City Hub 25 October 2018

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city hub 25 OCTOBER 2018

Hope for Cross lock-outs

by John Moyle This week will see the last glimmer of hope for the Kings Cross and CBD lock-out laws before Glad the Impaler’s government is swept away in the state election on March 23rd 2019.

A bill is being proposed from an unlikely source, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party’s MLC Robert Borsak, who intends to table it in the NSW Upper House this Thursday.

Mr Borsak’s bill comes as a response to Nationals Deputy Premier John Barilaro’s recent call to repeal the lock-outs in the CBD in response to the damage being done by the light rail construction and downturn of the night time economy.

Notice of the Liquor Legislation Amendment (Repeal of Lock-Out Laws) Bill 2018 is calling for an end to the 1.30am lock-outs across the CBD, and importantly for the first time since the regulations’ introduction in 2014, will include Kings Cross in the abolition.

“With this and the light rail it is creating a mess for small business, and as politics is all about policy this is an opportunity to force the Government to do something,” Mr Borsak, said.

“We are talking about the whole of Sydney, and the Cross has to be in it.”

“The Greens will always oppose the CBD and Kings Cross lock-outs and that position holds,” said Jenny Leong, MP Greens, Newtown.

“While I haven’t seen this bill if it simply allows people to go out and dance all night then that would be something the Greens would support.”

Ralph Kelly, the father of one-punch victim Thomas Kelly, told 2GB that the lock-outs still need to be in place and the city can’t afford to have them wound back.

The latest Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research figures show that over the past 12 months there were 445 reports of assault in the CBD, while reports in Kings Cross were down to 30 from a high of 174.

Kings Cross goes another lock out round this Thursday. Photo: Mitchell Ferris

“The lock-outs have never been effective in the CBD and the assaults at Star have never been included,” said the CEO of the Kings Cross Licensing Accord Association, Doug Grand.

“The Government’s reasoning for the lockouts is contradictory,” Mr Borsak said.

“They claim that it is a crack down on violence and criminals in licensed premises, yet the Star has been exempted even though it has a reputation for attracting its fair share of criminals.”

As Jenny Leong points out the reduction in assaults can also be attributed to the Light Rail construction works reducing numbers in the CBD.

“If you look at the City of Sydney reports about pedestrian foot traffic [being] down by 80 to 90 per cent then you reduce violence by 80 to 90 per cent, but you can’t stop people going out in certain areas, you [also] need to reduce the violent behaviour,” she said.

The past five years has seen the night time economy of Kings Cross decimated as the lockouts impact on clubs and ancillary businesses, reducing foot traffic to a trickle at night and creating empty shops along the southern part of Darlinghurst Road.

“No other international city of similar standing to Sydney has such a law striking at the heart of its nightlife,” Mr Borsak said.

“I’ve lost count of the number of small

business owners, residents and young people who have contacted my office to register their anger at this situation.”

Owner of World Bar, Steve Ward, who is on the front line trying to keep his Kings Cross venue open, lamented the damage being done to the valuable brand that is Kings Cross.

“There’s an eco-system in Kings Cross that has been absolutely wiped out,” Mr Ward said.

“I think that Kings Cross has a huge amount of historical goodwill, and a lot of international cities treat that goodwill as an asset and work to enhance it and deal with the problems in a positive and creative way.”

Jenny Leong said “I don’t think the Government understands the needs of the community, they are so out of touch.”

“Berijiklian says that government should get out of people’s lives and what we are seeing is a government addicted to bans and lock-outs,” Mr Borsak said.

“In other words, if you are a small business you are not worth a bumper but if you are a large business like the Star and you pay the right people you get what you need.”

Another thorn in the government’s side might come if hotelier and night club operator Ian Chandler’s class action against the government gains traction.

Claiming that it could be the largest class action in Australia, Mr Chandler predicted it could be as high as $2 billion, citing just one hotelier’s claim that their premises had dropped $20 million in value.

“The government has said that they will reconsider the lock-out laws without Kings Cross after the election, but I think they are saying that for convenience,” Mr Borsak said.

“If we can get some positive trading conditions in the Cross we will also see new entrants to the market immediately,” Steve Ward said.

NSW Labor and Opposition Leader Luke Foley were approached for comment on this story but declined.

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By Will Fournier If you live in Darlinghurst, you might want to keep your cats inside at night.

There is a gruesome rumour circulating among locals of an old man stalking and killing the furry felines.

Darlinghurst resident Anna hasn’t seen her cat Lenin in a month.

“You should’ve seen me this morning,” she said, “I was bawling my eyes out”.

In the regular course of things, cats do go missing quite often.

A spokesperson for the Sydney Dogs and Cats Home told the City Hub that in any given year they will rehome around 1,000 cats who have either run away from home, or not been compatible with their human family.

“Based on our experience and observations in rehoming we know each cat has its own unique personality,” the spokesperson said.

“Some cats are highly independent, and others are very social enjoying the company of other cats, humans and even other domesticated species.”

That said, residents suspect foul play is involved in the disappearance of their dear kitties.

With more than 10 cats going missing in Darlinghurst over the last month, locals report as a person of interest a man in his mid-seventies, who has been observed skulking around at night, interacting strangely with anything feline.

For some, the obvious answer may be for residents to simply keep their cats inside.

Others say cats require both mental and physical exercise and experience of the great outdoors to lead a fulfilling life.

Jack the Cat Ripper on the loose in Darlo. Photo: Will Fournier

An outdoor enclosure might be a compromise to keep cats safe from marauding pussy murderers.

A spokesperson from Cat Protection Society said that “of course there are always people with bad intentions”.

While the spokesperson believed the existence of a ‘Jack the Cat Ripper’ was a possibility, it didn’t seem like there was anything the Society could do about it.

“If you have a problem, you should call the RSPCA, or the police,” the spokesperson said.

Senior Constable Sam Donni, from the local police command in Kings Cross said there wasn’t anything to be concerned about, “Missing cats aren’t too common in Darlinghurst”.

According to Anna, the Darlinghurst cat killer is real.

“Look at his eyes,” she said pointing to a picture of her black cat, Lenin, “isn’t he the most beautiful creature you’ve ever seen?”

“People [see the flyers and] call me and I get so excited,” Anna said.

“But people just call me to ask if I’ve found Lenin…it kind of restores your faith in human beings, when people see a flyer and call you and tearfully ask, ‘have you found your cat?’”

Anna is only one of the locals whose pets have gone missing in Darlinghurst who believe dark forces are responsible.

“It just doesn’t add up,” said one bereft cat owner. “Coco loved her home, she never would have run away.”

Until the mystery is solved, cat-loving elderly gentlemen of the inner east may want to refrain from petting any kitties on the street, lest they be mistaken for the killer. city hub 25 OCTOBER 2018

3

Inner West checks its mental health

By Sarah McLenaghan To honour Mental Health Month, the Inner West Council is supporting a number of events and initiatives running throughout October.

These programs range from family barbecues to training programs or professional networking, and will primarily target young people and seniors living in the Inner West.

Mayor Darcy Byrne hopes these efforts will help raise awareness about mental health and provide resources for people in the community.

“Mental illness can affect people from all walks of life,” he said.

“Council is committed to providing services to those in need and partnering with some wonderful organisations to provide support both to sufferers and their friends and family members – no one needs to go through this alone.”

Young people are a key focus of these initiatives, with a youth survey conducted by the Black Dog Institute in 2016 finding that just under one in four people aged 15-19 years meet the criteria for having a probable serious mental illness.

Even more alarming are statistics from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare which reveal that suicide is the biggest killer of Australians aged 15-24 and accounts for the deaths of more young people than car accidents.

Father Chris Riley, CEO and Founder at Youth off the Streets, emphasised the importance of Mental Health Month for youth, “Mental health is one of the most common issues our young people face.

“Greater awareness is necessary to reduce the stigma and highlight the severity and complexity of mental health issues.

“By doing this we are making it easier for young people to come forward and seek help if they need it.”

Youth off the Streets partnered with the Inner West Council and Headspace to hold local mental wellbeing events during the recent school holidays.

This included a Youth Showcase which involved a

Inner West Meet Your Neighbour mental health networking event. Photo: Inner West Council

skate event and competition with games, activities and a free BBQ. Father Riley said, “The events were aimed at providing a fun environment for young people to engage with mental health services and also have some fun and make friends.”

Initiatives like this help to break the stigma around mental health, which Father Riley says is critical to ensuring young people feel safe enough to seek help.

“We’re hoping to make contact with young people in a friendly environment in order to provide the help they need.

“By doing this, hopefully we can unlock their full potential and prevent these issues from taking over their lives.”

At the opposite end of the spectrum, the needs of Inner West’s senior residents are being made a

priority through a number of mental health initiatives.

Mental Health First Aid for Older People trains residents to develop the skills to assist someone developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis.

Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care, Ken Wyatt, addressed the prevalence of mental illness among Australia’a ageing population: “It is estimated that up to 39 per cent of residential aged care clients are living with mild to moderate depression.

“Untreated, conditions like depression can increase the risk of, and accelerate physical and cognitive decline (including dementia) and lead to increased reliance on medication and hospitalisation.”

Mr Wyatt emphasised mental illness effects older Australians differently stating: “Mental illness in

the older population is more than the experience of loneliness, sadness or grief.

“It is often the result of an accumulation of multiple physical, social and emotional risk factors that lead to persistent negative thoughts and can become selfreinforcing and limit a person’s ability to participate in, or benefit from, activities that might otherwise promote wellbeing.”

In order to further assist older people recovering from anxiety and/or depression, the Inner West will run an Active and Healthy Group over the course of eight weeks.

The programs will not only assist those living with a mental illness, but will also aim to support mental health service providers.

An Inner West Meet Your Neighbour networking event will be held to connect organisations and individuals with an interest in mental health and wellbeing.

The meeting will allow mental health agencies to find ways to collaborate and work together to better connect the people they support with local services and activities.

Rev. Bill Crews, CEO and Founder of the Exodus Foundation, which will be taking part in the Meet Your Neighbour event, explained the importance of networking between organisations with an interest in mental health, “Here at Exodus we concentrate on the whole person.

“Obviously we cannot supply all needs for everybody who approaches us and thus it is really important to network with other agencies.

He emphasised the role Local Government needs to play in combating the issue of mental illness in Australian communities, “Local Councils are at the coalface of human settlement.

“They are the ones closest to the people and so should naturally be the ones people go to for help.”

People seeking support for a mental health problem can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 22 4636.

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5

Waverley’s dead zone back to life

By Georgia Fullerton One of Sydney’s most significant and historical sites has re-opened after a 12-month construction program.

The Waverley Cemetery Coastal Walk was forced to close in June 2016 due to damage caused by a huge storm battering Sydney’s coast.

The walk, and parts of the cemetery, have since undergone restoration works said to have cost over $4.26 million ensuring the site can endure future weather events.

Waverley Council helped the public celebrate the cemetery’s re-opening by hosting a community walk last Saturday.

Mayor of Waverley, John Wakefield, said, “Waverley Cemetery is iconic within the community due to its position along the Bronte cliffs and unique Victorian charm”.

The cemetery’s eastern boundary receives significant traffic from walkers and joggers taking in the Bondi to Coogee coast walk.

Cr Wakefield said the feedback from the community has been overwhelmingly positive since the reopening, “Coast walkers by this time were happily using the diverted path through the cemetery but it was clear that many missed the more exciting views along the original walk cliff-side.

“Those who participated in the official reopening on Saturday, 13 October, 2018, were ecstatic with the reopening and the new landscape works that came with it.”

Waverley Cemetery is listed on the

Waverley Cemetery’s walk of the dead re-opens. Photo: Waverley Council

NSW State Heritage Register and is also noted as a site of significance by the National Trust.

The Heritage Council for NSW awarded the listing based on the cemetery’s spectacular ‘genealogical, historical, architectural and artistic character’.

The cemetery opened in 1877, and is the final resting place of some of Australia’s most famous and notable historical figures including Henry Lawson, Dorothea Mackellar and Jules Francoise Archibald.

Its famous inhabitants are a drawcard for tourists, who take advantage of the opportunity to soak up a part of Australia’s European history while taking in the spectacular ocean views.

The site is also popular with Australian film makers of every genre.

The cemetery land was first purchased in 1875, with the intention to build a world class necropolis to rival the finest cemeteries in Europe and the United States.

The original design was based on the architectural fashions in London, Paris and the USA at the time, but with the cemetery’s unique position needed to include drainage, roads and fencing.

Spanning 16 hectares, since it hosted its first burial only four days after opening on 1st August 1877, the cemetery has seen more than 83,000 interments in about 50,000 gravesites and memorials.

The recent repair and maintenance process included roadworks on the entrance driveway, repairs to internal stairways and replacement of cemetery fences.

The cemetery gateway was also renovated.

Many of the restorations had been well overdue before the storm forced the walk’s closure, with joggers tripping over loose paving stones, and sections of the pathway closed using only caution tape.

Cr Wakefield said, “A new lookout was incorporated as part of the restoration works and serves as a resting point along the walkway.

“It was designed by the landscape architects who first designed the coast walk in 2006…it also provides a point of contemplation where visitors can absorb the unique surrounds of Waverley Cemetery.

“There are commanding views all the way to North Bondi and it’s a great spot for whale watching too.”

He said, “The extent of damage occurred along the coast walk (outside cemetery boundaries) where an embankment was eroded by waves.

“This landslip de-stabilised the coast walk and forced Council to divert public access…the works involved a sea wall built over igneous dykes and within tidal zones…the site was constantly inundated with sea water and had to be pumped dry to continue sea wall construction.”

Audrey McCallum of the Waverley

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Historical Society, said she believed it is incredibly important to preserve sites of historical significance, ““I think we are losing so much of our heritage in Australia and we need to preserve as much of it as we can.

“You go to other countries, especially Europe and see that they have maintained their buildings so well, despite the fact that it may be expensive…we need to do the same thing here, rather than taking the approach that if it collapses we can just knock it down and forget about it.

Ms McCallum said it was imperative for governments to make it a priority to maintain sites like Waverley Cemetery or else there would be nothing to show future generations. “[They} will look back and not know the history, the raw architecture and the walks…we want to see more preservation of parks, walks and buildings for the future.”

Ms McCallum said the cemetery is an important feature of the Waverley community, “The position alone as well as the fact that it is one of the earliest cemeteries in the suburbs, we need to make sure that it continues and is further developed in terms of people getting around and appreciating the people and the stories of the people who are buried there.

“Many of these are people of historical significance in the local area and those stories need to be told, and their resting place needs to be preserved.

“I’m glad it has been in this case.”

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7

WestConnex’s unlawful trucking

BY Lanie Tindale A transport union has told a NSW parliamentary inquiry the Sydney Motorway Corporation (SMC) is failing to force their truck drivers to comply with the law.

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) told the inquiry concerns had been raised by members since mid 2016.

The failure of WestConnex contractors to comply with legal requirements has led to safety issues, the TWU told the inquiry.

These include overloading of trucks, fatigued drivers, defective vehicles and the under and late payment of workers leading to drivers taking on a dangerous workload.

In a written submission, the TWU wrote that in March 2017 various organisations including the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) and highway patrol police conducted a “safety blitz” on WestConnex contracted trucks after several serious accidents.

In one such incident, in February 2017, a WestConnex truck loaded with soil crashed on the M7, trapping one person in a car and injuring four.

The police crackdown, dubbed ‘Operation Catapult’, discovered “racked couplings, bald tyres, deficient brakes and evidence of speed limiter tampering”.

Over two days the police issued 33 defect notices and 22 infringements.

The TWU said it conducted interviews with drivers during the “blitz” and were told they were instructed to start work early -

Multi truck accident on M4. Photo: Wikimedia Commons 2012

without recording the earlier starting time – had their trucks loaded without consultation on maximum load requirements; and were told to continue operating after complaining about defective vehicles. “[Drivers] often felt they had no option but to do as they were told by the loaders on the WestConnex project from fear of losing a load or the contract,” the TWU submitted.

During the hearing, committee member Cate Faehrmann asked about a TWU media release from March 2017 which said “[There is] a tangled web of companies that contract and sub contract to each other, so much so that the TWU is positive that WestConnex is not even

aware at any given time of which trucks are working on the site”.

The TWU State Secretary Richard Olsen told the inquiry when head contractors subcontract work out there are “two things that go missing…safety and rates of pay and remuneration overall, whether it be employees or owner-drivers”.

Mr Olsen told the inquiry the practice also led to “the top of chain” absolving themselves of responsibility. “[T]hey say, ‘No, this is not our concern. We have contracts with other people who are in charge of that’.”

Ms Faehrmann asked, “[A]are there any current risks or breaches of safety that is happening at the moment

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around WestConnex construction sites that you are concerned about?”

Mr Olsen answered, “It is consistent, year in, year out, on different projects, and on WestConnex it happens today, and it will continue happening when fatigue legislation is not addressed”.

When Ms Faehrmann asked if “there was a similar degree of contracting and subcontracting that goes on in the other projects [like the completed M5]” compared to WestConnex, Mr Olsen replied, “Yes, I believe so.”

The underpayment and late payment of drivers – including those employed directly by contractors as well as owner drivers - was raised as another concern.

In March 2017 the TWU found that Road Constructions Australia [RCA] had underpaid 35 employees.

While RCA “subsequently rectified the issues…by back-paying employees a total of approximately $80,000, and adjusting rates of pay moving forward”, the company was later declared bankrupt and currently owes $500,000 to approximately 20 owner drivers and 40 employees.

The TWU also claimed “vehicles engaged by RCA were overloaded 90 per cent of the time.”

Most drivers did not record rest breaks “correctly or consistently”, the TWU told the inquiry, “This suggested that fatigue breaks were not being taken or not being recorded or monitored in compliance with chain of responsibility laws”.

The union told the inquiry it had written to Michael Polito - Principal Manager of Health and Safety with

SMC - in July 2017 “to ensure all transport operators working on the WestConnex project were compliant with their various legislative obligations”.

“TWU asked the SMC to facilitate audits of all transport contractors engaged on the WestConnex project (including those engaged directly by SMC and those sub-contracted down the chain),” they submitted to the inquiry.

The TWU alleges the SMC said, “As you would appreciate all contracts and construction sites are under the care and control of our respective contractors and as such your enquiries should be directed to the individual contractors involved”.

The TWU also challenged the NSW government’s claims that 10,000 jobs would be created for NSW workers through the WestConnex project.

The union said it had received reports “that a number of companies contracted to the WestConnex project have sub-contracted to interstate vehicles.”

On visiting WestConnex project sites, the TWU told the Inquiry they found “evidence of vehicles registered in Victoria and South Australia working on the WestConnex project.” “[T]he engagement of interstate trucks means local jobs are being taken away from local workers,” the TWU’s written submission said. “[T]his also presents, in the TWU’s view, a safety risk given that the vehicles in question are not registered to work on New South Wales roads.”

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Schools’ concerns dusted over

BY Wendy Bacon Sydney Motorway Corporation (SMC) consultants have finally acknowledged that air pollution has been significantly worse this year at St Peters School than at nearby NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) monitors at Earlwood, Chullora and Rozelle.

This fresh information comes from the latest SMC report about an air quality monitor that has been at St Peters School since 2015.

The SMC Air quality report for August notes “PM2.5 and PM10 data for St Peters School site is consistently elevated compared with OEH stations nearby; this is suggested to be contribution from nearby construction activity.”

into a special bag because they were worried that WestConnex would come and take their home too.”

She described the dilemmas confronting parents, some of whom have no choice but send their children to the school, which is otherwise highly regarded. Some parents fear that if they speak out about the impacts of WestConnex, even more families will turn away from school, which they are told could threaten its very existence.

Dr Kilham said streams of Facebook discussions revealed prospective parents are reluctant to send their children to St Peter’s Primary School “based 100% on WestConnex and air pollution”.

St Peters children at anti-WestConnex workshop with author Nadia Wheatley before demolition began.

Photo: Lorrie Graham

There is scientific evidence that PM is linked to lung and heart disease and cancer and can be particularly damaging to young children.

On August 3, the PM 10 and PM 2.5 exceeded national daily limits at St Peters. The report notes that high levels were not recorded elsewhere, and exceedance was likely due to construction activity.

The St Peters community were not informed.

The Environmental Impact Statement that was used by NSW Planning to support its approval for the WestConnex Stage 2 St Peters interchange stated it was unlikely that there would be any significant impacts on air quality during construction and any impact that occured would be temporary and mitigated.

This news will only further exacerbate the stress and concern of St Peters Public School community members who last week gave evidence at the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Impacts of WestConnex.

St Peters School Parents and Citizens WestConnex committee was represented by Dr Sarina Kilham. Parents and children from St Peters attended the session along with parents from Rozelle and on the North Shore, all of whom fear the impacts of proposed WestConnex Rozelle Interchange and the Western Harbour Tunnel.

Dr Kilham’s two children are among 180 attending St Peters Public School and Preschool.

There is also a playgroup for younger children.

Access to the school, in either car or on foot, is via a WestConnex worksites. Dr Kilham told the Inquiry that the school’s experience with WestConnex had been “overwhelmingly negative” and a “slow ripping apart of our community.”

“From the early days of demolition when children from our school lost their homes and friends were forced to move away, the social and emotional impact on the children who have left and the children who are left behind has been very profound,” Dr Kilham told the Inquiry. “I have heard stories of five- year-olds packing their toys

“It leaves those of us with children at St Peters Public School wondering if we have done, and indeed if we are doing, the right thing by our children,” said Dr Kilham.

In 2017, there was several months of severe odours caused by leachate gas which floated across the school. Dr Kilham told the Inquiry that during this period when the gas was bad, the principal kept the children indoors.

On some occasions, Dr Kilham withdrew her daughter from the school and left the suburb for the whole day. “I was not going to send her to school with leachate gas going through the school,” she said. Her 1875 “little terrace house” also would not protect against the gas.

In 2015, SMC promised to supply the school with the air quality data but never did so. “The point is that at the moment we do not have a choice about what we do because we do not have the data,” she told the Inquiry.

Although she acknowledged that there was no scientific evidence that the pollution was causing illness, she described “anecdotes of children having more frequent asthma attacks, of children who did not previously have asthma starting to have asthma. We are having parents talk about children being diagnosed with dust allergies and coming home from school itchy,” Dr Kilhem told the Inquiry. This accords with evidence given by Haberfield School parents earlier in the Inquiry.

City Hub has previously reported a case of a three-year-old child at St Peter’s preschool who has had pneumonia twice.

The New M5 tunnel will open in 2020 but if Stage 3 goes ahead there will be nearly three more years construction at St Peters, though it will not be as close to the school as Stage 2 construction.

After the massive interchange opens, more traffic will pass less than a block from the school and two unfiltered ventilations stacks will operate less than 500 metres in different directions.

On foot or by bike – immerse yourself in a night of light, entertainment and some Halloween surprises.

The Domain 6pm to 11pm

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Opinion

Can sortition sort WestConnex?

By Peter Hehir If there is one thing that is certain about the WestConnex debacle it’s the fact that in spite of its overwhelming unpopularity it seems there is no possibility of relief. Not on the political front at any rate.

The real tragedy for us all is that both major parties wholeheartedly support this insane and inherently nonsensical project. Given that these turkeys are elected by the overwhelming majority of citizens to safeguard our interests and that they are so totally out of step with reality, what hope does the community have?

One of the really aggressive NeoCons – perhaps those two words should be combined to read ‘regressive’ – members on the WestConnex Parliamentary Inquiry Committee, took on one of the residents who was giving evidence, accusing the Greens of not honouring their election promise to stop WestConnex.

This was said in all seriousness! Of course he neglected to say how he expected the three Green Parliamentarians in the NSW Lower House to achieve this feat. Petty, juvenile dig really. He knows only too well that politics is a numbers game. Three is a very long way from a majority in the NSW Legislative Assembly.

This sort of feeble minded thinking isn’t just restricted to the conservative side of politics. The Labor Mayor of the Inner West Council said exactly the same thing to me at a meeting about WestConnex at the Leichhardt Public School last November.

Worth mentioning that he is only the Mayor because of a deal done with the Liberals. Mayor Darcy and Deputy Julie made strange bedfellows indeed. Couldn’t have happened twenty years ago. Almost as incomprehensible as a Tory cosying up to a Whig.

The smashing of the Liberal vote last Saturday

It’s a form of democracy. A form that hasn’t been perverted and corrupted by the factional, party political process. True democracy. Where debate is won on merit and not by the force of numbers. Where logic determines the outcome.

Where speakers on a topic are actually listened to rather than simply left to address scores of empty seats in the Parliamentary chamber.

Such a panel wouldn’t be able to stuff things up the way the Libs did last week in support of what was widely reported as ‘White racism’. Is this what we pay our politicians for? Where the boys and girls shuffle in from their cosy offices and copy what the teacher has written on the board, without any understanding or comprehension of what they are voting on?

Not a radical or new concept this sortition.

It’s about 2,000 years old. Worked really well in ancient Greece. Of course to put such a thing into practice there’s a catch. A classic Catch 22. Guess who we would need to get to agree to it? That’s right. The Parliamentarians.

Ah… there’s the rub. I doubt their egos would permit such a thing. Being second guessed by the great unwashed. They’d never stand for it. We can but dream.

There’s a forum being arranged at NSW Parliament House in about 3 weeks for members of the community who are genuinely concerned about the unsustainable direction in which Sydney is headed. If interested, get in touch with your local resident group for details.

The evidence presented at the Parliamentary Inquiry into WestConnex seems to have had some impact on the members there though, with a fourth sitting day on the 7th November. Sadly however the outcome will almost certainly be determined on party lines, unless the two Labor members are prepared to oppose party policy.

Like I said. We can but dream…

A sortition could be just what’s needed to sort Parlament. Photo: Supplied

in their Wentworth heartland suggests that if an honest, sane thinking individual who is trusted by the electorate tosses their hat into the ring, then anything is possible. Clearly NSW needs more members of the community, who aren’t there simply to join the pigs at the trough – and way less members of political parties.

I fervently hope for a hung parliament following the NSW elections. This would then give the Greens and the independents the balance of power and we just might be able to show the accusers mentioned above exactly how to stop WestConnex and the other planned tentacles of Transurban’ s gold mine.

Failing that, can the Labor Party somehow be jolted into reality and resolve to dump their support

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for this dog of a project? If so, how do we do that?

It’s got me beat – except maybe for sortition.

This is a ‘we the people’ kind of thing. A tier of Government populated solely by ordinary citizens, not stooges elected to toe a party line, who all too often leave their conscience, judgement and morals at the door.

Works just like selecting a jury. Random, impartial. Choosing the good, the bad and the ugly. A real cross section of the community. Of course some challenges should be permitted to weed out the out and out loonies and the rusted on members of the major parties. The panel operates for a period then it’s refreshed so its members don’t fall prey to the aforementioned ‘swine disease’.

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FEATURE

Creating Community

By Riley Hooper Located in the vibrant Marrickville, an important area for the creative scene, is Hypmotive hub, a place for customers and artists alike to shop, meet and hang out. Owner Renee Russo broke down Hypmotive hub explaining “Hypmotive is a creative platform where we service the creative community by providing them with an affordable retail space in our space in Marrickville, while also providing marketing services across our platforms.”

Artists and designers not only benefit from the retail space in store but the online marketplace too, with Renee continuing “this gives them more reach to grow their sales. For the customer’s, we provide them access to locally produced fashion, homewares and original art.The way we curate the range is quite original, we make sure each range and person has a unique story to tell.”

As to how Renee and husband/business partner Jake Russo came to develop the idea of Hypmotive hub so many years ago they “did a personal review of our life, our careers and ultimately what we had identified in the market was that there was a gap in terms of having access to more locally made and designed art and the artists.”

Noticing there was a void in retail shops supporting the local creative community the pair wanting to apply their skills, with Renee having a retail background in product development and Jake a designer, decided to contribute to the community by using those talents and set forward with Hypmotive hub.

Putting a new brand and concept out into the market is high risk “but we did a lot of market research and the growth has been quite organic to date.All good things take time,” said Renee.

On the importance of a hub like this existing online for local artists and designers Renee’s thoughts

Hypmotive hub owners Renee & Jake Russo with Angus (bulldog) & Juno (pugalier).

Photo: Jess Husband

were that,“Online is highly competitive, it’s hard to cut through however for anyone in business it’s important to have an online presence to enable your business to reach and engage with customers who are unable to shop the range in person.”

By providing a space for art to not only be a hobby but an option to make money could encourage more local art and creativity to be expressed with Hypmotive hub hoping the latter applies.“We are centred around creativity and want to inspire people to explore their own creativity in a welcoming space learning from skilled local artists.

For skilled local artists and small creative businesses we’re finding a lot of them have this passion or vision of creating their own unique

range and it can be a tough gig but that’s where we’re there to provide them with the commercial space and marketing support.

One of the creators featured on the Hypmotive hub online site, is Albert Tse.A local metalsmith and jeweller from Sydney, who at a young age had a fascination with making things that eventually led to quitting his job and moving to Florence to study at the Alchimia Contemporary Jewellery School.Tse has developed his own unique style putting a modern take on the traditional specialising in sandcasting.

Another local creator on the site offering up beautiful pieces is 500 Workshop by Adrian Spano.

Spano specialises in handcrafted wood objects and

custom furniture, working in a studio in Marrickville. If you’re like me and are currently growing a luscious moustache then The Mister Brand might catch your eye. A growing natural men’s grooming business creating quality handcrafted products.

Hypmotive hub in Marrickville not only has a high quality, unique range to shop with two adorable dogs that have become unofficial mascots,“they come to work with us every day, they just greet people all day,” but they also have space available where artists can reserve the space to host workshops to share their knowledge and skills with the wider community.

Coming up on November 17 and 18 is the annual Meet The Makers marketplace where people will be able to meet several of the local makers including eco fashion brand Maraca, Graffiti Ore, The Pickards and with a ceramic demonstration with award winning ceramicist Nathalie Pastro.The free event will run between 10am and 4pm at Hypmotive hub on Marrickville Road, Marrickville.

The event will showcase a range of handcrafted items and art from emerging artists and makers from all around Australia.The two days will also have live entertainment, refreshments and creative activities to participate in.

Now working with over sixty small creative business owners, independent designers, artists and local brands from around Australia, Hypmotive hub is growing this unique market.A destination itself and finalist in the New Business category for the Inner West Local Business Awards, the hub will be continuing with a new series of workshops next year. In the meantime, support your local artists and either pop into the hub or jump online and check out the amazing pieces that are on offer.

More Info: www.hypmotive.com

Hypmotive hub’s Creative Core JOHN SHEPHERDSON For the past decade, John Shepherdson has created custom crafted lighting in his workshop in Trafalgar Street, Annandale. His lamps are unique, beautiful pieces which combine salvaged machine parts with select vintage pieces.

Recent projects include a desk lamp made from Harley Davidson engine components, another crafted from a vintage fishing rod and lastly a chandelier made from antique glass medicine bottles. John’s latest creation is made from a vintage ebony and sterling silver capped cane from the early 1900s.

As with a lot of John’s lamps the overall effect is a combination of artistic sculpture and functionality. *These lamps are made to a high quality with new electrical components and all comply with Australian electrical standards. www.lightindustrial.com.au or instagram.com/light_industrial

PITOK John, better known as Pitok, is a Sydney based artist working out of his studio space in Marrickville. His work explores the intersection of kitsch Australiana and the aesthetics of classic and contemporary Japanese art making practices. His creations include original gouache paintings currently on display at Hypmotive hub, as well as limited edition prints, postcards and clothing.

Many of Pitok’s works are still life pieces, that reflect on identity and how we represent ourselves through the life long collection of ‘things’.You can become a part of his art making practice, by joining one of his ‘Mindful Painting’ classes. Bring along a unique item, and have it join his ever growing collection of accumulated still life stories.

Pitok’s ‘Mindful Painting’ class was recently a part of Sydney Craft Week 2018. His works have been exhibited in the Glebe Art Show, RAW Artists and Symposium Sydney. www.pitok.xyz or www.hypmotive.com/author/pitok

ALBERT TSE Upon returning home to Australia from studying traditional jewellery artisan skills at the renowned contemporary jewellery school Alchimia, in Italy, Albert Tse launched Albert Tse Metalsmith in 2014 with the goal of creating jewellery that is unique and inventive.

Focusing on creating “jewellery for the adventurer in you,” Tse’s creations are modern takes on traditional designs with each line aiming to tell a different story.

Designs from his sand-casted Eon collection signify the passing of time, while items from Wanderer are inspired by Tse’s memories from his world travels. All of his jewellery is handcrafted with precious metals and stones out of his studio in Sydney, so no matter where you go, you’ll always have a little piece of home.

Albert Tse Metalsmith is certainly worth checking out as evident by his recent accolades. Just last year Tse’s Crater collection was the Winner of the International Jewellery Fair in the men’s jewellery and accessories category. www.alberttsemetasmith.com or www.hypmotive.com/author/alberttsemetalsmith

BILLY BONES CLUB Billy Bones Club was born out of a ‘who cares’ mentality, by two local Melbourne dudes looking to escape the 9-5 grind. Initially making small runs of rad gear for themselves and their friends the brand has since grown due to demand and ever growing support from the club.

Billy Bones Club takes design cues from the worlds of music, festivals, tattoos, surfing and weekend culture Billy Bones Club have their own unique flair which makes them standout from the generic bad boy surf brands and bikini clad instagrams that litter the streetwear marketplace. www.billybonesclub.com

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Hypmotive hub’s Creative Core JAMES ROBINSON (DOLSON) BOUND BY SEA

BELINDA CARTER ART Belinda Carter is a self taught Sydney based artist who specialises in acrylic and various ink medium. She has a love for colour and diversity as well as a talent for colour fusion and trending creations, which shows through in her mesmerising creations.

Belinda’s creations have become a phenomenon in the Australian art landscape with her works being featured in Vogue Living Australia and sold as part of the one eighty.org youth suicide

prevention charity auction. Most recently though Belinda’s solo exhibition and Ink Art Workshops have seen outstanding responses from the community, with the workshops being seeked out across the city.

More workshops will be happening in the future for those that missed out so keep an eye on Belinda’s website and instagram feed for more details. In the mean time Belinda is available for custom domestic and corporate art commissions. www.belindacarterart.com or instagram.com/ belindacarterart or www.hypmotive.com/author/ belindacarterart

GRAFFITI ORE

AYANA JEWELLERY

Sydney artist Grace Huie Robbins had been scavenging Sydney’s inner west for fallen graffiti for almost a year before she ever thought of creating jewellery from the old paint.

“I looked anywhere that has street art that is regularly painted over.” she said.

“Like big outdoor murals in parks, alleys and skate parks” Thin layers of spray paint have built up over time, fossilising into a unique, sustainable material for the designer to work with.

“I started playing around with digging into it and sanding it to create different patterns and textures with the layers, creating little objects out of each piece” Every piece of Graffiti Ore jewellery is hand crafted by Grace in her Marrickville studio and set in resin on recycled sterling silver findings. www.graffitiore.com or www. hypmotive.com/author/graffitiore

Ayana Jewellery is a lifestyle jewellery brand for the young at heart, combining everyday staples alongside more detailed pieces to create the perfect collection from every day to that special occasion.

Each piece of jewellery in the Ayana Jewellery range is handcrafted with love from start to finish, imbuing each piece with a uniqueness.

Designer Lauren Koc designs her collections drawing from her own experiences in style, adapting it to the idea that jewellery is to be worn and enjoyed every day.

Ayana Jewellery strives for ethical, environmentally friendly, locally sourced and harsh chemical free creations wherever possible.

Despite being individually made each piece of Ayana Jewellery remains affordable with pieces ranging from $18 to $82. Or if you want something even more special and unique custom pieces can be signed and made to order. www.ayanajewellry.com

LEONIE SIMPSON

KIRANA HAAG, TRANSFORMATIONAL ARTIST

Having studied jewellery and object design at The Design Centre, Enmore Leonie Simpson is the ultimate homegrown talent.

Simpson now puts her talents to use by creating small run jewellery collections, bespoke pieces and individual commissions with a focus on everyday wearability and function.

Simpson is well known for her custom, one-off set statement rings using uniquely Australian stones and various other interesting stones from around the globe. Some of these pieces have been displayed in galleries around the country.

If you’re in the market for a unique piece of jewellery which spans the traditional and contemporary realms as a statement piece in your collection look no further than Leonie Simpson. www.leoniesimpson.com

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With a lifetime love affair with the ocean, artist James Robinson (Dolsen) showcases his unique style of artwork and woodworking. Handmade wooden surfboards & paddles inspired by the traditional Hawaiian surf craft known as Paipo’s & Alaia’s adorned with illustrative detailed artwork burnt into the fibres of the wood in a hand drawn process called “Pyrography”.

In order to create his pieces Robinson carefully selects each hand cut slab (or blank) from a sustainable sourced Byron Bay wood plantation. Each slab must then be shaped and reformed into a piece of artwork with the grains on each piece becoming a one of kind piece featuring it’s own individual accents.

Whilst similar artwork is often created with the technical accuracy of laser etching Robinson prefers to use more traditional methods in order to create a truely unique and honest representation of the art-form. That doesn’t mean that Robinsons pieces are any less detailed or accurate, just take a look at some of his incredibly detailed designs and it’s no wonder people often ask him if he uses lasers.

Robinson will be hosting an introduction to pyrography workshop at Hypmotive hub on Nov 3. www.boundbysea.com.au or www.instagram.com/ boundbysea.com.au www.hypmotive.com/author/bound-by-sea/

city hub 25 OCTOBER 2018

For Kirana Haag, Director of The Art of Belonging, her mission is to help more people unlock the truth and beauty in art, using it as a “tool that helps us engage, in work and life,” allowing people to connect both with themselves and with each other.

Haag moved from Germany to Australia in 1996, and has worked in Sydney as a full-time artist for the past five years. Her work has been exhibited and sold around the globe. Haag shares that “If we don’t support our artists, we are sacrificing the imagination, the softness and stillness in our live’s to just one plain reality and the routines of the day to day living.”

With “colour story,” people can enter their favourite colour, name, and email on her website and receive a free colour guide, which tells you “what your favourite colour says about you – and how you can express it.”

You’d be hard pressed to find an artist with more passion for their work than Kirana Haag. She lives and breathes art. www.kiranahaag.com or www.hypmotive.com/author/kiranahaagart

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT It’s somewhat ironic for a solo show to be about family and community.

Random, however, is just that with Zahra Newman, the only actor in the production, playing all 17 characters.

Though she is obviously being asked to do a lot, Newman is more than up to the task. Since graduating from the Victorian College of Arts in 2008, Newman has enjoyed immense success in the acting world. Her ever-growing list of accolades so far includes two Helpmann award nominations, a Green Room award, and a tenure in the role of Nabalungi in the original Australian cast of The Book of Mormon.

Having already performed Random with great success in 2011,

Random

Newman feels completely prepared for her role.

“I haven’t played this role in over five years, but over time you inevitably change as a person, you grow…having familiarity with the

role, though, definitely gives me a lot of confidence.”

Written by Debbie Tucker Green, Random tells the story of a family, and its community, as it copes with tragedy.

Epiphanies Epiphanies unites stars from the Australian production of Les Misérables in a common cause. That of raising money for research into mental illness which impedes the lives of many young people from all walks of life, including those from the entertainment industry.

A three hour concert with an array of well known songs from some of the greatest musicals ever will have the audience soaring into the realms of creative visualisation through the power of music and song. Rob McDougall, Kerrie Anne Greenland and Daniel Belle along with other members from the Les Miserables cast will be backed by a stunning 18-piece orchestra. As well as songs from Les Mis, pieces from Funny Girl, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, The Secret Garden, Anastasia,

and Chess will also take centre stage.

Daniel Belle, fresh from playing Jean Valjean’ in the Christchurch production of Les Miserables said, “The show came together through us three

Fiddler On The Roof

Tamara Druery as Frumar Sarah

Set in a small village in turn-ofthe-century Russia, Fiddler On The Roof is a timeless story.

Touching on themes of family, tradition, prejudice, and faith, the play has been a smash hit success

since it was performed for the first time on Broadway in 1964.

Under the direction of “Fiddler veteran” Roberta Goot, Fiddler On The Roof is making its return to Moriah College to mark the

a&e

being able to sing together.You know that when you have quality musicians the show will work.

We wanted a show that would be top notch and deliberately chose songs that were heavy hitters for an impactful musical treat. Jean Valjean, a character driven by good is compelling due to the physical strength necessary given the set of extraordinary circumstances in which he finds himself.”

In fact many characters in musicals can be quite complex and must wade through life’s uncertainties but they get to sing out loud and audiences love them for it.

Money raised goes to The Australian Rotary Health’s research grant program which evaluates treatments for young sufferers of mental illness. (RD) Oct 27. Seymour Centre, Corner City Rd & Cleveland St, Chippendale. $63.80-$75+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.seymourcentre.com

school’s 75th anniversary. The play, which will feature a cast of over 150 Moriah students, staff, parents, grandparents, and alumni has been performed twice before at the College, both times under Goot’s leadership.

The cast is not only brought together by their shared love for their school, but, for many of them, by their shared genes.

“Like the show itself – the cast is full of wonderful characters with amazing stories: an Australian Olympic silver medallist performing with his son; a mother performing alongside her four children; a father who performed in 1994, acting alongside his son who assumes the role he played back then; two

13 STAGE 14 SCENE 15 Sounds 15 SCREEN

Festival Fatale 2018

“I hope it leaves the audience thinking about how grief impact communities” said Newman, who also added that she thinks the play’s content is “very relevant today.”

Eamon Flack, the artistic director of the Belvoir Street Theatre, was not hesitated to heap praise on both the production and its star. In a rundown of the theatre’s 2018 offerings, Flack called Newman “virtuosic” and said that the production will take the audience “somewhere remarkable.”

Random offers an opportunity to see a show stealing actor at the top of her game. Plays like this don’t come around every day. (GM) Until Nov 11. Belvoir Street Theatre, 25 Belvoir Street, Surry Hills. $25-49+b.f. Tickets and Info: www.belvoir.com.au

Tara Clark. Photo: Roman Wolczak

parents with two daughters all onstage together…”

Goot, in the tradition of great directors, also hopes that her production will do more than just entertain its audience. She aims to use her platform to spark thought and conversation.

“Fiddler resonates with our community as it deals with many challenges we still face and offers, through its music, some solutions.”

This production of Fiddler offers a fresh take on a fantastic story. It is not to be missed. (GM) Oct 21-Nov 1. Moriah College, Queens Park Rd, Queens Park 2022. $65+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.moriah.nsw.edu.au

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

Following its hugely successful debut in 2016, Festival Fatale will return to the gorgeous Eternity Playhouse. This biennial event is projected to be filled to the rafters with some of the most innovative, relevant, and spirited theatre in Sydney. The productions are created by women, for everyone. Festival Fatale is just one part of a greater pushback that is occurring against the pattern of older men holding the most important creative roles in theatre. The extraordinary lineup has been curated based on creative merit, diversity, and gender parity. The overall goal is to daringly showcase the talents and diversity of women in this city.

The result, promises general manager and executive producer Tara Clark, is an incredibly unique production.

“The festival is special in that there is absolutely nothing else like it. Never have we had a festival of women’s voices, particularly in the theatre industry, because gender parity has been a really big issue in theatre and screen over the past couple of years.”

Gender parity concerns the relative equality in numbers of men and women in almost any environment, but especially in education or employment opportunities. Although a perfect fiftyfifty is idealistic, it is always important to shoot for.

Festival Fatale is an attempt to combat the lack of concern for gender parity in theatre. The result, says Tara Clark, is “a real celebration” in which “audiences will see what they’re not going to see anywhere else.”

Be sure not to miss this opportunity to support the women of Sydney, but most of all, see unforgettable theatre at Festival Fatale. (WF) Oct 27. Eternity Playhouse, 39 Burton St, Darlinghurst. $22-$99+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.witsfestivalfatale.com

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

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REVIEW: An Enemy Of The People

Melissa Reeves has re-written Henrik Ibsen’s play, updating it for modern times and swapping out the male protagonist for a female.

The result proves that very little ever changes where politics and human nature are involved.

The plot remains more or less the same: a small, insignificant town finds prosperity and renown when its natural spring is touted as a health spa and it becomes a popular resort. But wealth and fame are threatened when the the town medic, Dr Stockman (Kate Mulvany), discovers the waters have been contaminated via a flood carrying waste from a local sawmill.

While she is eager to announce her findings and immediately close the spa, her fellow town officials are less keen. Dr Stockman’s brother, Peter (Leon Ford) is the mayor tall, thin, moustached and uncomfortably contemptuous of his sister.Their battles have a meanness only quarrelling siblings can achieve.

Owner of the local newspaper, Hovstad (Steve Le Marquand) and his rookie journalist, Billing (Charles Wu), at first sympathisers with Dr Stockman, are pathetically easily

persuaded to switch sides and join the ranks of town officials who decry her. The escalating level of antipathy towards the doctor reaches peak during a town meeting, called by the doctor herself but effectively hijacked by the mayor and his cohorts.

Dr Stockman stands alone at centre stage, while the other actors stand high in the aisles around the theatre. As the audience, we feel involved in the meeting but can also feel Dr Stockman’s isolation as she is bullied and hit with a barrage of accusation and abuse. Though the references to current social climate are obvious it is still a powerfully disturbing scene.

There is some light humour, much of it supplied by Dr Stockman’s cleaner, Randine (Catherine Davies), but it is overwhelmingly gripping. Kate Mulvany’s performance is a tour de force and worth the price of the ticket alone. (RB) Until Nov 4. Upstairs Theatre, 18 & 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills. $37-$77+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.belvoir.com.au

THE NAKED CITY

DUMPING THE ANTHEM AND THE ROYALS! With Coffin Ed In case you are unaware, Channel 7 has recently declared itself ‘Australia’s Royal Network’. Whether it’s received an official blessing from Buckingham Palace is open to question, but one thing’s for sure – the station is milking the current resurgence of interest in the British Royal Family for every rating point it can score. It recently claimed a ratings bonanza for the live telecast of the wedding of Princess Eugenie with supposedly well over a million Australians tuning in.That does of course mean than approximately twenty three million more discerning viewers chose not to watch!

On Saturday night when the ABC had announced the winner of the Wentworth byelection and was screening live pictures of a jubilant Kerryn Phelps dancing with her supporters, Channel 7’s news bulletins were still forecasting a close result – an hour or two after the result was a fait accompli. It was a small oversight but indicated that when the Royals are in

town, there is no other news to report.

The saturation coverage of the recent tour of Harry and Meghan demonstrated that the young aristocrats have never been more marketable in the age of the internet, click bait and the celebrity obsession. If you are an old school royalist or just a teenager with a pop star mentality, every excessive centimetre of newspaper coverage and TV time is a delight. On the other hand if you subscribe to good old egalitarianism and the hope that one day we will become a Republic, the tabloid overkill is nauseating.

For many Australians of a nonAnglo background, the amount of media space, unbridled reverence and sheer sycophancy directed at the Royals must be bewildering, given that they have no ethnic

or emotional ties to this family of regal parasites. Whilst allegiance to the British Royal Family is not widely regarded as a prerequisite for becoming a good citizen, learning the words to Advance Australia Fair certainly is – with one qualification.

You only need to learn the first verse and it’s best advised you go nowhere near the third:

“Britannia then shall surely know, Beyond wide oceans roll, Her sons in fair Australia’s land Still keep a British soul”

As far as I know, and I will be corrected, this third verse is still officially part of the national anthem, although it is almost never performed. It lingers however, like some kind of festering sore, almost subliminally implanted, reminding us all of the umbilical cord to Old Blighty that shall never be severed.

Willie The Boatman’s Beer & Food Truck Festival

I totally agree with Tony Mundine when he labels the current national anthem as racist and refuses to stand for it. It’s not only racist and an insult to indigenous Australians but it’s a crappy, uninspiring song written by a crusty old Scotsman Peter Dodds McCormick way back in 1878. The words are archaic, as is the prevailing sentiment and it pales into insignificance when sung alongside the anthems of countries such as New Zealand with its passionate and moving bi-lingual verses.

Hey, blame those citizens who voted for it back in 1984 to replace God Save The Queen, although admittedly the only other choices were Waltzing Matilda and Song Of Australia. The latter contained the lines “On hill and plain the clust’ring vine, Is gushing out with purple wine, and cups are quaffed to thee and thine – Australia!” – clearly an inducement for teenage Australians to take up the grog.

This might sound rather strange but I strongly suggest that we dump both the Royals and Advance Australia Fair and return to singing God Save The Queen – the Sex Pistols version that is!

Be More In Year 4

Two Hearts For those of us who have experienced a true, intense first love, Two Hearts will take you back on an emotional rollercoaster.

Two individuals meet at a house party during their last year of university and instantly connect.

Soon, their love escalates and spirals down into an intense love.

Alongside these two main characters, named “Him” and “Her”, there is a third named “It” who’s identity remains a secret throughout most of the play.‘It’ follows around our main characters and serves to question ‘Him’ and ‘Her’s’ actions and core beliefs. For example,‘It’ asks them if they have just fallen in love to distract, if their love is simply an escape from themselves and their individual fears and worries. Soon, their love begins to completely unfurl and basically decompose, and it is then that we learn ‘It’s’ true identity.

As playwright Laura Lethlean describes,“people will see themselves in these characters.”

Most first loves are not serious, “because we think we have forever, 14

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so we almost think of each other as disposable.” Two Hearts, however, is an invitation to look back on the past and realise that “whether we like it or not, our first loves do stay with us because they become a part of our stories and therefore shape who we are.”

Laura Lethlean also reveals the importance of ‘It’, describing how the “mystery of this character is the dramatic tension of the play.

And when we find out who ‘It’ is, we are invited to then look back on the whole play in a completely different light.”

Two hearts should be a cathartic experience for any attendee. (WF) Until Nov 3. KXT - Kings Cross Theatre, 244/248 William St, Potts Point. $20-$25+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.kingsxtheatre.com

Willie The Boatman, St Peter’s very own craft beer brewery and tasting room, is set to host the mother of all beer and food truck festivals this Saturday.

Featuring brews from 10 award-winning local breweries – including the likes of Young Henry’s, Grifter, Batch Brewing Co, Sauce, Wayward, Yulli’s, Shark Island and Stockade as well as Willie the Boatman’s extraordinary creations. Willie The Boatman will have two festival beers on tap, a Brut IPA and a classic Octoberfest Marzen Beer.

“This is not your average Beer Festival,” says Pat McInerney. “This event is all about learning to enjoy matching beers with food.”

In terms of food there are

some classics go-toes for any beer drinker, which essentially boils down to fried food or carbs and thankfully the team behind the festival know this.

Some of the options available for attendees include; pizza from Epic Pizza or Italian street food from Inbocca, burgers from Hive Bar Burgers, ribs from Fired Up BBQ, fried chicken from Miss Chantiis and finish off with something sweet from Ciccone & Son Artisinal Ice Cream. Vegans rejoice though you haven’t been forgotten as Yullis will be serving a selection of creative options which pair with beer perfectly.

Oct 27. Precinct 75, 75 Mary St, St Peters. FREE. Info: www.sydneybeerweek.com.au

Independent coeducational Anglican school, St Andrew’s Cathedral School, is set to throw open its doors this coming Tuesday.

The open day is happening because the school will be expanding its 2019 Year 4 student admissions due to popular demand. This event will enable prospective students and parents to experience exactly how they can “Be More In Year 4” at St Andrew’s.

As part of the open day visitors will be given guided tours of the school’s specialist music and science facilities, be able to meet the staff and fellow students, and also participate in some class activities.

St Andrew’s Cathedral School is a phenomenal option to consider for parents thanks to the small class sizes (there is a maximum of 20 students per class), a central city location, before and after school care options and lastly the dedicated accelerated path programs for gifted learners.

Bookings for the open day tours are essential.

Oct 30. St Andrew’s Cathedral School, Sydney Square. Booking & Info: www.sacs.nsw.edu.au

By Jamie Apps The name Parkway Drive may only be a new one in the minds of mainstream music listeners, but for hardcore music aficionados they are a fundamental name in the Australian scene. So much so that fans of Parkway Drive even developed an interesting, if not illegal, way to pay homage to their heroes.

First forming 15 years ago Parkway Drive is a band which has been continually growing and evolving ever since. Their most recent two records, Ire and Reverence, showcase this evolution and have been catalysts for the sudden explosion in mainstream appeal.

“I can see why people would have the perception that we’re an overnight success,” said frontman Winston McCall before expanding,“For some members of the band though we’ve been alive and in this band for more time than we haven’t been in the band though, which is crazy!”

The mainstream appeal has come as the group have pushed into new ground sonically whilst simultaneously

Parkway Drive

injecting a more emotional approach to their writing.

“After Ire we had the confidence to commit fully to the concepts and emotional characters behind every song on this new record.”

Having that confidence was crucial for Reverence as it was written and produced during an emotionally turbulent time for the band following some close personal deaths.

“At times we had to let the emotions overflow but then there were other times where we had to reign it back in,” recalled McCall.“There were definitely takes on this record which were too far gone, it

was more therapy than it was music. We had to walk a tightrope every time, but I guess that’s what art is.”

As the band have grown both artistically so to has their fanbase, which has a unique way of paying homage to the band.

The name Parkway Drive comes from the name of the street where the band members grew up and first came together.As such fans have made a habit of stealing the Parkway Drive street sign, which eventually led the Byron Bay council to remove the sign all together and instead paint the name on the street itself.

When asked how he felt about this change McCall said he understood why it had to be done.

“The amount of times they’ve had to replace that sign is ridiculous… It’s always really heartwarming to hear about the dedication of our fans but at the same time we have neighbours and businesses on that street who were missing mail.”

As the band now returns to Australia to perform after a long stint overseas they’re really excited to showcase what their live show has evolved into.

“The growth that we’ve had as a band visually is similar to what we’ve had sonically, which is something that I don’t think anyone truely grasps. There are going to be people heading into this with expectations of what this band is but I can guarantee that every single one of those expectations is going to be absolutely blown to pieces.”

Oct 26. Hordern Pavilion, 1 Driver Ave, Moore Park. $76.70+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.playbillvenues.com.au

Halloween

This iteration of the franchise immediately abolishes all of the lore established through the numerous sequel abominations that have preceded by grounding this version in a modern time. In this new timeline a duo of podcasters are investigating the original murder spree for their show and have been granted an interview with Mike Myers himself, who has been incarcerated in a maximum security prison for the last 40 years.Through a series of events Myers is able to escape and subsequently begins on his path to complete his spree by finding and murdering Laurie Strode.

It is during this new murder spree in which the 2018 version of Halloween establishes itself as a faithful and respectful direct sequel, whilst also simultaneously pushing the franchise into new modern horror realms.The film does this by increasing the body count exponentially, adding incredibly violent and gory deaths, and finally being For 40 years now fans of the Halloween franchise self aware enough to sprinkle in some humour. have been screaming out for a worthy successor This version of Halloween is definitely a treat you to the original, mercifully they’ve finally been want to receive and not a trick. (JA) WWWW1/2 given one with the 2018 rendition.

Ghost Stories

Ghost Stories is the new film written, directed by and starring Andy Nyman. Nyman plays a

Derren Brown-esq type, whose livelihood it is debunking fraudulent psychics and charlatans.

Nyman begins to question his beliefs when his childhood hero has him investigate three unsolved cases of the supernatural. As he goes deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole he begins to suspect that he himself is being haunted.

This is not your average horror movie. It does not rely largely on jump scares or gore.

Instead, it focuses on what lies alone waiting for you in the darkness.

The film starts off a little slow, but overall it is a fun watch. The ending was the biggest disappointment for an overly ambitious film.

(AS) WWW

Hellions - Rue Rue is a much more melodic rock approach than Hellions have produced before.This new approach has moments of brilliance and others which fall flat.

Building off of their previous record, Opera Oblivia, Hellions have continued down the atmospheric, lyrical heavy path which has created a deep, dark and mystical record.This style gives the record an approachable pop-rock sound, which will be great for new listeners as it serves as an appetisers to the heavier rock realms.

Tracks such as Odyssey, Smile, Rue and The Lotus are brilliant examples of the new style and worth taking the time to seek out. Unfortunately as you listen to the entire record as a singular entity there are a number of interludes, such as (Blueberry), (Cocoon) and (Theatre Of), which jar you out of the atmosphere that Hellions have created. (JA) WW1/2

Teenage Dads Potpourri Lake

With one foot in indie pop and the other in indie rock,Teenage Dads will remind a listener of a modern clash between the Beatles and the Beach Boys.

The band consists of 19 year old Melbourne boys who create music in their home studio, affectionately referred to as “The Shed”. However, while the deliberately uncommercial style of their music is characteristic of a young, homemade band, their sound quality and artistic ability are not.

Each song on their debut album, Potpourri Lake, is different in its own way, ranging from intense rock about cult indoctrination to catchy pop about love in the summer.

The album showcases a diverse selection of songs and a range of musical ability that is uncommon in such a young band. Every song has potential to become an anthem of parties and gatherings. (WF) WWWW1/2

Beautiful Boy

Beautiful Boy is the new film directed by Felix Van Groeningen about a father David Sheff (Steve Carrell) struggling to save his son Nic Sheff (Timothée Chalamet) from his crystal meth addiction.

Many films have been made about this subject matter but no film has ever come as close to reality as this one does. The main reason for this is that it is a true story, based on David Sheff’s book Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction and Nic Sheff’s book Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines.

The film stays away from Hollywood cliches and manufactured emotional manipulation. Instead, choosing to focus on the love that Carrel’s character has for his son.

Chalamet gives a career-transforming performance as a young man torn between

staying sober and wanting to make his father proud and falling headfirst into the abyss of meth.

The film is not just visually stunning but emotionally beautiful. Overall, the film conveys the exhausting struggle to love someone who is an addict.

Easily one of the best films this year. (AS) WWWWW

Book Week

Frustrated high school teacher and oncesuccessful writer Nicholas Cutler (Alan Dukes) finally has a new publishing deal on the horizon.

He has one week to do some minor rewrites, stay out of trouble, and participate in the odd media puff piece. Sounds easy enough, but with a reputation for drunkenness, recklessness, and cantankerousness, an evening of celebrations is only the first of a series of events that threaten his potential prosperity. Brushes with the law, several women, and relatives pressuring him to donate an organ to a dying relative, lead him to a point where he can either unravel or take responsibility and put others first.

Supported by a strong Australian cast, Alan

Dukes – an actor with long list of stage and television credits – does not miss his chance to shine in the leading role. (CCov) WWWW city hub 25 OCTOBER 2017

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