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Discover how communities are coping during the pandemic and how they can access support Page 1-2
BY MADISON BEHRINGER s a community, all Australians have taken a hit as a result of COVID-19. Some of us have lost jobs, been separated from our family and loved ones, and almost all of us have been forced out of our usual routine. The pubs have been closed for over a month, we can’t head to the gym for a workout and we’ve all been advised to stay at home unless we have somewhere essential we need to be. It’s no surprise that for a lot of us our mental health hasn’t been all that crash hot and being stuck in our own houses can become extremely lonely very quickly. COVID-19 has also disrupted a lot of people’s intimate relationships, with casual sex being strongly advised against and many couples and partnerships going weeks without physical contact. ACON is an Australian health organisation that looks after the health and life of people of diverse sexualities and genders, or LGBTQI people. ACON’s Associate Director Matthew Vaughan spoke with City Hub about how communities are coping during the pandemic and how they can access support. “I think one of the things that we’re very aware of is that COVID-19 has changed a lot of things,” Matthew
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LOVE AND MENTAL HEALTH IN ISOLATION said, going on to say, “from very early on, ACON has, following the advice of leading health experts, released a statement that urged people in our communities to avoid casual sex during this period... Avoiding casual sex is a way that helps to keep both yourself and our community safe at large. What we were encouraging though are ways to connect more with yourself and others that don’t involve a physical meet-up.” For those of us out there who weren’t necessarily in relationships prior to social distancing restrictions being in put in place, Matthew suggests that isolation may be a good time to get to know yourself and your body a little better saying, “it may be a really good time to find out what you enjoy or what you don’t like so that you can then communicate that to your partners once the restrictions are lifted. This could definitely be a very positive and healthy habit to take into the future.”
Two City Hub readers who prior to the COVID-19 lockdowns were using the Grindr app to arrange casual threesomes spoke to us about what’s changed in the world of casual sex over the last month. “Prior to the pandemic, we used Grindr mostly when we were feeling frisky, arranging threesomes and the like,” they said. “Things have definitely slowed down [since the restrictions], however threesomes still get organised with our regular hookups.” Despite enforcement of social distancing restrictions, the couple say that within reason they’ve still been meeting up with partners they trust for casual sex saying, “There’s never really any fear of being pulled up as to why we weren’t at home. And even if we were, it’s easy to think of a legitimate excuse that can’t really be followed up.” They went on to say, “It’s all within reason though, we’ve
only met up with people we trust to be open about COVID exposures. In saying that however, there have definitely been people we’ve spoken to that weren’t comfortable with meeting up during the pandemic.” During each stage of the social distancing restrictions, people who were in pre-existing relationships or partnerships before COVID-19 have been left confused as to whether it’s okay to see their partners. To clear things up, Matthew says, “ACON have advised since the beginning that even if you don’t live with your partner or partners you can still continue to have sex as long as you’re continuing to practice social distancing in other areas of your life.” Feeling physically and emotionally disconnected from others can become quite distressing and for many people their mental health and wellbeing has taken a beating during this period of anxiety and uncertainty. “For a lot of people routine is a big part of their life… not being able to do your normal activities can have a huge impact on your mental health. Not being able to access your usual social connections will also make a big impact,” said Matthew. Continued on page 2
LOVE IN THE TIME OF CORONA
(Continued from the cover)
“From the very beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, we wanted to make sure that all of our services, particularly counselling, was available throughout this period. It was one of the areas that we transitioned first so that we still had our counsellors available to people,” Matthew went on to say. “We’ve been very aware of the community’s mental health during this time and have made sure people are aware that we have counsellors available to talk to.” For those struggling with their mental health while isolating, ACON have a huge range of support services accessible to everyone in the
ACON is helping LGBTQ communities stay connected with a series of online sessions and workshops. Photo: Harrison Sarasola/ACON
community. As of last Friday’s announcement from Prime Minister Scott Morrison, it does appear that, pending any future outbreaks, Australia is stepping forward onto the path out of lockdown however. We may not know how soon everything will open up again, but for now we’ve been given the all-clear to have an increasing number of visitors in our home and from Friday we can meet with a few friends or our partners for a coffee or at the park. It’s not over yet, but things are certainly looking up. ACON - www.acon.org.au
The Good Neighbour Project Supporting responsible cat ownership Protecting wildlife and feline welfare Keeping your cat happy and healthy Join our Good Neighbour Project. Visit catprotection.org.au
Rehoming Organisation Number R251000224
PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE EXISTING MOBILE PHONE BASE STATIONS WITH 5G AT: a) 140 ELIZABETH ST, SYDNEY NSW 2000 b) WESTFIELD EASTGARDENS SHOPPING COMPLEX 152 BUNNERONG ROAD, PAGEWOOD, NSW 2035 1. The proposed upgrade to the existing rooftop facility involves: • Installation of three new 5G panel antennas to be located on new or existing mounts; • Replacing three existing panel antennas to be located on new or existing mounts; • b) Existing shroud to be removed; • Installation and reconfiguration of new and existing ancillary equipment that may include RRUs, a GPS antenna, other items; and • Reconfiguration and installation equipment within the equipment shelter. 2. Vodafone regards the proposed installation as an exempt development under Schedule 3A of State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 based on the description above. 3. In accordance with Section 7 of C564:2018 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment Code, we invite you to provide feedback about the proposal. Should you require further information or wish to comment, please contact Jodie Leeds at Nokia Solutions & Networks on 0420 310 857 or at Jodie.leeds.ext@nokia.com by Thursday 28 May 2020.
38 Parramatta Rd Stanmore 2048 P: (02) 9565 1275 E: info@annandaleinteriors.com www.annandaleinteriors.com.au
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CITY HUB 14 MAY 2020
Further information may also be obtained from the RFNSA website at: a) www.rfnsa.com.au/2000375 b) www.rfnsa.com.au/2035004
HubNEWS
45-year-old murder mystery may soon be solved (See p.6)
Child screams at mum’s arrest BY ALEC SMART n dramatic scenes involving an hysterically crying young child, a woman protesting outside the NSW Parliament in central Sydney on 9 May was arrested by NSW Police officers and taken into custody. Video footage of the incident, uploaded to YouTube, polarised public opinion as some labelled her actions ‘selfish’ for involving her child, while others condemned the alleged heavy-handedness of the arresting officers. The woman, Renee Altakrity, 36, was part of a demonstration of around 40 people calling on authorities to relax restrictions enforced to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The protest was organised by Exercising My Rights campaign group, which believe Covid-19 lockdown laws are unreasonable and cite doctors who compare coronavirus to influenza. In the controversial video, Ms Altakrity refuses to give her name to police. Then it
I HubARTS: Inner West Council introduces resilience grants to support the local creative & cultural sector (See p. 6)
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.
Film footage of a woman arrested while protesting against Covid-19 restrictions as her young son screamed hysterically, divided public opinion. Photo: Facebook
cuts immediately to her arrest, her young son screaming “Mummy’s not going!” Ms Altakrity, a self-described ‘antivaxxer’ who works for a cosmetic surgery company that specialises in Botox injections, has described people who are self-isolating as “sheeple” on her Facebook page and shares videos opposing the installation of 5G phone towers. Ms Altakrity has also posted videos by far-right groups that oppose immigration, insult NZ Prime Minister Jacinta Ardern as a “baby killer” and insist the 1996 Port Arthur massacre and the 9-11 terrorist planes that crashed into New York’s Twin Towers were “false flag events”. On 2 April Ms Altakrity launched a Change.org petition calling for “Human rights, no to vaccine and 5g… we are being abused and stood on.” The petition attracted no signatures whatsoever in the following five weeks,
Pyrmont: bounced or bouncing forward?
Published by Altmedia Pty Ltd. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy of content, we take no responsibility for inadvertent errors or omissions. ABN 52 600 903 348 Group Editor & Publisher: Lawrence Gibbons News Editor: Alec Smart Contributors: Allison Hore, Alec Smart, Andrew Woodhouse Cartoonist: Sam Mcnair Arts Editor: Jamie Apps Contributors: Erika Echternach, Irina Dunn, Madison Behringer, Mark Morellini, Renee Lou Dallow, Rita Bratovich, Kirsta Cheung, Rida Babar, Lisa Seltzer Advertising Manager: Georgina Pengelly Cover Photo: Jackson Grant Photography. I Do Drive Thru Designer: Nadia Kalinitcheva Advertising: sales@altmedia.net.au Mail: PO Box 843 Broadway 2007 Email: news@altmedia.net.au, arts@altmedia.net.au Ph: 9212 5677 Fax: 9212 5633 Website: cityhubsydney.com.au If you have a story, or any comments you’d like to share with us: news@altmedia.net.au @CityHubSydney
A ‘bounce group’ was formed to provide the NSW Dept Planning feedback on their Pyrmont Peninsula Place Strategy development scheme. Photo: Alec Smart
BY ALLISON HORE “bounce group” to discuss the Pyrmont Peninsula Place Strategy will be launched this week. The group will provide the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment feedback on the strategy, which they are developing through 2020. Ten directions will give an overview of how this strategy will be implemented. Steve Driscoll, Interim CEO of Urban Growth NSW Development corporation, said the directions were developed after a long research and consultation period
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and are not set in concrete, but a “place to launch from.” Mr. Driscoll says the next step in the process is consultation with the community. The ‘bounce group’ will be part of this community consultation stage. Community leader, Mary Mortimer, says that while she thinks engagement with the community on the development of the strategy is a good thing, she has concerns about the department’s ability to listen to community concerns. She says that despite community
concerns, as a result of previous developments, the community has lost tennis courts, the monorail, direct walking access to many places and some heritage cottages. “I have to say that a large number of that has been ignored and a large number of us who have participated in lots of these consultations are very used to being listened to politely and then having these concerns put aside,” Ms Mortimer said. “The involvement of the community is certainly key and we want it to be much more than lip service.” CITY HUB 14 MAY 2020
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TANYA PLIBERSEK MP COVID-19 UPDATE
THANKS TO YOU,
WE ARE SAVING LIVES & STOPPING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19
Observe social distancing
Practice good hygiene
STAY HOME IF YOU CAN
Strict limits on public gatherings
Follow the self-isolation rules
COVID-19 OFFICIAL APP My family and I downloaded the COVIDSafe app because we want to know quickly if we’ve been in contact with someone who has the virus. I encourage everyone to download it so that it is as effective as it can be. The app doesn’t track where you go. It acts like a call and response feature so you know if you’ve been in contact or near someone who has Covid-19, for more than 15 minutes. Federal Labor will continue to closely monitor the privacy implications of the app.
TANYA PLIBERSEK MP
DOWNLOAD HERE: Authorised by Tanya Plibersek MP, Australian Labor Party, 1A Great Buckingham St, Redfern
Plibersek COVID Hub Full Page Page 1V1.indd 1 HUB 14 MAY City 2020 4 20200505CITY
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JOBKEEPER
& CASUALS The JobKeeper wage subsidy will give 6 million workers a fortnightly income of $1,500 through their employer. However, the JobKeeper scheme’s restrictive eligibility rules exclude millions of other workers, in particular short-term casuals and temporary visa holders. Federal Labor has worked hard to try to ensure casuals, freelancers, temporary migrants, NDIS workers, local government employees, charity workers, teachers, university staff, and childcare workers who face severe financial struggles due to job losses and business closures, don’t miss out. We will keep up the pressure to make sure no one is left behind at this time.
COVID-19
SUPPORT Financial support If you’ve lost your job, lost hours, or are suffering financial hardship, find out what support is available, including wage subsidies: www.treasury.gov.au/coronavirus.
Support for businesses & sole traders If you’re a business or a sole trader, find out what support is available at: www.business.gov. au or 13 28 46.
Support for renters The National Cabinet has agreed to ban evictions over the next six months for commercial and residential tenants in financial distress who are unable to meet their commitments due to the impact of coronavirus. For help: NSW Fair Trading at www.fairtrading. nsw.gov.au or 13 32 20 or the Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service at www.tenants.org.au or 02 8117 3700. For the latest advice, information
JOBKEEPER
RULES
If your employer is in receipt of JobKeeper payments:
f You must receive $1,500 per fortnight as a minumum (no exceptions)
f One in, all in - Employers in receipt of JobKeeper can’t choose which workers receive the payment, and which don’t. All eligible employees must get it.
f No Takesy Backsies - Employers can’t
charge admin fees or ask you to pay back part of the payment, or withhold your payment. If they’re getting it, you must be getting it too!
& resources: www.health.gov.au NSW Health: www.health.nsw.gov.au
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If you have concerns about your health, seek medical advice.
National Coronavirus Helpline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
1800 020 080 Translating & Interpreting Services
131 450
Further Assistance If you need further assistance, please contact me on 9379 0700 or at Tanya.Plibersek.MP@aph.gov.au
TANYA PLIBERSEK MP Federal Member for Sydney
20200505 Plibersek COVID City Hub Full Page Page 1V1.indd 2
5/5/20 4:44 pm CITY HUB 14 MAY 2020 5
HubNEWS
Nielsen murder may soon be solved
The mystery of conservationist Juanita Nielsen’s murder in 1975 might be solved soon. Image: Jean-no/Wikimedia Commons
BY ANDREW WOODHOUSE eiress Juanita Nielsen was the Kings Cross-based owner of the newspaper, “NOW”, notable for her activism for urban conservation and community issues, particularly anti-development campaigns. She was vociferously against Sydney Council projects, including high-rise offices and apartments. Nielsen used Green bans to stymie projects and then arranged ‘Grey bans’, cutting off sewage supplies to proposed new apartments. “I don’t care whose toes I step on,” she announced, adding,
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“Residents have a right to live in their chosen environment”, a mantra which cost her own life. She disappeared in Kings Cross, Sydney, on the 4th July, 1975 aged 38. NSW Police never located her body nor charged anyone with her murder. Abe Saffron, a criminal in Kings Cross in the 1970s, was linked to developers. He bribed police, who frequented his illegal nightclubs - the money couriered by his son, Alan. On 23 April, Alan Saffron died of a heart attack, aged 71. “Do you know who murdered Juanita Nielsen?” I once asked Allan. “It’s all in my father’s diaries,” he replied, “which are locked in the safe of Angus and Robertson, publishers, and marked ‘never to be released’ until I die.” He was concerned criminal underworld figures of the 1970s and some police who may be implicated were still alive and might seek retribution if new investigations were launched. However, Alan’s widow has said she intends to release the diaries, after a year of Hebraic mourning rituals when documents can be released.
‘Ghost’ store to close? BY ALEC SMART he proprietor of a new convenience shop in Sydenham, known as the Corner Store, is puzzled why the Inner West Council (IWC) served him with a demand to cease trading. Prior to his reopening the premises in February 2020, it was a ‘ghost’ store for over three years, with stock inside but no visible customers. Proprietor Shaun Bettridge, whose recently-opened convenience store at 260 Unwins Bridge Rd stocks predominantly local and Australianmade produce, revealed on the store’s Facebook page, ‘260 Unwins’, that he was visited by a council inspector on 5 May before the closure demand. A formal notice that the “Premises are being used for a purpose for which Development Consent is required but has not been obtained,” was served. IWC insist it should be a newsagent. Bettridge retained the same signage as the mysterious previous owners. They took over from Fur-Niche furniture repairs in 2017 and refitted and stocked the premises as a convenience store, not a newsagency. IWC were aware because a development application was submitted Sept 2018 -
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Looking back on the past two years Clark described the time as “chaotic” (See p.7)
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oronavirus has seen many restrictions come into place, which has caused entertainment across creative industries to either be cancelled or postponed indefinitely.To alleviate the impact of these closures the Inner West Council has recently introduced a resilience grants program to 6
CITY HUB 14 MAY 2020
later withdrawn - seeking to convert the upstairs into separate apartments. City Hub received a statement from IWC that appeared to contradict the notice they served Bettridge: “Evidence suggests that the shop is being operated beyond its permitted trading hours, often until the early hours of the morning…” So, do IWC object mainly to it being a convenience store, not a newsagency (which dates back to a decades-old DA from before it became a furniture repairer), or do they object to allegations it opens late?
HubARTS
IMOGEN CLARK:
Courtesy Inner West Council. Photo by Dan Kukec. Astride by Circusworks at The Fire Garden, produced by Tortuga Studios for EDGE Sydenham 2019
Inner West Council demand closure of a new convenience store in Sydenham, despite it running as a ‘ghost’ shop for 3 years with Council’s knowledge. Photo: Alec Smart
support the creative and cultural sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. Victoria Johnstone, Acting Living Arts Manager says “we’re looking for innovative ways to keep creatives collaborating and working during restrictions. When asked about some of the examples of artist struggles and the hope for the grant Johnstone said, “There is one artist I know of who has lost all his work. He reached out to the world a couple of months ago when Italy was in its crisis as he makes commissions from doing self portraits of people around the world... It’ll be interesting to see what people come up with in response to the grant, as it’s not just handing out money. Instead it is to support them in meeting their aspirations and supporting the creative sector to do what they do best and that is to be creative.”The grants are for projects to be delivered between July and Dec 31, 2020. With the last date to apply being May 17. As the Inner West is home to a high percentage of creatives, this grant will be supporting creatives and artists to preserve creative spaces that nurture local culture and to devise systems to keep audience engagement to pre-COVID times.(KC) To apply head to www.innerwest.nsw.gov.au
COLOR OUT OF SPACE H.P.
Lovecraft is well known for his weird, fantastical, horror fiction. The film adaptation of Lovecraft’s The Color Out Of Space brings his story to life in a vivid, technicolour fashion. When a meteorite slams into a secluded farm the Gardner family finds themselves ensconced in a battle against an ephemeral alien which slowly drags them all into madness. Much like in Stephen King’s The Mist this film’s nefarious force is intentionally left shrouded in mystery and ambiguity. By doing this the viewer is forced to rely on the depiction of the slow descent into madness by the members of the Gardner family - led by Nicholas Cage at his weird and wacky best once again. Whilst the film’s evil force has a seemingly dark, oppressive motive
driving it forward it does so whilst also bringing beauty to the world. As the alien’s influence grows we see bright, vividly coloured plants growing throughout the farm. This makes the film beautiful to look upon but simultaneously contrasts with the oppressive nature of the story. Color Out Of Space is a truly weird, unsettling and unique film which captures the H.P. Lovecraft aesthetic, however because of this it won’t be for everyone. (JA) WWWW
HubARTS
I DO DRIVE THRU
“W
ould you like vows with that?” COVID-19 restrictions mean a lot of couples have had to postpone or cancel their dream weddings, but I Do Drive Thru offers a novel solution to help couples tie the knot. Couples and their witnesses arrive at a carpark in the chosen location in a car and a celebrant meets them at their vehicle. The ceremony is conducted while the couple sits in the car, and paperwork and certificates are passed through windows. Weddings can also be livestreamed on the I Do Drive Thru website. “Even in a time of uncertainty love
still exists and people still need to celebrate. There is still every reason to commit to marriage,” explains Mel Jacobs, the celebrant and entrepreneur behind the initiative. “Imagine looking back on COVID 2020 with the fond memory of getting married in this unique way, then having the big celebration with family and friends to look forward to, down the track.” Packages start at just $400, meaning that couples who use the service can still save for their dream wedding down the line. Zena Lythgo, a celebrant with I Do Drive Thru says
IMOGEN CLARK BY JAMIE APPS hen City Hub last spoke to Imogen Clark a little over two years ago she was a young artist still searching for her place in the world following the release of her second album, Collide. In 2020 after spending the time between then and now touring extensively around the globe and furiously writing music Clark feels much more settled. Looking back on the past two years Clark described the time as “chaotic” with much of it spent either touring the world or locked away writing and recording. Whilst the time period was chaotic it has also proven to be incredibly fruitful, with an overabundance of songs to choose from for her new EP, The Making Of Me. “I spent so much of that time writing new songs, so I was spoiled for choice when it came to putting this EP together,” explained Clarke. “We were just waiting for the right moment and the real kicker of a song to come along.” That moment and song came about this year when the
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Photo: Giulia McGauran
Jackson Grant Weddings. Photo: Jackson Grant
the company provides a novel solution to an essential service which is “more important than ever” during this time of crisis. “Now more than ever it is important to be able to advocate for your partner
message of her latest single, Found Me, happened to sync up beautifully with current pandemic situation. “All of the songs on this EP are about going through a difficult year and coming out of the other side of it knowing that you’re better off for having been through that challenge.” For Clark the tough challenge she speaks of harks back to her searching for a place to belong in music. Up until this EP, and the creative process surrounding it, Clark was unsure if she was a country artists, an indie-folk artists or a rock star. With such uncertainty she found it difficult to let her creativity run free during the creative process. With Making Of Me Clark says she was finally able to let loose though, “For the first time in the studio I was letting the songs speak for themselves and letting the production come out whichever way it wanted to without wondering what genre it should be.” This change in mindset was fostered by her decision to finally work collaboratively with other artists on this record. In particular Clark cites her time working with Clare Bowen and
in medical situations, ensure visas aren’t put in jeopardy and avoid any unnecessary conflict around wills and estates,” she says. (AH) Visit www.idodrivethru.com.au for more information
Brandon Robert Young on Found Me as a big stepping stone. “Working with the wonderful Clare Bowen and Brandon Robert Young was a really great way to get outside of my comfort zone... I’ll always have love for writing by myself and locking myself away in my bedroom but I have also grown to love the cowriting process, which absolutely terrified me at first.” This weekend Clark will begin a ‘virtual tour’ where she is set to play a series of concerts from her own back yard over the course of a month to showcase both her development as an artist and her upcoming EP. “The idea of bringing people music from my home to their home is really nice for me to find a silver lining in an otherwise very terrible and stressful time,” said Clark “It’s all very intimate and easy to tune in. It feels like a close, intimate setting that you wouldn’t be able to achieve at a local venue.” For fans interested in tuning in to her performances Clark says they can expect to see a “professionally produced” show that is different each fortnight. “We’ve got an acoustic show, an electric guitar show, a piano show and an all requests show, so each show will have its own flavour. If people want to tune into more than one show they can, or they can pick the one which appeals to them the most.” May 16-Jun 27. Buy tickets & watch the show here: www.imogenclark.com.au
HIV Work Ready Program Supporting people living with HIV to engage in training and mentoring to prepare for paid or voluntary work roles To find out how you can get involved contact Positive Life NSW Phone 02 9206 2177 Freecall 1800 245 677 Email workready@positivelife.org.au CITY HUB 14 MAY 2020
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