City Hub 22 November 2018

from Bondi to Balmain...

City News Since 1995 N OV E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 8

cityhub.net.au

FREE

Comedy’s New Frontier Become a foster carer Help us make a positive difference to the lives of children in your community. As a Key Assets foster carer, you will be provided with 24/7 support, a dedicated social worker and on-going training.

Change a child’s life today: 1800 WE CARE

iwanttofoster.com.au

Jim Jefferies & Brad Williams to push Sydney’s comedic buttons Page 11

SYDNEY — SYDNEY —

Shop + discover + explore + connect Shop + discover + explore + connect

Spring / Summer 2018 Spring / Summer 2018

30/11–2/12 30/11–2/12

thefinderskeepers.com thefinderskeepers.com

The Cutaway, Barangaroo The Cutaway, Reserve, Hickson Barangaroo Road, Barangaroo Reserve, Hickson Road, Friday Barangaroo 30/11 12pm–9pm Friday 30/11 – 12pm–9pm Saturday 1/12 – 10am–7pm Saturday 1/12 – 10am–7pm Sunday 2/12 – 10am–5pm Sunday 2/12 10am–5pm Tickets are $5 and available at the door Tickets are for $5 kids under 12) (Free entry and available at the door (Free entry for kids under 12)

2

Proudly Sponsored by

/ Artwork by Leah Bartholomew

Proudly Sponsored by

/ Artwork by Leah Bartholomew

city hub 22 NOVEMBER 2018

The Bower locked out of Addison Road

By Michael Hitch The Bower Reuse and Repair Centre in Marrickville has been locked out without notice from its premises by the Addison Road Community Centre Organisation (ARCCO) due to an alleged breach of the conditions of its lease.

Customers and staff of the Bower arrived at 8:30am on Monday morning to find that the doors of Hut 34 had been locked by ARCCO, which has leased the site to the Bower since 1998.

An eviction notice was pinned to the door declaring “trespassers will be prosecuted”.

ARCCO released a statement saying that the “difficult decision” to lock down the premises was taken after two years of ongoing disputes with the Bower.

The Bower’s General Manager, Guido Verbist said that the eviction was given due to a compliance order issued by Inner West Council regarding two 10-year-old buildings which had been constructed at the site without the former Marrickville Council’s approval.

“When we arrived here, notes were already on the door and that was it…we were out,” Mr Verbist said.

“We just celebrated our 20-year anniversary…and now we might be done.

“They claim that we have built or breached the lease by adding additions to the building, which we dispute because they were there before the lease commenced in November 2011, but they don’t agree.

“We’ve even engaged architects and structural engineers to prove that we can correct this because that’s a part of the compliance procedure, but the reality is that they’re using that procedure to evict us rather than help us correct a wrong from the past.”

Mr Verbist said he and his colleagues had been in contact with Council about the breaches and had planned to voluntarily demolish the illegal buildings.

“Even the Mayor, Darcy Byrne has already said in writing that the compliance order is not

Bower employees Riley Harrison and Eliott Hull locked out. Photo: Michael Hitch

meant to evict people but is to help solve the problem,” he said.

“That’s part of the procedure and that’s why we had engaged a structural engineer and an architect with the demolition works that we will do…we actually were going to start today but they don’t want that. They’re on the path to evict us.”

Mr Verbist said there had been several disputes between Bower and ARCCO in the lead up to the eviction, including what he described as deceptive conduct from ARCCO regarding the length of Bower’s lease and a request to pay higher rent for the site, which is currently $20,000 per annum.

In its statement ARCCO said: “The decision was a difficult one and has not been taken lightly.

It has been made with the intention of ensuring the safety and sustainability of the Centre for all its many users and tenants.”

“We regret deeply that the situation has reached this point and that we were unable to achieve a solution together.

“As this is an ongoing legal matter we are unable to explain further details of the disagreement at this stage – however we will share as much information as we can as soon as possible, in the interests of accountability to the community we serve.

Independent Councillor, Pauline Lockie said that she hopes for a resolution that benefits both ARCCO and the Bower, which keeps

the Bower’s sustainability business in the community.

“It’s certainly my hope that all parties involved work towards an amicable resolution here because the community has strongly shown that they really value having the Bower there,” she said.

“I know there are two sides to the story, but I think it is a really valued resource within the Inner West and I would certainly not want to see it go.”

The Bower employee Riley Harrison said that the Bower’s services are a necessity for the community and that personal items from staff and customers were now locked away in the premises.

“We want to reach a compromise. We want to stay here and continue to do the work that we’ve been doing for the last 20 years and they’re making it as difficult as possible.”

“So, people are arriving this morning and expecting they can donate or buy furniture for their houses. Local people are coming in to buy resources for art projects and school projects.

We’ve got all kinds of different people that are congregating here today that are expecting to use the service…and they can’t.”

“They’ve locked away stuff that people have bought and paid for. Someone’s property’s probably in there and they won’t be able to get it now.”

Mr Verbist said that legal action will be taken against ARCCO to try to protect staff and customers’ personal possessions which were now in the hands of strangers.

“We have lawyers now looking into it. We have also been able to convince them that they can’t start demolishing.”

“We can’t even get access to our keys for our truck…they control it all right now.”

Mayor Darcy Byrne has indicated that the council issued compliance order can be resolved without eviction and that he would like to see the Bower stay.

Cr Byrne has also offered to facilitate mediation to try to resolve the issue, an offer to which ACCRO is yet to respond.

Lime squeezes share bike market Published weekly and freely available Sydney-wide.

Copies are also distributed to serviced apartments, hotels, convenience stores and newsagents throughout the city.

Distribution enquiries call 9212 5677.

Published by Altmedia Pty Ltd. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy of content, takes no responsibility for inadvertent errors or omissions.

ABN 52 600 903 348 Group Publisher: Lawrence Gibbons Group Editor: John Moyle Production Manager: Michael Hitch Contributors: John Moyle, Peter Hehir, Vanessa Lim, Michael Hitch, Hall Greenland, Sarah McLenaghan Arts Editor: Jamie Apps Advertising Manager: Georgina Pengelly Cover Photo: Supplied. Jim Jefferies & Brad Williams Designer: Nadia Kalinitcheva Advertising: sales@altmedia.net.au Mail: PO Box 843 Broadway 2007 Email: news@altmedia.net.au, arts@altmedia.net.au Ph: 9212 5677, Fax: 9212 5633 Website: altmedia.net.au If you have a story, or any comments you’d like to share with us: news@altmedia.net.au altmediagroup

altmediasydney

By Vanessa Lim New player in the Australian share bike market Lime has distributed over 800 electric bicycles around Sydney streets this week.

With the significant failures of other share bike companies in the Sydney market not appearing to act as a deterrent, Lime has dispatched its bikes from Surry Hills to Bondi Junction.

In the Waverley Council area alone, there are now 150 Lime bikes available for use.

Council responded to criticism of the bikes appearing in the area, emphasising that their release was not part of a council initiative.

Share bike companies do not require council approval to operate in a local government area under current NSW law, but companies can be fined, and bikes impounded if there are safety or nuisance concerns.

These regulations are not enough for some residents, with one addressing her frustration to the council.

“As our council, you have not enforced any ‘safety rules’ for these cyclist companies to the cost of all here who are fearful on our pavements,” said the resident.

“This week we saw a further emergence of lime green bikes, placed almost as trip obstacles sitting on local streets.” “[There’s] no advice to locals ‘for hire’ notices whether people are able to cycle or understand the road/pavement rules.”

Share bike user Rhiannon Solimon agreed that the mass distribution of share bikes has thus far been more of a nuisance than a convenient sustainable option for local residents.

Ms Soliman said of the bikes, “They can definitely become a waste of space, especially

New electric bikes easy to ride but expensive. Photo: Vanessa Lim

when broken ones are left in places for weeks and weeks in a spot because no one can ride it, and no one is sent to fix it”.

“A couple of companies have gone out of business recently and although they promised to clear up the bikes there are still lots of them just littering the street in my area.”

Lime electric bikes require regular maintenance, and the bikes are collected by staff every 24 to 48 hours to recharge their batteries.

The significantly heavier than normal 35 kilogram bicycles would also be more difficult to dump than the average bike, but even so Rhiannon Soliman has doubts the business will succeed.

“The main difference between the Lime bikes and other share bikes is that the Lime ones are

electric, so it’s much less of an effort to pedal compared to the other ones.”

“On the downside though, these bikes are pretty expensive. It cost me $8.50 for a 25 minute ride, which is of course a lot more money than the cost of public transport or even a hire car for the day if you look at it comparatively.”

“They were fun to ride, but not really worth the price. It’s more of a gimmick than a viable way of transport.”

Transport NSW and other regulatory bodies are considering limitations on the industry, requiring licencing or permits in order for share bike companies to operate, but until new regulations are in place no permission is needed to install share bikes around the CBD. city hub 22 NOVEMBER 2018

3

Inner West remakes Australia Day

By Sarah McLenaghan Inner West Council will consider changing the way it marks Australia Day after passing a Mayoral Minute at last Tuesday’s council meeting.

The Mayoral Minute recommended a review of the entire Australia Day events program, incorporating consultation with the local Aboriginal community.

Independent Councillor, Pauline Lockie said: “I was happy to support Council finally consulting with our community, and particularly with our Aboriginal community, about how we can reframe any events we hold in future on 26 January.”

“This was what people overwhelmingly told me they wanted when I asked for feedback prior to the first time Council debated this issue in February, and I want to see this process happen in time to make any necessary changes to our 2020 event.”

Currently, the Inner West celebrates Australia Day with the Marrickville Community Festival which is a picnic-style family event in Enmore Park held in the afternoon.

There is a headline band, local entertainment, food stalls and vans, community stalls and free activities for children.

The event incorporates a Citizenship Ceremony and the announcement of the Citizen, Senior Citizen and Young Citizens of The Year.

The review will be the second time this year Council has discussed changing its Australia Day celebrations.

In February, the Inner West became the first Council in Sydney to debate a proposal by the Greens to end local government Australia Day celebrations and to change the date from January 26 to a day without as many painful associations for the indigenous community.

Greens Councillor Tom Kiat said: “This [motion] comes around 9 months after he [Mayor] and other Labor Councillors voted down my proposal that we listen to the very clear call from First Nations

Inner West Council proposes a review of the Marrickville Community festival.

Photo: Inner West Council

communities that we do not celebrate Australia Day on January 26, due to its association with the invasion of sovereign indigenous lands.”

The February proposal was ultimately rejected

by Council after what Cr Kiat described as strong opposition from far right nationalist groups.

“There is a very small minority of far right nationalists in this country that believe moving Australia Day off January 26 is an attack on Australian identity. This shows how small-minded their view of Australian identity is.

“However, surveys have shown most people don’t care what day of the year it is on, and the overwhelming majority who take the time to listen to indigenous voices on this issue know that changing the date is the right thing to do.”

The proposal considered by Council last Tuesday

merry christmas

sydney #sydxmas sydneychristmas.com.au

4

city hub 22 NOVEMBER 2018

did not address the issue of changing the date of Australia Day. Rather it expressed Council’s concern with how current Australia Day events could better incorporate an indigenous perspective.

“While it is a step in the right direction, I think the Mayor’s proposal, and Council’s current position, has failed to recognise that First Nations leaders and communities have already spoken with a clear voice on this issue,” said Cr Kiat.

Cr Kiat said he would prefer to listen to the indigenous voices asking Councils to stop celebrating Australia Day events on January 26.

“Gadigal and Wangal land always was, always will be, Aboriginal land. Non-Aboriginal politicians like me need to stand with and listen to Aboriginal leaders in their struggle for justice and self-determination.”

These views are shared by the Addison Road

Community Centre Organisation (ARCCO) which provides a space for use by the local Aboriginal population for community consultations, conversations and celebrations.

Rosanna Barbero, CEO of ARCCO, said: “Addi Road recognises that the 26th of January is a day of mourning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia.

“We stand in solidarity with First Nations people in their ongoing struggle for rights, recognition and respect – including the campaign to change the date.”

A clause which suggested that Council “Commit to continuing to hold appropriate and respectful Citizenship Ceremonies on 26 January” was removed from the original Mayoral Minute after intervention by other Councillors.

According to Pauline Lockie: “I was deeply uncomfortable with the Mayor’s attempt to commit Council to holding citizenship ceremonies on 26 January before any consultation around this occurred, which is why I asked him to remove this clause from the motion. To his credit, he agreed.”

Cr Lockie shared her view on how the Inner West Council should commemorate Australia Day: “My personal opinion is that we should observe the date in some way, but it shouldn’t be a celebration. But first and foremost, I want this decision to be led by our Aboriginal community, and for Council and Councillors to engage in the consultation that will be needed to ensure any event we hold on 26 January is truly respectful and inclusive.”

Inner West Council’s deliberations will act as a starting point for a broader discussion of the need for Aboriginal leadership to guide the way the nation commemorates its history.

Ms Barbero says there is still a long way to go in appropriately recognising indigenous perspectives: “As a community we must do so much more to listen to the stories of First Nations people and make amends for the injustices and crimes perpetrated against them on their land.”

Christmas in the City

Christmas in Green Square

Sat 24 Nov 6.30pm–9.30pm Martin Place, George and Pitt streets to Market Street

Sun 2 Dec 6.30pm–8:30pm Matron Ruby Grant Park and Green Square Plaza

Sydney Christmas Children’s Concert

Village Christmas Concerts

Sat 1 Dec 6.30pm–8.30pm Prince Alfred Park Surry Hills (two minute walk from Central)

Fri 7 Dec, Alexandria 6.30pm–8.30pm Sat 8 Dec, Rushcutters Bay 6.30pm–8.30pm Sun 9 Dec, Rosebery 6.30pm–8.30pm

Christmas Tree 24 Nov–1 Jan Martin Place

Canopy of Light 24 Nov–1 Jan Pitt Street Mall

Choirs in the City 24 Nov–24 Dec Martin Place Mon–Fri, 6pm–8pm Sat–Sun, 7pm–8pm 24 Nov–24 Dec Pitt Street Mall Thu, 6pm–8pm Sat–Sun, 6pm–7pm

Become a foster carer Help us make a positive difference to the lives of children in your community. As a Key Assets foster carer, you will be provided with 24/7 support, a dedicated social worker and on-going training.

Change a child’s life today:

1800 WE CARE iwanttofoster.com.au city hub 22 NOVEMBER 2018

5

Housing crisis, what crisis?

by John Moyle A recently released research paper claims Australian public housing is in crisis with a shortfall of 433,000 social housing units across the nation and 36,000 new units a year needed over the next 20 years to meet demand.

Published by the independent Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, the paper also suggests that direct government funding is the most efficient and cheapest way to achieve these goals.

The study says that NSW accounts for 30 per cent of Australian social housing needs and that 141,000 new properties are needed across Sydney.

“In NSW the pathway to affordable housing is under stress and the government doesn’t do anything about it,” Dr Laurence Troy, co-author and research fellow, City Futures Research Centre, UNSW said.

“We have a low rate of provision compared to other countries and that is partly as an historical fact of supporting home ownership as a vehicle toward housing over the past 60 years.”

In many European countries social housing accounts for more than a fifth of new housing stock, including across the UK, Finland, France and Austria.

A city of 3.5 million, Berlin has 250,000 people living in social housing across 125,000 apartments and the Berlin Senate recently reduced rents by up to 25 per cent as the cost of living impacted on tenants.

Australia’s public housing consists of around 304,000 out of a total of 7.1 million dwellings, or 4.2 per cent of all housing stock.

Public housing in Australia is a matter for the states, and in the case of NSW, Family and Community Services (FACS).

“The NSW Government is undertaking the biggest social housing building program in the country,” said a spokesperson for FACS.

Typical low-rise public housing for Inner Sydney. Photo: FACS

“The $22 billion Communities Plus Program is delivering 23,000 social housing, 500 affordable housing and 40,000 private housing dwellings over 10 years, with major sites already in the pipeline, including Waterloo, Redfern, Arncliffe, Telopea and Ivanhoe.”

Tell that to people on the waiting list, which across inner Sydney can be more than 10 years.

FACS’ own website says that waiting lists in Marrickville are 10 plus years for one bedders, 10 plus years in Newtown and 10 plus years in Bondi.

The site also says that as of 30 June 2017 across NSW there are 51,453 people on the waiting list, of which 4,496 are categorised as priority.

One inner Sydney community housing provider, who cannot be named as she did not have time to clear her statements with her board said “There has been an obvious lack of funding

Phoenix Collective presents

CONCERT

4

Tango Origins &

Passion book tickets at pcmusic.net or 0402 544 026

Maggie Ferguson

Salgán | Villoldo | Lavallen | Piazzolla A concert set to reignite your fire. Exploring the birth of Argentinean Tango and father of Nuevo Tango, Astor Piazzolla. There could be dancing in the aisles.

Sun 2nd December, 2:30pm Hunter Baillie Presbyterian Church, Annandale, Sydney Sun 9th December, 2:30pm Greenway Chapel, Green Point, Central Coast Tickets $35 | $28 | $15

Dan Russell 6

Katie Robinson

city hub 22 NOVEMBER 2018

Book online at pcmusic.net or call 0402 544 016

CENTRAL COAST SPONSOR

for new supply and keeping properties up to standard in recent years.

“In cities like Sydney the issues of affordability are very serious and are worsened by the fact that people are not in permanent employment but are on contract.”

St George Community Housing (SGHC) is a major provider across the inner Sydney region with 4,800 properties in the metropolitan area.

They have currently embarked on three projects with the City of Sydney to bring affordable housing into the inner city area.

At 138 Botany Road, Alexandria, along with the City and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation SGHC is developing 130 households in one, two and three bedroom configurations.

At Foyer Central, in the Sydney CBD, along with the City, FACS, NSW Office of Social

Impact Investment, Uniting and Social Ventures Australia are developing mixed affordable and social housing for key workers and young people at risk.

Late last year SGCH and the City purchased a council site in Gibbons Street Redfern to build 160 affordable and social housing units.

The City of Sydney has now provided close to $20 million in subsidised land sales for affordable housing as recent figures show that the City has lost 20 per cent of its key workers due to the housing affordability crisis.

“In the inner city there is a lack of supply and the high cost of land makes it difficult,” a housing provider said.

“Retirees and women who have lower levels of wages and superannuation are some of the people at the margins and are very vulnerable and cannot afford to rent in the inner metro area.”

Dr Troy suggested that raising long term bonds at a time of record low interest rates may be a way of state governments funding a major burst of building.

“They could raise money much more cheaply by raising debt but they haven’t, Dr Troy said.

“70 to 80 per cent of housing subsidies float into capital gain, and rather than seeing public housing as a drain on resources it is actually beneficial to the economy and would deliver a return to government if they went down that way.”

On Tuesday the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Bill Shorten addressed the Community Housing Industry Association saying, “We will create a debate about community housing and affordable housing because we believe that is why governments should govern.

“It has to begin with a National Housing Strategy.”

Providing safe and secure homes for its people to live is one of the fundamental tasks of any government so let’s hope someone is listening.

Celebrate your Sydney New Year’s Eve in style at the Royal Botanic Garden!

3 out of 5 events already sold out For more information visit rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/nye

#NYEGarden

182711 NYE ad_128x158_ART.indd 1

20/11/2018 12:15 PM

Print your catalogue or brochure Design

print

Distribute

We take care of print, you take care of business.

Enjoy a complete and personalised service for your next marketing catalogue or brochure from design to distribution.

Our high-speed printing presses produce a wide range of formats for some of Australia’s best known brands. feel free to email us at enquiries@spotpress.com.au

spotpress pty ltD General enquiries (02) 9549 1111

24–26 lilian fowler place Marrickville, 2204 nsW australia

www.spotpress.com.au

city hub 22 NOVEMBER 2018

7

Opinion

Immigration. Do we really need it?

By Peter Hehir The desirability of immigration really should be examined rationally as it impacts on us all. The desperate need to increase our population has been blindly accepted by our political masters - on both sides of an ever shrinking political divide. But is it really the panacea that it’s cracked up to be?

There has never been a wide debate on the issue involving the broader population. Many believe that this is an obvious driver for much that is wrong with our society. It brings with it a great many ills that impoverish us - and little in the way of benefit.

Those who concern themselves with immigration are invariably dismissed as either red necked racists on the one hand or weirdo loonies from the political fringe - with half-baked ideas about sustainability, on the other.

Obviously like all developed nations, Australia has a humanitarian duty to accept genuine political refugees, particularly those who live in constant fear of torture and death. This is a responsibility that most compassionate Australians are more than willing to accept. However the need to continually import people solely under the pretext that they can fill the jobs that Australian born citizens are unable to perform, simply can’t be justified and shouldn’t continue to be expounded.

That we can step up from within and perform the tasks demanded of our workforce shouldn’t be doubted. We need only to cast our minds back to Great Britain in September of 1939 when a whole new workforce appeared overnight and immediately filled the shoes of those who’d volunteered to fight against fascism and for the equality that democracy promises.

This group of citizens, who had no prior ‘skills relevant’, had two things in common. They shared the same gender and had been repeatedly excluded from what had always been described as

Maltese immigrants arriving in Sydney in 1948. Photo: SLNSW

‘man’s work’. But within a few short weeks of on the job training, they were performing the essential tasks that kept the wheels of industry turning throughout the war - and without whom we would not be living in the Australia that we are in ever increasing danger of losing today.

Just as parents are responsible for their children, Australian Governments have a responsibility towards their citizens. A duty of care. Responsible parents limit their offspring to a number that they can educate and provide for. Our country has a responsibility and a duty to do the same.

If we can demonstrate that we can put our own house in order and do so from within Australia and indeed the world - would be a much better place. Perhaps then we could again

consider importing people who are willing to both assimilate and embrace our core values.

While ever this fallacious and ruinous policy of ‘immigrate or perish’ is adhered to we’ll never address the inequality in Australian society and we will be the poorer for it. Our standard of living will continue to fall. The underclass of permanently unemployed will continue to grow.

We will see further dilution of the Australian ethos and we will never be able to provide the opportunity that is consistently denied to those among us who are less well-off. This is especially true of the descendants of the original inhabitants.

Our present immigration policy in my opinion inevitably leads to the following, presented in no particular order.

Rampant overdevelopment of our capital cities; a significant loss of residential amenity; foreign ownership of homes and businesses; increased residential density and high rise ‘development’; inflated house prices forcing young Australians out of the market; the demolition of historic homes and precincts; a per capita loss of open space; reduction in air quality; increases in the contributing factors to global warming; more pressure on native flora and fauna; overburdening of the health and education systems; greater demands on water, waste and sewerage systems; continued trend towards deskilling of the existing Australian population; increased burden on the welfare system and competition for employment; foreign cultural enclaves where English is the second language; lowered overall standard of education of the adult population; a much more compliant and far less politically critical population; an overburdened public transport system; a diminution of core Australian values; guaranteed expansion of a 3rd world Australian underclass; a ‘quick fix’ outdated infrastructure focusing on the use of the motor vehicle; significantly increased vehicle pollution and preventable premature mortality; increased inequality between the haves and the have nots; and a population which continues to be concentrated on the coast.

This is far from an exhaustive list. Surely any of these are good enough reasons to hit the pause button and have a reasoned debate about the desirability of growth for growth’s sake?

Give us the time to consider the true cost of the blind pursuit of a growing economy - fuelled by economic migrants - rather than a socially and environmentally sustainable one.

City of Sydney says it’s Better Together

By Michael Hitch City of Sydney Council has voted unanimously to grant a $20,000 scholarship to the Equality Project to help facilitate its Better Together conference in Sydney in January 2019.

The scholarship will assist with the costs of running the conference under the Sustainable Sydney 2030 vision.

Better Together will explore issues facing the LGBTIQ+ community in Australia with a focus on highlighting voices from the First Nations, multi-cultural and disabled communities.

It is hoped the conference will help the City of Sydney to a broader understanding of issues related to its LGBTIQ+ community beyond those already in the mainstream.

A City of Sydney spokesperson said that the event was critical for LGBTIQ+ civic participation and would strengthen relationships with the City’s diverse residents.

“The Better Together conference will bring the collective experience and wisdom of all parts of society to achieve not just LGBTIQ+ justice, but justice for First Nations people, women and girls, people with disability, the Deaf community, young people, refugees and our whole community,” the spokesperson said.

“While great strides were made in the Marriage Equality movement, it was just one small but significant part of developing socially just and resilient communities where everyone is treated equally.

“Real equality means living in a society where everyone has the capacity for full participation – regardless of gender, sexuality, race, disability or creed – and this starts with greater understanding and acceptance between the diverse communities that make up our society.

“In bringing LGBTIQ+ communities together for open discussion and debate, it is expected that there will be greater understanding and acceptance of difference between the diverse groups represented, providing the opportunity to build strong, connected networks that can support each other in their drive to create meaningful social change.”

8

city hub 22 NOVEMBER 2018

The Equality Project is a non-profit, national organisation and charity established in 2017, which brings LGBTIQ+ community members together with allies across the social justice movement, to advocate for a better, more just, and fairer society.

Better Together 2018, was held in Melbourne in January 2018 with over 670 attendees from across Australia as well as a number of delegates from the United Kingdom, United States and the Philippines.

Better Together 2019 will be held at the University of Technology, Sydney from 11-12 January.

Conference organisers say their aim is to explore current issues facing the LGBTIQ+ community including transgender, intersex and bisexual community issues, with an emphasis on centering voices from First Nations communities, people with disabilities, as well as multicultural and multi-faith communities.

The $20,000 sponsorship from the City of Sydney has been granted to provide places for delegates experiencing financial hardship, to pay for Auslan interpreters and to cover other conference expenses.

The unanimous decision from Council to grant the scholarship was partly due to the conference’s alignment with the ‘Vibrant Local Communities and Economies’ strategy to encourage diversity in the Sustainable Sydney 2030 program.

Liberal Councillor, Christine Forster said that the Better Together conference would increase social connectedness and establish vital connections between Council and the LGBTIQ+ community to help forge change and progress.

“The conference aims to strengthen LGBTIQ+ leadership and advocacy, increase intersectoral collaboration and connection and provide leadership, networking and mentoring opportunities for participants,” she said. “[It] will provide opportunities to increase social connectedness among diverse communities; enhance a sense of belonging among diverse communities; strengthen social cohesion among culturally diverse communities and encourage active participation in community life.

Inner West Councillor, Pauline Lockie said she

First Nations and LGBTIQ+ join together. Photo: Michael Hitch

welcomed the sponsorship decision and said that she was happy to see City Of Sydney Council sponsoring projects and initiatives the Inner West Council has also committed to.

“I would imagine that this particular conference is very much in line with what the City of Sydney has said they want to achieve, particularly given that they have one of the most LGBTIQ+ communities in the entire country,” she said “Speaking as an Inner West Councillor, it’s certainly within Council’s responsibility to sponsor or offer grants to projects and initiatives that line up with a community strategic plan, and achieve objectives that we as a community and as a council say that we’re committed to.”

“The conference will contribute to increased social cohesion by building capacity within the LGBTIQ+ communities and organisations to collaborate with other groups of diverse and intersectional backgrounds,” said Christine Forster.

“As an outcome of this process it is expected that there will be greater understanding and acceptance of difference between the diverse groups represented.”

The City of Sydney spokesperson said that the Council is committed to making the City into an exciting cultural hub, with the energy and suggestions from conference marking another step towards achieving a truly interconnected community.

“The City is committed to creating a vibrant and resilient City of Sydney, where everyone has access to the resources they need to live happy and healthy lives, and where they can actively participate in the community in which they live,” the spokesperson said.

“This discussion will give LGBTIQ+ people from all parts of our community the ability to connect, discuss the issues addressing their own specific community group, and make positive steps towards social change.”

city hub 22 NOVEMBER 2018

9

Callan Park at breaking point

By Hall Greenland The future of Callan Park is back on the political map and is set to become a state election issue.

Friends of Callan Park successfully lobbied MPs on Tuesday as the first step in a campaign to persuade the state government and state opposition to take immediate action.

They held a short rally outside Parliament House addressed by the Member for Balmain, Jamie Parker, and then sent delegations inside to visit various politicians.

‘We have a window of opportunity between now and the state election in March next year to make some real progress on Callan Park,’ Mr Parker told the local residents.

The situation at Callan Park is at breaking point.

Iconic sandstone buildings on this heritage site from the 1840s and 1880 are being demolished by neglect. These buildings are on both the State and National Heritage Registers, yet successive state governments have been evading their responsibility to protect and preserve these extraordinary assets for at least three decades.

Other less significant buildings are boarded up and also falling into ruin.

The Office of Environment & Heritage commissioned a Landscape Structure Plan earlier this year to demolish some of these 1960s buildings and open up the foreshore and enhance the parkland.

Funding has been refused despite the estimate for implementing the plan being just $6 million.

The government has also refused to establish a Trust to manage Callan Park. Every other major public park in Sydney has a Trust to manage it.

The Friends delegation which met Gabrielle Upton, the Minister for the Environment with

Friends of Callan Park are demanding immediate action to save the park. Photo: Fergus Frickie

responsibility for Callan Park, met a brick wall in respect to funding and establishment of a Trust.

By contrast, Labor’s Deputy Leader and Shadow Environment Minister, Penny Sharpe, and Ellie Howse, Labor’s candidate for Balmain, reiterated Labor’s pledge to establish a Trust for Callan Park if they win government.

However, Labor would make no financial commitment to the site beyond saying they would consider it in the process of making the 2019 state budget. Gladys Berejiklian told Jamie Parker the same thing.

The trouble with such delayed promises that

the budget is not due until two months after the elections, so the issue can easily be shelved.

A plan to re-introduce step-up, step-down facilities at Callan Park for people suffering from mental illness is also being delayed despite a promise from NSW Health in June.

But the state government can afford to fund the investment in Callan Park right now. It is flush with cash.

The NSW state budget surplus for financial year 2017-18 was a cool $4.2 billion. The money needed for Callan Park is a miniscule pinch of that.

Besides, this same government has $1.8 billion to spend on stadiums. The money is there if they wanted to do the right thing by Callan Park.

Realistically, the big block for this government is the Liberal hostility to public assets. Since its election in 2011 it has been on a privatisation binge – it has realised more than $62 billion in the selling off of everything from social housing, the major ports, the electricity grid and generators, to the Land Titles office and so on.

But as a state election approaches, a bulging treasury, low indebtedness and road projects galore may not be enough to win it for the Liberals, according to John Sidoti, the Liberal MP for Drummoyne, the electorate next door to Callan Park.

This politician, like many of his constituents, knows Callan Park well because he uses the Bay Run. He told a Friends of Callan Park delegation that the government needed to demonstrate ‘heart and soul’ if it wanted to guarantee victory at the next elections. In his view Callan Park was the place to do just that, by investing in the park and locating some community mental health facilities there.

‘That’s what I will be telling Gladys,’ he assured the Friends who met him at Macquarie Street.

Friends intend to continue pressing the state government for investment in Callan Park right up to the elections if need be. So far, the Premier and Treasurer have refused to meet the Friends who are now considering confronting them at public functions.

Callan Park and its future are too important for the Inner West community to be just fobbed off.

Hall Greenland is president of Friends of Callan Park. The next meeting of the Friends is Monday December 3 at 6.30pm at the NSW Writers Centre in Callan Park – all are welcome.

WriterS WANTED A CAll Out fOr the retired, SuperAnnuAted And GrAduAte StudentS

Pizzeria & restaurant Alberto’s Pizzeria Restaurant was established 38 years ago and has been successfully catering to the locals of the Inner West ever since. Quality food, huge servings and a wide selection make Albertos a must-dine experience.

 GENEROUS TOPPINGS  PROMPT SERVICE  UNBEATABLE VALUE FOR MONEY

Writers needed on local issues across the City Hub’s five distribution regions.

Must be able to write engaging and accurate copy and meet deadlines. please contact City hub with CV news@altmedia.net.au

TA pAS AL

CI

SpE

Buy ANy

2

pASTA AND GET

1 LARGE DRINK ORDER ONLINE

FOR

FREE

OPEN 7 DAYS

5:30pm till late

zA

pIz

SpE

C

IAL

Buy ANy

2

GOuRMET OR EXOTIC pIzzA AND GET

3

d GARLIC OR MARGARITA OF THE SAME SIzE THE

city hub 22 NOVEMBER 2018

pavement or driveways any longer!

Don’t put up with cracked floors, walls, pavement or driveways any longer!

www.resinect.com.au

Resinject relevel and re-support sunken homes, factories,

Call today to receive

Don’t put up with cracked floors, walls, pavement or driveways any longer!

FREE

FOR (Offer expires 31.01.2019)

 02 9519 4262 • 589 King street neWtOWn orders@albertospizza.com.au • www.albertospizza.com.au 10

Don’t put up with cracked floors, walls, pavement or driveways Don’t put up with cracked floors, walls, any longer!

Resinject relevel and re-support sunken ahomes, factories, FREE assessemnt! warehouse, airports, seaports, railways and other construction Ph: 02 0408 489 83 245 4959 61 by improving the structure of the ground. We lift and relevel Call today to receive aasFREE assessment!

Call today to receive a FREE assessment! concrete slabs as well fill voids in the underlying soil strata. warehouse, airports, seaports, railways and other construction Resinject relevel and re-support sunken homes, factories, warehouse, airports, seaports, railways other We construction by improving the structure of the and ground. lift and relevel by improving theas structure ground. lift and relevel concrete slabs well as of fillthe voids in theWe underlying soil strata. concrete slabs as well as fill voids in the underlying soil strata.

NSW Project Manager: 489 245 NSW Project Manager: 04080408 489 245

www.resinject.com.au www.resinject.com.au

FEATURE

Comedy’s New Frontier

By Jamie Apps Comedy has always been an artistic medium which has pushed boundaries, but never more so than it does today. In December two of the worlds leading comics, American Brad Williams and Australian Jim Jefferies, are bringing their raunchy, no-holds-barred and brutally biting shows to Sydney thanks to Frontier Touring’s comedy arm.

Jim Jefferies began his comedy career at home in Australia before making the leap to the UK and eventually breaking out in the United States with his debut HBO comedy special, I Swear To God. Since then Jefferies has gone on to become one of the most highly regarded comics globally thanks to his hilariously biting political and social commentary, which subsequently earned him his own television show The Jim Jefferies Show.

It was on this show where Jefferies would meet, and become close friends, with fellow comedian Brad Williams.

For Williams comedy was a career he somewhat fell into accidentally whilst attending a Carlos Mencia stand-up show. During this show Mencia was making jokes about dwarves, which was awkward for the crowd as Williams was born with a type of dwarfism known as achondroplasia. Once Williams was noticed in the crowd he was invited on stage and was able to hit back with jokes of his own, impressing Mencia so much that he was invited to be Mencia’s opening act moving forward.

Looking back on those well received initial performances Williams told City Hub he was immediately “hooked” on the idea of being a comedian full-time, despite it not being his childhood dream job.

“My dream job was to be a sports announcer but when I found stand-up I dropped out of college.”

Whilst comedy may not have been his dream job it was something which Williams had unbeknownst to him he been honing and perfecting from a very early age.

“Humour was always my defence mechanism and how I got attention or made people comfortable with my dwarfism,” he explained, “I would make fun of other people worse than they ever made fun of me. One day at kindergarten a kid said to me ‘Ha ha, you’re little,’ and I responded ‘Ha ha, your mum doesn’t live with your dad anymore.’”

Obviously as a comic with dwarfism Williams has to broach that subject within his comedy but he also explained to City Hub that his show is much more than that.

Brad Williams.

Photo: Supplied

Jim Jefferies.

Photo: Supplied

“If I walked onstage and talked about the weather, people would stare at me thinking ‘Does he know?’” Williams said before adding, “Disability, relationships, race, sex, it’s all there.

The fact I’m a dwarf is just one part.”

Even when Williams speaks about the difficulties he has faced along the way he remains incredibly upbeat and always funny.

In terms of the biggest upside to his fame now it’s that he doesn’t get “called Peter Dinklage as much.” And in terms of the hardest part of his career, “whenever I check into a hotel and the shower head is pointed straight up.”

Whilst the upcoming tours of both Williams and Jefferies are seperate Williams wouldn’t rule out the pair ever touring together on the same show. “[Jim] is a great friend, he’s even done cocaine off my back once so I guess that means we’re close. He’s also one of the most popular

comedians in the world so of course I’d want to do a co-headline show with him!”

When asked what a potential co-headline show with the duo would entail Williams hit back with a hilarious jibe, “A dwarf and an Australian? That would be called The Shrimp On The Barbie Tour.”

Until then though these two phenomenal comics are worth taking the time to see in their own rights because if nothing else, “you’ll have an amazing story to tell your friends the next day.”

Brad Williams Dec 14. Factory Theatre, 105 Victoria Rd, Marrickville. $36.30+b.f.

Jim Jefferies: The Night Talker Dec 15-16. ICC Sydney Theatre, 14 Darling Dr, Sydney. $79.90-$99.90+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.frontiercomedy.com

SUMMER STOCK IN STORE NOW 38-42 Parramatta Rd Stanmore 2048 P: (02) 9565 1275 E: info@annandaleinteriors.com

•

www.annandaleinteriors.com.au

103 Enmore Road, Newtown. T 9557 4818 More info: www.catprotection.org.au city hub 22 NOVEMBER 2018

11

ONE PLACE, EVERY SPORT LIVE, LARGE & LOUD THESTARSYDNEY.COM.AU 80 PYRMONT STREET, PYRMONT

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

12

city hub 22 NOVEMBER 2018

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT w

Photo: John Marmaras

REVIEW: Eurydice

America playwright Sarah Ruhl wrote this play as a tribute to her recently deceased father, and indeed the major focus is on the relationship between Eurydice (Ebony Vagulans) and her father (Jamie Oxenbould), whom she meets when she is banished on her wedding day to the Underworld.

However, as she has bathed in the river of forgetfulness, she mistakes her father for a porter, providing a missed opportunity for comedy in this production.

Somehow she recovers her memory and when she asks her father to describe her mother, he deflects the question and describes a duck hunting expedition on the Mississippi

River instead, thus giving the play a decidedly American twist and leaving me scratching my head.

There was even a suggestion that the Mississippi was a river of forgetfulness.

Orpheus (Lincoln Vickery), the mourning husband, is left above ground to write songs he hopes will win Eurydice back from the dark place.

He’d better hurry, because Mr Sleaze himself, the King of the Underworld (Nicholas Papademetriou) has his eye on her.

Eventually Orpheus comes up with an unfortunately unoriginal song in the context (the Stones’ Wild Horses) but even so, his beloved bride is

being allowed to return.

After the earlier slow pace of the play, it was invigorating to see how Claudia Barrie ups the tempo with her direction of Alex Malone, Ariadne Sgouros and Megan Wilding, whose heads and upper torsos appear through three trapdoors on stage as stones lying on the ground in Hades. Their moll make-up and chorus provided the wittiest element of the production, and their antics with the puppets at the end stole the show. (ID) Until Dec 15. Old Fitz Theatre, 129 Dowling St, Woolloomooloo. $33-$55+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.redlineproductions.com.au

Boy Out Of The Country The Country being versed in nature, Erica says, “because of my training, the writing makes sense…I’ve let the language speak through the actor’s choices.” When asked how she would best describe the play, Erica went on to say, “Felix Nobis has written a wonderful script…he has somehow managed to write something that is both beautiful and lyrical and poetic and very, very funny.”

Dubbed a modern Australian bush ballad, Boy Out Of The Country features an all-star cast and will be showing at the Pioneer Theatre for two shows only this weekend. (MB)

Photo: Clare Hawley

Boasting a stellar cast led by Erica Lovell in her debut-directing role, Felix Nobis’ Boy Out Of The Country is set for its Sydney premiere in Castle Hill next week. Presented by Company of Rogues, the piece will be shown as part of the Pioneer Play Festival for two performances only. With the play being based around the urbanisation of a rural home, director Erica Lovell says, “the content is something I really relate to…I grew up in Tasmania and the Central Coast, both of which have experienced quite a lot of change and development.”

With Nobis’ writing of Boy Out Of

REVIEW: The Serpent’s Teeth When you first walk into the small, dark KXT theatre, you see the zig zagging barbed wire fence dominating the stage and you get a sense that this is going to be a fraught 80 odd minutes. It is indeed sombre and at times quite intense, but not discomforting.

Daniel Keene’s play is a depiction of the street-level, inglorious side of war, told in a succession of vignettes.There’s no intermission but there is a clear divide about midway through, when the fencing is

removed and the set becomes the waiting room at a military air base.

In the first section, characters walk on, mostly in twos or threes, have a brief scene then reappear episodically to advance their story. While the stories don’t overlap, there is a distinct sense of everyone sharing the same time and space, the same doom-ridden environment, made bare and bleak by war.

In the second section, the same vignette

a&e

Tom Harwood, Jeannie Gee, Andrew Guy. Photo: Alison Lee Rubie

Nov 24. Pioneer Theatre, 14 Pennant St, Castle Hill. $25-$35+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.pioneerplayfestival.com

device is used, however, the storylines are connected: five families await an aeroplane carrying the bodies of five soldiers killed in the Middle East. The second section is perhaps less nuanced in content and language than the first, but it does have some powerful moments.

Overall, the play has some nice shifts in dynamics, good dialogue and a range of identifiable characters. It’s a very large cast, with none of the actors doubling up on characters. This helps add to their credibility and also gives a sense of distance and change over the course of the play. The cast ranges across demographics and ability and this actually infuses an authentic feel to the family/ random towns people scenarios, as well as being satisfying for the audience. (RB) Until Nov 24. Kings Cross Theatre Kings Cross Hotel, 244/248 William St, Potts Point. $28-$35+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.kingsxtheatre.com

13 STAGE 14 SCENE 15 Sounds 15 SCREEN

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

The Laramie Project & The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later

The brutal, hate-fuelled torture and murder of 21 year old Matthew Shepard in 1998 evoked outrage around the world and ultimately became a catalyst for revision of laws and attitudes towards homophobic violence. The killing took place in the then inconsequential town of Laramie, Wyoming, and two young local men were tried and convicted of the crime.

Shortly after the event, several members of the Tectonic Theatre Project visited Laramie and conducted interviews with residents of the town. After speaking with around 200 people, the team distilled the interviews into a verbatim play, The Laramie Project. On the 10th anniversary of the murder, Tectonic again visited the town and conducted follow up interviews - some with people they had spoken with before, some with new people - and again compiled a verbatim play: The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later.

To commemorate 20 years since Matthew Shepard’s death, local company Theatre Travels will be staging a tandem season of both plays, each on alternating nights. It’s a fundraiser for ACON’s Red Ribbon Appeal with donations being collected each night, and a special dual performance occurring on World AIDS Day (December 1) at which ACON will have information and representatives.

Producer and director, Carly Fisher believes the plays are, sadly, still very relevant.

“Although it’s 20 years later, the issues are far from 20 years old,” she says, citing the recent Marriage Equality vote that stirred homophobic sentiment.

As a creative, Fisher says this is a validating production with potential for real impact.

“This is exactly the sort of show for which you make theatre,” she explains. “It’s an important reminder of a show that does make you stop and say ‘What can theatre do? Why is it important that we use the dramatic arts to encourage conversation?’ [It’s because] the only way we are going to be able to advance is through conversation.”

The set is minimal, rustic, lots of wood.

“We’ve tried to make it look like it could be set anywhere in Laramie. But it could also be set anywhere at anytime as well because that’s the whole point of the show,” explains Fisher.

A very poignant addition to the show is the decision to reenact precisely a vigil that took place in Texas. It will include songs, prayers and gestures exactly as they occurred and will be a very moving theatrical experience. (RB) Nov 28-Dec 8 (Alternating shows). Reginald Theatre Seymour Centre, Corner of City Rd & Cleveland St, Chippendale. $28-$55+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.seymourcentre.com

Contributors: Emily Shen, Irina Dunn, Jade Morellini, Mark Morellini, Mel Somerville, Olga Azar, Rita Bratovich, Sarah Pritchard, Shon Ho, Riley Hooper, Erika Echternach & Lili Sekkai, Joseph Rana, John Moyle, Angela Stevens, Will Fournier, Gabe Merkel & Lanie Tindale, Madison Behringer.

city hub 22 NOVEMBER 2018

13

REVIEW: The Wit And Wisdom Of Donald J. Trump (The J Stands For Genius)

From Sydney-based cartoonist Mark Lynch comes his new book The Wit And Wisdom Of Donald J.Trump (The J stands For Genius). As a former editorial cartoonist for The Australian newspaper, Lynch is no stranger to political humour. This is very evident as you flick through

the pages of his new book, with each turn unveiling an increasingly more funny and crude cartoon of the renowned Donald J. Trump.

Interspersed within the cartoons are pages of Trump quotes, ranging anywhere between sexism to racism. Based on the satirical and unabashed nature of Lynch’s cartoons in the book, one may believe that he finds Trump far from likable. He has stated however, that, “When I started this book on Trump, like many, I thought he was stupid. But his perceptive genius kicked in when he figured out what it was that stupid people wanted to hear.”

While most likely not everyone’s taste, The Wit And Wisdom Of Donald J. Trump is clearly well researched and laid out in a way that makes for easy reading. The cartoons within the book are witty, viciously funny and Lynch has taken no prisoners while trail-blazing his way through the American political climate.

(MB)

An ideal An ideal Christmas Christmas gift! gift!

Dedicate Dedicateaabench benchtoday today Celebrate a special moment, acknowledge your Celebrate a special moment, acknowledge your love orlove giveoragive meaningful gift by dedicating aa a meaningful gift by dedicating bench bench in thein Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.

Your gift will support our vital work in the Your gift will support our vital work in the areas of conservation, science, horticulture areas of conservation, science, horticulture and education. and education.

For more information:

For more information: 02 9231 8125 02 9231 8125 development@bgcp.nsw.gov.au development@bgcp.nsw.gov.au www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/dedicate www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/dedicate 14

city hub 22 NOVEMBER 2018

THE NAKED CITY

QUIZZACIOUSLY QUIZZICAL?

With Coffin Ed Judging by a spate of recent programs, SBS TV has invested a lot of time and energy into promoting the concept of the ‘child genius’. Firstly there was the Insight special, hosted by Mark Fennell, which focused on the plight of so called ‘gifted’ children and their, at times, obsessive parents.

Surprisingly none of the kids would reveal their IQ scores for fear of being stigmatised (the shame of being too bright!). That was promptly followed by a Dateline program which looked at the number of children in India with high IQ’s, in particular two young students plucked from the slums via a Mensa test to have their education thoroughly upgraded.

Perhaps both programs were a precursor to SBS’s new reality style show Child Genius, in which the search is on for Australia’s brightest child. Quiz shows that target children are of course nothing new and older readers might remember the original Quiz Kids radio show from 2GB in the early 40s, later revived on ABC TV in the 60s. Based on an American show, the ‘headmaster’ in charge was the very proper John Dease, in real life quite a bohemian, a social activist and supporter of many left wing causes.

Since the Quiz Kids there have been a number of similar TV shows like It’s Academic and The Great Australian Spelling Bee in which often traumatised kids compete to see who is best at essentially what is rote learning. Child Genius is pretty much in that mould, although like the modern reality show it attempts to personalise the various contestants and their parents with back stage interviews and snapshots of their home-life. Here’s little Freddy solving his Rubik’s cube for the umpteenth time whilst other kids are

out spraying tags and loitering around the local shopping mall.

It’s all very cynical and calculating, constructed so that hopefully you form a personal bond with your favourite young brainiac and tune in week after week to learn of their fate. In the episode that I watched the kids were confronted with a series of questions relating to Australian marsupials and were obviously briefed beforehand to swat up on this particular subject. How differentiating between a hairy nosed and a common wombat indicates a degree of super intelligence escapes me completely, but not the producers of Child Genius. No doubt the questions will get more challenging as the series progresses but the whole concept of ‘genius’ being defined by the ability to answer a batch of random quiz questions is total bollocks.

SBS could certainly do with a series highlighting kids with exceptional talents but should definitely ditch the descriptor ‘genius’ - one that is usually applied to people like Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking and Galileo. There are lots of young kids doing remarkable things in Australia, whether it’s caring for the environment, working on their own inventions, becoming politically active at an early age, composing and performing music and looking to actively protect the actual habitat of both hairy nosed and common wombats.

Australia’s original quizmaster, the forward thinking John Dease would probably turn over in his grave if he knew that a tired old format from the 40s was being revived in 2018, upgraded to anoint the winning quiz kid with the title of ‘genius’.

Has anybody got a spare Rubik’s cube – I would like to take a sledgehammer to it!

By Jamie Apps In recent years a trend has been emerging within the music industry, the single album live performance.

During this style of show bands or artists will perform one of their seminal records in its entirety rather than a typical set comprising of a selection of songs from throughout their catalogue. The latest act to bring such a show to Australian shores is the UK’s Bloc Party, with their 2005 record Silent Alarm.

City Hub spoke with Bloc Party’s Russel Lissack about the motivations behind touring in this way.

“It wasn’t my idea but it was something I was certainly open to doing because I’d seen a lot of my favourite bands doing it. So when it was suggested to us I was quite excited but the prospect,” Lissack said. “Silent Alarm has a special place in a lot of people’s hearts so they’re excited to see it and we’re excited

Photo: Rachael Wright

Bloc Party

to be performing it in that way.”

Formulating a tour in this way was also fortuitous for Bloc Party as the band has been rather quiet over the last few years, in part due to lineup changes and also due to individual members having solo projects to work on.

“This felt like a nice way to reintroduce the band almost because we haven’t done a lot recently,” explained Lissack.

This reintroduction will hopefully be

the beginning of a new wave of music and shows form the group according to Lissack, “Writing has always been something we’ve done on tour, so we did a little in Europe during the recent tour and will probably do the same in Australia… it’s still early days so it’s difficult to put a date on anything but hopefully in the not too distant future there will be new material.”

Obviously with a new line-up these shows will be different to the last

time the band was here in Australia, but for Lissack the biggest different between now and the last time they played many of the songs from Silent Alarm live is their on stage presence.

“There is still that nervous energy that you get from performing but everyone is a much more experienced musician and much more confident and comfortable in their roles now.”

Whilst the tour is predominantly shaped around the single record Lissack was quick to reassure fans that they would also be pulling out some of their other major hits from the catalogue. The major draw for the shows though is the opportunity to hear Silent Alarm in full.

“If this was an album that you heard and liked then this is the chance to see it, there are a lot of songs from that record which we haven’t played for 13 years and they probably won’t come out again so this is probably your only chance to hear them.”

Nov 29-30. Hordern Pavilion, 1 Driver Ave, Moore Park. $99.50+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.playbillvenues.com.au

Mumford & Sons Delta Mumford & Sons’ latest offering, Delta, is like a warm embrace from a loved one thanks to its etherial lyrics and gentle melodies.

The record stays true to the groups folk-rock roots whilst also expanding to generate a more grand orchestral sound. The group does this by injecting elements drawn from jazz and pop alongside electronic synth sounds to create a stadium folk-rock sound that could become a Mumford & Sons trademark.

Clocking in at over an hour long this record is certainly a commitment to listen to, which is rewarded with the closer and title track. Aside from this final song though there are very fleeting moments which is stake a claim in the listeners memory banks.

Whilst grand in scope the record is unfortunately rarely breathtaking or memorable. Delta proves to work better as subtle background music rather than as poignant record which will prick your ears up to attention. (JA) WWW

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald

J.K. Rowling’s magical world of wizards, witches and wild, fantastical beasts returns with The Crimes Of Grindelwald. Picking up shortly after the original Fantastic Beasts film the sequel looks to further expand and flesh out the universe by further exploring the rise to power of the

they continue in their attempts to foil Grindelwald.

With this film being a direct sequel to Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them there is a large amount of required knowledge in order to comprehend the often convoluted and multi-arching plot. Even then some viewers may still find themselves bemused due to the sheer number of interwoven major and minor storylines happening simultaneously throughout the film. original dark wizard Grindelwald Sadly in spite of a great ensemble (played brilliantly by Johnny Depp). cast, brilliant CGI and just the Once again the central figure for right amount of Harry Potter which the action orbits around is nostalgia this film would require a Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne). magician of great talent to repair This time around Scamander takes his the shattered mess of elements it hijinks, suitcase of magical animals and serves up. (JA) ramshackle cast of cohorts to Paris as WWW

Widows To describe this simply as a heist movie is to ignore the thoughtful script, complex characters, stylish cinematography and consummate performances.

Steve McQueen directed and cowrote this suspense thriller about four women left widowed after their husbands are killed in a heist gone wrong. Veronica (Viola Davis), whose husband (Liam Neeson) had led the gang, is confronted by crooks who are owed money - big money - and intend to collect. Veronica seeks out the other three women, knowing the crooks will be coming after them too, and convinces them to carry out a heist that had already been planned and detailed in a notebook left by her husband. Adjacent to this story is that of a father and ex-alderman, Tom Mulligan (Robert Duvall) and his strained relationship with his rebellious,

corrupt son, Jack (Colin Farrell) who is currently seeking election. Duvall is superb and the scenes between the father and son are some of the best in the film.

It’s long and arty, with lots of backstory told in flashback. The pace doesn’t really ramp up until the final quarter, but the slow burn towards the climax is tense, controlled and engrossing. (RB) WWW1/2

The Power Of The Documentary: Breaking The Silence A program of 26 thought-provoking documentary films from the past seven decades has been specially curated for this film festival by John Pilger, an Emmy and BAFTA award-winning documentary filmmaker, journalist and author.

Pilger chose the 26 documentary films from more than 100 films and he said that it wasn’t a daunting task to sift through all of them, but it was a privilege to look again at the work of film-makers who he describes as ‘true tellers’.

“The documentary film is uniquely placed to make sense of news that often makes no sense. The best documentaries lift rocks and push back screens and are not afraid to deal with subjects that touch our lives. The 26 documentaries in this festival have been chosen for that reason. Each film breaks down and offers a perspective often denied us and

counters the most common form of censorship: by omission.”

Special guest speakers who will be appearing at this festival include Mark Davis, Damon Gameau, Curtis Levy, Robert Love and Alec Morgan.

Pilger claims that people generally don’t watch enough documentary films. “The reason is television – still our main source of information – prefers the stunts of ‘reality’ films and the specious ‘debates’ between reporters, so-called experts and politicians known as ‘current affairs’.”

Ultimately how will attendees benefit by attending this festival? “People will be given information and a worldview beyond the daily media menu of sound-bites and platitudes. Those who come along will find riches on the screen. I suggest readers go to see them all – they won’t be disappointed.”

(MMo)

HOT PICKS JOHN PILGER’S BURP! PEPSI v COKE IN THE COLD WAR (1984) - the story of the political struggle between Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola.

HARVEST OF SHAME (1960) - Through the extremities migrant farm labourers endured, Correspondent Ed Murrow offers proof of the existence of slavery in modern times.

LOUSY LITTLE SIXPENCE (1983) Alec Morgan’s affective documentary was the first to tell the stories of Australia’s First Peoples Stolen Generations.

Nov 28-Dec 9. Riverside Theatres & Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. $12-$45+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.thepowerofthedocumentary.com.au city hub 22 NOVEMBER 2018

15

If you want a career in nursing, the University of Tasmania’s Sydney Campuses are the place to study.

Our fully accredited fast-tracked Bachelor of Nursing means you’ll be career-ready in just two years – compared to three years at other universities.

Learn in a supportive environment, with state-of-the-art facilities, smaller class sizes and teachers who care about your education and wellbeing.

Get real-world experience through work placements in healthcare facilities – learning from health professionals you’ll one day work beside.

Apply direct at no cost

> utas.edu.au/nursingsyd 16

city hub 22 NOVEMBER 2018