JUNE 18, 2020
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During Covid-19 lockdown, the homeless couldn’t sell this life-saving magazine
BIG ISSUE VENDORS BY JOHN MOYLE ven in the pre-Covid hustle and bustle of city life, the one sight that was welcomed and we always had time for was our local The Big Issue vendor. Along with much of our city life, The Big Issue retailer has been missing from the landscape for around three months as more than 800 vendors around the country have had to retreat from the streets for their own safety and that of their customers. “We deal with the most vulnerable people and they are exposed on the streets,” Chris Campbell, Operation Manager, The Big Issue said. “A lot of our vendors depend on the money from The Big Issue and we had to try and
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balance those two kind of conflicting issues and how to support them when their incomes stopped. Due to Covid-19, The Big Issue made the decision to suspend operations on Friday 27 March and head into a digital space to keep the magazine alive while providing some urgent relief for the vendors most impacted by the closure. “The way that we are dealing with the digital subscriptions is that we have broken it up into two parts, with a hardship fund for the most vulnerable vendors who can contact us, and the other is that we have set up a fund to help them relaunch their business as we relaunch the magazine and go back to street sales,” Chris Campbell said.
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Based on a successful UK model, The Big Issue has been part of Australia’s urban landscape since it was launched here in 1996. Since then, more than 7,000 people have sold over 13 million copies of the magazine that has seen $31 million go directly to the vendors. The fortnightly magazine is sold by vendors who buy it for $4.50 and sell it for $9, with circulation currently around 22,000 magazines a fortnight. Glenn F has been selling outside Woolworths near Central Station on Foveaux Street and like many vendors has a harrowing back story. “Before The Big Issue I was looking for work but due to my arthritis and having some disability in my hands and feet I
didn’t work for about 12 years…” Glenn said. “The Big Issue is a job that I thought I wouldn’t stick at because I had so much going on with my mum passing away a few years ago and some other complications, but they have supported me through the rough times I have had over the past 12 years.” The Big Issue sellers are noted for being gregarious and always looking for a chat but once the lockdowns took hold they often found themselves being isolated, as well as being with an income. Because Glenn lives about an hour from his spot at Central he has not had any contact with his customers and is at times finding this disconnect hard. Continued on page 2
BIG ISSUE VENDORS (Continued from the cover) “With Covid I’ve been I’ve been keeping myself busy doing artwork and trying not to think about it too much, because it really frustrates you.” Marcus moved from Tasmania to Melbourne in the 1990s and started selling The Big Issue there in 1997 after a vendor told him about the magazine. He now sells in Sydney’s inner west suburbs of Concord and Five Dock.
Since 1996, more than
7,000 people have sold over 13 million copies of The Big Issue magazine, which has seen $31 million go directly to the vendors Marcus says selling Big Issue inspires him to get out and meet customers who are very supportive. Photo: Big Issue
ISOLATING IS CHALLENGING
“Covid has been very isolating for me but I have been spending more time with my daughter. But in the meantime, I never see the customers that I have grown in the past 12
years with The Big Issue, and it is upsetting to not know if they are OK themselves and they have no way of finding out if I am OK, except for some who have been using Messenger to communicate,” Glenn said.
“The big thing about The Big Issue is that it gives you money to pay the rent and that and to me it is a routine and structure so that I can get out of bed in the morning. And it’s nice to have the motivation to get out to work and meet some great people and have customers that support you day in and day out,” Marcus said.
To sell The Big Issue, prospective vendors must be homeless, marginalised or disadvantaged people. “When you think of homelessness you are talking primarily about rough sleepers, but in fact there is a whole variety of homelessness that takes in people in boarding houses, couch surfing or people living in their cars and a lot of our vendors fall into that category,” Chris Campbell said. “I have been living independently for a long time and with The Big Issue money I am pretty good at budgeting and I can make money last a long time when I have to,” Marcus said. “The best thing about The Big Issue is that each of us are a small business and it’s nice to have that flexibility. “It is up to us to make sure that we have the money for stock and manage it.” Unlike Glen, who is isolated from his customers, Marcus said “Thankfully where I live is close to where I work and I often bump into my friends and we catch up for coffee and in that regards it has been good. But it has been hard mentally for me not having a routine and that is pretty tough.” While the interim campaign to sell online subscriptions has been successful, there is no substitute for face-to-face contact with your local vendor - when the time comes again.
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CITY HUB 18 JUNE 2020
HubNEWS
Facebook algorithms claim ska musicians ‘racist’ (See p.4)
Best Endeavours BY ALEC SMART aptain James Cook is under the spotlight again after two women were arrested for spray-painting graffiti on his statue in Sydney’s Hyde Park on 13 June. One of the alleged perpetrators is a part-time employee of NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge. Due to Covid-19, the voyage of the replica of Captain James Cook’s ship HMB Endeavour has been postponed indefinitely. It was scheduled to circumnavigate Australia from March 2020 to mark 250 years since Cook’s April 1770 anchoring in Botany Bay, However, many of the nationwide events and displays associated with the cruise will still proceed, including four exhibitions at Australian National Maritime Museum in Pyrmont when it reopens on 22 June. A museum spokesperson told City Hub that the exhibitions, part of Encounters 2020, investigate Cook’s 1770 voyage from indigenous as well as the British explorers’ perspectives. “The Encounters 2020 program is focused on the theme of dual
C HubARTS: Who’s Your Baghdaddy? “reflection of how people in power shape and form our world” (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
Captain Cook’s replica Endeavour’s voyage around Australia is postponed. However, exhibitions continue at the Maritime Museum. Photo: Alec Smart
perspectives of ‘view from the ship’ and ‘view from the shore’. We wanted to bring balance to what was previously a predominantly European perspective to the 1770 voyage.” The top deck of the HMB Endeavour replica, moored alongside the Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour, will also be open for exploration.
IWC pause Newington deal
News Editor: Alec Smart Contributors: Alec Smart, Wendy Bacon, John Moyle, Andrew Woodhouse Cartoonist: Sam Mcnair Arts Editor: Jamie Apps Contributors: Erika Echternach, Irina Dunn, Madison Behringer, Mark Morellini, Olga Azar, Renee Lou Dallow, Rita Bratovich, Olga Sedneva Advertising Manager: Georgina Pengelly Cover Photo: Peter Holcroft. Glenn was unable to sell the Big Issue during the Covid-19 lockdown 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
The exhibitions include: Under Southern Skies; Here: Kupe to Cook; Cook and the Pacific; and Paradise Lost: Daniel Solander’s Legacy. More information on the Maritime Museum exhibitions opening on 22 June can be found online at www.sea.museum/whats-on/ encounters-2020
Inner West Council paused a deal for Newington College’s exclusive use of part of Tempe Reserve. Photo: WikimediaCommons
BY WENDY BACON he Inner West Council pressed pause on its agreement to give private boys’ school Newington exclusive right to use part of Tempe Reserve in exchange for a contribution to
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upgrading sporting fields at the Reserve. After a lengthy debate, a majority of Councillors voted against continuing with the deal that caused a community uproar after Council passed it in April. The original 30-year deal gave
Newington School exclusive access to the Tempe Reserve fields on all weekday afternoons and on Saturday mornings, which would force an existing local team to relocate. Labor Mayor Darcy Byrne and other Labor Councillors moved to pause the existing deal and open an expression of interest process to test whether community sporting clubs and local public and low-fee non-government schools were interested in more use of sporting fields at Tempe Reserve. This would include 2 new fields made of synthetic turf, one of which would be paid for by Newington. Byrne’s motion also proposed that Council would meet with Tempe High School and local sporting clubs and write to Newington School seeking more ‘public benefit’ in exchange for the exclusive access. The original amount of ‘public benefit’ value remains secret although it is reported to be at least several million. The issue highlighted the lack of transparency in the operations of Inner West Council and lessened alreadylimited opportunities for public debate. CITY HUB 18 JUNE 2020
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HubNEWS Opinion
Facebook ‘bans’ Sydney musicians Heritage halts skatepark DJ Mick, who for over 11 years has hosted Uptown Top Ranking club nights in venues across Sydney, plays a selection of ska, rocksteady, reggae and punk classics. He told City Hub: “Initially I suspected it was a scam, because I was asked to show some ID, and I thought Facebook had been hacked by gangsters trying to steal people’s identity.” The DJ was perplexed and angered that OzSkas’ singer Carol, whose band plays Jamaican ska Facebook associated him with racist groups. music, was shocked when Facebook algorithms wrongly Another who found her Facebook profile classified her ‘racist’. Photo: Alec Smart inaccessible was Carol Bernhard, singer with BY ALEC SMART ska band The OzSkas, which play a mixture of usicians from Inner West Sydney were their own compositions, plus classics from the among thousands worldwide who were scene’s rich 70-year-history. randomly picked as ‘racists’ by social The OzSkas, which performed at a Rock media giant Facebook. Their online profiles Against Racism concert in Marrickville in Sept were suspended on 9 June in a massive 2019, feature Marty Fabok on guitar, who also membership cull that was a misguided attempt plays with Allniters, arguably the founders of by the corporation to synchronise with the ska music in Australia and known for their Black Lives Matter social movement targeting 1983 top 20 hit Montego Bay. systemic racism. Carol told City Hub “Facebook need to rethink Singer Carol from popular ska band The OzSkas; moderation policies. You can only hope they reggae disc jockey Mick; and Fernz, bassist from have learnt something from the backlash.” punk band Rust, were among those struck off. A Facebook spokesman said: “We apologise to The widespread banning, determined by those affected by this issue. These accounts computer algorithms, targeted fans of ska were removed in error and have been music. Ska originated with black musicians reinstated. We are reviewing what happened in Jamaica in the late 1950s and is a stylistic in this case and are taking steps to ensure it fusion of calypso, jazz and ‘shuffle’ blues. doesn’t happen again.”
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Photo: Nerida Aylott
BY ANDREW WOODHOUSE hampagne corks are popping across Elizabeth Bay, Rushcutters Bay and Darling Point.
park scheme is warranted in this particular location. The heritage listing refers four times to open space as a key characteristic of Rushcutters Bay Park so attempts to reduce Last week the NSW Heritage Minister unhindered access to its open Gabrielle Upton signed off on the space or introduce structures proposal for Rushcutters Bay Park such as a skateboard rink will be and Yarranabbe Park, both under frowned upon. the control of Woollahra Council, be For over 150 years this has been state heritage-listed. The parks will a place of respite from city life and be officially gazetted next week. an opportunity to enjoy sweeping It means that no development can views of our magnificent harbour. occur without the NSW Heritage Meanwhile, Woollahra Council Council giving it their tick of approval. said it wants to amend its Plan So, it’s now a two-stage process, of Management, to allow for a which puts Woollahra Council in a skateboard structure and prolong difficult position. After seven years this vexed issue, but which may cost it the election next year. the council still insists its skate
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COFFIN ED’S NAKED CITY
TOPPLING THE TYRANTS
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have never been big on statues and even less big on really big statues, like the towering monoliths of the Kim dynasty in North Korea. Closer to home the statues of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, Captain Cook and the various colonial figures that dot our city strike me as the ghosts of the past, long since deceased, but eerily omnipresent to haunt our everyday life. There are of course exceptions, like some of the monuments erected to our various cultural and sporting heroes – devoid of any political statement and warmly embraced by the public at large. Take the life size bronze of legendary racehorse trainer Bart Cummings at Flemington racecourse, the subject of a thousand photo opps and some genuinely affectionate kisses. Along with many others like ‘King’ Wally Lewis at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane and boxer Lionel Rose in his home town of Warragul, these more recent sculptures lack the pomposity of the classic pedestal based Victorian edifices. It was just one such edifice, a statue of English slave trader Edward Colston that was ripped from its base in Bristol during the Black Lives Matter protests and unceremoniously dumped in the local harbour. Reminiscent of course of the toppling of statues of Lenin and Stalin in countries liberated from the Soviet Union or those of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Similarly in the US, memorials to Confederate generals and other reminders of slavery have either been defaced, ripped down or 4
CITY HUB 18 JUNE 2020
Cartoon by Banksy
deliberately removed by State and local government authorities. In Victoria busts of Tony Abbott and John Howard in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens have recently been attacked and daubed with epithets such as “pig,” “fascist” and “homophobe.” The chair of the Friends of Ballarat Botanical Gardens foundation Elizabeth Gilfillan responded by saying that “she was devastated about the statues” and that, “these are sad times. This has been very divisive. Art is something that should unite us rather than divide us.” Unfortunately any artistic considerations become totally irrelevant when political passions are currently so inflamed. Needless to say authorities are keeping a close eye on the statue of James Cook in Hyde Park which has
been the target of a number of attacks, the most recent last Sunday when two young women were arrested after allegedly defacing the old sea dog with spray paint. Rather than place the highly divisive monuments under permanent surveillance why not follow the advice of Stan Grant who suggested that its inscription be changed to recognise that Aboriginal people existed here for thousands of years prior to 1770. Either that or in acknowledging Cook’s maritime achievements, install it as a dive site just off the Barrier Reef. In the current climate of global rebellion the days of the monumental statue are surely numbered. Even the relatively modest busts of former politicians are bound to raise the ire of many, regardless of their artistic merit. We could be entering an era where the perception is ‘the bigger the statue, the bigger the bastard” - already the case when it comes to statue crazy tyrants such as Valdimir Putin and Kim Jong Un. As a footnote it’s interesting to learn that authorities in Bristol have retrieved the metallic carcass of Edward Colston from the murky depths of the Bristol harbour. It may well have been a navigation hazard and the scrap value of bronze should not be discounted. It’s highly unlikely it will ever be reinstated to its former position so why not melt the sucker down and strike a thousand or more commemorative coins, distributed free to the good citizens of Bristol with the inscription “The Day Racism Drowned.”
HubNEWS
St Peters high-rise might fast-track S BY WENDY BACON t Peters’ residents fear that the NSW Minister for Planning, Rob Stokes, is fast-tracking a development proposal that is based on outdated and misleading information about contamination, aircraft noise, pollution and traffic risks. The development, known as Precinct 75, is currently a ‘creative hub’ of 70 small businesses housed in old industrial buildings between Edith and Mary Street in St Peters. The businesses, most of which have been hard hit by COVID-19, include Willie the Boatman brewery, artist studios, a florist, hairdresser and small craft businesses. Previously the site of an old Taubmans paint factory, Precinct 75 is contaminated, lies under Sydney’s flight path, and is less than half a kilometre from the Westconnex M8 unfiltered stack that is due to open in July. The developers, which launched Precinct 75 in 2013, are two tiny companies called Chalak Holdings and JKM Holdings. These are the family trust companies of Mays Chalak and Jason Varker-Miles, who both have a significant history of making money out of buying and selling property. They need a rezoning of the Precinct 75 site so that they can lodge a development application to demolish some buildings and replace them with new commercial and residential buildings of up to nine stories. Of 180 apartments, none are designated as ‘affordable’ homes or social housing. The proposal was rejected by the Inner West Council in 2017. Council’s refusal meant that the rezoning proposal was referred to NSW Planning. The local community, many of whom are strongly opposed to the development, heard nothing more about the development until five weeks ago when the Inner West Council posted a request for community feedback on a Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA) between Council and the developers. The request, which features an unrealistic PR image of the development, stated, “The Planning Proposal was assessed by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment” (DPIE). This misled the community into thinking that there was nothing more for the community to do. According to DPIE, it is still assessing the proposal and it has requested that residents send in submissions by June 18.
NET LOSS OF JOBS
When Minister Stokes announced the NSW Govt’s controversial fast-track
The needs of the St Peters’ community, which has endured four years of WestConnex construction that has carved up their suburb, are nowhere acknowledged. In assessing the third stage of WestConnex in 2018, DPIE staff acknowledged that St Peters’ residents were experiencing ‘construction fatigue’ as a result of increased heavy vehicle traffic on congested local roads, tunnelling, cracking of homes, poor air quality and loss of their neighbours, City Hub’s own review of the planning documents confirmed the views of residents that the Precinct 75 proposal not only fails to meet DPIE’s own fast-track assessment criteria but is misleading in other ways.
NSW Govt might be fast-tracking a high-rise development at Precinct 75 arts hub in St Peters, based on outdated and misleading information. Photo: Alec Smart
assessment process in early April, he claimed that it was designed to “cut red tape” and “keep people in jobs” as NSW comes out of the economic crisis triggered by COVID -19. Precinct 75 is one of only two Inner West developments in the second tranche of 24 priority projects (the other is the Fish Markets’ site on Bridge Road, Pyrmont). “We are fast-tracking assessments to keep people in jobs, boost the construction pipeline and keep our economy moving,” Mr Stokes said.
A number of small businesses would need to leave for the high-rise. It is possible Precinct 75 plans could lead to a net loss of employment Does the Precinct 75 redevelopment meet this basic criteria? According to NSW Planning, Precinct 75 would create 320 ongoing new jobs. This must assume that new and more expensive retail and office spaces that would replace the current ones in old buildings would be occupied. This claim should at least be tested against the reality that those living in the Inner West witness every day. Hundreds of similar new shops stand vacant, in some cases for years, on the ground floor of similar developments in the Inner West. As is proposed for the Precinct 75 redevelopment, these empty shops lie beneath high-rise apartment blocks, which lack the character of the existing Precinct 75 buildings. Indeed, given the number of small businesses that would need to leave Precinct 75 during
construction, it is possible that rather than adding to local jobs, the Precinct 75 plans could lead to a net loss of employment. As well as creating jobs both before and after construction, the criteria for fast tracked projects must also demonstrate ‘public benefit’ through new public open spaces or affordable housing. City Hub asked Mr Stokes and NSW Planning Secretary Jim Betts eight questions about the assessment process applied to Precinct 75. One question related to how losses and gains of jobs are calculated. NSW Planning declined to answer our specific questions. Instead, it responded with a simple statement in the name of an anonymous “spokesperson” that simply assumes ‘public benefit’ and restates claims about the project on its website.
CREATIVE HUB WILL BE CRUSHED
NSW Planning’s statement failed to acknowledge that Precinct 75 is already promoted by its owners as a ‘creative precinct’ that benefits local craft, sustainable and start-up companies. It also does not explain why the proposal includes no affordable housing. City Hub also asked why the term “community neighbourhood centre” is specifically mentioned in the description of Precinct 75 in the list of fast-tracked projects but does not appear in the proposal documentation. A community neighbourhood centre implies a drop-in staffed or voluntarily-run centre. This suggests that the description of projects in the list may have been reframed by public relations or ‘stakeholder engagement’ staff to make them appear more attractive to the broader public.
AIRCRAFT NOISE IMPACT ON PRECINCT 75 St Peters lies directly under jets landing and taking off from busy Sydney airport. The guidelines for noise levels are contained in documents called ANEF. Residential development is restricted in areas that falls within 25-30 ANEF. The ANEF used in the assessment is ANEF 2033 whereas the current guideline is ANEF 2039. Under the new guideline, an additional 45% of the site falls within the updated 2039 25-30 contour, making 65% of the site unsuited to non-industrial use.
CONTAMINATION
The Precinct 75 site is significantly contaminated due to many years as a paint factory and other industrial uses. DPIE’s criteria specifically mention that contamination is an issue that can disqualify a site from fast-tracking. A preliminary contamination assessment of the site did not test some spots where dangerous substances were buried rather than removed after a 1955 fire.
MISSING UNFILTERED STACK DEVELOPMENT CONTROLS.
This site is impacted by two unfiltered Westconnex St Peters interchange stacks. The closest is the M8 stack due to open in several weeks. DPIE, NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) and Council experts have evidence showing that above 10 metres, health risks from the stacks discharging car exhaust increase significantly beyond the risks at ground level. This should restrict high-rise development at Precinct 75. The Inner West Council staff are well aware of this condition, because City Hub’s reporter first drew their attention to it in 2018. Submissions can be sent to ED.EHC@planning.nsw.gov.au closes 18th June. CITY HUB 18 JUNE 2020
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HubARTS
SEA FEVER:
Sea Fever hits close to home given the current global pandemic (See p.7)
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Blake Erickson
ho’s Your Baghdaddy? is set in a support group style, satirically depicting those who started the Iraq War. The dark, boisterous, and irreverent production will be presented by Curveball Creative and directed by Neil Gooding. The play stars Blake Erickson from Shrek, Phillip Lowe from Georgy Girl, and Laura Murphy from Muriel’s Wedding, amongst other notable performers. The satirical musical comedy is based on a true story, with music and book by Marshall Paillet, lyrics and book by A.D. Penedo, and is based on an unproduced screenplay by J.T. Allen. Who’s Your Baghdaddy? was produced by Keith
JUMP START YOUTH THEATRE
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midst COVID-19 restrictions the arts industries have been greatly impacted. However, it’s not just the current crop of performers who are suffering, the next wave of aspiring talent have been robbed of opportunities to learn and grow due to theatre shutdowns. To alleviate this problem a brand new kid on the block has arrived to provide online workshops for school-aged kids to learn the theatre craft. Local company Jump StARTYouth Theatre will provide four online holiday workshops during the winter break. Founded by New Ghosts Theatre Company, Artistic Director Lucy Clements and performer Emma Wright bring a wealth of experience working at the highest levels of Australian youth arts and professional theatre. Lucy and Emma are passionate about bringing their extensive skill sets to the classroom. The winter workshops will explore a wide range of topics including performance, group devising, playwriting, directing,
Emma Wright
WHO’S YOUR BAGHDADDY?
Muir, Sam Ducker, and Steven Kreamer, who say that the play is “a reflection of how people in power shape and form our world, and the importance of keeping them accountable in times of crisis.” In an interview with City Hub, when asked about the unique concept for the play, Kreamer said, “the idea came from the need to adapt and rethink how we present theatre during these times, and is an experiment in what is possible for musicals given the limitations during this time.” When asked how he hopes to impact viewers with the play, Kreamer said, “The themes in the show about those in government being accountable and reliable seem particularly relevant right now, but in the end we want people to enjoy themselves and escape into this world and story.” (RBa) Jun 24-28. Online. $22-$99+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.baghdaddymusical. com.au
and film and television production. There will be an emphasis on unlocking potential, bringing new stories to life and investigating the artistic process from concept to realisation. Imagination and creative play is at the forefront of the teaching and will all be provided in a safe, tolerant, and inclusive space for exploration. Jul 8-17. Online Workshops. $30-$50 (discount if booking more than one student). Info: www.jumpstartyouththeatre.com
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HubARTS
RE-OPENING OF THE MARITIME MUSEUM
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nder Southern Skies is one of four exhibitions that will feature at The Australian National Maritime Museum for it’s grand re-opening on June 22nd. Kevin Sumption, CEO and Director explained, “All four exhibitions are part of the museum’s Encounters 2020 program to mark the 250th anniversary of James Cook’s 1770 voyage ‘from the ship’ and ‘from the shore.’” But it is not only from Captain Cook’s perspective that this particular exhibition appeals. Under Southern Skies, brings a new awareness in the mind of the viewer. A spokesperson for the museum alluded to the fact that this exhibition is extremely relevant to the times in that it clearly demonstrates that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders knew a great deal about navigating by the stars way before Captain Cook’s epic voyage.
MOGONIE & MOZ
BY RIDA BABAR ostafa ‘Moz’ Azimitabar, a refugee formerly detained on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island has recorded a song with Australian rock band Midnight Oil’s Jim Moginie. Alike many refugees detained on Manus Island and Nauru, Moz developed health problems and was transferred to Australia in late 2019 for medical
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treatment, which he has yet to receive. Moz is currently locked in the Mantra Hotel in Melbourne with 65 others on the third floor, which is a designated Alternative Place of Detention (APOD). Love, composed by Moz on a guitar given to him at the Mantra Hotel by Cold Chisel’s Jimmy Barnes, was produced and mixed by Moginie. Moz sought permission to visit
SEA FEVER S
et aboard an Irish fishing vessel which encounters a parasitic plague and thus enters into a forced quarantine, the themes of Sea Fever hit close to home given the current global pandemic. Sea Fever follows Siobhán (Hermione Corfield), an Irish marine biology student who is tasked with joining a fishing crew on their latest voyage in order to get some field experience. Whilst aboard the vessel, the high superstitious crew become weary of Siobhán’s red hair, and initially blame her for the bad luck which befalls them.
“In the past, there has been little recognition of the knowledge and skill of First Peoples in their use of celestial navigation. There has been a tendency to see Western navigation history as the start of the science of navigation. This new exhibition shall show the history and science of Indigenous navigating, the use of Pacific navigation by Western voyagers (eg Tupaia and Cook), as well as the more well-known stories of Dutch, Portuguese, French, Spanish and British navigation, mapping and charting,” said museum Head of Research Dr Stephen Gapps. (RLD) From Jun 22. The Australian National Maritime Museum, 2 Murray St Darling Harbour. $25-$60+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.sea.museum
Moginie’s studio nearby but was denied. “Many times, I asked the ABF (Australian Border Force) and Serco managers to take me to my friend’s studio that is a few minutes away from the Mantra hotel, but they rejected,” Moz revealed in an interview. “That is why I decided to record my demos with my phone. Because I didn’t have any better options.” However, this means of creating music could be soon taken away, with the Australian government introducing legislation giving them the power to confiscate mobile phones from roughly 1400 people in immigration detention. The government received criticism for introducing this bill during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting medical experts to protest for the release of immigration detainees to protect them from the virus. Moz and other refugees took to a daily protest, demanding to be let go back into the
community. The Kurdish refugee previously released songs from the detention centre on Manus Island, where he was imprisoned in 2013 for seeking asylum in Australia. His unique situation has attracted attention from many artists, including Emma O’Brien, a member of the Order Of Australia who produced his song All The Same, which was recorded in 2017. His song The Birds, released in 2018 is a collaboration with New Zealand artist Ruth Mundy. Moz has gained sympathy from people Australia-wide, including the support of Darebin City Major Susan Rennie who offered to act as a guarantor for the studio visit. “I’ve written Love for those who care for us, those who respect us, those who believe that we are all the same. I dedicate this song to all the amazing people who are standing up for us and fighting for our freedom.”
OCEAN ALLEY - LONELY DIAMOND
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cean Alley return with their highly anticipated third album, Lonely Diamond. With this new record the band build upon their roots in soft, guitar rock by introducing elements from funk, jazz and synth-wave. By doing so Ocean Alley take their sound to another level and cement themselves as a standout act on the Australian. Lonely Diamond is a hypnotic, enthralling and funky record which brings an uplifting reassurance to the listener. The standout tracks on the record are Tombstone and All Worn Out, the latter of which is particularly shrinking thanks to its introduction of stunning piano notes and soaring vocals atop a very funk and jazz influenced base. (JA) WWW1/2
As the parasitic infestation slowly reveals itself though Siobhán must use her scientific skills and knowledge to aid the crew. To do so she recommends quarantine for the entire ship, despite injured crew members being aboard and wanting to return to shore. A move which forces the viewer to ponder the idea of risking a few to save the wider majority. Clocking in at just 89 minutes Sea Fever moves rapidly and thus fails to let the dread and claustrophobia set its hooks. This low budget film performs admirably, particularly during the current global quarantine, but will more than likely be one you look to catch and release. (JA) CITY HUB 18 JUNE 2020
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COVID-19 UPDATE Financial support
Need Further Assistance
If you’ve lost your job, lost hours, or are suffering financial hardship, find out what support is available, including wage subsidies: www.treasury.gov.au/coronavirus.
If you need further assistance, please contact me on (O2) 9379 0700 or at Tanya.Plibersek.MP@aph.gov.au For the latest advice, information & resources: www.health.gov.au
Support for businesses & sole traders If you’re a business or a sole trader, find out what support is available at: www.business.gov.au or 13 28 46.
Support for renters The National Cabinet has agreed to ban evictions for commercial and residential tenants in financial distress who are unable to meet their commitments due to the impact of coronavirus.
NSW Health: www.health.nsw.gov.au
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If you have concerns about your health, seek medical advice.
National Coronavirus Helpline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Help for renters
1800 020 080
NSW Fair Trading at www.fairtrading.nsw.gov. au or 13 32 20 or the Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service at www.tenants.org.au or (02) 8117 3700.
Translating & Interpreting Services
131 450
THANKS TO YOU,
we are saving lives and stopping the spread of Covid-19. We’re all in this together, so let’s continue to keep each other safe.
TANYA PLIBERSEK MP
LET’S KEEP KEEPING SAFE
Observe social distancing
Practice good hygiene
STAY HOME IF YOU CAN
Observe limits on public
gatherings
Authorised by Tanya Plibersek MP, Australian Labor Party, 1A Great Buckingham St, Redfern
8
CITY HUB 18 JUNE 2020
Follow the self-isolation rules