City Hub 19 June 2014

Inside:

Political donations bill debated in NSW Parliament Page 3 Spike in underground car park break-ins Page 8 Eat & drink Page 11 What’s On guide Page 13

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June 19, 2014

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greece lightening Elisabeth Koubaroulis bringing some Greek mythology to Open Marrickville festival

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Political donations bill debated in NSW Parliament

BY Joshua Tassell Bipartisan support has emerged in the State Parliament of New South Wales for a bill to close a major election funding loophole.

In the wake of the Independent Commission Against Corruption investigation into statewide political corruption, the Election Funding, Expenditure and Disclosures Consequential Amendment Bill aims to force disclosure of all donations of more than $1000 from corporations, peak industry groups and organisations.

The bill seeks to amend a loophole created by a High Court decision in December last year which made donations from corporations, industrial organisations and industry groups lawful.

However, laws drafted at the time did not require the disclosure of any of those funds.

Independent Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich welcomed Premier Mike Baird’s move to ensure all political donations are properly disclosed.

“Without this legislation the public would never know about donations from the big end of town to the major parties,” Mr Greenwich said.

“Following my meeting with the Electoral Funding Authority earlier in the year, I raised this matter repeatedly with the Government and it is good to finally see action.”

Mr Baird commended the bill to the House in late May in an effort to regulate all political donations.

“There is, of course, more work to be done to change the culture of hidden influence and misplaced expectations of access that appear to follow even modest political donations in this State,” Mr Baird said.

Alongside the bill, the premier announced an expert panel to investigate funding of NSW political parties, covering public funding models, expenditure caps and breach penalties.

Greens MP John Kaye criticised the panel for an ineffectual reporting date which would prevent reform

Indepedent Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich

before the 2015 State election.

“Mike Baird’s expert panel on donations reform is more a pressure release valve than a genuine attempt to clean up politics in NSW,” Dr Kaye said.

“Donations will continue to pour in from dodgy sources, with no public accountability until it is too late.”

A High Court decision last year saw Unions NSW successfully argue previous bans on corporate donations infringed an implied constitutional freedom of political communication.

Mr Greenwich said the Independent Commission Against Corruption hearings backed continual reform within the political donation system to prevent undue influence.

“Transparency and accountability of political donations is essential for confidence in the political process.”

Light Rail project on track

BY Joshua Tassell Randwick City Council welcomed the approval of the Central Business District and South East Light Rail (CSELR) despite concerns over its’ design and impacts.

Randwick Mayor Scott Nash said the approval will provide much-needed public transport infrastructure in the east of Sydney.

“Bringing light rail to Randwick City will be a transformation of our public transport system that will provide significant benefits to residents, students, workers, commuters and visitors,” Mr Nash said.

“We are working closely with Transport for [New South Wales] and we have also developed our own comprehensive support package, where we plan to invest up to $68 million to address key concerns such as parking, traffic management and pedestrian safety.”

State Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian was delighted with the approval.

“This is a priority project for the NSW Government that will transform Sydney, deliver over $4 billion worth of economic benefits and create 10,000 jobs for NSW,” Ms Berejiklian said.

However, issues raised by Randwick City councillors and residents during consultation are yet to be dealt with. A total of 58% of the submissions were concerned with traffic, transport and access impacts.

The CSELR is expected to remove up to 700 car parks across Randwick, Kingsford and Kensington. Randwick is listed as the area most vulnerable to decreased parking.

Options being explored

by Council include changing parallel parking to angle parking in streets near Anzac Pde to create more car spaces.

Another option involves the purchase of land and construction of a multi-storey car park at Kingsford Nine Ways roundabout, or on

Rainbow St. Council and Transport for NSW representatives are finalising their development agreement which should establish the contribution by State Government.

A Transport for NSW spokesman said light rail will help reduce congestion by taking vehicles off the road.

“Transport for NSW is working with Randwick City Council to look at parking, including identifying additional parking spaces in the surrounding streets, such as angle parking and changes to parking restrictions,” the spokesman said.

“Randwick City Council is responsible for making changes to parking within their local government area.”

Artists’ impression of the High Cross Park interchange

LGBTIQ community showcased

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By Joshua Tassell Marrickville Council celebrated the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and questioning communities of Inner Western Sydney at the council’s third annual LGBTIQ forum.

Mayor Jo Haylen said Marrickville prides itself on being a leader in its celebration of inclusivity and diversity.

“I strongly encourage community members to embrace this unique opportunity, and take a hands-on approach to making our society a better, stronger and more inclusive place to live and work,” Ms Haylen said.

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altmediasydney MC for the evening, Julie McCrossin

On June 11, about 150 people heard from senior police officers, aged care providers and employment services representatives on their staff training and awareness raising, including the criteria for a “rainbow tick” for their work.

Broadcaster, journalist and long term gay activist Julie McCrossin facilitated discussions on LGBTIQ life in Marrickville and how the council can improve its consideration of the needs of its LGBTIQ residents, workers and visitors.

“As someone who went to her first gay liberation demonstration in 1973 and who personally experienced the era when being a

lesbian was considered a mental illness and against God’s will and gay men and gender diverse people were brutalised by police, it was an absolute joy to enter a room decorated with rainbow flags,” Ms McCrossin said.

Council historian Clinton Johnston discussed the launch of Marrickville’s History Project, a collection of oral histories from HIV/AIDS activists, the establishment of the Gender Centre and advocacy for gay and lesbian parents.

“We wanted to find a way to connect with the LGBTIQ community and find out more,” Mr Johnston said.

“Marrickville has the second highest proportion of same-sex couples in Australia behind Sydney, but we also wanted to talk to individuals - we didn’t want to do a generic thing.”

“It’s an opportunity for people to find out about the difficulties faced by the homosexual and intersex community and maybe break down a few of the walls that have been put up.”

Panels of people interviewed and their stories will be on display in Marrickville Library.

Duncan McGregor, convener of the Bingham Cup where 1000 gay rugby players from across the globe will converge in Sydney later this year, discussed the agreement of major sporting codes to stamp out homophobia in their sports.

Ms McCrossin said it is “fantastic that Marrickville Council gives local LGBTIQ people the opportunity to gather and discuss local issues of personal concern and raise them directly with staff and councillors.

“This frank, open democratic process helps to improve mainstream services and provide ideas for new special initiatives. I’m proud to be part of it.”

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City business vote gathers support

BY Edmund Kirkwood Moves to enfranchise businesses in the next City of Sydney election are putting some councillors and the Lord Mayor on a collision course.

A joint Parliamentary inquiry earlier this year recommended the introduction of compulsory business voting, with the City of Melbourne elections as the blueprint.

The Shooters and Fishers Party announced last week it will introduce legislation in the New South Wales Parliament to amend the City of Sydney Act to make business voting compulsory in council elections, eliminating the need for businesses to re-enroll to vote every four years.

Some councillors support the proposed change, including Independent City councillor and business owner Angela Vithoulkas.

However, Cr Linda Scott said Sydney’s future is at risk of becoming “a banana republic” if the Shooters and Fishers’ mooted changes for business voting are introduced.

Cr Vithoulkas said the existing system does not allow for an accurate representation of the community.

“Only 1700 business out of roughly 40,000 voted in the last election,” she said.

“They are contributing financially to the city, but have no representation.

“How can we say we represent the community when 40% of them aren’t involved in the voting process?”

Liberal Cr Christine Forster is in favour of a permanent business roll and

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said the present system is “unfair”.

“Business owners contribute nearly 80% of rate revenue to the City of Sydney – they are entitled to have fair representation,” Cr Forster said.

“A permanent business roll would re-enfranchise those businesses who have been steadily disenfranchised over the last 10 years.”

However, Lord Mayor Clover Moore said permanent business rolls create electoral inaccuracies and come with risks.

“In 1995 the Crown Solicitor was so concerned about serious inaccuracies, fraud and corruption in the existing permanent roll of businesses eligible to vote he warned that it would be ‘unsafe

City of Sydney Cr and cafe owner Angela Vithoulkas

to hold an election for the City of Sydney’,” Ms Moore said, “Because of these serious risks, businesses need to re-enroll every four years to reduce fraud and corruption and improve democracy.”

If passed, the legislation would see the introduction of more than 50,000 eligible business votes being cast, about half the total number of residents enrolled to vote.

The City’s Floor Space and Employment Survey 2012 identified more than 21,000 businesses in the council. At the last election in 2012, 1702 businesses voted.

Cr Scott said if the Shooters and Fishers Party changes were implemented, more than 19,000 businesses would be enrolled to vote without their knowledge or permission, opening the risk of thousands of businesses being fined for not participating in 2016 elections.

Cr Scott said the existing system is “open and transparent”, conducted by the independent NSW Electoral Commission, without interference from politicians or political parties.

“If the system is changed to enroll businesses without their knowledge or consent, I am concerned we will see a return to 1995 – a time when the Crown Solicitor warned it would be unsafe to hold a City of Sydney election given concerns about serious inaccuracies in the business electoral rolls.”

Some City Hall watchers are speculating on how a potential seachange in voting power could affect Ms Moore’s chances of re-election in 2016.

“Traditionally Clover Moore has not been interested in the business vote,” Cr Forster said.

“She has promoted parts of the electorate – particularly the villages – and hasn’t sought to engage the businesses.

“I would expect that many of those businesses wouldn’t vote for Clover Moore.”

Cr Vithoulkas said some councillors may not get re-elected.

“I don’t think that small business has been a focus or a priority under Clover Moore. I think it will make the next election closer.”

Both City councillors said they were confident business vote legislation would be on the statute book before the next City of Sydney election, although the proposed bill has not yet been drafted.

“The findings of the joint Parliamentary inquiry were in favour of adopting a Melbourne-based model of compulsory business voting and I would expect the State Government would support that,” Cr Forster said.

“The Shooters and Fishers Party have proposed a similar model and that would get it through the Upper House.”

Cr Vithoulkas asked why politicians are “scared” of all voters having a voice.

“It would be difficult for both houses not to support. Then our Governments would have to stand up and say why they are anti-democracy, and I hope this question gets asked if this legislation fails.

“Any politician who would not support everybody who is eligible of having the right to vote is being antidemocratic.”

Finding refuge in sporting glory

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months after he was picked in the third selection round by the Sydney Swans as the overall number 44 pick.

At 194cm tall, the coaches see his height as a key asset for a centre right back position.

“I’ve only started playing the game when I was 16, so I haven’t played for as long as the other kids,” he said.

Nevertheless, his rise has been meteoric.

After stints with the Aspley Hornets, Queensland and the East Fremantle Colts, Western Australia, Aliir was selected for the Western Australian under-18 side for the 2013

National Carnival.

Being picked for the Australian Football League was a golden moment for the young man who saw his future in sport.

Now Aliir hopes his story at the refugee breakfast will reinforce this year’s theme of “Restoring Hope”.

“I guess as refugees we are here to find a better life. We haven’t done anything wrong.

The only reason we are leaving the country is because of stuff going on back there.

“As a refugee, you feel as though you want to give back to the kids out there.”

Photo: Chris Peken

BY rachel worsley Aliir Aliir sits in the stands of the Sydney Cricket Ground, clad in the red and white of the Sydney Swans, and looks across to the posts where he dreams of scoring goals.

“I’ve been still playing reserves, [as] I’m still developing, hopefully my opportunity comes,” the 19-year-old Kenyan-born Sudanese refugee said.

Aliir will be the face of this year’s Refugee Breakfast 2014, to be held on World Refugee Day. Every year on June 20, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) recognises the millions of refugees fleeing persecution and danger around the world and honours their resilience.

Aliir will be joined by former Australian Test Cricket Captain Ian Chappell and Phil Kearns, former Wallabies Captain and the Australia for UNHCR Special Representative.

However, Aliir’s beginnings were far more modest.

“I spent my time in Kakuma Refugee Camp playing soccer . . . all I remember is playing sport, with my family,” he said.

“The war was still happening and my mum wanted a better education for the family, so we came to Australia and it’s pretty good, down here.”

Aliir was eight-years-old when he arrived in Australia with his family. He had an uncle living in the country at the time, who helped him with the required paperwork to be registered as a refugee, but even then, Aliir was still moving from place to place.

“We lived in Sydney for a bit, then we went to Newcastle, then Queensland, Perth and now I’m back here.”

Aliir has lived in Sydney for about eight

news in brief Faculty opens University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Chancellor and Prof Vicki Sara with Dame Marie Bashir, Governor of New South Wales, and UTS ViceChancellor Prof Ross Milbourne, attended the official opening of the first and largest of the three buildings in the university’s billion-dollar “City Campus Master Plan” on June 12.

The new UTS Faculty of Engineering and IT Building is set to transform both how students learn and Broadway with its innovative architectural design.

The faculty is on the corner of Broadway and Jones St, Ultimo. It will be followed by the launch of UTS’s Business School, the Dr Chau Chak Wing building, Haymarket, and the UTS Science Faculty and Graduate School of Health, Thomas St.

Services cut Marrickville Council has condemned the State Government’s new funding model for homelessness services, which will see 83 homelessness services such as women’s refuges closing Aliir Aliir

across New South Wales.

The tender process results were announced on Friday. At least 10 specialist services and refuges will close in the inner west alone, Marrickville Mayor Jo Haylen said.

Services in the inner west which have lost tenders and are set to close include Jean’s Place, Marrickville; Elsie Women’s Refuge, Glebe; Fact Tree, Redfern, and Young People’s Refuge, Leichhardt.

Green Sq ideas An urban beach, moonlight cinema and wetlands are among the ideas suggested for a new aquatic centre and park in the middle of the $8 billion greater Green Sq redevelopment.

The plans are among the five finalists shortlisted from 144 entries in the City of Sydney’s competition to design the Green Sq Aquatic Centre and neighbouring Gunyama Park.

Scenarios include a picketfence reminder of traditional cricket fields, a central foyer with views, swimming pools sunken in revived wetlands, a beach with boardwalk and connected pools.

Finalists now prepare detailed designs and cost assessments.

A jury will recommend a winner to the City and announce later this year.

BY Rachel Worsley Police are urging residents to secure their belongings after a spike in the number of breakins from underground parking garages in the Leichhardt area.

Residential complexes with large underground garages have been targeted in the last two weeks. Items stolen include bicycles, golf clubs and, in one instance, a car.

Leichhardt Local Area Command Crime Prevention Officer, Senior Constable Jeremy Addison, said residents should not be lured into a false sense of security just because there is a security gate and security cameras in the car park.

“The majority of security gates take a long time to close after they’ve been opened by the resident, so thieves would just run in after the

gate has been opened to gain access to the underground car park,” Sen Const Addison said.

“People who have been broken into often have their doors unlocked on the individual [caged] garages . . . It’s often a matter of thieves trying every door in the garage until one opens, and they can break in and steal things.”

The break-ins have occurred across the Leichhardt area, but many of the cases reported have come from Rozelle.

Sen Const Addison said people should take personal responsibility to ensure their belongings are safe.

“Make sure you are not followed into your underground parking garage. Don’t leave valuables or gate opener clearly displayed in your car or garage, keep them hidden and

Unsecured garages in underground car parks in Leichhardt district are easy targets for thieves

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secured.

“Close windows and lock the doors of your vehicle.”

Leichhardt Councillor John Jobling, who lives in Rozelle, said it was up to the strata management of residential complexes to remind people about the problem.

“They and the insurance companies should regularly raise this issue with the residents to ensure they keep their belongings safe in the garage,” Cr Jobling said.

“I see many removalists who come in and block the doors with a rug or a box to keep the gate open, and it makes it easy for thieves to come in . . . so I make sure that my vehicle door is locked all the time.”

Sen Const Addison said he has dropped pamphlets in the affected neighbourhoods to raise awareness about the issue, while police have stepped up patrols in the area.

“We think it’s likely one or two people are doing this [who] are coming into the area.

“Meanwhile, we encourage people to follow our updates on Facebook, as we can get the message out to a lot of people easily.”

Rozelle/Iron Cove Precinct Committee chairman Mark Wallis said he was unaware of the issue until it was brought to his attention by Leichhardt Cr Craig Channells.

Mr Wallis said the issue will be raised in the next meeting, but more needs to be done by the council and police to bring these issues directly to the committee.

“In future, we believe that crime information should be disseminated directly to the precinct committee so that people would be aware of it,” he said.

“It’s not something that is being raised directly right now and it’s the perfect issue for the precinct committee to discuss.”

Cartoon: Peter Berner

Spike in underground car park break-ins

By Nick Richardson The worldwide craze of “love locks” has reached Bondi, but there is no love lost from Waverly Council.

The Parisian phenomenon, where couples write their initials on a lock, secure it to a structure or landmark and throw their keys into the water as a symbol of eternal love, is spreading along the Bondi coastal walk.

However, Waverley Council “strongly discourages” the practice anywhere within its borders, particularly at beaches or on the coastal walk, a council spokesperson said.

“Love locks can distract from the beautiful foreshore views and, as seen in Paris recently, they are a safety hazard putting visitors and residents at risk.”

Love locks made global headlines when a section of the chain-link fence lining the railing of the Pont-des-Artes bridge in the City of Romance collapsed under the weight and fell into the river, heightening safety fears among residents.

A “No Love Locks” campaign launched, complete with an online petition with almost 7000 signatures.

Paris officials are balancing the cultural and historical significance of the locks and the appeal to tourists, while maintaining the safety of the city’s infrastructure and

answering campaigners.

It is illegal to remove the locks forcibly, for now.

However, Waverley Council is taking a tougher stand against love locks and will remove any locks found along the coastal walk.

Not everyone sees the locks as a threat. Resident Tempe McGowan said she sees beauty in the declarations of love.

“They are a beautiful sentiment. To look at infinity, forever, which is the sea.

“It really adds to the place, another layer to the story of place.”

Ms McGowan said the council is “overreacting”.

“It is mean spirited. It is so small, so intimate. They are taking away people’s memories, a gesture of romantic love.”

Legality of RSL decisions questioned

BY Nick Richardson The future of the Bronte Returned and Services League (RSL) social club remains in doubt after members voted to sell a row of poker machines to pay off debts at a controversial meeting held on June 11.

Some club members have questioned the legitimacy and legality of the decisions.

Keri Spooner, a long-time member of the club and co-convener of the “Save Bronte” campaign group, said the meet was “an absolute travesty”.

Dr Spooner said membership had not been updated since the club closed in 2012. Information had not been sent to members from the executive, membership records were not on display at the meeting and there were no membership checks in place.

“I just walked in the front door,” she said.

“It is possible nobody in that room was even a member.”

Another attendee, who declined to give her name, supported Dr Spooner. She described the proceedings as “coup d’état” with “a complete lack of transparency.”

The meeting was chaired by Bronte RSL subbranch secretary Simon Paterson.

Mr Paterson announced at the meeting the Bronte RSL development application (DA) was near approval and the sub-branch would be seeking “expressions of interest” from other clubs to fill the space.

“I don’t know where he got that information,” a club member said.

“I don’t know how he could know that. The DA was only very recently rejected.

“I do not know who this guy is to be making these announcements.”

Dr Spooner said she doubts the legality of the proceedings.

“There has been no [annual meeting] for

years, no renewal of memberships, no chairing of meetings. There is no ATM at the club.

“Significant financial decisions were being made by people who have nothing to do with the club.”

The Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing is taking the allegations seriously.

“The Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing will review the information provided in relation to the Bronte RSL Club Limited and conduct an initial assessment,” an office spokesperson.

“Should this initial assessment identify suspected contraventions or non-compliance issues with registered club and gaming laws an investigation will be conducted.”

Dr Spooner said she sympathised with veterans and their families.

“The social club was fantastic. It was a great place. It provided the emotional warmth of being with mates and physical warmth.”

A Bronte RSL Club representative was unavailable for comment.

Cartoon: Peter Berner

Bondi ban on “love locks”

Bronte RSL social club members have been left in the dark

Love locks along Bondi’s coastal walk

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Never reinforce a failure

By NICK POSSUM It’s come to this: Iraq is falling apart in a sectarian insurgency launched by the same nut-job Sunni fundamentalists trying to overthrow Assad’s Syrian regime – the very same guys the United States helped to foster in its haste to get rid of Assad. Talk about an own goal.

So now the line-up now is, Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), backed by long-time US ally, fundamentalist Sunni Saudi Arabia, versus the Shiite-majority Maliki regime backed by long-time US enemy Iran.

The Yanks are going to have to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Iran if they want to stop ISIS’s push for an expansionist Islamic “caliphate”

stretching from Syria to Iran. The eerie cackling noise you can hear – that noise like a far-off out-of-tune radio – is Saddam Hussein laughing in his grave.

And here’s our idiot-child prime minister, fortuitously in Washington, pledging whatever happens, he’ll go all the way with Barak Obama.

A few months back, when it never entered his head this might come to pass, he went on record to say the Afghanistan and Iraq adventures were probably dumb, in hindsight.

Now here he is writing a blank cheque for another round of dumbness. No doubt he’s hoping to weasel out of any meaningful contribution to an American re-entry into the conflict by trying John Howard’s trick. When George W Bush asked John to answer the call, John told the US President each of our special forces troops were worth 10 of anybody else’s and he’d send both of them.

As Obama noted, we sent a risible 1500 troops; if we’d have matched the US effort, we’d have sent 20,000.

Actually the president’s maths were a bit out. If we’d have matched the US per-capita, we would have sent 12,000, but he had the right idea.

In the least-worst scenario, Obama will decide to help the Iraqi regime by launching a few drone strikes and our less-thantoken contribution will be to send a destroyer to the Gulf, but who knows?

The trouble with the drone option, is when an insurgency becomes widespread, drone strikes picking off small handfuls of militants are useless. The best you can do is to kill a leader here and there, and unless your intelligence is very good indeed, you probably won’t even do that, and needless to say, the further the insurgency spreads its influence, the less reliable the US’s intelligence will become. Which brings you back to carpet-bombing insurgentheld towns, or putting boots on the ground, or both, in other words, to a large scale military reoccupation.

The Maliki regime can probably – with Iran’s help, mostly – hold Baghdad and the south of the country – in other words, the Shiite majority areas. Even if they recapture Mosul it will likely be held as an isolated pocket. The north and west of Iraq will remain effectively in the control of ISIS, just as large swathes of Afghanistan have remained in control of the Taliban, or the Haqqani network.

All this has long-term implications for the price of petrol. Iran is no longer an oil exporter, Iraq is, and so is ISIS-backer, Saudi Arabia. If Iraq goes into decline, or goes offline altogether, the price of crude will head north even faster than it is at the moment. The big winner, geopolitically speaking, will be Russia, which has passed Saudi Arabia as the biggest global producer and will remain so for some years.

Community runs Open Marrickville

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film festival of bilingual stories, a Chinese multicultural festival and interactive workshops based on Greek mythology.

Greek Myths is the idea of Marrickville resident Kiriaki Koubaroulis, who found inspiration from her nine-year-old daughter: “After Marrickville council put a grant program out, we applied for one

with this idea of Greek myths and they really loved it,” she says.

Elisabeth, Mrs Koubaroulis’ daughter, says: “I love Greek myths, I thought that it would be a good experience for children to learn about them, even if they already know about the myths, it will be Photo: Chris Peken

By Georgia Fullerton Marrickville residents have taken the reigns by organising a ten-day festival celebrating diversity in their community.

After applying for grants from council, local community groups and schools have orchestrated a program of storytelling, art, theatre, music and food. Marrickville Mayor, Jo Haylen, says: “All the activities and events are organised by local groups, schools, and organisations with support from council. It’s exciting to see so many of our community groups embracing Open Marrickville and making it their own.”

Open Marrickville, now in its third year, coincides with National Sister Cities Day, and will span for just over a week at a range of locations across the Marrickville area.

Marrickville, often referred to as the centre for Sydney’s independent arts scene, is also taking the opportunity to promote its diverse demographic. It’s known for having a large percentage of second-generation migrants, who, despite the rapid gentrification experienced, have chosen to stay in the area.

“Marrickville is home to people from 35 different overseas birthplaces, speaking 32 different languages. Open Marrickville takes advantage of this fabulous diversity – giving our communities an outlet to celebrate their culture and invite others to share in the experience,” Mayor Haylen says.

With most events being free, festivalgoers can explore over 21 art exhibitions, public lectures and cultural events.

Among the events on display are a mini

Elisabeth Koubaroulis

The criminal folly of George W Bush, Tony Blair, and the neoconservatives was to believe they could grab Iraq’s oil in a financially self-supporting war and turn the country into a free market “democracy” dominated by American corporations. We destabilised a stable country which was about as close to democracy as the laws of historical development would allow and left it a smoking ruin, ripe for Balkanisation.

Nothing remains of that monstrous bit of hubris and in decades to come, the residents of Iraq (or whatever

state or states replace it) will look back on the years of the Saddam Hussein regime as the golden age of peace and plenty – in spite of the Iran-Iraq war, Gulf War I, and all the rest of it.

There’s an old military saying – drummed into the heads of tyro infantry leaders – you should never reinforce a failure. There’s another which says the best possible plan isn’t the best possible plan, it’s a good plan carried out quickly. In the circumstances, that would be bringing about the fall of the Abbott regime and ending the US alliance.

wonderful to see them being told.”

Mrs Koubaroulis continues: “I don’t know if there are any other councils doing this, Marrickville council have put the money in but they don’t produce it, they oversee it and make sure that the things going on are in line with the values of council.”

Mrs Koubaroulis, who is currently undertaking an Arts Management degree at UTS, is director of a local group called Arts Diaspora, who promote and co-ordinate art from diverse and cultural backgrounds.

She says: “We have a peaceable and all-inclusive view of multicultural Australia and aim to foster understanding, appreciation and celebration of cultural, linguistic and ethnic diversity – something we think is achievable through the artistic experience.”

The name Diaspora, which means the scattering of seeds, was chosen to reflect the seeds which waves of immigrants grow, enriching artistic expression.

“Arts Diaspora seeks to be active in the realm of the arts by providing opportunities for artists from diverse cultural, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds to share their work; and for audiences to be engaged, moved, inspired and educated, through promotion, production, co-ordination and collaboration of varying projects including concerts and educational workshops,” Mrs Koubaroulis says.

There will be an array of activities available to all ages on the day with Greek Myths, says Mrs Koubaroulis, “The first event as part of Greek Myths is a crafts workshop, the kids will be able to make a choice of three different things to make; an Athena Goddess helmet, a Minotaur

mask or a King Midas crown.

“We also have a storytelling show, which will tell the three myths through theatrical performance and classical instruments,” she says.

The day will see a workshop designed for children between the ages of 5-12, with drama exercises inspired by Greek mythology.

As well as Greek Myths, the rest of the festival will feature a celebration of Indonesian music and dance, entitled; Asyik Goes To Schools.

No Turning Back will explore how Marrickville has given shelter to those seeking refuge, through a 24-hour exhibition.

Horizon theatre will bring classic theatre tale, Punch and Judy to audiences.

There will also be a multicultural knockout football tournament, a food festival and tai chi lessons available over the ten days.

Mrs Koubaroulis believes the celebration of diversity in this form should be something the broader Sydney scene also embraces: “It’s important to celebrate multiculturalism everywhere, I think that it’s important for diversity to be recognised and reflected in performance and activities of this nature,” she says.

“The whole of Sydney has a really diverse population in terms of ethnicity and sometimes that’s really reflected in the things that are on offer. It’s a fantastic initiative by council having this particular festival celebrating diverse cultures within the region.” (GF) Open Marrickville Festival, Jun 2129, various locations in the Marrickville area, Marrickville.nsw.gov.au

EAT & DRINK

China Republic If you ask me, this restaurant won the battle of Sydney’s Chinese behemoths, which opened almost in tandem with an even more extravagant competitor, late last year. It’s changed a little since my first visit, but the theatre of the duck remains the biggest drawcard. Peking Duck ($88/whole) comes with an instruction manual and a tray of Condiments ($2/ head) including a great Chinese mustard. Emerging from the theatrically dark set of this multi-million $ - mains less than $15

$$ - mains between $15-$22

ROCKS & CBD Greenheart Espresso Andrea Vagge and Fiona Bloomer (ex-La Locanda) have set up shop on Kent Street, citing kids and needing “a Monday to Friday lifestyle” as the reason for their shift.Andrea’s made the shift from cooking Italian cuisine to designing bespoke salads. His belief in premium ingredients holds across the ever-changing selection that includes Roasted La Ionica Chicken, Israeli Cous Cous, Moroccan Carrots ($14) with yoghurt dressing;Tuna, Green Beans, Shaved Fennel and Radicchio ($14) in balsamic, and Soba Noodles,Tofu, Bean Sprouts, Chilli and Crispy Shallots Thai-style ($14).Tuck into an excellent house-made Chicken Sausage Roll ($6.50) in the Matt Woods designed setting - a vibrant aquamarine break

By Jackie McMillan dollar space, your white-jacketed chef will light, flame then slice your duck, making a hundred small incisions before you dip, wrap and consume it in fluffy steamed pockets that leave ordinary pancakes for dead. The 2011 Heemskerk Derwent Valley Pinot Noir ($105/ bottle) is an admittedly expensive way to kick it up a whole ‘nother level. In the props department you’ll find scale bamboo models of buildings like the Forbidden City, an open fish pond plus hanging umbrellas and bamboo – all perfect to ponder over a Jasmine-Tea-Ni ($18) served in discreet ceramics.

My own excitement was stoked by Beijing-style cold dishes, from crumbly Tofu with Spring Onions and Fish Roe ($12) to Spicy and Sour Cucumber ($9) – both great foils for the cold Sichuan-style Spicy Chicken ($15). Sweet and Sour Spareribs ($28) should ensure you still get to the Labyrinth-inspired Dessert Platter ($21.50/4 people).

World Square Shopping Centre, 680 George Street, Sydney (02) 8081 0888 chinarepublicrestaurant.com.au Chinese $$$$ $$$ - mains between $22-$30

from the drabness of the CBD. 432 Kent Street, Sydney (02) 8084 5954 facebook.com/pages/GreenheartEspresso/648104028564490 Café $ The Tilbury Chef Elton Inglis, who’s worked with Gordon Ramsey, is proud about the quality of his cooking and his chosen produce. In this case, it’s New Zealand’s Riverlands beef fillet served en croute in Beef Wellington ($35). It has a neighbouring table of British nationals smiling. Elton’s modern interpretations of British comfort food, like crisp Berkshire Pork Belly ($29) comes adorned with black pudding, savoy cabbage, carrot fondant, onion puree and compressed apple, are perfect for a drizzly Sunday afternoon. My menu highlight was Chicken Liver Parfait

$$$$ - mains over $30

($16) with an architecturally arranged pile of curved toast, golden raisin, pickled cauliflower, hazelnuts and kiwi berry.And to drink - the 2013 Oliver’s Taranga Vineyard Vermentino ($12/ glass) goes down nicely.

12-18 Nicholson Street, Woolloomooloo (02) 9368 1955 tilburyhotel.com.au Modern Australian, Pub Bistro $$$-$$$$ Seawall Bar & Restaurant With the controversial Barangaroo precinct drawing closer, neighbouring Walsh Bay has seen some interesting developments.The immediate good news for residents and theatregoers is that Seawall have scored Chef Dion Green (ex-Bondi Hardware) in the kitchen. His silky Ricotta Gnocchi with Moreton Bay Bugs, Peas, Zucchini Flowers and Pecorino ($25) is worth the visit. Imaginative dishes, including a

Umi Kaiten-Zushi Festival season is in full swing with both Vivid and Sydney Film Festival drawing everybody into town.

Smart travellers are bypassing traffic by using the Light Rail link, which now delivers people all the way from Dulwich Hill; so I’ve been trawling the tracks looking for dining inspiration. Just meters from Capitol Square - the best stop for The Lion King - Umi Kaiten-Zushi offers a well-stocked train of beautifully presented Stuffed Calamari with Chorizo, Potato, Onions, Squid Ink Vinaigrette and Tomato Jam ($20), are supplemented by a small but interesting wine list including a citrusy, seafood-friendly 2012 Jamsheed Madame Chardonnay ($10/glass). Or indulge in Oysters ($3.50/each) - best with mignonette vinaigrette - and the cocktail list standout: the Don Fulano Blanco Tequila Jalisco Mule ($19).

Shop 6, 17 Hickson Road,Walsh Bay (02) 9252 7995 seawallrestaurant.com.au Seafood $$$

INNER WEST The Workers This’ll bring a tear to the eye to Labor Party faithful who remember the glory days of Whitlam, Hawke and Wran.

They’re the dudes on the roof – the question Bar Manager Jeremy Baldi

freshly prepared sushi. Spicy Tuna ($4.50) and Seared Scallop ($5.50) were my highlights, and if they’re not rotating ‘round the fish tank, the chef will whip them up straight away. If you’re seeing a matinee, the Teatime Special (2.30pm-5.30pm) sees all sushi at $3.50 a plate. Happy Hour(s) kick in from 3-7pm with five-dollar drinks, including sake; and the Dewazakura Junmai ($7/60ml) is a really pleasant drop. While I find it hard to stay away from the fishes, scoffing both 5-Kinds Assorted Sashimi ($18) and the Chef’s Choice Nigiri Selection ($15-20) that changes daily to include seasonal delicacies like toro (tuna belly), for many customers winter hotpots are the order of the day. Miso Soy Milk Seafood Foil Nabe ($16.80) is gentle and soothing. Combine it with Grilled Cheese Mayo Scallops ($12/3) or a sizzling platter of Teriyaki Salmon ($15) for additional warming fare.

Shop 1, 477 Pitt Street, Sydney (02) 9281 2006 umisushi.com.au Japanese $-$$

gets “asked the most”. Mosey across the Astroturf,Woodlands Margaret River Chardonnay ($43/bottle) in hand, to gaze at photographic memorabilia.Tuck into Chihuahuas ($5.50/each) – mini Mexican hot dogs with grilled franks, jalapenos and cheese – searching for the birth of land rights: Gough pouring sand into Vincent Lingiari’s hands. Dude food like Más Verduras ($5.50/each) – fried zucchini tacos - and Quesadillas de Espinica ($13) – grilled spinach and ricotta tortillas - with a Blood and Sand ($16) Whisky cocktail help Wednesday night comedians go down.

1/292 Darling Street, Balmain 9318 1547 theworkersbalmain.com.au Bar Food,Wine, Cocktails $ JamVybz Restaurant & Café Despite Jerk Chicken ($17.99) creeping onto bar menus, there isn’t much authentic Jamaican in Sydney.

This brightly coloured Glebe flagship

cooks it over wood-fire, coated with tasty jerk marinade producing bona fide falling-off-the-bone goodness.

Initiate yourself with the Chef’s Sample Platter ($18.99) bearing codfish fritters, jerk chicken wings and jerk prawn kebabs.With homemade ‘slaw and pineapple to sweeten the deal, it appeals to both seasoned and unseasoned Caribbean eaters.

“Reggae dancehall favourite” Curried Goat ($19) is deliciously tender, while Coconut Curried Shrimp ($22) is mild and easy to eat. Sweet Potato Pudding ($8.50) is warm and deliciously sweet, leaving you feeling the good vibes - driven home by the Bob Marley posters and tunes.

72 Glebe Point Road, Glebe (02) 9571 1158 jamvybzrestaurant.com.au Jamaican $-$$

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The Theatre Division will produce the Sydney premiere of Ruthless! The Musical, a hit off-Broadway musical that won the New York Outer Critics Circle Award.

Ruthless! is a witty, dark comedy with an all-female cast. It centres on the entertainment business and the women who would do anything to get ahead in the industry.

“The director is female too. A nice powerhouse of women,” says Caitlin Berry, who plays the character Eve, based on Anne Baxter’s character in the 1950 film All About Eve. The musical promises to deliver bright, bold show tunes while parodying Broadway and classic Hollywood films such as Gypsy, Mame, The Women and The

Photo:Victoria Baldwin

My Name Is Truda Vitz

How do we tell the stories of those who came before us? Our family, our loved ones?

Olivia Satchell explores how we use stories to create meaning about our loved ones through her one-woman show, My Name Is Truda Vitz.

Focusing on her own family history, Satchell tells the story of her grandmother, Truda, escaping from Vienna in WWII and making a new life for herself.

“It’s a migrant narrative, so many of us in Australia live here because our forefathers and mothers have been displaced. [They’ve] come here and made a new life for themselves,” she says.

Switching between the characters of

Shadow puppets may be child’s play but critically acclaimed theatrical performance, Shadowland, transforms mere silhouettes into an engaging and enigmatic night of surreal entertainment.

Created by experimental dance company, Pilobolus, in collaboration with Sponge Bob Square Pants’ lead writer, Steven Banks, Shadowland is an amalgamation of shadow play, music and dance.

Through an inventive weight-sharing approach to partnering and sculptural creation, bendy bodies are gymnastically transformed into various animals, shapes, monsters and objects behind a stage-size screen.

Set to a rhythmic original score by American musician, producer and film composer, David Poe, Shadowland is an

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Bad Seed.

“It’s fantastic if you want to come for a laugh,” says Berry. “But it’s also a period piece, so if you’ve ever admired that period of classic Hollywood you’re going to love it.”

Ruthless! features an all-star cast with Katrina Retallick, Meredith O’Reilly, Margi de Ferranti, Caitlin Berry, and the iconic Geraldine Turner. “It’s amazing to be in the same room as someone who is so revered,” says Berry on working with Turner. “Her voice is so big and brassy, and it really tells of that era of the Broadway diva stars.”

This show won’t disappoint fans of the golden Hollywood era and Broadway. (SM) Jun 19-Jul 5, Seymour Centre, City Rd & Cleveland St, Chippendale, $39.20-49+bf, seymourcentre.com

energetically innovative performance, which aims to entice and delight the whole family.

With an impressive number of performances in over 64 countries, Shadowland has established a name

Shadowland

a&e

Photo: Blueprint-Studios

ruthless

herself, her father and Truda at the age of 17, Satchell explores our need to make meaning in life through stories.

“We have to make stories, we have to give meaning to those we loved or could have loved, because they couldn’t tell their own stories,” she says.

The production is an intimate, personal performance that also features Satchell expressing her grandmother’s displacement by playing cello throughout the show.

“I feel like music can access parts of yourself that language can never quite reach,” she says.

“It basically feels like I am putting my heart on a stage for all to see.” (SOC) Jun 25–Jul 6,TAP Gallery, 278 Palmer St, Darlinghurst, $18.50-25, somersaulttheatre.com/my-name-istruda-vitz

for itself as a pioneer in modern theatre and dance.

Lauren Yalango, who plays the young and naïve Dog Girl, believes that the show’s success is due to its unique form, “It is accessible, non-pretentious, and simply fun. Shadowland has opened up a new medium to the world,” Yalango explains.

The performance not only pays homage to the transformative power of the dark but also the outstanding capability of the human body.

“There is no other show like Shadowland out there,” Yalango proclaims, “we also have a surprise finale for Sydney specifically, so come check it out!” (EC) Until Jun 20,The State Theatre, 49 Market Pl, Sydney, $89.90-98.90, 136 100, ticketmaster.com.au

14 STAGE 25 SCENE 16 SOUNDS 18 SCREEN

Arts Editor: Leigh Livingstone Music Editor: Chelsea Deeley

For more A&E stories go to www.altmedia.net.au

The Rap Guide To Evolution Two unlikely subjects from evolutionary biology and hip-hop come together onstage in Baba Brinkman’s award-winning show, The Rap Guide To Evolution.

The show applies the main theories of evolutionary biology to hip-hop/rap culture, particularly in how they are referenced implicitly in the lyrics and the fight for space in the market place.

“The show is targeted in multiple directions at once. For hip-hop fans it’s full of references, lyrics and biographies from Mobb Deep and Biggie Smalls to Eminem but it’s also about converting my parents’ generation to understand and appreciate rap and also to turn young people on to science,” says Brinkman.

He was recruited to write the show

by Dr Mark Palin to “do for Darwin what he had done for Chaucer”, after his previous show Rap Canterbury Tales broke the mould.This makes The Rap Guide To Evolution the first and perhaps only scientifically accurate peer-reviewed hip-hop show.

“After three years of reading mostly evolutionary biology and psychology books the show continues to mutate, especially in the Q&A freestyle rap

section,” says Brinkman. (JA) Until Jun 20, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, $20-25, sydneyoperahouse.com; Jun 2425, Riverside Theatre, Church & Market St, Parramatta, $20-25, riversideparramatta.com.au; Jun 26-27, Casula Powerhouse, 1 Powerhouse Rd, Casula, $15-20, casulapowerhouse.com

Oleanna

continue the tradition of provoking fierce debate. “This play is really about the audience. It’s really meant to challenge what you know, your own social construct and the ideals that you hold.” (MT) Jun 25–Jul 6, Sydney Theatre School, 45 Chippen St, Chippendale, $2025, sydneytheatreschool.com

David Mamet’s controversial play Oleanna has been provoking heated reactions ever since its 1992 premiere.

The ultimate ‘he-said, she-said’ tale of a female student, Carol, who accuses her university professor of sexual harassment still polarises people with its unflinching look into gender, sex, power, and class.

Grace O’Connell, who plays Carol, relishes how divisive the play is. “Both of our characters, we’re both right and we’re both wrong at the same time.

That just angers people because you don’t want to have to choose a side but you end up doing it.”

With already such a contentious premise, this Sydney Theatre School rendition adds an extra layer of tension as Jerome Pride, who will play the professor, is O’Connell’s real-life acting teacher. It’s never been attempted before and for O’Connell it has created a “really interesting dynamic.”

“It adds to the whole story. Because we do have that dynamic in real life, it’s created this fantastic physical tension on stage,” she says.

O’Connell hopes this production will

Contributors: Alexandra English, Alexis Talbot-Smith, Anita Senaratna, Anthony Bell, Catherine Knight, Cheryl Northey, Ciaran Tobin, Craig Coventry, Elise Cullen, Georgia Fullerton, Greg Webster, Hannah Chapman, Jamie Apps, Leann Richards, Lena Zak, Luke Daykin, Lyndsay Kenwright, Marilyn Hetreles, Mark Morellini, Mel Somerville, Melody Teh, Michael Muir, Michelle Porter, Peter Hackney, Rhys Gard, Rocio Belinda Mendez, Ruth Fogarty, Sean May, Sharon Ye, Shauna O’Carroll, Siri Williams

Patyegarang

The Boat People

Photo: Greg Barrett

Photo: Greg Barrett

Inspired by one of the most hotly debated social issues of our nation, director Benedict Hardie’s latest project has been in the works for several years.

“This issue has been a difficult one in this country. In my mind it should not be an issue at all and I’ve been frustrated about it for a very long time,” Hardie explains. “When I could come up with a story that I felt engaged with this subject matter in a non-didactic way I got really excited.

I thought ‘This story stands on its own two feet rather than just a play about an issue or an idea’.”

Focusing on Sarah, who sailed to Australia with her husband, it follows

The King’s Singers

Tales from Sydney’s colonial past largely come, it is impossible to deny, from one viewpoint - that of the colonisers, and often focus on conquest over cooperation.

Australia’s largest Indigenous performing arts organisation, Bangarra Dance Theatre, now brings to the stage a tale of trust and friendship from the opposite vantage point.

Patyegarang is based on the true story of a young Eora woman, who befriended Lieutenant William Dawes when he landed on Sydney’s shores in the 18th century.

Dancer Jasmin Sheppard, who plays the title role, reveals feeling inspired by her character,“I’m really fascinated with the fact that the two of them both really saw beyond the exterior and connected on a much deeper level which had nothing to do with the world’s they both came from,” she says.

For Sheppard, the medium of dance

THEATRE &

PERFORMANCE WHY TORTURE IS WRONG AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM This is the latest from acclaimed playwright Christopher Durang, who wrote it as a response to the ongoing war on terror.

A drunken blackout leads Felicity to wake to a startling reality; a quick-tempered, dubious stranger is lying beside her, convinced he’s her husband.

Director Melita Rowston says: “It’s great writing, full of snappy oneliners and cutting wit. It explores not only what’s wrong with our

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was ideal to describe the story of a woman who was,“not separate from her environment. She breathed the Eora land of Sydney Cove... and it’s more about creating an essence, and a spirit, rather than spoon-feeding the audience.”

Performing this piece at the Sydney Opera House is of particular significance for Sheppard, as she notes, “Bennelong Point was a traditional site, which has been really amazing to learn of. I hope that [this piece] will really empower Sydney Aboriginal people to feel that there is a sense of reclaiming the whole city, the harbour, the Opera House.This is their story, this is their place, their stomping ground and it is time for them to have the limelight.”

(SW) Until Jul 5, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, $29-89, (02) 9250 7777 sydneyoperahouse.com

governments, but also gender roles, relationships, notions of the nuclear family and what it means to live in a modern, global society.”

(GF) Until Jun 28, New Theatre, 542 King St, Newtown, $17-32, newtheatre.org.au CRUISE CONTROL Three couples travel on the Queen Mary II seeking luxury escape. Instead, they find themselves confronted by a series of tensions – marital, sexual and cultural – that erupt when they all sit down for dinner.

Written and directed by Australia’s most celebrated playwright, David Williamson, the script is sharp and peppered with ironic

Winter

The essence of human experience is about connection with others and taking chances.

Theatre company, Perosophia, explore the concept of trying to find a way thorough the maze of relationship miscommunication in the Australian premiere of the Jon Fosse production, Winter.

Director Jonathan Wald says the relatable production focuses on a man and woman who meet in a park and start a very odd relationship.

“It is a mystery around who they are and what they want,” he says.

“So many people in the world pass a stranger and have a fantasy of what it would be like to know them and never act

one-liners and puns. There is a synergy between story and performance, creating a rhythm that makes the play absorbing and hilarious. This is helped by convincing performances from a superb cast, such as Peter Phelps as Darren, the brutish Australian.

Perhaps one fault is the staging of the dinner table. When seated some actors are turned away from the audience, but in a nutshell, Cruise Control is one of the best plays onstage in years. (MP) Until Jun 30, Ensemble Theatre, 78 McDougall St, Kirribilli, $30-69, (02) 9929 0644, ensemble.com.au MOJO Jez Butterworth’s savagely comic play is a thriller which

is a Tramp. “The tradition in some of these songs from that time was individual performers would give them their own particular cultural references,” he explains. “There is a reference to Twitter and a little reference to cricket, and has the theme tune to Test Match special – our version of highlights of test

match on the radio.”

It’s an addition that sometimes gets lost to an American audience so Hurley is excited to perform it here, noting, “in Australia and New Zealand, it’s right on message.” (MT) Jun 25, City Recital Hall, 2-12 Angel Pl, Sydney, $77-112, (02) 8256 2222, cityrecitalhall.com Photo: B. Ealovega

British a cappella sextet The King’s Singers are returning to Australian shores to perform their rendition of classic 20th century American tunes in The Great American Songbook.

“We wanted to devote a whole recording to the repertoire of great American songs,” says David Hurley, countertenor.

The difficulty however was choosing from the thousands of great songs. “We were probably doing a fiftieth of what we wanted to but we came up with 17,” says Hurley. Audiences won’t be disappointed, as they’ve chosen treasured classics from the likes of Cole Porter, Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart.

Hurley asks audiences to keep an ear out for their personalised version of The Lady

her journey through their highly controversial business in Bondi all the way to parliament house. Starring talented comedians Susie Youssef and William Erimya, this brazen barrel of laughs will be a talking point.

“I hope that audiences find themselves watching a story that they would never have seen before, listening to voices that they’re not used to hearing onstage and gaining perspectives that they may not have had before,” Hardie says.

“But it is, first and foremost, a comedy,” he laughs. (CD) Until Jun 21, Bondi Pavilion Theatre, Queen Elizabeth Dr, $21-35, rocksurfers.org

on it, these people actually do act on it.”

The production focuses on the characters trying to figure out each other and forming a connection, as they are both lonely and longing for intimacy.

“Over the course of the play they explore both of their needs for comfort, intimacy and sex,” Wald says.

He also says the production is still inherently European, with added Australian theatre elements, creating a fascinating blend.

“Australia is creating their own theatre aesthetic based on European traditions, with the Australian character melded with it, I really love the combination,” Wald says. (SOC) Until Jun 22,The Old 505 Theatre, Suite 505, 342 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills, $18-28, venue505.com/winter

examines the dark underside of the halcyon days of rock ’n’ roll with grim humour and strong language.

Mojo debuted on the West End in 1995, receiving the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. It also started a new wave of British gangster movies during the late ‘90s, including Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels.

The testosterone-fuelled cast and local blues-rock outfits depict the London club scene of the 1950s.

The battle for power is revealed through zinging dialogue, live music and action-packed scenes. (CT) Until Jul 5,The Wharf,

Hickson Rd,Walsh Bay, $50-99, sydneytheatre.com.au STRICTLY BALLROOM: THE MUSICAL Baz Luhrmann’s latest creation is bursting at the sequined seams of the Lyric Theatre in an explosion of colour and feathers.

Luhrmann’s holistic creative approach and boundless imagination means his hand is involved in every aspect of the production, from the design, to the direction and the music.The notes feel like they were written for the stunning co-lead Phoebe Panaretos (Fran) who outshines all except the hilarious Heather Mitchell (Shirley Hastings).

The talented Thomas Lacey (Scott Hastings) gives a solid performance as the male lead but is sometimes underwhelming on a very busy stage.

Catherine Martin’s costumes are yet another ‘win’ for the designer, referencing familiar elements from the film and successfully amplifying them for the stage.

Strictly Ballroom:The Musical is an entertaining, lively night at the theatre that will delightfully overload the senses. (LL) Until Jul 6, Lyric Theatre, Pirrama Rd, Sydney, $55-145, strictlyballroomthemusical.com

The Museum of Old and Nasty Artefacts

By Coffin Ed, Miss Death & Jay Katz They were largely the innocent playthings and ephemera of our youth, loved at the time but these days either banned, shunned, or banished to a dusty box at the back of the garage.

For all intents and purposes they are ‘gone’ but definitely not ‘forgotten’. Hobart has its remarkable Museum Of Old And New Art (aka MONA) and with a similar acronym we would love to see a Museum Of Old And Nasty Artefacts. So what the hell are we talking about?

Let’s start with chocolate cigarettes, which were a real hit with kiddies in the ‘50s and ‘60s, and a favourite at the local lolly shop.

They came in a realistic package that mimicked the big adult ciggies but quickly melted when you stuck them in your back pocket to take to school. They may well have been perceived as a sinister conspiracy to get kids started on the real thing but looking back they seemed relatively harmless – and yummy to boot!

The National Museum Of Australia in Canberra lists a wobble board amongst its collection but we wonder, given the current series of events in London, whether the Masonite wonder has been temporarily withdrawn from display.

Likewise the stylophone was another musical novelty closely associated with and promoted by the now disgraced Rolf Harris. Regardless of the outcome of the trial underway, we would hate to see these musical oddities shunted to the very rear of the archives.

When it comes to literature there are too many children’s titles on the unofficial banned list to catalogue in this column but Enid Blyton’s Three Golliwogs series stands out as a real no-no in the primary school library.

Like toy golliwogs in general, they are a relic of a less enlightened past, but still deserve their place in the

Museum Of Nasty Artefacts.

Similarly the old cowboy and Indian costumes for kiddies, which paralleled the early days of TV in Australia, did nothing to awaken an early respect for racial harmony as the Battle of the Little Bighorn raged furiously in suburban backyards. The body count was always abundant but nothing compared to modern day video games where the enemy is blasted with all manner of highpowered armaments.

We certainly endorse the current campaign towards healthy eating, particularly when it comes to school tuckshops, but who could forget those totally indulgent items that were once on sale circa the 1960s.

Yes we’re talking cream buns and cream horns, the latter a cone shaped pastry packed with sugary mock cream and guaranteed to give even a robust ten-year-old a coronary. A giant cream horn, oozing a river of artery-clogging gunk, would be a fitting monument to grace the foyer of our museum.

There are probably hundreds of other artefacts we have failed to mention here but one essential for our very own MONA would be a shoe fitting fluoroscope – a big-ticket item to rival the Tassie MONA’s infamous Cloaca ‘poop machine’. The fluoroscopes were a standard fixture in the big department stores of the ‘40s and ‘50s and a real hit with kids as they stood against a large box-like object and peered down at an x-ray image of the bones of their feet in a new pair of shoes. The only problem was that they delivered a mean burst of radiation, particularly if you were one of those punters who had to try on twenty pairs before you settled on the shoe you liked.

If there’s a moral to this exercise then it’s probably this: if the cream horn didn’t kill you, your feet no longer glow in the dark, and you are still around today to wallow in their nostalgia, then you might deserve to be in a MONA!

Looking Out/Looking In – Janusz Wozny Looking out/Looking In by Janusz Wozny at Black Eye Gallery Darlinghurst contrasts sweeping vistas of natural wonder with intimate portraits of vulnerable masked figures.

The Consequence Of Snow is a presentation of intimidating photos of glacial landscapes.

The majestic geometrical shapes and powerful forces of snow and ice are captured in stark black and white. These images are poetic odes to the inimitability of creation. In some, the artist seems to capture the remnants of an almighty hand which has personally crafted unfathomable cliffs and chasms.

Mask, which focuses on the revelation of inner dialogues, consists of pieces which are equally impressive. The intrinsic beauty of the human form is conveyed in a series which touches on the secrets lurking behind every eye.

Combined, these works are a unique statement about the ability of a sensitive artist to capture the silken web which connects the living world. (LR) Until Jun 22, Black Eye Gallery, 138 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst, free, blackeyegallery.com.au

‘Dream’ by Janusz Wozny

Noah Taylor - New Works Noah Taylor’s ink pieces draw on minimalist techniques and simple designs to create a world of complex narratives.

New Works, his exhibition at Olsen Irwin Gallery in Woollahra, shows a diversity of inspiration and a pleasure in the art of creation.

A solemn rounded face looks despairingly at a bottle marked ‘xxx’ and a world of long nights and wasted days is contained in the simple juxtaposition of images. In an alternate picture, a hatted man with a gun points at another riding a horse, menace and a thousand westerns spring forth from the opposing figures.

This is art of sincerity and authenticity. The stark lines evoke 19th Century silhouettes mixed with modern animation, whilst the themes are as diverse as friendship, self indulgence and contemporary life.

The result is an artist who has drawn on his talent to construct an engrossing conversation between his personal milieu and that of his audience. (LR) Until Jun 21, Olsen Irwin Gallery, 40 Queen St, Woollahra, free, olsenirwin.com

New works by Noah Taylor

One Year Performance 1980-1981 - Tehching Hsieh One Year Performance 1980-1981, documents 12 months in the life of artist Tehching Hsieh. During that period he committed to punching a clock each hour of every day and photographing the process. The result is a series of snapshots which display a man in various states of distress, sleep deprivation and boredom.

The pictures also demonstrate a disturbing uniformity.

In each image, Hsieh wears an anonymous grey shirt embroidered with his name. There is nothing to prove the passage of time in these stills except the slow growth of the artist’s hair. It is this comment on the bland sameness of working life, complemented with the blankness of his gaze which conveys the power of the exhibition.

This piece is a confronting look at a society which insists on conformity and slow destruction of individuality. In this performance, Hsieh reflects on the futility of ordinary existence, and ironically its value and opportunity. (LR) Until July 6, Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh, free, (02) 8571 9089, carriageworks.com.au

Photo: Zan Wembeley

THE NAKED CITY

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Laura Pausini - Greatest Hits She’s been a star across continental Europe for two decades yet Laura Pausini is still a relative unknown in Australia. But as shown by her upcoming concert at the Qantas Credit Union Arena (formerly the Sydney Entertainment Centre) she’s picked up a fair few local fans, with thousands of Sydneysiders willing to part with their money to see her live.This collection underscores why.

Pausini has a fine voice and excels at well-crafted, catchy pop songs sung mainly in Italian and Portuguese.There’s even a duet with our Kylie – Limpido, a number one single in Italy last year. (PH)

BADBAD NOTGOOD - III Aptly titled, the third release by this Canadian trio is their first all-original studio-backed compilation fusing hip-hop and jazz.

Triangle is the perfect track to open the album with a combination of catchy hip-hop beats with funky jazz overtones.

CS60 is another great example of this with its dark gritty beat laced with jazz guitar.

Can’t Leave The Night is by far the standout though and is a polished enough track to stand alone but is just screaming for a great rap vocal, as are many of the tracks. (JA)

Band Of Skulls As one third of UK rock outfit Band Of Skulls, Russell Marsden has met a fair share of his own heroes and many outright musical legends.

“The ones that seem to have had the biggest amount of success seem to be the ones that give the most to the cause,” Marsden says. “Our most recent one was Queens Of The Stone Age (QOTSA), and they are a really good example of a band that has a real sonic identity and it’s awesome to witness.That’s what we learnt the most, to stick with your sound and what people know you for, and trust it, whilst exploring the world around you. QOTSA is a world that exists, and I guess every band is creating their own world.”

Speaking from their current tour stop in Portland, Oregon, Marsden and his bandmates, Emma Richardson and Matt Hayward, have had almost two scheduled days off in the U.S.A.Though this minimal downtime, for Marsden it feels “like I have been on vacation for a couple of months” - their March-released studio album Himalayan is affording them the travel luxury. Not bad for an album that contrasts completely to the band’s initial ideas.

“We definitely wanted to make a record of 12 singles,

LIVE WIRE

Earth: Pioneers of drone rock, this band has an inconceivable number of past members in its history – it’s as if it’s a completely uncontrollable entity.Take a few hours to trawl through their back catalogue and you’ll no doubt be exposed to an abstract world that confirms this.

With Dylan Carlson the only original member, the latest incarnation of the Washington quintet will return to Sydney to heighten anticipation for their September release, Primitive and Deadly.

lots of songs that could stand on their own.When we got into the studio, our producer Nick [Launay] said, ‘You’re crazy, why are you doing this?’,” Marsden reminisces. “That’s when it started to glue together as an album, when some of the songs go off on a tangent.

[We were able to] explore the possibility of songs such as Cold Sweat and I Feel Like Ten Men, Nine Dying and One Dead. But at the very beginning all of the songs were three minutes long, so it was like a half-an-hour album.”

Returning to Australia this week, the Southampton trio have some mighty memories to live up to.With their legendary 2012 Splendour In The Grass set still in the front of everybody’s minds, it seems there will be no Koala-hugging downtime for these talented tourists this time around.

“It’s one of the proudest possessions, the Koala picture,” Marsden chuckles. “The Koala seemed to love Matt, but I think he was pretty much bored of the photos when it came to me. So there is a photo of us sort of pushing away from each other, and it always ends up coming out around Christmas time.”

(CD) Jun 20,The Hi-Fi,The Entertainment Quarter, 122 Lang Rd, $54.90+bf, thehifi.com.au

Sydney Live Music Guide

Thu, Jun 19th, Manning Bar, University of Sydney.

Melanie Safka: Earning fame from a variety of hit songs as well as one memorable performance at Woodstock Music Festival, this New York native has released over thirty albums since her breakout in 1968 and has a few intriguing stories to tell. She’ll be joined by her son Beau Jarred Schekeryk, Andrew Worboys, Dave Hatch and Tina Harris.

Fri, Jun 20th, Enmore Theatre.

Dune Rats: Long-haired lads from Bris-Vegas, these three sound like a younger, punkier

incarnation of Oasis.There’s as many sing-a-long moments as there are insatiable headbangers within their selftitled debut album.Take their latest single Funny Guy – a fast-paced, lyrically succinct rager that incites a smile and an uncontrollable jig.This tour will take them all over the globe, but you can’t afford to miss them at Oxford Art Factory. ‘Why you gotta lie’ Sydney? You know you need to be there.

Sat, Jun 21st, Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst.

Ann Hampton Callaway & Liz Callaway: Two

ladies, two siblings, from two musical corners that aren’t so distant.The worlds of Broadway and cabaret unite making this fantastic show a must-watch. Aptly titled Sibling Revelry, this pair of Chicago natives will be unleashing their American songbook, with gems from the worlds of jazz, pop and showtunes. Catch this magnificent, award-winning show.

Mon, Jun 23rd, The Basement, Circular Quay.

Nic Vardanega Quartet: As the composer of the group, Mr Vardanega has rounded up an incredibly

talented trio to help bring his stellar ideas to life.

Joined by Steve Barry, David Groves and James Waples, this debut performance will be a unique jazz-influenced vibe.They will be followed

by Gerard Masters Trio, who are favourites of Jazzgroove and have released three fantastic albums. Prepare for an inspiring night of local legends.

Tue, Jun 24th, Foundry616, Ultimo.

The King’s Singers: They have been described as being recognisable for their “spoton intonation, impeccable vocal blend, flawless

articulation of the text and incisive timing.” A lot of big words, but they couldn’t be more accurate. David Hurley, Timothy Wayne-Wright, Paul Phoenix, Christopher Bruerton, Christopher Gabbitas and Jonathan Howard unite to perform the best songs from Cole Porter, Richard Rogers, Lorenz Hart, Irving Berlin, Gershwin and more.With two Grammy awards and a host of other accolades, don’t miss this sensational a cappella performance. (CD) Wed, Jun 25th, City Recital Hall, Angel Place.

22 Jump Street The inevitable sequel to 2012’s parody of the hit ‘80s television series has arrived. This time Jenko (Channing Tatum) and Schmidt (Jonah Hill) are going undercover in college to investigate the distribution of a new killer drug.

There is no stretch of the imagination here and they don’t even try to hide it. It’s the same story, with the same characters and similar jokes, only this time they have a bigger budget and they are in college instead of high school. Herein lies the bulk

of the punchlines.

Tatum and Hill have an easy camaraderie that translates well onscreen and their characters’ relationship mimics the challenges that would face real high school friends transitioning to college. It’s somewhat endearing as a story arc.

There are some clunky sections that seem like the actors have been left to improvise too long, but similarly that is where some of the best material comes from.

Stick around for the spoof sequels in the credits – arguably the best bit of the film.

(LL) WWW

Winter Cult Classics at Dendy Newtown

The highly anticipated winter Cult Classics returns to Dendy Newtown with a line-up that includes some of the most popular comedies, musicals and horror films from the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Mel Brooks’ hilarious Spaceballs (1987) boasts a stellar cast and parodies sci-fi franchises including the Star Wars trilogy. Bill Murray stars in box office hit Groundhog Day (1993) as a weatherman who finds himself living his most hated day over and over again.

Filmed in black and white, laugh-out-loud Clerks (1994) centres on one day in the lives of two store clerks.

Alternatively, audiences can be terrorised by Wes

The Two Faces Of January Fleeing a fraudulent past, Chester MacFarland (Viggo Mortenson) and his younger wife (Kirsten Dunst) meet a lesser scammer, Rydal Keener, (Oscar Isaac) in ‘60s Greece.

The script is from Patricia Highsmith’s 1964 story, written nine years after The Talented Mr Ripley.

Accomplished screenwriter

Hossein Amini should be given more chances to direct, but this debut is not all it could have been. Good performances from the leads are wasted in a production that lacks dynamics and tension.

In particular, Mortenson’s performance hints at complexities of character which are never fully realised by the script.

It is all a bit flat; Hitchcock would have done it better (and did: in 1951’s Strangers on a Train – another Highsmith story). (MMu) WW

Summer in Australia evokes a unique kind of beauty and tension. Something that Rhys Graham’s debut feature Galore sets out to depict but unfortunately falls short.

Billie (Ashleigh Cummings) has a secret, she is in love and sleeping with her best friend Laura’s (Lily Sullivan) boyfriend. The arrival of Isaac (Aliki Matangi), a troubled teen, disrupts the delicate love triangle, changing their lives forever.

Though full of potential, Galore

Blended

It’s difficult to write a review for a movie where any mention of the genre is a spoiler. It only happens in romantic comedies, and that is Blended all over.

The flick feels familiar because, not only is it another reunion for Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler, but they aren’t the only Hollywood has-beens involved: this storyline has been washed

GRACE OF MONACO French Director Olivier Dahan has taken artistic licence to heart with Grace Of Monaco, played by a plastic Nicole Kidman. The film is set six years after Grace Kelly’s marriage to Prince Rainier III (Tim Roth).

Although a potentially interesting story, the screenplay by Arash Amel, coupled with Dahan’s direction, creates a film that is heavy-handed and needlessly glamourised. They suggest Monaco’s conflict with France is partly due to the controversy surrounding Kelly, which only serves to diminish her personal conflict. Kidman remains one-dimensional, relying heavily on close-ups of her tear-stained face. (ATS) WW

18

THE TRIP TO ITALY Comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon reunite for a road trip around sun-drenched Italy in this entertaining follow-up to The Trip.

Once again, it’s an absolute blast watching the duo compete in a never-ending game of one-upmanship in which the currency is rapid-fire quips and uncanny, albeit increasingly loopy impersonations.

Yes, it’s inherently self-indulgent, and some of the humour is recycled from the previous instalment, but it is more than a Coogan/Brydon vanity project – the pair’s musings on middleage, family, mortality and legacy will resonate with viewers long after they die of laughter. (JH) WWW½

Craven’s Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) which tells of a child murderer who stalks children in their dreams.

The Adventures Of Priscilla: Queen Of The Desert (1994) is one of Australia’s most successful movies and a 20th anniversary Priscilla party will be hosted prior to the screening.

Dendy Newtown’s Cult Classics season allows a new generation of film-goers to experience golden favourites on the big screen. (MM) Jun 23-Aug 18 (every second Monday), Dendy Newtown, 261-263 King St, Newtown, $10-12, (02) 9550-5699, dendy.com.au

GODZILLA America is “under attack” in this epic action adventure which sees the mega-monster’s return. In this mammoth-scale reboot, the imminent mating of menacing radiation-hungry mutations will render humanity defenceless.

The clichéd and cheesy storylines are interwoven with explosive CGI and eye-popping 3D effects, but sadly lack the edge-of-your-seat excitement.

Momentum is slow and extended scenes of the monsters at war aimlessly rampaging become dull and repetitive.

Fans will be delighted, but others will question whether the world needed another Godzilla disaster film. (MM) WW

up, thrown out and trampled on so many times it’s hard to keep count.

The African scenery is, unfortunately, a highly westernised view of Africa, and while the super-imposed safari animals are almost convincing, the human acting is not.

Barrymore and Sandler movies just seem like an excuse for them to kiss every 10 years.

(AE) WW CHILD’S POSE Cornelia (Luminita Gheorghiu) is an overbearing and overprotective mother. When her son, Barbu (Bogdan Dumitrache), is involved in a car accident that kills a child, she uses her wealth and affluence to stop the manslaughter charges.

Child’s Pose is incredibly worthwhile viewing because of its examination of contemporary Romanian society and an enlightening but tragic story.

However, the film does not allow the audience to feel empathy towards the main characters.

Both harsh and unforgiving, it is not until the last scene that guilt, love and social inequality come to a head. (ATS) WWW MALEFICENT Disney’s reimagining of the classic Sleeping

ultimately strays into cliché.

The characters lack chemistry and their performances are at times one dimensional.

Adolescence is a tumultuous time, but a heavy reliance on swearing to portray these emotions means the teens become parodies. The most interesting and largest source of tension – the looming presence of bushfire – is heavy-handed and unable to provide the cathartic climax needed. (ATS) WW

Galore Beauty is dark and beautiful with near-perfect styling.

Angelina Jolie gives a powerful performance as the scorned Maleficent. A well-written backstory and clever plot twists ensure that the character is enthralling and it bears repeating – Jolie is magnificent.

She revels in the delicious malice of the character and reaches into the very depths of her soul to convey pain.

There comes a point when Aurora must fall victim to her sleeping curse and this is unfortunately the only downside in an otherwise entertaining film. Suddenly scenes become esoteric and trippy, a style that doesn’t fit with the rest of the film. (LL) WWWW

EDGE OF TOMORROW Tom Cruise returns to the screen in the latest epic action thriller which is a cross between Groundhog Day and Aliens.

Set in the near future, aliens have invaded the Earth and Major Cage (Cruise) joins forces with Special Forces Vrataski (Emily Blunt) in a bid to eliminate these creatures.

Major Cage acquires the ability to reset his day every time he dies. This grants him endless attempts at defeating the enemy.

The concept of the constant story rewinding is potentially laborious, but is surprisingly well-executed with clever editing and humorous elements.

It is fanciful and far-fetched but is indisputably an engaging and entertaining film. (MM) WWWW