City Hub 25 July 2019

from Bondi to Balmain...

City News Since 1995 J U ly 2 5 , 2 0 1 9

altmedia.net.au

FREE

Telling Her-Story Unveiling the often undervalued, or hidden, tales of fantastic Australian women

2019 SYDNEY UPDATE

Page 11

• I asked the government to work with the music industry to better regulate music festivals to ensure they are safe and viable.

• I became deputy chair of the committee inquiring into Sydney’s late night economy where we will recommend how to improve Sydney’s vibrancy at night while ensuring safety.

• I accepted a position on the Premier’s Council on Homelessness where I will work to end homelessness.

• I called for a strata commissioner to support owners in dysfunctional

www.alexgreenwich.com

buildings including those with serious disputes or major defects.

• I was voted chair of the Parliament’s environment and planning committee where we will recommend measures to make NSW more environmentally sustainable.

• I met the planning minister to ask for an independent planning process for the multi-user facility at Glebe Island to protect residential amenity.

I look forward to continuing to work for a liveable, sustainable and progressive Sydney for all.

facebook.com/alexgreenwich

twitter/alexgreenwich

END OF LEASE SUPER SALE 38-42 Parramatta Rd Stanmore 2048 P: (02) 9565 1275 E: info@annandaleinteriors.com www.annandaleinteriors.com.au

•

2

city hub 25 JULY 2019

Religious freedom: sword or shield?

By ALLISON HORE Is freedom of religion under threat in Australia?

Christian lobby groups and conservative media commentators seem to believe it is. Whilst protections already exist for people of faith under sections of the Constitution, federal antidiscrimination laws, state-based human rights acts and anti-discrimination laws, our Pentecostal Christian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, thinks it’s time for a Religious Discrimination Act. Morrison believes it would “provide more protections for people because of their religious faith or belief.”

Morrison told ABC TV’s 7:30 program: “Religious freedom is a core pillar of our society and it’s not unreasonable, and I think there are many millions of Australians who would like to see that protected and I intend to follow through on that commitment.”

The Prime Minister’s statements come as Rugby Australia player, Israel Folau, was sacked after repeated comments on social media saying gay people would go to hell. The incident has since become central to the public discourse regarding religious freedom.

But, while the Folau saga has undoubtedly stoked the flames of the debate, it certainly wasn’t what sparked it.

The debate for religious freedom really came into the mainstream in 2017, during the marriage equality plebiscite. Religious groups opposing same-sex marriage focused their arguments around a person’s right to disagree with marriage equality. “It’s okay to say no” was the soundbite of the No campaign.

Flames and sparks It was the Marriage Equality Plebiscite that sparked the Ruddock Review into Religious

Published weekly and freely available Sydney-wide.

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

Distribution enquiries call 9212 5677.

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

ABN 52 600 903 348

Pride rally – will religious ‘freedom’ mean a return to discrimination against LGBQTI+ people? Photo: Allison Hore

Freedom. The Turnbull government requested former Attorney General Philip Ruddock to conduct the review as a result of pressure from conservative factions of the Liberal Party and Christian lobby groups.

And just last year, when the recommendations of the Ruddock Review were leaked, religious freedom was again in the public conscious, this time in terms of a religious school’s right to sack staff in same-sex relationships.

During the review, marriage equality groups and unions called for the end of exemptions in antidiscrimination laws that allowed religious institutions to fire people on the basis of their sexuality. Christian Schools Australia, the Anglican Archdiocese of Sydney and the Catholic Church all supported exemptions, and called for a Religious Freedom Act to strengthen their rights under the law.

“If freedom of religion is to remain a legitimate hallmark of Australian education, then the rights of school communities to operate in accordance with religious beliefs must be upheld,” Christian Schools Australia said in their submission.

“This must include the right to choose all staff based on their belief in, and adherence to, the beliefs, tenets and doctrines of the religion concerned.”

Prime Minister Morrison also seemingly supports the rights of religious schools to fire staff or expel students on the basis of their orientation.

When asked on 3AW Radio last year about his thoughts on the Law, he responded: “Religious schools should be able to run their schools based on their religious principles.”

But later that day he contradicted this view telling Sky News he was “uncomfortable” with the notion of schools expelling students for their orientation.

Many LGBTQI+ activists worry ‘religious freedom’ is about the right to discriminate against them “I don’t think if someone’s at a school they should be kicked out because they have a different sexuality to what might be believed to be the appropriate thing by a particular religious group.”

When the question of whether the exemption should be removed was raised in parliament, the decision on how to balance the rights of religious institutions with the rights of LGBTQI+ people was deferred to the Australian Law Reform Commission. Their report is due 2020.

Retaliation or religious protection?

If you’re noticing a trend in the framing of the religious freedom discussion, you’re not alone.

Many LGBTQI+ activists have pointed out that the religious freedom debate in Australia is

centered around the right to discriminate against or exclude LGBTQI+ people.

Spokesperson for Equality Australia, Lee Carnie, told the Sydney Morning Herald that the proposed Religious Freedom Act was in retaliation for 2017’s successful marriage equality campaign.

“In 2017, the Australian community legitimately and overwhelmingly voted for marriage equality.

It’s clear to us that these amendments are payback,” she said.

Over 50 LGBTQI+ advocates, organisations and allies signed a joint statement saying that while they support strengthening protections for people facing discrimination for their religious views - or lack of them - they would not support any legislation that gives religious groups freedom to discriminate.

“We call on the Australian Parliament to introduce laws that appropriately strengthen that shield of protection for people facing discrimination because of their religious beliefs or because they don’t hold religious beliefs,” said the statement.

“Equally, we caution the Australian Parliament against laws that would give some people within society a ‘sword’ to use their beliefs to harm others by cutting through existing anti-discrimination protections.”

The amendments to protect religious freedom are expected to be brought before parliament in the Winter to Spring parliamentary term.

Group Editor & Publisher: Lawrence Gibbons Production Manager: Michael Hitch News Editor: Alec Smart Contributors: Michael Hitch, Alec Smart, Rita Bratovich, Mark Mordue, Andrew Woodhouse, Allison Hore, John Moyle, Cartoonist: Sam Mcnair Arts Editor: Jamie Apps Advertising Manager: Georgina Pengelly Cover Photo: Supplied. Be Natural Designer: Nadia Kalinitcheva Advertising: sales@altmedia.net.au Mail: PO Box 843 Broadway 2007 Email: news@altmedia.net.au, arts@altmedia.net.au Ph: 9212 5677, Fax: 9212 5633 Website: altmedia.net.au If you have a story, or any comments you’d like to share with us: news@altmedia.net.au

altmediagroup

altmediasydney city hub 25 JULY 2019

3

Oxford Street Shuffle and other Blues

BY JOHN MOYLE A stretch of real estate consisting of offices and shops along Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, looks set to undergo a major overhaul by developers as the City of Sydney Council is considering offering it to property and investment group Ashe Morgan.

This comes after a long, drawn out process beginning in early 2018, which saw over 100 developers and investors express interest in the 14, 508 square metres of real estate, known as the Darlinghurst Collective.

The prospective buyers have reportedly proposed a 99-year lease valued at around $100 million for the City of Sydney-owned Oxford Street properties, some of which are boarded up and derelict.

A City of Sydney spokesperson said “The City expects to make an announcement about the future of the properties on Oxford Street later this year.”

The properties, situated at 56-76, 82-106 and 110-122 Oxford Street, account for around 40 per cent of buildings on the northern side of the street between Whitlam Square and Taylor Square and once housed many shops and small businesses that gave Oxford Street its vitality and uniqueness.

Profit motive Wayne Nicol from Sax Leather has been a tenant of the City of Sydney for around 20 years during which he has often battled the City over lack of maintenance and other issues.

He was rather sanguine about the new lease when he said “It’s pretty disturbing when these properties are now out of the mix for 99 years. And if you start bringing in a private corporation with a profit motive, the few of us that are left are going to be wiped out.”

City of Sydney councillor Christine Forster was more upbeat when she said “I’m disappointed with how long the process has taken, especially considering that five years ago I suggested doing exactly what has now been decided upon.”

While the City of Sydney councillors contacted for this story praised the City’s staff for their work, there

Sax Leather on Oxford Street doesn’t have a lease and worries about their future. Photo: John Moyle

seemed to be a general consensus about the failings of the past City Projects and Property Department, and the Council’s current lack of transparency around its property dealings.

It’s like pulling teeth getting information because there’s very little transparency “They hide behind commercial in confidence whenever property deals or leases come up,” said one councillor who did not want to be named.

“Commercially this makes sense in business but I don’t know if it makes sense in local government,” the councillor added.

Councillor Professor Kerryn Phelps agreed when she said “It’s like pulling teeth getting information as a councillor because there’s very, very little transparency.”

With the impending announcement waiting due diligence, the few tenants left in the buildings are uncertain about their futures, along with the un-named councillor, who said: “My concern is for some of the existing tenants being given a fair go and that some of the property be kept for peppercorn rents, and some of the tenants have not responded quickly enough.”

Like pulling teeth Sax Leather’s Wayne Nicol, who does not have a lease, said: “One of the problems I would have with a lease is that it would activate land tax to the State

Revenue Office because my building has never been full, and they weren’t giving leases as they wanted to keep the whole thing open to a potential partner.”

Another issue raised about the City of Sydney’s management of the properties was the conflicts around full rent paying tenants, such as Sax Leather, and the curated artistic tenants who were often on very low rents.

“Very low rents created a lot of hostility with people who had been long term tenants and were doing it tough,” Cr Phelps said.

At least one other City of Sydney councillor agrees.

“The City of Sydney is broadly opaque and the Clover policy of curating Oxford Street has been terrible,” said Councillor Craig Chung.

Ashe Morgan may want to do their own due diligence on what is left of this part of Oxford Street and the long list of disgruntled shop keepers it will have to deal with.

Other property movements in Oxford Street shows signs that the area is finally getting some attention.

While the Department of Justice said “There are no plans to sell Darlinghurst Courthouse,” the building that was once home to Coco Cubano has been bought by Malaysian group Citadan, which told City Hub that they were still deciding the future uses for the building.

Another recent sale is Central Element’s purchase of the long forlorn Academy Twin on the corner of Oxford and South Dowling with Tonkin Zulaikha Greer appointed as architects.

One of the peculiarities of working on a weekly news cycle is that in the time you may find a lead to an exclusive story, someone in the loop leaks it to a well-resourced daily and suddenly you find yourself dead in the water.

That is what happened to the City Hub this week when two well-placed sources, one of whom the City Hub spoke with, leaked this story to a News Corp publication, effectively killing our exclusive, but not our enthusiasm for digging behind the headlines.

CALL FOR YOUR $100 VOUCHER 1300 588 788 503 Old South Head Road, Rose Bay bedsaustralia.com.au

45% OFF WINTER SALE

trans and gender diverse community survey

Tell us what you need to live life your way as a trans and/or gender diverse person! Your advice will mean your lived experience can be included in policy and strategy to improve support services for other trans and gender diverse people.

Take the survey online at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/TGDSURVEY For more information contact Bella at Positive Life NSW P: (02) 9206 2177 or 1800 245 677 (freecall). E: contact@positivelife.org.au

This survey has been made by trans and gender diverse people for trans and gender diverse people.

4

city hub 25 JULY 2019

$65 Sail in Company!

James Craig | Esmeralda Chilean Navy Tall Ship Esmeralda is coming back to Sydney on August 1st 2019!

*includes complimentary tea & coffee with morning tea

Meet Esmeralda

Farewell Esmeralda

city hub 25 JULY 2019

5

Don’t leave cats in a flap

GET YOUR CAREER ROLLING TURN YOUR PASSION FOR FOOD INTO A CAREER Be armed with the tools to change your life and join a vibrant community of small food businesses.

FoodLab Sydney is not just another training course. Be mentored by industry leaders and receive the hands-on experience to get your career or business on the roll.

Deadline for applications June 30, 2019 foodlab.info@sydney.edu.au foodlabsydney.com

6

city hub 25 JULY 2019

By RITA BRATOVICH If you’re a pet owner you know all too well the sheer heartbreak of losing a non-human companion, but have you ever considered the pain and upheaval your pet might experience if you suddenly weren’t there anymore?

According to Kristina Vesk, CEO of The Cat Protection Society (CPS), animals can react in the same way as humans.

“When people die or have to give up their pets, the pets grieve and really miss their owners,” she said.

To add to their woes, most pets have not been provided for by their owners in case of an emergency. It’s something the CPS is addressing in an upcoming free seminar they’ve organised on planning ahead, called Who will Take Care of my Cat? Documenting your Future Wishes.

Featuring guest speaker, Ruth Pollard, Director, Legal and Professional Services, NSW Trustee & Guardian, the seminar aims to equip pet owners with information and guidance on how to ensure their pets are looked after if something unexpected happens.

“What we’re finding in Sydney,” explained Vesk, “is that more and more people are living in social isolation .. pets are super important to them because they provide companionship.”

Those people - and by extension, their pets - are rendered vulnerable because of that isolation.

“They don’t necessarily have people who they know or who they live near who can provide that emergency support.”

Without a plan in place, pets that are suddenly abandoned may become strays, get frightened and hide, starve or fall ill, wander into traffic, or end up in a shelter or pound. By preparing formal, detailed documentation that is readily accessible, you can help avoid unnecessary heartache for yourself and your pet.

“Hope for the best but plan for the worst,” said Vesk. “Even if it’s something temporary, you want your dog or cat to be well looked after.”

Register your cat A good place to start is the NSW Pet Registry which allows you to input and update details online.

“You can create a profile for your pet,” Vesk suggested, “link it up with the microchip number and make changes yourself.”

It’s also a good idea to have a clearly-marked folder in a prominent place in the home so that anyone entering the house in an emergency will be alerted to the fact that there is a pet somewhere.

If a person dies there’s no provision for pets unless included in the Will Documentation should include current registration details, dietary preferences, vaccinations, medication, type of cat litter used (if applicable), personality, habits, and other information will aid in the care or, if necessary, re-homing of the pet.

Vesk recommends developing a good relationship with your local vet: “Use the same vet clinic so that the one place has all the records. It makes it so much easier.

Find someone you like and stick with them.

They will know your pets. They will also be someone who’ll be a very good partner in making decisions about your pet if you’re not able to.”

Ruth Pollard is a lawyer and will speak about the legal aspects of planning ahead for pets.

Annabella loves Pixie and has ensured she’s cared for in the event of her passing. Photo: Supplied

“Under Australian law domestic pets are classified as the personal property of the pet owner,” she said. “The Companion Animals Act 1998 imposes legal requirements on an owner, such as registration and microchipping of the pet.”

Provisions and instructions regarding the care of a pet in the event of incapacitation or death of the owner can and should be made in a legal planning ahead document, such as a will, ensuring power of attorney and guardianship appointment.

“These are all legal documents so I cannot sufficiently stress the importance of seeking professional advice from a legal practitioner with experience in drafting these documents and providing proper advice,” Pollard emphasised.

Where there’s a will there’s no stray It’s estimated that only about 50% of Australians have a will.

“Some people think they need assets of value to make a Will,” said Pollard. “That is not necessarily so... If a person dies without making a Will, their assets are distributed according to the NSW laws of intestacy… [which] do not make provision for pets or charities. Only certain relatives are included in the intestacy laws. This is why it is important for pet owners to make a Will, including provision for their pet.

“The other option is to set up a pet maintenance trust in the will,” Pollard continued. “There are a few rules that must be followed to set up a pet maintenance trust so it is important to speak to a solicitor who knows how to do this. [How much money] will depend on the age, health and needs of your pet or cat and where it will be cared for and by whom. Think about how you care for your cat/ pet and what money you spend on its care..”

More info at: www.tag.nsw.gov.au/pets-and-planning-ahead.html www.catprotection.org.au/who-will-take-careof-my-cat/ Who will Take Care of my Cat? Documenting your Future Wishes Free seminar, Sat 27 July, 2pm - 3.30pm, Newtown Neighbourhood Centre, Rainbow Room, 1 Bedford St, Newtown.

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

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

city hub 25 JULY 2019

7

Mined out – east opposes Adani

By JOHN MOYLE The largest coal mine in the southern hemisphere looks likely to proceed in the coming months if it gains final environmental approval from the Queensland government, but this has only strengthened the resolve of a small band of Stop Adani activists in Sydney’s inner east.

As a part of the national Stop Adani group, Stop Adani Inner East were formed after the school climate change strike in November last year and carried the fight for climate change into the division of Wentworth in the last federal election. “Stop Adani is a general decentralised grassroots activist movement with no CEO, it is about local people and their ideas and the community,�

Annalise H, Stop Adani Inner East said. “We are called Stop Adani Inner East because there was already a Stop Adani Bondi, Stop Adani Coogee and Stop Adani Bra to Bay, which is around Maroubra.�

In what many see as the biggest environmental battle since the Franklin River in the 1980s, the mine’s progress has already been held up for eight years due to the efforts of activists and Adani’s struggle to secure funding. “If there was no civil movement against Adani they would have been exporting coal for the last five years,� Greg Inglis, Stop Adani Inner East, said.

Low quality, high ash coal The Adani mine, located in central Queensland’s Galilee Basin, was tipped to be a 60 million tonne a year mega mine with both opencut and underground mines spread across nearly 30,000 hectares, with a planned operational life of 60 years.

Its’ product will be “low quality, high ash� coal destined for Adani-owned power stations in India via a 200km rail line linking to a 2.75km wharf at the Adani-owned Abbot Point Coal Terminal,

Stop Adani message sent from Bondi Beach, Sydney. Photo: Supplied

located close to the Great Barrier Reef.

India’s Mundra Port signed a 99-year-lease on the terminal in 2011, costing Adani Group $1.83 billion. Mundra Ports is operated by Adani Ports and SEZ Limited which are owned by the Adani Group.

ď ˝Burning coal is the biggest contributor to climate change and in Wentworth people want actionď ž It was the actions of the Australian government and Adani over Abbot Point that brought a then teenager, Grace Liley, into the movement in 2013. “I didn’t understand that the government was not always doing the right thing by Australians and I joined the AYCC (Australian Youth for Climate Change) on the “Don’t Risk the Reefâ€?

WRITERS WANTED A Call Out for the Retired, Superannuated and Graduate Students Writers needed on local issues across the City Hub’s five distribution regions.

Must be able to write engaging and accurate copy and meet deadlines.

Please contact City Hub with CV

news@altmedia.net.au

campaign,� Liley said. “The Stop Adani alliance really built after that, and when we got the banks not to fund the mines.�

When Kerry Phelps had an historic win at the 2018 Wentworth by-election, running a strong campaign with central themes of climate change and refugee action, the group felt that they would take the fight to the electorate in this year’s election. “Polls suggested that climate change was one of the top two issues in the area, and a lot of people understood the role of stopping Adani,� Annalise said. “We know that burning coal is the biggest contributor to climate change and in Wentworth people wanted climate action.�

Climate change among top 2 issues For a couple of weeks into the campaign Phelps looked like she had climate change to herself, until Liberal candidate Dave Sharma suddenly adopted it as part of his campaign arsenal.

In the lead up to the election Dave Sharma said “We need to be serious and credible in addressing the risk posed by climate change, and for that we, and I mean the whole world, need to be lowering our emissions and reducing our carbon footprint.� “The Liberal Party set quite low targets compared to the Labor Party, and the Greens and Kerryn Phelps were way ahead on targets,�

Annalise said.

The election results were closer than many thought probable but ultimately saw Phelps concede.

Most weekends see Stop Adani members at local markets such as Kings Cross and Paddington, raising money to keep their campaign active. “Each group does its own find raising and we sell T-shirts and keep cups,� Inglis said, “and if we have a big event such as the Climate Change Strike on September 20 we might start up a Go Fund Me page or do a screening of the movie 20/40.�

Stop Adani also work closely with the AYCC to raise climate change awareness amongst students.

Patrick Cain is a member of both AYCC and Stop Adani Inner East and has been running training programs for students to build networks and run campaigns in their schools. “The students I worked with came from schools such as Rose Bay Public School, Reddam House and St Clare’s Catholic High School,�

Cain said. “At present our major focus in terms of students is preparing for the September 20 global strike.�

For Greg Inglis and the Stop Adani movement, which is gaining 1,000 new signatures a week nationally, the other focus will be on targeting Adani’s suppliers such as multi-national engineering firm GHD. “We can keep delaying Adani by affecting their contractors,� Inglis said.

Save time, book online

Medical & Dental Centre

• Bulk Billing GPs* • Online appointments • Extended hours** • New patients and walk-ins welcome

Comprehensive range of services: • GPs • Skin Clinic • Specialists • Pathology • Eye Clinic • Physio & Allied Health * Not all services are Bulk Billed. Additional fees may apply for non-Medicare card holders. ** See the website for current hours.

www.darlinghurstmedical.com.au 02 8302 1111 213-219 Darlinghurst Road Darlinghurst NSW 2010

8

city hub 25 JULY 2019

BOOK NOW

The One-Story Tree House

BY MARK MORDUE I’ve been working at Addison Road Community Centre Organisation as their Media Adviser for the last six months. After a career in rock journalism and editing an inner-city paper that collapsed last year, leading me into a tough period of unemployment over Christmas, it’s been a real education for me to land here and find new purpose.

Among the varied duties that have fallen to me has been the chance to write a children’s book called The Hollow Tree. Not something I saw myself doing. But the story behind why a community centre has published a children’s book is well worth speaking about now.

Addi Road is currently the largest community centre in metropolitan Sydney, highly active across a variety of social justice programs, environmental and community activities. This includes everything from operating a Food Pantry for ‘people in need’ to initiating events like ‘Community.a.Fair’ and engaging with campaigns to combat poverty.

Set across nine acres, Addi Road has almost 170 trees on its grounds in Marrickville. Apart from leasing premises to over 40 different community groups and artists, tree management forms a significant part of its operations. In other words, it’s a large, rambling, green space that welcomes all kind of people and events.

Community centre a community home In that regard, Addi Road is not just a community centre – it’s a community home. As its CEO Rosanna Barberio says, “If places like this disappear there are so many people who will have nowhere to go, nowhere to gather, nowhere to connect and be a part of a community, even it’s just to come here and sit under a tree and say hello to another human being.”

The old Sydney Blue Gum tree that inspired the story I would come to write was not well

Kelly Reed, 24 Originally from: UK Now lives: Sydney

when the Addison Road Community Centre Organisation first consulted arborist Michael Sullings in 2014. Together with Addi Road’s Environmental Coordinator, Rose Porter, they came up with the innovative idea of pruning the tree back to its core structure, loping off dangerous branches that could fall or cause it to topple over.

Rather than cut the dying tree down completely – a common practice – Addi Road decided to use the tree as a case study in how to conserve and create habitats for living creatures.

Tree specialists at Inner West Council were further consulted about the project.

Addi Road used the tree to create habitats for living creatures struggling to survive Hollows were cut into the old Sydney Blue Gum, some freshly made, others enhancing the hollows already there, a process that can take a hundred years or more in nature. Two cameras were then mounted on the tree to assist in ecological observations and documentation of bird behaviour. An edit of the more entertaining footage can be seen at Addi Road’s website (www.addiroad.org.au).

Along with an ecologist, arborists and trained observers, children were invited to take part in this project through school tours and art classes. When it became clear this experiment was working, that bird life and other fauna were making use of the hollows and the preserved structure of this now dead Sydney blue gum, one of the arborists on the project broke down and cried with happiness.

Here was a new approach that urban planners and local councils across the country could

IMMIGRATION MADE EASY

to s k n a “Th , p r o c Visa e to r e h m ’ i stay!”

learn from as a model. Dying trees need not be entirely removed. Some could be saved, leaving homes for living creatures, many of whom are battling to maintain a foothold in metropolitan environments. Some of the fauna who came to use the tree at Addison Road Community Centre Organisation grounds are struggling so much they are regarded as threatened species in our urban environments.

All of this would intensify Addi Road’s concern for trees across our inner-city neighbourhoods: appreciating how they help the environment, as well as our community well-being. It directly inspired a national conference here in May called Rethinking the Urban Forest that brought together 30 speakers and over 300 delegates to look at how we can develop greener, better cities.

It also inspired the book called The Hollow Tree.

In very simple terms, it tells the story of a single tree – and the living creatures who come to depend upon it as a home, or simply a place to rest and shelter. It’s a story about community in the broadest and deepest sense, the community we are a part of in the natural world. It’s a story, too, about nature in the city and how we can protect and sustain it – and how it helps us in return.

The tree speaks to the reader In the story, the tree speaks to the reader of its changing life as the buildings grow higher and closer in the city. The tree shares its secrets – and how it relates to friends who live in and around it, the varying bird-life and fauna who need it to survive. And the many planes that swoop overhead!

Giving our children hope, and some creativity and power over where their world is headed.

The Hollow Tree offers this and so much more.

Perhaps, too, some small part of it connects to the Strike4Climate actions of students that have so inspired people this past year.

Author Mark Mordue at Berkelouw Bookshop, Leichhardt, with the book he’s written.

Photo: Supplied

Ultimately, I just alighted on a branch of this story and sang my little song. The bigger story has grown out of the school children’s observations – and, most importantly, their artworks.

It offers a reading experience that is once educational and inspiring, for and by children.

You could even say the tree and the birds called to the children, and the children have now called out a story to each other and all of us.

The Hollow Tree will be launched at Berkelouw Books, Leichardt, this Friday, July 26th at 6pm by Darcy Byrne, Mayor of Inner West Council”

Cats and kittens available for adoption

Visacorp specialise in securing visas, work permits & permanent residency for working holidaymakers.

If you want to call Australia home, contact Visacorp today to discuss your options!

call Now: 02 9283 6500 or email: info@visacorp.com.au visacorp.com.au

All our cats and kittens have been desexed, microchipped, vaccinated, flea-and-worm treated and health-checked by a vet.

Our adoption fees are $150 or $250 for a bonded pair plus applicable lifetime registration fee

103 Enmore Road Newtown t 9557 4818 or 9519 7201 www.catprotection.org.au Rehoming Organisation Number R251000224

Registered Migration Agents 0317382 & 0104178 city hub 25 JULY 2019

9

Opinion

Skate park roller ride

BY ANDREW WOODHOUSE After six years Woollahra Council is still no closer to finding a location for its $1.1 million skateboard structure for youngsters aged 5-12.

The NSW Heritage Office intervened to impose an Interim Heritage Order over the proposed Rushcutters Bay site, effective from 25th January this year. The Order lasts twelve months and states that “the park is likely to be of local or state heritage significance”. It restricts excavation, alterations and demolition.

However, Woollahra Council is now asking the Minister for Heritage, Don Harwin MLC, to lift the Order.

The Liberal Party-dominated council, in its decision of 8th July, decided that council will “write to the Minister … requesting the Interim Heritage Order be lifted on the grounds that the heritage impact of the proposed Youth Recreation Facility in Rushcutters Bay Park will be addressed in the Rushcutters Bay Park’s tranquility might soon be disturbed by the sound of rolling wheels. Photo: Alec Smart Review of Environmental Factors under Part 5 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.”

They forget that this park does not belong to Perhaps he needs to take a Bex and have a good The decision was unanimous. Notable absentees them, we belong to it. lie down. were Mayor, Peter Cavanagh, who was overseas in John Walton, long-time staunch supporter of Woollahra Council’s General Manager, Gary London, and Councillor Susan Wynne. It seems the Liberal Party, is not happy. He says “council’s James, is now formally investigating Cr Morano’s council intends to issue its plans, Heritage Impact latest decision is totally inappropriate. It seems to slurs after receiving a complaint of breaches of the Statement, Engineer’s report and Social Impact be an attempt to override the previous decision council’s own Code of Conduct.

Statement as part of its Review after, not before, it of the Heritage Office. The current Order is a Woollahra Council’s decision has decided to proceed. temporary measure still in force until their heritage Surely this is a procedural anomaly? assessment is complete. Council’s decision is seems to be an attempt to Their meeting was not notified to objectors. therefore premature and misconceived.”

But Councillor Anthony Morano, a long-time override the Heritage Office Disappointment proponent of the scheme, has sledged objectors Many in the community are shocked and saying: “Things have changed since the 19th Charlotte Feldman, President of Darling Point disappointed by the council’s recalcitrance. They century with ladies walking with their parasols ...

Society for ten years and park user for twenty believe it comes as a result of six months of We need to get this Order lifted. [Objectors are] years, said they do not just oppose everything. negotiation with Heritage Office, which didn’t old people with nothing else to do with their time They consider all issues on their merits and acquiesce to council’s wishes for approval. … who will be dead in ten years”. In his email welcomed council’s decision to heritage-list the So, council’s recent decision is a last-ditch of 21st July 2019, Morano claims: “The Darling park’s harbour sea wall, for example. attempt to get they want, where they want it, when Point Society ... have an obsessive dislike to any She said council’s decision last week was a twothey want it. change … anywhere.” fingered salute to its community.

Ageist, prejudiced and unproductive Luke Whitington, Elizabeth Bay resident, is underwhelmed. His family has had links to the Liberal Party for four generations. He says Cr Anthony Morano demeans himself and all other councillors by his remarks. His comments are “ageist, prejudiced and unproductive. I cannot fathom how such an uncouth person has managed to become a Liberal Party representative. He demeans other Liberal Party members and the residents of Darling point, Rushcutters Bay, Elizabeth Bay, Paddington and Potts Point. He has no place in a party that aspires to civil grace and democratic tolerance.”

Whitington agrees with Dave Sharma, Federal Member for Wentworth. Mr Sharma said in his email to constituents of 22nd July: “I welcomed the Interim Heritage Order that was placed on the site ... I expressed the view at the time that better locations for the skate park could be found.

“That remains my view, and I have conveyed this to Woollahra Councillors and will continue to urge them to pay heed to legitimate community concerns about this project. Let me also take the opportunity to condemn remarks attributed to one councillor that seemed to denigrate and discount the legitimate concerns of local residents regarding this project.”

Dixe Coulton, parkside resident for over twenty years and former Deputy Lord Mayor, City of Sydney Council, said the council’s decision is outrageous and shows abject contempt for others. “It’s indicative of how council treats the community with scorn,” she said.

This angst-ridden issue has more twists than a pretzel.

So, to fulfil Anthony Morano’s deathwish, I’ve added a codicil to my Will requesting my ashes be scattered all over the heritage-listed park’s open green spaces.

Print your catalogue or brochure Design

print

Distribute

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

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

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

spotpress pty ltD General enquiries (02) 9549 1111

24–26 lilian fowler place Marrickville, 2204 nsW australia

www.spotpress.com.au

10

city hub 25 JULY 2019

FEATURE

Telling Her-Story

May Wirth.

Photo: Supplied

times in one day and study them,” says Marynowsky.

There was interest from Hollywood for the sisters to go work there but they were more interested in creative freedom, autonomy, and telling Australian stories and declined the invitation.

Their career was short, but the McDonagh sisters undeniably made an impact on the Australian film industry.

The name Crawford is like punctuation in the Australian television industry. Crawford Productions created iconic TV shows from the

PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE A MOBILE PHONE BASE STATION LOCATED IN SYDNEY Telstra are currently upgrading existing mobile network facilities to allow for the introduction of 5G to Telstra’s network. As part of this network upgrade, Telstra proposes the installation of NR3500 and 2100 technologies in Sydney.

The Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010 RFNSA: 2000024 •

•

• •

Proposed works will involve the following: Replacement of three (3) existing panel antennas, with three (3) new panel antennas (each no longer than 2.8m in length) Installation of three (3) new Air panel antennas (each no longer than 2.8m in length) Installation of three (3) Radio units Installation of associated ancillary equipment Telstra regards the proposed installation as Exempt Development, under the provisions of the Infrastructure State Environmental Planning Policy, based on the above description.

Further information can be obtained from Vanessa Davies, 0740196416 or at Vanessa.davies@aurecongroup.com and at www.rfnsa.com.au, quoting the above RFNSA number.

Written submissions should be received by Friday 9th August 2019 and addressed to: Vanessa Davies, Aurecon, PO Box 538 Neutral Bay, NSW 2089

1960s through 80s including Division 4, Matlock Police, Homicide, The Sullivans, The Flying Doctors, The Box, and more. Most people know of Hector Crawford as the founder, but few are aware of his co-founding sister, Dorothy.

“I think she was an important producer. She and her brother had an amazing partnership and an incredible company. She was ahead of her time,” says Maryanne Doyle, Radio Archivist at NFSA. The Crawfords founded their company in 1945 when radio was the dominant entertainment medium. They learned on the go, with Dorothy being particularly astute in technical and creative aspects of radio production.

“She was able to time scripts exactly. She really knew what she was expecting from the actors.

Preparation to her was really important,” explains Doyle. Renowned for being meticulous and demanding, Dorothy was respected among peers and Crawfords was highly regarded for the quality of its work. Their 1946 series on Dame Nellie Melba received popular and critical acclaim.

“I think that’s what Dorothy was aiming for. She didn’t want to dumb things down,” says Doyle.

Though her brother, Hector, was known to be dominating, Dorothy definitely held her own in the company, and it was no easy feat.

Crawfords was one of the few companies that successfully transitioned from radio to the new medium of television, but unfortunately, Dorothy acquired Parkinson’s Disease at around the same time. She continued to work but not at the same level, hence Hector Crawford became the better-known sibling.

“If she had stayed well, perhaps that would have been different,” Doyle reflects.

During the early 1900s, the circus was ABC SEAMLESS ROOFING DISCOUNTERS

We Professionally install: H Leafguard H Metal Roofs H Watertanks H ABC RoofSEAMLESS Restoration GUTTER DISCOUNTERS H Gutter Cleaning All Types of Gutters Installed Factory • Comprehensive Warranties H Direct All Types of Gutters

$ Licence No. 173676c

By Rita Bratovich The recent documentary film, Be Natural: The Untold Story Of Alice Guy-Blache, details the forgotten achievements of a French female filmmaker who was at the forefront of the burgeoning industry in Europe. Celebrated at the time as a creative pioneer and entrepreneur, Guy-Blache was effectively written out of the history books and relegated to obscurity by a society that couldn’t accept a successful woman. Pamela B Green’s documentary will go some way to rectifying this, but it’s not an isolated story. Women’s achievements have - and continue to be undervalued in almost every field of endeavour.

Hidden within Australian archives are tales of women who broke their societal restraints and proved that you don’t need a Y chromosome to do great things. The National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) collects and preserves historical materials related to Australia’s radio, TV, and film industry. Tara Marynowsky, Curator Film Documents and Artefacts at NFSA, recently helped restore a 1930 silent film called The Cheaters made by the McDonagh sisters, three pioneering siblings in the early days of the local industry.

“They had a really great name for themselves and I think because they were women, that had an impact as well,” says Marynowsky. The McDonaghs made four feature films and a number of documentaries, much of which has been lost. Their first feature, Those Who Love (1926) was “a really great success at the time”, according to the Marynowsky, but only four minutes of it has survived. The sisters were very hands-on, involved in all aspects of film making and entirely self-taught.

“They would go and see the same movie three

$

 Leafguard  Metal Roofs  Watertanks  Roof Restoration  Gutter Vacuuming

Reliable Services & Competitive Prices

9748 3022 reliable services, www.abcseamless.com.au Comprehensive Warranties & free Quote

9748 3022

www.abcseamless.com.au

extremely popular and circus stars were like rock stars. Among the most celebrated was a diminutive girl from Bundaberg, Queensland called May Wirth, billed as “the greatest bareback rider of all time.”

“People who saw her perform certainly thought she was amazing,” says Margot Riley, Curator at State Library of NSW. Bareback riding was not really performed by women, so that alone made Wirth exceptional. She was taught to flip-flap (a type of somersault) by her father. When she was seven years old, her parents divorced and she was adopted by Mary ‘Marizles’ Wirth, a member of the prestigious Wirth Circus family. Here, May Wirth learned contortion, acrobatics, and tightrope, as well as equestrian skills, and by age 10 she was performing incredible stunts on top of bareback ponies. She travelled to America and Europe, appearing in Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey circuses and vaudeville theatres. In 1964, Wirth was inducted into the Circus Hall Of Fame in America. More recently, two inspirational children’s books have been written about her with a ‘girls can do anything’ theme.

“It’s a really positive message to be promoting to young girls,” says Riley. “From an Australian perspective, it would be fabulous if we could promote a lot more stories about Australians that have done incredible things - and there are so many of them.”

For more info on these, and many more, wonderful ladies head to the following:

www.nfsa.gov.au www.sl.nsw.gov.au www.nationalwomenslibrary.org.au

POSITIONS VACANT DELIVERY PEOPLE The City Hub is seeking friendly and reliable people (with a vehicle) to deliver our newspapers.

Please email lawrence@altmedia.net.au

PARTICIPANTS NEEDED TO DISCUSS HOW MEN TAKE CARE OF THEIR HEALTH

Researchers want to learn about the needs, preferences, and interests of men; concerning their physical activity, healthy eating and mental health.

Who can get involved?

Men (28-64 yrs), living in Sydney and pant size of 38" or greater.

What is involved?

Attend a focus group with 8-10 other men to discuss men's health.

Complete a brief questionnaire.

Where and how long?

Moore Park, Building 1.

2 hours and light refreshments will be provided.

Contact Elizabeth to get Involved Elizabeth.marin@uts.edu.au or call 02 9514 5210

(ETH18-3184)

city hub 25 JULY 2019

11

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Banging Denmark, which is penned by Australian playwright Van Badham, has its world premiere at the Opera House and should prove to be a fun-filled comedy for mature audiences.

The story centres on a young man called Jake, usually a successful pickup artist, who has problems gaining attention from a Danish librarian. He asks Ish, a feminist academic, for lessons in flirtation and so unfolds a hilariously explicit comedy which also delves into the dark world of online trolling.

“It’s a wild ride this play, it really is!” laughed Amber McMahon who plays the role of Ish.“The play believes in a world where redemption and transformation are possible. For all the horror of this often quite violent and aggressive trolling world that’s represented, it’s balanced by great humour and lightness. It becomes a battle of the ethics between Jake and Ish and over the course of the play there’s a reprogramming of Jakes’s horrifying views on women and the world.”

Described as an explicit comedy, McMahon explained that regardless it’s very funny. “Van’s use of language is hilarious and things that are explicit are also wildly inventive, so it’s not standard insults.”

McMahon enthused about her character. “I’ve never played a character like Ish! She’s so brash and some of the stuff that comes out of her mouth, I think ‘Oh Dear God!’ She’s so smart and witty and there’s this strength and rigour to her, but she certainly doesn’t behave like a classic heroine from literature!”

Banging Denmark may interest people who spend a lot of time on the internet as it reveals the legalities of online defamation and how deep and damaging some of this online ‘vibrant‘ discussion can become.

And finally, will audiences pick up a few pointers on the art of flirtation? “Yes absolutely! There’s all this gameplay and it’s been hilarious in rehearsals because we’ve been testing it out on each other! Our expertise is quite honed at the moment so look out!!” (MMo) Jul 26–Aug 24. Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $25-$45+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.sydneyoperahouse.com

Peter Carey’s award-winning novel about a British Anglican priest and wealthy Australian businesswoman whose lives intertwine through an unusual wager is regarded as a literary masterpiece. It’s not surprising then, that it has been used as the source material for a new opera, although its 600 odd pages of narrative certainly make it a challenging feat. Co-commissioned and co-produced by Sydney Chamber Opera, Opera Queensland, and Victorian Opera, Oscar And Lucinda features music by Elliot Gyger and libretto by Pierce Wilcox and will make its debut at Carriageworks this month.

Jack Symonds, creative director of Sydney Chamber Opera, describes the novel as being full of fantasy and

city hub 25 JULY 2019

in this opera have never been heard before.”

Equally, librettist,Wilcox has been able to preserve the sensibility of Carey’s work while distilling.

“Pierce’s gift is he takes the essence of what might be a couple of pages in Carey and transforms it into one sentence using the iconic words in those passages,” says Symonds.

This performance will be a world premiere, which, Symonds says, has mixed blessings for the creatives involved: “The greatest challenge is that… for the singers, they’ve never sung in these roles before - nobody has. So they have to create something from nothing.” On the other hand: “There’s no preconceived tradition of how these things are meant to go.The two

This opera breaks the mould into smithereens.

It’s a brand new Australian work that sings the praises of a national hero - in English. Whiteley is, of course, about the internationally acclaimed artist, Brett Whiteley - a colourful, complex, quirky subject in itself. Only a capable composer such as Elena Kats-Chernin could aptly translate the artist’s life and work into music and she does so with an energetic, mischievous, sensitive score that uses a sound palette equivalent to Whiteley’s vivid, unpredictable colour palette. There are no big solo or choral moments and this makes the pace relentless which actually suits the frenetic lifestyle Whiteley led.

Justin Fleming’s libretto is a mix of colloquialism, vulgarity and metaphysical poetry, reflecting the way

Whiteley fluctuated between debauched behaviour and sublime creativity.

David Freeman’s direction of this production follows a recent Opera Australia trend to move away from the conventional and flex a bit of stagecraft muscle - and that works well for a modern opera about a break-out artist. Using a series of vertical screens, around, and very effective projections, we are fully immersed in Whiteley’s art and mind.

In the lead roles of Brett and Wendy are Leigh Melrose and Julia Lea Goodwin respectively.

While there aren’t any breakout solos in the music, the roles are physically demanding and require a fair bit of acting, and both leads - in fact, all the cast - fulfil that criteria effectively.

Lord Of The Flies William Golding’s 1954 novel about a group of children evacuated via plane from London during war, then stranded on an island when the plane crashes, is standard reading for many schools and considered an important contribution to English literature. It was adapted for the stage by Nigel Williams in 1996. Kip Williams is directing a new production for Sydney Theatre Company and he has included some interesting variations.

The original story features an all caucasian group of pre to mid-teen boys with middle-class backgrounds.This STC production has an adult cast which includes an indigenous man,African man, a trans person, and females playing males.There will be surprises in the presentation too.

“It’s not exactly what you think it might be,” teases Justin Amankwah who plays Henry - “one of the not

12 STAGE 14 SCENE 15 Sounds 15 SCREEN

so good boys.” Amankwah is West African and missed out on reading the novel by the time he moved to Australia, so he had to catch up.

“I read the book and read the play and got a feel for it and thought:‘whoa! this is heavy!’” he says.

Amankwah’s character, Henry, is among the gang of boys that performs a particularly savage act.As a self-confessed wuss Amankwah believes he would never do what these boys do, and yet, he is slowly gaining an understanding of what motivates Henry.

“It’s really unsettling.There’s an immense guilt and also kind of a, a need for someone to guide you. It’s a tale of toxic masculinity and peer pressure, so you know, [Henry] does do “the deed” but he’s kind of pressured into it,” says Amankwah.

Despite the story’s age,Amankwah says it has relevance today on many levels. It examines

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

leads […] don’t have generations of recordings and audience expectations of how this is meant to be sung.” (RB) Jul 27-Aug 3. Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh. $35+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.carriageworks.com.au

Photo: Prudence Upton

REVIEW: Whitley

a&e

12

impossibilities and therefore perfect for such an adaptation.

“Opera is a very unreal art form at the best of times,” says Symonds.

One of the challenges was condensing Carey’s work without losing its substance. Wilcox has managed to sketch the main themes in the libretto with Gyger fully realising them in the music.

“That’s the job of successful music in an opera, that it can create those feelings and fully form the metaphors,” says Symonds.

Symonds describes Gyger’s music as very lyrical, precise and pictorial; familiar yet unique.

“Even though he’s using simply the same 12 notes of the scale that composers have used for hundreds of years, the combinations we’re hearing

Photo: Samuel Hodge

Oscar And Lucinda

If there is a problem with this opera it is that it is too “wikipedic” in the storytelling, that is, it goes from youth to death of Whiteley’s life showing the relevant highlights, but doesn’t get deep inside the crevices. Nevertheless, it’s an involving, entertaining journey and a refreshing addition to the opera repertoire. (RB) Until Jul 30. Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $47-$361+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.sydneyoperahouse.com

Mia Wasikowska.

Photo: Rene Vaile

Patrick Jhanur and Amber McMahon.

Photo: Rene Vaile

Banging Denmark

concepts around democracy, bullying, human nature, tribal thinking, basic needs. It’s not altogether gloomy, though.

“It’s gonna be quite entertaining, I think,” says Amankwah.“I’m so excited about it! It’s gonna be great!” (RB) Until Aug 24. Roslyn Packer Theatre, 22 Hickson Rd,Walsh Bay. $39-$120+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.roslynpackertheatre.com.au

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

‘BEST THEATRE FOR PERFORMERS IN SYDNEY’ BEST OF SYDNEY WINNER, 2018

‘AN INTERVENTION’ 20–31 August SYDNEY FRINGE 2–28 September FRESHWORKS FEMME 30 September – 2 November ‘THE HOUSE AT BOUNDARY ROAD LIVERPOOL’ 5–16 November ‘MERCUTIO AND THE PRINCE OF CATS’ 19–30 November ‘THE SPLIT’ 3–14 December Level 1, 5 Eliza St Newtown

www.old505theatre.com city hub 25 JULY 2019

13

A View From The Bridge

A View From The Bridge, by Arthur Miller, is a play of epic tragedien proportions echoing the works of Euripides, Sophocles and Shakespeare in the opinion of director Lain Sinclaire. Miller, in the tradition of ancient tragedy, was able to, “throw human reality into stark relief which creates a

sense of infinity.” This is true of all his great plays including Death Of A Salesman and All My Sons, which Sinclaire has also directed.

A View From The Bridge, however, is widely considered to be Miller’s greatest work. The play first opened in London before it was considered for a run on Broadway and given the accolades it really deserved and it was while in London, studying acting at RADA, that Sinclaire discovered the work of Arthur Miller. With his love of ancient greek tragedy, Sinclaire is so excited to be directing this particular production for The Ensemble Theatre as it is a theatre in the round with the audience on all sides similar to an ancient amphitheatre.

Familiar with working on many different stages Sinclaire has had quite a career so far teaching at NIDA and directing both in LA and New York as well as for the Royal Court National Theatre in London. He has worked with Cate Blanchette, Kate Mulvaney and Eddie Perfect and is head of acting at 16th Street Actors Studio New York.

Who better to take on such a mammoth task in the director’s seat?

This production is bare-boned with no set, one chair and two props, so as not to distract the audience from the intensity of the script. The play deals with immigration, morality and family dysfunction. It pulls no punches and tears at the heartstrings with words, actions and deeds that

simultaneously repel and lure the audience. It is a play that actors flock to and beg to be a part of.

Sinclaire has chosen his actors on what he calls “their ability to offer.” His advice being, “Come in with your heart open and we’ll find a way of working together.” This production is a collaborative effort with a wonderful cast unafraid to “dig deep.” The cast includes Giles Gartrell-mills, David Lynch, Anthony Gooley, Zoe Terakes, Scott Lee, Janine Watson and David Soncin, who is an Italian immigrant himself, as Alfieri. (RLD) Jul 18-Aug 24. Ensemble Theatre, 78 McDougall St, Kirribilli. $38-$78+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.ensemble.com.au

THE NAKED CITY

Whatever Happened To Mid Week Music?

With Coffin Ed There’s much talk recently about making Sydney a 24-hour city, revitalising the nighttime culture and asserting our role as one of the world’s leading cosmopolitan cities.

The Olympics back in 2000 proved that this could be done, albeit driven by a unique one-off event and compacted into a period of only a few weeks.

Nevertheless, Sydney 2000 did provide us with a number of interesting lessons, one of them being that not everything needs to happen on the weekend. During that period, apart from the Games themselves, the city was abuzz with all kinds of entertainment, seven days a week. The influx of thousands of visitors obviously had a major effect but most Sydneysiders seemed to welcome the fact that the CBD in particular did not shut up shop at 6pm as it did during the normal working week.

Looking back even further there was a period during the 80s and 90s when live music thrived during the middle of the week. Many city and inner city pubs hosted long time residencies which often became legendary, packed out week after week. Jackie Orszaczky’s Tuesday night gig at the Rose Of Australia in Erskineville featured not only the cream of Sydney’s jazz and funk musicians, but was an inspiration for many young musicians who were often invited to sit in with the band.

In Kings Cross venues such as The Manzil Room, Round Midnight, The Kardomah Café and the Paradise Jazz Club all featured residencies and late night music during the week. Their weekends were no doubt their busiest period but there was still plenty of action Monday to Thursday. Pub wise, the Hopetoun Hotel, the Annandale, the Petersham and The Bridge, to name just a few, all featured strong mid-week gigs.

Poker machines, gentrification and the corporate buy up of many city and suburban pubs saw many of these gigs disappear and in the past decade, many other factors have seen the entertainment focus very much on the weekend.The binge culture, which eventually led to the current lockout laws, was very much a product of punters taking it easy during the week, bottling up their inhibitions and then unleashing, big time, on the weekend.

Obviously, most people work Monday to Friday and the weekend is the normal time to relax and let loose. Yet there is no good reason why night life, especially live music should be dead during the week, especially in a city the size of Sydney. The culture needs to change a bit although maybe it’s wishful thinking to imagine we can return to the halcyon days of some two to three decades ago.

It is however encouraging to see some venues are prepared to promote live music during the week. Clubs such as Venue 505 and Foundry 616 have a full mid-week program whilst bars such as Low 302 in Crown Street Surry Hills present groups such as Robert Susz’s Continental Blues Party on a Wednesday night playing from 9.30pm until late.

Residencies are a great way for bands to build up a following and whilst they sometimes take a few weeks to generate a regular crowd, once established they can often run for years. They need a sympathetic venue, one that is prepared to work with the band in building up the night, not sacking them after a week or two when they fail to attract the required crowd.

So why wait for the weekend before you go out and catch some live music, even if you have to work the next day. The atmosphere is often a lot more relaxed, the binge drinkers are usually absent and you are injecting life back into a city that is currently pretty much on life support.

Beijing Golden Sail Arts Troupe Over 100 supremely talented students from the renowned children’s Beijing Golden Sail Arts Troupe will descend upon the iconic Sydney Opera House this weekend for one show only.

Established in 1986 the Beijing Golden Sail Arts Troupe is made up of over 10,000 talented students and their teachers from the top schools throughout China’s capital city. For over 30 years the troupe has travelled the world and impressed audiences in over 50 countries, performing at the Beijing Olympic Games, APEC and other major national events.

The stunning performance will include a wide array of dance and musical performances.

14

city hub 25 JULY 2019

Just some of the elements audiences can expect to see are traditional Chinese dance music and costumes, modern international dance and music, Peking opera and martial arts. All of which will be delivered with the unbridled passion and exuberance of youth.

This will be a unique opportunity for Australian audiences and school children to witness the artistic prowess of a foreign culture, without needing to travel far abroad.

Jul 27. Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $26-$69+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.sydneyoperahouse.com

Photo: Des White

By Jamie Apps Highly regarded as one of Australia’s most exciting improvising pianists, Marc Hannaford is bringing his New York-born trio back home to Sydney for a one night only performance.

Known for his contemporary and innovative approach to composition and improvisation Hannaford was recognised by the Music Trust as an artist who’s talent should be fostered. As such Hannaford was awarded the prestigious Freedman Fellowship in 2013, which he described as “an amazing and surreal experience.”

After receiving the award and funding which accompanied it Hannaford was able to uproot his life and relocate to New York in order to

Freedman New Jazz: Marc Hannaford Trio pursue a PhD at Columbia University. Whilst many jazz musicians have lofty dreams of living and performing in New York Hannaford was aware that these needed to be tempered in order to truly be both happy and successful.

“I do not want to downplay the excitement that I felt before my move, the somewhat surreal reality of living in this city, and the amazing experiences that I have had here, but I try to avoid falling into a romantic, idealised notion of what constitutes success in this scene. Moving here further reinforced my conviction that for me artistic fulfilment comes with following my idiosyncratic interests, rather than craving attention or recognition, or even feeling like I need to fulfil some set of criteria before I am allowed to ‘make it.’”

Fulfilment for Hannaford has come in the form of his exciting new trio outfit. Alongside fellow collaborators, electric bassist Simon Jermyn and drummer Satoshi Takeishi the group navigates Hannaford’s original compositions, which encompass driving loops, morphing textures, and surprising melodic twists.

The trio first came together through mutual friends but quickly formed a bond over their musical philosophies.

“I formed the group partly in response to the transience of the New York music scene. My compositions are difficult to play, so getting to a point where we can really make music together requires a certain investment that can be difficult to locate in a scene where a lot of people are hustling to make the next gig, tour, or recording.

We got together to learn and workshop my music for the sake of improving our musicianship, rather than with a specified performance or recording date in mind. This attitude allowed us to take our time with the music and to let it develop into something that feels and sounds organic, rather than forced.”

Over the course of the past five years, the trio has developed into a special force in the world of jazz, which they are excited to introduce to Sydney audiences.

“I am very excited to bring this group and repertoire to Australia,” said Hannaford before adding, “I am really looking forward to introducing Australian audiences to what we have developed together.”

Aug 8.The Newsagency, 74-76 Pyrmont Bridge Road, Camperdown. $20-$35+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.thenewsagencyvenue.com

The White Crow

are hilarious throughout.

Visually this updated take on the Shakespearean story is Disney continues down the ‘livethis updated version to break out stunning, often lulling the viewer action’ remake path with perhaps of its predecessor’s shadow and into thinking they’re watching a their most iconic and thus lofty avoid direct comparisons. nature documentary rather than effort to date with an update of Narratively the film has only a CGI animated film. However, 1994’s The Lion King. minor alterations to many of by sticking so tightly to the The 2019 version of the film sees the characters. Once again photorealistic approach there director John Favreau employ two characters, in particular, are two main issues. Firstly the photorealistic CGI to recreate steal the show, Timon (Billy film loses its emotional gravitas the 1994 version almost scene for Eichner) & Pumbaa (Seth Rogan) since the characters faces are scene, beat for beat. bring the majority of modern unable to be as emotive as the As such it is near impossible for embellishments to the script and original. Secondly, it can become

Acclaimed artist Diesel is set to release his first EP in a series of three. Sunset Suburbia Vol. 1 will be followed by Volumes 2 and 3, culminating in a full album release in 2020.

In his latest work, the pop-rocker takes on a softer, more reflective tone as he undertakes introspective themes such as his troubled years as a teen and lost innocence in the single By The Scars.

Overall, the four songs comprising Diesel’s latest EP are smooth to listen to and easy to feel connected with. Wake Up With An Angel, in particular, has an especially catchy chorus that will surely stick with listeners long after the song has finished. (EE) WWWW1/2

Be Natural

whether he was staying for love.

Touching on his gay tendencies the film is cleverly edited with black and white sequences, flashbacks that take audiences back to his childhood which was riddled with poverty.

The White Crow is astutely directed by Ralph Fiennes who also plays a pivotal role in the film.

Audiences should be mesmerised by this stylish production which boasts exquisitely colourful ballet dancing sequences and also resonates the stringent rehearsal schedules the dancers had to This inspiring British biopic set urge for freedom made him seek adhere to. in 1961 is based on the truepolitical asylum for which he could Ukrainian dancer and first-time life events which led to the have been charged with treason actor Oleg Ivenko who bears defection of ballet dancer Rudolf in the USSR. Nureyev was labelled an astonishing resemblance to Nureyev from the USSR (Russia). “the white crow” indicating he was Nureyev delivers a memorable Born on a train in 1938, the film unusual, an outsider. performance in the titular role principally covers his transition He stated, “I want to be free! I as the man who, from the age of from student to an incredibly will never return to my country, six when he saw his first ballet, successful dancer in Paris which but I may never be happy in quickly realised he was destined brought on his desperate need yours!” and was constantly to be a ballet dancer. (MMo) WWWW for life in a different world. His harassed by the press as to

The Lion King

Diesel - Sunset Suburbia (Vol.1) EP

When the question is asked: “Why aren’t there any great female [enter profession] in history?” the answer is usually “because they have been written out!”

This is most certainly true about Alice Guy-Blache, who was one of the most innovative, astute, and prolific filmmakers in the world at the very beginning of the industry - let alone a female filmmaker. Much of her output has been lost or destroyed, and her fame obscured by time and indifference. A new documentary about her life and work may go some way to rectifying this.

Be Natural is a detailed biography of a forgotten genius. It pieces together interviews, film fragments, relics, and other flotsam and

jetsam that has managed to float against the tide of gender arrogance.

The biopic, narrated by Jodie Foster, shows the extraordinary contribution Guy-Blache made to film

making, both artistic and technical, and the audacity with which all credit was seized from her and unfairly attributed to a bunch of men. (RB) WWW1/2

difficult to distinguish between specific characters unless they are speaking.

As an introduction to the classic story, this version of The Lion King will certainly enthral younger viewers. For those with strong nostalgic ties to the original, however, this version is likely to leave you unsatisfied, particularly if you were hoping for a reimagining of the classic tale.

(JA) WWW1/2 city hub 25 JULY 2019

15

MUSIC TO CHALLENGE THE MIND, FEET AND SOUL.

16 – 18 AUGUST 2019

200+ PERFORMERS AND 10 VENUES - 3 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF REAL MUSIC MOUSSA DIAKITE & WASSADO AfroBeat led by Mali’s legendary guitarist and singer (pictured above).

ERIC BOGLE Internationally acclaimed songwriter of ‘And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda’ in possibly his last ever Sydney appearance (but John Farnham said something like that too).

ELIJAH WALD Grammy award-winning USA blues authority, singer and guitarist with ‘Stories of the Blues’.

CHAIKA Australia’s leading world music band brimming with youthful vitality.

ERIC AVERY Ngiyampaa, Yuin, Bandjalang and Gumbangirr artist. Violinist and language singer extraordinaire.

THE LAST AUROCHS Borderless Celtic music.

LUKE PLUMB & THE CIRCUIT Comprising of a twin frontline from Plumb’s searing mandolin and Eamon McNelis’ sinuous trumpet, driving twin acoustic

guitars from Kate Burke and Jem Dunlop and locked together by Shannon Birchall’s double bass and Rory McDougal’s drums, this is a band made for live performances.

THE BUTTON COLLECTIVE Sydney’s distinctively different energetic folk band.

Brodie Button’s guitar-driven songs are backed by accordion, double bass, banjo, fiddle, drums, and rich, multi-layered vocal harmonies.

DEAD MEN TALKING Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson catch up in the Leviticus Bar & Grill, Heaven’s Gate. The hit musical play’s last Sydney show.

BALKANSKI BUS Get aboard and learn to dance Balkan wedding style.

40 DEGREES SOUTH Join Sydney’s top shanty singers when they join The Shanty Club for a salty salute to the sea.

SHELLEY’S MURDER BOYS The festival’s bluegrass, old-times and OzAmerikana sessions will have your toes twitching and feet tapping.

And that’s only a sample of our artists! The Sydney Folk Festival - 10 venues across 10 venues in Pitt Street near Sydney Town Hall. Your opportunity to see the ‘next generation of folk music’ and legends of real music.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW WEEKEND ACCESS ALL VENUES TICKETS OR DAY TICKETS:

sydneyfolkfestival.com.au 16

city hub 25 JULY 2019