City Hub 18 0ctober 2018

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city hub 18 OCTOBER 2018

16/10/18 1:05 pm

United in a new approach to drugs

BY Michael Hitch Sir Richard Branson, founder and CEO of the Virgin Group has thrown his support behind the Uniting Church’s call to end the war on drugs.

Uniting launched its ‘Fair Treatment Campaign’ last week to call attention to reforming drug policy in Australia as the number drug-induced deaths is higher than it has been in 20 years.

Uniting’s campaign aims to “reform drug policy based around facts and not fear”, with drug dependency being treated as a health issue instead of a criminal one.

The reform takes a decriminalised approach to minor drug use and possession.

The launch on Friday featured guest speaker Sir Richard Branson who is also a member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy (GCDP).

Other speakers at the launch included the Director of the Kings Cross located ‘Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre’ (MISC), Dr Marianna Jauncey, and the Executive Secretary of the ‘Global Commission on Drug Policy’ (GDCP), Dr Khalid Tinasti.

Sir Richard said the war on drugs had completely failed at preventing drug-use and had exacerbated social devastation as a result.

“The war on drugs has been going on now for nearly 60 years, as an entrepreneurial businessman, if something had failed so abysmally…we would’ve closed it down 59 years ago,” he said.

“Sadly, politicians continue to wage this war which has been an abject failure and caused untold misery throughout the world…drugs can be an illness for some people and they need to be helped.

“People have been executed, people have been locked up - for people who have drug problems instead of being helped, they have been threatened with prison, or they die from their drug problems.”

The discussion for drug policy reform comes

SBS presenter Jan Fran, Sir Richard Branson, Dr Marianne Jauncey and Dr Kalid Tinasti. Photo: Uniting

after the deaths of two young people who overdosed at the Defqon.1 music festival in September, in the aftermath of which NSW Premier, Galdys Berejiklian continued her public opposition to pill-testing.

The Uniting Church’s Fair Treatment Campaign calls for harm reduction services such as pill-testing and medically supervised injecting centres to be publically available.

The campaign also calls for a ‘Peoples’ Treatment Summit’ where the broader community can come together to speak openly about drug reform.

Uniting claims the war on drugs is ineffective and economically unsustainable, given the Australian Government spent over $1.7 billion trying to control and mitigate the effect of illicit drugs during 2009-2010.

Despite reports showing that for every dollar spent on treatment society gains seven in return, only 22 per cent of this money went towards treatment programs.

The ineffectiveness of and economic loss

from the war on drugs has sparked global actions towards drug reform and fair treatment practices, with 24 countries outside of Australia already having a form of decriminalised policy.

In 2001 Portugal decriminalised small quantities of illicit drugs with the intention to treat drug-use as a health issue instead of a criminal one.

Since the reform, Portugal’s annual overdose death rate has dropped to 0.35 per 100,000 people.

Australia’s overdose death rate is currently over twenty times higher.

Dr Jauncey said that the proposed effects of decriminalisation could already be seen on a small scale in her injecting facility, with medical supervision and a removal of social stigma being the key to preventing overdose deaths.

“It just makes sense. When you have people dying of accidental overdose, it’s really easy to stop them dying…you just need to be there,” she said.

“They [drug users] inject within our premises

but instead of being behind a parked car or in an alleyway, they’re next to a counsellor or nurse.

“Not only are we able to stop them from dying…but of nearly half a million visits and 8000 overdoses, there has not been one death.

“People think it’s sending the wrong message, whereas the message that it’s sending is that people’s lives are important.”

Dr Jauncey said that the Uniting Church’s decision to lead an alliance of over 60 organisations, meant that the wider community’s attitude to drugs was also changing.

“These are pretty big, important organisations, all of whom are coming together to say that we need to start a paradigm shift… we just can’t keep doing what we know is failing,” she said.

“If we can start looking at drug policy from a place of science, calmness, kindness and evidence, actually we’ll realise what we’re doing is arse-about.”

Dr Tinasti said that while decriminalisation was the first step, drug regulation would be the best option to ensure an end to drug trafficking.

“With regulation you make sure that people have access to whatever they want to get, legally.

Then you can fight much harder against organised crime and you fight much harder against drug lords or criminals in the system … decriminalisation changes nothing about trafficking.

Uniting also announced plans for the ‘Long Walk to Treatment’.

Starting on October 19, advocates will walk from Dubbo to Sydney to deliver an open letter to the Health Minister, calling on the government to fund harm reduction treatments and reform current drug policy.

The walk will take 500,000 steps, representing the distance that it may take a person from regional NSW to travel for drug treatment.

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ABN 52 600 903 348 Group Publisher: Lawrence Gibbons Group Editors: John Moyle, Sara Lander Contributors: John Moyle, Georgia Fullerton, Lanie Tindale, Gabe Merkel, Michael Hitch, Peter Hehir, Wendy Bacon, Vanessa Lim Arts Editor: Jamie Apps Advertising Manager: Georgina Pengelly Cover Photo: Fiora Sacco. Stallholders from Marrickville Festival 2017 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 Georgia Fullerton Labor candidate for Wentworth Tim Murray says he will make revamping eastern suburbs public transport a priority should he win Saturday’s by-election.

Ongoing overhauls of bus services around the eastern suburbs over the last few years have had a mixed reception from residents, who have expressed concerns that the bus changes have ultimately resulted in unnecessary and inconvenient travel times.

Four routes to Bondi Junctionthe 382, X79, X84 and 361 - were cancelled from September 23 this year.

There were also changes to the L24, 380 and 381, forcing some passengers to walk more than 100 metres further to a new bus stop.

Mr Murray said the cancellation of bus services is unacceptable, “Wentworth is one of the most densely populated places in all of Australia.

“Our community, especially the young and older residents, rely on these buses every day.”

Under the changes, the 333 from Bondi Beach to Circular Quay now runs every three minutes during peak times.

Passengers wanting to travel

Public transport in Sydney’s East is an endangered species.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

from North Bondi, Tamarama, Watson’s Bay and Bondi Junction will have to change on to the 333 to get into the CBD In a Transport NSW statement, Member for Vaucluse Gabrielle Upton welcomed improvements to the 24/7 service between North Bondi and the City.

“The 333 between Bondi Beach and Sydney’s CBD is arguably the most iconic bus route in the world and now it has a world-class service to match,” Ms Upton said.

However 333 routes between North Bondi and Dover Heights were withdrawn, with customers now having to change to the 323 and 380 services.

New route 333N has replaced the 380 overnight all stops service between North Bondi and City.

Mr Murray said, “I take the bus as much as I can, and I encourage my kids to take the bus.

“That is why I am so concerned about State Government getting rid of important bus services like

the 327 and 378, these are vital services that keep cars off our already congested roads.”

In October 2015, the 327 route from Bondi Junction to the City was cancelled due to the ongoing construction of Sydney’s light rail along George Street.

Other routes including the 323 and 326 were also cancelled.

Transport NSW said in response to public dissent at the time, “Customers on route 327 requiring accessible services are encouraged to travel towards Bondi Junction and transfer to other bus routes for travel to the city, or train services”.

The 327 was replaced by a 328 bus, which now travels in a loop in one direction.

At the time, those living in Darling Point and wanting to travel within the suburb raised concerns about excessive travel times.

In November 2017, Bronte residents also expressed anger over the cancellation of the 378 beachto-city bus service.

Mr. Murray said, “We need to be increasing services, not decreasing them.

“Parking is at a premium, and with a world class public transportation system, less locals will have cars on the road.” city hub 18 OCTOBER 2018

3

Toll road threatens heavy toll Brian Gorman and Jeanette Willett. Photo: Holly Gorman

BY WENDY BACON Brian Gorman could have died at 37 years of age.

He told the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into WestConnex last week that he was diagnosed then with grade three bladder cancer. After radical surgery, he survived.

At the time he was living in Balmain near the ferry terminal from where diesel fumes drifted into the community. He had never smoked or worked in an industry with harmful chemicals. His specialist urologist told him that in his case air pollution was the number one trigger for causing his cancer.

Brian and his wife Janette Willett understood they must move, but wanted to stay in the area they’d come to love.

They chose a house in North West Rozelle.

According to his submission, Janette contacted the EPA who stated that “pollution from vehicles on Victoria road posed no significant risk to our health. They said that emission fumes rise into the air and land further away than our immediate location.”

So they moved to Rozelle in 1999.

In April 2016, they heard through media that they would be living within 100 metres of a proposed Westconnex unfiltered exhaust stack and tunnel portal on Victoria Road.

Within a kilometre, there would be three more unfiltered stacks. There would also be pollution spewing from the exhaust pipes of vehicles stuck in the bottlenecks at Iron Cove Bridge and Anzac Bridge. They joined the community campaign to stop the project but in April this year, the project was approved.

It was not just his family and immediate neighbours that Brian was worried about. A massive construction dive site tis proposed directly across the road from Rozelle Primary School. “Thousands of truck movements will be releasing diesel exhaust fumes for eight years, together with a century’s worth of toxic dust, as well as lethal plumes of emissions meandering from the smoke stack up the hill towards the school“ he wrote in his submission.

Just like the EPA, WestConnex has consistently stated that there will be no risk to his health, but Brian found a different message in the EIS. In his Inquiry evidence, Brian tabled documents from the EIS which state that near where he and hundreds of others live, “there would be an increase in pollutant concentrations on Victoria Road to the north of the Iron Cove Link and near Anzac Bridge as a result of the general increase in traffic due to population growth and the project at that location.”

Not satisfied with NSW government claims that the air quality would be safe, residents did their own research, spending hours reading independent reports. They 4

city hub 18 OCTOBER 2018

set up their own community information session at which an independent tunnel engineer, Dr Noel Child, argued strongly that the approved system of longitudinal ventilation and no filtration would not work in long tunnels like Northconnex and WestConnex. Brian and other witnesses asked for Dr Child to be called before the Inquiry.

They came across the work of anaesthetist Dr Ray Nassar who told the Inquiry he did a thorough search of the scientific literature and found nothing to convince himself that unfiltered stacks were safe. He researched particulate matter and its lethal qualities in depth. Dr Nassar moved home away from the Northconnex tunnel stack. This made Brian and Janette, facing what could be a life and death decision, feel even more worried. (see opposite story) Brian also tabled evidence at the Inquiry from CSIRO research that challenges RMS claims that the toxic air just rises and dissipates. “Professor Ray Kearney directed me to the CSIRO. This (diagram) in particular really scares me. This is a one kilometre square diagram. It shows, if you look at where it is pink and red, where particulate pollution is landing on the ground. That is pretty much where my house is, within that range. What is being professed by the EIS – that it all disappears and is not going to affect anybody – is absolutely false. This proves it and it is a CSIRO report, not something I have made up.”

Brian wrote in his Inquiry submission, “I feel like I’ve been provided with false security from the very government body that should be protecting me. We’ve been tricked and now, with the additional concentration of pollution coming from the proposed tunnel portals and unfiltered stacks, we feel trapped in a toxic suburb endorsed by the EPA and created by the NSW Government via Westconnex.”

“Where is our government’s duty of care?” he asked.

He ended his statement to the Inquiry with this quote: “Members of Parliament should examine their conscience and consider how they would feel if their children or the children of loved ones were exposed to this level of fumes every day and they were part of a government that could have put in place measures to reduce the impact of the fumes.

This was said by Gladys Berejiklian in 2008.”

Brian is convinced that if the Rozelle Interchange and its unfiltered stacks go ahead, premature deaths and more illness will follow. But he has not given up. He called for a Royal Commission into WestConnex and a halt to the project.

Smokescreens instead of filters

BY WENDY BACON A professor of respiratory medicine and a specialist doctor who has researched air pollution told the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into WestConnex last week that they do not accept NSW Roads and Maritime Services’ claim that unfiltered stacks are world’s best practice.

The Inquiry has published hundreds of submissions from groups and residents expressing fears that toxic air from unfiltered tunnels will blow onto their suburbs, exposing them to health risks. Concern about air quality, both during and after construction, has emerged as a key challenge to the government’s defence of the WestConnex project and its linked projects: the Western Harbour Tunnel, Beaches Link, Sydney Gateway and the F6 to the South.

Professor Paul Torzillo,a Senior Respiratory Physician at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital told the Inquiry that he considered Westconnex to be a “serious population health issue.” Asked if he would agree that unfiltered tunnels were world’s best practice, he said no. He is concerned that traffic-related air pollution contributes about one third of pollution in a city like Sydney and that international expererience has shown that motorways increase car use and the number of cars coming into the city. He is concerned about pollution in the tunnels, around tunnel portals and near congested roads.

Anaesthetist Dr Ray Nassar told the committee that

Planning act on the advice of the Chief Scientist and the Department of Health and that the EPA decides. “What all of those bodies are saying is that the process has come up with a reasonable way of managing ventilation.” He did not mention that, as reported by City Hub earlier this year, the Committee is funded and administratively supported by RMS, and its membership includes himself and other RMS representatives.

The NSW government also argues that earlier this year, it introduced a second line of defence for its unfiltered stacks - a new system that would require each tunnel to get a license from the EPA, which is currently not required. City Hub asked the EPA whether the new licensing system is in place and was told the amendments “are currently being drafted.” The M4 East tunnel, which will open next year, has been approved under critical infrastructure legislation that does not allow the EPA to refuse licenses or to stop work if there is a breach of conditions.

Liberal MLC Shane Mallard asserted that the “beauty of having annual licences as opposed to one-off approvals, which is what was in place … [is] our assurance.”

Dr Nassar told the Inquiry that while licenses are welcome, he is “dictated to by what you would call the “precautionary principle”, which is that if you are not sure that something is safe, you do not go ahead unless you can convince yourself it is safe.”

Photo: Denise Corrigan

current guidelines applying to WestConnex are probably already outdated by international medical research that found that in the UK, there were “29,000 premature deaths from air pollution exposure last year, the majority of which occurred at what we would consider to be safe levels of ambient air.” He urged the Committee to look at research in Belgium that showed that filtration was improving air quality around tunnels.

Asked if he could reconcile his own research with RMS assertions about best practice, Dr Nassar told the Inquiry that it is very hard to find evidence in the scientific literature “that is comparable to anything we are doing here in Sydney because most of the other tunnels that have been researched are either very short or built specially for urban areas … so it is hard to say it is best practice because we cannot really compare it. But if you look at what is happening overseas in some similar tunnels you will find that, for example in Hong Kong, they are installing filtration in urban tunnels and they are calling that a Smart City project—they are putting in air purifiers and filtration, and this is also the case in Tokyo and in Madrid.”

St Peters, Haberfield and Rozelle Public Schools will all be close to two or more stacks. The Inquiry asked Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) CEO Ken Kenofski if he was confident this was safe. He answered “The facilities are located in the best possible locations. I think the thing to be clear about is that these facilities are safe. That is the important thing. They are safe for the entire community.

It is not me that is saying that; it is the independent air quality committee.” He then told the Inquiry that NSW

“I see my role in ..this whole debate, as the person who has got medical training and a medical background.

I have looked at evidence because I can interpret it, and I am basically seeing a fire here. I can see the smoke and I can see the fire. I am just trying to alert people to the fact that there is a fire. I do not know what is burning. I do not know how long it will burn for and I do not know who started the fire. That is up to tunnel engineers and ventilation engineers to assess, but I feel that my role in this argument is to alert people to the fact that there is a fire and that we will need to do something about air pollution and its treatment before it gets out of control.

Dr Noel Child, an independent tunnel engineer, has stated in his submission that he does not agree the Westconnex longitudinal tunnel ventilation is safe in long tunnels. He has not yet been invited to testify by the parliamentary committee.

In questioning residents’ representatives, the Committee’s Liberal members challenged them to say that they did not trust the EPA and the Tunnel Committee. After hearing the evidence of Dr Nassar, NoW [No Westconnex] Annandale co-convenors Kel Riordan and Richard Dudley-Smith when asked if they trusted the EPA, said they were not sure as they were not experts. Asked if the had confidence in the Air Quality Tunnel Committee, they said no.

Their community around Johnston Street Annandale fears a massive increase in particulate matter pollution if Stage 3 goes ahead from 4000 extra diesel trucks a day past three primary schools and two preschools with a total of over 1,500 students.

Tunnel vision used for business case

BY WENDY BACON The NSW government has squandered the opportunity to properly cost infrastructure projects by omitting substantial costs from the equation, Associate Professor Glen Searle told the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into the impacts of WestConnex.

Professor Searle’s evidence came near the beginning of three days of evidence in which the the government’s defence of the costing and lack of accountability of the WestConnex planning process was strongly challenged. Even so, government representatives told the Inquiry crucial pieces of information were either secret or had to be taken as ‘questions on notice’ because they couldn’t be answered in real time.

Alexandria Residents’ Action Group (ARAG) coconvenor Ben Aveling summed it up for many groups when he told the Inquiry, “As citizens of this State, we have not been able to find out. The Government has used and abused its powers to keep the project beyond scrutiny.“ Professor Seale, who is part of the University of Sydney’s Architecture, Design and Planning Faculty, told the Inquiry that the WestConnex business case had ‘serious inadequacies’. ‘lacked transparency’ and suffered from the problem of being used to justify a decision that had already been made rather than weighing up the costs and benefits before it was made.

This meant that there was “little incentive for the government to prepare an exhaustive analysis that compared this project with alternatives, and much incentive to prepare a narrowly based case.”

The process used to develop the preliminary business case for Westconnex was severely criticised by the NSW Auditor General in 2014. Infrastructure NSW CEO Jim Betts told the Inquiry that a new, much stronger process had been applied and that

assessment are the economic benefits of time savings, and reduction in accidents”.

ARAG’s Ben Aveling, who is also an IT specialist, challenged RMS time-saving claims telling the Committee that 80 per cent of these (time saved) hours are “non-motorway traffic moving just a little bit faster because there is some traffic underground.

That, itself, contradicts what academics tell us.

They tell us that building more roads increases the number of cars. It does not increase the speed of cars. So even that microscopic increase in a lot of cars — a big number times a small number gives a big number – 80,000 hours a day and it probably will not happen if the academics are right ....To get those benefits you need free-flowing traffic, and we made necessary by WestConnex. are not going to get free-flowing traffic outside the On top of large extra road building costs, Professor motorway. It is even questionable if we will get freeSearle listed many other costs that have been ignored. flowing traffic inside the motorway.” He nominated These include the costs of increased congestion his own suburb of Alexandria as one that will be on some local roads, loss of property value, health overwhelmed with traffic, even according to the impacts including the costs of increased noise and WestConnex EIS. pollution, loss of heritage and biodiversity and the SGS Economics and Planning consultant Terry impact of project construction on communities and Rawlings appeared at the Inquiry as advisors of the businesses. He told the Inquiry that while some costs City of Sydney. SGS also disagree with RMS’s time are hard to estimate, most of these costs could be savings analysis. They estimate that rather than the financially assessed using standard models. claimed cost benefit ratio of 1.7, the ratio could well Dr Patrick Harris, a senior research fellow at the be less than 1 when the “overestimated benefits and Menzies Centre for Health Policy, representing the the underestimated costs are taken into account. The Public Health Association of Australia also told the health costs alone could be huge if Dr Nassar and Inquiry that public interest issues including public Professor Torzillo’s concerns turn out to be correct. health had not been considered. He described this as The accurate calculation of economic costs and a “blind spot” and expressed concern that the equity benefits are hugely significant in public policy considerations had been ignored, especially the impact terms. Even so, the language of cost-benefit analysis of failing to consider alternative policies for Western cannot capture the lived experience of communities Sydney. including schools that are daily bearing the brunt of NSW Roads and Martime (RMS) CEO Mr Ken seven years of construction or the long term stress Kenofski told the Inquiry that the “lion’s share of the of tolls and car dependency.

Photo: Chris Nash

36 checks had been conducted on WestConnex.

However, these are all ‘cabinet in confidence’ and therefore secret. In fact, the NSW LNP government does not intend to publish any more business cases for major infrastructure projects.

NSW Treasury representatives refused to disclose the baseline financial modelling for WestConnex. Last year, NSW Treasury told the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Tolls it couldn’t release the modelling because of the sale process. But now Treasury representatives told the Inquiry that it would be kept confidential for more than 40 years because it could be used in selling further motorways. Treasury also refused to disclose the agreed timeline for the flow of dividends to the NSW government, which still owns 49% of WestConnex It is already clear that the NSW government’s claim that the overall budget for WestConnex is $16.8 billion disguises billions of dollars in costs to the public such as $1.6m more for the Sydney Gateway, which was quietly dropped out of WestConnex, and more than a billion dollars for other road projects

Residents fed up with lack of feedback

BY Lanie Tindale Residents have slammed WestConnex’s consultation and complaints processes at a NSW parliamentary inquiry.

A key concern raised in the inquiry is the effectiveness and sincerity of the consultation process conducted by the NSW Roads and Maritime Services [RMS] and private company Sydney Motorway Corporation [SMC] that owns WestConnex.

RMS told the Inquiry into Impacts of WestConnex that it has “always been upfront” in dealings with communities and that “there has been extensive community consultation” on WestConnex.

NoW [No Westconnex] Annandale told the Committee that they were totally dissatisfied with the consultation process because the EIS was released only 10 days after the submissions on the M4-M5 concept design closed.

There were at least 1500 submissions some of which were detailed. “There is no way that all these submissions could have been read, considered, their arguments integrated into the EIS and then for the EIS of 7200 pages to be put together, printed and released 12 days after the closing date for submissions to the Concept Design,” said NoW’s written submission to the Inquiry.

“There needs to be an investigation into this flagrant abuse of the way NSW planning laws have been flouted for the whole of Westconnex and particularly Stage 3.”

NoW Annandale representative Kelvin Riordan told the Inquiry RMS also failed to disclose in the EIS that 4000 trucks would use Johnston Street in Annandale travelling to and from construction sites.

At a community meeting, a WestConnex staffer revealed to NoWestConnex members Parramatta Road would no longer be used as the truck route, and instead Johnston Street would be used.

This was first officially disclosed in a Preferred Infrastructure Report after the deadline for EIS submissions had passed.

NoW Annandale told the Inquiry residents “had no chance to make submissions opposing this.”

“This is one deception of the community that has taken place and needs investigation,” Riordan told the Inquiry.

RMS told the Inquiry “there has been extensive community consultation” on WestConnex, including 2075 face-to-face meetings; 180 community information sessions and forums; responded to 17,473 phone calls and 33,565 letters.

The planning department told the Inquiry it “undertakes comprehensive community consultation” including exhibiting the EIS and “direct consultation” with residents.

But Newtown Residents Against WestConnex [NRAW] representative Merilyn Fairskye disagreed.

“There has been a systemic failure of communication,” Ms Fairskye told the Inquiry.

“The consultation process for the M4-M5 Link has been cosmetic and a joke.”

NRAW told the Inquiry they formed after finding out about drilling sites through the media in late 2016.

“There had been no prior community consultation,” Merilyn Fairskye told the commission.

As has previously been reported, in late 2016 only a few residents received letters about a proposed tunnel route in Newtown.

“We have repeatedly sent questions to SMC that have not been answered, or have been answered incompletely,” said Ms Fairskye to the Inquiry.

“Newtown residents’ questions at the two SMC hosted information sessions during 2017, promoted as one on one meetings between residents and SMC, were met with either ignorance, lack of clarity, or outright hostility.

“SMC cancelled its appearance at the eleventh hour at a community meeting we organised that had more than 200 attendees.”

The RMS told the committee construction for the M4-M5 Link mainline tunnel through

Janet Dandy-Ward, Michael and Fred Dandy at a WestConnex Fundraiser.

Photo: Martin Brady Photography 2015.

Newtown will start before the end of the year.

The Newtown Residents against WestConnex [NRAW] told the Inquiry “residents have only had access to ‘indicative’ plans” and do not know where the tunnel will be going.

In Haberfield, an Air Quality Community Consultative Committee (AQCCC) was established to advise on air quality issues along the M4 East. Instead of the intended three, only two Haberfield representatives were appointed.

Haberfield Association representative Malachy Ward told the Inquiry he asked a SMC staff member why only two people were appointed.

“I wanted to know why I was rejected,” Mr Malachy told the Inquiry. “All she said was, “Are you a known protestor? That is all she said.”

The Haberfield Association’s written submission stated that SMC-appointed chair Stephen Lancken “does not appear to act independently, but serves the party that pays for his services, ie RMS/SMC, resulting in the

Community [sic] having no confidence in the AQCCC.” Mr Lancken is expected to appear at a hearing in November..

When Kathryn Calman, a member of the North Beverly Hills Progress Association called a WestConnex hotline to complain about truck’s blasting their horns at 3.30am, it was answered by an overseas operator.

After connecting with then-community liaison officer for WestConnex contractor Fulton Hogan, the compliance report was “watered down to a single car horn blasting for five minutes,” Ms Calman told the Inquiry.

“Who would complain about that? This was a small convoy of trucks,” Ms Calman said. “We all went and viewed it from the bridge. You could see there were half a dozen trucks sitting there blasting their horns.”

Ms Calman made a formal complaint to the planning and environment department.

“Shortly after that, I recall, that the current Fulton Hogan community liaison person left her job,” said Ms Calman. “I do not know if it is related, but she did.”

SMC’s complaints procedure has also been criticised by St Peters’ residents.

WestConnex Action Group secretary Rhea Liebmann told the inquiry SMC refers complaints to sub-contractors.

“If you send an email, you get a response that says they’ll reply within 21 days” said Ms Liebmann. “They never do. They never ever, ever respond.”

St Peter’s resident and WestConnex Action Group [WAG] member Janet Dandy-Ward told the inquiry the time and effort required to get a complaint acknowledged is “incredibly distressing.

The number of times I’ve rung up to complain about unnotified nightworks and then been informed that there are no workmen on site is ridiculous.”

Ms Dandy-Ward has been told by WestConnex staff to send “photos and videos” of nightworks, but “still had staff members state there is no work happening.“ city hub 18 OCTOBER 2018

5

Shame on you Mr Jones

By Gabe Merkel Chants of “Not for sale,” “Our house,” and “Turn it off” could be heard from around the Sydney Opera House last Tuesday night, as approximately 3,000 people gathered to protest the projection of advertisements for The Everest horse race onto the building’s iconic sails.

Though the projections only appeared for 20 minutes, the promotion has been wildly unpopular with many Sydneysiders believing it was approved as a result of coercion and bullying.

Radio announcer Alan Jones, who has a number of financial interests in horse racing, used his influence to advocate for Racing NSW Chief Executive Peter V’landys’ advertising plan.

During an on-air interview with Opera House CEO Louise Herron on October 5, the announcer appeared to be doing everything he could to get her to approve the projection.

After being told that the proposal was in violation of Opera House rules, Mr Jones, who has since apologized for his conduct, appeared to become angry and berated the executive.

“We own the Opera House; do you get that message…you don’t, you manage it…who do you think you are?”

When Ms Herron informed Ms Jones for the second time that the proposal breached Opera House policy, he told her he would simply go over her head.

“Okay, then I’m telling you I will be speaking to Gladys Berejiklian in about five, three minutes, and if you can’t come to the party, Louise, you should lose your job.”

After speaking with Mr Jones on the phone, the Premier, who is up for reelection in March, agreed to bypass Ms Herron and approved the proposal with a few modifications.

Ms Berejiklian defended her decision, “It’s important for us to promote our major events (and) I believe the [promotion] strikes that right balance.”

Protesters interupt Everest projections onto Opera House sails. Photo: Gabe Merkel

She did not rule out allowing advertisements on the Opera House in the future, claiming that despite the negative reception from the public she “[doesn’t] want NSW to fall behind”.

Chants of “Goodbye Gladys!” were among the loudest at the protest, as Ms Berejiklian received the brunt of the public criticism.

Several protesters had some unflattering things to say about her. “[Gladys] doesn’t give a shit about anyone but herself...I don’t know a single person in favor of this (pointing at sails), but here we are” said John Kelly.

Georgia King, who was holding a sign that read “Sails not Sales,” added “Gladys is worse than Alan [Jones].

At least he’s up front about being a bully and being manipulative, but she pretends to care about people.”

These opinions, though extreme, are more or less in line with the rest of the public.

According to market research firm Micronex, 82 percent of those polled said they were opposed to Berejiklian’s decision to allow the promotions.

There is also a petition on Change.org named “Defend Our Opera House” with over 310,000 signatures, making it one of the most popular petitions in the website’s history.

The petition, which was scheduled to be handed off to Ms Berejiklian in front of parliament last Tuesday morning, was given to Greens MP Jenny Leong when the NSW Premier did not show up.

Ms Leong promised that she would take the petition “as far as we can go” and has not shied away from criticizing the people who pushed the promotion through.

“It was completely disgraceful that the Premier sided with a bully…the negative impact shock jocks and corporate donations are having on our democracy has gone on too long.”

Despite the clouds of controversy (and rain) hovering over the event, The Everest, which took place last Saturday, has been declared by organisers to be a major success.

Over 40,000 punters showed up for the widely publicised event, a more than 20 percent increase from last year’s attendance. “[The protests] had no impact on the racing enthusiasts” said Jamie Barkeley, the CEO of the Australian Turf Club.

“Ticket sales were consistently above what they were last year.”

Despite extensive news coverage of the protest and petition, some believe the outrage over the Opera House promotion actually benefitted the event.

In an interview with Crikey, Media Analyst Steve Allen was convinced that the public outrage was a net positive for the race, claiming that The Everest “got millions upon millions of dollars of value from that controversy”.

Communications expert Mike Smith also believed the protests helped The Everest, and that “any negatives for them will soon be gone”.

Regardless of any impact the protests may have had on the race, the majority of the political fallout may be yet to come.

Though many government officials remain convinced that it is perfectly acceptable to - in the words of Prime Minster Scott Morrison - use the Opera House as “the biggest billboard Sydney has,” the voters may say otherwise.

According to research conducted by Griffith University and Transparency International, 85% of Australians believe most or all politicians are corrupt.

With the state election fast approaching, the politicians who backed the promotion may find Alan Jones’ influence has a nasty bite when it comes time for their constituents to vote.

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Iskandar waves multicultural flag

By Vanessa Lim The Inner West Council has drafted a new multicultural policy and made the document available to the public, but its lack of detail has councillors expressing concerns it may not reach its potential.

The council has introduced a Multicultural Liaison Officer as well as a Multicultural Committee and Interfaith Reference Group, but the definition of these roles is not yet clear.

While Labor Councillor Sam Iskandar tried to address other councillors’ concerns at the lack of specific details of the new roles at the September 25 council meeting, it became clear the policy was still in the early stages.

It appears the Multicultural Liaison Officer will prepare reports, resources, and network with residents to develop cultural groups in the inner west, especially new arrival groups.

Cr Iskandar said, “We must have an officer to look after this strategy full stop… anything they have concerns with, will be discussed and this officer will take in concerns of the councillors and different groups to arrange for meetings, activities, consultations and everything. It’s a big job and it’s very important.”

“Every position in the council has criteria and they are required to do specific tasks relevant to their role.”

When asked if the officer’s role would be restricted exclusively to areas deemed ‘multicultural’ Cr Iskandar said, “It’s not only cultural events…we are in a democratic society, and we are really doing very well.

“We would like to continue, and what we are doing is very essential to continue help everyone else.”

Greens Councillor Marghanita Da Cruz said she felt the broad scope of the role of the

8

city hub 18 OCTOBER 2018

Inner West Labor councillor Sam Iskandar.

Photo: Supplied

Liaison Officer might set the incumbent up for failure.

“Having a multicultural officer depends how big a task you’re giving them,” she said.

“You can’t just appoint some low-level person and expect them to really do what the UN does – something which is a very complex.”

Cr Da Cruz continued, “I think these sorts of positions need to be defined quite closely, and then you need to [think about] what you’re expecting of this transition, and whether it’s realistic that you’ve appointed a person at a very low level to take on what is quite a significant task - I mean a lot.”

Of course, a multicultural policy isn’t a new phenomenon for people living in the Inner West Council area.

Cr Iskandar said, “We used to have a multicultural policy in Marrickville and Ashfield but after the amalgamation we had to start a new vision for the new council which was for the inner west.

“We were developing all sorts of strategic moves to achieve the best for our residents of the area.”

The Multicultural Committee’s role is to advise the council and add its perspective to Council’s draft plans and strategies.

Cr Da Cruz said the committee would have benefits beyond the advice it could give to Council, “It’s very useful that in itself it brings the different groups together..and so having those sort of forums and those ways different groups to talk and engage with each other is really valuable, because the groups actually learn from each other.”

She went on to insist a multicultural strategy must not be placed in the margins, “My concern was that the actual document that’s been produced and put on for public exhibition

is probably your standard kind of perspective but it’s actually not very reflective of the inner west communities…multiculturalism isn’t in the minority, it’s the majority.”

Cr Iskandar said of the Multicultural Committee, “We really need to get as much as we can from different experienced people to make it as successful as we can.”

Labor Councillor Pauline McKenna added, “I think that the council can’t do these sort of things without input from the community at the end of the day, what we’re going to provide is something that is relevant to the community and what they want is not what we think.”

Some councillors expressed concerns the committee won’t be open to the everyone, but instead a select few who would have to try to represent the views of the entire multicultural community of the inner west.

Cr Da Cruz said, “The Greens raised concerns that they aren’t actually open committees they’re actually selected, people are selected to be on this advisory committee and that’s problematic because it’s a closed group…whereas if it was an open group if there’s a particular issue that comes in, people could come and speak on that issue and discuss that with the group.”

Independent Councillor John Stamolis agreed saying, “I don’t agree with that [closed] approach…I mean it should always be open to our public and it should be open to the wider community.”

Cr Iskandar said, “I have spoken to the councillors about this and it’s meant to be open it’s not going to be like only these people can have this meeting and discuss and decide.”

“We really need to hear from the community about their concerns, especially when you’re talking to people but how would they come into the committee if they know nothing about it?”

Skating not so smooth in Woollahra

by John Moyle Last Monday night’s Woollahra Council meeting was one of the most contentious for some time, drawing battle lines between young and old residents as a vote to place a skate park in Rushcutters Bay Park passed unanimously.

“It was already a done deal before we got there,” Andrew Woodhouse, president, Potts Point and Kings Cross Heritage and Residents’ Society said.

“They heard us, but they didn’t listen, they simply pushed the proposal through and now it goes before an environmental study and comes back before Council.”

Mr Woodhouse was representing residents of Potts Point and Kings Cross who were joined by residents of and representatives from the Darling Point Society.

On the other side were an enthusiastic gallery of youths and the Woollahra councillors.

The vote was the culmination of a six year battle to prevent Woollahra Council installing a skate park in Rushcutters Bay Park.

The idea was defeated last year but brought back after concerted lobbying by a number of high profile councillors and a petition that had circulated local schools.

“We’ve had a demographic boom of young kids in Paddington and the thing we need to address here is the lack of facilities for kids in the 8-14 year group,” Matthew Robertson, Greens, Woollahra Council said.

A local schoolboy had submitted a 115 signature petition to Council last May in favour of the facility, and then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull weighed in against, citing noise as an issue.

A petition opposing the project gathered 270 signatures.

“I am the proposer of this proposal and started working on it six years ago with Sarah Riland who represented a collective of kids in the age bracket,” Cr Matthew Robertson said.

“I wrote the first motion that went to Council and called for a report and then after the proposal was

Rushcutters Bay skate board park protest likely to continue. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Harald Bischoff

defeated last year I revived the issue that was calling for better siting within Rushcutters Bay Park.”

The original plan was to locate the skate park closer to the Rushcutters Bay seawall and near the water channel that acts as the divider between the Woollahra Council and City of Sydney jurisdictions.

“The decision over a skateboarding facility in Rushcutters Bay Park is one for Woollahra Council to determine in consultation with their residents,” Spokesperson, City of Sydney said.

“Woollahra Council would also be responsible for managing any future facilities and the City of Sydney will monitor and will address any issues that affect our residents.”

Locals against the skate park say that they are not against the skaters, just the location of the proposed park.

Charlotte Feldman of the Darling Point Society

said “They [Woollahra Council] are going against the directives of the Greater Sydney Commission where Council have signed off on their green space policy.

Ms Feldman referred to The Metropolitan Greenspace Program (MGP) which states “The MGP supports local councils in Greater Sydney and the Central Coast to improve regional open space by co-funding projects that enhance open spaces, parks, bushland, natural areas, waterway corridors and treelined streetscapes”.

Rushcutters Bay Park is a six hectare harbourside reserve which was first put aside in 1878.

It is already used for cricket, soccer, rugby, jogging and exercise.

“A park may be open space, have conservation areas and public domain areas and these different functions may or may not work together, or they may indeed come into direct conflict,” said Peter Annand, urban designer.

The conflict in Rushcutters now focuses on a line of old fig trees in the park near New South Head Road.

Four of these fig trees will be impacted by the skate park’s new location and have already been the point of contention in two aborist’s reports, one commissioned by the Darling Point Society and the other by Council.

“Andrew Simpson inspected the project site, identified all trees and provided information on required tree protection zones,” Woollahra Council’s finance and community report said.

However Ms Feldman claimed “Our aborist was able to get the Council’s aborist to admit that there was going to be an encroachment on the trees’ roots”.

The Council also presented a 20 page acoustic report that does not guarantee that the project will have a minimal impact on locals or the area.

It states “this criterion does not guarantee the inaudibility of the skateboard impact noise during time of low to moderate impact noise”.

The report went on to say that decibels as high as 66dB will be produced from the site but that the acceptable noise criteria was 45-60 dB as issued by the NSW Road Policy Traffic.

The Vibe Hotel is located 60 metres from the proposed skate park and opponents are claiming that adverse impacts have not been adequately analysed or mitigated.

Cr Robertson said that alternative sites which had been looked at in Paddington and Trumper Park weren’t suitable.

The next step will be Council undertaking a Review of Environmental Factors, which is a finetuning process.

Cr Robertson said once that had been undertaken “there will be a tender process and construction process” and that he expects the park to be open next year.

Meanwhile, Andrew Woodhouse vows to fight on.

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Bondi local greens Wentworth

BY M ichae l H itch Deputy Mayor of Waverly Council, Dominic Wy Kanak has been selected

by The Greens as the candidate for the Wentworth electorate after a by-election was announced for the seat.

The Greens officially launched Councillor Wy Kanak’s campaign for the seat of Wentworth in August during the leadership spill which saw former Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull resign from parliament. Following from Mr Turnbull’s resignation, a by-election for the seat has been announced for October 20.

Cr Wy Kanak’s campaign is focussed around the matters of social justice advocacy, updating metropolitan infrastructure and environmental protection.

During the announcement of his campaign in August, Cr Wy Kanak said that Wentworth needed a “fresh start” and that both residents and himself cared about these issues being fixed.

Cr Wy Kanak said: “I know residents here care about action on climate change, Aboriginal justice and tackling the excessive power corporate interests have on national policy,” he said.

“While coal and fossil fuel companies call the shots in federal parliament, we are in the grip of a terrible drought and unprecedented mid-winter bushfires. The Greens, and residents in Wentworth, know these things are connected.

“Our cities are unaffordable, our public schools are over flowing, public transport is in meltdown and politics needs to address these issues, not personal vanities.”

Cr Wy Kanak also addressed the turmoil and alleged corruption that exists within federal parliament.

Waverley deputy mayor and Green’s councillor Dominic Wy Kanak is a Wentworth hopefull.

Photo: Supplied

“The Greens stand for a fairer Australia, for protecting our future and fixing the rigged political system that only seems to serve the interests of big business and the politicians they pay,” Cr Wy Kanak said.

Cr Wy Kanak has been an Indigenous boondiboondi Bondi Ward Waverley Greens Councillor since September 1999 and decided to join The Greens Party as their political philosophy was similar to that of the First Nation cultural ideals.

The Councillor has previously been Co-Chairperson of Waverley the Council’s

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Multicultural Advisory Committee and Mayor’s Nominee and Chairman of the Eastern Region Local Government Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Forum on behalf of Waverley, Woollahra, Botany Bay, Randwick, Leichhardt, and City of Sydney Councils.

Cr Wy Kanak is also a paralegal and was the Honorary Native Title Consultant (NTC) for the Rockdale and District Landscape Heritage Committee (RDLHC).

In the past, the Councillor was the Executive Committee Convenor of the Indigenous Working Group of the United Nations Association of Australia (N SW Branch).

Cr Wy Kanak’s history in Waverly has influenced his campaign to focus on improving public transport, ensuring a protection of the natural environment and establishing a recognition of native aboriginal community history.

The Greens plan to tackle these issues by hindering overdevelopment in the area to ease strain on public transport, embracing new technologies for renewable energy, and supporting aboriginal elders in the community to tackle the issues of youth suicide, drug abuse and deaths in police custody.

Local Bondi Resident, Bianca Wesson said that transport infrastructure was one of the major problems in the Wentworth electorate.

“I mean coming from Bondi-Junction out to Bondi, it’s a complete nightmare and it’s ridiculous for one of the most iconic beaches in the world,” she said.

Ms Wesson also said that the environment was the most important issue within the Wentworth electorate and that The Greens were most likely to solve this problem.

“I think the biggest thing in our area is the

environment and plastic, the community tries to do its little bit and not use plastic bags or plastic straws and to re-use our own cups.

“I think we’re very eco in this area so The Greens could stand a serious chance of winning the seat.”

“There’s a big Greens influence here [Bondi] as they want to look after our little neighbourhood.”

“I think he [Cr Wy Kanak] is very well respected within our community, I don’t know how much people will back him when they actually go to the polls but he’s a voice for our area.”

Sam Ligertwood, a local Wentworth resident who currently lives in Vaucluse said that while there were many different political dynamics within the eastern suburbs, The Greens stood a chance in the by-election as their candidate and their views would refresh the political game.

“There’s so many demographics in the Eastern suburbs in general but The Greens are a part of it as they try to keep the natural history within,” she said.

“They are a voice … and I guess no one wants to vote in a big party and obviously the candidate has been a big part of council for a while. With the backflip of liberals just in general within Bondi, we could see a Green come in.

“Malcolm Turnbull has obviously been here for a while so it’ll be very interesting to see which way it goes but there is a big Greens area I know even around the Vaucluse area so I think the Eastern suburbs could swing that way.”

Cr Wy Kanak said that his service to Wentworth as a local councillor advocate for nearly 20 years and the fact that Wentworth currently has 8 local Greens councillors shows the strength of his backing and supports his stand to run and sit in Commonwealth Parliament.

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11

Opinion

Ten dentures for WestConnex Inquiry

By Peter Hehir What can this possibly have to do with the WestConnex Parliamentary Inquiry (WPI) that wrapped up on Monday?

Nothing to do with false teeth – more to do with falsehoods actually. And on the proponent’s side, there were many. Like the statement by RMS CEO Mr Kanofski that none of the tunnels associated with Stage 3 B, aka the Rozelle Interchange, will have a gradient steeper than 4%.

This is good news, if only it were true, as trains can handle that sort of gradient.

But sadly this 4% lies in the realm of fantasy, like much of what was uttered by the touters at the WPI. It is inconceivable that tunnels three layers deep in Rozelle, each beneath the other in more than a few places, could magically defy the laws of geometry and emerge from the depths in just a couple of hundred metres, without exceeding this 4% grade.

Why trains? Surely the tunnels are being built for vehicles? Yes. Cars, buses and trucks only, if you believe the latest blurb from the RMS, promoting the Western Harbour Tunnel Community Information sessions this Thursday and Saturday at the Balmain Town Hall.

But what’s that got to do with trains?

Well, the word is that driverless, electric taxicabs are just around the corner and they will put paid to private vehicle ownership. No driver, no fossil fuel, way less servicing costs means a 90% saving over owning a vehicle.

Sure, I won’t be giving up my 1951 MG, the classic that I’ve hung on to over the past 50 years and that I’m determined to see back on the road ‘one day’, come hell or high water. I guess there are more than a few of us who feel the same way about the beloved pile of metal in the garage.

But for the majority of commuters, the driver, no pun intended, is simply to get from A to B in the most efficient and economic manner possible.

So private vehicle ownership will take a hit, maybe even as rapid a dive as the film camera did when digital technology arrived.

For those with a statistical bent, Kodak was at its peak in 1998 and the company was then worth $30 billion. By 2012 Kodak were in bankruptcy and the digital camera was king.

12

city hub 18 OCTOBER 2018

WestConnex Parliamentary Inquiry hard to swallow. Photo: Supplied

So in the not too distant future, with tollroad users conspicuous by their absence, the tollroad cash cow will be on its last legs, soon to shrivel up and die. And with it will go the toll companies.

I won’t be shedding a tear though. A nice irony here. Tollroads that companies like Transurban picked up at fire sale prices when their operators went belly up, could then find themselves back in Government hands, again at fire sale prices.

And maybe, just maybe Professor James Weirick might see the tunnels repurposed for trains as he and his Planning students from the University of NSW foreshadowed in 2017.

But ten dentures? Well tendentious is simply another word for bias which, from the community perspective, is clearly the position conservatives on the Inquiry were projecting.

Countering genuine community concerns

expressed about imported pollution from Cammeray and St Peters and then having it released via the four unfiltered stacks in Rozelle, by introducing into the argument pollution generated from the coal fired White Bay Power station, which was closed almost half a century ago, was patently absurd.

The implication being that the Rozelle community and the Inner West in general should be used to pollution – so just suck it up people, suck it up!

Statements suggesting, because the vehicles were now underground that the air in the Inner West would be so very much cleaner, were beyond tendentious and caused those members of the public in the gallery to groan in disbelief.

Where’s the arm’s length approach with public servants from the RMS, who possessed considerable inside knowledge, suddenly working for the SMC and its contractors?

Mr Cliché – who until quite recently was the CEO of the Sydney Motorway Corporation, stated that he was not aware of any breaches of the Planning Implement of Consent! This in spite of the thousands of complaints from the communities in Haberfield, Ashfield, Alexandria and St Peters.

Telephone complaints about asbestos, dust, noise, smells, access, parking, 24/7 operations and a succession of rolling night works making sleep impossible for days on end. Complaints shunted from one PR section of the SMC to another and finally ending up with the contractor, who would then often deny that any works were actually taking place!

Replies to emails stating that the concerns raised would be investigated and addressed within 5 or 21 days. Promised email responses that never came.

Complaints about bullying tactics used by the issuers of the PAN’s (Proposed Acquisition Notices) and their follow up teams, pressuring those compulsorily acquired to accept the below market valuations, under considerable duress.

Apparently these never made it to Mr Cliché’s attention, in spite of his assertion that he’d receive a text if ever there was a breach.

Tendentious or perfidious? You be the judge.

2018 Sydney Marrickville Guide Marrickville Masters

By Jamie Apps

As Sydney’s population continues to grow and the city expands exponentially we have more and more options for entertainment, shopping, fitness and arts. Marrickville is one suburb which has always been at the forefront though, check out some of the best and brightest here.

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benefits. Inner Space Yoga is a brand new progressive yoga studio which caters to everyone, from beginners to seasoned practitioners.

Inner Space Yoga’s new studio is located in Marrickville, in the heart of Sydney’s inner west and is easily accessible from the surrounding suburbs of Petersham, Enmore, Newtown, St Peters, Dulwich Hill, Summer Hill and Sydenham.

Offering Vinyasa Flow Yoga and Yin Yoga at an incredibly affordable price of just $25 per week for unlimited sessions Inner Space Yoga is sure to become a local hotspot.

To welcome new yogis into the fold Inner Space Yoga is offering a special $9 intro class (ending Nov 30).

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Some of the highlights worth checking out over the next few weeks include; Queen Porter Stomp and Christine Jane, The Western Distributors and The Bravados.

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If you’re looking for somewhere to grab a bite to eat before heading to a night of music at Gasoline Pony then look no further than right next door.

Sidecar is brought to you by the team behind Gasoline Pony who have carried over their ethos for excellence into the world of dining. Sidecar is a cosy, local eatery serving fresh modern Australian seasonal dishes with plenty of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.

At this point in their lifecycle Sidecar is a BYO restaurant, but luckily there is a bottle shop right around the corner if you forget to prepare ahead of time.

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Sydney-siders are always flat-out and shoppers have never been more in need of one-stop shops. Hypmotive hub is the perfect location to satisfy this need, and yet it’s still one of Sydney’s best kept secrets.

Hypmotive hub is an incredible unique gift shop and creative hub filled with an amazing selection of goods produced by

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2018 Sydney Marrickville Guide over 60 skilled artisans, designers, artists, jewellers and emerging creatives. By being centred around creativity, Hypmotive hub exists to bring you a go-to destination for thoughtful unique gifts, original art, homewares and fashion created by local brands, artists, designers and makers each with their own unique story to tell.

If you have a burning desire to dive into a creative realm yourself Hypmotive hub is also a great option as they provide a space and experiences for you to explore your own inner creative via creative workshops and special events, such as their annual meet the makers unique marketplace.

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Maker Space focus on design, making and business skills. From total first-timers trying to kindle a creative spark to master-classes for pro’s honing their skills, everyone is welcome.

As a member of Maker Space you’ll gain access to a range of design classes across the mediums of furniture, ceramic, metalwork, woodwork, textiles, electronics or printing. By participating in these classes you’l be given access to excellent teachers, hands on experience and specialised machinery which may be too expensive or big to have in a personal home.

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Info: www.makerspace.org.au

Maker Space

Many creative endeavours require a major investment in tools, equipment or studio/workshop space, which can dissuade many people from exploring their creative side. Maker Space though attempts to relieve some of those pressures by creating a supportive creative community in Marrickville.

Maker Space’s agenda is to build a culture of innovation and excellence in Australian design, whilst simultaneously strengthening the local community by bringing people together. Classes at

and bar with a unique, relaxed atmosphere where people can meet, hang out, chat & listen to live music.

Offering live music seven days a week Lazybones Lounge is a bastion of live music in a city where that seems to be slowly fading away. Whilst there is a small cover fee each night the performers they bring to the city certainly justify the small fee.

Upcoming highlights include Dan Barnett, Coast and Taya Chani.

294 Marrickville Rd, Marrickville.

Info: www.lazyboneslounge.com.au Anytime Fitness Marrickville

Lazybones Lounge

Willie The Boatman

Located in the heart of Marrickville, Lazybones Lounge Restaurant & Bar, with its eclectic decor, is a restaurant

With constantly busy lifestyles these days the need for 24 hour gyms has never been higher. Thankfully right in the heart of the inner west is one of the biggest fitness communities in the country.

Anytime Fitness Marrickville is there to provide any type of fitness training you need, whenever you need it. They have a huge range of equipment to help you push yourself harder than ever before, whether that is through self guided cardio, strength or functional training or through specialised personal training and coaching.

142 Marrickville Rd, Marrickville.

Info: www.anytimefitness.com.au Marrickville Festival

Celebrate all things Marrickville this Sunday as the annual Marrickville street festival takes over the inner west suburb once again.

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With over 120 stalls offering fresh produce, international cuisine and locally produced trinkets, homewares and art.

Alongside the retail offering there will be a stellar lineup of bands and acts performing to keep you entertained throughout the day. Some of the highlights to check out on the day include the Mary Heart Band, The Protestors, Los Carmonas Flamenco, the Marrickville Public School Concert Band or any of the acts performing on The Break music competition stage.

Sun, Oct 21. Corner of Marrickville and Illawarra Roads, Marrickville.

FREE. Info: www.innerwest.nsw.gov.au

Very few business have a story as heartfelt and inspiring as the one behind local Sydney brewery Willie The Boatman.

Founded by fishing buddies Nick Newey and Pat McInerney, Willie The Boatman was born out of a mutual dissatisfaction with their regular 9-5 jobs and a shared passion for home brewing. With little to no experience, but a strong belief in their vision and unwavering support from the local community Newey and McInerny have been able to grow their small passion project into a thriving local business.

With community at the core of the business model, Willie The Boatman have stayed true to their original home brewing ethos and remain dedicated to producing good, clean beer using an uncomplicated approach.

Willie The Boatman now operates its own tasting room, which is open Thursday to Sunday, as well as supplying beer to numerous pubs, hotels and bottle shops throughout the inner west.

Suite 202, 75 Mary St, St Peters.

Info: www.willietheboatman.com

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam Theatre-goers who enjoy thrillers which are also emotionally binding won’t be disappointed in this stage play, which was the inaugural winner of the Lysicrates Prize.

The story centres on a family living in Adelaide whose youngest child is diagnosed with Leukaemia.“The parents are dealing with the diagnosis and how to deal with the stress of the treatment of chemotherapy,” explained director Darren Yap.“But things then go strange for them because the treatment isn’t working and there is this fear of what’s going to happen to their child.

They decide to do something to protect their child from the fear of death.”

This is the story of the unconditional love of parents, faith, religion and also explores how to reconcile the decisions made in life and how to deal with the loss of loved ones. How far would you go to protect your family and would you die for a loved one?

“It’s like a mystery and until it’s revealed at the end you go,‘Oh my god! That’s what these parents decided to do because they love their child so much!’ Hopefully that’s the fun bit that makes it entertaining as well.”

The message to audiences is that family is important and should be treasured, as life is short and every moment is precious.

“Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam is the title of a Presbyterian hymn and the religious themes in the play resonate that if there is a God why is there suffering and why should young children die?

This play is dark and universally topical, but is it suitable for children? “If you’re a kid and you want to see this it’s tough stuff but you would watch a story about a loving family and how they deal with something terrible.This could also be educational and if the kid is savvy enough they would go home with their parents and talk about

death and what cancer means. It depends on how sheltered or how open the kid is – the important thing for parents to know is that it deals with death.” (MMo) Oct 18-27. Riverside Theatres, Cnr Church & Market Streets, Parramatta. $30-$54+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.riversideparramatta.com.au

REVIEW: Ear To The Edge Of Time Maeve Marsden is one of the busiest creatives in the country: writer, performer, producer, gin connoisseur. Her success with Queerstories, a live storytelling event that spawned a book and podcast, has inspired her to create Homage, a live show in which queer performers are invited to sing songs made famous by known queer artists.

“I’m running the queer events I really want to go to […] I want to listen to stories and listen to really good musicians singing interesting songs,” says Marsden, explaining the motivation for creating these shows.

Homage, as with Queerstories is intended to be as much about socialising as being entertained, so the program includes a DJ who’ll be playing background music before the show and during the breaks to encourage people to mingle. The performers for the inaugural show include Brendan MacLean, Sports Bra, Jordan Raskopoulos, Marcus Whale, Benhur Helwend and they’ll be covering songs from verified queer artists, that is, artists who are/were out or were undoubtedly LGBTQI. Songs will be an eclectic mix, coming from such artists as David Bowie, Dusty Springfield, Col Porter, Jimmy Somerville, Troye Sivan, Janelle Monae, Rainbow Chan and spanning styles across jazz, rock, pop, punk, country and non-categorised.

“I’m able to offer an event that my community really loves, and it matters to me that I do it well. I take the role really seriously, I care deeply about making sure my programming is diverse and the quality is always good,” says Marsden.

Each performer will speak briefly about the song they have chosen; why it was important to them, how it helped shape their own identity or creativity; why they connected with the song. It promises to be an enlightening as well as thoroughly entertaining night.

“There’s an incredible depth of queer talent in Australia,” says Marsden. This will be an opportunity to showcase some of it. (RB) Oct 24. The Factory Theatre, 105 Victoria Rd, Marrickville. $35+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.factorytheatre.com.au

a&e

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After some immersive research that included interviews with astrophysicists, a close encounter with the Parkes Radio Telescope and trips to Manchester, Oxford, Greenwich and the Vatican Library in Rome, Alana Valentine wrote Ear To The Edge Of Time and won the 2012 STAGE International Script Competition for best play about Science or Technology. It’s a fictitious story with factual ingredients that explores gender politics, ego, art, academia, trust, human nature and the universe - all in 75 minutes.

Martina Addeley (Gabrielle Scawthorn) is an astrophysicist who suspects she may have made a once-in-a-lifetime discovery. She is being harangued by a poet, Daniel Singer (Tim Walter), who has been invited to contribute to an anthology of science-themed

poetry commissioned by esteemed Professor Geraldine Kell-Cantrell (Belinda Giblin).

Martina is initially hostile towards Daniel but upon finding herself on the cusp of immortality she has a change of heart. While she doesn’t yet show her hand, it’s easy for Daniel to see Martina is holding some pretty impressive cards and he unwittingly leaks this information to her supervisor, Steven Sarvas (Christopher Stollery), who, galvanised by curiosity, steals the pinnacle moment of confirmation and hence, the glory. So ensues a tumult of emotion and ethical politics.

The minimal set consists of rudimentary props and a halfmoon screen showing astral images (and a moving road during a car scene). The mostly black set gives a sense of remoteness. The

actors are all strong, with Stollery being on target with humour and Giblin bringing her eminence. Scawthorn is intense - perhaps a little too much so.

The pragmatic reserve she shows in the first scene is unraveled with a child-like display of glee in the next and overtaken by unrestrained anguish which remains at peak level for the rest of the play.

The script would have benefited from a bit more nuance; the message is obvious and it often verges on didactic. However, it’s a well paced play and the science is fascinating. (RB) Until Oct 27. Seymour Centre, Reginald Theatre, Cnr Cleveland St and City Rd, Chippendale. $36-$45+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www. seymourcentre.com

Gabrielle Scawthorn. Photo: Kate Williams

Brendan Maclean

Homage – A Queer Musical Tribute

My Leonard Cohen at Bridge Hotel Last time Stewart D’Arrietta visited Sydney with his show My Leonard Cohen he sold out the Sydney Opera House, next month when he returns he will be taking the show in a new direction with a very intimate performance at The Bridge Hotel in Rozelle.

Driven by D’Arrietta’s raw and distinctive vocal style, this stirring

16 STAGE 18 SCREEN 18 SCENE 19 Sounds

celebration of Leonard Cohen’s music offers arresting and imaginative interpretations of the great singer-songwriter’s most powerful works. Poetic anecdotes, punctuated with D’Arrietta’s trademark laconic humour, offer a narrative frame by which the audience can contemplate the life of one of the world’s most enigmatic songwriters.This is

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

Cohen’s music as you’ve never heard it before.

This show will certainly be a highlight on the entertainment calendar of 2018 so be sure not to miss it when it arrives for an extremely limited two night run.

Nov 2-3.The Bridge Hotel, 119 Victoria Rd, Rozelle. $45+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.bridgehotel.com.au

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, Angela Stevens, Will Fournier, Gabe Merkel & Lanie Tindale.

AS SEEN ON

SPECIAL COMING SOON

city hub 18 OCTOBER 2017

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Margaret Fulton: Queen Of The Dessert

Yes, Margaret Fulton was Queen Of The Dessert (NB the double ‘”ss”) as well as of every other meal produced out of the Australian family kitchen in the 1960s and 1970s.

She showed Australian housewives, and occasionally house husbands, how to prepare food that was more sophisticated than the staple “meat and three veg” meals of the day, thereby earning the gratitude and respect of a whole generation of Australians who bought

nearly a million copies of her cookbook in the ten years after it was published in 1968.

This upbeat revival is carried off with great pzazz by the energetic cast of six (Manon Gunderson-Briggs as Margaret Fulton, alongside Rebecca Spicer, Alexander Morgan, Brett O’Neill, Clare McCallum, and Jasmine Sands).

They sing and dance their way through the life story of a remarkable and unconventional Australian who was responsible for a cheap cookbook “that even idiots could understand”.

Margaret’s colourful life provided opportunities for a range of musical styles, including the very Parisienne La Vie Bohème, which composer Yuri Worontschak wrote to reflect the period of her life when she lived down at The Rocks in Sydney among a host of eccentric characters.

Unfortunately, the stage at the Bondi Pavilion Theatre was not quite large enough for the cast to really strut their stuff, but Director Ruth Fingret, Choreographers Emma Jarman and Veronica Clavijo, and Stage Manager Emma Maloney managed to pull it all together into a very entertaining and heart-warming night of theatre under the musical direction of Mary Lennon. (ID) Until Oct 27. Bondi Pavilion Theatre, Queen Elizabeth Dr, Bondi Beach. $30-$40+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.bonditheatrecompany.com.au

Given Joe Orton’s penchant for obvious, raucous humour and side-wink puns, he would probably have taken devilish delight in the fact that his last play was written in 1969 - had he not met a gruesome death at the hands of his lover. What The Butler Saw does not, as you might expect, feature a butler, but it does feature some very odd and hilarious characters.

Set entirely in the examination room of the lascivious Dr Prentice (Ariadne Sgouros), the play opens with said doctor interviewing the young, naive Geraldine Barclay (Martin Quinn) for a secretarial position and asking her to strip naked as part of the interview. Before Dr Prentice can go further and with Geraldine naked behind a curtain, Mrs Prentice (Jake Fryer-Hornsby) unexpectedly enters the room. She reports that she has just been assaulted by a hotel porter, Nicholas Beckett (Madeleine Carr).Things get even crazier when Psychiatrist/government inspector Dr Rance (Amrik Tumber) shows up and starts asking a lot of difficult questions.Add a cartoonish Sgt Match (Andrew Guy) and the zany ensemble is complete.

If you’re observant you may have noticed a gender incongruity between some of the actor’s names and their characters. Director Danielle Maas has cast four actors in opposite gender roles. It’s arguable whether that is a plus or minus.While it enhances sight gags and extends jokes, it also causes confusion because there is already clothes swapping and gender-crossing within the play itself.

One other issue is the content.The outrageous bawdiness and political incorrectness are directly

acknowledged in a “viewer discretion” tongue-incheek announcement, however, there are lines in the play that are unforgivably egregious.This is confirmed by the audible gasps in the audience.

Not that the lines should have been edited out, but perhaps there could have been a stronger sense of awareness around them. Overall, though, it’s a fun and insane ride, with the troupe displaying great rapport, perfect comic timing and even occasional athletic prowess. (RB) Until Nov 3. New Theatre, 542 King St, Newtown. $20-$35+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.newtheatre.org.au

A Star Is Born

The Cleaners In a world of fake news, alternative facts, cyber bulling, hacking and the mere debate over the validity of free speech comes an incredibly timely and important documentary.

The Cleaners goes beyond the computer screen to explore the people and methods employed by social media and technology companies to moderate content posted on the various platforms.

The film initially does this by explaining the protocols which define acceptable and unacceptable material, which is sometimes controversial and debatable in and of itself.

What is “art” and what is “obscenity” is a common question according to the film. Perhaps the scariest piece of knowledge garnered from the film is the speed at which these decisions must be made, according to one source in the film eight seconds is considered a long time to make a judgement call.

The element which takes this film to the next level though is its exploration of the impact such a job has on the individuals who must review all of this material, some of which is unspeakably horrendous.

REVIEW: What The Butler Saw

Photo: gebrueder beetz filmproduktion

The Cleaners is a compelling film which has the viewer questioning whether internet moderation is helping to quench the flames or is it pouring fuel on the fire, both societally and individually. (JA) WWW

This is version 4.0 of the script in which a male superstar in decline has an ill-fated romance with his female protege who is on the threshold of stardom.

A Star Is Born 2018 is both a directorial debut for Bradley Cooper (who also co-wrote and stars in the film) and acting debut for Lady Gaga. It more or less uses the same plot as the previous three iterations: Jackson Maine (Cooper) is a rockstar with a severe drinking problem. While bar-hopping one night after a gig, he chances to see Ally (Gaga), a wanna-be singer, perform as a guest during a drag show. He flirts, she falls, they have a tumultuous relationship, he drinks himself into obscurity, she howls her way to fame. Most people seem to agree, the first half of the film is intimate and charming but it loses traction after half time. Cooper, like his alter-ego, Jackson, seems reluctant to surrender any screen presence - understandably so, because Gaga proves herself to be a powerhouse and would easily have run away with the film given more room to move.

Given the impressive list of songwriters involved, the songs are fairly unremarkable.

Soundtrack hero, Shallow is just that and has no hint of the hit-maker qualities of its predecessor, Evergreen.

A Star Is Born is a likeable film; sentimentalists will be instantly reduced to salty puddles; cynics will be mollified by the film-making rigour. (RB) WWW

Bad Times At The El Royale It seems like an ample amount of time has passed since there was a movie that could be enjoyed in as many ways as Bad Times At The El Royale.

The neo-noir mystery thriller is written and directed by the talented Drew Goddard, featuring a star-studded lineup of, Jeff Bridges, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Cynthia Erivo, Lewis Pullman, Cailee Spaeny, Nick Offerman and Chris Hemsworth.

In true Tarantino, Hateful Eight style, the film see’s seven strangers with their own secrets to hide come together at 18

city hub 18 OCTOBER 2018

an old rundown hotel, The El Royale. Over the course of the eventful night the gathered rouges get a shot at redeeming themselves before all goes to hell.

Pulling off style and filled with amazing performances, the standouts being Bridges and Pullman, Bad Times At The El Royale is jam packed with suspense and twists at every turn. The most impressive part of the film, an incredible tracking shot that will leave any viewer in awe. A must watch! (RH) WWWW1/2

THE NAKED CITY

DEATH ZONE ON EVEREST! With Coffin Ed Amidst a hyperbolic frenzy and a protest over billboarding of the Opera House sails, the world’s richest horse race on turf was run last Saturday – but what does it all mean? The organisers Racing NSW will tell you it was a massive success, attracting a bumper crowd at Randwick and considerable media coverage. They now claim they have an event to rival the Melbourne Cup and even surpass it as our premier horse race.

Clearly that’s not going to happen and it’s hard to see the whole nation coming to a halt for The Everest like they do on the first Tuesday in November for the world famous Melbourne Cup. A two mile race at Flemington, with 24 starters from around the world, a crowd of around 100,000 and a build up to rival the Second Coming is always going to overshadow a 1200 metre flutter at Randwick – regardless of the amount of money thrown at it.

Even the Sydney Morning Herald’s veteran racing journalist Max Presnell wrote that The Everest “just doesn’t do it for me, albeit there are $13 million reasons why it generates such support… Huge prize money doesn’t necessarily make a great contest but the

inject millions of dollars into the local economy and maintain our dominance over Melbourne as the premier Australian city. Both Liberal and Labor have been guilty of this preoccupation in the past, with little transparency as to how much these publicity stunts actually cost.

Does anybody remember the ill-fated “Picnic On The Harbour Bridge” which saw the grass carpeting of the coat hanger roadway and supposedly attracted huge media interest around the world? Nathan Rees was the premier at the time and predicted that it would become an annual event, generating millions of tourist dollars. And what about the total bill for Vivid or the New Year’s Eve fireworks. Does the public ever get to see the final cost for these extravaganzas?

The Premier’s decision to allow the Opera House to become an advertising billboard for The Everest clearly backfired. She now knows promotion behind The Everest has exceeded there are at least 300,000 people (the number any other for the industry.” that signed the petition against it), who won’t The State Government’s enthusiastic support be voting for her at the next election. Ironically for the event, endorsed by Alan Jones with his when it came to world wide coverage, the kind on air savaging of Opera House CEO Louise that the Government loves to encourage, all Herron, is typical of their obsession of The Everest received abroad was stories that promoting “big” events regardless of cost and focused on the billboard controversy and consequence. These are promotions that they mocked Australia for allowing a national icon claim will lift the international profile of Sydney, to be used for that purpose.

If The Everest is symptomatic of anything it’s the brash, money driven, opportunistic way of doing things that has forever defined this city.

The actual trophy, which features a gaudy diamond encrusted horse, says it all. Compare it for example with the classic, dignified and historic look of the Melbourne Cup which clearly evokes the 157 year history of the event.

But wait there’s more. Last year Racing NSW hinted at the possibility of a horse race across the Harbour Bridge – a series of six races in fact to coincide with the running of The Everest. Hey sounds like a good idea to me – bound to attract billions of viewers around the world and see that carpet of turf once again reinstated. Forget about the current shambles with the light rail project and evoke the spirit of Francis De Groot who stole the thunder of Jack Lang when he rode forward on horseback in 1932 to cut the ribbon at the opening of the Bridge. There’s your name already – the multi million dollar ‘De Groot’.

Melbourne might have the best live music venues, a vibrant nightlife and laneway culture and the best known two mile horse race in the world – but Sydney has the ‘De Groot’ – a mad equine dash across the iconic Harbour Bridge.

Bring it on Emerald City!

Paddy’s Pop-Up - Halloween Everybody knows markets are a great place to pick up some neat little trinkets and bargain gifts but next weekend they’re set to undertake a spooky transformation to celebrate Halloween.

As part of Halloween Week a special haunted house activation will be installed within the Paddy’s percent by

The Party People. Not only will this be a fun, if not scary, break from your shopping adventures it will also be a great opportunity to pick up some costumes, decorations, make-up and confectionary for your own Halloween celebrations as every element featured will be available to purchase.

If a haunted house is too spooky for you there will also be a number of other fun events happening throughout the week such as; halloween makeup classes by The Makeup Technicians, A Zombie Walk and Jack o’ Lantern carving classes.

Check out all of the details at: www.paddysmarkets.com.au

I Know Leopard Photo: Lisa Businovski

By Jamie Apps Sydney’s own I Know Leopard have ventured even deeper down their own unique path with the impending debut record. Ahead of the records release and their special sneak peak live performance

next week City Hub sat down with frontman Luke O’Louglin to discuss the influences and recording process behind the record.

Since coming together the group has cemented themselves as a unique beacon on the Australian

musical landscape thanks to their 1970s soft rock inspired sound.

Landmine which is the groups newest single, and the first glimpse at the upcoming debut album, dives even further into these influences.

It may seem strange for a band to suddenly ramp up influences from an already niche genre before their debut record but Luke O’Loughlin explained that there was method to the madness.

“We felt like we’d been making the same music for a while and were growing restless of that style. Then we realised our first album doesn’t need to sound exactly like all of the other stuff, because it’s going to sound like us anyway since we’re all still making the music, so why not make a statement with it instead.”

And make a statement it has, even if it was somewhat divisive.

“Some people have really loved it and others, who were fans of our older stuff, are taking a little longer to embrace it,” said O’Loughlin.

“Once people hear the rest of the album though Landmine will make a lot more sense because there is definitely a sonic theme running through the record.”

This sonic theme was embellished with the help of producer and sound engineer Jack Moffitt. As part of his role working with I Know Leopard Moffitt was responsible for pushing the band to be “bold” and go beyond their previously held personal boundaries.

“Jack really made our sonic dreams a reality… he was all about being bold with this record which in turn became our mission statement,” recalled O’Loughlin. “Having Jack push us out of our comfort zone resulted in a record which has way more character than anything we’ve done before.”

Oct 25. Leadbelly, 42 King St, Newtown. $17.85+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.theleadbelly.com.au

Novo Amor - Birthplace Novo Amor’s debut album, Birthplace, will bring about goosebumps in all listeners.

Novo’s ethereal falsetto is absolutely stunning.

Exhilarating instrumental buildups containing strings, piano, and percussion are juxtaposed with softer breakdowns in which the spotlight is on Novo and his voice. His music is certainly emotional in nature and is perfect for a rainy, and preferably sad, car ride.

It is after a couple of songs, however, that the album becomes forgettable.The previously mentioned falsetto, although beautiful, is used for the entire album. Novo needs to show his versatility as a vocalist.A listener will frequently check his or her phone to see if he or she is still listening to the same song, or if a new one has come on; they are all very similar and blend together.

Additionally, it is very hard to understand Novo for the entire album.The songs on Birthplace lack a certain catchiness which might be necessary for his first true breakthrough in the music industry. (WF) WWW city hub 18 OCTOBER 2017

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CE LE B R ATE TH E CU P AT TH E STAR Book now at thestarsydney.com .au

The Star practises the responsible service of alcohol. Guests must be aged 18 years or over to enter the casino. Think! About your choices. Call Gambling Help 1800 858 858 www.gamblinghelp.nsw.gov.au

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