City Hub 28 June 2018 by Alt Media

from Bondi to Balmain...

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JUNE 28, 2018

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Balmain or bust by John Moyle Tuesday night’s Inner West Council meeting struck a blow for transparency on Council procedures and has possibly saved two vital projects for the peninsula. This was a result of a rescission motion put by Balmain Ward Greens councillor Rochelle Porteous the previous fortnight when Inner West mayor Darcy Byrne presented council with a binary solution to the funding of restoration work for the Dawn Fraser Baths and the creation of Balmain Square in Darling Street. “No-one subscribed to the either or approach,” Cr John Stamolis, Independent, Balmain Ward said. The Dawn Fraser Baths is the heritage listed baths on the harbour located near Elkington Park on the western side of Balmain Peninsula. Built in 1882 the Baths are said to be the oldest in Australia and were scheduled for a $2.2 million refurbishment, with the budget presented around six months ago. The second project is the creation of Balmain Square from the demolition of the front of the Telstra Exchange on Darling Street to form a new community space for local residents. Going back a fortnight Mayor Byrne blindsided the meeting with the news that the Dawn Fraser Bath’s budget had blown out to around $5 million and that the Balmain Square project would need to be delayed. “The whole debate comes to grief because councillors were given no information about the increase of anywhere up to three million and likewise we were never presented with options about how we might manage that blowout with the Dawn Fraser Pool, which is a vital community amenity,” Cr Stamolis said. “We had no report or briefing on that and that was new information,” Cr Rochelle Porteous, Greens, Balmain Ward said. “Really, if you are making those kind of financial decisions you need to know the reasons why.” None of these projects are new to Council,

especially Balmain Square which was first discussed in the late nineties. “Back in 1999 the Leichhardt Council was having a master plan drawn up for Darling Street and supported the idea of having a community square in the space where the telephone exchange is and we got a lot of support, in particular from Tom Uren,” Fergus resident said. “In 2010, I and the Balmain Association took the issue to Telstra directly and had a discussion with them.” The oft maligned Telstra came to the party and agreed that they would allow the front third of their 1957 red brick exchange to be demolished and allow the square to be created. “We were surprised on the night that new information was used to explain why the mayor and the Labor councillors were opposing the project that had been on the books at Leichhardt for a number of years,” Cr Tom Kiat, Greens, Ashfield Ward said. “There will be no rent or cost to Council for this land, only for the demolition and the landscape works for the public square,” Cr Porteous said. Telstra are keen for the project going ahead, with a spokesperson telling City Hub “We have been working with Council to progress separation works for the Balmain Exchange, and we have asked Council if they wish to proceed and have not yet received notice of their decision.” “One of the unfortunate aspects of this is that Telstra cannot be expected to keep their offer on the table forever,” Cr Kiat said. “The front of the building was going to be demolished by the end of March this year and obviously that has not happened,” Fergus Fricke said. Many Inner West councillors are even more surprised by Mayor Byrne’s stance when both projects had the support of Leichhardt Council before amalgamation. “I’ve been a councillor for the past 12 years on Leichhardt Council and mayor three

Dawn Fraser Baths yet to be renovated by the Inner West Council. Photo: Inner West Council

times and I have been supportive of these projects from the early days when they had the unanimous support of Leichhardt Council,” Cr Porteous said. “This is not a transparent process and it is not the way the past council did things and is not the way a brand new Inner West Council should be doing things,” Cr Stamolis said. At the previous Council meeting Mayor Byrne got a majority of the votes on the issue until the rescission motion referred it to a discussion in the next meeting. At last Tuesday’s meeting Mayor Byrne did not present anything in relation to the two issues. In recent years Balmain’s Darling Street businesses have undergone a downturn from a variety of pressures, including metered parking,

and many see the Balmain Square project as playing an important role of the revitalisation of the area. “Most people in Balmain see it as an important heritage and public space and there is not a lot of public space on the Balmain Peninsula,” Cr Kiat said. Cr Porteous said “Places that enable people to connect are really important to the community, particularly in an urban environment where we are living quite densely such as in Balmain. “This is a vital project (Balmain Square) for Balmain and the mayor is against his own ward and local businesses,” Cr Stamolis said.Mayor Byrne was approached for comment but did not respond.

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By Fernanda Tiburcio Oxford Street, for the last few years, has lost a lot of the gleam and splendour it once possessed. In the intervening period of time, Oxford Street is still one of the most visited locations in Sydney. The only thing it needs is some love and time. It is essential to improve and invest into Oxford Street to revive it and make it as once was. Not all is lost. For some time now, the street has been achieving some renovations. The City of Sydney owns a large value of property on the North side of Oxford Street. According to City of Sydney councillor Christine Forster, Clover Moore has failed towards the recreation of the street. “Clover Moore’s failure to implement any overarching strategy for the assets has left many of them empty and rundown, and meant the street’s economic viability has been in a steady downturn,” Councillor Christine Forster said. “The Lord Mayor’s answer has been to pretend Council’s Oxford Street buildings are a ‘creative hub’ and to lease the shopfronts out at peppercorn rents to pop-up retailers.”

Oxford Street to get new lift. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

“Meanwhile, parts of the properties’ upper floors have been left to fall into such disrepair that they are empty or uninhabitable.” According to Cr Forster in July 2017, Council had finally endorse an expression of interest towards Oxford Street properties on a long-term ground lease and investment, something Forster has been trying to advocate since 2012.

Stephan Gyory, owner of the Record Store and head of the Darlinghurst Business Partnership, says Oxford Street is a place where people should definitely visit and consider going. However, any recovery is likely to be hampered by the continuation of the lockout laws. “As long as the lockouts unfairly target this suburb, it is a tough stretch. They are

anti-competitive and they have scared people away,” Stephan Gyory said. Some tenants were reported to be unhappy the way the City of Sydney approached the tenders, including Wayne Nicole, owner of Sax Fetish. The City of Sydney has shown City Hub proof that Sax Fetish did receive notification that the tender process was to begin. “The expression of interest opened on 30 May 2018 and will take around 12 months to complete. The planning, consultation and development stages following this are expected to take several years,” City of Sydney Council Christine Forster said. The street has been improving by Council efforts to renovate and rebuild empty spaces and damaged areas. “Council is putting their buildings out to tender for re-development,” said Stephan Gyory. “All we need is customers, there are so many great shops and bars and restaurants,” said Stephan Gyory. Many of the buildings are now flourishing, featuring bright coloured lights. Oxford Street is being resurrected. city hub 28 JUNE 2018

Ruff justice By Kieran Adair A few weeks ago, the New South Wales police announced a major change to the functioning of the state’s justice system: at Above and Beyond, a recent concert in Sydney, their sniffer dogs would no longer be used as indicators of potential drug possession, but evidence of drug possession itself. “NSW Police... ripped up the tickets of people just because they were identified by drug dogs, even when no drugs were found,” Stephen Blanks, President of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties said. “In effect, the police have declared a willingness to infringe on the rights of people who have done nothing wrong. The tickets in question cost over a hundred dollars. To treat those people in that way shows a fundamental lack of respect for their rights, and for due process.” While the unjustness of the police’s actions that night has drawn fresh criticism of the shaky grounds the program rests on, turning a blind eye to evidence has been a defining feature of sniffer dog policy for more than a decade and a half. Since its introduction in 2002, the drug sniffer dog program has been an abject failure. First, we were told their presence would assist police in operations against high volume drug traffickers, but they failed to do that. Then we were told they helped make festivals and nightclubs safer, and they failed to do that too. But at least they did the one thing they were expected to do, and correctly identified people in possession of illicit substances … actually, no, it turns out they don’t do that either. Sniffer dogs are wrong about 80 per cent of the time, a rate that’s actually increased over the years since the program started. There’s also evidence that their presence at concerts, clubs and festivals encourages riskier

drug taking, as punters panic and take all their drugs at once to avoid detection. And rather than being used to target high level drug traders, you’re more likely to see them used at train stations, and outside nightclubs, targeting the young and vulnerable. What’s worse is that the Government’s known all of this since 20006, when its own Ombudsman reviewed the program and recommended it be scrapped: “These findings have led us to question whether the Drug Dogs Act will ever provide a fair, efficacious and cost effective tool to target drug supply. Given this, we have recommended that the starting point, when considering this report, is to review whether the Drug Dogs Act should be retained at all.” Last year Newtown MP Jenny Leong moved a motion to end sniffer dog operations in New South Wales, calling the operation “costly, ineffective, discriminatory and intimidatory.” “Time after time the stats show that the program just doesn’t work. Health and law specialists say so. The Ombudsman says so. But the government is stubbornly refusing to see the evidence,” Ms Leong said. Unsurprisingly, that the bill was voted down. Where other jurisdictions have moved toward recognising the harmful effects of their sniffer dog programs, limiting their use in favour of exploring alternatives that focus on harm minimisation, NSW pushes forward, allowing police greater and greater discretion over the program - their actions at Above and Beyond being the latest example of overreach. Earlier this year, promoters, politicians and police in the ACT made history by allowing the first proper pill tests facility to be set up at Groovin’ In The Moo. Of the drugs tested, 50 per cent were found to

Sniffer dogs will now be attending music festivals. Photo: Wikimedia commons

contain pure MDMA, 50 per cent contained ‘other’ substances such as lactose, sweetener or paint, and two of the samples contained ‘deadly’ substances. Dr David Caldicott, a member of STA-SAFE who was involved in setting up the program, said five festival-goers decided to destroy their pills after being given their test results, with “a quarter to a third” of punters telling pill testers that they would no longer be taking their pills. “Probably, we altered the way that the majority of people were going to take their substances, in a manner that rendered them far less likely to end up in hospital,” he said. However, when Troy Grant, the NSW Minister for Police, was asked whether he would consider allowing a similar program to go ahead in NSW, he recently told conservative columnist Miranda Devine, “that’s just not going to happen.” Political cooperation is crucial for promoters

looking to conduct the type of drug tests pioneered at Groovin’ In The Moo, because of the cost of the infrared scanning equipment, and risk of it being confiscated by authorities opposed to it. However, there is some movement to change the way drug policy is thought of in NSW. Four parliamentarians from across the political spectrum recently joined forces to sponsor an upcoming summit on Harm Minimisation scheduled to take place in August. “Drugs policy must focus on preventing death and injury, encouraging those with problems to get effective help and on reducing drug-related crime,” Sydney MP Alex Greenwich, one of the sponsors of the Summit, said. “It’s time that we had an open discussion about drugs focussed on reducing harm in the community without hype, hysteria, moralism and stigma.”

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State wreckers hit Parramatta By Erika Echternach For as deep and rich as Parramatta’s history is, it has an equally long history of seeing its heritage sites demolished to for the sake of development. Most recently, freshly released State Government documents regarding the Powerhouse Museum move revealed that Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s wrecking ball is poised to strike again – this time aimed at Parramatta’s Willow Grove and St George’s Terrace heritage sites. The new information sparked a petition dedicated to saving the sites, which received over 10,000 signatures within one week. The petition was organised by the North Parramatta Residents’ Action Group, a community group founded to promote the preservation and activation of Parramatta’s publicly owned parklands and public landscapes. The group’s president, Aidan Anderson, said the petition demonstrates the locals’ opposition to losing their heritage sites. “This has created a lot of community angst, a lot of community resentment,” Mr Anderson said. “People in Parramatta are really attached to the Willow Grove building, and what they see around them is basically State Government knocking everything down and replacing it with deals for developments.” The locals’ strong attachment to the heritage sites was made evident when one resident, upon noticing Willow Grove being photographed for this article, paused to express her gratitude that someone was appreciating the site. The woman then proudly shared the history of the building and lamented its pending destruction. Donna Davis, a member of the City of Parramatta Council, explained that both the at-risk sites hold significant meaning for many members of the community, especially Willow Grove which used to serve as a maternity hospital.

A petition to save Parramatta’s Willow Grove has 10,000 signatures. Photo: Erika Echternach

“The wonderful thing is that there were so many people who were born in that building that still live in and around Sydney, and so it has another layer of that history and story and links to so many people, which makes it so much more important that we save it,” Cr Davis said. Mr Anderson added that Willow Grove’s extensive history makes the building worth protecting. “It’s a beautiful building. It’s been in Parramatta for 150 years now and I think there’s an obligation for governments to preserve heritage and to preserve history, rather than demolish it,” Mr Anderson said. Cr Davis agreed that those in authority maintain a responsibility to safeguard the city’s heritage. “We just can’t let these buildings on our watch, as the custodians of this city, be taken away from future generations,” Cr Davis said. “It’s just not the right thing to do.” But Cr Davis said that since colonial settlement

days Parramatta has had its future decided by others, such as the state and federal governments. “And we continue to be dictated to by others,” Cr Davis said. “We’re given what they believe we should have and what is good for us.” Cr Davis said Parramatta is of the age to stand up for itself and advocate for what’s important to the community. However, when questioned about the Powerhouse move, a City of Parramatta Council spokesperson responded, “The Sate Government will be responsible for developing and approving the project, including any matters in relation to the heritage items.” Now, Cr Davis initiated a motion recommending the Council advises the NSW State Government on considering local heritage items within the design brief, hoping to preserve St George’s Terrace and Willow Grove and incorporate them into the design of any development on the Powerhouse Site.

Cr Davis said she is not against development, but it’s important that the city’s heritage be preserved in the process. “I’m very disappointed that the state government is considering putting apartment blocks and business buildings on what should be our cultural site,” Cr Davis said. “If that was not part of their plan, there would be more scope and more opportunity to save those buildings.” Although the historical buildings still have a chance of being saved depending on which design is chosen for the new museum, Cr Davis said the Council is concerned the sites will be demolished because it has yet to see any evidence in the business papers indicating that preserving the heritage sites is a priority. “The priority seems to be making money,” Cr Davis said. “And that is going to take precedence over the heritage.” Patricia Johnson, a member of the Ultimo Save the Powerhouse group, said everyone would win if the government did what the people wanted and kept the museum in Ultimo, but with the current plan to demolish historical sites everyone loses. “The move of the Powerhouse obviously involves destroying heritage,” Ms Johnson said. Mr Anderson remarked, “The irony is that you’re knocking down eight heritage listed buildings in order to put a museum of heritage in Parramatta.” Mr Anderson suggested that rather than demolishing heritage sites to move a second rate, hatchet job version of the Powerhouse to a floodplain at the bottom of two 250 metre skyscraper towers, an arts and cultural precinct could be built at the 26-hectare Fleet Street Heritage Precinct in North Parramatta. But based on the government’s past decisions, Mr Anderson doubts it will alter any plans.

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Bondi Pavilion looks forward By Erika Echternach After much public outcry against a $38 million plan to overhaul the Bondi Pavilion proposed by former Mayor of Waverley Sally Betts, the Waverley Council has approved a revised brief of a more modest upgrade to the pavilion. Local community members made their dissatisfaction with Ms Betts and her expensive plan clear when they voted her out of office in favour of John Wakefield, who intentionally worked to incorporate locals’ views in the revised proposal. Lenore Kulakauskas, convener of the Bondi Beach precinct, expressed her jubilance over the voice of the people finally being heard saying, “Thank heaven we have John Wakefield as the mayor there now because he’s the one behind getting all of this going.” Paul Paech, a politically active member of the Bondi community, explained that the costly plan would have greatly commercialised the pavilion, a space traditionally used by low-income members of the community, which left the locals aghast. “It was a shock that would’ve removed these groups,” Mr Paech said. “There’s an alcoholic anonymous group that meets here every day, so to see groups like that, which are kind of grassroots helping people activities, replaced by high-income touristoriented activities was really fought.” Ms Kulakauskas led a campaign to oppose the original proposal. By going to the initial council meeting to request a time extension, Ms Kulakauskas had prevented the plan from passing right through during the holiday period and created the opportunity for objections to be launched. During the extra time, Kulakauskas and over 200 others worked to gather signatures against the proposal and hosted events and presentations at the pavilion that highlighted the locals’ ideas of what should be done to their community space. “Over the course of the campaign we did a lot of

Bondi Pavilion new masterplan. Photo: Erika Echternach

work in showing there was a lot of support for finding a different plan,” Kulakauskas said. In response, Mayor John Wakefield created the Bondi Pavilion Stakeholder Committee comprised of community members, representatives, and Bondi Ward councillors to get the community involved in the pavilion upgrade planning process. Adrian Newstead, a member of the Bondi Pavilion Stakeholder Committee, said, “The stakeholder committee appointed by the Mayor after selecting participants from expressions of interest spent nearly 40 hours sitting in meetings and thrashing out the issues.” Now, after hours of community consultation, the Waverley Council has voted to approve a new whole-of-venue design concept committed to restoring the Bondi Pavilion as a community and cultural centre and maintaining the building for the purpose of public recreation. Cr Wakefield said, “Our vision for the Bondi Pavilion Upgrade and Conservation Project is to conserve, maintain and create a space

that is future-proofed to serve the needs of the community and our millions of visitors for years to come.” As opposed to the old proposal of constructing a new theatre, atrium and space for restaurants, the revised proposal calls for the retention and refurbishment of the music rooms, theatre, bar, High Tide and Sea Gull rooms in their existing positions. Renovations will also be made to the pavilion’s plumbing and amenities. “I am very happy with this report and its recommendations,” Mr Newstead said. “The historical significance of the pavilion was taken into account at all times.” But Mr Newstead also noted that the pavilion will be adequately upgraded to be of service for years to come. “History is not fixed in time,” Mr Newstead said. “We did not look to replicate the building of the 1920s but sought to preserve those aspects of the building built and social history that we believed were important.”

Mr Paech said the locals are happy to be spared from paying $38 million for a facility geared toward tourists, instead paying considerably less for a building intended for their communal use. “Basically, it’s a modest upgrade instead of the massive splash of cash,” Mr Paech said. “Who knows what it’ll cost, but it will cost probably half of the massive Betts proposal.” Ms Kulakauskas agreed that the locals greatly benefited from the new plan not to overly commercialise the pavilion. “It’s good for the community to have a place where things can happen, and that the community can be involved in,” Ms Kulakauskas said. Cr Wakefield said the Council endorses the intention to improve and enhance the community space within the pavilion, keeping the leased commercial space primarily in the ground floor front façade and forecourt areas. “Bondi Pavilion plays as an integral element of the Bondi Beach cultural landscape,” Cr Wakefield said. “Council commits to the restoration of the Bondi Pavilion as a community and cultural centre.” Cr Wakefield added that there will be further consultation with the Bondi Pavilion Stakeholder Committee and the wider community prior to submitting a development application, which once submitted, will be subject to a 28-day public consultation period. The revised brief of the Bondi Pavilion Upgrade and Conservation Project was sent to Tonkin Zulaikha Greer (TZG) architects on Wednesday, 20 June. Although it is still early in the process, TZG projected that the tender documentation will most likely be completed by early 2020 with an 18-month construction period, depending on the timeliness of authority approvals and construction method selection.

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Public housing bond blasted by Lanie Tindale Six community services groups have condemned proposed public housing bond legislation in NSW. The amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act (Social Housing) will require public housing tenants who destroy property to pay for a bond before registering with further public housing. NSW Minister for Social Housing Pru Goward said in a statement: “When a tenant damages their property, the Government has to spend money that could have been used elsewhere in the social housing system.” Damage exceeding $500 will result in tenants having to pay a $1,400 in a rental bond. If they are unwilling or unable to do so, they face eviction. Ms Goward said: “It can cost tens of thousands of dollars to fix up a house after it has been damaged and deserted by a tenant. Public housing tenants that do the wrong thing should be held accountable in the same way as tenants are in the private market.” Six community groups representing tenants, people with disabilities, pensioners and the homeless have released a joint statement condemning the legislation. Chief Executive Officer of Shelter NSW Karen Walsh said: “There is not adequate protection for people with dementia and other mental health issues, the behaviour of people from outside the household, or decades old damage caused by former occupants which is only recently discovered.” Senior Policy Officer at People with Disability Australia said that the policy will present barriers to people with disability. “Public housing is one place where many people with disability find a home, and introducing bonds will make this much more difficult to access.” Chief Executive Officers of Homelessness NSW said that “homelessness services will potentially

have to use brokerage funding to cover” the cost of bonds, meaning that ultimately the “government may end up paying for these costs”. In a statement, Greens MP Jenny Leong said: “Claims that this punitive bill will promote behavioural change from tenants are clearly misguided when it is often underlying mental health and drug and alcohol issues which are the cause of problems.” “The concept of a Risk Based Bond Scheme – with guidelines to be determined by ministerial approval and with no parliamentary oversight – is a recipe for further targeting and marginalising of vulnerable people in our community who are living in public housing.” “People in need of a place to call home will be stuck in a circular loop of housing insecurity where they will be kicked out of public housing, become homeless, approached by housings specialist homelessness teams when they are sleeping rough, and placed back on the waiting list with priority status.” The Tenants Union of NSW consulted FACs on their draft Tenancy Bonds for Public Housing Policy in 2016. They advised the department that the policy’s additional costs would prevent vulnerable people from seeking and accessing any housing, exacerbating their concerns. They claimed the policy would not meet FACS aims, “to encourage tenants to pay their rent on time and look after properties, to prepare tenants for renting in the private market, and to help FACS recover cost,.” A Tenants Union of NSW spokesperson said. They added that “most public housing tenants are unlikely to join the private rental market permanently.” “We often see debts raised that clearly should not be. Reasons for this range from victims of domestic violence being charged to repair damage

Sirius public housing building. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

caused by the perpetrators of violence, to tenants being asked to foot the bill for vandalism and damage that has been wrought after they’ve vacated the property.” The NSW Land and Housing Corporation run public housing projects in NSW. The State government has also proposed tenancy laws that will address rental fraud. They will evict tenants accused of rental fraud immediately. ‘Tenant fraud costs taxpayers millions of dollars each year and tenants convicted of rental fraud should not be allowed to remain in public housing,’ Ms Goward said. ‘Sadly, tenants committing fraud and remaining in public housing are preventing a vulnerable person in need from receiving housing assistance. We want to send a strong

message to tenants convicted of fraud that their days in public housing are over.’ Rental fraud in public housing is a criminal act. Those accused of rental fraud are granted the right to an impartial hearing and appeals. In July 2017, the ABC reported that social housing fraud was “slipping under the radar”. Tenants may have partners giving them money, own investment properties or fail to declare a change in income. The first person to be evicted from the Sirius building in the Millers Point social housing property was an electrician with partownership of land in regional NSW. FACS 2017 seven-week amnesty period resulted in 8,000 calls declaring rental fraud, without risk of prosecution or back charged rent. The government claimed $3 million was secured after the amnesty.

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FEATURE By Riley Hooper The last time Sydney played host to the national NAIDOC Week activities, was in 2011 under the theme Change: The Next Step Is Ours. Looking back at that theme, although change is bound to happen and is essential for growth and advancement, it is also important to remember and carry on traditional skills, knowledge, history and culture by sharing with the community and younger generations.This year, NAIDOC Week will celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women under the theme, Because of Her, We Can! Keeping the oldest continuing culture on the planet strong and enriched, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have been a pillar for carrying on the songs, dreaming stories, languages, knowledge, skills and crafts for over 65,000 years. Originally, NAIDOC stood for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. Up until 1991 the committee was known as NADOC, but with a growing awareness of the distinct cultural histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, NADOC expanded to recognise Torres Strait Islander people and culture by changing to NAIDOC, with the acronym becoming the name for the week itself.A key week of celebration across Australia showcasing the culture, history and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, NAIDOC changes host city each year and features a different theme to represent the celebrations. Executive Director of Activation and Precinct Management, Sandra Bender looks after a dynamic team who operate the public domain at Barangaroo, taking care of everything from events, commissioning of public art, cultural tours and “basically anything that makes a visitor happy and comfortable on site, we take care of it.” On the importance of NAIDOC week, Sandra said “I think the week is important for everyone in Australia given that it is such a significant week to celebrate the history, culture and the living culture of one of the first nations in Australia. For Barangaroo it’s even more important given that

city hub 28 JUNE 2018

NAIDOC WEEK Marlene Rubuntja from Yarrenyty Arltere Artists. Photo: Lyndsay Urquhart

Barangaroo. Photo: Anna Kucera

we are named after the extraordinary woman, Barangaroo herself. The heritage and the future of the Barangaroo precinct is quite significant when NAIDOC week is celebrated.” With the focus on women with this year’s theme, Sandra explained that Barangaroo “went very much into the idea of the sharing of culture and the sharing of knowledge. Everything that we have done this year is based on that idea with the ladies showcasing everything from cooking, craft, knowledge and more.” Also, answering a few questions on NAIDOC week is Jody Orcher, a Ularai Barkandji women from Brewarrina who has been involved in a wide range of areas including Aboriginal studies, the Office of Environmental and Heritage and is the author of the Bush Tukka Guide.“From my perspective, it’s a shame that it’s one week. For Australia to embrace NAIDOC week for a week is fantastic but we haven’t always done. I guess we don’t always

acknowledge the beauty of Aboriginal culture, not politically based, but beautiful customs and traditions that have been passed down. NAIDOC week is important in helping us acknowledge our traditional land owners and to have Aboriginal people be able to celebrate their culture and showcase it to everybody,” Jody continued,“For us to be embraced the way we are now as Aboriginal people is a big step and a positive step for Australia. We still have a lot of work to do.” Being an advocate for bush food Jody added that she would like to also “raise more awareness about bush food, how people use and engage with it, as well as how harvesting and farming it supports economic development for Aboriginal communities.” Kicking off on the Sunday July 8, will be the one-day showcase event at Barangaroo Reserve, Women of Craft. The day will feature Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditional skills in cooking, basket weaving, shadow puppetry and more.The

day will start with a special Welcome To Country ceremony featuring water, fire and the smoking of gum leaves. “This makes sure the site is cleansed and is ready for the success of the event,” Sandra informed. Including a dedicated space for kids 12 and under, the event will also feature a Bargo Dingo Sanctuary which will provide kids with the perfect chance to meet the fascinating wild animals. Completing the village atmosphere of the day will be a communal fire, a welcoming place for all to finish off the day’s festivities. Another amazing event taking place during NAIDOC week is the Art Fair being held at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in The Rocks. Over the two days, artists and visitors will work together to create an art installation within the cruise liner terminal.There will be a range of things to do and see including loads of traditional art, painting workshops, food stalls and more. On the menu from Jody Orcher will be,“a nice warm hearty winter menu with some kangaroo, red wine and mushroom pies, seafood mornay pies with some lemon myrtle spices inside, kangaroo goulash with damper, chicken and more. So, I’m sure everybody can embrace the coldness.” These events are an important part of raising funds for participating communities as well as carrying on a rich history that needs recognition and to be understood by future generations. Get involved this NAIDOC week and join in on a wonderful act of reconciliation. NAIDOC WEEK Because Of Her, We Can! Jul 8-15. Info: www.naidoc.org.au Women Of Craft: NAIDOC At Barangaroo Jul 8. Barangaroo Reserve, Hickson Rd, Barangaroo. Info: www.barangaroo.com National Indigenous NAIDOC Art Fair Jun 30-Jul 1. Overseas Passenger Terminal, 130 Argyle St,The Rocks. Info: www.blakmarkets.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT REVIEW: Dresden

Dresden certainly isn’t what you may expect heading in. Justin Fleming and Suzanne Miller are back together, celebrating their 10th anniversary by creating an authentic, innovative and fascinating play. When Wagner wrote Rienzi in 1838 he would have never expected someone to be so inspired by his work that this person would cause one of the biggest catastrophes humanity has ever seen. Juxtaposing Wagner and Hitler, who live half a century apart but who both act out passion, reminds us of the danger of passion without love and the power of love itself. Historical, dangerous and funny figures were played

Stephen Page creates his 25th work for Bangarra with Dark Emu at the Sydney Opera House. Based on the award-winning non-fiction book of the same name, Dark Emu is an exploration of the way pre-colonial Aboriginal Australians lived. “Audiences can expect to be taken on a really beautiful and moving experience.We’ve used Uncle Bruce Pascoe’s book as a starting point for inspiration but transformed it with dance,” says Yolanda Brown, a dancer and choreographer for the work. “Dance is an amazing medium. It’s like a language on its own. It enables us to get to the heart of these stories and instead of focusing on statistics and facts, we’re focusing on the thread of connection between people, land, environment, spirit and the strength of community coming together.”

authentically by an awesome cast including many amusing interactions as well as thoughtful conversations. Played with effective mimics and guests, underscored by spectacular music and applicable lighting effects, you could truly feel the emotions of those characters. With it’s clear structure Dresden has the audience intrigued and engaged throughout the entire performance. “All the world’s a stage,” but with Dresden that stage is in the bAkehouse theatre! (LSe) Until Jun 30. Kings Cross Theatre, Level 2, Kings Cross Hotel, 244-248 William St, Kings Cross. $25-$38+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.kingsxtheatre.com

Dark Emu

With an 18-strong ensemble of dancers, Dark Emu connects dances set in four distinct worlds which both mourn the losses experienced by Aboriginal Australians and celebrates their achievements, which have been overlooked in history particularly in relation to the huntergatherer myth. “There is so much strength in reciprocation. When you’re given something, you give back in return,” says Brown.“These are the things that we’ve drawn on in creating the flow of the storyline within the work and I think ultimately when the audience leaves the theatre, they’ll feel like they’ve been on quite an emotional journey of serenity and beauty and tension.” (ES) Until Jul 14. Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $51-$109+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.bangarra.com.au

Cabaret de Paris The spectacle, extravagance and glamour of the showgirl has been appropriated by Hollywood, pop music and the fashion industry, in most cases reducing it to little more than soft porn with big feathers. However, the true showgirl represents a pinnacle of skill, beauty, and artistry, faithful to the traditions of revue which originated in the legendary Moulin Rouge, Paris - still the most prestigious house in the world. All the more impressive then that Australian dancer, Marissa Burgess is distinguished as having been the longest serving principal dancer at Moulin Rouge. It was something she had set her sights on from an early age. “You know, everyone’s got their priorities in life, that was mine, so consequently when I got [to Moulin Rouge] I really was aiming to get the top job.” Burgess was accepted at age 17, and became principal within a few short years. “I got it so early that I thought,

well what do I do now?” That question was quickly answered: try to remain fresh and maintain the standard to stay at the top. And that she did for a record 16 years. Now back in Australia, Burgess is bringing the unique thrill of French revue to local audiences. Cabaret de Paris is an authentic Parisian style show featuring exquisite costumes, incredible lighting and sets, wonderful music and premium dancers, many of them Australian. “The standard here is very high,” says Burgess. Renowned illusionist, Michael Boyd will be guest performer and is guaranteed to stun audiences with his logic defying “magic” as he has done around the world. The show will also include comedy, circus style acts and traditional French songs performed by Burgess in her new incarnation as a chanteur - yet another life achievement.

a&e

“It was a goal of mine to speak French really well and it was a goal of mine to sing Edith Piaf songs,” she says, explaining that singing in French can be as difficult as dancing. Cabaret de Paris will have only two performances in Sydney. It’s a rare chance to see revue in its pure, glorious form which is, as Burgess describes:

19 STAGE 10 SCENE 11 Sounds 11 SCREEN

“Big extravaganzas and costume and excitement and just fantasy… It doesn’t really have to have any purpose in life, it just has to be fantastic!” (RB) Jun 30, 2pm (family friendly), 7:30pm (topless dancers). State Theatre, 49 Market St, Sydney. $62-$129+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.statetheatre.com.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 @CityHubSyd

Man In The Attic

The production which has won awards and played sold-out seasons in France is coming to Australia to share the incredible true story of a Jewish experience during the second World War. It follows the ‘Jew’ who is found in the forest by a German couple who agree to hide him in their attic from the Nazis’ during the Holocaust. The German family discover he was a watchmaker and use him to fix things for the farmers in the area, so once the war is over, they fail to inform him and instead continue to use him for their own gain. Director, Moira Blumenthal explained. “There’s a lot of moral questions and this is very typical of a lot of plays about Jews, they always have a moral imperative.What would you have done? Would you first of all hidden him? Would you have kept him hidden in order to survive?” Blumenthal wants the audience to be captivated by the play and its mysteries, aiming to provoke them into thinking about what people will do in order to survive. She had a very specific vision for the play and how it was to be set out. “My vision was no sets, the only set we have on stage is the attic. It’s the only place where there is stability and the paradox is, that the man in the attic actually finds more stability and freedom than his captors who have a sense of alienation.” This unique play follows a perspective which is quite rare and they promise audiences will enjoy the show. “I have not seen a contemporary play that deals with the reaction of the Germans to defeat.You’ve often heard about the Jews, and the Nazis, but you’ve never really heard the voice of the peasants and to me, that is the reason why the play is interesting,” Blumenthal concluded. (JM) Jul 4-22. Eternity Playhouse, 39 Burton St, Darlinghurst.Tickets: $38-$54+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.shalom.edu.au

Contributors: Craig Coventry, Emily Shen, Irina Dunn, Jade Morellini, Leann Richards, Lisa Seltzer, Mark Morellini, Mel Somerville, Olga Azar, Rita Bratovich, Rocio Belinda Mendez, Sarah Pritchard, Shon Ho, Riley Hooper, Georgia Fullerton, Gary Nunn, Renee Dallow, Andriana Vlahos, Erika Echternach & Lili Sekkai.

city hub 28 JUNE 2017

Photo: Maryna Rothe

The Girl / The Woman

Presented by Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta, The Girl / The Woman is a collision of comedy, drama, language and movement. Wildly theatrical, different and experimental in form, it is of this world and a lot of fun without being afraid to go into deeper conversations. Written by playwright, stage and screen star Aanisa Vylet who also performs, The Girl / The Woman is female driven storytelling with two dynamic characters. Twelve years in the making and originally conceived as two parts, the play is now one piece, with the second part weaving in the character’s mother. The Girl / The Woman follows a

parallel journey that sometimes has the stories intersecting. The two women take on a number of different roles as they explore being in the world and deal with issues surrounding culture, tradition and intergenerational differences. “Vylet comes from an Arab/Australian background but the play doesn’t get stuck into things specifically Muslim. The conversations and issues are ones that transcend a number of cultures,” said Dino Dimitriadis, the play’s director. Set in Western Sydney, there is a lot of humour in seeing the characters navigate their experiences. The girl discovers her sexuality, starts going dancing and out to

bars and turns to the internet to make sense of the world. She grapples with finding her identity, empowering herself and reconciling her culture. Some scenes have beautiful poetic heightened language, drawing us into their various worlds. “It’s as much about the magic of the body and the magic of the theatre- being able to shift time and place, with an element of the theatre of image and of highly physical and movement-based performance,” Dimitriadis added. (MS) Until Jul 7. Riverside Theatre, Cnr Market & Church St, Parramatta. $23-$49+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.riversideparramatta.com.au

THE NAKED CITY

LET’S MAKE TRUMP WELCOME!

With Coffin Ed The news that Donald Trump might visit Australia in November en route to the APEC summit in Papua New Guinea has some in Australia salivating and others ready to run riot in the streets.The most polarising president in US history is set to have a similar effect if he does land Air Force One into Brisbane or Sydney. On one side of local politics his visit will be a clarion call for everybody from One Nation and Reclaim Australia to the Shooters, Shitters and Shaggers, spurred on no doubt by the demagogues of Sky News. Think of the enthusiasm and excitement on the part of the ‘politically incorrect’ with the Milo Yiannopoulos tour late last year and multiply it a thousand times for the pussy grabbing Trump. Diametrically opposed will be the combined forces of the left and anybody in fact who can see through the veneer of the man whom The Atlantic magazine described as “a Frankenstein’s monster of past presidents’ worst attributes”. If security was intense for George W Bush when he visited in 2003, it’s bound to hit new levels of paranoia if Trump ever sets foot in town. Any demonstration is like to be well segregated and nothing like the infamous LBJ motorcade in 1966 when the then premier, the horribly corrupt Bob Askin, shouted to “run over the bastards”. Malcolm Turnbull will be keen to play the diplomatic hand and careful stage managing is certain to insulate Trump from any outrage in the streets. That’s not to say there won’t be a huge turnout of demonstrators, all across Australia, if Trump does bring his circus to Australia. But

Open Frame

Eliane Radigue. Photo: Delphine Migueres

The festival which has been running for over 12 years now across the world is returning to Australia with a new exciting line-up of influential electronic artists. Every year, Open Frame has a different theme based on the geography and work which the artists are showcasing and this year, the focus is on the intensity of sound. Curator, Lawrence English explained. “It’s about the relationship of our body and our 10

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perhaps the anti-Trump alliance needs to think slightly outside of the square as they register their disgust and anger. What I am suggesting is a bit of good old toilet Oz style humour, duplicated on

ears and how they work together when we experience music.When I say intensity, I’m thinking about it in the kind of way that intensities happen in our lives and I was interested in the idea of intensity in terms of the performance of people.” The festival will be featuring the phenomenal 86-year-old French composer, Eliane Radigue who in the 20th century, created some of the most important electronic music in France. “She really set a bench mark for how detailed and all-encompassing sound could be. She’s actually written a new piece called Occam XXIV for an artist in Melbourne, Cat Hope, who’s going to perform it for the first time at Open Frame, so it’s going to be a world premiere.” English created Open Frame mid-2000s to represent electronic music which was highly under-represented, providing artists of this genre with the chance to showcase their talent and set a new bench mark. “It’s not like going to a concert with a band where there’s a lot of stuff on stage and its quite visual, but it’s really about celebration of what it means to listen to music really deeply and be captivated by it.” (JM) Jun 29-30. Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh.Tickets: $35. Tickets & Info: www.carriageworks.com.au

a massive scale throughout the community and bound to have the Trump supporters crying foul and juvenile. One of the many novelty products that appeared after the Trump election was ‘Trump toilet paper’, emblazoned with a variety of his less flattering facial images (aren’t they all?). The ever entrepreneurial Chinese were quick to see the potential market and you could soon pick up a six or twelve pack for less than $20 including postage. And that’s what I am encouraging all Trump haters to do, not only in the interests of China/Australia trade, but as a delightfully subversive way of repeating what Robert De Niro so eloquently said “FUCK OFF TRUMP!” Once you get your supply of Trump dunny paper in the mail it’s only limited by your creativity as to where you cunningly position it. If you have access to the toilets at Parliament House in Canberra, those at Liberal Party HQ in Sydney or anywhere where the conservative forces are at large, it’s time to do the switch. Simply remove all the existing toilet paper and replace it with the Trump variety. Don’t worry, this is not theft as you are leaving (in kind) exactly what you take. Chances are those using the convenience will not notice the switch until it’s far too late. In the interests of good sanitary practice you know what’s coming - need I go into any graphic details? The deed has been done and your protest has been registered. Come on all fair thinking Australians – Trump is coming and we need to flood the joint with Trump Bum Fodder. Melania might ‘not really care’, but we do and it’s a date roll for Donald!

Art In The Hood Rosie by Jenna Bloom

There’s no doubt Sydney’s inner east of Potts Point, Elizabeth Bay and their naughty little sister, Kings Cross, has witnessed considerable change over the past few years. If anything, the reactionary Lockout Laws, although fracturing Sydney, has successfully brought the local community together. Potts Pointers, a community group run by Warren Fahey and Carrington Brigham, now has over 3000 very vocal and active members. Fahey says, “Our community was very distressed by the way Kings Cross had descended into a ‘zoo’ and

there was considerable debate as how best to move forward. The Potts Pointers Facebook group has proven to be extremely positive with regular gatherings and by providing an online Facebook forum for heritage, social responsibility and change. With such a large, vibrant membership we are able to help local businesses, promote the area and service our community.” The next event for the group will be Art In The Hood, an art exhibition of local artworks and photographs showcasing the area’s uniqueness in architecture, heritage and life. Local visual artist, Jenna Bloom, working in spray paint and stencil, will have three ‘Legends of Kings Cross’ works in the exhibition depicting Les Girls pioneer ‘Ayesha’, bikie hero ‘Animal’ and the much-loved indigenous homeless local,‘Rosie’ (pictured). Local artists, amateurs and professionals have submitted works depicting everything from the local ‘bin chickens (that’s what the locals call the Fitzroy Garden’s Ibis) to sunsets over Beare Park, Elizabeth Bay.The photographic showcase will be screened on a wall at Joe & the Juice and will provide a neighbourhood flavour for the many tourists and locals who visit Macleay Street. From Jul 2-22. Joe & The Juice, 46A MacLeay St, Potts Point. Info: Phone Warren Fahey on 0418 423 050

Damien Leith By Jamie Apps When you think of legendary voices or names in music there are none more prominent than Elvis Presley. Given Elvis’ prominence you would think modern musicians would shy away from performing a tribute show filled with his music, Damien Leith though bucks that thinking with his upcoming Elvis The Gospel Collection show. Originally the Gospel Collection showcase was only ever meant to happen once, in Melbourne last year, but following a resoundingly positive response Leith knew he had to bring it back. “To be totally honest I thought we were going to struggle on the first show, because it was such a random isolated show. The show completely sold out though, we got a standing ovation and had people crying in the audience so I was really surprised by how much the music moved and meant to people.” Although the show is coming back Leith has ensured that it maintains a level of exclusivity by only performing a very limited run of seven shows throughout the country. By doing this the show not only remains special and exciting for audiences but also for Leith himself.

“It’s an exciting show to put on. I do a lot of different shows ranging from solo and acoustic right up to this show featuring 12 other musicians which is a great feeling.” When asked why he was inspired to tackle Elvis’ gospel collection Leith told City Hub, “His voice in the gospel collection was just richer. I love his rock and pop stuff as well, they’re a lot of fun, but the gospel collection was what made me really admire him.” One song in particular captured a young Leith’s attention and inspired him to pursue music himself. “The first song I heard Elvis singing was Crying In The Chapel and I immediately thought ‘wow’ because it felt like he was singing in the room. His voice sounded rich, smooth and very soulful in the gospel collection so it was a beautiful style of music to learn and hone my own style after.” Whilst this show is a tribute to Elvis’ career Leith is quick to assure City Hub that it’s very much a Damien Leith show not an Elvis impersonation act, “these are my interpretations of Elvis’ gospel songs so you don’t have to [exclusively] be an Elvis fan to enjoy these shows.”

Following these shows Leith’s “main priority” will be finishing the recording process for his next album, which he is aiming to release by September this year. “These new songs are very much my own style,

have some sort of connection with my life and are really resonating with me,” Leith concluded. Jul 6. The Factory Theatre, 105 Victoria Rd, Marrickville. $72-$77+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.factorytheatre.com.au

Snail Mail - Lush

Kota Banks - Prize

Lush is an incredibly apt title for the debut record from Snail Mail, also known as Lindsey Jordan, because all of the guitar and vocal melodies are clean, clear and well… lush. Listening to Lush is like having the key to Lindsey’s diary and thus her deepest hidden thoughts as she recounts the pain of a first teenage heartbreak. Throughout the record Snail Mail delivers a collection of sincere, moody guitar confessionals which capture the authentic, gut wrenching, and seemingly world ending feelings we all remember from our teenage years. Overall while it’s too early to anoint Lindsey as the leader of the next generation of indie-rock darlings she has certainly laid a strong foundation and is on the right path with this debut album. (JA) WWW1/2

Kota Banks may look like a stereotypical pop princess but with her new mixtape, Prize, she immediately shatters these first impressions and proves to be a much more complex artist. Opening track Prize is a bass heavy, soulful RnB track which will captivate the listener from the first beat.Atop this charging baseline Banks’ pop vocals provide the perfect complement and make this a track which is sure to stick with listens for a long time. Thankfully this mixtape is not just a one hit wonder though as throughout the remainder of the record Banks carries the momentum forward as she celebrate feminine strength and empowerment. Another track which is sure to standout in the longterm is Fiorentini (featuring Capo Lee) which uses Banks’ pop vocals and driving beats to celebrate her Italian heritage as this track is also available in Italian. NLV Records have once again unearthed a rare gem in the Australian musical landscape which is bound to see great success in the near future, so get in on the ground level now. (JA) WWW1/2

Ideal Home

As you can imagine, Steve Coogan chews up every scene he is in, and of course, he’s utterly hilarious as Erasmus, the flamboyant TV chef who hosts the popular cooking show, Ideal Home. Paul (Paul Rudd) is the show’s producer and Erasmus’ long suffering yet hopelessly loving partner. Erasmus’ undisclosed past comes back to bite him when the couple unwittingly become guardians of the grandson Paul never knew Erasmus had. Bill (Jack Gore), the grandson, is 10, bitter, insular and unresponsive to most of the efforts of his gay custodians, and Paul is unenthused about this new responsibility. That should be the basis of the tension and drama of the film and there are a few tender moments, but it mostly defers to the comic antics of Coogan. The character and plot developments feel constructed rather than organic. It’s a shame because there was potential to say so much in this film. However, if you’re just after 90 odd minutes of jalapeño hilarity with a side serving of treacle, this is your film. (RB) WWW

Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation

A movie about families - made for families! Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation shows Dracula (Adam Sandler), Mavis (Selena Gomez), Johnny (Andy Samberg), and the rest of their family, both human and monster, and friends as they take a vacation on a luxury Monster Cruise Ship. While this holiday was supposed to be a family trip Dracula starts falling for the ship’s mysterious captain Ericka, who secretly is the greatgranddaughter of Abraham Van Helsing the notorious monster slayer and Dracula’s ancient archenemy. With an evil plan

in her mind Ericka tries to convert this dream vacation into a nightmare for Dracula and his “Drac Pack”. Not only because of cute new family members like Tinkles the elephant-sized puppy or the drastic location change from Transylvania onto a luxury cruiser, the third movie of the Hotel Transylvania film series is definitely an admirable follow up to the previous ones. Funny allusions, cool new characters, amusing dialogs and great music make this movie a spooky adventure for the whole family. (LSe)

WWWW

Two Is A Family

This is a film for feelers, not thinkers. It is bright, funny, wellpaced with two very likeable characters in the lead roles but with a plot that is highly improbable and indifferent to common sense logic. Omar Sy plays Samuel, a charismatic worker at a French seaside resort. One morning, a women arrives in a taxi and hands Sam a baby girl. The woman, Kristen (Clemence Poesy) claims the child is the result of a holiday tryst she’d had with Sam, then promptly leaves in the taxi, not to be heard from again until eight years later. Sam flies to London in an unsuccessful attempt to return the child, meets French

producer, Bernie (Antoine Bertrand) who gives Sam a home and a job as a stuntman and helps raise baby Gloria. Leap forward eight years and Gloria (Gloria Colston) is a rambunctious child. She and Sam have developed a unique bond demonstrated with choreographed dance moves, rehearsed games and a ridiculously cool apartment. Then Kristen, after relentless insistence from Sam, shows up again and things go awry. It’s contrived and heavy handed on the heart-string pulling, but it kind of winks as if it knows that and just wants you to go along for the ride and enjoy. (RB) WW1/2 city hub 28 JUNE 2017

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WINTERS ARE

Never Grey