City Hub 16 July 2020

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BOHEMIAN KING STREET IS RE-EMERGING BY RENEE LOU DALLOW ewtown NSW, our very own mini Metropolis has been struggling, just like the rest of us, to get through this difficult time of COVID-19. For those of us who know and love the bohemian thoroughfare of King Street life has taken a bit of a different turn. Used to the crowded streets, a mixture of students, vagabonds, and even some well to do types, we are in a bit of a conundrum when all is quiet on The Newtown Front. South Newtown, full of antique stores and vintage clothing stores, has just started to claw it’s way back.

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The iconic Enmore Theatre, a venue for stars of music, burlesque and comedy, has had to close, open and close again, disrupting thespians and groupies alike. The Enmore Theatre though has come up with a unique way of selling tickets to events and booking must be done by phone and shown on your screen as you enter. While the theatre first opened in 1912 and has a seating capacity for 1600 people, this is the first time since the renovations in the 90s that the theatre has had to turn away artists. Many have rescheduled, which is a huge relief to fans. Spirit Of The Dance has now shifted to Sunday

October 11 and John Paul Young, an Australian legend, will return in 2021. Even John Edward, world famous psychic, has rescheduled for November taking an afternoon slot. “The Enmore Theatre takes pride in connecting with fans, local and touring artists to create memorable experiences. We will continue to work closely with artists and presenters on a show by show basis.“ said venue manager, Kellie Zois. There is a poster project going on to revitalise King Street and eight artists have been chosen and granted the City Of Sydney relief grant to design for shop windows. Shops that need to attract

customers even though only partially able to operate, and for shops that have had to close temporarily. This initiative is being led by artist Wendy Marray who said, “I just wanted to help my fellow artists to help themselves and at the same time give back to the community that has supported them.” On the subject of art Jonie Stephen, of Art On King, has said that they have been confidently running the whole time. “Before we used to sell a lot of mostly gifty things, but now we are selling lot’s more art materials. Everyone just wants to do art which is great for mental health.” Continued on page 2


NEWTOWN RE-EMERGES

(Continued from the cover) “We essentially train our volunteers in how to engage with a rough sleeper in a sensitive manner,” said Manager, Georgia Carter. Finally, Newtown is also well known for it’s designers and although it is not recommended to try on stuff right now it is still possible to buy online. Natalija Rushidi still has her doors open though and can be seen madly sewing away in her chic boutique in North Newtown. Her designs are distinctively Australian and reflect the unique flora and fauna of this wonderful land of ours. Newtown has always been a mecca for all those bohemian romantics. It’s bars, cafes and cabarets will go on and on and on and...

ENMORE THEATRE

118-132 Enmore Rd. Ph: 9550 3666 www.enmoretheatre.com.au

ART ON KING

199-201 King St. Ph: 9516 2342 www.artonking.com

Artist: Linda Cairnes

There have been some problems though with stock from just about all over the world stuck on shipping containers. Brands from Italy, Germany and America amongst them. In the shop Stephen said they now have screens on the counter to make staff more comfortable and they have to limit the number of people in the shop to 15,

opening and closing the doors constantly, to count people. The Newtown Neighbourhood Centre always has it’s finger on the pulse and runs its volunteer outreach program a little differently by sending people out to the needy rather than on site. They have just expanded their outreach program to

include the CBD and have just recently finished training a new batch of volunteers on how to engage effectively with the homeless. The centre provides trauma services as well as helping out with concerns people have on things that most of us take for granted, like where to find a bed for the night and how to access food.

NEWTOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE 1 Bedford St. Ph: 9564 7333 www.newtowncentre.org

NATALIJA RUSHIDI

168 King St. www.natalijarushida.com

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

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CITY HUB 16 JULY 2020


HubNEWS

Harsher COVID-19 restrictions in force from Friday (See p.5)

Sydney Uni questions Redfern accessibility BY ALLISON HORE he University of Sydney has formally objected to Transport for NSW’s proposal for the new Southern Concourse at Redfern station. In a submission to the Department of Planning, Industry and the Environment, University of Sydney vice chancellor Michael Spence lodged objection to the proposal based on concerns about pedestrian safety on Little Eveleigh Street and the gated pedestrian bridges which would be at either end of the concourse. “The bridge, as currently designed, is to be gated at each end, meaning the people crossing from one precinct to the other and not using the station will have to go through gates and a ticketing process,” he said. “We seek open access to the bridge for pedestrians, as a key facilitator of connection and collaboration between the University, Cicada and South Eveleigh and the future Waterloo Metro station.” The $100 million upgrades to Redfern station are part of the Transport Access Program which aims to provide greater accessibility to people with limited mobility, wheelchair users and people

T HubARTS: The Stars At Noon A one woman show retells the space race from a female perspective. (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. 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: Allison Hore Contributors: Allison Hore, Wendy Bacon Cartoonist: Sam Mcnair Arts Editor: Jamie Apps Contributors: Erika Echternach, Irina Dunn, Madison Behringer, Mark Morellini, Olga Azar, Renee Lou Dallow, Olga Sedneva Cover Photo: By Diana Shypula. Newtown Residents 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

Redfern station southern concourse concept art. Photo: Transport for NSW

with prams and luggage. Currently only platforms six and seven of the station are accessible by lift, with all other platforms only accessed by a single stairway at the northern end of the platform. The plans for the Southern Concourse, announced in May, include a six-metre wide walkway linking the east and west sides of the station and new lifts and stairs for platforms one to ten. But some, including the University of Sydney, have suggested the current proposal does not sufficiently meet accessibility goals. Under the proposal, the pedestrian bridge would be accessible through ticketed gates which

would be closed between 1:45 and 3:45 am when the station is not open. Residents also worry that the proposed entrances would funnel thousands of commuters onto Little Eveleigh and Marian streets and increase congestion on the narrow footpaths. Transport for NSW is now in the process of formalising a response to the community submissions and will address the issues and concerns raised in a report. Should the proposal be accepted, construction will start at the end of this year and is expected to be completed in mid-2022.

No distancing in Double Bay BY ALLISON HORE he Golden Sheaf Hotel in Double Bay has been issued a $5,500 fine after failing to impose social distancing on patrons queued up outside its doors on Wednesday night. The hotel was investigated by Liquor & Gaming NSW after a picture emerged on reddit showing up to 250 people packed tightly into the queue. The picture was posted alongside the caption “How many days until Sydney is locked down?”. Police attended the hotel at about 9:00pm on Wednesday night and liaised with the manager before assisting security staff to restrict the number of people in the queue in line with social distancing guidelines. Justine Baker, chief executive officer of Solotel Group which operates the Golden Sheaf Hotel, told the ABC that the hotel is practicing “strict

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Crowds outside Golden Sheaf Hotel in Double Bay. Photo: Reddit/bluetooth155

social distancing and COVID hygiene procedures”. “We take the safety of our guests and staff very seriously,” Ms. Baker said. “We employ management and security staff to monitor queues constantly — at the Golden Sheaf last night we worked immediately with police to disperse the crowd and ensure social distancing

measures were established.” Under the NSW public health orders, pubs and other venues must have a COVID safe plan to ensure social distancing is maintained. This includes measures to manage gatherings that may occur outside the venue. Businesses face fines of up to $55,000 for failing to comply with these measures. CITY HUB 16 JULY 2020

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HubNEWS

WestCON’s M8 Dustup BY WENDY BACON here have been six air pollution exceedances on the WestConnex M8 tunnel since it opened in early July. Five of these involved the controversial unfiltered ventilation stacks. Air pollutant readings above the limit were not caused by traffic congestion as there has been very little traffic on the M8 due to drivers declining to pay the toll which is $6.95 one-way toll for cars and more than $20 for trucks. There has also been less traffic due to COVID-19 and possibly school holidays. However, the high readings raise issues about the reliability of the M8 ventilation system and the amount of construction dust that has been left lying in and around the tunnel which opened before work on the massive St Peters Interchange and surrounding roads was completed. The WestConnex air quality reports also highlight weaknesses in the public accountability of the privately-controlled Transurban that controls Westconnex and nearly all other toll roads in Australia. There are three big black ventilation stacks along the 9 kilometre long M8 tunnel. One at either end of the tunnel at St Peters and Kingsgrove and one at the midpoint at Arncliffe. There are also in-tunnel monitors and eight real-time air quality monitors along the route which have been measuring air pollution levels in ‘ambient’(external) air for eighteen months. Under the conditions set by the Minister for Planning, air pollution limits are set for each stage of WestConnex. If there is an exceedance, Westconnex is required to notify Transurban and Transport NSW. In turn, they must notify NSW Planning, the EPA and NSW Health within 24 hours. These reports are published on Transurban’s Linkt website. But although they are public, only community members who are regularly checking the site would be aware of them. The reports leave many questions unanswered and there are no follow up reports. There is a WestConnex Air Quality Community Consultative Committee for the M8 and M5, but it has only met once this year and is not due to meet again until September. Community representatives on the Committee were not notified about the exceedances.

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AIR QUALITY CONCERNS

Community concern about WestConnex air quality has focused on PM 2.5 and PM 10. PM 2.5 is known to cause cancer and heart disease. Research has shown that there are no safe 4

CITY HUB 16 JULY 2020

An ugly sight: construction at St Peters interchange. Photo: Wendy Bacon

levels of tiny PM 2.5. PM 10 particles are slightly larger and are known to cause respiratory illness. Despite this concern, the tunnel approval does not require any monitoring of PM 2.5 and PM 10. Instead the ventilation monitoring system measures ‘solid particles’ and these are reviewed and analysed at three monthly intervals to calculate PM 10 and 2.5 levels. A City Hub review of a report filed for the M4 East shows that you would need to be an air quality expert to understand what those reports mean. The limit for solid particles coming out of the stack cannot average more than 1.1 mg/m3 over an hour. the first report was made on 4 July, on the day the tunnel opened. For two hours, the St Peters Interchange outlet measured 1.169 mg/ m3. On the second day, a similar high reading incident occurred for two hours at the Kingsgrove stack. Westconnex Transurban Operations manager Peter Redwin’s reports stated that the cause of the exceedance was: “Undetermined at this stage. Preliminary investigations are currently underway”. On the third night, all three ventilation stacks recorded higher exceedances of solid particles over different periods. By now WestConnex Transurban appears to have worked out the source of the problem. “Fine particulates that have settled on the road surface during construction are being aerated by the traffic travelling at 80km/h ...Ventilation system is running in an enhanced manual mode to assist in dispersing the solid particulate load. Sweepers are scheduled for tonight to further try and reduce particulate levels.” But five nights later on July 11, an

even stranger event occurred. The Arncliffe outlet recorded levels that were more than double the limits when it was not operating at all. The following day, an even higher level was recorded at Arncliffe in the morning and another high level in the evening Transurban’s Peter Redwin recorded, “Arncliffe ventilation facility was inactive throughout the period of exceedance. No fans were operating, and dampers were closed. Therefore, it is extremely unlikely that the above-limit solid particles reading was the result of air emissions from the tunnel.” So, what was the explanation?” There has been no further explanation on the site for these occurrences or what is being done to fix what are would appear to be technical hitches in the ventilation system.

Research has shown

that there are no safe levels of tiny PM 2.5 City Hub sent questions to WestConnex Transurban. A spokesperson replied that “Both the M8 and the New M4 Tunnels experienced minor issues from remnant construction dust after opening. This was more significant in the M8 as it is significantly longer (9km compared to 5.5km). Both tunnels were extensively cleaned with dry and wet mechanical truck sweeping before and after opening.” City Hub checked the reports for the M4 East and there were no similar occurrences after it opened. The M4 East ventilation system was also tested

before it opened. This leaves open the question of whether the tunnel was opened in a rush for cash flow from tolls collection could begin on the previously free M5 East and the M8. On 10 July, three real-time monitoring stations in St Peters and one each at Arncliffe and Barton Park recorded PM 2.5 levels that exceeded the daily average limit of 25 μg/m3. Redwin reported: “The elevated PM2.5 concentrations across the M8 ambient monitoring stations are consistent with the Sydney East DPI&E ambient network. At this stage, the above-goal PM2.5 readings ...can be attributed to an external event affecting the entire Greater Sydney basin.” While it’s true that air quality deteriorated in Sydney last Friday, City Hub searched the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPI&E) air monitoring website and found that none of the 5 nearest monitoring stations exceeded the daily limit and none recorded more than 19.5 μg/m3. There is no way a member of the public would know that from the vague Westconnex explanation. Apart from bushfire smoke, the most serious air quality issue in Sydney is roadside pollution that the DPI&E mostly ignores. Transurban CEO Scott Charlton said last week that the $4.3 billion M8 gives motorists the option of saving 30 minutes in a trip from Kingsgrove to St Peters. There is no doubt that for those who can afford it, the M8 offers a faster route. For those who cannot afford the tolls on either the M8 or M5, the route may well be slower. When City Hub’s reporter was a passenger in a car that took on test drive on the second night of operation there were only three other cars in the tunnel. Since then observations have shown that cars and trucks are using local roads rather than entering or exiting the M8 at St Peters Interchange. In fact, as the fine detail of the M8 Environmental Impact Statement ( EIS) revealed, some local roads across the inner South West of Sydney are expected to get more congested and suffer worse air quality as a result of WestConnex. All of the EIS predictions have been thrown out by reduced traffic and incomes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But from the point of view of local residents, this remains a significant issue made worse by the removal of thousands of trees. It is one that both the DPI &E and WestConnex Transurban are determined to sidestep. Wendy Bacon was previously the Professor of Journalism at UTS and has campaigned against WestConnex.


HubNEWS

Star Casino escapes tighter restrictions BY ALLISON HORE he Star Casino will be exempt from tighter social distancing law for bars and restaurants despite being charged $5,000 for breaching social distancing guidelines. On Saturday night large groups of patrons at the Star Casino were seen standing and mingling amongst each other while drinking alcohol. Under existing public health orders patrons must be seated to be served alcohol. Liquor & Gaming NSW confirm that a $5,000 fine will be issued for the offence.

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Life is not normal, it will

not be normal until we have a vaccine or a cure Acting director of compliance for Liquor & Gambling NSW, Dimitri Argeres, said that the Star Casino was “aware of its obligations to establish and enforce their COVID-19 Safety Plan” as the venue had already been visited by inspectors twice over the past 2 weeks.

“The fine follows a third inspection on the weekend where we witnessed further breaches of the COVID-19 Safety Plan, with patrons standing while consuming liquor and mingling between groups,” he said in a press statement. “We want to send a strong message that businesses must manage these risks to ensure individual patrons and the community are protected.”

DISTANCING RULES TO BE TIGHTENED In response to the growing number of pub-related COVID-19 cases in Sydney, the NSW government will tighten the leash on venues across the state. The tougher restrictions, decided in an emergency meeting of senior government ministers on Monday night, will include dropping the number of people allowed per booking from 20 to 10 and large venues being capped at 300 patrons. To enable easier contact tracing, venues will have to keep a digital record of patron names and phone numbers and submit it to Service NSW within 24 hours. The new rules will also require that large venues have dedicated “hygiene marshals” to help oversee social

The Star Casino in Sydney. Photo: Flickr/llee_wu

distancing procedures at all times of day, for smaller pubs and restaurants these marshals will only be required at peak dining times. These changes will only apply to pubs, and not casinos, despite a confirmed case at The Star. In a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange, the Star Entertainment Group said that a patron who visited The Star Sydney on Saturday, 4 July from around 7.30pm to 10.30pm tested positive for the virus. In a press conference on Tuesday morning, NSW premier Gladys

Berijiklian denied assertions the previous restrictions were not tight enough, but acknowledged community transmission could have been occurring for weeks. She urged the public to remember that the pandemic is not over and to maintain social distancing procedures when visiting public spaces. “Life is not normal, it will not be normal until we have a vaccine or a cure,” she said. The new rules for pubs and restaurants in NSW will come into force at midnight on Friday.

COFFIN ED’S NAKED CITY

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EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE POTUS

he first ever third party candidate, William Wirt, stood in 1832 for the Anti-Masonic Party. Wirt, who eventually managed only 100,000 votes, opposed the incumbent president Andrew Jackson, claiming that the Masons were an evil and murderous secret society. When Ralph Nader ran for the Green Party in 2000, it was Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedy’s fame, who finished a distant second for the party’s presidential nomination. Renowned for his blunt outspoken views and colourful language, Biafra was well ahead of the current Black Lives Matter debate in 2007 when he stated:”US cops are like a biker gang. They don’t obey the law and their main interest is in protecting their own power. Make all officers stand for election. That way they’d have to live in the neighbourhoods they patrol and meet people, rather than hiding in their cars and only jumping out when they want to beat the crap out of somebody.” It was perhaps inevitable that the current crop of Instagram stars, influencers and overrated celebrities would throw up their

By Sam Mcnair #thatsneakyrabbit

own ‘me’ generation nominee for the 2020 race and who more appropriate than the attention grabbing Kanye West. West has indicated a number of times that he would like to move into the White House and checked out the real estate back in October of 2018 when he lunched and hugged with Trump in a widely publicised photo op.

Maybe he’s just noticed the enormous Black Lives Matter banner painted outside Trump Tower in New York, because in recent days he has stated that he’s ‘done with Trump’. Kayne intends to run for POTUS with his newly formed ‘Birthday Party’, supposedly with the blessing and guidance of Elon Musk. Trump has so degraded, disrespected,

corrupted and perverted the office of the President that the door is now open for any sociopathic, narcissistic buffoon to try their hand. Had he not been born outside of the USA, Arnold Schwarzenegger may well have been flexing his sagging muscles in Washington – following in the footsteps of another movie star governor. And what about Charles Manson? Laugh if you like but recent history has shown that just about anything is possible in the murky world of American politics. Had Manson been given parole and the restriction on felons holding political office lifted, he could well have made a bid for the White House. For starters he certainly had the required celebrity status and was devoutly religious, even if it was a religion of his own making. Added to that he was without a doubt a ‘family’ man. Okay he’s dead and he will never get to ‘Make America Hate Again’ but do not underestimate the power of a couple of influencers like Kanye and Kim, a potent force for social change and the American dream - if only for the purpose of fattening their own burgeoning bank accounts. CITY HUB 16 JULY 2020

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HubARTS

THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND: There’s something intangibly enchanting about this film.

(See p.7)

ROOMWORKS O riginally created in June as a means for young emerging artists throughout Australia to come together during this forced time apart. The RoomWorks concept, which is produced by The Australian Theatre For Young People and Nightingale Content, has

provided income for 20 artists (writers and actors) as they work together in teams of two to produce and perform original monologues in the span of a week. On Sunday July 5, after attending a series of workshops with some of the countries leading theatre minds and performers, the participating artists submitted their works and are gearing up to begin performances this Saturday. “I am genuinely giddy at the thought of what these young people have achieved in such a short amount of time.... I hope everyone tunes in to see the beauty that has come out of this week. I also hope these young people have found some creative friends for life from the experience,” said Alexandra Punch, co-founder of Nightingale Content & coproducer of RoomWorks alongside Emily Buxton. Although the event is free to watch, audience members can ‘purchase’ tickets from the ATYP website, raising donations for AIME and Headspace. (JA) Tickets & Info: www.atyp.com.au/ productions/roomworks

THE STARS AT NOON

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he Stars At Noon, presented by Rhinestone Rebel and starring Emily Engeman is a one-woman show retelling the story of the space race from the perspective of women. The heart-warming and historically accurate performance is filled with sacrifice, joy, and heartbreak. The show will be performed live in theatre, however social distancing guidelines will be maintained. The Stars At Noon was written and performed by Emily Engeman, who has theatre credits in Little Shop Of Horrors, Into the Woods, and The Boys. The show will be directed by Jason Langley, an award winning director known for Loving Repeating, Here Lies Henry, and more. The musical director, Michael Tyack is known for The Witches Of Eastwick, Mary Poppins, and You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown. One hundred percent of profits from tickets sold will be donated to Flight Path Theatre to support them in remaining open during this time. The beloved

theatre in the heart of Marrickville values creative events which bring the community together. A donation ticket of $10 can be purchased for those who would like to donate to the cause but are unable to attend the event. (RBa) Jul 17-18. Flight Path Theatre, 142 Addison Rd, Marrickville. $20-$25+b.f. Tickets& Info: www.flightpaththeatre.org

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CITY HUB 16 JULY 2020

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HubARTS

CARRIAGEWORKS RECEIVES REPRIEVE O

ne of Sydney’s foremost arts institutions, Carriageworks, looks set to emerge from the ashes like a phoenix following a last minute reprieve. Back in May the institution went into voluntary administration after being hit hard by COVID-19 and suffering a “significant reduction in revenue streams’. At the time the organisation owed over $2 million to 225 creditors. Late yesterday (Friday, July 10) Carriageworks was handed a multimillion-dollar lifeline from a group

of philanthropists. The group of 15 donors was led by Geoff Ainsworth and wife Johanna Featherstone, Kerr Neilson, Michael Gonski and The Packer Family Foundation. Minister for the Arts Don Harwin paid tribute to the generous philanthropists who have committed to ensuring the survival and the artistic vision representative of the Carriageworks arts precinct. “We are delighted with this outcome. We would like to thank the wonderful donors who have so generously contributed to the continuing future

of Carriageworks.” Mr Harwin said. “At the heart of it, we are excited for the resident companies of Carriageworks who will also greatly benefit from this announcement.” NSW government agency Create NSW has committed to a 10-year lease and a five year funding agreement with Carriageworks Ltd. Moving forward Carriageworks will enter a tough climate for the arts, where they must adhere to a COVID Safety Plan consistent with NSW Health guidelines that will likely impact crowd numbers. (JA)

FLINDERS QUARTET DIGITAL CONCERT

Photo: Agatha Yim

BY RIDA BABAR linders Quartet, Melbourne’s longest running professional string quartet will soon premier Hidden Thoughts II: Return to Sender. From renowned Australian composer Katy Abbott, the brand new work for female voice, narrator and string quartet will be performed and streamed live across Australia, straight from the Melbourne Digital Concert Hall at 7pm on July 23. Katy was inspired to write the piece as a musical response to the letters of comfort and encouragement which many Australians wrote to asylum seekers detained on Nauru. The piece incorporates verbatim theatre, spoken word, song, and visual elements to symbolise the moving

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number of Australians who wrote those letters to people they had never met. Flinders Quartet will perform alongside three time Green Room Award winner and 2018 Helpmann Award nominee, mezzosoprano Dimity Shepherd. The concert will be narrated by actor and performed Richard Piper. Zoe Knighton, the quartet’s artistic spokesperson and cellist said, “Performing this work provides us with a rare opportunity to be a voice for those who haven’t been able to have had their words heard.” In an interview with City Hub, when asked what drew her to the letters, Katy answered, “I remember hearing the original call to Australians to write

THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND R

arely does a film which on the surface appears crude and offensive leaves audiences feeling poignant and overwhelmed by the human spirit. Scott (Pete Davidson) is a 24-year-old self-confessed bum living on Staten Island who hangs out with his dysfunctional friends drinking alcohol and smoking weed. He has no selfesteem and is a ‘going nowhere freeloader.’ Enter his mother’s (Marisa Tomei) boyfriend, a firefighter who ultimately manages to reactivate Scott’s will to progress in life after being in an emotional rut for many years owing to his father’s death.

a letter of support or encouragement that would make its way to an individual person seeking asylum on Nauru. I always intended to write a letter and never got around to it. “In 2017 I was finishing a work Hidden Thoughts where I used the hidden thoughts of women as the text in the piece and I found myself reflecting on other ‘hidden thoughts.’ I simply knew I wanted to be part of giving the thoughts in the letters air time – in the hope the intended recipients may hear them. This work is now my letter.” When asked how they hope to impact viewers with their music, Zoe responded, “It has been our mission since we began in 2000 to break down the normal barriers perceived around ‘stuffy classical chamber music.’ “In a piece like this which is fairly epic in scale, the benefit is that there is a great scope for variation of mood, texture and pacing. This piece is perfectly paced, and like a great TV drama which will make you laugh and then a page later, reach for a tissue or groan in despair and anger, the timing is universally brilliant. Jul 23. Online streaming. $20+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.melbournedigitalconcerthall.com

WING DEFENCE FRIENDS

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delaide’s hottest musical duo Wing Defence have arrived on the scene with a banger of a debut EP. Friends is a punchy six track offering of bubblegum pop-rock with a distinctly Aussie flair. Throughout the EP the duo of Skye Walter and Paige Court tackle themes surrounding politics, alcoholism, the much needed support of friends, and new parenthood. Despite being a debut EP from a fresh duo the EP is deeply emotive and cognoscenti of the surrounding world issues. Although they tackle some heavy themes Wing Defence have managed to make listening to the songs on this EP an enjoyable adventure. (JA) WWW1/2

Based on true events this dramedy is a minor gem that boasts a wonderful cast playing an assortment of likable and very zany characters. There’s an overload of silliness and funny one-liners and thankfully the comedic writing in the hysterical opening scene infiltrates the entire film. Several scenes where Scott breaks away from his ‘misfit self’ and admits to his mother that he misses his father are disheartening. There’s something intangibly enchanting about this film. An extremely rewarding cinematic experience for audiences who enjoy a good light-hearted human story leaves audiences with a subtle message - sometimes it may take a perfect stranger to restore some level of validity in a loved one’s life. (MMo) WWWW

CITY HUB 16 JULY 2020

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Together we saved it

Thank you to the 10,000 residents who signed the petition, thank you to all the local people who have rallied with us, and to everyone involved in Save the Powerhouse and the Powerhouse Museum Alliance.

Jamie Parker MP addressing a Save the Powerhouse rally in 2016

Some people think they can’t win against bad government decisions, but time and time again our community proves that you can. Speaking at the final Save the Powerhouse media conference in June 2020

Jamie Parker MP N ME MB ER FO R BA LM AI

Authorised by Jamie Parker MP. Funded using parliamentary entitlements. July 2020

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CITY HUB 16 JULY 2020


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