City Hub 16 August 2018

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Sydney ‘round the clock

by John Moyle Imagine a Sydney that never sleeps, where the cover of darkness is banished, the streets are alive until the sun comes up - a Sydney as vibrant as Berlin, Amsterdam, London or New York.

In the aforementioned cities 24-hour cafes, supermarkets, gyms, cinemas and clubs give residents and visitors a freedom from the restraints of a nine to five routine.

This is the vision that the Committee for Sydney has laid out in its comprehensive study “Sydney as a 24-Hour City”.

“It’s definitely a realistic vision,” said James Hulme, the Committee’s Director of Advocacy.

“There are already many examples of great night-time activities across Greater Sydney, but it could be better planned, coordinated and promoted.”

Last year the United Nations’ New Urban Agenda stated that by 2050 more than 70 per cent of the world’s population will live in cities and large towns, and emphasised the enormous economic impact of these urban environments operating 24-hours.

“At the moment, in some parts of the city it can be difficult to find a restaurant open beyond 9.30pm, shops open beyond 6pm or even get a cup of coffee after 4pm,” Mr Hulme said.

“No city has completely cracked the 24-hour economy, but it’s important that Sydney heads in the right direction - look at Melbourne - it has embraced the night-time economy and now has a reputation as a vibrant and liveable city, both during the day and at night.”

The Committee found that only 46 per cent of Sydneysiders were satisfied with current night time offerings, with 45 per cent of people over 35 saying that they were satisfied with cinema options, 42 per cent with live theatre and music, and 48 per cent satisfied with dining out choices.

Those aged 18 to 35 want more live sport, movies, live theatre, pubs, dining out and

24 hour Sydney afloat for now. Photo: Photo: Wikimedia Commons

shopping with an average satisfaction rating of around 30 per cent.

More than 72 per cent of 18 to 35 year olds surveyed said that they would stay out later if they had access to all-night public transport, an option not offered to revellers in Kings Cross and the CBD pre-lockout laws.

The Committee’s report places Sydney’s night time economy as being 23 per cent of the total of the city’s 24-hour spend, compared to London’s 34 per cent and Berlin’s 36 per cent.

Analysing by region, residents of the Lower North Shore are Sydney’s highest late night spenders, accounting for 24 per cent of the total, closely followed by the CBD at 21 per cent, with

Sutherland Shire and the Northern Beaches at 11 and 10 per cent respectively.

The Parramatta area recorded a night time spend of 20 per cent.

Comparing Sydney to Melbourne, people in the southern city spent twice as much as those of Sydney at night in bars and restaurants and six times more on cinema and theatre, while Sydney spent almost four times as much on groceries.

“In Sydney we tend to spend money in the evenings in pubs and on groceries, but not necessarily other areas,” Mr Hulme said.

Just a few years ago the perception was that Sydney was the ‘city that never sleeps’ with Kings

Cross and the CBD seeing up to a hundred thousand late night revellers over a weekend.

“Unfortunately, the NSW Government’s lockout laws have had a serious impact on Sydney’s night time economy,” a City of Sydney spokesperson said.

“We will keep advocating for change to the laws, but in the mean-time we need government, business and industry to work together to find ways to boost our night-time culture.”

From experience in Melbourne and overseas it is clear that any way forward needs a whole of government approach to blend the ingredients necessary to vitalise the night.

“Create NSW is leading the NSW Government’s Night-Time Economy Taskforce which includes 16 NSW Government agencies and the City of Sydney to identify opportunities in the Sydney CBD and Kings Cross precincts,” a Create NSW spokesperson said.

The Taskforce is investigating options to bring together the best opportunities for arts, screen, culture, hospitality, transport, retail and live music to create a diverse cultural experience for both residents and visitors.

The City of Sydney spokesperson emphasised “it’s critical we support and sustain nightlife and culture by minimising red tape for new businesses, creative projects and cultural spaces”.

Kylie Legge, Principal for Place Partners, a business specialising in reshaping public spaces, suggested that a 24-hour economy was about more than pubs and clubs.

“I worry about the city where we designate certain things to certain areas, and what you do is to create unhealthy clusters where some are designated for alcohol,” she said.

“All people need to be able to feel welcome in a public space, as socialisation is a key to a healthy community.”

It is obvious that a lot more work needs to be done to get Sydney back even to the level exuberance it possessed in the eighties, let alone bring it to the standard of the world’s great cities.

Removing the lockout laws would be a good start.

Waterloo near the end Published weekly and freely available Sydney-wide.

Copies are also distributed to serviced apartments, hotels, convenience stores and newsagents throughout the city.

Distribution enquiries call 9212 5677.

Published by Altmedia Pty Ltd. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy of content, takes no responsibility for inadvertent errors or omissions.

ABN 52 600 903 348 Group Publisher: Lawrence Gibbons Group Editors: Lanie Tindale, John Moyle Contributors: John Moyle, Lanie Tindale, Peter Hehir, Rickie Hardiman, Linda Hoang, Matilda Gould Arts Editor: Jamie Apps Cover Photo: Jay The Snapper. Jade Le Flay Designer: Nadia Kalinitcheva Advertising: sales@altmedia.net.au Mail: PO Box 843 Broadway 2007 Email: news@altmedia.net.au, arts@altmedia.net.au Ph: 9212 5677, Fax: 9212 5633 Website: altmedia.net.au If you have a story, or any comments you’d like to share with us: news@altmedia.net.au altmediagroup

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by John Moyle The end of the Waterloo Estate is one giant step closer with the recent release of a new report by the state agency Communities Plus titled “Waterloo Redevelopment Options”.

The paper outlines, without detail, three options for the development’s layout and scale but not its density. This will be revealed when the 3D modelling goes on display.

“The tenants haven’t seen the 3D models yet so they don’t have any idea of what the density is, and it is that density that is of concern for the City of Sydney and Mayor Clover Moore,” Jeff Turnbull, co-spokesperson REDwatch said.

In her strongest statement about the project yet, Clover Moore said in reference to the possible density of 6,500 to 7,200 dwellings “This is a planning disaster and a significant threat to Sydney’s future economic growth and liveability.”

To be staged over 20 years, the redevelopment plan for Waterloo is expected to begin next year starting with the three to four level buildings known as walk-ups at the southern end of the estate along Cope and McEvoy Streets.

Evelyn Morris is a

representative for the Waterloo Estate’s People’s Precinct that encompasses Wellington and Cope Streets. The People’s Precinct is expected to be in the second wave of development.

“Where I live in Cooper Street is three to five years off but the other end of Wellington Street is likely to be the first block within one to three years,” Evelyn Morris said.

“There is a lot of uncertainty in the community.”

Jeff Turnbull agrees saying: “At the present I would say that people in the one to three year area have increased anxiety and that this has been reflected in calls to FACS.” Another major concern about the plans is that all three options state there will be “at least 5% affordable housing’ when the project is completed. The community has been calling for a much higher proportion.

“When we were doing the redevelopment group we didn’t think that the split was fair and it was supposed to be 30 per cent social and we asked for up to 15 per cent affordable and the rest private, but it doesn’t look like this is the way it has gone,” Ms Morris said.

The lowering of the affordable housing split also concerns Jeff

Waterloo Estate’s low rise buildings ready to go. Photo: Sebastian Reategui

Turnbull who said “The five per cent affordable housing is of particular concern and one of the things that came out of the visioning was a call for five per cent Aboriginal affordable housing and five per cent normal affordable housing.”

Mr Turnbull’s concerns reflect many in the wider Waterloo/ Redfern area that the Aboriginal community is being socially engineered out of the suburbs.

“The argument for more Aboriginal housing is that you have a community that has been hollowed out because of gentrification and a lot of Aboriginal people who have

grown up here in public housing and associate themselves with Redfern have had to move out because they can’t afford to live here,” Mr Turnbull said.

As someone who has lived on her present apartment for 19 years Evelyn Morris speaks for the community when she said “This whole thing has shattered a community - this is a living breathing community and this is a big community, very multi-cultural and diverse, and a lot of people are frightened because not enough information came through in the early stages.”

It looks like the battle for Waterloo has just begun. city hub 16 AUGUST 2018

3

Missing link for Bondi buses

New Bridj to Bondi. Photo: Bridj

By Linda Hoang A new On Demand bus service will commence in the Inner Eastern suburbs between Rose Bay Ferry Wharf and North Bondi.

Waverley Council Mayor, John Wakefield, said “As a Council we’ve been calling for the reinstatement of the Bondi to Rose Bay Ferry service for five years, so we welcome the introduction of new services, but they need to

be balanced against the cut made to existing and older services.”

On Friday 17 August the existing Ride Plus pilot service will cease, and starting from 6am Monday 20 August the new BRIDJ bus route will begin operations.

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is collecting data from eleven trials of On Demand Transport services in Sydney, Newcastle and the Illawarra to determine what improvements need

to be made to delivery of transport services across the regions.

The Ride Plus commenced in November 2017 as a pilot of NSW Government’s On Demand Transport Pilot Program and was available to residents from Vaucluse, Double Bay, Bondi Junction, Edgecliff, Bellevue Hill, Tamarama, Point Piper and Woollahra.

“From day one of the On Demand Transport pilot program, the overarching objective has been to trial different service models that provide greater flexibility and mobility for customers,” said Felicity Nethery from Transport for NSW. “After reviewing On Demand services in the Eastern Suburbs we’ve decided to trial a different service delivery model to target new connections to and from Rose Bay Ferry Wharf from Bondi, North Bondi and Dover Heights,” she said.

The BRIDJ pilot will provide connections for local residents and international visitors and is estimated to save commuters up to half an hour of travel time.

Commuters can book and pay for a ride through the BRIDJ phone app with buses seating up to sixteen customers each trip, and will run during peak time on weekday mornings and afternoons and throughout the whole day on weekends.

A single trip will cost commuters $3.10 for an adult fare and $1.50 for a concession fare with the option of paying with OpalPay or credit card through the app.

“We have already introduced a range of changes to some pilots including new fare structures, expanded service areas and

additional vehicles,” said the Ms Nethery.

A BRIDJ statement said the shorter travel times and fares are “especially relevant when you consider there is no traffic on the water and the bonus is the scenery.”

The Inner East on demand route will help deliver a more targeted transport connection from the East to Circular Quay, Barangaroo and North Sydney.

“When I hear the word targeted it rings alarm bells to me. We welcome that peak period demand but it doesn’t satisfy people during the day or from the areas outside the service,” said Mayor Wakefield.

“We have a state government that’s cut one service after another...it’s extremely hard to judge what sort of new effect the new service is going to have.”

Ms Nethery said “We will continue to monitor all pilots closely to find out if further changes need to be made and we will continue to work with operators to implement new delivery models and provide improvements along the way”.

The On Demand Bus Pilot is an inclusion in Waverley Council’s People, Movement and Places plan and a partnership between the Council, Transport for NSW and Roads & Maritime Services.

Commuter and resident of North Bondi, Carol Lo, said “Where I live in Bondi, because it’s further back from the beach, it’s hard to get into the city directly or quickly without having to go via the Junction.”

“The wharf is an option, but it’s always been difficult to get to…being

able to book a bus to get the ferry straight across to Circular Quay could make life a lot easier for people like me who work in the area,” she said.

The pilot is a focus of the Council plan’s Smart Cities Mobility Strategy which has set goals to implement and trial ways to use technology to provide faster, cheaper, and more convenient solutions for public transport.

One goal of Waverley Council is to be able to combine all options and services from public and private operators for commuters to more efficiently manage their transport needs through a single point.

The Council wants to encourage commuters to shift from personally owned modes of transport like private cars and towards mobile services like public transport, on-demand buses, share bikes and cars.

Ms Lo said, “With so much congestion trying to get in and out of this area, and with a lot of the residents working in the CBD, it makes sense there are more services like this popping up to cater to the demand. The ferry is already a popular choice, it’s just not always been the most accessible one.”

TfNSW has promised On Demand Transport pilots will be assessed to tailor transport solutions to the local communities for the best outcomes.

Mayor Wakefield said the Council would like to continue to work with the state government to ensure residents in all areas of Waverley are able to travel where they need to go, according to their needs.

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Public housing tensions erupt

By Matilda Gould A Department of Family and Community Services (FACS) bid to crack down on antisocial behaviour in public housing has coincided with the release of a report finding the Department has failed to provide adequate conflict management training to its staff.

The crack-down will require disruptive tenants to prove they have connected with a support service to assist them manage their behaviour, or earn an immediate strike against their record under the current ‘three strikes’ eviction policy for NSW public housing tenants.

However, the report released by the Auditor-General on August 10, found that FACS is failing to provide staff with the resources necessary to provide comprehensive case management to tenants exhibiting antisocial behaviour, especially those with mental illnesses.

“There are no guidelines, templates or frameworks to assist staff to refer and engage relevant services to support these tenants,” it states.

The report continues “[FACS’] management of minor and moderate antisocial behaviour is poor and there is uneven application of FACS’ antisocial behaviour policy across the State…a more coordinated approach to case managing tenants with complex needs including those requiring mental health services and support [is required].”

A survey conducted by FACS in 2017 showed less than a third of the public housing tenants surveyed reported

feeling safer since the strike-based management policy was introduced in 2015, leaving the majority feeling things had either not improved or had worsened.

“The majority of public housing tenants do the right thing and they are entitled to a peaceful home life, free from any fear or disruption caused by a neighbour doing the wrong thing,” Minister for Family and Community Services Pru Goward said in a media release to promote the tougher rules.

“This policy will be welcomed by the thousands of tenants in NSW social housing who respect their neighbours and expect the same in return.”

According to the report, antisocial behaviour can range from disruptive noise and hoarding, to abuse and drug use.

The report acknowledges while FACS has been effective in dealing with severe instances of antisocial behaviour by referring cases to specially trained staff in its legal division, minor and moderate cases are referred to frontline staff who are limited in their ability to resolve the matter due to a lack of resources and competing work priorities.

The report also claimed FACS’ own data on antisocial behaviour in public housing was “incomplete and unreliable” due to a “poorly designed” information processing system that many staff have not been trained to use properly.

The findings of the report were revealed at the close of a tense week in Parliament, during which Ms

Goward introduced a bill to amend the Residential Tenancies Act by imposing rental bonds on tenants who cause damage to public housing, and evicting those convicted of rental fraud.

In a statement to CityHub, a spokesperson for the Minister clarified that when determining liability for damage to property, FACS will give special consideration to tenants with disabilities, mental health issues, or who are fleeing domestic violence.

The NSW Greens criticised the Minister’s attitude toward public housing residents and the amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act and called on Premier Glady Berejiklian to step in.

Greens NSW Housing spokesperson, Jenny Leong, said “The Greens call for urgent intervention from the Premier in order to protect public housing tenants, whose safety is at risk due to the incompetence of Minister Goward and the systemic failures she is refusing to address.”

She continued “Housing is a human right, and we need to be treating it in the same way we do health care and education.

“What the Minister should really be doing is reflecting on her own performance and her failure to support tenants struggling with poverty, complex mental health needs and domestic violence,” she said.

Denis Doherty, treasurer of Action for Public Housing, says that the real problem with the public housing system is that it is currently only available to

CPA member Jacob collecting signatures for Action for Public Housing petition. Photo: CPA

those the government once dubbed the “deserving poor” – pensioners, people experiencing dysfunction, or people with complex mental and physical health conditions.

Mr Doherty asked “What happens when you put a whole lot of dysfunctional people in a restricted area and you give them no jobs?

“It’s a recipe for social discord, and lo and behold, we’ve got social discord.”

“The system we have now is that we create these islands of disadvantage which from time to time get so bad they erupt,” he said.

Action for Public Housing is holding a rally in Hyde Park at noon on Thursday August 16 to petition the government to put an immediate ban on evictions from public housing and invest in more public housing units.

“If you had a social housing system that was bigger and better than what we have currently, and had people who had jobs like teachers and nurses living among people who have mental health problems, then you have the possibility to create community and support systems,” said Mr Doherty.

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Opinion

The CBD Lantern Walk Peter Hehir Hundreds of Sydneysiders stepped out on a balmy winter’s evening to attend the Fix NSW Transport rally last Saturday outside the Sydney Town Hall to hear speakers from 32 resident, union and activist groups bemoan the parlous state of public transport here in NSW. Clover Moore highlighted the absurdity of WestConnex – which proudly encourages tens of thousands more vehicles to enter the CBD, when the City of Sydney’s policy is to discourage the use of private vehicles and to expand public transport patronage. She impressed upon the 600 hundred or so people gathered beside the Town Hall the horrendous cost of WestConnex, touted to be $16.8 billion but in reality much more like the figure independently arrived at by SGS Economics at $45 billion!

We heard 13 year old Nicholas Naumov speak oh so eloquently about the real cost. A cost that will be borne by his and subsequent generations.

The hidden cost to the health of communities in Haberfield, Rozelle and St Peters with hundreds of tonnes of unfiltered, carcinogenic, diesel particulate matter imported into and disgorged over these suburbs.

This is the poisonous legacy that Berejiklian’s Government will leave to the generations that follow. And young Nicholas was all too well aware of it.

None of this appears in the WestConnex business case and is glossed over in the Department of Planning and Environment’s approval, which was released in total silence and only acknowledged 10 days later when it was leaked to the press.

MC John Lozano urged those attending to lodge a submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into WestConnex reminding us that submissions closed on the 31st August.

Alex Claassens from the Rail Tram and Bus

Some of the 600 who went on the Lantern Walk. Photo: Bernard Weber

Union was unable to explain ‘the rationale behind this Government’s sustained attack on the Sydney rail and bus network’. He intimated that Transport Minister Andrew Constance had apparently ‘set the Sydney rail network up to fail.’

How ‘train drivers and guards were forced to work overtime in an attempt to make the new timetable work. A timetable that couldn’t be implemented because there simply weren’t enough staff to come anywhere near achieving it’.

An absurd target ‘that was pushed onto the Union without any consultation and that the Government knew couldn’t be realised’. Why? Simple. Just so the Union could be identified as the problem. Yet further argument for the Liberal’s universal cure all: Privatisation. Get rid of any and all coherent and cogent opposition. So the Unions have got to go.

The introduction of the single deck Metro is a further thinly disguised attempt to white ant the rail network. No drivers, no guards – just a train with few carriages and even fewer seats. The elderly and the disabled expected to stand, with capacity based on the allocation of four standing passengers per square metre, forcing many back into their cars.

Thanks Andrew. Nice one Glad. The only time we ever see them on a train is for a photo op.

The Inner West has lost its bus service to privatisation to the detriment of the community.

Bus stops have been removed, buses are no longer keeping to their timetables. The service is a shambles. Alex informed us that one bus was put back into service recently with duct tape holding a damaged panel in place. Standards in relation to service continue to fall.

Bronwyn Batten from the Illawarra spoke about how disabled access was continually pushed to the bottom of the priority list for stations such as Unanderra on the Illawarra line.

The NSW Leader of the Opposition was invited but was again conspicuous by his absence. It’s rumoured because he is so seldom seen, that he is actually a phantom – a ghost in search of a shadow.

At least a dozen ALP high flyers were invited but just two councillors bothered, one from the City of Sydney and the other from Waverley.

While the ALP in the Inner West professes to be opposed to WestConnex, clearly their lack of action speaks volumes.

There were representatives from 11 Sydney Local Councils and 3 MP’s, all strident in their opposition to the latest batch of toll roads.

Hawkesbury Council has voted for a Royal Commission into the state of transport planning in the greater Sydney region, echoing the call made by RAW in Bottleneck!, a 20 page newspaper distributed free to Inner West residents, about 10 months ago.

Mary Court from Penrith Valley Community Unions sent a clear message to Berejiklian to dump the M4 tolls ‘or we’ll dump you’. She also suggested that ‘interstate high speed rail should be prioritised ahead of another airport’.

The speeches were followed by a rollicking 45 minute lantern walk through the CBD led

by Riff Raff the Radical Marching Band. The mood was upbeat with families and kids and scores of homemade lanterns lighting the way, assembled by residents in free community workshops across the region, funded by the City of Sydney.

It was obvious that Glad the Impaler’s Government was being targeted. The message was unequivocal. Loud and clear. Lift your game or else…

Camperdown hot for asbestos Lanie Tindale “When the fire happened we escaped with our children, our lives, and our pyjamas. That’s it.

“We are now in the 9th week of crisis accommodation and holding it all together as a family.

We’re tired, we’re emotionally and physically exhausted. This horrible time has been exponentially worsened by the fact that we’ve had to actively advocate for every bit of information from Council.”

These were the opening words from Nipu Jayatilleke’s speech to the Inner West Council on Tuesday.

Ms Jayatilleke and her husband Linden Thorley live at 103 Australia Street Camperdown, the property neighbouring 101 Australia Street, which went up in flames on Sunday the 17th of June.

“We’re appalled at the effort we must take for Council to take us seriously when we raise concerns about safety. This includes when we found loose asbestos in the public domain weeks after the Council clean up.

Residents were evacuated from the site because of asbestos in the roof of the factory which caught fire. 55 firefighters and 12 fire trucks responded to the fire.

There was a clean-up by council of the site, but asbestos debris was found by Mr Thorley and an asbestos hygienist on the 19th of July.

Inner West Greens Councillor Louise Steer presented a motion to the Council to “Ensure that the owner of 101 Australia Street Camperdown remove the asbestos from its site” within 7 days.

Deputy General Manager of Assets and Environment Elizabeth Richardson addressed the criticisms levelled at Council by residents.

Ms Richardson said that the site was given to the Council under its local emergency management function.

“Immediately [we closed the roads and begun] the extensive clean-up operations on a great 6

city hub 16 AUGUST 2018

number of dwellings,” she said, explaining there had been a delay because of negotiation between the owner of 101 Australia Street and Council.

Ms Richardson said that Council staff “were actively, frankly pressuring the owner … and we were satisfied at the time that progress was being made towards a resolution on this issue. There was obviously a situation with the owner’s insurance company.”

She said that when the asbestos debris was found

by Mr Thorley, “the situation escalated”, and that up until that point Council staff had believed the site to be safe.

Ms Robertson insisted Council “Went well above and beyond our initial responsibilities in cleaning up another of other properties. And then in the regulatory arm we have undertaken everything that we have needed to do… in order to make that site safe”. “[The residents’ concern is about] the delay. And with respect to communication that was provided to them and that’s not necessarily a failure of the regulatory approach.”

“I’m comfortable certainly with the approach that we’ve taken,” she said.

Another resident of Australia Street said he relied on the Council website to understand what was happening but when communication stopped he was in the dark.

“I expected when I returned after a month away things would be back to normal. Wrong.

“As a ratepayer, the owner of 101 Australia Street deserves no less consideration than other ratepayers, but Council’s protracted inaction suggests that [his] interests were a higher priority than other residents and remain such,” he said.

The resident claimed families were still displaced from their homes and that the small business at 99 Australia Street had been forced to temporarily close and was still hampered by the road and footpath closure.

Asbestos hits Australia Street.

Photo: Anthony Jennings

The owner of 105 Australia Street expressed concern for his tenants, who have lived in the property since 2013.

“My tenants not knowing from week to week where they are going to stay, living out of suitcases, trying to keep job commitments and relationships together is no mean feat.”

He said he wants an independent body to oversee the asbestos clean-up.

Inner West Council published an update on its website on Tuesday at 12.30pm. It said that “debris removal works [are] continuing as expected [and] internal propping [of the wall next to 103 Australia Street is] expected to commence tomorrow.”

On the 27th of July, the Inner West Council published a press release saying: “Following a fire at 101 Australia Street, Newtown, on June 17, Inner West Council sent in specialist contractors and asbestos assessor to

decontaminate and remove toxic material from the building and surrounding streets.”

Inner West Council Mayor Darcy Byrne said Council had gone above and beyond its responsibilities to assist with the clean-up.

“Immediately after the fire, Council sent in a team to secure the site and spray it with an adhesive by a licenced asbestos contractor to ensure public safety,” he said.

“Since then, Council has regularly liaised with the property owner, who gave regular assurances that work was about to begin on the investigation and clean-up of the site…yet the owner and GIO continued to drag their feet and this work only started on Thursday [25 July].”

Cr Byrne said Council had already spent more than $500,000 cleaning streets and homes around the property and had recently installed additional safety measures, including new air monitoring and sprinkler systems to ensure any debris is properly contained.

Early learning stunted

By Rickie Hardiman Access to affordable preschool and early-learning education for all Australian children is in doubt after federal government cuts to subsidies to preschools.

In its latest budget, the government announced Commonwealth funding of the National Partnership Agreement on Universal Access to early childhood education will end in 2020.

The partnership between the federal and all state and territory governments was created in 2008 to give access to preschool education for all children in the year before starting full time school.

The stated objective of the plan is to “Facilitate children’s early learning and development and transition to school, by maintaining universal access to, and improving participation in, affordable, quality early childhood education programmes for all children…with a focus on participation by Indigenous, vulnerable and disadvantaged children, regardless of the setting in which programmes are delivered”.

In providing funding to early childhood learning centres for staff, facilities and subsidised places, the program helped enrolment for the year before school increase from 12% of eligible children in 2008 to 93% in 2016.

The program was expanded in 2016 to include funding for some three year olds, including all those from Indigenous backgrounds and some from disadvantaged families.

It is estimated that about one fifth of all of NSW’s three year olds now attend preschool as a result of the program.

More than 800 preschools in NSW rely on the subsidy to provide the recommended 15 hours per week - or 600 hours per year - of learning provided by a qualified early childhood teacher.

“Without the financial assistance from the Federal Government, the cost of preschool education will be not be within the reach of the average family,”

Preschool subsidies cut.

Photo: Mary Allen

said Verena Heron from the Independent Education Union of Australia.

“High quality pre-school education has been shown to increase children’s intellectual achievement, concentration, social skills, independence, cooperation, self-regulation and peer relationships upon entry to school,” she said.

Ms Heron went on to argue that far from being cut, the program should be being expanded to include more of the younger cohort.

“This is a huge backward step for early childhood education.

“The recent Lifting Our Game Report clearly details the benefits of extending Universal Access to three year olds,” she said.

Responding to criticism of the cuts, Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said

“The Turnbull Government has locked in funding for preschool for this year and next year.

“This gives us time to work through the current serious attendance issues with the states and territories that ensures children are not just enrolling, but attending and benefiting from preschool programs in readiness for school,” he said.

“The Turnbull Government’s commitment to pre-school education is absolute.”

NSW Early Childhood Education Minister, Sarah Mitchell expressed dismay, saying “It is disappointing the Commonwealth has not discussed its plans for the future of early childhood education funding with the States and Territories, despite Minister Birmingham confirming in the budget estimates the importance of ongoing funding for pre-schoolers across the country”.

Elizabeth Death, CEO of the Early Learning and

Care Council of Australia said “The early years provide a key window of opportunity to support children to develop the foundations of cognitive, creative, emotional, literacy and language skills that they will need for future success in education, work and life”.

Ms Death claimed the social and emotional skills learned in early childhood education are critical to a child’s ability to thrive as an adult in the future economy and said she worried the loss of funding could have a negative impact on Australia’s place in education and economic world rankings.

“Australia’s largest non-government preschool providers are calling for clarity and non-partisan commitment to ongoing Universal Access funding to quality pre-school for every child in the two years before school,” she said.

Ms Heron expressed concern for preschools trying to plan costs, budgets and fees, saying “Preschools are heavily dependent upon funding and need certainty in order to set future budgets and daily fees”.

She emphasised parents would also need time to make decisions and plans for their budgets and child care needs, adding “NSW has highest fees in the country”.

Ms Carnegie commented “Parents need to stand up and fight for this as well,” estimating that after the cuts only 8,000 three year olds in NSW would be covered by the subsidies.

Elizabeth Death encouraged all stake holders to continue to work together saying “We need sustainable long-term funding linked to early childhood teacher delivered preschool for every Australian child, regardless of setting.

“We urge the Federal, State and Territory Governments to continue to work together to provide families and providers with certainty of funding post 2019.”

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FEATURE

Festivals FREE For All

Kasey Chambers. Photo: Bluesfest

By Jamie Apps Currently around the world the entertainment industry is striving to be more inclusive for everyone. The latest battleground has been waged in the fields of music festivals as there has been a call for a more equitable distribution of genders, ethnicities and sexualities on music festival lineups.

This latest skirmish was sparked upon the release of the lineup for the 2018 iteration of Bluesfest, which unusually included only four acts featuring women.

Despite a long history of providing diverse lineups this year the Byron Bay hosted festival included only one female headline act in Kasey Chambers (pictured).

According to LISTEN, a grassroots, entirely volunteer-run not-for-profit organisation, this represents a “problematic” indication of a music industry wide systemic problem of bias towards “white male artists.”

LISTEN stressed though that it has no issue with the festival itself, which had in the past showcased artists who fall into the categories of women, queer or people of colour.

“Our issue is with the message repeatedly sent

by Australian festivals that women and nonbinary artists, especially those who are Indigenous and artists of colour, do not deserve to be announced first.”

In response Bluefest director Peter Noble agreed that women are under-represented in the music industry as a whole but stressed that the economic viability of a festival has to be at the forefront of all booking and business decisions.

“This is a serious issue, of course, and I am aware of the low representation of women at gigs,” he said before elaborating on the impact a

quota system may have, “We book artists based on their drawing ability and the response to our surveys so if we can deliver the kind of bill our audience wants, then… in the end this is a business.”

For Sydney musician Jade Le Flay she understands the difficult position diversity quotas place music promotors in but also feels it is only a matter of time before quotas are no longer required.

“I think it’s a smart move to strive for balance.

If we measure how much change there has been throughout history to now, then I personally don’t think it’s good enough but ultimately if organisers are happy to be close minded then I am sure over time, they are only really doing themselves a disservice.”

Calls for gender or ethnicity quotas also raise the question of merit and gratification for those artists that both get booked or lose gigs because of their implementation.

For LISTEN spokesperson Xanthea O’Conner the notion that the music industry is based on a meritocracy is a fallacy, “Unfortunately the music industry is largely run by white men who are usually middle to upper class.”

Despite being a relative newcomer to the circuit musician Stacey Queffert has already experienced offers for gigs because of her gender.

“I’ve had people approach me saying they need more females for their event and at this stage of my career a gig is a gig so I’ve taken those opportunities, but obviously an offer based on talent would be much more valued.”

Jade Le Flay, who is further along in her career, said she “wouldn’t feel gratified” with an offer based on gender because her family taught her not to “use gender as a tool” and would therefore turndown that particular offer.

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When speaking with Jade Le Flay she also raised another issue which unfortunately needs to be considered for female artists, that being sexual harassment.

“Being a female artist has meant that I have been forced to feel fearful of certain things, such as being groped or harassed, when performing at events.”

Sadly just this past week this exact issue bubbled up to the surface following the unveiling of the lineup for Unify Gathering.

The lineup for Unify Gathering featured the 2004 iteration of the band I Killed The Prom Queen for a ‘nostalgia set’. Inviting this version of the band was controversial because it included former member Michael Crafter, who had made sexist comments on social media before leaving the band in 2006.

By including Crafter in the lineup LISTEN believes this, “sends the message that they [Unify Gathering] condone his misogynistic commentary.”

Unify Gathering were quick to respond to the outcry and removed I Killed The Prom Queen from the event.

Overwhelmingly the consensus throughout the music industry appears to be that they simply ask anybody in a position of power; be that record label, music festival or even media that the idea of diversity and equality be kept in mind during all decisions.

As fans of music the best thing you can do is to simply support the artists you love, regardless of gender, ethnicity or sexuality and callout when you see unacceptable behaviour around you.

If we all strive to be better people,at even the tiniest of levels big changes will inevitably follow, just look at the creation of the Grand Canyon as an example.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT For anyone who’s been touched by mental illness, no matter in what way, and that’s a lot of us, The Almighty Sometimes will sound like very familiar territory. Kind of like been there done that. Such is the accuracy of the depiction. It is a theatrical interpretation of the nightmare, dangerous and scary, that you wouldn’t wish upon your worst enemy.

Star of Puberty Blues, Black Mirror and Packed To The Rafters, Brenna Harding, plays teenage Anna, who as a seven year-old following a suicide attempt, after the death of her dad, is put on medication under the care of psychiatrist, Vivienne Lawson, played by multi Logie Awardwinning actor Penny Cook from A Country Practice and Australian movie, Candy. She wrote prolific notebooks, there is the question, was she a child prodigy? But when it becomes harder to write she begins a type of personal experiment, going off her medication in an effort to try and regain her creativity.

The Almighty Sometimes is a new Australian

Photo: Brett Boardman

work written by Kendall Feaver and directed by Helpmann Award-winning Lee Lewis, a brave and compassionate story, told with heartbreaking honesty. It is confronting and dialogue heavy,

emotions are raw, there are real tears cried by Anna’s mum, Renee, (British actor Hannah Waterman) who’s a single mum and a teacher.

She is all Anna has, she manages her daughter, suffocates her. It’s tragic how Anna loses everything along with her sanity, in the time in her life when she should be gaining independence and laying the foundations for the type of woman she will become. Her mother has become the ‘living archive of everything’ she’s experienced.

The set is minimalist, plain white walled, with nothing but a table and three white chairs.

During the scenes when Anna becomes a raving lunatic, her mind intangible, scary, almost frothing at the mouth, she experiences feelings of grandeur, suicidal tendencies and pushes everyone away, she is like Geoffrey Rush in Australian movie Shine. (MS) Until Sep 8. SBW Stables Theatre, 10 Nimrod St, Kings Cross. $38-$60+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.griffintheatre.com.au

REVIEW: Next To Normal

This fast paced musical is more like a modern opera; there is little unsung dialogue and it’s full of emotional depth and character exploration.

Written by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, it has received high accolades and even a Pulitzer Prize in its brief 10 year history. Lane Cove Theatre Company’s current production of Next To Normal does it more than justice. In their small resident theatre in St Aidan’s, they manage to

create a compelling, professional show that is moving and entertaining.

The story centres around a suburban American family. Diana (Miriam Rhihani) is a wife and mother struggling with unassailable mental illness brought on by the death of her infant son 18 years ago. Her stalwart husband, Dan (Trent Gardiner) does everything he can to support her, seeking out cures and treatments, and maintaining saint-like hope and patience. Their 16 year old daughter, Natalie (Chelsea Taylor), though not yet born when her brother died, feels his loss acutely as it has rendered her almost invisible behind the grief and struggle of her parents. The son, Gabe (Christopher O’Shea) makes an appearance as a character, manifested as his 18 year old would-be self by the desperate imagination of his mother. Doctor Madden (Brent Dolahenty) is the good-looking and persistent psychiatrist who treats Diana,

going from pills to analysis to shock therapy, but to no avail. Henry (Luka Bozic) is Natalie’s new boyfriend. He’s a little geeky, but ernest and devoted to Natalie.

Every one is incredibly strong and convincing in their role, nailing the American accents, finding the core of their characters and melding with each other beautifully. The four piece band is tight and unobtrusive; the sound quality for such a small, improvised space is excellent. The choreography and set design are very effective.

Though the material may be dark and potentially disturbing at times, it is offset by genuinely humorous moments and very appealing actors.

On a side note, the view from this Longueville theatre is absolutely stunning. (RB) Until Aug 25.The Performance Space, St Aidan’s, 1 Christina St, Longueville. $15-$27+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.lanecovetheatrecompany.com

REVIEW: Rugby League - The Musical

Rugby League:The Musical takes the rough and tumble from the field and injects it with the glitz and glamour of a stage musical to create a raucous night of biting comedic satire.

Throughout the show the creator and star of the show Denis Carnahan adopts caricature type visages of some of the legends in the rugby league world to tell the outlandish stories, from both an and off the field. Rugby League:The Musical is at it’s best when Carnahan is deeply imbued within the characters he is portraying, such as Paul Gallen or infamous referee Jarod Maxwell.

The final segment of the show when Carnahan

performs sans alter-ego with only a guitar is perhaps the only portion of the show which requires prior knowledge as a rugby league fan.

All of the other segments of the show have enough pantomime and musical elements for even a rugby league novice to enjoy the show and have a laugh.

Don’t be put off by the title of this show, it is for everyone and a great casual night of funny theatre. (JA) Aug 20 & 27.The Bridge Hotel, 119 Victoria Rd, Rozelle. $20+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.rugbyleaguethemusical.com.au

a&e

19 STAGE 10 SCENE 11 Sounds 11 SCREEN

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

REVIEW: Moby Dick Danny Adcock. Photo: Marnya Rothe

REVIEW: The Almighty Sometimes

Written by Herman Melville in 1851, this classic American novel which was adapted for the stage by Orson Welles takes independent theatre to a whole new level, as it captivates and possibly even perplexes non-scholastic audiences.

The 900-page literary classic in which the underlying themes are somewhat ambiguous and open to individual interpretation, has been truncated into a 90-minute stage play.

The story centres on Captain Ahab who, whilst aboard the Pequod on a three-year whaling expedition, is obsessively determined to avenge the white whale known as Moby Dick for biting off his leg at the knee.

Themes of revenge, friendship, duty, defiance and death resonate in this energetic production which boasts a talented cast of 10 performers led by Danny Adcock, as the cantankerous and hateful Captain Ahab.

The staging is simple but effective. Four ladders and several crates are basically the only props which transform the stage into the Pequod, as the ship voyages on her hunt for whales and the death of Moby Dick.

Humour is skilfully interwoven with drama and thankfully, a narrative by one of the main characters guides audiences through the ambiguity of the story, as the cast break into song, movement and long poetic monologues.

Clever lighting, atmospheric music, drums and loud sound effects are utilised to heighten the excitement of the action sequences with ‘the gliding demon of the seas’, but ultimately will audiences see Moby Dick on stage?

With an ounce of imagination Moby Dick will materialise in the minds of audiences as they take this doomed voyage and come to the realisation that man may be the most dangerous animal on Earth, more so than the monsters lurking beneath the sea. (MMo) Until Aug 25. Seymour Centre, City Rd & Cleveland St. $36-$45+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.seymourcentre.com

Contributors: Emily Shen, Irina Dunn, Jade Morellini, Mark Morellini, Mel Somerville, Olga Azar, Rita Bratovich, Sarah Pritchard, Shon Ho, Riley Hooper, Erika Echternach & Lili Sekkai, Joseph Rana, John Moyle.

city hub 16 AUGUST 2017

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REVIEW: Torch Song Trilogy

Simon Corfield.

Photo: Clare Hawley

To mark its 25th anniversary, the Darlinghurst Theatre Company has brought the gay camp classic Torch Song Trilogy back to life.

While it may be easy to believe that the world has moved on from the bad old days of intolerance, gays still struggle to come out, straight parents still reject their gay children and queers are still assaulted for being different. More than just a revival piece, the current production is flawless.

Actually three plays with two intermissions, the four hour show flies by in no time. Simon Corfield plays Arnold Beckoff (Fierstein’s famous signature role) impeccably, complete with the gruff voice and bitchy yet vulnerable demeanour.Tim Draxl

plays Arnold’s awkward and closeted boyfriend Ed deliciously (his shirtless torso in the third play is riveting). Kate Raison plays the nagging, intolerant Jewish mother to perfection.The cabaret singing throughout the show is breathtakingly excellent: made all the more perfect by the music direction of the incredibly talented Phil Scott, who accompanies the performers from a piano on stage.

Thirty five years after the show opened to accolades on Broadway, Torch Song Trilogy remains as poignant as ever.

(LG) Until Aug 26. Eternity Playhouse, 39 Burton St, Darlinghurst. $38-$54+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.darlinghursttheatre.com

Office tO Let

THE NAKED CITY

TURNING A BLIND EYE

With Coffin Ed Back in the 1800s in Sydney you could go to the beach during the day as long as you didn’t leave the sand.

Daylight bathing in the harbour or surf was effectively banned and it was until the start of the 20th century that local councils amended the law.

In 1902 for example Randwick Council, in all their wisdom, believed allowing bathing would help conserve water in the community, passing a by law that stated: “It shall be lawful for all persons, whether male or female, to bathe in the sea at all times and at all hours of the day... within the municipality of Randwick.”

Council regulation and at times deregulation has been with us for decades and their list of punishable offences supplements the basic laws of the land.

Look back through time and you will find many now ludicrous Council edicts as to how we live, work and enjoy ourselves within the various municipalities. It’s called ‘compliance’ and the rule book is often enforced with a degree of officiousness that leaves residents shell shocked.

If much of Council compliance was an ‘ass’ back in the 1800s, there are numerous episodes today where it appears similarly idiotic. Last week City Hub reported on the City of Sydney’s targeting of the much loved Old Fitzroy Hotel in Woolloomooloo, informing the publican that he now “had to employ a security

guard four nights a week at a cost of $1000 to meet the condition of the original consent” – one that applied to a DA application that had been dormant for some some 18 years.

If the Council have their way one of the quietest and friendliest neighbourhood hotels in Sydney will need to be fronted by a menacing man mountain, no doubt judiciously checking the IDs of the laid back locals who have been drinking and socialising there for years. In the meantime they have done nothing to alleviate the plight of the numerous homeless men who bed down nightly in the squalor of Tom Uren Square.

One of the big problems with modern day Council compliance is the random and sporadic nature of the way it is enforced by the bureaucrats employed as its compliance officers. As has been the case with the Old Fitz, you can be carrying on a business for years, happily serving the community in an honest and law abiding way. Then one day there’s a knock at the

Potts Pointers Kellett Sprawl

door and you are greeted by the fourth horseman of the apocalypse.

Obviously it would be impossible for Councils to act on every infraction of their rule books, unless they employed a veritable army of investigators and door knockers. In many cases they only act after somebody has made a complaint or dobbed a potential rule breaker in.There’s also a long list of instances whereby Councils have essentially turned a blind eye to various acts of non-compliance, until an over zealous compliance section sniffs out the offender and sends in the storm troopers.

A good example are the warehouse style venues, often people’s homes, that operated throughout the inner city during the past two or three decades as performance spaces for live music and film screenings. Most of the local Councils knew of their existence and turned the proverbial blind eye, conscious of their cultural contribution to the community.

Somewhere along the line the compliance department stepped in and many of them have now been forced to cease operations.

Surely some common sense and ‘peaceful’ resolution needs to take place, as in cases such as that of the Old Fitz.Yes, go after the really bad offenders, the dodgy developers, the boarding house sharks, the blood house hotels and the environmental vandals but also be prepared to turn the blind eye. After all the City Of Sydney has been doing that for years in Woolloomooloo when it comes to the ‘crime’ of sleeping rough.

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Kellett Street in Potts Point is one of the area’s most colourful streets and from 2pm this Sunday Sydneysiders are invited to hear local historian Warren Fahey give a free talk about its notorious past and partake in a food festival as local venues open their doors for taste samplings and drink specials.

The event termed the Potts Pointers Kellett Sprawl has been organised by the Facebook site Potts Pointers, which with its membership of nearly 3,500 is one of the largest community groups in Sydney.

Once known for its bawdy past of brothels, gambling clubs and illegal drinking establishments the street has undergone a food led revitalisation.

Local venues taking part include Rosé Royal that claims to be the the world’s first rosé wine bar and Honka’s, the new kid on the block.

Silly Tart is looking forward to meeting guests at their rustic garden party and another new kid, House, is making a special effort with a tasting menu that is sure to evoke the memories of Tilly Devine and Kate Leigh, who once used the street to settle their differences. (JMo)

The core of this exhibition will be made up of around 30 recent paintings, drawings and watercolours by David Henderson.

This exhibition will take guest on a journey through some of the most influential locations in Henderson’s life and artistic career. Some of the highlights include plein air views of Venice and Rome, cities in which the artist has for many years spent extended periods living and working. It will also include Australian landscapes and paintings and drawings of the figure.

David Henderson spent his early years on a sheep property near Longreach in central Queensland.

His secondary education was in Brisbane, followed by studies in architecture at Queensland University of Technology. He began his career as an artist in 1980, sketching architectural subjects for commission and sale, enabling him

to travel to Italy the following year.

Soon after, he enrolled as a student at London’s Royal Academy Schools, graduating in 1985.

Henderson believes that to make a successful painting however, it is not necessary to work from subjects famous for their visual appeal. “While just about anything can be the starting point for a painting, the most rewarding subjects are those which on some level engage my imagination. In Rome for instance, it is impossible not to be moved by a sense of the passing of time, and of the unfolding of history. If on the other hand, I paint the light of Queensland I’m confronting my personal history. I have more of a sense of coming to terms with my own experiences and memories” Until Aug 21. M2 Gallery, 450 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills.

Info: www.m2gallery.com.au

By Jamie Apps Occasionally as a professional musician it’s possible to get swept away from the personal connection of the creativity by the business of the industry, which is something Melbourne’s Mojo Ruiz de Luzuriaga (aka Mojo Juju) actively fought against with her upcoming record Native Tongue.

“Making music is really personal for me and I think you can get caught up in the industry of it when you’re doing it professionally,” explained Mojo.

However Mojo had very different motivations when entering the creative process for Native Tongue, “This journey and experience was for me, I wasn’t doing it because I felt like I needed or wanted to make a statement, I simply wanted to reconnect with my family, my culture and my artform.”

By entering the creative process with these motivations in mind Mojo has been able to create a record which mercilessly attacks the institutionalised prejudices she has faced in the past as a mixed race, queer woman who has felt ostracised within the community.

“I was ready to tell my personal

Mojo Juju

story because I had reached that point where it was really hard to seperate the political from the personal,” Mojo said before adding, “The conversation around identity politics can often be framed in a very academic way which means we lose the humanity of these stories and the people it actually affects.”

With this being Mojo Juju’s third album you would assume confidence would be at an all time high, despite now exploring potentially unsettling subject matter. That was not the case though according to Mojo.

“I actually thought there was the potential that I would alienate my fanbase slightly.”

This fear never slowed Mojo’s drive though.

“I felt like I was taking a risk and for the first time in a long time I was really excited about the record that I was making because this is the record I wish I had heard when I was younger.”

During the course of taking this leap of faith Mojo said she has felt, “supported, encouraged and embraced by different parts of the community.” This has fostered a new found self-confidence which she will be carrying into future projects, “I’ve definitely opened the door to being confident, honest and intimate in a way that I hadn’t before.”

Mojo’s first opportunity to tap into this confidence comes this weekend when she performs a special album previous show in the iconic Sydney Opera House.

“It sounds silly because the Opera House is so big but this feels like an opportunity for us to do something really intimate and give context to the songs by sharing the stories behind them.” Mojo said. “To be able to do that in such a prestigious and renowned space is an honour.”

Aug 19. Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $28-$35+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.sydneyoperahouse.com

Dan Parsons Sunday Morning Cinema If you’re searching for chill summer vibes as the weather gets warmer, look no further than singer/songwriter Dan Parsons’ brand new album Sunday Morning Cinema.

With a breezy sound slightly reminiscent of John Mayer, Dan Parsons croons his way through a folksy set of nine new tunes. His smooth vocals are supported by the talented members of Rodeo Pony, his recently formed live band.

If music was labeled the same way as food, the Sunday Morning Cinema collection would certainly be certified organic. Everything about the songs feels natural and authentic.

The single Here Goes Nothin is especially catchy and has already earned some welldeserved recognition, topping AMRAP’s AIRIT regional chart for two weeks after its release.

In short, Dan Parsons’ laid-back, easy-going sound manages to make listeners feel like they’re swaying in a hammock no matter where they are.

(EE) WWWW

The Spy Who Dumped Me

Two best friends, Audrey and Morgan find themselves unexpectedly caught up in an international conspiracy after Audrey’s ex-boyfriend shows up on their doorstep with a team of deadly assassins coming after him.

Springing into action, they find themselves on the run from trained killers and a slick British agent through Europe. The unlikely duo hatch a plan to save the world and once again the world is safe.

The action spy comedy stars Mila Kunis, Kate McKinnon, Justin Theroux and Sam

Heughan, with Susanna Fogel in the director’s chair whilst also writing the film alongside David Iserson. The film was produces by Brian Grazer and Erica Huggins with a huge $40 million budget.

Like so many comedies lately, The Spy Who Dumped Me starts well but soon runs out of comedy good enough to make you laugh out loud.

The film runs half an hour too long and if not for McKinnon would have been a massive fail.

(RH)

WWW

Submergence

Waterlogged would have been a better title. This is a monumental yawner from director Wim Wenders.

Scottish M16 agent James Moore (James McAvoy) and bio-mathematician Danielle Flinders (Alicia Vikander) exchange greetings on a beach in Normandy and after some cute courting, have a passionate romance.

This encounter is told in flashback and takes us to around the middle of the film where, now staying in the present, the plot splits into parallel stories. James

is being held captive by Somali jihadists after his secret mission goes badly wrong. Dani is about to go deep diving in a minisubmarine to look for the origins of life. They have been unable to contact each other and spend the rest of the film in morbid longing and reminiscence.

Neither the story nor characters have been developed enough for us to really care what happens and the only tension is in waiting for the end credits to roll. (RB) W1/2

The Darkest Minds

Based on the novel by Alexandra Bracken, The Darkest Minds follows the story of a world torn apart after most children mysteriously die leaving the surviving children with superhuman abilities.

Captured and sent to camps for fear of their powers with the most powerful of the children being exterminated, 16 year old Ruby escapes the camp with help from a doctor working to help save the kids. Along the way, she encounters a group of runaways and seeks safe haven with them.

The science fiction thriller is directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, with the

screenplay written by Chad Hodge. The film stars Amandla Stenberg, Harris Dickinson, Patrick Gibson, Skylan Brooks, Mandy Moore and Gwendoline Christie.

A warning to anyone going to spend their money on this film, if you’re expecting a great story with awesome action and acting, probably don’t see The Darkest Minds. More of a love story for children under 16, the film seemed to lack in everything it promised. If marketed differently the viewing experience would have been a lot better.

(RH) WW 1/2 city hub 16 AUGUST 2017

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