City Hub 21 March 2019

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city hub 21 MARCH 2019

Selling NSW – Berejiklian style

BY WENDY BACON Last week, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told the Sydney Morning Herald that her government had taken the politics out of building things.

Her comment was designed to gloss over the obvious fact that this election is all about the politics of destroying and building things, especially the Sydney Football Stadium.

Before we return to the stadium, where Lendlease bulldozers are crushing as much of the structure as possible, let’s digress to some other things and start with buskers at Circular Quay.

Late last year, the Berejilian government quietly decided to contract out the licensing of buskers on Sydney’s foreshore to the world’s biggest real estate services company, CBRE.

Entertainment Quarter into a a lucrative site of bars and apartments. INSW is a supposedly “independent” body that is dominated by private development interests and government appointed public sector executives. It includes no independent experts or community representatives.

Private contractors were paid to develop a concept. All that remained was for NSW Planning to bend to the will of its politcal masters and push the project through in record time. State Significant Infrastructure laws allow developers to get initial approval for demolition and a concept. This means that compliance with the environmental requirements for the EIS can be delayed until after demolition, when the project is a fait accompli.

Speed of privatisation alarming Compared to the massive privatised WestConnex or the $730 million Sydney stadium project, this is small bikkies. It’s a small routine outsourcing of a regulatory function that speaks volumes about the direction NSW is heading.

City Hub tried to interview CBRE but as always occurs with contractors, staff have instructions to refer all journalists back to Property NSW. A Property NSW spokesperson confirmed, “Property NSW recently appointed CBRE to provide property and facilities management in its precincts. As part of this process, CBRE will now manage the administration of busking licences.

However, Property NSW retains all creative control. Entertainment, including busking, is integral to our vision for the Sydney Harbour Foreshore. The busking application process remains unchanged. So if nothing has changed, why did this regulatory function of govenrment need to be out sourced?

Balmain Greens MP Jamie Parker made representations on the issue in January and got much the same answer which left him concerned.

“The privatisation of our city is escalating at an alarming rate. It seems no public space, even Circular Quay, is safe from this government’s

Community objections shoved aside This is a politics of planning which enables strong local government and community objections to be shoved aside. The INSW contract with Lendlease was being negotiated before the approval for the simple purpose of getting the stadium down before the election.

Lendlease is well connected to the government as the ex-Minister for Roads’ Duncan Gay’s Chief of Staff Jason De Sousa exited straight from the government to the position of director of Lendlease major infrastructure projects in 2015.

Some facts emerged in the Local Democracy Matters’ unsuccessful legal action to have the Minister for Planning’s approval of demolition declared invalid. As with all contracts, there are cancellation clauses. If Labor gets enough seats to form government on Saturday, it will cost only $1,000,000 to cancel the contract plus the value of the work done. A few days’ delay would cost $ 45,000 a day. Staying idle for a week might just as easily preserve public resources as waste them.

Which just goes to show that Berejiklian’s decision to push ahead with demolition has everything to do with her politics of building things, which is to faithfully deliver to the likes of Lendlease and CBRE.

NSW LNP has privatised licensing of NSW foreshore buskers. Photo: Michael Coghlan via Flickr

privatisation agenda. The more we privatise these public spaces, the more the rights of the citizens and musicians who use them will be restricted,” said Parker.

It seems no public space, even Circular Quay, is safe from this government’s privatisation agenda A search on the NSW tender database revealed that in the last 15 months, CBRE has received $26 million to manage government projects at the Nepean, Maitland, Campbelltown and Tweed hospitals. It is also being paid millions to

reevaluate the assets of the Department of Justice, provide financial advice to the Department of Transport and manage the St James tunnels where homeless people sleep. The contracts highlight the political but often hidden process through which the Berejiklian government is transferring control over public assets to private contractors.

Back to the politics of the Sydney Stadium knockdown. At the instigation of Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust ( SCSGT) Chair Tony Shepherd, Berejiklian issued a direction to INSW to undertake the Sydney stadium knockdown last year.

The trust includes Katy Jones, the independently powerful partner of Harvey Norman who wants to develop the next door

Jamie Parker, candidate and new father Published weekly and freely available Sydney-wide.

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BY KYLE HUWALDT Running a campaign for State Parliament is very difficult, but becoming a father is even harder.

Jamie Parker, the state MP for Balmain and incumbent Greens candidate, recently welcomed his four-month-old daughter into this world at the beginning of his re-election run.

We asked Jamie, who lives in Rozelle with his partner, his newborn daughter and their rabbit, what the hardest thing about being a new father is.

“Right now it’s the lack of sleep. Operating on only a few hours’ sleep with a newborn at home is a challenge but it’s invigorating.”

Those few hours of sleep are now what is fuelling both his campaign and his paternal duties, but Jamie’s optimism still prevails. He sees the two jobs as mutually supportive of one another.

“I’ve served this community for over 20 years and I’ve always been focused on building a better, safer and more sustainable future.

Now I have a daughter I’ve got even more of a stake in what happens in the future and it’s given me a renewed focus.”

This optimism shouldn’t be a surprise as Jamie’s candidacy embraces a forward-thinking stance and future-oriented policies. Renewable, clean energy, efficient waste management and climate-friendly public transport are some of Jamie’s biggest focuses in the upcoming election. He opposes the government’s land-clearing laws, and supports the ban of coal seam gas power in NSW and the ban on campaign donations from the fossil fuel industry, among other things.

Now that Jamie has an even bigger stake in

Jamie Parker and family. Photo: Katie Barget

the future of NSW, his policies will certainly reflect that.

“Knowing that your child will outlive you is a powerful motivator to hasten action on climate change, protect nature and build a fair society that makes room for everyone.”

Jamie has been trying to make room for everyone since day one. He supports the extension of the CBD light-rail. He advocates protecting LGBTIQ students from discrimination in the local school. He believes in free light-rail use for school kids. His interest in education will certainly increase now, knowing that his own daughter will be making use of the school systems that he helps improve.

Still, the most important thing to Jamie now

is not that his new daughter expands his world view. It’s not that he can now relate more closely to the families that vote him into office. It’s not even the election he is intent on winning. It’s that he is a father, and if anyone was made to be a father, it’s someone whose job is to set a glowing example for the thousands who look up to him.

Fatherhood is not supposed to be easy. Late, sleepless nights follow long, difficult work days.

Failure is not an option, and there is no shortcut to raising a child.

We asked Jamie how having a new daughter has changed him. All he said was, “She’s brought a lot of joy to our lives”.

Congratulations and best of luck to Jamie and his family. city hub 21 MARCH 2019

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Strange Political Bedfellows The NSW Election Small Parties Forum sponsored by the Australian Jewish Association.

Photo: Merrill Witt

BY MERRILL WITT Political pundits are predicting that candidates from One Nation, the Christian Democratic Party, the Liberal Democrats, the Australian Conservatives or the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party could possibly hold the balance of power in both houses after the NSW state election.

While the prospect of a far-right agenda dominating the next parliament is alarming, the contradictory nature of their policies was evident at an election forum for the minor parties’ leading candidates held last week at the Rose Bay RSL. Moderator Rowan Dean, presenter of Outsiders on Sky News’ After Dark program, opened the forum hosted by the conservative Australian Jewish Association, by asking “How many people here think climate change is a hoax?” Two-thirds of the 75 plus audience members raised their hands.

A controversial figure Reverend Fred Nile, the 84-year-old leader of the Christian Democrats and a member of the Legislative Council since 1981, is a climate change denier, as well a very controversial figure for his calls to limit Muslim immigration.

But you may be surprised to learn that he has a long record of support for Aboriginal land rights.

He mentioned that in 1983 he voted for a bill to recognise the right of Aboriginal people to reclaim Crown land “despite flak from farmers worried about losing their land”.

In the current parliament, Nile has typically provided the government with crucial votes needed for the privatisation of government assets.

Yet he claims his support is always contingent on a condition that the “current workforce is guaranteed job security for at least five years”.

Many of the positions advocated by One Nation’s Mark Latham, who in a previous life was the leader of the federal Labor Party, were provocative. Most controversially, he said that One Nation wants “DNA testing of Aboriginals to stop welfare rorters”.

Latham’s inflammatory proposal didn’t seem to raise any eyebrows with the audience, perhaps because it was broadly in keeping with the comments of the Liberal Democrats’ David Leyonhjelm and others about the dangers of identity politics.

Ostensibly framed by Leyonhjelm as “an assault on parental rights,” the Safe Schools program was highlighted as one of the worst examples of identity politics. An education initiative designed to make schools more inclusive for LGBTI students, staff and families, Latham said its real purpose was to push the “gender fluidity agenda of the left-wing activists who have taken over our institutions”.

On more relevant state issues, like development and transport, the candidates’ opinions were more varied. Latham, for example, was scathing 4

city hub 21 MARCH 2019

about overdevelopment in Sydney, and believes “building a city the size of Adelaide around the new Badgerys Creek airport makes absolutely no sense”.

One Nation’s answer to Sydney’s skyrocketing population is to slash the annual immigration target by 50 per cent, a position that the Premier has also recently adopted. In comparison, Leyonhjelm, a fierce libertarian, wants to alleviate population pressures in Sydney “by moving people on social security benefits into the regions”.

Surprisingly, consensus was almost unanimous on the need for more public transport solutions, although the Australian Conservatives’ Greg Walsh curiously claimed that “technological innovation would eventually solve traffic congestion.”

He highlighted an Elon Musk pilot initiative to build high speed, cost-effective tunnels in cities.

We could find ourselves with strange bedfellows indeed! The logic behind these seemingly contradictory policies is difficult to comprehend. The Australian Conservatives are happy to embrace Musk’s futuristic tunnels but pooh-pooh his already successful forays into battery storage for renewable energy.

Leyonhjelm and others insist that governments keep their hands off private enterprise and stay out of our private lives. Yet they endorse government intervention to bring down power prices, advocate “encoding Judeo-Christian values into the Australian constitution”, and see moving poor people out of Sydney as a way to ease the city’s population pressures.

Unpredictable, contradictory policies While it is tempting to dismiss such views as anachronistic at best and deeply abhorrent at worst, they have already infected current government policies. The Safe Schools program was abandoned by the NSW Government in 2017 after successful lobbying by conservatives.

National MP Barnaby Joyce’s recent threat to spill the leadership of his party over his demand for a new government-subsidised coal-fired power station in central Queensland is undoubtedly a move designed to appeal to One Nation voters.

But could the unpredictability and inherent contradictions of these minor parties’ policy positions offer opportunities to negotiate better outcomes? Experience suggests that minor parties, in general, thrive on being relevant and that means getting noticed. Nile, for example, has proven himself to be a canny politician who at times hasn’t been afraid to cast a vote against the conservatives when their views don’t align with his “own conscience” but, more importantly, wider public opinion.

We could find ourselves with strange bedfellows indeed!

VOTE 1

VOTE 1 JAMIE PARBKALEMRAIN MP MEMBER FOR

VOTE 1 Authorised by Andrew Blake for The Greens NSW, 1/275 Broadway GLEBE NSW 2037. Printed by Spotpress 24-26 Lilian Fowler Pl, Marrickville NSW 2204.

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city hub 21 MARCH 2019 5:24 pm5 20/3/19

Glebe Public School to be fleeced

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city hub 21 MARCH 2019

Glebe Publish School. Photo: Kyle Huwaldt

BY KYLE HUWALDT A vital educational not-for-profit organization operating out of Glebe Public School has just been slapped with a new licensing agreement by the Department of Education (DoE), which is demanding it pay $31,000/yr rent to the State Government. The OSHC (Out of School Hours Care) program is called Centipede.

Because Centipede catered to many families who struggled to pay its fees, Centipede ran an annual fundraiser to help pay for its employees and operational costs.

Those operational costs spiked significantly when the DoE demanded that the program’s $1 per annum peppercorn rent be increased – to an annual $31,000.

The move to generate revenue from an OSHC educational program has received a backlash from scholars, politicians, parents ad concerned citizens alike.

“It is stupid and short sighted to judge a service by the status of some kids, there is no doubt that they serve needy kids. If [Centipede] drops out, some [kids] are likely to get into trouble without the support the centre provides,” said Eva Cox, a long-term Glebe resident and a professor at the UTS Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education & Research.

Families enraged It is evident that the families of Glebe Public School are just as enraged that this important program has been turned into a source of revenue for the government.

“This is a massive blow to the kids in need.

It is a massive blow to the school. It will undermine the school culture of making sure all kids are looked after – and not in a segregated manner,” explains Maire Sheehan, a member of the Glebe P&C, a grandparent of Glebe Public School and former mayor of Leichhardt Council.

The program ran in conjunction with similar services hosted by the Glebe P&C, who say the Centipede program helped integrate the school into the surrounding community in an immensely positive way “This decision will mean Centipede will no longer be able to afford to run its service for our school community… It will be a detrimental social outcome if Centipede is forced to close its doors. The P&C will fight this decision all the way,” said Verity Firth, President of the Glebe Public P&C and Executive Director of the UTS Social Justice Department, and former NSW Minister of Education.

The issue of the Centipede program closing its doors because of financial pressure has also garnered plenty of political attention, especially with crucial state elections coming up in two weeks’ time.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said, “Given the rapidly increasing population in the City of Sydney, school funding must keep pace to allow

our inner city schools to continue delivering for our communities”.

She makes the point that others both in State Government and in the Glebe P&C have made, namely that the DoE is trying to make money from a not-for-profit community-led program, but is not willing to spend the money to keep up with education development in increasingly populated districts such as Pyrmont and Ultimo.

The State Opposition has criticised the Department’s actions.

Jihad Dib, the State Shadow Minister of Education, does not support the DoE’s move.

“I am troubled to hear of the dramatic rent increase imposed by the Department of Education. In government I would work with the local community to renegotiate the arrangement. We don’t want to see such a valuable organisation forced to close due to financial stress.”

We don’t want to see such a valuable organisation forced to close due to financial stress. Minor parties have also cashed in on the Liberals’ political blunder.

“This is clearly unacceptable. I’ve spoken directly to the Department and there are ongoing talks between the P&C, the school and the Department. I’ve attended fundraisers and helped the Centre obtain grant funding and this is unacceptable,” insisted State MP for Balmain, incumbent Greens candidate Jamie Parker.

Helping struggling families The political weight that the story holds has not only grabbed the attention of state candidates and officials, but has received political consideration on a federal level.

“This tells you all you need to know about the priorities of the NSW Liberals: they are ripping off a community-run school food program while they waste taxpayer money on knocking down and rebuilding perfectly good stadiums,” said Tanya Plibersek, a Labor member and Shadow Minister for Education and Training.

When asked to comment, a DoE spokesperson said, “The Department of Education is in the process of negotiating a new licence agreement for this OSHC service... The breakfast program is an additional service provided by Centipede and does not form part of its OSHC licence”.

Centipede’s early educational services help these struggling families receive an effective education for their kids so that those same impoverished children might rise above their current socio-economic situation and in turn provide a better life for generations to come.

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Coogee electorate profile

By ALLISON HORE Now only a few days away, the State election has reached its final leg. While some seats are already safe enough to call, polling at other marginal seats will be watched carefully over the weekend.

Coogee, in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, is one such seat. It includes Randwick, Coogee, Clovelly, Bronte, Waverley, Tamarama and Bondi Junction.

Bruce Notley-Smith, a “moderate” Liberal party member, has represented the seat since 2011 when he defeated the incumbent, Labor member Paul Pearce. Mr Pearce had held the seat since 2003.

In the 2015 election, the Liberal party won 53 per cent of the vote on a two-party preferred basis. With a 5.4 per cent swing in their favour, the Labor’s 47 per cent trailed by 6 per cent.

Coogee now a marginal seat The seat is now regarded as marginal and will be very much in play in this weekend’s election.

Mr Notley-Smith told the Southern Courier that he believes he faces a “a very tough challenge” in being re-elected for the seat.

It’s anybody’s guess who will win the seat Prior to running for the State election, Mr Notley-Smith served as the Mayor of Randwick for two years as an independent, making him well known within the community.

He grew up in Coogee, attending Coogee Public School, Randwick Boys High School and Randwick TAFE. “Since the last election there’s been a lot of issues people are concerned about. There’s the (demolition of Allianz) stadium, and of

“I am a fifth-generation Bronte local and representing the community I grew up in would be the greatest privilege of my life. As a local I understand the issues this community faces,” she tells City Hub. It’s the “wastefulness” of the Liberal government that drove her to run for the seat.

“Since becoming the candidate, our campaign has knocked on over 15,000 doors and what we are hearing every day is that people are fed up with this State Liberal Government’s wrong priorities,” she explains.

Bruce Notley-Smith. Photo: Supplied

Marjorie O’Neill. Photo: Supplied

course the inconvenience with the light rail.

Some of these things are out of my control,” he explained.

Part of the seat’s uncertainty is based on its polarised demographics. While it’s home to a lot of expensive beachside property that draws in wealthier, typically Liberal voting people, it’s also home to the University of NSW in Randwick.

Mr Notley-Smith was the first openly gay member of the NSW Legislative Assembly.

During his time in parliament he worked to expunge the criminal records of gay men charged under historical laws which prohibited male same-sex activity.

He hopes that his moderate politics will help him straddle the demographic divide. And he has some powerful allies in his campaign.

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull gave

Mr Notley-Smith a glowing endorsement on a Facebook video.

“He’s delivered for our community in the eastern suburbs in a way that’s never been done before. He is a champion for this community. He knows it. He loves it. He’s part of it. That’s why I’m backing Bruce,” he said.

Mr Notley-Smith told the Guardian that the imminent upgrades to the Prince of Wales hospital, set to cost $720 million, and his support for the container deposit scheme, are some of his proudest achievements.

His “tough challenge” comes in the form of candidate Marjorie O’Neill. She is hoping to win the seat back for Labor who had held it since 2003 before it was lost to the Liberals.

Dr O’Neill is a university academic with a Ph.D in management and economics. She was elected to Waverley council in 2017.

Not a two-horse race “Instead of investing in a new school for the eastern suburbs, Bruce Notley-Smith and the Liberals are ploughing ahead with demolishing a perfectly good stadium. Instead of stopping rampant overdevelopment, they are too focused on the failed CBD light rail project.”

But though the polls will likely come down to Liberal vs Labor, it’s not a two-horse race.

The Greens earned just over 18 per cent of the primary vote in 2015, and this year there are eight parties in the run for the seat.

Although her chances are good, Dr O’Neill says she’s “not taking anything for granted”.

“I love our community and I will be knocking on doors and talking to voters right up until the finish line. They deserve someone who will never stop fighting for them, so I won’t,” she says.

“If I am lucky enough to be elected the Member for Coogee, I will continue to be a strong voice for our community, unlike our current MP, who has failed to stand up to the Liberal Party and their hurtful policies for the eastern suburbs.”

As the people of Coogee hit the polls this Saturday, it’s anybody’s guess who will win the seat.

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city hub 21 MARCH 2019

Public Housing Pushed Out

BY ALANA LEVENE Over the past five years, Barney Gardner has watched his Miller’s Point community slowly fall apart.

The 69-year-old retired wharf worker knew his working-class suburb had little chance of survival when in 2014, the government announced the intended sale of 300 harbourfront public housing properties. Tenants in Millers Point, Dawes Point, and the Sirius building were to be relocated. Some left voluntarily. Gardner fought to stay. He’s one of the few who succeeded.

Gardner’s story puts a spotlight on the Coalition government’s public housing policies, a key issue of the 23 March NSW election. Over the last eight years, the Government has emphasized privatisation across a range of policy areas, including land and property ownership, said Frank Stilwell, a professor emeritus in Political Economy at the University of Sydney.

Lucrative harbourfront real estate The government has raised hundreds of millions of dollars from selling off the lucrative harbourfront real estate and reinvesting the proceeds into a higher quantity of public housing across the state.

But public housing advocates and Opposition candidates claim the Coalition government is not doing enough to address housing issues, and that their privatisation endeavours have aggravated the housing market more than they have helped.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the Coalition has done nothing to remedy social and affordable housing shortages.

“Instead of increasing social and affordable housing in NSW, this government has evicted public housing tenants from their homes in Millers Point, while the purpose-built Sirius building has sat empty for more than a year,” Moore said.

For the nearly 53,000 households on the NSW public housing waiting list, wait times can exceed a decade. Until they can secure public housing, low-income households are compelled to live in the private rental market and compete with people on much higher incomes, according to Shelter NSW CEO Karen Walsh. (Shelter NSW receives funding from the government.)

The gap between the public housing that is needed and what is available is getting wider and wider Households on low, or even moderate incomes in some places in Sydney, are forced to endure “severe or extreme housing rental stress,” Walsh said. Rent can eat up to 65% of their income.

The gap between the public housing that is needed and what is available, especially in high-demand areas like inner Sydney, is getting wider and wider, according to Walsh.

“We’re losing the equivalent of 2,500 social housing homes, falling behind population growth every year,” Walsh said.

Shelter NSW has asked the State

Government to commit to building at least 5,000 homes a year for the next 10 years in NSW. Independent MP Alex Greenwich affirmed this target.

Penny Sharp, Deputy Opposition Leader, did not confirm that Labor would meet this target, though she said Labor would invest $200 million in new social housing stock.

Greens MP Jenny Leong announced the Greens plan to build 300,000 new social homes across NSW in the next 10 years funded by a state-based banking levy.

Established communities destroyed If Labor wins, the government is likely to put more emphasis than the Coalition on expanding the stock of public housing, Stilwell said, even if they don’t buy back properties sold under the Coalition.

Established communities, like that of Miller’s Point, have been irreversibly “destroyed”, Walsh said.

Even if more public housing is built in the outer suburbs, experts have raised concern over what might happen when low-income people become excluded from the inner city and its services, jobs, networks, and transport hubs. Dislocation of inner-Sydney public housing tenants can bring about adverse consequences for society, Stilwell said.

In an email, a Liberal Party spokeswoman said their initiative constitutes “the biggest social housing construction program in Australia”.

The program encompasses the Communities Plus program and the Social and Affordable Housing Fund (SAHF). At

Barney Gardner displays his original eviction notice. Photo: Alana Levene

an Energy and Housing March Assembly held on 14 March, NSW Arts Minister Don Harwin said the Coalition is on track to install at least 3,000 new social and affordable housing dwellings each year over the next 10 years.

“We’re absolutely committed to act,” Harwin said. “More importantly, all of these promises are funded and in the budget.”

The Liberal Party spokeswoman said that more than 320 people have already been moved into social and affordable homes funded by the first phase of the

SAHF and that they’re on track to deliver hundreds of more homes this year.

While many public housing residents have been forced to relocate to Sydney’s outer suburbs, Gardner was one of the lucky few. He lives in a one-bedroom Kent Street unit, surrounded by blocks of units that were redeveloped and sold for millions. He pays the government $115 a week in rent. “It was like one big family,” Gardner said. “It’s a very sad place now. They took the heart right out of this place.”

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9

Waterloo’s Tale of Two Proposals

BY JOHN MOYLE On the eve of a State election that could spell doom to Glad the Impaler’s government, the City of Sydney has presented the tenants of Waterloo Estate with an alternative vision for the redevelopment of Sydney’s largest public housing estate.

Calling on the Government to scrap their current plan and hand control back to the City, the plans released to the public on March 6 at the Alexandria Town Hall has brought into question the future of the NSW Land and Housing Commission’s (LAHC) plans.

The City of Sydney is a member of the project review board along with the Department of Planning, Transport for NSW and the office of the Government Architect.

“We’ve discussed the Waterloo housing proposal at length with the NSW Government, but like most of the community we’re surprised and disappointed with what they’ve proposed,” a City of Sydney spokesperson said.

Generally positive response The alternative plans have been met across the Estate and the community with a generally positive response.

“We congratulate the City of Sydney planners in providing the alternative approach in such a short time,” said Richard Weeks, from the Waterloo Public Housing Action Group.

With Waterloo Estate being a designated State Significant Development, the City of Sydney has no say in the final decisions, but that could change with a new government this Saturday.

Tania Mihailuk is Labor’s shadow minister across a range of portfolios affecting the Estate including planning, housing and family and community services.

Ms Mihailuk responded to the City’s proposal, saying, “The Labor Government would sit down with the City of Sydney and the members of the Waterloo community and do things in partnership, rather than the Liberals and Nationals model of imposition and arrogance”.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander presence at Waterloo and Redfern.”

When the Department of Planning and Environment was asked about the amount of affordable housing planned, a department spokesperson replied, “No decision has been made yet”.

The same spokesperson also said, “No decision has been made yet” when asked if final density levels had been decided.

If by some miracle Labor gets in… there will be significant changes The last-minute response has come after the Government gave the tenants three options while calling for the demolition of the existing towers. The Government would increase the density of the Estate from 2,012 dwellings to 6,800, with twothirds of the population being housed in 17 towers up to 40 storeys high.

“Their [LAHC] argument is that they are still finessing the floor space and height calculations,” said Geoff Turnbull of REDwtach.

The City’s proposal calls for the retention and refurbishment of Matavai and Turunga, two 30-storey towers, with other buildings being between four and nine storeys.

The park would be ringed by buildings between 12 and 13 storeys.

“Remember, Urbangrowth have been working away in the back room with a team of consultants for over

The City of Sydney’s Waterloo Estate proposal puts people at its centre.

Photo: City of Sydney

two years, whereas the City has had to put together its alternative very quickly without similar resources,” said Councillor Phillip Thalis of the City of Sydney, a practising architect.

The Government is also using public land to propose that 65 per cent of homes on the Estate will be private housing, with just 30 per cent dedicated to social housing and five per cent to affordable housing.

There has also been a decrease in the allocation of affordable housing for

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, with fears that this will denude the area of its first nation culture.

Local action group REDwatch is calling for a mix of five per cent Aboriginal and Torres Strait tenants in public housing and a further five per cent in affordable housing to ensure a viable Aboriginal community in the area.

Ms Tania Mihailuk said, “Labor is committed to ensuring that there will be Aboriginal Housing and a strong

ALP committed to social housing Ms Mihailuk said, “Labor is also committed to a 25 per cent mandate of social and affordable housing on Government-owned land.”

The Government’s proposal also calls for two parks that will be overshadowed by tall towers in midwinter and impacted by wind.

The City’s response is a larger 2.2 hectare park at the Estate’s centre whereby “The major park is enlarged, the Metro Station precinct is open and far less overshadowed,” Cr Thalis said.

In response to the community’s four choices of development (though the City’s will depend on a change of government), Richard Weeks is calling a meeting and Q&A for 5pm at Redfern Town Hall for this Thursday to discuss all options.

“If by some miracle Labor gets in, and they hand planning back to the City, there will be significant changes,” Richard Weeks said.

Community member Karen Freyer has a change.org “Planning for People, Not Politics’ petition asking that the development be returned to the City of Sydney, and she will be door knocking the Estate over the weekend.

Upgrade dumped for WestConnex Tolls

BY ROYDON NG As the State Government pushes ahead with the controversial tollroad, despite community opposition, WestConnex is likely to become a lasting reminder of how good public transport was sidelined.

With Western Sydney’s growing population there was no question that something had to be done to improve transport to and from the City. The State Government has repeatedly highlighted the issue of capacity on the Western Line as a major constraint in the 2012 Long Term Transport Master Plan and Sydney’s Rail Future plans.

After rebranding CityRail to Sydney Trains in 2013, the State Government removed three train services in Western Sydney in the name of increasing capacity on the Western Line rail corridor. The cancellation of the City to Liverpool via Regents Park, City to Bankstown via Regents Park, and the direct non-special event Central to Olympic Park services had severe knock-on effects, including overcrowding at Lidcombe with a substantial increase in the number of commuter interchanges.

WestConnex favoured over public transport While the changes to the Sydney Trains network might at first seem unconnected to WestConnex, a closer look into the State Government’s own State Significant Infrastructure report for WestConnex M4 Widening (2013) seems to suggest otherwise.

The statement indicating that “The

following cumulative impacts may arise from WestConnex and staging” is followed by the astonishing admission that “service improvements on the Western Line over the concurrent time frame may result in increased patronage for trips in the M4 Motorway corridor”.

Through intentional changes to the Sydney Trains timetable, the State Government has been watering down the efficiency of public transport in favour of toll roads.

Lidcombe is compounded by its role as a major interchange for the T3 Bankstown Line and T7 Olympic Park Line. Granville is also a major interchange for Liverpool and Western Sydney commuters.

WestConnex is likely to become a lasting reminder of how good public transport was sidelined What is only slowly coming to light is that the government had considered building additional tracks for the Western Line rail corridor in mid-2013 before the release of the WestConnex State Significant Infrastructure Report.

Consultations with rail planners had begun investigations into several options to upgrade the Western Line.

One proposal was for an additional track pair from the Strathfield Junction near Homebush to be constructed to Granville, with different options for an underground section through Auburn station. Another was for a rail tunnel from Croydon to Granville, which was labelled an essential project in conjunction with the construction of the Sydenham to Bankstown Metro on the T3 Bankstown Line.

The State Government’s Sydney

M4 WestConnex and the T1 Western Line between Homebush and Granville.

Image: Roydon Ng

Rail Future Implementation Plan – an internal Transport for NSW document published in 2013 – states that for Liverpool, Cabramatta, Warwick Farm and Casula, “customers are likely to experience journey times to CBD via [T2] South Line (without CroydonGranville tunnel and running 20 trains per hour) of over 1 hour - c. 17 mins extra against today”.

It also appears that the decision not to proceed with building additional tracks was taken in late 2013 as plans for an upgraded Flemington station in 2014 made no mention of including additional platforms or tracks along the corridor.

Both options for additional tracks on the Western Line have been ruled

out by the State Government despite a “Cabinet in Confidence” Rail Planning report indicating that the upgrades to the rail corridor were necessary to “meet the forecast passenger increase in 2036”.

Tolls on the M4 were reintroduced less than three months before the Sydney Trains timetable changes of November 2017 which further removed express Western Line services from Lidcombe, Auburn, Clyde, Granville and Harris Park stations.

On the day of the new timetable, Sydney Trains staff at Lidcombe station told commuters that the lack of track capacity had forced express Western Line trains to skip stations such as Lidcombe and Granville.

The removal of train services for

Minister refuses to answer questions Transport for NSW published its report in November 2018 into its “improvements to the Western Line” that occurred within the 2017 Timetable changes. This included a table showing the number of stations with increased journey times without the station names.

After refusing to release the full breakdown of stations despite Minister Constance’s responses in Budget Estimate hearings indicating that such information was public, a Freedom of Information (GIPA) investigation has found a strong pattern of increased journey times for train commuters living near the government’s new infrastructure projects.

It appears that express trains for Lidcombe, Auburn and Granville have been replaced with all-stations trains as WestConnex tolls were reintroduced/ increase.

Further investigation into the State Government’s approach to transport infrastructure planning has encountered difficulty with the WestConnex business case being off limits to Freedom of Information (GIPA) requests and Minister’s Constance refusal to answer questions about WestConnex being favoured over rail upgrades.

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11

Opinion

Dammed lies and politics

By Peter Hehir The ALP’s argument against stopping Stage 3b (aka the Rozelle Interchange) is that it would cost too much to buy back the contract; a contract that was only signed a week before Xmas.

It is telling though that hundreds of millions were outlaid in evicting families and businesses well before the 13,000 community objections were considered and Stages 3a and 3b were approved.

The buyback cost is what the ALP calls sovereign risk. They haven’t put a figure on it in spite of being repeatedly asked to do so. They cite the 43 years of tolls as the deal breaker.

Obviously, there are no tolls on the Western Harbour Tunnel (WHT) because it hasn’t been approved yet and therefore doesn’t exist so it follows that the tolls element - which is the lion’s share of the Stage 3b contract - also doesn’t exist for the construction of the WHT stubs.

An onramp for a tollway that is still under construction – a stub -- does not collect tolls. So sovereign risk is massively diminished.

These WHT stubs are not insignificant though, comprising about 40% of the WHT. Remember this is a tunnel complex that is still in the planning stage and hasn’t been costed or approved, yet a sizable chunk will be built under the already approved Stage 3b!

The ALP’s buyback of the stubs would guarantee that the WHT is dead and buried and couldn’t possibly be resurrected at some point in the future.

Artwork by John Bartholomew

It follows that removing the stubs is the fiscally responsible and moral thing to do - if of course the ALP’s opposition to the WHT is genuine.

However there are very good reasons for believing that it isn’t.

The ALP supports WestConnex

because they support radiating inner city freeways. They always have. You have to go back to Neville Wran’s time in the 70’s to find any genuine opposition.

The WHT is an essential part of WestConnex. It always was. Prior to

WestConnex becoming toxic in the Inner West, the WHT was known as Stage 4. Because of successful community campaigns that rendered WestConnex and the Sydney Motorway Corporation poisonous, the RMS then assumed control of the WHT and dropped the WestConnex tag.

The Matt Wade SMH article quoted the ALP as saying the WHT had been deferred, not dropped. There has been no retraction. At the Balmain electorate candidates’ debate in the Balmain Town Hall on Saturday 9th March the question of the deferment was raised. It was not denied by the Labor candidate.

Shorten has said it is proceeding.

And proceed it will. Regardless. The NSW Branch will follow the dictates of the Leader of the Opposition.

So don’t be fooled into believing that the ALP will step in and save the day.

They won’t. WestConnex, including the WHT, is Federal ALP policy.

And don’t believe the ALP election flyers in Summer Hill and Balmain or the Facebook posts from Jodi McKay. As a past secretary and president of the Rozelle Branch, I’ve seen the ALP from inside the machine. It isn’t pretty.

The dirty tricks department is alive and well.

That’s why it’s vital that there be genuine opposition from MP’s in both the Upper and Lower Houses after the election this Saturday.

With this sort of leverage, pressure can be applied to the ALP to not break their “promise” that the WHT won’t

proceed and to poke, prod and push them into buying back the stubs.

This would guarantee that the WHT is dead and buried and couldn’t possibly be resurrected.

Critics of Westconnex who’ll vote for whoever will stop the Rozelle Interchange are obviously issuing a challenge for the ALP to act; but the downside is it reinforces the ALP’s criticism of the Green’s inability to stop WestConnex.

I’d hate to think concerned voters could be hoodwinked into believing that it’s better to vote for a party who have the power to act; but who’ve repeatedly said that they won’t - in the hope that they will; rather than vote for a party who genuinely oppose WestConnex but can’t stop it because they don’t have the numbers.

Much can be achieved by a handful of moral politicians who have and are prepared to continually fight for what’s best for the community.

A self-serving tollroad agenda, written by multinationals who are more than happy to keep the political donations flowing to ensure both of the major parties do their bidding, should be exposed for the perversion of process that it is.

In the event of a hung parliament the importance of having a few MP’s who are staunch and outspoken critics of inner city tollroads, can’t be overstated.

Holding the balance of power is indeed a mighty weapon.

It can and will keep the bastards honest.

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city hub 21 MARCH 2019

By City Hub Staff

Art’s Alive

FEATURE

As we celebrate Art Month in Sydney this month the City Hub has decided to highlight some of the wonderful, yet perhaps lesser known, art galleries and creative spaces throughout our fine city. Whilst we all know the big boys in town, the Museum Of Contemporary Art Australia and the Art Gallery Of New South Wales, some of the most exciting, intriguing and experimental art is being showcased in the following venues.

THE SPACE Gallery Photo: Pascale Rajek

THE SPACE Gallery THE SPACE gallery is an ever-changing contemporary art gallery and private studio/ workshop for artists located in Rosebery. The 11,000 square meters of revived warehouse space creates a destination where visitors and locals can experience the beauty of heritage mixed with contemporary design, food and style.

With a roster of almost 20 artists exhibiting and working out of THE SPACE there is an incredibly diverse range of artistic styles being produced.

Examples of the range are the cartoon creations of Philip Aspden, the minimalistic approach of Baez Bonorat as he allows the simplicity of the interaction between colour and texture to create his works, the colourful works of Andrea Edwards which are inspired by nature, the acrylic/mixed media works of Jessika Steiner or finally the quirky, abstract geometric works of

Sully.Visitors to the gallery are sure to find at least one piece which they will immediately fall in love with.

As part of Art Month, THE SPACE is hosting an exhibition entitled, ICONIC. This group show asks the artists - which includes Andrea Edwards, Baez Bonorat, Jessika Steiner and Sully - to showcase their works with an iconic flavour 61 Mentmore Ave, Rosebery. Info: www. thespacegallery.com.au 107 Projects Unlike many other galleries, 107 Projects is raw, dirty and yet welcoming for artists of all levels.

Most art spaces are experiences through a lens of perfectionism in clinical, polished concrete, sterile spaces. However, at 107 they have cultivated a space which simply allows creative minds to thrive whilst encouraging communities to live creatively and advance the culture. The gallery proudly claims “our floors are unpolished” because they believe that art begins in dirty spaces.

Stepping into 107 is a bit like stepping inside the creative mind. Experiments happen and shit gets weird – but ultimately great work emerges from a rich, creative culture.

107 Redfern St, Redfern. Info: www.107.org.au Artsite Housed in a characteristically 1940s art deco warehouse in Sydney’s leafy suburb of Camperdown is Artsite Gallery – an independent Australian contemporary art gallery

within the Camperdown arts precinct. Headed up by Director Madeleine Tuckfield-Carrano, the gallery has a strong focus on local emerging and mid-career artists.

The curators at Artsite select pieces for each exhibition with extreme care and consideration.

Each artist’s work is exhibited in two large dedicated exhibition spaces with precision and intent, each piece complementing the rest.

Unlike larger and more commercial galleries, Madeleine and her team invest a huge amount of time and commitment into promotion and supporting their local artists. At their core, Artsite aim to foster and encourage the promotion and exhibition of Australian works.

165 Salisbury Rd, Camperdown.

Info: www.artsite.com.au Artereal Gallery Housed in a restored 1890s heritage fire station building in Sydney’s Inner West, Artereal Gallery presents exciting new exhibitions, which are known to risqué as the explore the forefront of contemporary art in Sydney.

Artereal is currently hosting Yioryios Papayioryiou’s exhibition of sculptures and paintings entitled, CHROMA. The latest exhibition by Yioryios follows on from his two previous exhibitions at Artereal as he further develops his distinctive style, which is characterised by his organic architectural forms which are grounded in the framework and mentality of painting but realised in the form of sculpture. Traditionally working with aluminium

Artsite Photo: Supplied

and acrylic paints,Yioryios bends, folds, contorts and manipulates his materials culminating in the creation of works defined by a sense of energy and movement.

Where his previous works had been inspired by architecture Yioryios says his new works are instead turning their attention to the power of colour.

“Underlying my new works is a fascination with the symbiotic relationship between the use of colour & non-colour. My work is about identifying which one has a greater influence over its viewer. Even though my colours are limited, I believe the 1% of colour which I’ve used in my works triumphs over the black.”

747 Darling St, Rozelle.

Info: www.artereal.com.au (Continue reading on page.15)

city hub 21 MARCH 2019

13

GROUP SHOW ART EXHIBITION

14

city hub 21 MARCH 2019

FEATURE

By City Hub Staff

PIERMARQ Photo: Supplied

Harvey Galleries Photo: Supplied

(Beginning on page 13) PIERMARQ* Located in the heart of the Paddington Art Precinct, Piermarq prides itself on representing an aesthetically and geographically diverse range of artists, both established and emerging. In representing both local and international talent their ultimate goal is to build a strong network of global artists, thereby providing them with a wide-spread platform from which to see and be seen.

Tonight Piermarq will open their next exhibition Transition by New York’s Doug Argue. Doug Argue’s paintings are often made with layers of radiant brushwork and scrims of crisp stencilled letters that envelop the entire canvas to suggest the passage of time, light, motion, and how the past informs the present.

Looking further ahead Piermarq will be welcoming Vermont-based artist Terry Ekasala and Sydney artist Zara June Williams in a joint show called Pendulum, a name chosen because of its insinuation to the back and

Harvey Galleries Perhaps you knew Harvey Galleries by their former name, Trevor Victor Harvey Gallery.

They have since changed their name to reflect their expansion across multiple locations as Gaffa they continue to support and promote the Starting from humble beginnings as a small next generation of Australian artists and studio and gallery space in Surry Hills collectors. founded by Aidan Li and Kelly Robson, Gaffa is Originally located on Sydney’s Northern now a multi-level Creative Precinct located in Beaches in Seaforth, Harvey Galleries now the heart of Sydney’s CBD next to Town Hall operate five locations across Australia and Station. represents a stable of 35 diverse artists.

Now in its 12th year Gaffa has grown into a Harvey Galleries believe that maintaining larger entity that prides itself on providing a professional relationships with other space to both established and emerging artists commercial galleries and dealers is an to foster their practices and exhibit their excellent method of providing and assisting works. They remain committed to nurturing with raising opportunities for artists both cross-platform collaboration, collectivity and within and outside their stable. cohesion within the contemporary arts Harvey Galleries, community and to contribute to a wider QVB. Level 2, conversation in the Sydney art scene.

33-35/455 George St, 282 Clarence St, Sydney.

Sydney. Info: Info: www.gaffa.com.au www.harveygalleries.com.au forth momentum which occurs in the studio between the two artists.

76 Paddington St, Paddington.

Info: www.piermarq.com.au

Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre Built in 1951 by the NSW Electricity Commission, the Casula Powerhouse (then known as the Liverpool Powerhouse), was one of a series of identical buildings erected to supplement electricity production during winter and power shortages.The Powerhouse was decommissioned in 1976 before later being reopened as an arts centre in 1995, closed in 2006 and ultimately reopened in 2008 with significantly improved facilities, which makes it one of the most compelling spaces in Sydney.

As we close out Art Month Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre (CPAC) will be launching a new range of exhibitions from three different artists.

Combined the exhibitions will explore power in all of its forms with a FREE launch day on March 30. Launching will be; Creator, a collection of boundary-pushing sculptures by Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran; Penelope Cain’s provocative exploration of coal power in Interregnum; and Anatomies by Robert Hague.

Until May 12. 1 Powerhouse Road, Casula.

Info: www.casulapowerhouse.com

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city hub 21 MARCH 2019

15

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Into The Woods The Musical

Into The Woods is a Tony Award wining musical which takes audiences on a journey thought the tales of the Brothers Grimm.

Throughout the tale the adventurous duo of The Baker and his wife Cinderella will meet all of the characters you would expect from a Brothers Grimm story. Whether that is Little Red Riding Hood, the Big Bad Wolf, Rapunzel, Jack and the Giant from atop the beanstalk, they’re all here.

Into The Woods will

Fierce

From the field to the theatre, Red Line Productions’ Fierce brings the world of AFL to the stage at the Old Fitz Theatre.

Written by Jane E. Thompson the play tells the story of Suzie Flack, a female Aussie Rules Football player who enters the men’s league. But it’s about more than just “an ode to” AFL as it explores the themes of gender and belonging.

showcase brilliant performances from the best of Sydney’s musical theatre community, many of which are incredible local talents. One such performer is Pyrmont’s own Laura Murphy who spoke to City Hub about the depth of the show.

“Into The Woods is my favourite musical of all time and I know I am not alone in feeling that way. I think that people are drawn to the story because it is based on much loved fairytale characters and

the hero of the production. It’s a beautifully realised story.”

Watson was inspired to put on the show after reading Thompson’s script, which was originally written as part of her creative writing course.

But it was finding the right actress to play Suzie that cemented the decision.

Watson hopes the show will inspire the audience to question their own assumptions about gender and sport.

Joining the creative team on this production are a host of talented women. Watson thinks it is very important to not only showcase women’s Director Janine Watson, who talents on stage, but also has previously worked on behind the scenes. productions of Unqualified and “Having the principal vision in Romeo And Juliet, says it has that room being female, and been a pleasure to bring Fierce our male talent being brilliantly to the stage in Sydney. sensitive, is so important to “What I realised watching me.” (AH) the production in Melbourne is Until Apr 13.The Old Fitz that it’s all about the script, not Theatre, 129 Dowling St, just AFL,” she explains. “There Woolloomooloo, is such a wonderful female at $20-$55+b.f.Tickets & info: www.redlineproductions.com.au the centre of the play, who is Photo: Steve Christo

a&e

16

city hub 21 MARCH 2019

shows us all of the complexities that were never explored in the original story.

It takes these once two dimensional characters and examines their humanity, reminding us that you can’t ‘judge a book by its cover’.

Every one of us has desires and damage and reasons behind why we make the choices we make and we all have to deal with the repercussions of our actions.”

This show is set to be the coming out party for husband and wife production company, Bloom Creative Productions.

Whilst it would appear to be a big undertaking for a brand new independent theatre company they are certainly prepared and will be looking to lay a solid foundation for future growth. (JA) Mar 21-23.The Concourse, 409 Victoria Ave, Chatswood. $55-$79.80+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.theconcourse.com.au

16 STAGE 18 SCENE 19 Sounds 19 SCREEN

Lano & Woodley - Fly

After 12 years apart Australia’s favourite comedic duo Lano & Woodley brought a brand new show Fly to the Melbourne Comedy Festival in 2018. This return show won the People’s Choice Award for their first return show, and this year Lano & Woodley’s Fly will return due to popular demand for a national tour in March.

Consisting of Colin Lane and Frank Woodley, the pair’s triumphant comedy career dates all the way back to 1994.

Colin Lane spoke of the pair’s time apart, saying, “the thing about us being apart for 12 years was that we both had lots of very interesting experiences with different things.” After both venturing down different avenues of the entertainment and theatre industries, the duo decided that their time as Lano & Woodley wasn’t up.

“Essentially the best fun we’ve ever had is being onstage with each other,” shared Lane.

Regarding the success of their reunion, Lane laughed and said, “it’s all very well to reunite but if we come back and the show’s just a bit shit, people will just go, ‘er, that’s a bit awkward.’”

Lano & Woodley’s return show Fly has definitely not received a negative response, with the show returning to capital cities to meet public demand.

“I think, without blowing my own trumpet, we’ve come out with maybe the best show we’ve

Photo: Ben King

ever written,” Lane said, finishing with, “the show is really good, and we have cut out all the shit bits but unfortunately Frank’s still in it.” (MB) Mar 23. Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $65.90-$69.90+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.lanoandwoodley.com.au

Once In Royal David’s City Acclaimed Australian playwright Michael Gow’s gripping and confronting play Once In Royal David’s City opens this week at Newtown’s New Theatre. Directed by Patrick Howard, a New Theatre play assessor of over four years, and featuring a sprawling cast of twelve actors, Once In Royal David’s City will enthral and confront audiences in the same breath. The play spans four decades and centres around the character of Will Drummond, a middle-aged gay theatre director who finds himself uncertain of everything he thought he knew about himself and about life.

Of the play, director Patrick Howard said, “I read the play and thought ‘oh my god, yes, this is amazing!’, and so we programmed it.” Patrick went on to explain his creative process when approaching a play

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

such as this one, “I thought, ‘what can I put into this that might make it uniquely something that has come from me?’”

Patrick’s passion for creating theatre is undeniable, and his commitment to directing Once In Royal David’s City shines through when he speaks about the play.

“I’ve developed a really holistic view of theatre and how it’s made,” Patrick said, going on to say,“it feels very natural and very intuitive, working on this show.”

Audiences can expect to be thoroughly surprised by the production, with an image of Santa and an illusive blurb being the only glimpses into the world of Once In Royal David’s City. On this, Patrick said,“I think the play can be deceptive to look at…but actually, it’s just this weird, magical, at times hilarious, but ultimately quite sad, uplifting thing.” (MB) Until Apr 13. New Theatre, 542 King Street, Newtown. $22-$35+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.newtheatre.org.au

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PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE UNDER SECTION 45E(2) OF THE REAL PROPERTY ACT 1900 (NSW) APPLICATION FOR POSSESSORY TITLE TO LAND Application AN798671 has been made by Nicholas Michael Chambers and Gemma Jane Smith (‘Applicant’) for a title pursuant to Part 6A of the Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) (‘Act’) (possessory title) in respect of the undermentioned land:

“A SPARKLiNG NiGHT OF THEATRE.”

SYDNEY ARTS G UIDE

Wi T H jOHN BEL L DiREC T OR P E T ER E VANS B Y MOL iÈRE A NE W V ER SiON B Y jUS T iN F L EMiNG

2 MARCH – 6 APRiL S Y DNE Y OP ER A HOUSE

- Property situate 28 Parkham Street NSW, Surry Hills.

- Being land referred to in Certificate of Title Volume 282 Folio 156 - In the Local Government Area of Sydney Parish of Alexandria County of Cumberland

The Applicant claims title by possession adverse to James Jones the registered proprietor, their successors and assigns. The Registrar-General intends to grant this application on the expiration of one month from date of publication of this notice, unless before the expiration of that time period an objection is lodged in the form of a caveat pursuant to section 74F(3) of the Act. The land claimed by the Applicant will be consolidated with land already owned by the Applicant, and will comprise one ordinary folio of the Register (Lot 101 in unregistered plan DP1238090).

A plan of the land may be inspected at the NSW Land Registry Services, 1 Prince Albert Road, Queens Square, Sydney NSW 2000

Enquiries: Gavin Bartier, Tel: (02) 9228 6726; Email: ldr@nswlrs.com.au city hub 21 MARCH 2019

17

In Between Two

REVIEW: The Realistic Joneses

marriage to globetrotting parents with a political streak, the pair lovingly paint a canvas filled with failed proposals and religious scriptures, casual racism and empowerment through music. Their sharp and provocative hiphop, rap and instrumental music is combined with compelling storytelling and projected image, to explore the forces that have helped shape their way.

When speaking about the show director Suzanne Chaundry said, What has struck me Photo: Cesar Rodrigues most in the discussion around the development of this work is that this is an Australian story so Two trailblazing stars of the Australian music far away from any other Australian story I’ve scene, Joelistics and James Mangohig, take to the seen on our stages, and is a true reflection of stage for a vibrant, contemporary exploration the multitude of diverse histories that make up into what it means to grow up Asian in Australia. our country in the 21st Century.”

The critically acclaimed production is written, Mar 28-30. Riverside Theatres, composed and performed by the two men Cnr Church & Market St, Parramatta. themselves. The pair tell their separate but $23-$49+b.f.Tickets & Info: parallel stories of growing up half-Asian in www.riversideparramatta.com.au Australia and thus feeling trapped between two Apr 4-5. ARA Darling Quarter Theatre, cultural worlds.

Terrace 3, 1-25 Harbour St, Sydney. $35-$34.

From a nightclub-owning Grandma in an open Tickets & Info: www.monkeybaa.com.au

Director Julie Baz can be relied on to select interesting and provocative plays to stage at the Limelight Theatre in a wonderfully renovated building which used to house Martin’s Bar back in the day.

This time she’s turned to playwright Will Eno, whose play The Realistic Joneses was named Best Play on Broadway by USA Today, and best American play of 2014 by The Guardian.

And I understand why.

Two couples find themselves to be neighbours in a small unnamed US country town known for its doctor who specialises in the fictional degenerative neurological disease, the Harriman-Levy disease, which afflicts both men.

Jennifer (Suzann James) is Bob’s (Jeff Houston) long-suffering carer, who takes comfort in staring at the international foods range in a special section of her local store because they calm her down “in a non-churchy way.”

John (David Jeffrey), however, has not told wife Pony (Jodine Muir) about his disease, which afflicts the sufferer’s speech.

This might not seem good material for a play,

Suzann James, David Jeffrey.

Photo: Clare Hawley

but Eno manages to wring some very funny linguistic laugh-out-loud comedy from the characters’ interactions, as well as portray the vulnerability of all his characters.

This play presents a rare glimpse into suburbia and, despite the characters’ ordinariness, wrings empathy for them and their foibles in a clever and compassionate script. (ID) Until Mar 30. Limelight Theatre, 231 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. $28-$38+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.limelightonoxford.com.au

THE NAKED CITY

FROM PUNK TO POLLIE

With Coffin Ed If you believe the political pundits there’s a distinct chance the next Democratic candidate for the US presidency could be a former punk band musician called Beto O’Rourke.These days Beto presents as a well-dressed businessman, a well-spoken progressive and a former candidate in the 2018 US Senate election up against Ted Cruz in Texas. But back in the early 90s, in the Texas border city of El Paso, he was cranking it out as a member of posthardcore rockers Foss.The band released a seven-inch record under the name of the El Passo Pussycats in 1993 and (shock of shocks) Beto posed in a dress on the cover art.

It was the kind of legacy of misspent youth that the Republicans attempted to use as dirt when he took on arch-conservative Ted Cruz in the midterms last year. Rather than turn voters off, his early musical history endeared him to many Texans, particularly the thousands of young Democrats who came out to vote for the very first time. Beto has since launched a serious campaign to become the Democratic nominee and who’s to say he will not go all the way to the White House.

It’s hard to find a similar example of a ‘punk to politician’ scenario in Australia although Paul Keating, when in his mid-teens, once managed

a band called the Ramrods – a fairly clean cut bunch of young men who played an early Australian brand of pop and beat.The less said about Peter Garrett’s bumbling career as a Federal MP and Labor minister the better but no doubt there are other politicians throughout the country with now well hidden musical backgrounds. I can’t find any reference to the punch crazy Fraser Anning ever having picked up a guitar or fronted a set of drums. If he ever did he may well have taken his inspiration from those notorious death metal bands of the Norwegian right.

Judging on the various campaign launches all kinds of promises are currently being made before this weekend’s State election as to what Labor or the Coalition will do to revive the flagging live music industry and breathe new life into the nighttime culture. Most of the policies put forward, by both side, are short on detail but big on splashes of money.

Whilst I am all in favour of Government initiatives and a concerted effort to create a dynamic music scene, I tend to think splashes of cash are not really the answer. The buoyant Australian music scene of the late 60s, 70s and 80s grew out of virtually nothing – a lot of bands and musicians did it really tough getting off the ground – but the spontaneity of new and exciting music fostered hundreds of live music venues. Trying to conjure up some artificial cultural renaissance is probably not going to work, especially with local Councils continuing to enforce their current straitjacket of over-regulation.

In the meantime perhaps all candidates, hoping to win over young voters, could come clean as to whether they have ever played in a band back in their misspent youth. Whether it was some raucous 80s post-punk outfit, a pot-smoking reggae combo or a dreary Abba covers band, the public has a right to know.You can’t always judge a politician by the policies they currently spruik, but their back catalogue of musical sins is as good a character reference as any.

Something To Wrestle With Bruce Prichard Live During the height of wrestling’s boom period, there were only three men privy to the inner workings of the worlds biggest promotion, WWE. Those three men being Vince McMahon, Pat Patterson and Bruce Prichard. Fast forward to today and only one of these men is sharing previously untold stories, and that is Bruce Prichard with his podcast come live show Something To Wrestle With Bruce Prichard.

Ahead of the first stop of the tour in Sydney, the City Hub spoke with Prichard about his history in the wrestling business, podcasting and the rapidly evolving landscape of modern professional wrestling.

Prichard’s most well-known foray in the wrestling business was as an onscreen character known as Brother Love. As a manager to other wrestlers, Brother Love was a red-faced, smarmy and boisterous “preacher” character dressed in a conspicuous white suit, tight red shirt and white tie, 18

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who claimed to preach not the word of God, but “the word of love.”

Following Brother Love Prichard transitioned to a backstage role as a producer. A role which he says was “the most fun” of any that he had in his 45 years in the business.

“I love to create and work with talent so if I could only pick one I would choose working behind the scenes as a producer.”

It is from these years behind the scenes which Prichard draws many of the stories he now shares on his podcast and subsequent live shows. Giving fans a window into a world which is notoriously secretive could very well have created tension between Prichard and McMahon. However, Prichard assured us that has not been the case.

“If Vince had a problem with the show he would have picked up the phone and called me, which he hasn’t done.”

Already this year the wrestling business has seen some monumental tectonic shifts in the landscape with the arrival of All Elite Wrestling (AEW). With AEW being backed by the billionaire Khan family, who also owns the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team, Prichard believes we’re witnessing “history being made” and that it’s a “great time to be in the business.”

Sydney wrestling fans will have the opportunity to hear a range of stories in an intimate setting, whilst also picking the brain of one of the most knowledgable minds in the wrestling business this week. According to Prichard, they may even hear “some stories that I can’t tell on the podcast because they’re simply too salacious.”

(JA) Mar 22. Factory Theatre, 105 Victoria Rd, Marrickville. $55-$110+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.factorytheatre.com.au

By Jamie Apps Upon reflection on their second album, Wellness, Brisbane’s Last Dinosaur realised that they felt very little ownership over what they had produced. This feeling came from the fact that Wellness was produced with heavy involvement from their record label. In order to counteract this problem with their newest record, Yumeno Garden, the band wanted to take a much more DIY approach to every aspect of the release.

When asked about their feeling towards their previous record and their mindset moving into Yumeno Garden lead vocalist Sean Caskey said, “With the way things went with [Wellness] we didn’t feel like we were in control of anything. So this time we made a very conscious effort to make sure this was OUR record.” Caskey went on to explain how they did just that, “This time we thought why don’t we do the entire process ourselves instead of getting a producer and extra crew. So we

produced the record, we recorded it, no-one else helped us write it and then with the videos our bass player [Michael] Sloan did those.”

To immediately jumpstart this new production ethos the band chose to separate themselves from the normality of life. They did this by packing only the bare essentials into a suitcase before travelling to a secluded town in

Japan to write and record the album.

“We went to a really small ghost town, which was really tranquil and beautiful,” explained Caskey before adding, “We were looking for isolation from any sort of external influence or distraction.

We wanted to focus on our roots and try to be inspired by what was already inside of us rather than anything new.”

By taking this new approach Caskey and the rest of the band found the entire process much more enjoyable and rewarding. So much so that Caskey believes they will continue to do things this way for as long as possible moving forward.

As the band now begins their national tour in support of Yumeno Garden they are feeling incredibly excited and energised.

“We’ve done so much rehearsal, I can’t wait to finally get cracking.

We’re going to play so many more new songs than we’ve played in forever, so it’s going to be really fun and exciting for us too.”

Looking ahead to the Sydney performances at the end of the month Caskey said, “I can’t wait to be in Oxford Arts again, it’s always pumping when we’re in there. This new set that we’ve got for this tour is going to be really fun in that place.”

Mar 30-31. Oxford Art Factory, 38-46 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. $28.99+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.oxfordartfactory.com

Huntly Low Grade Buzz The debut album, Low Grade Buzz, from Melbourne trio Huntly is a melancholic offering which also acts as a reassuring blanket for those sullen moments when you’re feeling all alone.

Throughout the record the group follow their mantra of “doof you can cry to.” They do this by blending incredibly emotional lyrics with unique, catchy, futuristic beats which would normally be heard in upbeat techno and electric records.

Whilst the above description may make Low Grade Buzz seem like a sad record it’s certainly not. The record is all about positivity, belonging and safety.

Listening to this record will during down times will make the listener realise they are not alone. Conversely if you listen to the record during a time of happiness the beats are so well made that you’ll quite easily be able to dance along. (JA) WWW1/2

Fighting With My Family

Swimming With Men

Fighting With My Family strikes the perfect balance between comedy and heartfelt drama, which places it toe to toe with classic sports based movies such as Rocky or The Karate Kid. The film, which is based on a documentary of the same

Who would have imagined that a film with such a positive and uplifting premise could have floundered so badly and been a major disappointment at best?

The synopsis was promising.

WWE Divas Champion.

In order to make this story slightly more compelling and appealing to general film-going audiences, the producers have taken some Hollywood storytelling liberties with the facts, but there is nothing overly egregious to the point of dissuading wrestling fans. The finale of Fighting With My Family does become a little cheesy but overall the film is still fantastic, particularly Florence Pugh’s portrayal of the loveable outcast Paige.

Fighting With My Family is littered with heart and comedy which will suck the general film audience into this true underdog story of incredible achievement. (JA)

name, follows the true life story of Saraya-Jade Bevis (later to be known as Paige) as she goes from training as a child with her family, all fellow wrestlers, in Norwich England right through to the grand stage of WWE where she became the youngest ever WWWW

comes to the realisation that he must appreciate what he has in life, rather than what he doesn’t.

This was potentially the feelgood British comedy of the year with a universal message for all audiences. However, what should’ve had audiences triumphantly proclaiming this as the must-see film of the year failed to raise an eyelid.

A vastly unfunny and very banal script transpired an extremely exhausting film to sit through. The pace picked up slightly in the A man disillusioned with second half but even a life joins a synchronised cheerful and predictably sugar swimming club for men in sweet conclusion did little their 40s which ultimately to alleviate the disinterest participates in the world distilled by this drowning championships. Along the way, cinematic misfire. (MMo) WW1/2 he rediscovers himself and

Destroyer This is like a soup where you start with a few unconventional ingredients and it tastes great, but then you just keep adding different things to the mix and ruin the whole thing.

The beef stock in this recipe is Nicole Kidman, looking like a messenger for the zombie apocalypse. She plays burntout cop, Erin Bell, haunted by an episode in her past that has made her a negligent mother, angry cop, and nasty human being.The backstory is given through flashbacks with elements being revealed piecemeal as the film progresses.

Meanwhile, we get glimpses of her personal life during tense scenes with her errant teenage daughter and serene ex-husband.

While the film tries to establish a sombre, mordant mood, it self sabotages with non-credible shoot-ups and ‘how can they still be alive?’ pistol whips and deep kicks to the gut.The real flaw, though, is that the central premise is not really that compelling, so it’s hard to feel invested in the journey.

Kudos to Theodore Shapiro for a deliciously eerie score. (RB) WW

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VOTE 1

VOTE 1 JAMIE PARBKALEMRAIN MP MEMBER FOR

VOTE 1 Authorised by Andrew Blake for The Greens NSW, 1/275 Broadway GLEBE NSW 2037. Printed by Spotpress 24-26 Lilian Fowler Pl, Marrickville NSW 2204. city hub 21 MARCH 1 2019 20 JamieParker_FullPage.indd

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