service. Everyone can handle a discrete financial boost, especially as tax time is approaching.

It is ideal as a part time or casual job and you are paid cash daily. When you start we get one of the regular girls to show you how to do your first massage.

We do have the bestest and sweetest customers of any place. The website is: www.kingscourt.com.au The best new thing we have at the moment is all the really funny stuff on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Kingscourtmassage

city hub 14 may 2015

27

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