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city hub 24 OCTOBER 2019

Snippets by ALEC SMART Scents and sensibilities On Monday the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) opened an investigation into whether NSW Police engaged in “serious misconduct” during the allegedly unlawful stripsearch of a 16-year-old girl at a music festival. The public inquiry heard that the girl was stopped after a drug-sniffing dog sat down next to her as she stood in the entrance queue to the 2018 Splendour in the Grass music festival near Byron Bay, on the NSW North Coast. This action indicates to officers that the person has scented positive for carrying illegal substances.

However, on this occasion the dog made a false detection – something surprisingly common. Yet despite her protestations, the girl – who cannot be named for legal reasons – was marched away by a female police officer who then confiscated the girl’s phone and subjected her to a ‘humiliating’ naked personal examination in the corner of a tent without a parent or guardian present - a legal requirement.

“I could not believe this was happening to me; I could not stop crying; I was completely humiliated,” the girl wrote in a statement read out to the inquiry. “I was wearing a panty liner... she asked me to remove it to look at it. She asked me to squat on the ground... I squatted down in front of her and she squatted down and looked underneath me.”

The inquiry learned that 512 personal searches occurred at the July 2018 event, in which Illegal items were found in 125 instances. 143 of those inspections were strip-searches; seven of them performed on children.

A senior constable, identity withheld for legal reasons, who performed 19 strip searches across two days, admitted to the inquiry that strip searches conducted at the festival were unlawful.

Only one suspect was found to have drugs — a valium tablet.

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to support this sport in any way until the industry as a whole looks after their animals in a more humane manner.”

ABC broadcast secret footage taken by animal rights’ activists inside the Meramist abattoir in Caboolture, Queensland, showing staff kicking, beating, electroshocking, and verbally abusing ex-racehorses and harness racers before inexpertly killing them.

The backlash has provoked a concerted campaign for stricter regulations governing retired horses in the racing industry, and increased calls for a boycott or ban of Australia’s biggest horse racing event: next week’s Melbourne Cup.

Horse lovers demand care for retired racers, after ABC TV revealed mass cruelty and slaughter. Photo: Alec Smart

Gladys off the pills Meanwhile, recommendations by Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame to scrap sniffer dogs, overhaul strip searches and introduce pill testing for toxicity at music festivals were dismissed by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian who has proposed stricter safety regulations.

Draft recommendations from a coronial inquest in September into the drug-related deaths of six young people at festivals called for drug-detecting dogs to be scrapped from the events and pill testing to be implemented.

If the NSW Government ignores these recommendations and introduces their proposed new legislations, a collection of music festivals, including Splendour in the Grass, Falls, Laneway, Listen Out, Field Day and Groovin’ the Moo music have threatened to relocate to another state.

The Australian Festival Association released a joint statement on behalf of the festivals, saying “uncertainty and a lack of meaningful consultation” on the proposed safety measures had had a “punitive effect” on the industry.

THAT SNEAKY RABBIT

Live Performance Australia’s chief executive Evelyn Richardson said: “We believe a music industry roundtable where both government and industry work together can support our shared objectives.

Failing that we call on the Parliament to reject the legislation.”

Ms Richardson, who revealed the music festival sector was worth $100 million nationally, with over 50% of revenue generated in NSW, added: “Last year in NSW, more than 400,000 people attended a music festival; that’s 43% of the national figure, and 20,000 more than the year before. It would be a major blow for fans, artists and all those people in communities across NSW who benefit culturally and economically from music festivals if we were to see music festivals forced to leave.”

Spurs of the moment In the wake of last Thursday’s shocking 7.30 Report ABC TV investigation into the cruel treatment and mass-slaughter of race horses for the foreign meat trade, a Melbourne cinema announced a ban on screening Rachel Griffiths’ new film, Ride Like a Girl.

Thornbury Picture House, a cinema in north Melbourne, announced: “This was a really difficult decision to make as we always want to support Australian filmmakers, in particular Australian women directors who make films about strong female protagonists.

“But the image of the brutality received by these incredible creatures after the service they have provided their owners sickened us. We don’t want

Tiger sighters A report released by Tasmania’s Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE) details alleged sightings of the Tasmanian tiger – thylacine – between September 2016-2019, raising hopes that the elusive creature may still exist, hiding in pockets of dense Tasmanian forest.

The document reveals accounts from bushwalkers, cyclists and farmers, ranging from residents to tourists, all claiming to have caught sight of the creature, officially recorded as extinct.

Over the 3-year period DPIPWE received eight reports of thylacines, some with cubs, usually viewed at dusk or dawn in northern and western regions of the state.

The thylacine, one of the largest known carnivorous marsupials, a dog-like predator with a pouch and solid, non-wagging tail like a kangaroo, was driven to extinction after the arrival of Europeans, who paid bounties for its killing to clear pasture for stock farming. The last known thylacine in captivity died in Hobart Zoo in 1933.

Although endemic to Tasmania, the animal became extinct on the Australian mainland centuries before, probably due to the introduction of the dingo with the arrival of Aboriginal peoples.

However, despite the alleged encounters, DPIPWE have no intention of repealing the extinct status of the animal.

“There have been no confirmed sightings of the thylacine in Tasmania for more than 50 years… there is no evidence to confirm the thylacine still exists,” they said in a statement. “The department will continue to record information on reported sightings.”

By Sam Mcnair

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Press freedom in trouble

BY ALLISON HORE On Monday 21 October, the front pages of newspapers across Australia were splashed with black censorship bars - a warning from the media about the country’s eroding press freedoms and tightening laws around whistleblowers.

The move was part of a new campaign

by Australia’s Right to Know (ARTK), an organisation that was formed in 2007 and brings together most major media organisations in Australia. The goal is to engage the Australian public and lobby the government on issues related to media freedom and freedom of information.

Between 2018 and 2019, Australia dropped two places in the World Press Freedom Index and ARTK hope that campaign this will draw public awareness to issues of media freedom in Australia and pressure the government into “into lifting its veil of secrecy”. It comes after a number of high profile cases including the raiding of the ABC offices in Sydney and the home of News Corp journalist Annika Smethurst in June.

Criminalising whistleblowers One of the challenges faced by journalists in Australia, and highlighted by the campaign, are terrorism and national security laws, which make reporting on related issues next-to-impossible.

Over the last 20 years the Australian government has passed more than 60 pieces of secrecy-related legislation, citing “national security” as the reason.

The laws effectively criminalise whistleblowing.

“Australia is at risk of becoming the world’s most secretive democracy,” said David Anderson, Managing Director of the ABC. “We’ve seen the public’s right to know slowly erode over the past two decades, with the introduction of laws that make it more difficult for people to speak up when they see wrongdoing and for journalists to report these stories.

“No one is above the law but something in our

Between 2018 and 2019, Australia dropped two places in the World Press Freedom Index, down to 21

democracy is not working as it should when we fail to protect people acting in the public interest.”

Michael Miller, News Corp Australasia’s Executive Chairman, agrees and thinks that the public should not trust a government that is withholding information.

Australia is at risk of becoming the world’s most secretive democracy

important for Australia to be an “open democracy where the public is kept as informed as possible.”

Only 37% thought that this already described Australia.

The ARTK research reveals the public also stand with whistleblowers. 88% of those surveyed said that people who call out governmental or institutional wrongdoing play “a vital role in society” and 80% said that they don’t think whistleblowers should be treated as criminals, even if in telling the truth they are breaking a law.

“Australians should always be suspicious of governments that want to restrict their right to know what’s going on,” he said.

This month ARTK commissioned a nationallyrepresentative survey of over 1000 Australians about issues relating to media freedom, whistleblowers and government transparency. 87% of those who participated in the survey said they think it is

Not-so-free information Another challenge for journalists in Australia, which the campaign aims to highlight, is the handling of Freedom of Information requests. In 2015 the Sydney Morning Herald made a request under NSW Freedom of Information (FOI) laws for information on how much Destination NSW had spent on events like Vivid and the Sydney Festival.

The request was initially denied, but after more than four years and hundreds of thousands of taxpayers’ dollars spent on legal fees fighting Freedom of Information efforts, documents obtained by the Herald revealed Destination NSW asked for free tickets and corporate hospitality in exchange for state government funding, and had funded failed events.

The four year process it took for the Herald to obtain information from Destination NSW regarding funding for events in Sydney is just one instance of inadequate FOI request handling highlighted in the ARTK campaign.

Hugh Marks, CEO of Nine Entertainment, which own the Herald and other Fairfax mastheads, says that this is something that shouldn’t just concern Australia’s major newsrooms, but rather the whole Australian public.

“This is not just about police raids of journalists’ homes and our nation’s newsrooms,” he explained.

“This is much bigger than the media. It’s about defending the basic right of every Australian to be properly informed about the important decisions the government is making in their name.”

While the most publicised attacks on media freedom have been aimed at large media organisations, the restrictions on media freedom are also pressing for smaller independent publications like City Hub. Public interest journalism and community-related investigative journalism rely on whistleblowers feeling empowered to speak up and an effective FOI process. And, smaller independent publications do not have the same legal resources at hand to defend themselves and their whistleblowers or to push for access to crucial documents that larger organisations do.

ARTK is hopes that the public will engage with the campaign and encourages those who are concerned about media freedom to get in touch with their member of Parliament, join the campaign at yourrighttoknow.com.au or include “#RightToKnow” in social posts..

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Hopes fade for Assange

BY ALEC SMART Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is losing ground in his struggle to avoid extradition to the United States from Britain, where he is currently in detention.

If Assange is extradited to the USA, he faces decades in prison for obtaining and disclosing thousands of secret political and military documents including video evidence of US war crimes – deemed as offences under the US Espionage Act. Among the WikiLeaks’ releases is the infamous “Collateral Murder” film footage from 12 July 2007 showing helicopter gunsight footage of laughing, joking helicopter crews engaged in a “turkey-shoot” of fleeing civilians in Baghdad.

Two US military Apache helicopters conducted three airstrikes during a 39-minute shooting spree, killing eight Iraqi civilians, including two Reuters’ photojournalists, and injuring two young boys.

Also released were details of the May 2009 Granai Airstrike Massacre, in which a US Air Force B1 bomber killed over 140 civilians in Southern Afghanistan, over 90 of which were children, and the Iraq War Logs, revealing that of the estimated 150,000 deaths in Iraq between 2004-9 attributable to the US Military, around 80 per cent were civilians.

Human rights violations Massimo Moratti, Amnesty International’s deputy director for Europe, said: “The British authorities must acknowledge the real risks of serious human rights violations Julian Assange would face if sent to the USA, and reject the extradition request.

“Were Julian Assange to be extradited or subjected to any other transfer to the USA, Britain would be in breach of these obligations.”

The Australian journalist and former founder of Wikileaks – an international non-profit organization that publishes classified documents and anonymous news leaks – appeared in Westminster Magistrates Court in London on 21 October for a case management hearing.

Julian Assange, fighting extradition to the USA for exposing American war crimes.

Graphic: Alec Smart

In May 2019 Assange was jailed for 50 weeks for breaching the Bail Act as a result of going into hiding in the Ecuadorian Embassy in August 2012, where he was granted political asylum by Ecuador’s thenpresident, Raffael Correa.

Assange should be afforded the rights of a citizen whether you like a person or not He was sent to Belmarsh Prison as a “Category A” prisoner, regarded “highly dangerous to the public or national security”. As Assange’s health declined and he was unable to attend another court hearing, WikiLeaks released a statement: “During the seven weeks in Belmarsh his health has continued to deteriorate and he has dramatically lost weight. The

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decision of the prison authorities to move him into the health ward speaks for itself.”

On 9 May, the UN Rapporteur on Torture, Nils Melzer, visited Assange at Belmarsh Prison and declared Assange has been “deliberately exposed, for a period of several years, to progressively severe forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,” which he described as “psychological torture.”

“In 20 years of work with victims of war, violence and political persecution I have never seen a group of democratic States ganging up to deliberately isolate, demonise and abuse a single individual for such a long time and with so little regard for human dignity and the rule of law.”

Assange was due for release on 22 September, but on 13 September, a magistrate ruled that when his prison term ended his status would be re-categorised

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Supporters On 14 October a cross-party collaboration of Australian MPs, including former Deputy Prime Minister and National Party leader Barnaby Joyce, and former Labor Party Foreign Minister Bob Carr, announced their concerns over the joint American and British efforts to punish the 48-year-old Australian.

Joyce said Assange “should be afforded the rights of a citizen. Whether you like a person or not, they should be afforded the proper rights and protections and the process of justice, as determined by an Australian Parliament, not another nation’s parliament.”

In June 2018 the new Ecuadorian president, Lenin Moreno distanced himself from the former president Raffael Correa’s progressive policies. He subsequently realigned his country’s previously estranged relationship with the North American superpower, buying weapons, radars and helicopters and agreeing further military cooperation.

On 11 April 2019, Assange’s six years and nine months’ exile within the Embassy of Ecuador in London ended and he was arrested by Metropolitan Police.

After Assange’s arrest, USA authorities released their indictment against him, revealing he was charged with the relatively minor crime of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion (hacking into a government computer), punishable with a maximum 5-year sentence if convicted.

However, on 23 May, Assange was indicted on 17 new charges relating to the Espionage Act of 1917, which carry a maximum sentence of 170 years in prison if found guilty.

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from a serving prisoner to a person facing extradition.

He would remain in custody pending the outcome of the extradition trial because there were “substantial grounds” to believe he was a ‘flight risk’ and might abscond.

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New ferry faring well Users recommend adding more shuttles and more regular pick-ups, which they believe is likely because feedback so far has been positive.

“It will be so great to head out there [Barangaroo] for drinks,” said dogwalker and student Felicity Dalkie, who lives near the Glebe wharf, calling it a “great idea.”

“Now that the fish markets are being done up too, it comes at a good time.”

Greens MP Jamie Parker, who has been campaigning for the Me-Mel cruiser since 2015, says it will provide much needed environmentally-sustainable city access for the Balmain precinct. But he fears fares will need to be cheaper than competing services to prove popular enough to extend the trial date.

“Over 4,149 people signed my petition calling for this new service, because people here want public transport solutions that actually take cars off our congested roads.

Me-Mel, Sydney’s new on-demand public ferry, docks at Blackwattle Bay Wharf, Glebe. Photo:Transdev

BY VERONICA ANASSIS Glebe commuters will now have direct travel to Barangaroo and back with a new on-demand ferry service launched this month called Me-Mel. A 60-capacity mini-cat will carry people from Blackwattle Bay, with demand-based stopovers to Fish Markets and Pyrmont’s Pirrama Park.

The NSW Government initiative was launched on October 14 to cater to wharves not currently serviced by regular ferries. As part of a series of state-wide On-Demand trials, its continuation will be assessed after six months by Sydney transport operator Transdev.

On-call from 7am, the public ferry is ordered and tracked by app and at self-service kiosks located at the wharves.

“When assessing the On-Demand ferry trial we’ll look at feedback from customers and our own experience as the operator, as well as

looking at how many customers are using the service on a daily basis,” said John McClymont, spokesperson for Transdev.

Water good idea The brand-new shuttle has been welcomed with open arms by the locals due to fast travel times. Louise Moody, who works on Clarence Street in the CBD, told City Hub it shaves time off her daily commute.

“The ferry has been fantastic. The service has been fantastic. I’ve been using it every day so far… We have the light rail [from Glebe], but it’s slow, it has to sort of meander around all the stops. This [ferry] goes straight there. The travel time is 11 minutes.”

Transdev deckhands confirmed the ferry gets to Pyrmont in just under a few minutes, even on weekends, which are its peak times.

Our new Glebe ferry should be permanent, Opal-compatible and service a wider network “If it’s going to work, this service needs to be considerably cheaper than an Uber into Pyrmont,” said Mr Parker. “While this is great news for our community, I believe our new Glebe ferry should be permanent, Opalcompatible and service a wider network.”

Currently a single trip by ferry is $7.60 for adults, with an Uber trip to Barangaroo costing $18, and $14 to Pyrmont.

Ferry popular Spokesperson for Transdev, John McClymont, told City Hub that Me-Mel is off to a “solid start,” attracting over 600 users in its

first week. He said the purpose of the trial is to test demand, but also streamline any hiccups for a potential permanent service.

“We are grateful for the positive passenger feedback, which has provided valuable insights into the app, which is being tweaked to make it easier for customers to book and track their journey times. The wharf kiosk, which is the alternative booking method, is working well…

Transdev Sydney Ferries has already received great feedback from passengers.

“The overarching objective of this trial… is to improve our understanding of how different models could improve a customer’s experience.”

“On-Demand trials allow us to test creative new ways to ensure people can use public transport to travel to their desired destination easily and efficiently at a time that suits them,” said a spokesperson for Transport for NSW. If successful, there are plans for the NSW Government to consider expanding the route to include wharfs in Potts Point and Kings Cross.

Glebe is still considered to be one of the least-accessible areas in inner-western Sydney.

The Inner West Light Rail, which linked Glebe, Lilyfield and Dulwich Hill to Pyrmont and Capitol Square in 2014, transformed the area considerably, but there are many hard-to-reach nooks of the city. For example, to travel by bus to Town Hall, most Transport NSW routes from Glebe and Balmain require two to three bus changes.

With the Barangaroo railway station still under development and not scheduled for completion until 2024, the ferry system provides immediate accessibility to the city.

Me-Mel is available to order between 7am and 10pm on weekdays, and 8.30am and 7.30pm on weekends. Bookings can be made on the Tranzer smartphone app or at the kiosks located at the wharf pontoons.

Opinion

No place to call home

BY ANDREW WOODHOUSE The City of Sydney Council has refused a development application (2019/674) for a boarding house at 170 Victoria Street, Potts Point.

The application was lodged by the developer’s builders.

The planner’s report was scathing. Putting it politely, they noted: “The site has recently been used as a boarding house without development consent … The site is subject to ongoing compliance action … The current application seeks to regularise the use of the building for the purposes of a six-room boarding house.”

In other words, the developer sought to retrospectively gain a back-door DA approval.

The planners didn’t stop there, as the Council noted: “Insufficient information has been submitted to demonstrate that the proposal would receive sufficient solar access … room 4 is too small; only 9.5 square metres … It has not provided sufficient architectural details to demonstrate the alterations will not adversely impact on the heritage significance of the existing terrace … 2 of the 6 rooms should be provided with a private open space … the proposal is therefore not recommended for approval … the proposal has failed to demonstrate design excellence.”

But wait, there’s more And more still: “insufficient information is provided to demonstrate that the design of the associated alterations will complement and improve the … streetscape of the heritage conservation area.”

“It would not be possible to provide fully accessible accommodation without significantly, and irreversibly impacting the fabric of the existing terrace … within a conservation area.”

So the Council threw the book at this DA. “The en-suite and kitchenette provided to room 4 are 6

city hub 24 OCTOBER 2019

also insufficiently sized to meet the requirements of this section … Two communal open spaces … do not achieve the minimum dimensions required or other design requirements.”

And the Council heaped the kitchen sink on the DA as well: “it is considered necessary to demonstrate space for the provision of separate laundry tub(s) to ensure compliance…”.

Wait, there’s more: “the submitted acoustic report has not demonstrated acceptable acoustic amenity … a waste management plan has not been submitted … A heritage impact statement prepared by a suitably qualified person has not been submitted … scaled drawings no smaller than 1:50 [have] not been submitted for the proposed front dormer ... shadow diagrams, or alternative forms of solar access study, have not been submitted.”

This DA should be studied by every student town planner in Planning 101: How NOT to Lodge a DA.

We are coming after you, says Clover Moore Neighbours expect an appeal with amended plans to be lodged.

A July 2019 report by the UNSW Human Rights Clinic, “No Place Like Home: Addressing Exploitation of International Students in Sydney’s Housing Market” discovered boarding house exploitation including bond issues, deceptive conduct by landlords, lack of written contracts, unfair evictions, poor living conditions and discrimination.

Complaints have been made to Sydney Council about 170 Victoria Street continuing to trade illegally despite the DA rejection. An open site inspection occurred last Monday with rooms for lease for $330 per week, confirmed by an agent’s assistant, Helen Jutsen, and their on-line website.

Potts Point: a retrospective development application on a boarding house failed. Photo: Alec Smart

This isn’t the first time Sydney Links Real Estate, acting for the site’s owners, has had run-ins with council. They were in trouble over illegal uses at 27 Roslyn Street, a major NSW Land and Environment Court case, and 16 Kellet Street, and now 194 Victoria Street. In the last instance, a DA is under consideration for a boarding house use but is not yet approved. The agents are already inviting tenants to sign a lease.

Need to target operators Five years ago, the City Hub, in an undercover exposé, highlighted problems in Ultimo. Council sought an injunction and brought in the NSW Police Force.

Councillor Christine Forster told City Hub at the time that action against this practice needed to target operators first and foremost.

And in 2015, Mayor Clover Moore announced the details of an extensive investigation into illegal

accommodation. A special multi-agency team, including former members of Scotland Yard, the Australian military police, NSW police and the Australian Tax Office, compiled information on illegal sites. This resulted in 20 search warrants granted and executed across Sydney in six weeks.

Council also ran a campaign advising students about safe rental choices.

Examples of illegal property use and safety issues found by council included a three-bedroom house with 58 beds and 19 illegally-constructed bedrooms, cockroach infestations, disconnected smoke detectors, bedrooms with no natural lighting or ventilation, collapsed ceilings, landlords threatening to steal tenants’ personal items and refusing bonds.

Clover Moore said “We will also focus our resources on those who take advantage of vulnerable people … we want to send out the strong message: We are coming after you.”

Solar solutions

BY ALEC SMART The Australian Government’s Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy is holding a feasibility study into introducing nuclear power. A public forum inviting submissions and comment closed on September 16. But does Australia, which emits significant climate-warming carbon dioxide (CO2) from its fossil fuel fired power stations, need to transition to nuclear energy? Why not solar?

Nuclear power introduces a range of major problems. These include: the disposal of radioactive waste, which can take thousands of years to break down to ‘safe’ levels; the safeguarding of reactors from terror attacks; risk of technical faults or human error such as that which caused the 1986 Chernobyl ‘meltdown’ in the Ukraine (which spread radioactive contamination across Europe and rendered the neighbouring city of Pripyat an uninhabitable ghost town for centuries); and threats from natural forces, such as the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan that caused the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan (when surging waves swamped the reactors, causing hydrogen explosions and the release of radioactive contamination into the sea and atmosphere).

generation to the cheapest along with wind power. It’s change that some policymakers are still struggling to get their heads around. We now have more than 2 million homes with solar panels nationwide, and there are enough projects in the system for Australia to meet the 2020 large-scale Renewable Energy Target. We don’t need nukes – they would take a minimum of 10-15 years to get up and running and we just don’t have that kind of time on our side.”

Australia’s electricity is derived from 20 coalfired and 152 gas-fired power stations. Around 86% of Australia’s energy is generated from fossil fuels, with 73 percent from coal and 13 percent from gas, the latter divided between natural gas, landfill fermentation, coal seam gases and diesel.

According to the International Energy Agency, coal accounts for 40% of the world’s electricity production. China, USA, Russia, India and Japan have the biggest demand, making up over 75% of worldwide coal consumption. Australia feeds that demand.

Here comes the sun Mark Bretherton of the Clean Energy Council (CEC), the peak body for the renewable energy industry in Australia, which represents over 750 businesses working in rooftop and large-scale solar, wind and hydro energy, and energy storage, told City Hub: “Basically, based on cost, nuclear just doesn’t make any sense. It is one of the most expensive kinds of electricity generation you can build, and all indications are that this is set to continue.

“In contrast, solar power has gone from being one of the most expensive types of energy

About 75% of coal mined in Australia is exported, from the high-quality bituminous black coal to the lower-quality compressed peat lignite (known as brown coal and the most hazardous to health). Around 90% of it is shipped to Japan, China, Korea, India and Taiwan, with the remaining 10% dispatched to other nations.

Nuclear power introduces major problems, from disposal of radioactive waste to safeguarding reactors

Greenhouse gas reductions In order to fulfil Australia’s commitments to the 2016 Paris Agreement, the international accord to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition away from fossil fuels, nuclear industry

Atomic experts examine Fukushima power station after it was damaged by a tsunami.

Photo: Greg Webb/WikimediaCommons

lobbyists are applying pressure to adopt nuclear energy.

While the federal government considers nuclear power, according to an April 2010 NSW Government discussion paper on Planning for Renewable Energy Generation: “Australia has the highest average solar radiation of any continent in the world, and solar power is Australia’s most abundant energy resource.”

NSW alone has excellent solar resources, and yet, across Australia, below 2% of all energy used is sourced from solar power.

On October 4, the CEC presented a submission to the Australian Government’s inquiry into nuclear energy declaring the benefits of renewable energy, its affordability, zero emissions, no waste and high employment opportunities, and called for better management of the transition to renewable energy sources.

CEC stated: “Nuclear power has been analysed

and considered regularly over the past decades in Australia, and the conclusion continues to remain the same: it is too costly…

“CSIRO’s GenCost study 2018 notes that the small modular reactors being considered as part of your inquiry are substantially more expensive than almost every other form of electricity generation technology, with current costs in excess of $250/MW/hr, and with no expectation of cost reductions in the coming decades.

By comparison, the prices of wind and solar energy are in the region of $50/MWh, and recent power purchase deals show that firmed wind and solar costs are now below $70/ MWh, and are expected to continue to fall with continuing improvements in technology costs and construction efficiencies.”

The Australian Government’s report on its feasibility study of nuclear power is expected to be finalised by the end of 2019.

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city hub 24 OCTOBER 2019

7

FEATURE

Just For Laughs 2019 For Laughs Australia: Live will run across three nights, filmed live for The Comedy Channel.

Hosted by Australia’s favourite comedian Nick Cody, two live shows will be filmed each night from October 31 through to November 2 from the Studio at Sydney Opera House.

“I do two shows a night: Thursday, Friday, Saturday. I do my stand-up act at the top and then introduce the acts for each night. I’m the voice of the night!

I’m so excited for it,” said Cody.

With his comedy career booming and a new-born baby, Cody is packing as much comedy and family time into life as he can. As Australia’s new favourite comedian, Cody was the stand-out choice to host this year’s Just For Laughs: Live.

“Each of the TV shows will be separate chunks, just

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because that’s how people are watching them. I’ll do six very different skits,” said Cody. “I’m approaching it like it’s a standard stand-up show. There’ll be cameras there but I don’t really mind.

I’ll be honest, ever since I was there when my wife gave birth, and I caught my son, nothing else really bothers me at all. I couldn’t give a shit!”

Just For Laughs: Live will be aired from 7:15 pm (AEST) on The Comedy Channel on each of the three nights featuring comedians such as Cam Knight, Luke Heggie, Geraldine Hickey, Demi Lardner, Tom Ballard and more.

Returning to her home town of Sydney from her life in the UK, Australia’s best-selling author and comedian Kathy Lette will be taking over the Seymour Centre on November 1 for her stand-up show Girl’s Night Out. Bestselling author of Puberty Blues, Kathy is Nick Cody Photo: Supplied bringing her

psychological striptease to her Sydney audience.

“It’s going to be really lovely, I’m looking forward to it. It’s really a big girl’s night out.You do know that when you go for a girl’s night out you have to be hospitalised from hilarity, don’t you? It’s a great male myth that women aren’t funny,” joked Lette.

Although her audiences are mainly made up of women, Lette always encourages men to come along and take a look at what women chat about when they’re together.

“If I was a man I would definitely go where the women are… to hear what women are talking about when they’re not around. At my shows I always have a male sacrifice though, I get one man to come up on stage and cover him in whipped cream and lick it slowly off. Well, not really!”

Girl’s Night Out is the perfect opportunity to grab a friend, your sister or your mum and head out for a hilarious night of comedy.

“I think if I had to narrow down my one goal as a writer it’s putting into words what women are actually thinking but not necessarily saying out loud. And that’s what my readers find liberating and comedically comforting,” said Lette.

Ready to bring Girl’s Night Out to her home town, Lette said: “It will be so great to bring this show to Sydney because I always say that Sydney women are the best-kept secret. They’re so fun and feisty and fabulous so it’s going to be really lovely.”

“I am back in Australia a lot…I straddle hemispheres, really. I do a lot of straddling. If you’re in Bangkok, don’t look up!”

Oct 28-Nov 3.

Various Venues & Prices.

Tickets & Info: www.justforlaughs.sydney

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By Madison Behringer Returning to Sydney for its ninth year in a row, annual comedy festival Just For Laughs will kick off on October 28. Held at the Sydney Opera House and other various venues around Sydney, the festival features a live TV show, Just For Laughs Australia: Live hosted by comedian Nick Cody, an All-Star Gala hosted by Dave Hughes as well as a huge line-up of Australian and international comedians.

Acclaimed comedians Steve Martin and Martin Short will be bringing their critically acclaimed comedy tour Now You See Them, Soon You Won’t to the First State Super Theatre on November 17 as part of Just For Laughs. Their celebrated comedy show redefines comedy as we know it and the iconic pair will be joined on stage by Grammy Award-winning bluegrass band The Steep Canyon Rangers.

British Comedy Award winner Nina Conti will be taking over the Sydney Opera House from October 28 for three huge nights of her stunning ventriloquism. In a spectacular feat of comedic prowess, Nina will be improvising every minute of her three shows, no doubt bringing to the stage audience members and taking over their vocal cords. Nina has performed Live at the Apollo, Sunday Night at the Palladium and has made her own BAFTAnominated film – all featuring her breathtaking ventriloquism.

The Just For Laughs All-Star Gala will be hosted

by Dave Hughes on Saturday, November 2 and is an annual sell-out. Previously featuring guests such as John Cleese, Eddie Izzard, Danny Bhoy and Martin Short, the Gala has become the festival’s crown jewel event. Held in the Opera House’s Concert Hall, the All-Star Gala is set to sell-out fast.

Returning for its seventh season this year, Just

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

You won’t want to miss the Australian premiere of Anchuli Felicia King’s play, White Pearl, presented by National Theatre Of Parramatta and Sydney Theatre Company at Riverside Theatres.

Felicia’s play puts a razor-sharp focus on corporate culture, racism and pan-Asian relations.

She said, “Around the time I started writing this play in 2016, a bunch of ads for skin whitening products went viral for being racially insensitive. Having seen these kinds of ads growing up in Thailand and the Philippines, I found it really fascinating that suddenly they were being held to account by a global community, and to an online discourse around racial politics. So I wrote a play about it!”

She was excited that the world premiere of White Pearl was held at the Royal Court Theatre in London.

“It was in equal parts thrilling and nervewracking! It’s been so exciting to get to do this play around the world and see how it resonates with different audiences,” she said.

“I’m trying to make people laugh, while simultaneously reflecting on why they’re laughing.”

Although the play is set in Singapore, “White Pearl really is a global play,” she said, “exploding the idea of monocultures (particularly the notion that “Asia” is a monoculture) and taking a look at the fractious, digitised, interconnected world we live in today.”

She has always been fascinated by “the dark underbelly of humanity; the grimy, grotesque side of human behaviour. That’s why I love satire and black comedy. It’s uncomfortably funny because it’s tapping into something true, something primal.” (ID) Until Nov 9. Riverside Theatres, Corner Market & Church St, Parramatta. $30-$49+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.riversideparramatta.com.au

a&e

Dylan Moran - Dr. Cosmos Perhaps best known for his roles in Black Books and Shaun Of The Dead, Irish comedian Dylan Moran is set to bring his acclaimed stand-up show, Dr Cosmos, to Sydney from this coming Tuesday.

When asked about the inspirations behind Dr Cosmos, Moran told City Hub, “We live in an age of quick-fix merchants or snake oil salesman. So it’s based on that idea of yet another guy trying to solve the world’s problems.” Thanks to his famed deadpan, witty, crackpot style of delivery and unique interpretations of the world this show promises to take fans on an unmissable journey.

According to Moran one of his major goals with his comedy is to make people think.

“Come along, you’ll have a laugh or maybe it will make you think. I believe thinking and laughing go together so it’s good fun for me.”

The upcoming show at the Opera House will be just the third show in an epic twomonth-long tour which will see Moran playing right across the country. Although this is a long tour Moran said he is well prepared, “I’ve been on the road for a little while now, so I’m pretty roadworthy.”

With such a long tour Moran also explained that he expects the show to be vastly different on opening night and closing night.

“The show is changing all the time, which actually gives it a second life on the road as it becomes another show really. Australia will give [the show] it’s own feel… I sort of establish an Australian branch.”

Finally, for those die-hard fans of Black

Art Attack These days, a rich and powerful man who insisted on sleeping with an employee before her wedding night would be facing a #metoo barrage on twitter at the very least. In Mozart’s time, the premise is merely the beginning of four acts of operatic foolishness, and the count in question has to deal with the determined cleverness of Figaro, who defends his wife’s honour at all costs, turning the count’s household upside down in the process.

It’s all set, of course, to a sparkling selection of Mozart’s most memorable compositions.

The production of The Marriage Of Figaro, at the Sydney Opera House, boasts splendid sets and a star turn by young soprano Stacey Alleaume, in the role of Figaro’s wife Susanna.

Also: Don’t miss Anna Dowsley in the (male) role of Cherubino and the spectacular way Jane Ede, as the countess, navigates that role’s famously difficult songs.

Until Nov 2. Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $47-$327+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.sydneyoperahouse.com

Photo: Andy Hollingworth

White Pearl

Books sadly Moran squashed all hopes when asked if we could see a return in the near future, “No, no, no. I’m writing something else for BBC, which should be out next year with all things going well.” (JA) Oct 29-31. Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $91.70+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.sydneyoperahouse.com

One of the standout performers on the rolls of the Just For Laugh’s Sydney Comedy Fest is Indian stand-up Atul Khatri. He’ll be at the Comedy Store Nov 1. Khatri was a Mumbai businessman when he got the itch to change his life around.

Comedy success —and YouTube stardom— can occur after 50, he found out.

He has since performed around the world, from Hong Kong to Dubai to San Francisco.

His subjects? Indian culture, Bollywood and racism, and international current events, among other things.

Nov 1.The Comedy Story, Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park. $46.40+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.abpresents.com.au

Momentum Running for an almost three week season this November, Urban Theatre Projects are bringing their newest and most radical program yet to Barangaroo’s Blak Box. Momentum will open on Nov 1, an innovative sound work drawing its inspiration from David Bowie’s 1983 music video Let’s Dance. The installation will include work from a range of First Nations artists including Eric Avery, Troy Russell, Ursula Yovich and upcoming writer Joel Davison.

Curated by Daniel Browning (Bundjalung/Kullilli/South Sea Islander), Momentum seeks to reflect on the impact of David Bowie’s film clip, and why it took an outsider such as Bowie to bring to light issues such as dispossession, racism and domestic slavery within Australia’s Indigenous community at the time.

“The way he cast a number of

19 10 11 11

STAGE SCENE Sounds SCREEN

Photo: Joshua Morris

non-actors, the cast of Aboriginal people, they’re the stars of this film clip and that always interested me, the kind of idea of the centrality of Aboriginal characters in a story…I don’t think we’d ever seen that,” said Daniel. “For it to come from someone like David Bowie was pretty extraordinary.”

In the process of creating Momentum, Daniel kept coming back to the Let’s Dance music video and reflecting on whether a four-minute video can really make an impact. He poses the question: have we lost momentum?

“I was always curious about the story behind the film clip and the kind of things he eluded to in the video…they were fascinating,” said Daniel.

“In many ways it’s just a film clip, and it depends on the level of your engagement with it. Some people, like me, are drawn to the power of

each image, but I’m also conscious that for some people it means nothing. This work is really speculative.” (MB)

Arts Editor: Jamie Apps For more A&E stories go to cityhubsydney.com.au and don’t forget to join the conversation on Twitter at @AltMediaSydney

Nov 1-17, Stargazers Lawn, Barangaroo Reserve. $15$25+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.urbantheatre.com.au

Contributors: Irina Dunn, Mark Morellini, Rita Bratovich, Madison Behringer, Allison Hore, Renee Lou Dallow, Alannah Maher.

city hub 24 OCTOBER 2019

9

Baby Doll

THE NAKED CITY

SYDNEY’S MUSIC CENTRAL

Kate Cheel.

Photo: Christian Trinder

First adapted from a much longer play by Tennessee Williams originally titled 27 Wagons Full Of Cotton, the play became a film Baby Doll, directed by Elia Kazan, starring Carroll Baker, Eli Wallach and Karl Malden.

Tough shoes to fill for any director. Filled with sexual innuendo and a somewhat unsavoury relationship between a child bride, Baby Doll and, her much older husband, Archi Lee, the play explores questions on morality on many levels.

When a third character, a rival cotton mill owner, Silva Vacarro, is smitten by Baby Doll the plot becomes even more scandalous. Sex scenes are never shown but are implied as the psychological games of cat and mouse between the three main players begin.

The film, which debuted in 1956, was a scandal and was banned in many countries having offended the Catholic church due to its erotic nature.

Director Shaun Rennie is directing a new adaptation this time by Pierre Laville

and Emily Mann. Being a sought after director, having won a Best Director Of The Year award for the musical Rent in 2016 and, being nominated for Wicked which he has also directed, Shaun is well used to working with productions that explore the dark side.

Rennie sees the play as, “a long seduction seeking revenge which ends in awakening and emancipation.”

In reference to the ‘Me Too’ movement, he asks how lasting the changes made are going to be? Rennie wants the audience to ask the same.

According to Rennie,“The Ensemble is the perfect theatre for this production because it is intimate and voyeuristic allowing the audience to be so close that they too feel emancipated.”

The strong cast includes Kate Cheel, Maggie Dence, Socrates Otto and Jamie Oxenbould. (RLD) Until Nov 16. Ensemble Theatre, 78 McDougall St, Kirribilli. $38-$78+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.ensemble.com.au

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With Coffin Ed In a city where live music has taken a real beating over the past decade or so, one suburb is defying the trend with a string of venues far outnumbering what other precincts have to offer. Whereas areas such as the Sydney CBD and Kings Cross once boasted numerous live music venues, it’s Marrickville that now has all the bragging rights.

The Factory, the Camelot Lounge, Lazybones, Gasoline Pony, the Red Rattler, the Bowlo and the Golf Club have established Marrickville as Sydney’s ‘music central’, and perhaps provide a formula that could well be duplicated elsewhere.

Larger venues such as The Factory and the Camelot Lounge have been able to take advantage of Marrickville’s relatively cheaper real estate and a semi-industrial setting, mostly free of the noise complaints that plague live music in nearby suburbs.The smaller venues also enjoy cheaper rentals and a sympathetic local council that is not overly obsessed with enforcing petty compliance. Many of the venues are owned and operated by genuine music lovers as opposed to corporate pub chains or colourful Kings Cross identities.That goes a long way to cultivating a creative and enduring music scene, as opposed to an entertainment policy totally governed by bar sales.

There’s also a great sense of community within the suburb’s diverse population, one that is amply represented by the Marrickville Bowlo and the lesser-known Marrickville Golf Club. The latter is somewhat of a well-kept secret, many people don’t even realise Marrickville has a golf course, but it’s home to a unique Sunday afternoon residency.

On Sunday, November 3, The Swinging Blades will clock up an incredible 10 years of Sunday arvo gigs at the Golf Club, no mean achievement in a city where a oneyear residency is often regarded as a milestone. So how did it all begin? Not surprisingly with a game of golf as the band’s drummer, Evan Mannell explained.

“We were playing a bit of golf down there and the manager of the club spoke to us asking why we didn’t have jobs and how we had time to play golf in the middle of the week.When he found out we were musicians he said that he was keen to trial some music on a Sunday, to try and bring a bit of life to the clubhouse after the Sunday competition wrapped up.We were using vintage golf sticks and buggies and were kind of into that old-school golf aesthetic. Older style forged golf clubs are called “blades” due to their shape and we wanted to take our repertoire from the classic songbook of swinging standards, so the Swinging Blades was born.”

Over the last 10 years the band, which

Casula Powerhouse 25th Anniversary Regarded as perhaps Sydney’s most remarkable and interesting art centres, the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre (CPAC) is in the midst of celebrating the 25 year anniversary of doors opening for the first time.

As part of these celebrations, the venue at the heart of Western Sydney’s cutting edge arts and culture will be unveiling a series of four new exhibitions under the One Past Liverpool banner. One Past Liverpool will run from Sep 28 until Nov 10 and tap into CPAC’s history to shape its future. The kaleidoscopic mix of artworks from exciting up-and-coming artists will feature alongside an unmissable retrospective of CPAC’s storied past.

“We officially turn 25 years young this October! Come along and get festive with us, with this wonderful exhibition ushering in the new guard of fresh artistic blood, brimming

includes some of Sydney’s best-known jazz musicians, has built a solid following amongst both golfers and locals.They have also attracted a remarkable list of special guests including Emma Pask, Darren Percival, Dale Barlow, Brad Child, John Pochee and Dan Barnett.Vocalist Jane Irving was part of the original combo but relocated to NYC after a few years so they now feature singers such as Lily Dior,Tina Harrod, Elana Stone,Virna Sanzone and Pat Powell, to name just a few.

The longevity of the Blades’ Sunday gig recalls another epic music residency when Jackie Orszaczky held court at the Erskineville Hotel every Tuesday night, attracting numerous guest artists and providing inspiration for up and coming musicians. Evan points out how important it is for bands to play together regularly, not only for the benefit of the musicians themselves but to encourage a whole social experience around them.

“We really sound like a band, a certain stylistic thing that clicks when the original members get together.You only get that from playing together for a long time.We get the chance to build relationships and foster a really good thing in and around the club.”

The Swinging Blades celebrate 10 years at the Marrickville Golf Club (Wharf St Marrickville) on Sunday, Nov 3 from 3.30 pm. It’s free entry, child friendly and with swing dancing. www.marrickvillegolf.com.au

Art Attack

with fantastic new ideas as they light the way forward,” said CPAC Director, Craig Donarski.

To kick-start the celebrations CPAC will host a special anniversary event this Saturday, from 2 pm. During the afternoon surprise guests will give “toasts” which do exactly what CPAC has always done: experiment, push boundaries and bring you the unexpected.

Casula Powerhouse, 1 Powerhouse Rd, Casula. FREE. Info: www.casulapowerhouse.com

Sydney’s Boundless Festival is back. In 2017, the fest brought together a wide variety of the nation’s indigenous and culturally diverse writers This year, the daylong fest includes interviews, performances and staged readings. On the bill: Alice Pung, Benjamin Law, Jack Latimore, Nardi Simpson, Sarah Ayoub, Stephen Pham, Winnie Dunn, and the group known as Sweatshop, who will present the first staged reading of its newest project, Sex Drugs and Pork Rolls, a performance piece set on the day Donald Trump was elected.

Oct 26. Bankstown Arts Centre, 5 Olympic Parade, Bankstown. FREE. Info: www.boundlessfestival.org.au

By Jamie Apps After 25 years of consistent touring together, earning every accolade and playing every major Australian festival possible Grinspoon has more than earned the right to be known as legends in the Australian rock and roll scene. Earlier this month the group kicked off their Chemical Hearts tour, which is a career retrospective cum celebration.

Before the tour arrives in Sydney next month guitarist Pat Davern sat down with City Hub to speak about the journey so far and the future of Grinspoon.

When asked how it felt to be a legend of Aussie rock Davern was incredibly modest.

“As I always tell people, 25 years of being in a band and still being able to tour, have people coming to our shows and be relevant, even if that’s in a nostalgic way, is humbling and we’re obviously eternally grateful and stoked.”

Reflecting on their 25 years together Davern explained that the group has certainly evolved and matured along the way, particularly in regards to their attitude towards live performance.

“Grinspoon used to be a two out of three band, meaning you’d come to three shows and two of them would be good but one might be a train wreck. That was a lot do with the fact that we might have been inebriated a lot more earlier in our career simply because we thought that was the ‘rock and roll way’. These days though we try to put on a good show and take our job very seriously because people are paying their hardearned money to come to see us. So hopefully now we’re a 10 out of 10 band.”

Art Attack

Singer-songwriter Tyne-James Organ celebrates the release of his debut EP, Persevere, at the Oxford Art Factory Friday night. Organ grew up in Wollongong and in the last few years went to Melbourne to turbocharge his musical career.

His new single is called Something New; joins Watch You Go (a tribute to his father) and Graceful on the new EP. ““Tyne-James has always had a connection with his crowd and a heavy

“There shouldn’t be any maturity in rock and roll!

We’re a nostalgia act now so we’re allowed to be a bit more civilised. I think if I was 18 and starting out in a band I would probably still want to do whatever it takes to have a good time.”

For Davern, the secret to the band’s longevity rests on two key elements. Firstly, their friendship has been at the core of everything.

“We have a democratic process that we live by when it comes to things dealing with the band but we’re also all good friends and can’t imagine ever being in the band without one another.”

The second element being a unified sense of perseverance and drive to succeed.

“Perseverance is obviously something which is key in the music industry. There’s talent everywhere but it’s perseverance that brings success. So if you’re going to be in a rock band like us you have to surround yourself with people that you know are willing to persevere with you.”

This drive and perseverance has culminated with the band’s current tour/record Chemical Hearts, which Davern described as a ‘Best Of ’ compilation.

“It’s definitely not the end of Grinspoon. You never know, there may even be a new song at the show,” Davern quickly added to dispel any fears that a ‘Best Of ’ could be signalling the end of Grinspoon. “We won’t ever be doing this type of With that in mind though Davern also explained tour again though, that’s for sure.” that Grinspoon likely wouldn’t change their Nov 2. Hordern Pavilion, approach if they could do it all over again.

1 Driver Ave, Moore Park. $71.30+b.f.

“No, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” Tickets & Info: Davern said with a hearty laugh before continuing, www.playbillvenues.com.au

sense of emotion that easily draws people in,” says the AU Review.

What motivates Organ these day? One word: Maturity: “The older I’m getting now there’s a sense of everything broadening and it’s coming with maturity. When I’m sitting down with mates and chatting, no-one’s talking shit or small talk, we’re talking about real issues in the world.”

Oct 25. Oxford Arts Factory, 38-46 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. $28.99+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.oxfordartfactory.com

Back in the day, the Harbourside Brasserie was the heppest of live jazz venues. Now the original site of the venue is back in action, courtesy of the Walsh Bay Arts & Commerce group.

They’re offering free jazz from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. outside the Pier One Harbour Hotel, which is at the northernmost point of the Rocks.

On the bill: Jazz singer Emma Pask headlines, with Queen Porter Stomp and Samba Mundi in the mix as well.

Oct 27. Pier One, Walsh Bay, 11 Hickson Rd, Sydney. FREE.

Obscura Hail Zero

Melbourne’s Obscura Hail is set to release its latest EP Zero tomorrow.

Although the EP consists of only five songs, each piece experiments with more diverse instrumentation and is strong enough to stand on its own.

Obscura Hail’s latest work deals with the heavy themes of memory loss and death while showcasing the band’s strong classical guitar skills and tightly layered vocal harmonies.

Specifically, Psychic Cemetery and Swear Jar are the can’t miss songs from the group’s new collection.

For the full sensory experience, Obscura Hail’s live show is a must-see for fans, as the show incorporates stunningly beautiful projections, atmospheric loops and live as well as electronic percussion performed by a three-piece. (RLD) WWWW

The amazing singer Katie Noonan brings a spectacular new show to the Sydney Opera House Oct 28, the start of a national tour for her new work, The Glad Tomorrow.

The show, of the same name, is based on the poetry of Nations icon Oodgeroo. Noonan has commissioned ten contemporary Australian composers to create a song cycle based on Oodgeroo’s poetry.

Oct 28. Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $49-$109+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.sydneyoperahouse.com

Jewish International Film Fest

Art Attack

The Jewish International Film biggest challenge in making this Festival nearly reaches its documentary was to have the 30th-anniversary milestone and holocaust in there but not make will be presenting a program it a holocaust film and still have of 60 arresting films from 23 an uplifting and humorous film countries which include absorbing despite the holocaust.” (MMo) documentaries, hilarious comedies, **Q&A with Eve Ash follows the Man On The Bus and dramatic offerings. screening on Monday, October 28 A documentary 10 years in the at Ritz Randwick ** making by Australian filmmaker if it was possible, Ash paused Eve Ash called Man On The Bus is momentarily, “Did you want to tell HOT PICKS one of the highlights at the festival me? Not why didn’t you tell me and should arouse much interest. as that’s a very punishing question, GOLDA (ISRAEL After her mother’s passing Ash but did you have the urge to?”

DOCUMENTARY) - An intimate was sifting through old family films Ash explained that making this interview with never before seen and saw a strange man who she documentary was an extremely footage of the legendary Prime eventually discovered was her emotional project for her as she Minister Golda, the first and only father. Her mother was happily basically had to rewrite her own woman to ever rule Israel. married but lived parallel lives history but ultimately it was also a AVENGING EVIL (UK being in a 15-year relationship therapeutic experience.

DOCUMENTARY) – Centres with a man she met on a bus.

“This documentary sends out a on the Holocaust victim’s secret It was quite ironic that this survival message - to have the organisation which was formed to woman who told her daughter desire to live and as we only live avenge the Nazis for the atrocities ‘never to write about things which once we should choose how we committed against them. you don’t want people to read’ want to live.”

MY NAME IS SARA (US filmed her lover in her home Audiences will be moved, shed DRAMA) – True story of a movie footage. a tear or two, smile, laugh brave 13-year-old Polish Jew who When asked which one question and ultimately be inspired desperately steals her friend’s she would ask her mother now by this incredible story. “My identity for survival.

Until Nov 21. Various Cinemas. $18.50-$180+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.jiff.com.au

For the discerning cinema aficionado the Palestinian Film Festival kicks off today!

This film festivals returns for it’s 10th year with a program of award-winning features, ground-breaking documentaries and thought-provoking shorts.

This year’s program focuses on the profound connection between people and place,” said Festival Director Naser Shakhtour.

“From life in Gaza beyond the rubble to a former political prisoner’s battle to reintegrate into society, we examine the importance of home through the unique lens of Palestinian filmmakers.”

Until Nov 3.

Various Locations 7 Prices.

Tickets & Info: www.palestinianfilmfestival. com.au Remember if you’ve got any tidbits to share, send them in via #Hubbub

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil In this second instalment of Disney’s re-imagined Sleeping Beauty story, we open with Princess Aurora in the forest racking her brain over how to unite the creatures of the Moors and humans of King John’s kingdom, when Prince Philip appears and proposes to her. Marriage! Problem solved.

Not so fast - there’s still two hours of plot to go. So we’re presented with a series of tensions, twists, aerial manoeuvres, amazing effects, intense emotions, and ultimately a very cluttered film and convoluted plot.

The animation is gorgeous, with some fun and inventive creatures and incredible worlds.

Angelina Jolie is priceless as Maleficent, delivering dry wit and sensual evil impeccably. Elle Fanning manages to put fire into sweet, wholesome Aurora.

Michelle Pfeiffer is deliciously wicked as illintentioned Queen Ingrith. Entertaining with some disturbing elements. (RB) WW1/2

city hub 24 OCTOBER 2019

11

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2ND SHOW ADDED DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND 7PM & 9.30PM

2019

SMOS

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SUN 17 NOV

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29–31 OCT SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE TUE 26 NOV STATE THEATRE

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(With Her Mom In The Crowd)

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FRI 1 NOV

THE COMEDY STORE SEE MORE COMEDY WITH THE JUST FOR LAUGHS FESTIVAL PASS * *terms and conditions apply

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city hub 24 OCTOBER 2019

31 OCT – 2 NOV STUDIO, SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

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