City Hub 24 January 2019

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city hub 24 JANUARY 2019

Rally demands pill testing

Kerryn Phelps MP addressing the rally. Photo: Laura Neill

By Laura Neill The pill-testing debate ignited at Town Hall last Saturday as hundreds of pro-testing campaigners rallied to force the issue on the government’s election agenda, just one week after the recent drug-related fatality of 19-year-old Alex King.

Hundreds of protesters brandishing signs and banners gathered outside Sydney Town Hall to protest the NSW State and Federal governments’ reluctance to take ownership of drug use as a health issue. Organized jointly by Reclaim the Streets, Unharm, Sniff Off, Keep Sydney Open and Students for Sensible Drug Policy, the rally came just one day after the Royal Australasian College of Physicians released an open letter to all state and territory governments reinforcing the evidence of pill-testing and urging all states to establish trials.

“Drug users shouldn’t be treated as criminals, it’s not a criminal issue,” said protester Jesse Powker. “It’s a health or psychological issue. Pill testing is a step in the right direction, it’s fair treatment of drug users.”

Berejiklian “gutless” on pill-testing On the steps of Town Hall, federal Greens party leader Richard Di Natale’s branding of the NSW

Protestors at the rally. Photo: Laura Neill

Premier Gladys Berejiklian as “gutless” was met with cheers. He blamed the six recent drug deaths on politicians who “lack the courage to put down their ideological beliefs and to put in place measures that work”.

“We’ve got the Premier of this state saying ‘I’m happy to test drugs at an autopsy, but not while those people are alive’,” said Di Natale, who is also a GP. “The message you’re sending right now is that if somebody makes a choice to take a drug, they should pay for their choice with their lives. No decent society does that.”

Wentworth MP Kerryn Phelps also made a plea on behalf of medical professionals and parents, stating that the issue needs to be addressed on a national scale.

“The way we have been doing things until now isn’t working,” Phelps said. “Every delay runs the risk of another young person losing their life or ending up with permanent damage or in hospital.

It’s not good enough for Scott Morrison to say this is a state issue. We need a national approach, and we need to see it as a medical emergency.”

Also in the crowd was Tom Raue, Independent Member for Summer Hill and founder of the Sniff Off campaign against the police’s drug dog program.

“We’ve been running the war on drugs for fifty odd years and it’s just making it more dangerous,” Raue said. “Just like you can look at the ingredients of any piece of food that you buy, any alcohol, and tell what you’re putting into your body, we should afford that same choice to young people.”

issue needs to be addressed on a national scale The crowd of hundreds, brandishing signs and chanting, ‘”we want pill testing now” and “Gladys has got to go” made their way down George Street to Hyde Park, closely monitored by a heavy police presence.

The rally finished in Hyde Park where DJ George Orb kept the party going beside the Archibald Fountain for Keep Sydney Open.

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By Laura Neill The urgency surrounding pilltesting rang loud and clear during a clinical demonstration on Tuesday, when NSW Shadow Health Minister Walt Secord was challenged over the Labor Government’s drug policy by Tony Trimingham, whose son Damien died of a heroin overdose in 1997.

“I’m speaking for families who are worried about their kids going to festivals next weekend, and know they’re going to be taking drugs,” said Trimingham, who founded Family Drug Support after his son’s death. “Nobody wants to go through what I went through and what the families I’m speaking to went through. We have to do something.”

The confrontation took place at the Ted Noffs Foundation in Randwick in a media demonstration of pill-testing equipment and process by Dr David Caldicott, Emergency medicine specialist and Pill Testing Australia worker. Caldicott was involved in trials in South Australia in the early 2000s, and in Canberra’s Groovin’ the Moo festival in April last year.

Willing to listen to the evidence Defending himself, Secord admitted he regretted opposing supervised injecting rooms in the

1990s, and said he is “willing to listen to the evidence”.

During the demonstration, Dr Caldicott debunked the “nonsense” myth that drug testing prompts or encourages drug use, the same myth that was linked to heroin injecting rooms.

Although the equipment was present, Caldicott said the emphasis was on the conversation.

“The first thing we say is that if you want to stay safe, you shouldn’t use any drugs,” he said. “We are not giving false reassurance. Everything we say prior to testing is a realistic warning about consuming drugs.”

We get people to think deeply about what they’re trying to achieve The equipment itself, an Infrared Spectrophotometer, uses laser technology to identify the “fingerprint” of a drug’s chemical compounds against a database so accurate that chemists can identify the brand of powdered milk or paint used as filler or dye in ecstasy tablets.

Jess Armstrong from Dancewize NSW described what comes after the test as “peer-counseling”

Protestors at the Ted Noffs Foundation, Randwick. Photo: Laura Neill

about the risks of the drug, including interference caused by factors such as mental health, medications and heat.

“We get people to think deeply about what they’re trying to achieve, and why it is that they think it’s a good idea. We want you to make an informed decision,” said Armstrong.

Shelley Smith from Take Control said that candidates in Canberra were “very receptive” and “the topmost priority in their mind is their health and safety. They took on board everything we said.”

According to Caldicott, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s opinion that pill-testing lacks evidence is based on “inadequate reading”.

“As far back as the early 2000s, as many as two-thirds of people who had their drugs tested did something other than take the whole pill,” said Caldicott, referring to a study

by Austrian drug-testing service “Check It”.

“Once it [pill-testing] becomes more established, we would see repetitions of the figures we saw inSouth Australia in the early 2000s, which was 30-50%.”

The demonstration was organized by the Ted Noffs foundation in conjunction with Pill Testing Australia, Harm Reduction Australia and the Dancewize group. Ms Berejiklian was invited to the demonstration but did not attend. city hub 24 JANUARY 2019

3

Stadium still in the balance

By Wendy Bacon Following the defeat of a Liberal party rescission motion on Monday, Waverley Council has finally been able to push ahead with urgent legal moves against the approval of the demolition of Sydney Football Stadium.

At its third attempt, Waverley Council had a quorum with nine councillors present. The rescission motion was narrowly defeated by five Labor and Green Councillors against four Liberal Councillors.

Waverley Council has now written to the Minister for Planning Anthony Roberts advising him that it has received legal advice that his approval of work on the Sydney Football Stadium was invalid because it failed to consider “design excellence” according to the City of Sydney’s Local Environment Plan (LEP). This was required by the Department of Planning’s own Secretary Environment Assessment guidelines (SEARS).

City Hub contacted the Minister’s office to ask if Minister Roberts had sought advice on whether there was an error. A spokesperson for the Minister, John Macgowan, said that the Minister’s office has read all three advices from senior counsels and had been advised by the DPE internal legal counsel that they were not correct.

He told City Hub that Waverley Council was advised of this before Christmas.

Design excellence criteria ignored Asked why it was not necessary to follow the Secretary of Planning’s requirement to consider “design excellence”, he said that the application and approval “was only about demolition” and that the “concept proposal” for the stadium had only been included at all “as a way of getting greater transparency”.

City Hub’s reporter was surprised by this answer because the Department’s assessment

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report and the Minister’s approval contain a large amount of material relevant to the Concept Design approval as required SEARS. More detail will be required for the Stage 2 application.

Waverley Council is only requesting that the Minister obtain a barrister’s advice refuting its own advice. But the Minister will not comply with that request. Instead, Macgowan said that Roberts is relying only on the Department’s own counsel.

Since the Department’s own lawyers approved the original decision, it’s unlikely that they will now provide counter advice that it was wrong.

Macgowan said that the NSW government was not “prepared to play the issue out in the media” and that it would be “decided before a judge”.

External barristers will only be briefed if the matter goes to court.

Macgowan also said that if Labor Opposition Leader Michael Daley becomes Premier, the current level of transparency would be lost and NSW would return to the days of Part

3A when only the Minister’s signature and no Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was required for the approval of State Significant developments.

While the NSW LNP government has allowed EIS for major developments, as City Hub has often reported, residents and Councils have found these processes to be a farce because political decisions are made behind closed doors and all objections to EIS are simply rejected by the Planning Department.

If Waverley Council’s advice is right, a decision in its favour could reopen the approval process and delay demolition until after the election. If Labor Opposition wins, Leader Michael Daley has said a Labor government would not proceed with the demolition but would refurbish the stadium.

Waverley Council will only take the matter to court with another Council on board. This puts the ball in the court of the City of Sydney and Randwick councils.

city hub 24 JANUARY 2019

The Lord Mayor remains opposed to the wasteful stadium demolition City Hub submitted more questions to the Lord Mayor but her position remains the same: “The Lord Mayor remains opposed to the wasteful stadium demolition. However, even without an injunction, there is still no guarantee that the COS ratepayers would not be exposed to significant financial risk if a court hearing was delayed or took longer than anticipated”.

There is clearly a debatable legal issue at stake that could have implications for future developments as well as the Stadium. It would be unfortunate if an invalid decision were allowed to stand, given that 99% of submissions from Councils and residents so strongly objected to the stadium project.

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Randwick could join action Waverley Mayor John Wakefield told City Hub, “I am arranging meetings/phone calls with the other mayors”.

Randwick Council has five Labor Councillors, three Greens, four Liberals and three independents. On numbers, it would appear possible that if its own lawyers consider Waverley’s senior counsel’s advice is sound, Randwick could join the action.

That leaves the City of Sydney (COS), which is the most significant stakeholder. COS Lord Mayor Clover Moore firmly rejected taking legal action when she was asked by City Hub about its position two weeks ago. But her answer referred to “damages” as well as “costs”, which Mayor Wakefield told Council would not be involved as no injunction is being sought.

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Nightmare on Oxford Street

by John Moyle Oxford Street’s woes continue as it lurches further into the abyss with the lockout laws, many retail vacancies and now parking meters having a detrimental impact on this once vibrant and booming strip.

And this year retailers are saying that the annual Mardi Gras March can no longer be counted upon to boost to business.

In 2015, and again in 2018, the area’s peak business body, the Darlinghurst Business Partnership, conducted an in-depth survey on the impacts of the lockout laws on two hundred businesses and employees. The survey was developed in consultation with the NSW Treasury.

Lockout laws fail traders Three years after 2015, the latest survey painted an even bleaker picture of business and employee confidence as the impact of the lockout laws worsened.

“We did two surveys, one in 2015 and one last year on the effect of the lockout laws on this area and they showed that daytime trade was down about 25 per cent,” Stephan Gyory, president of the Darlinghurst Business Partnership, said.

The survey showed that more than half of the recipients felt uncertain in their current employment and 12 per cent felt very uncertain.

Perceptions regarding the job market were largely unchanged from the 2015 survey, with 90 per cent indicating that job opportunities had decreased.

While the City of Sydney and Destinations NSW are still flagging the area as a gay mecca, 95 per cent of 2018’s respondents indicated that cultural life had declined due to the lockout laws, while just three per cent said that it had improved.

When questioned about public safety, the very

Gras supporter Christine Forster said, “The location of events is a decision for Mardi Gras.”

The march of the meters Five weeks ago, the area received another body blow when, without consultation, the City of Sydney installed two-hour meters with tickets into Goulburn Street off Crown Street, where Stephan Gyory’s business, The Record Store, is located.

“They just came and put them in without any consultation at all and this has been a 15-minute free parking space for the last 20 years,” Gyory said.

Coincidently, the City of Sydney deferred a proposal to install meters between Greens Road and Oatley Street Paddington.

“We will continue to consult the wider community in the coming months,” a City of Sydney spokesperson said. “Ticket parking encourages compliance with parking restrictions and a greater turnover of parking spaces.”

The Record Store’s Stephan Gyory with his favourite parking meter. Photo: John Moyle

issue for which the lockouts were introduced, 26 per cent indicated that it was worse, six per cent said that it had improved and 50 per cent indicated that there was no effect.

The lockouts have also had a devastating effect on business turnover, with 88 per cent of respondents saying that their turnover had decreased.

“You have the evidence that the whole area is under pressure, and the high street faces additional pressure from the internet and the malls,” Gyory said.

And with most Mardi Gras events now located in the inner west, shopkeepers can no longer rely on the lead up to the parade for a big boost to takings.

“It was quite good last year because it was

Public Notice Mobile food vending vehicles local approvals policy The City of Sydney invites your feedback on its updated policy to manage food trucks and vans trading on City-owned roads and other public places.

The ‘mobile food vending vehicles local approvals policy’ outlines the approval process for food trucks and vans. It also details where they can trade and operational requirements.

The updated policy amends the requirement for trucks to use the Sydney Food Trucks app and for their details to be included on the website. The app and website are now available to approved food trucks and vans through a third party.

We will consider all feedback and report the results to Council.

You can view the policy and give your feedback at sydneyyoursay.com.au by 5pm on Friday 8 March 2019.

Printed copies of the amended policy are available for viewing at: • Green Square Customer Service Centre 355 Botany Road, Zetland Monday to Friday: 10am–4.30pm

• Glebe Customer Service Centre 186 Glebe Point Road (cnr Wigram Road), Glebe Monday to Friday: 10am–4.30pm

• Kings Cross Customer Service Centre 50–52 Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross Monday to Friday: 10am–4.30pm Saturday: 9am–midday

You can also send us your feedback by post to Senior Project Manager, Strategic Engagement and Community Relations, Town Hall House, Level 7, 456 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

For more information about the amendment to the policy, please contact Anita Smojver, Public Health Specialist, on 02 9265 9197 or email asmojver@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au For more information call 02 9265 9333 or email council@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au 6

city hub 24 JANUARY 2019

cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au Sydney2030/Green/Global/Connected

• Town Hall Customer Service Centre Level 2, Town Hall House, 456 Kent Street, Sydney Monday to Friday: 8am–6pm

the fortieth anniversary and had a lot of quality events and we did better than normal, but over the last four or five years it has dropped off and I don’t know how good it will be this year,” Ken Holmes, owner of Aussie Boys, said. “Because Sydney accommodation is so expensive we don’t even capture overseas tourists, who now arrive on Thursday and leave on Sunday.”

Aussie Boys has been in its current Oxford Street location since 1993.

“The Mardi Gras has moved out to the inner west with Fair day at Victoria Park, events at Carriageworks, and you have the Seymour Centre and the parade, but the parade is not good for business,” Gyory said.

The City of Sydney councillor and vocal Mardi

It doesn’t look like a gay street anymore with so many vacant shops Since her 2012 election, Councillor Forster has been vocal about the parking meters in the area.

“I’ve had representation from business owners in the area who have received absolutely no notification of the installation of meters in their area,” Cr Forster said. “I also made a submission to the traffic committee in which I voiced the concerns of businesses and residents.”

Ken Holmes defined this part of Oxford Street’s problems when he said, “It doesn’t look like a gay street anymore with so many vacant shops.”

This year, the always quirky pop-up shops along the street in the City of Sydney-owned buildings are missing and their doorways are strewn with rubbish, adding to the gloom.

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Saving the Powerhouse Museum

By Kylie Winkworth Voters will have a stark choice in the March State election after Opposition leader Michael Daley launched Labor’s cultural policy outside the Powerhouse Museum (PHM). The centrepiece of the policy is the promise to save the Powerhouse Museum and build a new $500m cultural institution in Parramatta, following proper consultation. The Riverside Theatre redevelopment at Parramatta will go ahead, and there is a $100m arts and cultural fund for Western Sydney.

Drawing a line of difference with the government, Daley’s speech linked the destructive “move” of the Powerhouse with the $2.2b spendathon on stadiums.

Labor’s cultural policy recognises the importance of cultural and heritage tourism to the NSW economy. Cultural and heritage visitors to NSW spent $13b in 2017, and stayed 83.8m nights, while income from sporting tourism was just $909m over 2.6m visitor nights.

The forgotten 30% Still, the government’s policy is to spend up big on under-used stadiums and demolish one of Sydney’s major museums. If NSW has a tourism minister he hasn’t had any influence in Cabinet when it comes to allocating infrastructure money where it has most impact.

Regional NSW is a big winner in the Labor policy. The regional cultural infrastructure fund will be doubled to $200m; there is $40m for regional conservatoriums; increased funding for public libraries and support for regional

or impact. And far from replacing like for like, the government is planning a museum half the size of the PHM at Parramatta, with smaller and inferior collection facilities at Caste Hill.

Now the voters have a choice.

Labor will save one museum and build another in Parramatta for $500m, so that’s two museums. Or, the government will demolish the PHM and build a museum half the size at Parramatta; a net 0.5 museum at a cost of $1.5b.

The government has criticised Labor’s announcement, forgetting their own broken promise in 2015 to create an arts and cultural precinct at Parramatta on the Old Kings School site. And why wouldn’t $500m build a world-class museum? The Sydney Modern Museum, the approved addition to the Art Gallery of NSW, is costed at $350m, and that’s supposed to be world class.

Mike Daley at the Powerhouse.

Photo: Lawrence Gibbons

touring. This will be a game changer for regional NSW. While Western Sydney has dominated policy debates about cultural funding, the biggest cultural disadvantage is in regional NSW, home to about 30% of the state’s population.

They have truly been the forgotten people in decades of Sydney-centric cultural funding.

Around $545m in Labor’s new cultural initiatives comes from

not relocating the Powerhouse, demonstrating the absurd waste in the misnamed concept of “asset recycling”.

The cost of “moving” the PHM is about $1.5b, partly defrayed by property development - four tower blocks at Ultimo and a 70-storey super tower at Parramatta. Much of the cost is in the wasteful demolition and building of new collection facilities and infrastructure, costs that have no cultural outcomes

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All museums start with conversations and community passion  Labor is doing the Parramatta museum a favour by separating it from Berejiklian’s toxic museum demolition and promising to consult widely on the form of a new Western Sydney cultural institution.

That was the missing first step in the government’s scheme. Perhaps they were worried that open consultation might have risked the community saying they’d like Sydney Modern in Parramatta.

All museums start with conversations and community passion, and that is what has been notably lacking in the Powerhouse to Parramatta plans.

You don’t build a great museum by ministerial fiat, or as a make-work construction scheme at the behest of developers. Instead of consulting the community, the government decided Parramatta would have a museum because that was what was required to “release” the PHM’s Ultimo land for development.

No grassroots support The Powerhouse to Parramatta scheme has never generated grass roots community passion. The local passion at Parramatta is in saving heritage places, especially the campaign to save the Fleet Street heritage precinct from the clutches of UrbanGrowth NSW. Labor has promised to preserve the precinct and support the World Heritage listing of the site. That would really get international visitors to Parramatta.

Labor’s funding commitment for a new Western Sydney cultural institution, with its own board and legislation, is a vote of confidence in the nationally important stories, cultures and creativity in Western Sydney. This can never be second rate. If Labor is elected, the people of Western Sydney will have a cultural institution that gives voice to their stories, and form to their creativity. And they will decide the shape and themes of their new cultural institution, not the government and their developer proxies. That should focus the minds of voters in March.

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Waterloo Metro development under fire

by Allison Hore Waterloo’s proposed Metro Quarter development faces opposition, with Lord Mayor Clover Moore calling on members of the community to make submissions to the state government detailing their concerns about the project.

The Metro Quarter will be constructed above and around the new Waterloo Metro station which is bounded by Botany Road, and Cope, Raglan and Wellington Streets. The precinct will include new housing, restaurants, shops and community facilities.

But Cr Moore told City Hub that she is “extremely concerned about the proposed development of the Waterloo Metro Quarter”.

She says the major impacts that the development would have on the area are an increase in population density, loss of green space and sunlight, and traffic congestion caused by the additional 4,300 parking spaces planned for the area.

Cumulative impacts of proposals A spokesperson for UrbanGrowth NSW says that the project has been planned under strict regulation, and that their plans take these things into account.

“The design of the Metro Quarter has been subject to stringent study requirements and has been overseen by a panel including senior representatives of the NSW Government Architect,” a spokesperson said.

But Cr Moore says UrbanGrowth has not considered how the impact of this development will be compounded by the footprint of other large developments planned for the area.

“The exhibition and assessment of the Waterloo Metro Quarter, in isolation from future plans for the Waterloo Estate, fails to consider the cumulative impacts of both proposals on the local community,” she says.

The Metro Quarter will deliver 700 new homes to the Waterloo area across three residential

Artist’s impression of the Waterloo Metro Quarter. Photo: Supplied

buildings of more than 20 storeys. Some 5 to 10% of the units are supposed to be set aside for affordable housing and 70 for social housing.

UrbanGrowth says that this will improve housing access and affordability in the area. They say the variety of housing available will “meet the housing needs of people with different backgrounds, ages, incomes, abilities and lifestyles”.

Cr Moore would like to see a bigger commitment, especially as the current plans only commit to 10 years of affordable housing.

Redfern community group REDWatch agrees, adding that they believe the NSW Government needs to prioritise affordable housing for Redfern’s Aboriginal community.

“One of the areas that came out strongly during the Waterloo visioning was the need for Aboriginal Affordable Housing to ensure there will be a longterm viable Aboriginal community in Redfern and Waterloo. This is missing totally from the Waterloo Metro proposal,” they said in an email to their supporters.

REDWatch argues that 5% of the total housing should be set aside for Affordable Aboriginal Housing.

Cr Moore says she supports the development of affordable housing for the Aboriginal community in the area. She thinks the NSW Government is putting profit before people with these plans.

“The Waterloo Metro Quarter and Waterloo Estate sit on public land – they must exist for the public good. The NSW Government must therefore commit to greater levels of affordable and social housing – especially in the context of the current housing crisis,” she says.

“As a community, we believe in keeping public lands in the hands of the public – not selling them off to the highest bidder.”

The Waterloo Metro precinct will be a “community heart” that recognises the diversity and heritage of the area, says UrbanGrowth NSW. In their consultation process they found that the community supported the inclusion of cultural spaces, shops, service and open space.

“There was a strong desire to maintain Waterloo’s unique character and celebrate its history and heritage, in particular its significant Aboriginal heritage.”

According to the 2016 census, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 2.1% of Redfern’s population and 3% of Waterloo’s population. In 1968, this percentage was much higher with around 35,000 Indigenous people living in the area. Today there are less than 1,000 Indigenous people in Waterloo and Redfern.

Gentrification driving out locals “In the last 20 years things have changed so much it’s not the same community anymore,” local Wiradjuri woman Lorna Munro told NITV in 2016.

“Massive gentrification is happening in the area, so on one side of the street you’ve got people that are living off $300 a fortnight across the road from private housing and hipsters and swanky coffee shops and pubs.”

Aboriginal Affordable Housing is missing from the Waterloo Metro proposal Critics of the Metro project believe that it will continue the gentrification process that has pushed Aboriginal families from the inner city.

When asked about the impacts this project might have on the local Aboriginal community, the UrbanGrowth NSW spokesperson said that they have been working alongside the community in the design process.

The NSW Government is accepting submissions on the development until 20 January. Members of the public looking for more information can also contact the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.

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Australia’s Indigenous history significantly over the last few years and are, I think, a moment of great solidarity between First Nations peoples and the rest of Australians,” Mr Shoebridge said.

Ms Siewert also believes that the truth of our nation’s history needs to be brought to the forefront.

“Many Australians are either not aware of our history or, like the Prime Minister and Mr Shorten, trying to distract from the uncomfortable truths about our history and their contemporary consequences,” she said.

“By attending an Invasion Day event we are starting to tell the truth about our history and acknowledging the contemporary consequences and intergenerational trauma that we are left with today. This is part of how we can change our nation to one where First Nations peoples have self-determination.”

Australians hold the flag high against Invasion Day. Photo: Rachel Siewert

incarceration rate of our women has gone up tenfold,” he said.

Fellow campaign organiser, Raymond Weatherall, agrees. “Across the board, if you look at it there are different levels to oppression, and Aboriginal people from this country are the ones who feel it the most,” he said.

The Greens Party’s Indigenous Affairs spokeswoman, Rachel Siewert, acknowledges that Australia’s history is one of ongoing dispossession and oppression for First Nations peoples.

“By refusing to participate in a day that marks dispossession and violence, we acknowledge the truth about our shared history and we create a movement for change,” she said.

“That’s why the Greens are urging all Australians to attend Invasion Day protests in their regions.”

Greens MP David Shoebridge said he will not only be attending the Invasion day rally, but will be speaking at and promoting the event.

“The Invasion day rallies have grown

Once you break the yolk of colonialism that’s keeping first nations people oppressed, you’ll break the yolk of colonialism that keeps all peoples oppressed Mr Canning emphasised these contemporary consequences, pointing out that since the Rudd apology in 2008, the stealing of children has gone up a massive 400%, while the rate of deaths in custody is now much higher than it was prior to the Royal Commission.

“Some people just need to stop and

have a think about what is happening to our people,” he said.

Changing the country While Australia Day debates have largely centred on changing the date, Mr Shoebridge suggests that the key campaign at the Invasion Day rally in Sydney isn’t about that at all.

“It’s about changing the country,” he said. “Reversing some appalling forced adoption laws that continue the stolen generation, seeking to release First Nations people from jail and dealing with the effects of intergenerational trauma and dispossession and violence that Aboriginal people in NSW have confronted for over 230 years.”

“Simply running the changing the date campaign won’t make meaningful change to Aboriginal communities, to the grandmothers who have lost their grandkids, to children who’ve seen their parents in jail, to young Aboriginal people in the bush who can’t get drug rehab programs or a family who’s sharing a four-bedroom house with twenty people,” Mr Shoebridge explained. “We should use the invasion day rally, use the call to change the date, to address those more fundamental problems.”

Mr Canning stressed that the potential for healing and liberation goes far beyond Australia’s Indigenous population.

“Once you break the yolk of colonialism that’s keeping first nations people oppressed, you’ll break the yolk of colonialism that keeps all peoples oppressed,” he said.

The MLC School girl is fearless and brave.

She steps out from the crowd.

Congratulations Year 12, 2018, you pushed societal, academic and creative boundaries.

You dared to be more.

2 girls with perfect IB scores equal to ATAR 99.95 6 girls with IB scores equal to ATAR of 99 or above 16 girls with IB scores equal to ATAR of 95 or above 2 girls with HSC marks equal to ATAR of 99.85 4 girls with HSC marks equal to ATAR of 99 or above 99 appearances on the HSC merit list 4 girls interviewed at Oxford or Cambridge Nominations for OnSTAGE, Callback, ENCORE, InTech, ARTEXPRESS 12 Gold Duke of Edinburgh awards

mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au | Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12 city hub 24 JANUARY 2019

Cricos: 02328D

By Sarah McLenaghan Resistance groups are urging Australians to ditch the barbecue and beach party this Australia Day and consider what the holiday means for Australia’s First Nations people.

The Aboriginal campaign group FIRE – Fighting In Resistance Equally – is holding a rally in Sydney’s Hyde Park on January 26 where protestors will meet at 11am and march to Victoria Park.

Rally Organiser Ken Canning said: “I think we need to change that whole dialogue of saying, well, let’s all go out as Aussies and get drunk and have barbecues, if you’ve got all sorts of social ills happening to the First Nations people”.

Colonial attitudes persist Mr Canning believes there is misinformation about Australia Day that needs to be addressed.

“We’re looking at trying to rectify this notion that it was a peaceful settlement,” he said. “On 26 January 1788, whichever way you look at it, there was an invasion, people came here unwelcome. That’s not a reflection on people who live here today but we’re trying to say, well, until we get the facts of history right, we won’t understand each other”.

Some will argue that it’s all in the past, but Mr Canning still sees the colonial attitudes influencing the Australia of today.

“Per head of population, we have the highest deaths in custody rate in the world, per head of population we have the highest incarceration rate in the world, and in the last five years, the

11

FEATURE

By Jamie Apps The debate around the appropriateness of celebrating Australia Day on January 26 will continue to rage until an official change is made.

Until that occurs though Sydney has a plethora of opportunities to celebrate all of the various cultures and communities which make not only our country but our city so wonderful.

City Hub has put together the following round-up of events to help our readers find their ideal way to celebrate right throughout the day, from the early morning until late into the evening.

To kick-off your morning there are a number of options available to you.You could begin the day with a leisurely walk out to the Barangaroo headland to view the sunrise and take in artist Jacob Nash’s large scale outdoor sculpture Always, or you could head out to Parramatta Park to witness Sydney’s large hot-air balloon display.

Always is an art installation based around the statement,‘Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land’ and is both a commemoration of what was taken from the Indigenous community in the past and a celebration of the cultures ability to endure and remain prominent for thousands of generations.

Aerial is the opening event of Parramatta Park’s all-day Australia Day party which includes 15 hours of non-stop entertainment for the whole family.

Throughout the day attendees will be able to take in the hot-air balloon display, a showcase of classic cars, kids activities, music, food amusement rides, and of course an Australia Day citizenship ceremony.

Darling Harbour is also playing host to a family-friendly event, which features none other than kid favourites The Wiggles, this Australia Day. The Children’s Festival at Tumbalong Park has a four-hour lineup of entertainment on stage from the likes of The Wiggles, The Vegetable Plot, The Beanies and Big Science - Fizzics Education.

The kids will also be able to partake in some ‘True Blue Bush Games’ such as thong throwing,

Yabun Festival.

Photo: Danny Dalton

harbour and only a short walk from the Australia Day Live concert at Circular Quay.

The line-up of Aussie artists for the concert includes the soulful Kate Ceberano, the renowned Sydney Symphony Orchestra, rocker Jon Stevens, funk instrumentalist and vocalist Harts, tenor Josh Piterman, a revitalised Yothu Yindi and The Treaty Project, along with hitmakers Ricki-Lee, Anthony Callea, Karise Eden and Conrad Sewell.

Take in the music whilst also being delighted by the sights of a flotilla of yachts, jet skies, flyboarders and more out on the water. Oh and don’t forget the evening ending fireworks display at 9 pm.

So there you have it, a full day of activities to celebrate our fine city and country. Get out there enjoy the day and spread the joy and love between all of your fellow Sydneysiders and Australians.

ALWAYS

Until Jan 27. Barangaroo Reserve. FREE. Info: www.sydneyfestival.org.au

a watermelon eating contest or the ‘chuck a steak on the barbie’ contest.

Speaking of barbecues is there anything more Australian than an Australia Day BBQ lunch?

We at the City Hub certainly don’t believe there is, and those on the North Sydney Council seem to agree as they’re hosting a BBQ By The Bridge.

Located in Bradfield Park at Milsons Point this event will be serving up a range of delicious barbecued cuisines from around the world as Sydney celebrates its multicultural community.

One community, in particular, that is incredibly important to the fabric of Australian culture is our Indigenous community. Since its inception in 2001, the Yabun Festival has become an incredibly important annual tradition held upon the traditional lands of the Gadigal people in Sydney’s Victoria Park.

Yabun (meaning ‘music to a beat’ in Gadigal language) is a free event which features live music, bustling market stalls, panel discussions and

JANUARY HIGHLIGHTS

community forums on Aboriginal issues, children’s activities, and traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural performances.Yabun Festival welcomes everyone to join in this one of a kind event which honours the survival of the world’s oldest living culture.

One final iconic event, before you simply let your hair down in the evening to party, on Sydney’s Australia Day calendar is the annual Ferrython.

Head on down to the waterside and witness the spectacular view of Sydney Harbour as our iconic ferries venture from Circular Quay out to Shark Island and then back to the finish below the Sydney Harbour Bridge. If you want to get a great photo for Instagram to mark Australia Day this this is the event for you!

After a long day in the sun and indulging on barbecued delights you’ll likely want to keep the party rolling into the night. Now luckily if you’ve taken our advice you should be down by the EXHIBITION

AUSTRALIA DAY IN PARRAMATTA - AERIAL

Jan 26. Parramatta Park, Corner Pitt St & Macquarie St, Parramatta.

Info: www.ausdayparramatta.com.au DARLING HARBOUR CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL

Jan 26.Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour.

FREE. Info: www.australiaday.com.au BBQ BY THE BRIDGE

Jan 26. Bradfield Park, Alfred St South, Milsons Point. FREE. Info: www.australiaday.com.au YABUN FESTIVAL

Jan 26.Victoria Park, Parramatta Rd, Broadway.

Info: www.yabun.org.au FERRYTHON

Jan 26. Sydney Harbour. FREE. Info: www.sydneyfestival.org.au AUSTRALIA DAY LIVE

Jan 26. Circular Quay. FREE. Info: www.australiaday.com.au EXHIBITION

JUMAADI:

JANUARY HIGHLIGHTS EXHIBITION

LOOKING HERE LOOKING NORTH

12 JAN - 10 FEB

LAUNCH DAY! TERM 1 ACTIVITIES ON SALE 21 JAN

BRING ME BACK MY BODY AND I WILL RETURN YOUR SOUL

12 JAN - 10 FEB Join us for nibbles and drinks as we launch three big art exhibitions, What a Life! Rock Photography by Tony Mott, Jumaadi and Looking Here Looking North, on one BIG day!

WHAT A LIFE!

SAT 19 JAN 2PM • FREE!

12 JAN - 24 FEB

ROCK PHOTOGRAPHY BY TONY MOTT

Q&A with Tony Mott: Sat 19 Jan 1pm

Drop by for a bite at Bellbird Dining & Bar. Open 7 days a week for full breakfast, lunch, cakes and coffee.

WWW.CASULAPOWERHOUSE.COM OPEN DAILY GALLERY ENTRY IS FREE! 12

city hub 24 JANUARY 2019

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT w

Wendy in Bali 1980. Copyright Wendy Whiteley, The Brett Whiteley studio

Director and writer Kim Carpenter, through his Theatre Of Image, brings his take on the story of Brett Whitely and his wife Wendy to the stage in his new drama Brett & Wendy... A Love Story Bound by Art.

The show takes audiences on a journey through the spaces and periods of time that shaped Whitely’s life. It follows the story of Brett and Wendy’s relationship from when they first met in their teens through their years in New York in the 60s to their eventual separation back in Sydney.

“What I don’t think most people know is the joyous and very naughty childhood that Brett had and it really gave us an indication of what he became,” says Carpenter.“He loved anarchy, he liked disrupting and being a ragamuffin and just generally creating mischief. He had that restless energy.”

Carpenter has always been captivated by the story of Brett and Wendy and had been looking for a way to bring it to stage. He didn’t just want the show to be biographical, but also wanted to capture the energy and aesthetics of Whitely’s art.

Having written and designed a ballet for The Australian Ballet, dance seemed the natural choice for Carpenter in bringing Whitely’s visions to life.

“The pictures themselves come alive through dance and live music.The dancers become the lines, the forms, the shapes of the paintings. I’ve just stepped out of one of the rehearsals now and it’s quite magical,” says Carpenter. (AH) Until Jan 27. Riverside Theatre, Corner of Church & Market Streets, Parramatta. $55-$60+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.riversideparramatta.com.au

REVIEW: La Bohème

Nara Lee as Parpignol.

Photo: Keith Saunders

Gail Edwards’ much-lauded production of La Bohème returns (yet again) to open Opera Australia’s Summer Season, with Hugh Halliday as the revival director.

In this tragic tale of young first love, Joyce El-Khoury plays the consumptive seamstress Mimi, while Ivan Magri sings Rodolfo, her confused and fickle lover.

Rodolfo’s companions in bohemian poverty are the painter Marcello, sung by Samuel Dundas, while Taras Berezhansky and Shane

Lowrencev take on their roles as Colline the philosopher and Schaunard the eccentric musician respectively.

In setting the story in Germany’s Weimar Republic of the 1930s, rather than Paris in the 1830s, Edwards has modernised the production and given set designer Brian Thomson the opportunity to create the interior of a Spiegeltent on stage.

The two-tiered café scene stands out as a show-stopper when the coquettish Musetta,

a&e

flirtatiously sung by Anna Princeva, takes centre stage for her self-admiring song, “When I walk alone in the street/ People stop and stare at me/ And everyone looks at my beauty,/ Looks at me,/ From head to foot...”

On opening night, conductor Benjamin Northey wrung maximum emotion from the score so, by the fateful dénoument, there was not a dry eye in the house.

In the last act, Musetta buys a muff to satisfy Mimi’s dying wish for warm hands, but nobody thinks to throw a woollen shawl over Mimi’s exposed shoulders.

If she weren’t dying of consumption she would die of pneumonia!

NB.You may find different performers and a different conductor on the night you attend. (ID) Until Mar 28. Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $47-$361+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.sydneyoperahouse.com

13 STAGE 14 SCENE 15 Sounds 15 SCREEN

REVIEW: Blanc de Blanc Encore Blanc de Blanc Encore is an intoxicating, vivacious evening of high-class cabaret bubbling with surprises.

There isn’t a dull moment in this thrilling show packed with burlesque, comedy, aerial arts, live singing and lip-syncing – with plenty of eye-candy and audience interaction to boot.

This Strut & Fret production comes from the creators behind the original Blanc de Blanc (2016) and features a captivating international cast of top-shelf performers.

Original host and clown Spencer Novich (USA) pairs well with multi-talented co-host Remi Martin Lenz (Germany).

The high calibre cast also features alumnus of Postmodern Jukebox: singer and dancer Ashley Stroud (USA), Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour: aerial hoop duo Caitlin Tomson-Moylan and Spencer Craig (USA and Canada) and aerial artist Reed Kelly, and The Greatest Showman: contortionist Uugantuya “Ugi” Otgonbayar (Mongolia).

Dancer and burlesque artist Skylar Benton (USA) has performed alongside the likes of Dita Von Teese, and the sole Australian cast member dancer Laura New (Aus) returns to the studio from the original cast of Blanc.

Set and lighting design from Philip Gladwell

Photo: Daniel Boud

Brett & Wendy…

A Love Story Bound by Art

elevates this production into a dazzling, sumptuous affair and the work of choreographer-to-the-stars Kevin Maher is the key to the immersive nature of the show, with performers popping up around the multiple levels of the Studio with wicked speed.

This is the perfect cocktail of ludicrous humour and opulence featuring performers at the height of their craft. It would make a mindblowing intro to the world of the cabaret spectacle for uninitiated friends (but FYI – perhaps don’t bring any recovering alcoholics, this is a show best enjoyed with a champagne flute in hand).

Blanc Encore is unadulterated, shameless entertainment that cannot be oversold and is well worth splurging on. (AM) Until Mar 9.The Studio, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $69-$119+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.sydneyoperahouse.com

Herringbone Written as a play in 1975, then adapted into a musical in 1982, Herringbone is a complex, absorbing work by North American playwright Tom Cone. It is rarely performed, not least because it has 11 characters to be played by one actor. But that’s exactly the kind of challenge that appeals to director/actor Jay James-Moody.

James-Moody is also Artistic Director of the independent theatre company, Squabbalogic, whose stated mission is to produce obscure, offkilter works. Herringbone certainly fits the brief.

“It’s about a young boy who’s sort of struggling with, essentially associative personality disorder.

There’s some question as to whether he is actually possessed by the spirit of another person or whether this is something that he is just manifesting,” explains James-Moody.

The story, set in the American deep south in the 1920s, centres on the young boy, Herringbone (so called because he wears a Herringbone suit) and his family, who hit hard by the Depression decide to take a road trip towards Hollywood. The things that happen on that journey and their impact on Herringbone are retold by various different characters including members of the Southern family, a vaudevillian showman with a British accent, a sinister New Yorker, and a Californian woman.

“A lot of it’s vocal for me,” says James-Moody, explaining how he distinguishes each persona.

“So the different characters should have very

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

distinctive voices, accents, rhythms to their speech.”

This is vital, as in some instances the characters are conversing with each other.

The story that unfolds is one of trauma and psychological damage, yet the script is not all gloom.

“It is very, very funny, I will say that, but it is also very dark. So I’d say it’s hilariously disturbing or darkly comic,” explains James-Moody. (RB) Until Feb 2. Kings Cross Theatre - Kings Cross Hotel, 244-248 William St, Kings Cross. $20-$49+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.squabbalogic.com.au

Contributors: Emily Shen, Irina Dunn, Jade Morellini, Mark Morellini, Mel Somerville, Olga Azar, Rita Bratovich, Sarah Pritchard, Shon Ho, Riley Hooper, Erika Echternach, Joseph Rana, John Moyle, Madison Behringer, Allison Hore, Renee Dallow.

city hub 24 JANUARY 2019

13

The Jungle Book

has been a different process.

Jungle Book involved…well, the storytelling I wanted to do was kind of retrospective so I knew that it had to be told in song,” continuing to say, “there’s a wonderful energy that comes from the type of fantasy story that is The Jungle Book.”

The show itself is set outdoors and is interactive and fast-paced for all of its audience members, adults and children alike. This was one of Glenn’s goals when creating the piece, Photo: Chris Pavlich Photography saying: “we use the fact that Newly adapted and written journey for kids of all ages. we’re outdoors to make for live-performance by Writer and director Glenn contact with people and the acclaimed Australian theatre Elston describes it best by kids can use their energy and maker Glenn Elston comes saying, “it’s really an interactive stand up and be a part of it.”

The Jungle Book - a new take on musical”.

Since opening in Sydney The Rudyard Kipling’s children’s This production of The Jungle Jungle Book has been a raging classic. Performed outdoors Book is not Glenn Elston’s first success, with Glenn saying: “so and boasting original music by adaptation of a classic children’s far the audiences have been Paul Norton, the show is story – he has previously really enjoying it. It’s a lot of sweeping both children and brought both The Wind In The fun!” (MB) adults off their feet. In a highWillows and Alice In Wonderland Until Jan 27. Vaucluse energy and fast-paced to the stage. Regarding his House, 69A Wentworth Road, adaptation of the children’s creative process when Vaucluse. $25-$30+b.f. beloved story, The Jungle Book approaching The Jungle Book, Tickets & Info: promises a memorable musical Glenn said, “each one I’ve done www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au

REVIEW: Turandot

Puccini died before finishing Turandot(it was completed by Franco Alfano), but there is nothing in the music that suggests the great composer was frail or past his best years. It’s a magnificent work, popular with aficionados and casual theatre-goers alike.

The current production by Opera Australia has the right mix of creative virtue, tongue-in-cheek humour, grand spectacle, and rippling emotion to satisfy a range of cultural palates. Graeme Murphy’s joyous sense of artistry is evident in the direction and choreography (still holding up nearly 30 years after he first crafted it). He fills every part of the stage without it ever feeling crowded. His choreographic wit is most clearly expressed in the clever use of large, scroll-like screens used as props for the three ministers, Ping, Pong, and Pang. The props are variously used as swings, sedans, backgrounds, seats, with burly attendants in black bearing the load.

The set is extraordinary. Giant unfurled fans obscure the stage as audience members take their seats. When they close they reveal a large stone face dominating the entire rear wall of the stage. At key points, the stone face slides away like a cave door, revealing the inner sanctum in which the Emperor Altoum and Princess Turandot reside.

Altoum is sung with reverence and a touch of heart-warming frailty by Graeme MacFarlane.

Christopher Hillier as Ping, Virgilio Marino as Pang and John Longmuir as Pong.

Photo: Keith Saunders

Turandot is sung with powerful voice and imposing defiance by Amber Wagner. Mariana Hong, who sings Liu, is utterly heart-rending in a role that often threatens to steal the lead. Calaf, the character who gets to sing one of the most famous arias of all time, Nessun Dorma, is sung with charismatic charm by Andeka Gorrotxategi.

With children’s chorus, impressive stage effects, big oiled muscle men, and a bit of feminist politics in the subtext, there’s something in Turandot for everyone. (RB) Until Mar 30. Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $47-$361+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.sydneyoperahouse.com

THE NAKED CITY With Coffin Ed Successive NSW governments have a questionable record when it comes to wrecking and destroying things like 30-year-old football stadiums, architecturally significant convention centres, iconic Australian museums and a whole range of historic buildings in concert with rapacious developers.

And when demolition does take place it’s often done with an almost indecent haste, as is the case with Allianz Stadium. Whilst total destruction of the stadium has temporarily stalled we do know that many of the seats were palmed off on unsuspecting country footy clubs, despite the fact that they were regarded as flammable. With only three decades of history behind them, it’s unlikely they would ever appeal to collectors unlike similar sporting memorabilia dating back 50 to 100 years. For example, an original wooden seat from the old Yankee Stadium in New York can command over $1,000 (US) on eBay. Nevertheless, you have to think that the stadium does contain some items of historical interest that hopefully will be preserved before the wreckers’ balls start to swing. The old dressing rooms surely must have some stories to tell and what Rugby League fanatic would not want a piece of the wall, complete with a fist hole punched through by an irate front rower. The sweat-stained carpet, complete with the DNA of some of Australia’s sporting greats could surely be cut into 6cm squares and flogged off to fans around the country.

Which leads us to the recent shocking news footage of the State’s so-called ‘Silver Rattler’ carriages being mercilessly trashed, ripped

The Beehive

True crime stories are typically told through the film, television or book medium however the UNSW Galleries are currently playing host to an exhibition which tells a true crime story through art.

The Beehive is an acclaimed video installation created by Zanny Begg and produced by Philippa Bateman in association with the Sydney Festival. The experimental non-linear documentary installation explores the unsolved murder of Sydney anti-development 14

city hub 24 JANUARY 2019

apart like an orange at an anonymous scrap metal facility. Whilst a few of the carriages have been mothballed in case of emergency and one or two preserved as museum pieces, most of the old workhorses have been savagely junked – much to the despair of railway buffs around the country.

Unlike the previous dispersal of superseded railway carriages, where a number were offered for public sale, the Silver Rattlers have gone straight to the crushers. Many railway tragics have since

come forward and stated they would have loved to have given one of the old double-decker carriages a permanent resting place on their country property. Like the old Red Rattlers, the carriages are more than suitable to be repurposed as either quirky accommodation, a hen shed or even an enormous stretch man cave.

Whilst the Red Rattler trains were once the laughing stock of Sydney with their stifling hot carriages and clammy green vinyl seats, a halfcentury later and we love them – especially when they house a BNB in West Wyalong or an outback bar in Whoop Whoop. Put a few of the preserved carriages back on the rails for a day and nostalgic Sydneysiders go crazy, flocking in their sentimental numbers to wallow in un-airconditioned discomfort.

Unfortunately, most of the damage has been done and the next time you see a Silver Rattler it’s likely to be in a museum – although not the Powerhouse at Parramatta where they would barely have enough room to house one. What an opportunity the State Government has missed!

For starters, the homeless are already sleeping on the intercity versions of the Silver Rattlers so a couple of refurbished carriages would have made a great temporary hostel in somewhere like Woolloomooloo – not an ideal situation but better than sleeping on the street as many still do.

And finally, an even more extreme suggestion would have been to donate at least a dozen or more of the carriages to George Miller for the next Mad Max movie. The site of a flotilla of deconstructed Rattlers tearing across the desert outside of Broken Hill would almost guarantee the success of another epic in the franchise.

campaigner and glamorous style icon Juanita Nielsen.

Nielsen was a journalist, style-icon, heiress and activist who campaigned against the violent eviction of tenants on Victoria Street Kings Cross, who were being pushed out to make way for apartment blocks.

A story eerily similar to scenes being witnessed today. Nielsen disappeared on July 4, 1975, after a business appointment at the Carousel Cabaret and more than 40 years later her body is still yet to be found, nor has anybody been charged.

The Beehive is assembled from a reservoir of scripted fictions, documentary interviews and

choreographed sequences. The film is everchanging, as the footage is randomly selected for each screening with 1,344 possible variations, offering different glimpses and interpretations of this infamous true crime.

This is the first time the exhibition has been displayed in Sydney, and it’s just mere blocks from the location Nielsen was last seen alive.

Get down to the UNSW Galleries and come to your own conclusions.

Until Feb 23. UNSW Galleries, Cnr. Oxford St & Greens Rd, Paddington. FREE. Info: www.artdesign.unsw.edu.au/unsw-galleries

By Jamie Apps With the release of their latest record -Anon Canberra’s Hands Like Houses have once again skyrocketed into an entirely new realm of their career. The new record allowed the group, and frontman Trenton Woodley in particular, to finally explore storytelling through songwriting which wasn’t necessarily shackled to their own personal stories.

-Anon also saw the band embarking on a whirlwind tour schedule which took them around Australia, Europe and the United States within the span of just nine weeks.

City Hub sat down with Woodley last week to talk through the emotions of these experiences.

When speaking about the new approach to writing Woodley was obviously incredibly proud of the outcome, and also reenergised by this less introspective style. “[-Anon] was a chance to look outward and draw from the experiences of people around us,” explained Woodley before

adding, “Being able to tell different stories and get out of my own skin was actually a hugely liberating thing.”

This new approach once again allowed Hands Like Houses to experiment and evolve their sound, something which they have done with each and every release.

“We always try to challenge

ourselves with each record and do something that isn’t simply trying to one-up the record before. We want every record to be original and worthwhile in its own right.”

-Anon has seen the group find something with incredible commercial success.The single Monster was used as the theme song for WWE Super Show-Down

Mary, Queen Of Scots

English throne - but don’t get too attached to the historical facts because this film doesn’t.

Knowing the details, however, will help you navigate a complex plot with a lot of characters and twists. In essence, that’s the downfall of the film - it tries to include too much information, at the expense of character development and story.

Saoirse Ronan is a strong, charismatic Mary, who ascends to the throne of Scotland while still in her teens and to the chagrin of the all-male regents who had been temporarily in charge.

Mary also feels entitled by birthright to the English throne, currently occupied by Elizabeth I, played with exceptional depth and nuance - but with much too little screen time - by Margot Margot Robbie as Queen Elizabeth I. Robbie. Had it focused equally on the two Photo: Liam Daniel_Focus Features queens and their rivalry, it would have been a better film. That said, there is still a lot to enjoy: It would help to consult the history books/ incredible scenery, top-notch performances, and websites and get familiar with the story of Mary an engaging plot despite its flaws. (RB)) Stuart and Elizabeth Tudor and the jostle for the WW1/2

individuals chip away at the wall that divides them, release their respective prejudices, and live happily ever after.

A heart-warming tale if you ignore the ‘white redeemer’ inference, some lazy cliches and plot holes. Even as you watch the film, you get the feeling that the less interesting of the two characters’ stories is being told, but when you read about the real Dr Shirley - a bonafide genius - you realise just how regarded classical pianist and diminished he is in the film. academic who needs a driver/ Another missed opportunity assistant to accompany him is with the soundtrack. on tour to the Deep South - a Dr Shirley’s performances very risky undertaking given comprise of classical jazz fusion that Dr Shirley is black and Jim of which we only ever get Crow is law in the southern a few bars but which would states. What ensues is a road have made an extraordinary, trip and a soul journey where cohesive underscore. (RB) WW1/2 two abrasively different

Green Book

This is the true story of Tony “Lip” Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen) as recounted by his son who co-wrote the script.

Vallelonga is a New York night club bouncer and muscle-forhire during the 1960s. He is recruited by Dr Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali), a highly

Bring Me The Horizon - amo

at the MCG and is currently being used to promote FOX8’s DC Universe show offerings.

To be achieving these goals now is something Woodley says they never could have even dreamed about, “if we told ourselves ten years ago we’d be playing some of these shows today we probably wouldn’t have believed ourselves, so it’s definitely a pinch yourself moment.”

Coming off the back of such a successful 2018 Woodley explained that the band is feeling a little pressure ahead of the next tour, particularly with the graduation to larger venues.

“There is a level of nervousness because we are aiming for some big boy rooms. We could have easily played the same venues that we’d previously run and sold them out or added second shows but I think for us it was time to make a statement and prove we can fill these rooms.”

Feb 9. Enmore Theatre, 118-132 Enmore Rd, Newtown. $49.90+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.handslikehouses.net

Bring Me The Horizon are an English rock band which has steadily evolved from a traditional deathcore/ metalcore outfit into a more mainstream-friendly rock outfit.

Their latest record amo continues this progression as it introduces new elements into the music which push them further into the pop-friendly realm. Heavy rock melodies blended with an assortment of new electronic elements gives amo a very unique sound, one which traditionalists may find jarring but for newer fans one which will certainly make Bring Me The Horizon standout from the crowd.

Tracks MANTA and nihilist blues display this new style prominently. MANTA introduces electronic, robotic vocal elements whereas nihilist blues uses EDM inspired bass progressions to inject that electronic aesthetic.

Whilst this record sonically has progressed into a more mainstream world the band still tackles typical metal and hardcore themes. One lyric from wonderful life, in particular, emphasises this.

“I’m on the edge of a knife… nobody cares if I’m dead or alive, oh what a wonderful life.” amo is certainly going to be a divisive record so it’s worth checking out a few songs for yourself before jumping to conclusions. I’d suggest starting with the aforementioned nihilist blues to get a glimpse of the new electronic direction, before then checking out wonderful life to see their harder tracks, and then finally medicine which bridges the gap between the two styles. (JA) WWW

The Front Runner

Back in 1988 when Democratic senator, Gary Hart had to forfeit his lead in the Presidential race due to an extra-marital impropriety, it was big, big news; in today’s hotbed of scandals, it might barely raise a tweet.

That’s part of the problem with The Front Runner - it focuses on telling a story which is no longer compelling at the expense of exploring characters and issues involved. The film itself is well made with great cinematography, a good script and convincing performances.

Hugh Jackman as Gary Hart, however, lacks emotional range and is too incredulously righteous. His wife in the film,

Vera Farmiga, is interesting and empathetic despite the little screen time she’s given.

J.K.Simmons has a commanding presence as campaign manager Bill Dixon. Mamoudou Athie is a young journalist with scruples that are slowly eroded, but he’s not given enough performance space to make this as significant

as it could have been. The short scenes between Molly Ephraim as Irene and Sara Paxton as Donna Rice prove there were more intriguing stories that were sidelined for the sake of a fairly conventional, testosterone-fuelled political/ newsroom drama. (RB) WW1/2

Free Solo

Sheer rock cliff walls are as manifest as mountains, with as much reason to climb: because they’re there.

In the film Free Solo, the titular form of rock climbing done alone without ropes or any equipment is presented as a lunatic yet somehow pure pursuit. It is Alex Honnold’s dream to climb El Capitan, a 3,200-foot, nearly sheer rock face in California’s Yosemite National Park, using only his hands, feet, and strength of body and mind. Not for fame, not for material gain, but as a realisation of what can be achieved

through sometimes brutal determination.

Free Solo is a breathtaking work of cinematography, from scenes of excruciatingly precise hand and footholds to dizzying panoramic views of what Honnold hopes to scale.

The question of why, and if, Honnold wants to continue to be the subject of the documentary hovers throughout, with no simple answers. Free Solo depicts an extreme sport, but it is also an exploration of the elusive motivations behind such strivings. (OA) WWWW city hub 24 JANUARY 2019

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