City Hub 29 August 2019

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South America Shines Bright 2019 Sydney Update

The Sydney Latin American Film Festival returns for its 14th consecutive year in Australia

Here is an update on some of my work: • I’m supporting Sydney’s bid for WorldPride 2023, a massive LGBTIQ festival that celebrates our achievements and diverse LGBTIQ communities, while reminding us of reforms needed to advance equality and remove discrimination.

www.alexgreenwich.com

• We’ve received lots of submissions and are holding hearings for the Joint Select Committee on Sydney’s Night Time Economy, with great ideas from Lord Mayor Clover Moore, the City of Sydney, resident and business groups.

• The Legislative Assembly passed our Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 59

to 31, reflecting the strong community support to take abortion out of the Crimes Act – the first Legislative Council vote supported the reform, with amendments considered mid-September.

I’m committed to working for a liveable, sustainable and progressive Sydney for all.

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Snippets by ALEC SMART Pell fell back to Hell Disgraced Archbishop George Pell, who won’t be stripped of his titles by The Vatican until all his appeals are exhausted, has apparently decided he will appeal his sex abuse convictions in the High Court.

On August 21, Victoria’s Court of Appeal upheld Pell’s December 2018 conviction for the rape of a 13-year-old choirboy and sexual assault of another at St Patrick’s Cathedral when he was Archbishop of Melbourne in 1996. Pell’s lawyers have until 18 September to file the appeal application.

Meanwhile, satirical news pranksters The Chaser decided to amend a plaque celebrating George Pell attached to the stone wall in front of St Mary’s Cathedral in the city. The Chaser filmed themselves attaching an addendum stating “and convicted pedophile.”

St Mary’s removed the amendment and denied the prank took place. So, The Chaser responded: “We decided to come up with a more permanent solution to the problem, using superglue. As of this morning, our update to the plaque has once again been removed. Which really is great news. Finally, the Catholic Church has realised it should act swiftly when it witnesses a crime. If only they’d been so swift to act on other crimes they’d witnessed in the church over the years.”

Milat’s grave secrets Australia’s most notorious serial killer, Ivan Milat, still claims he was framed after he sent a letter to the The Sun-Herald restating his innocence.

Despite hundreds of pieces of evidence linking him to his 1990s killing spree, which resulted in his conviction for murdering seven hitchhikers, Milat asserts that “the court judiciary conspired to obscure the miscarriages of justice.”

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years and by overstating their effectiveness whilst downplaying the risk of addiction.

That marketing encouraged doctors to overprescribe opioids to patients, which lead to rampant addiction and health issues as well as a spike in overdose deaths.

Johnson & Johnson are facing another massive claim as lawsuits filed by almost 2,000 cities, counties, and tribal lands across the USA have been merged into a single federal case scheduled to be heard in the next few months.

Clover Moore at Pyrmont Festival launch, where she restated her opposition to the Star’s high-rise hotel bid.

Photo: Ann-Marie Calilhanna

Milat was found guilty in 1996 of murdering seven backpackers whose bodies were found in makeshift graves in Belanglo State Forest, near Mittagong. Milat also refuses to divulge his involvement in multiple other disappearances over a twenty-year period that bear the hallmarks of his method of picking up backpackers from the roadside and driving them into forested areas where he brutally tortured them to death.

Milat is now in Long Bay Jail hospital dying from stomach cancer. It appears likely there will be no deathbed confession and he’ll take his secrets to his own grave.

Sniper ‘prevented’ from killing killer NSW Police have privately settled a lawsuit brought by a police sniper involved in the 2014 Lindt Cafe siege.

The chief sniper, identified as Sierra 3-1, alleged in a 30-page affidavit that he had suffered psychological trauma as a result of the decisions taken by his superiors during the siege.

On 15 December 2014, Man Haron Monis, an Iranian-born refugee and Australian citizen, took hostages – ten customers and eight employees - in a siege at the Lindt Chocolate Café at Martin Place, central Sydney, lasting for 17 hours.

The siege was ended after a gunshot was heard and police stormed the premises. After 38 seconds of gunfire, Monis was killed but, sadly, hostage Tori Johnson was killed by Monis and hostage Katrina Dawson was killed by a ricocheting police bullet.

Sierra 3-1, alleged he could have taken action to halt the siege earlier than its tragic outcome, but was ‘prevented’ from doing so by poor command decisions. Police Commissioner Mick Fuller has since claimed that, in hindsight, NSW Police should have entered the Lindt Café much sooner.

Drug peddlers Paddled Johnson & Johnson, the multinational pharmaceuticals manufacturer and supplier with offices in Ultimo and Macquarie Park, was convicted in an Oklahoma court on August 26 of ‘Public Nuisance’ and fined millions of dollars for over-supplying and encouraging drug dependency to fuel the USA’s opioid addiction crisis.

A judge in the state of Oklahoma ruled that the medical products giant and its subsidiaries helped fuel the state’s crisis and ordered them to pay $US572 million ($AU844 million) to help redress the problem.

The Court asserted the company had contributed to the opioid epidemic by aggressively marketing its opioid products for

Passas passes wind-up Councillor Julie Passas, the Inner-West’s favourite former deputy mayor, is in hot water again with a provocative attempt at humour, intended as a wind-up. On the Inner West Council meeting agenda dated 27 August, Cr Passas announced a motion to deal with the problem of limited car parking in the area, including: “Contact President Trump for his wall building contractor (US/Mexico) to construct a wall around the Inner West; [and] Passports required for non-Inner West citizens...”

However, considering the councillor’s past antics, such as when she was ordered to pay $2,500 in compensation to her gay neighbour after she abused him for displaying a rainbow flag, her attempts at humour fall flat with opponents.

The councillor’s motion provoked a backlash on social media, and Greens councillor Tom Kiat told SBS News that Passas’ motion was in ‘bad taste’ and that she should spend less time on ‘publicity stunts.’ “We shouldn’t make a joke about the migration crisis we’ve got across the world and the way the governments are treating refugees,” he added.

No Moore high-rise in Pyrmont Lord Mayor Clover Moore, at the recent launch of the Pyrmont Festival at the Cherry Bar in the Star, used her speech to say she still strongly objected to The Star’s plans to build a high-rise residential tower with a hotel on top in Pyrmont.

A City of Sydney spokesperson told City Hub that the Lord Mayor “spoke off the cuff for a lot of the speech last night, so unfortunately there isn’t a written version.” However, “She did open by explaining she was conflicted about appearing at The Star given her opposition to the casino’s proposed residential and hotel tower, and that in the interests of the people of Pyrmont she would continue to speak out against the abuse of the planning system and the abuse of Pyrmont.”

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Alan Jones promo canned

By VERONICA ANASSIS 2GB has cancelled the NRL competition with Alan Jones, after the pullout of its major sponsor over Jones’ remarks towards New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

The sponsor, an automotive parts retailer, withdrew support for the “ultimate NRL experience with Alan Jones” promotion on Thursday 22 August, after Jones aired that Arden should get “backhanders” and “a sock [shoved] down her throat.” The sponsor changed their ads to afternoon slots, but they’re set to lose $70,000 in bonus advertising from the move.

The other key affiliate − NRL− chose to launch the nation-wide promotion, days after the comments were widely accused of inciting “violence against women.” NRL’s continued support for Alan Jones is questionable in light of the recent allegations towards its players.

Violent language contributes to an environment where women are not free to speak Rugby League has received a reprise of criticism for a culture of “violent misogyny,” following yet another player − Jack de Belin − committed to trial for sexual assault in July. But a sports media expert speculates it’s unlikely this is a sign that NRL condones Jones’ comments.

“Football codes are often the first social institutions to take on issues in society, such as marriage equality, and stopping racism and other forms of vilification…

The NRL would also point to their creation of a women’s competition to demonstrate they are proequality” a sports media academic told City Hub.

“However, the football code also has to operate as a business, because they need to fund grassroots programs, infrastructure development, and paying the athletes” he said. “2GB may be a media rights partner of the NRL, and so the NRL [might] want to keep that relationship healthy, because the media company pay a lot of money …for their media rights.”

NRL have long been affiliated with the Alan Jones Breakfast Show. 2GB also hosts NRL Live.

The station confirmed the NRL competition will continue, but with show host Ray Hadley.

Gone too far?

Alan Jones’ latest round of spitfire has created an onslaught of backlash, starting a domino effect of sponsor drop-outs, most recently Commonwealth Bank. Online groups are raising petitions to have Jones sacked, claiming his quips are dangerous and problematic.

“Inciting violence against women is not a joke.

Doing so as a media broadcaster is heinous” said women’s group Doctors Against Violence Against Women.

“Violent language, metaphorical or literal, contributes to an environment where women are not free to speak, and in some cases may validate the violent behaviour of male perpetrators.”

“We call on 2GB and their sponsors to reconsider and end their association with Alan Jones, given his repeated damaging language directed at women he disagrees with.”

Jones told Nine News that he does not have a problem with women, in response to observations that his diatribes are often directed towards powerful females.

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city hub 29 AUGUST 2019

Scott Marsh’s mural of Jones gagged after the DJ said the NZ PM should be choked with a sock. Photo: Alec Smart

Business as usual The shock-jock is no stranger to spouting callsto-violence, with a long resumé of sexist vitriol.

In 2012, he declared that “women are destroying the joint” urging Julia Gillard be “shoved” in a “chaff bag.”

In 2017, he described Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s head as “in a noose.”

Jones was also linked to inciting participation in the Cronulla race riots in 2005. He read a text that invited listeners to “support the Leb and wog bashing day,” declared by The Australian Communications and Media Authority as spurring “violence or brutality.”

The popular radio veteran has been successfully sued 19 times for defamation. Yet his contract was renewed by Macquarie Media in May. Advertisers that pulled out support in 2012 − like Mercedes Benz − were back in 2019.

But critics say Jones’ nine lives may be less to do with a system that supports men in power: it’s down to a media culture that rewards “vile

utterances” with advertising and ratings. Shockjock culture in Australia is a cash-cow, that is not likely to abate.

“There will always be a media company that is willing to take on the risk of publishing the shock jock if it means they can make a lot of money from selling air-time to advertisers” said the sports media academic.

“The current political climate and nature of media consumption these days makes it less likely the shock jock will fade away. Contemporary political debate is characterised by a polarised, populist discourse that feeds an ‘us against them’ rhetoric on both sides.”

Alan Jones has since responded to the fall-out insisting the online public had “misinterpret[ed] things.”

“Of course, I would not wish any harm to Jacinda Ardern,” Mr Jones said, who later apologised.

2GB have reportedly put their problematic DJ on “notice” for his latest outburst. Only time will tell if, finally, time’s up for Alan Jones.

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Stripping back Police powers

BY JOHN MOYLE Police across NSW are increasingly using strip searches incorrectly as they target young people and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as they ramp up their war on low level drug possession.

In November 2018 an internal NSW Police report admitted that the force had been applying the power to strip search inconsistently and incorrectly, resulting in trauma and humiliation for many of those searched unlawfully or unsafely.

“In NSW Act 2002 dictates the circumstances under which a person may be searched and outlines the criteria that must be met,” NSW Police spokesperson said.

“If police want to search someone first of all they must have reasonable suspicion and request their consent,” Kent Park, senior solicitor, Sydney Criminal Lawyers said.

“The definition of reasonable suspicion is broad and a lot of people don’t understand that right.”

Mr Park said that reasonable suspicion may come down to the way that someone is dressed, having phones or even smoking a cigarette in a car.

A report by the Redfern Legal Centre and the UNSW released on the 22nd August said that while 91% of strip searches are carried out on suspicion of drug possession, just 27% find any illegal substances.

In NSW a strip search may be defined as a partial removal of outer clothing or a more intrusive searching such as squatting and coughing to check for secreted contraband.

A guidance note to NSW Police on personal searches says “Start your search at the top of the head using the crush method. Move down through the collar, back chest and belt areas. After the belt area, search the groin and backside using the hand as a knife edge and adopting a triangular pattern for the upper legs and groin and between the cheeks for the rear.”

Drug dogs deployed The numbers for Darlinghurst and Potts Additionally, police are empowered Point were 84 strip searches, which would to use dogs for drug detection in seem a low number, especially when places such as in or outside residents witness strip pubs, near public searches frequently. transport, concert venues, dance parties Disproportionate and any public place in Aboriginal searches Kings Cross.

“In my work in relation to However, contrary external organisations such as to practice where an indication legal centres the most common issue on from a dog is often the sole reason for the streets is illegal strip searches,” Dr Eugene a strip search, NSW Police Standard Schofield-Georgeson, vice president, NSW Operating Procedure says that police can Council for Civil Liberties said. only rely on an indication from a drug “The most common complaint we detection dog if they otherwise have get from people being drug searched is reasonable suspicion to conduct the about the attitude and aggressive nature search. of the police.”

In the 2016 NSW budget There is also the question of the then-premier Mike Baird allocated disproportionate number of Aboriginal $15million for the Police Force Dog and Torres Strait Islanders being caught Unit. in the Police web.

About a month ago government Of the total of 5,451 searches in 2017 to contractor and Potts Point resident Libby 2018 535 were of ATSI people.

An indication from a drug dog is often the sole reason for a police strip C was walking home for work when she The Aboriginal Legal Service did witnessed a strip search near the El Alamein search. Photo: Lum3n/PixaBay not respond to numerous requests for Fountain in Kings Cross.

NSW strip searches its citizens at a rate of 68 comment for this article. per 100,000, or 10 times the number of searches In June 2019 more than 50 legal organisations for Queensland. signed an open letter calling for reform to NSW While 91% of strip searches are In the year 2017 to 2018 a total of 5,451 strip strip-search laws. searches were conducted, with 1,387 of those being NSW Greens MP and the party’s spokesperson for suspicion of drug possession, on females. on drug law reform Cate Faehrmann said in a just 27% find illegal substances In NSW the area with the highest number statement “Strip searches unfairly target younger of strip searches in the same period was the people going out or using public transport while “I saw two large policemen searching a young dance party precinct of Olympic Park, with 524 the evidence is that most drug consumption takes girl and the police had taken her top off and she searches. place in the privacy of people’s homes. was left with an under top and was begging them The Sydney area including Haymarket and “A huge number of people choose to use drugs to stop as they stood over her,” Libby C said. the Rocks totalled 406, while Surry Hills and recreationally, regardless of whether they are legal “And this was happening less than 10 metres Paddington showed that 204 strip searches or not and that is not going to change regardless of from the Kings Cross police station.” conducted. how hard police clamp down.”

Red tape strangles markets have the opportunity to participate in the markets anymore, which is disappointing.”

Petition plan Pyrmont Bay Markets are now in the process of preparing a petition asking the NSW Government to change the lengthy application process and get the markets approved. On their website they state: “In the coming days we will put up a petition urging the Premier and the Lord Mayor to reduce the amount of red tape required to run simple community markets in a public park. We ask that you add your name to the list of concerned residents objecting to the bureaucratic mismanagement of our community events.”

While the markets will be cancelled until further developments, McCourt hopes people come to enjoy the Pyrmont Festival in Pirrama Park over the weekend of 28-29 September.

Pyrmont Bay Markets will not open in September due to red tape restrictions. Photo: PBM

BY VANESSA LIM The Pyrmont Bay Markets, scheduled for Sunday 1 September, have been cancelled after a long application process due, principally, to the NSW Government’s red tape strangling the organisers’ initiative. During the year-long process to try to get the monthly markets approved in Pyrmont Bay Park, the NSW Government kept asking for multiple documents and reports as the application went repeatedly back and forth.

On Friday 23 August, just over a week away from what would have been the first officiallyapproved market day, state bureaucrats from Property NSW, which manages Pyrmont Bay Park, said the Pyrmont Bay Markets would not be approved unless they received a “Wind Management Plan”. The plan would have to present a report addressing 22 bullet points in relation to how the wind might affect stallholders,

something the market organisers could not respond to in the brief time period expected.

Catch the wind The organisers, Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce, are ‘greatly disappointed’ that the relaunch of the Pyrmont Bay Markets will not go ahead. Rob McCourt, the Co-President of the Chamber of Commerce said, “The NSW Government throughout the year has asked for several reports and other documents to approve the Pyrmont Bay Markets. We thought we had gone through the last steps of approval until the Property NSW Office asked us for a Wind Management Plan report last Friday.

“It’s disappointing that this event has to be closed after a year-long approval process because Property NSW wanted a report on the wind nine days before our event.”

Pyrmont Bay Market management pointed out that Pyrmont Festival, to be held in a separate waterfront park at the end of September, is still going ahead. On their website they stated: “Fortunately Pirrama Park is not managed by Property NSW. We hope you join us for a glass of wine from the Orange region and wander among the more than 50 stalls all of which were approved by the City of Sydney, without a Wind Management Plan.”

Multiple retailers who were planning to operate stalls at the Pyrmont Bay Markets have been majorly inconvenienced by the sudden cancellation.

Rob McCourt said, “It’s not fair to the local community and small businesses that this event has to be cancelled due to bureaucrats applying red tape measures. Locals who were looking forward to this or were going to hold a stall won’t

It’s disappointing that this event has to be closed after a year-long approval process “Despite the Pyrmont Bay Markets being cancelled, there’s still an opportunity for people to engage in this exciting Festival that supports the local community and small businesses,” he said. “I encourage people to attend this event because it supports local businesses, but also is a fun time.”

Also run by the Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce, the Pyrmont Festival features around 50 stalls retailing food and treats from local eateries, artisan and gourmet products, plus entertainment by local stars including children’s fun. city hub 29 AUGUST 2019

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To be, or not to be heritage

BY JOAN HENSON The fast-tracked demolition of Lilyfield houses, on streetscape that residents have been advised to maintain like heritage, has surfaced in a 2004 Leichhardt Council report that recommended local conservation areas be expanded.

This extension would have incorporated the streetscape of Mary Street, where a house was demolished about six weeks ago using a Complying Development Certificate (CDC).

Almost 120 years ago suburban homes began populating the land previously designated to Lilyfield’s wealthy estates. A 2004 Leichhardt heritage report recommended that the existing Campbell’s and Austenham Estate conservation areas, which protect these early streetscapes, be extended to the historical estate boundaries from which blocks were subdivided.

For 30 years Gary Rowley has lived in a 1920s Californian bungalow, like that demolished on his street. While the bungalow façade is preserved in Campbell Avenue conservation area, which is directly behind Mary Street, he says seven bungalows on Mary Street are unlisted.

Mr Rowley says that demolition of homes with facades protected in adjacent conservation areas was previously unthinkable, as “whenever we wanted to carry out renovations through the council, they told us that it was a heritage area, so you couldn’t change the frontage or your front gate.”

The NSW planning department website states that CDC approvals can cut development application determination times to 20 days, compared to an average of 70, with the sign-off of a private certifier.

When residents received notice of the Mary Street demolition, many of them were hearing of CDCs for the first time, and had a week to respond.

Contact was made with Inner West Councillor (IWC) John Stamolis for an urgent freeze to be put on development via an Interim Heritage Order (IHO). IHOs provide up to a year for a full heritage assessment to be completed.

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The request to place an IHO was rejected by council officers, who found the building lacked local heritage significance. An officer notified Councillor Stamolis that the boundaries of Campbell’s Estate conservation area may however be reviewed, which would be a long process and would not prevent the Mary Street property’s demolition.

Next year IWCs local environment plan will release a review of conservation area boundaries.

Private certifiers need heritage training Paul Rappaport is a local heritage architect, familiar with the conservation areas in question. He says, “what’s happening in Lilyfield is a classic case of lackadaisical behaviour by local government, where after 30 years the community has activated the government to do something about it”.

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placed on heritage assessments, unless a heritage architect is appointed. He says that while certifiers generally treat heritage as a quantitative unit, for heritage architects it is measured as irreplaceable material.

Fredbert Street trees are heritage listed, but not the Victorian-style homes.

Photo: Joan Henson

He says that while a pro-heritage stance once drew votes, there has been a pushback by homeowners and development companies on “perceived limitations to development”.

Privatising certification has dropped the standards of assessing heritage buildings Rappaport believes that privatising certification has dropped the standards of assessing heritage buildings, and that accreditation in heritage assessments should “come into the industry”.

After a development application is received by a developer, he says there is limited quality control

Streets of history buffs Louise Appel’s introduction to Fredbert Street began a “love affair”. She has lived in the street for 29 years, and recalls deciding that the peculiar name made it the place to settle, when cycling by as a renter.

Like for many residents, the homely charm of the historical architecture made the sale. She scrounged the funds to buy the house with her brother and partner.

The history of the neighbourhood has been passed around at Christmas parties and during renovations, hooking Ms Appel into researching her street’s roots.

While she hasn’t solved the mystery of her street’s name, she’s found the terraces were set apart from ramshackle workers’ cottages of the time for their quality.

Every house on Fredbert Street has tall skirting boards made of red cedar - now a valuable wood – and the fireplaces are marble. She’s even searched an old street directory to determine the age of her home, which was built around 1903.

In an August 13 IWC meeting, residents supported Councillor Stamolis’ proposal that council report back on the possible expansion of Lilyfield conservation areas. Currently only the trees on Ms Appel’s street are listed.

Mayor Darcy Byrne said he will “move to expand the parameters … of the conservation zone, when the time comes for that to be considered, and when we’ve read the [heritage review] report”.

Mayor Byrne also said that there are places in Dulwich Hill and Marrickville “that may be even higher priorities than this precinct, and so it’s difficult to get a council resolution that says we’re going to spend $30 or $50 000 to just do this precinct”.

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Not-for-profit realty success

BY VERONICA ANASSIS Bridge Housing has managed to house hundreds of homeless, two years after receiving $100,000 from City of Sydney to boost affordable rental housing.

Since receiving the start-up funding, Bridge Housing launched HomeGround Real Estate in 2018, to meet the shortage of affordable housing in Sydney and end homelessness. One year on, the project is thriving.

The agency is a not-for-profit real estate service, which secured 130 affordable rent properties as part of the Bridge Housing model. Bridge Housing engages landlords to have their properties rented at reduced market rate, or a philanthropic basis. Renting out rooms at a market discount, helps families locked out of the private rental market, secure accommodation.

Since 2017, Bridge Housing grew affordable housing by nearly 100 properties, delivered disability housing to 130 residents, and constructed 158 seniors’ homes in Glebe.

Tenants out-priced A spokesperson for Bridge Housing said that although major ground has been made, housing price inclines are posing a major challenge for providing safe, permanent housing.

“Despite record numbers of new housing developments, Sydney’s median prices have climbed steadily in recent years” the spokesperson said. “Between 2009 and 2015, less than 10 per cent of dwellings in inner Sydney were affordable for moderate income households, and less than 1 per cent for people on low incomes. The supply of affordable rental properties has continued to fall, particularly in inner Sydney.”

Housing prices have fallen by 10.3 percent in the past year, casting hope that the stifling price rates might improve. But Bridge Housing says the drop is not nearly not enough to bridge the gap for affordable housing, which remains painfully under supplied.

JoAnne, a recently placed tenant with HomeGround,

A HomeGround agent outside affordable housing. Photo: HomeGround Real Estate

admits she was once crippled by the standard private housing options in Sydney.

“Our previous housing experience was in the private housing market which was very expensive, and only seemed to increase every year, unaffordable for myself and my family” she said.

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The future for us is looking very bright.”

Urgent need for housing Homelessness is a problem in Sydney, and continues to rise. Between 2001 and 2016, the number of homeless people in the city doubled.

The rate of homelessness has also increased, currently outstripping the rate of population growth. The City of Sydney’s recent street count

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revealed that crisis accommodation rose by 16.8 per cent in the past year and homeless crisis shelters are at full capacity. Lord Mayor Clover Moore said this indicates the programs are working, but are merely a short term fix.

“These figures tell us that people experiencing homelessness are seeking help, and know where to find the services that can offer them a bed or a free meal for the night, but these are temporary solutions to a systemic crisis” Ms Moore told City Hub.

Between 2001 and 2016, the number of homeless people in the city doubled “The high level of temporary bed occupancy shows outreach services run by the NSW Government, City of Sydney and non-government organisations were

working, but these numbers will remain high without the provision of more stable, long-term affordable and social housing” said Ms Moore.

“To break the cycle of homelessness we need the NSW and Federal governments to fund provide more social and affordable housing in the inner city.”

Bridge Housing contends the demand for affordable housing will continue to rise, with programs like HomeGround the way forward for a solution.

“Sydney will require over 200,000 affordable housing dwellings by 2036 to meet the needs of low and moderate income households” said their spokesperson. “Addressing the incidence of homelessness requires sustained and longterm government investment in new social and affordable housing supply, which has declined as a result of decades of undersupply.”

Bridge Housing successfully tendered for the $10m STEP Program funded by the NSW Department of Family and Community Services. STEP will house 90 rough sleepers over four years in properties sourced from the private market. The Housing First-style model of the project prioritises getting people into housing as quickly as possible, before addressing causes to their homelessness. STEP has already housed over 50 people, with Bridge Housing as its major agent.

Simone Curley, HomeGround Real Estate manager, urges landlords to contribute to low-market rental options, because many more vulnerable people are on the verge of homelessness.

“People think homelessness is just people sleeping rough” said Ms Curley. “It’s a much, much greater issue than that. It could be as a result of the loss of employment or an illness.

A lot of people are at risk – it’s just a couple of pay cheques away.”

“Sydney’s Best winner Trivia Nights” Time Out

2018

Monday: Stonewall Hotel 175 Oxford St, DarlingHurSt Tuesday: Carrington Hotel Cnr Bourke & arthur Sts, SyDney Quarryman’s Hotel 214-216 Harris St, PyrmOnt Crowne Hotel 160-162 elizabeth St, SyDney Portia Turbo: portia@turbotrivia.com.au turbotrivia.com.au

Market Cancelled!

The Pyrmont Bay Markets scheduled for Sunday September 1 have been cancelled. The local business group, the Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce is greatly disappointed that the new monthly markets planned for Pyrmont Bay Park will not go ahead.

After a year long application process the State government declined to grant permission to operate monthly markets in Pyrmont Bay Park. Over the last twelve months market plans have been stymied while bureaucrats at the City of Sydney and Property NSW have sent the application back and forth requiring more and more documentation and reports at every turn.

Running local community markets in support of small businesses and residents in a public park should not be so difficult.

On Friday afternoon, just nine days out from the official relaunch of the eagerly anticipated, once popular markets, state bureaucrats in the office of Property NSW stated they would not approve the markets unless they were presented with a “Wind Management Plan.” Market oranisers were asked to produce a report addressing 22 bullet points in relation to the wind.

Without permission to run markets, there was no choice but to cancel the event. Stall holders could not be signed up to participate in a market that had not been approved.

The Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce apologises to the many thousands of people who planned to join us in Pyrmont Bay Park on Sunday September 1. Our extensive advertising campaign which built community excitement for the markets was funded by a one off City of Sydney grant.

In the coming days we will put up a petition urging the Premier and the Lord Mayor to reduce the amount of red tape required to run simple community markets in a public park. We ask that you add your name to the list of concerned residents objecting to the bureaucratic mismanagement of our community events.

The good news is we are still going ahead with the Pyrmont Festival in a separate waterfront park at the end of September. Fortunately Pirrama Park is not managed by Property NSW. We hope you join us for a glass of wine from the Orange region and wander among the more than 50 stalls all of which were approved by the City of Sydney, without a Wind Management Plan.

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To receive updates and learn how you can help get the Pyrmont Bay Market up and running, fill out the form at the site below and we’ll keep you in the loop:

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city hub 29 AUGUST 2019

FEATURE

Sydney Latin American Film Festival

By Mark Morellini The Sydney Latin American Film Festival returns for its 14th consecutive year in Australia, with a program of 23 feature films and shorts from 11 South American countries including Brazil,Argentina, Cuba, Bolivia, Chile, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela.

Producing films in many of these countries is a difficult task, so it’s quite surprising that 80% of the films in this year’s program are award winners. “Smaller countries like Bolivia and Ecuador make few films and Central America also struggles to produce films notably because there isn’t enough funding, not enough trained people but ultimately it goes back to government support,” explained Gisselle Gallego, the Festival Programmer. “For example, Venezuela was a driving force until recently when things just went not so great. The government has now stopped injecting money into projects, so a lot of filmmakers have left the country and are now based in Mexico.”

With an increase in the quality of films in recent years, there has also been a change in storytelling. “Productions have changed and the stories have evolved into stories which aren’t so local but which tell stories which perhaps connect with other genres such as horror and animation. It’s quite amazing how much animation has picked up in recent years.”

The opening night film The Cotton Wool War is a sweet and very tender coming of age Brazilian film about a 13-year-old girl who relocates from Germany to live with her grandmother in Brazil.

“She struggles with bi-culturalism which most of us do when we’re stuck between two cultures.

The thing about this film is that it showcases Salvador de Bahia which is a beautiful place for Afro-Latino culture in Brazil, so you get to learn a lot about the culture and what happens there

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through music, food and everything they do.”

Latin Americans know how to celebrate so a themed party about Brazil and Salvador de Bahia will follow the opening night film.“We’re going to have an after-party at The Argyle.There will be Brazilian food and drinks and it’s going to be fun!” enthused Gallego.There will be live entertainment

by ForAll Band and Sydney Choro Club, food and drinks on arrival, dancers, live percussion and Latino sets by DJ Willie Sabor.

Delfin is a cinematic offering from Argentina which promises to be an enjoyable film to close the festival. “Delfin is a cute 11-year-old boy who lives in a small rural deprived town in Argentina with his father and his dream is to be part of an orchestra. It’s a beautiful and tender film which will be preceded by a drink on arrival and a live performance by an up-and-coming Latin band, Canto Libre.

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people migrate and the challenges they face in migrating. In terms of climate change, we’ll learn the real impact it has had on Latin America which is something you don’t see.”

It’s important to note that the festival has a community support program in place and proceeds from ticket sales will aid the poor communities. “We have two charities this year, an organisation called Comamos Juntos in Nicaragua and the other is Julian Cho Society in Belize. Both of these organisations will benefit from the monies we inject back to them.”

The Cotton Wool War. Photo: Supplied

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One film which will certainly generate some interest is Being Impossible the story of Ariel, a woman who realised that her life was built on a lie. “Ariel lives in a small rural town in Venezuela, is very religious and starts a relationship. She goes to the doctor and discovers that she is intersex. I think it’s hard as portrayed but highlights the importance of gender identity in a very small conservative town. Even though this is fiction it’s a very powerful story and gives voices to people who would never have a voice in Latin America.”

This film festival also hosts a Latin American short film competition which comprises seven films which had to address climate change or migration. There are shorts from Argentina, Columbia, Mexico, Peru and El Salvador. “What I love about the short film competition is that we’re going to hear different stories as to why

MANTIS NEST (CUBA): Two men fight for the affection of a woman and through these three characters audiences will learn about the history of Cuba over the past 20 years.

Unmissable.

PERRO BOMBA (CHILE): This drama follows the journey of a Haitian migrant to Chile and the racism he faces. An insightful Q&A follows with director Juan Caceres.

GOALKEEPER (BOLIVIA): A very dark but important film about human trafficking from a country which rarely produces films. A number one box office hit in Bolivia.

JOEL (ARGENTINA): A couple wait years to adopt a child. When nine-year-old Joel suddenly arrives, their expectations are shattered.

WANDERING GIRL (COLUMBIA): A road trip film which explores a girl’s journey to adolescence as she travels across Columbia with three older half-sisters who she has just met for the first time.

Sep 4–11. Dendy Opera Quays, Shop 9; 2 East Circular Quay. $117-$51.

Tickets & Info: www.slaff.org.au

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Come join Marie Bashir in celebrating the 265th birthday of another former Governor of NSW Captain William Bligh. Tickets to this special event include a high tea with champagne and a tour of the Maritime Museum’s current exhibition Bligh: Hero of Villain?

Sunday 8 September 3.30 – 6.00pm Terrace Room, Australian National Maritime Museum Tickets are strictly limited so book through Eventbrite – Bligh’s birthday, or contact Jing Li on (02) 9298 3777

Ocean Films

The Weekend Sailor Be inspired by this award-winning film about an unexpected victory in the first around the world crewed sailing race

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‘Portrait of Rear-Admiral William Bligh’ - Alexander Huey (National Library of Australia)

Celebrate all things Bligh on his 265th birthday

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT w

became the restorer of Henry VIII’s court, uniting his children and making sure they were presented to the world as a close-knit family. She was instrumental in his legitimate children’s educations and passed legislation that made his previously illegitimate children, legitimate again.

When speaking about the show Director Mark Kilmurry explained its importance to the feminist movement, “Kate Hennig has fiercely examined this period in history

LOVE+

Arriving in Sydney by way of Dublin is the MALAPROP theatre collective’s production of LOVE+.

Following sell-out runs and rave reviews at Dublin Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe, and subsequent tours to London, Manchester, and Beijing, the emerging Irish theatre company is bringing its new show

Theatre, 78 McDougall St, Kirribilli. $43-$80+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.ensemble.com.au)

to Australia for the very first time.

LOVE+ is a one-woman twohander about the inevitability of human/robot relationships. It asks: What happens to romance when there’s a machine who cooks for you, cleans for you, never forgets your birthday or how you like your tea, tells you you’re beautiful, holds you when you’re crying, and still makes you cum?

Audiences will be asked to

consider concept such as loving others/things, being loved, being human, and whether those things are intertwined. It’s not about whether or not you can love machines, because we all already do – it’s about what it’ll be like when they start to love us back.

Sep 3-7. Old 505 Theatre, 5 Eliza Street, Newtown. $25-$30+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.sydneyfringe.com

Better Living Through Sport He’s Australia’s most popular sports satirist and has appeared on The Project, ABC’s News Breakfast and Melbourne’s NOVA FM. This year, comedian Titus O’Reily is taking his newest stand-up show Better Living Through Sport on a national tour following a sell-out season at the Melbourne Comedy Festival.

Titus will reach Sydney this Friday performing at the Sydney Comedy Store, bringing his hilarious sports commentary to a packed audience.

Bringing to light the absurdities of sports fandom, Titus’ show is not just for sports fans.

“It’s mad that we’re so obsessed

with sport. When you think of it at its heart, we’re deciding to base our happiness on how a group of 20-year-olds perform on the weekend,” said Titus, laughing. “I was very interested in how sport can be applied to everyday life. There are all these things that happen in sport that just don’t happen anywhere else that you get away with or do. In this show I talk about free agency in sport… like teams trading players around – what would happen if you were allowed to do that in marriages?”

After performing Better Living Through Sport to packed audiences over 23 shows at the Melbourne

Comedy Festival, we asked Titus if his routine has changed since first starting the tour.

“You do it so many nights in a row – you work out the good bits and the

bad bits, you get it into shape, it’s like going to the gym.Well, I assume, I don’t really go to the gym.”

Titus is ready to share the ridiculous concept that is sports fandom with his fans in Sydney, saying:“A lot of it is people coming away with a sense that they’re not alone in having these incredibly weird, strong feelings about sport while also knowing its completely crazy that they have them.

The sense that they’re not alone in their madness!” (MB) Aug 30. Sydney Comedy Store, 122 Lang Road, Moore Park. $49.90+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.comedystore.com.au

Comedy For Musicians But Everyone Is Welcome Perhaps best known for his time as a star of Saturday Night Live or Portlandia Fred Armisen is an incredibly complex actor, comedian, voice actor, screenwriter, singer, and musician. Now as he blends all of these talents together he is set to bring his spectacular show to Sydney this week.

Armisen began his career as a musician in the Chicago based posed punk band Trenchmouth as well as the Blue Man Group. His transition to

comedy came with the 1998 underground short film Fred Armisen’s Guide To Music And South

By Southwest which followed him through the Austin,Texas South by Southwest musical festival posing as a journalist. From there Armisen cocreated and co-starred in the Emmy nominated sketch comedy series Portlandia, before then shifting to acting in films and television shows such as Anchorman: The Legend of

a&e

Ron Burgundy, Eurotrip 30 Rock, Modern Family, and Parks & Recreation.

Comedy For Musicians But Everyone Is Welcome will see Armisen return to his comedy roots as he tickles the funny underbelly of the music world.

Sep 4. Enmore Theatre, 118-132 Enmore Rd, Newtown. $79.90+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.enmoretheatre.com.au

13 STAGE 14 SCENE 15 Sounds 15 SCREEN

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

Marcus Hurley & William Manukia.

Photo: Rodney Herbert

Photo: Carla Rogers

Kate Hennig takes a fresh look at the stunning historical drama surrounding the dangerous sparring between King Henry VIII and his last wife Katherine Parr, during a very complex and bloody time in English history.

On one side of this conflict is Henry VIII, who was King of England from 1509 until his death in 1547, however, he is perhaps best known for his string of six failed marriages.

On the other side is the smart and confident Katherine Parr, who

Kinky Boots

through a contemporary lens with wit and seduction as Henry’s last and most influential wife, Katherine Parr, must navigate the waters of gender politics, patriarchy, sexuality and women’s rights. She must live by her wits if she wants to avoid becoming another statistic on Henry’s growing list of dead wives.

This thrilling production comes to life with an outstanding and accomplished cast in this sexually driven and potent play... which I hope encourages the audience to explore this chapter in our feminist past.”

Aug 30-Sep 29. Ensemble

Nikki Shiels.

Photo: Richard Hedger

The Last Wife

Rockdale Musical Society has chosen to celebrate its 80th anniversary with something a little more challenging. Kinky Boots is a production that promises to make the whole audience consider strutting their stuff down the catwalk. The company has apparently even made their own boots for the show which are already much in demand. In multiple colours too. Anyone who knows the film also knows that the story is really about all of us trying to be who we think we should be. Not about accepting society telling us who we are by putting us in a box and labelling us. As Carina Herbert, the show’s co-director said, “Love is Love and everyone deserves to be loved for who they are.”

Set in North London in the 90s Charlie has inherited his father’s shoe factory.Times are tough and the factory is losing money fast. He allows the factory to be used to manufacture cheap low-quality shoes for the mass market and Charlie, who has led quite a blinkered existence, lacks the imagination needed to update and make the changes needed to turn the business around.That is until he meets Lola.A tall, proud, confident transexual shoe designer who just happens to adore long boots. Generally in hues of pink, purple and jungle red. Lola convinces Charlie that the boots will sell and after much opposition from his factory workers the boots are made en masse and is Charlie swamped with orders.

Milan calls and Charlie is requested to have someone model his boots on the catwalk. The whole company votes for Lola to do it. At the last minute though Charlie and Lola have a terrible fallout and Charlie must model the boots himself. Charlie must change his attitude and learn that some kinds of different are completely acceptable. It is Charlie who needs to be open to change.

The world today is a very different world but the message rings just as true now. Love and tolerance make the world a better place and long kinky boots are cool. (RLD) Sep 6-15. Rockdale Town Hall, Cnr Princes Hwy & Bryant St, Rockdale. $29-$43.50+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.rockdalemusicalsociety.com

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

city hub 29 AUGUST 2019

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THE NAKED CITY

THOSE SHOCKING JOCKS!

With Coffin Ed Alan Jones’ recent outburst against New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern has reinforced his reputation locally as one of our most shit bagging ‘shock jocks’, along with his fellow 2GB presenter Ray Hadley.

However, compared to some of their US counterparts, their venom is of fairly low toxicity.

America, of course, has a long and at times sordid history of so-called shock jocks, dating back to the highly confrontational Joe Pyne in the early 1950s. Often referred to as the nation’s first-ever shock jock, Pyne swapped his normal DJ duties for a highly opinionated approach to politics and social issues. The result was a ratings bonanza as he pioneered an early form of talkback radio, often telling members of the public with whom he disagreed to “go gargle with razor blades.” His most infamous incident came when he graduated to a TV talk show and was interviewing a black militant during the 1965 Watts Riots in Los Angeles. At one stage he opened his coat to reveal a handgun he was carrying, complemented when his guest did exactly the same.

Traditionally the American shock jock has fallen into one of two categories. The hardline political jocks like Rush Limbaugh and G Gordon Liddy have long peddled an ultrapatriotic line of right-wing opinion. On the other hand, there’s the irreverent, taboo

trashing school of personalities like Howard Stern, a lot less conservative in their political beliefs and ready to say whatever America’s much more liberal freedom of speech laws will allow them.

Here in Australia, those radio presenters who chose to sound off, are shackled with all kinds

of station restrictions, delay buttons, ACMA scrutiny and defamation laws that have resulted in some massive payouts in recent years. No doubt broadcasters like Jones, Hadley, Bolt, and Sandilands would welcome the kind of free speech environment that the American opinion-makers enjoy.

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WRITERS WANTED

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

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

Please contact City Hub with CV news@altmedia.net.au

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city hub 29 AUGUST 2019

Whether the Australian public would ever tolerate the more extreme hate speech that is synonymous with some American broadcasters is highly unlikely. The kind of backlash we saw against Jones’ Ardern outburst, where his critics targeted his advertisers, is just one response we might expect.

With the demise of commentators like Bill O’Reilly and media controllers like Roger Ailes, there’s a feeling in the US that the ranting, raving school of aggressive political influencers might have had their day, even given the current climate of Trumpian discourse.

Broadcasters can still push a highly opinionated form of political and social commentary but without the histrionics and in your face confrontation made famous by Bill O’Reilly.

In May of this year, Variety magazine ran a story titled, Is Radio’s Shock Jock Era Over, in which they argued a number of factors for why the format was floundering. They pointed to the rise of political correctness as well as radio stations not wanting to offend their advertisers. More telling, however, was the following quote from a PR executive which suggests that the shock jocks may well have nothing left to shock.

“In an era when there is daily news about the president of the United States paying off a porn star… and telling Billy Bush that he can feel free to grab a woman’s most private parts, shock radio has become reality - So how can we be any further shocked?”

REVIEW: Inside The Greens Paddy Manning’s Inside The Greens is a detailed history and examination of Australia’s longest and most successful third political party.

Meticulously researched and informed by impeccable sources both within and outside the party, Manning takes us through the formative years of Australia’s environmental movement through to the birth of the Australian Greens in 1992, spurred on by the German Greens leader Petra Kelly.

Throughout the Green’s history, the figure of Bob Brown looms large as he steps out of Tasmanian state politics and onto the national stage to steer the party from a protest movement to a political force that now helps shape national, state and local government debates.

Milestone platforms such as the 1997 flagging of the divide between rich corporations and the rest of us, the 1998 Jabiluka protests and Brown’s 2007 call to phase out coal put the party firmly on the political stage.

Policies are scrutinised, personalities dissected and

challenges examined with detail and authority as the Greens come of political age in 2013 with their accord with the Gillard Government and their first fully costed platform for Federal election.

Manning doesn’t resile from the internal struggles and tensions as factionalism, personality differences and charges of sexual harassment divide the party and cause it to stray from its grassroots base, with many of these issues unresolved as the party contested the 2019 Federal election.

As both major parties lurch to the right this is a timely review of the third force in our domestic political landscape. (JMo)

Julia Michaels

Photo: Clare Gillen

Michaels explained that she really didn’t have any other choice.

“Every once in a while someone such as myself will write a song which is a little too personal to give away, which is what happened to me with Issues. I had written that song about a very personal experience and I just wasn’t ready to give it to anybody else and it changed my life.”

Saying Issues changed her life is quite a large understatement, as that single earned her two Grammy

Dogman

Both the setting and plot of this film are grim and strangely fascinating.

Loosely based on true events, Matteo Garrone’s much-acclaimed film tells the story of Marcello

Award nominations and immediately propelled her into singer-songwriter stardom.

“You always want to be validated by your peers as a songwriter, but to be validated by your peers as an artist was really spectacular,” said Michaels when reflecting on the moment she found out about the nominations.

Despite now being a superstar performer Michaels has remained true to her songwriter roots by

dragged all life and colour out to sea. His friends include other shopkeepers and residents. Marcello is comical, seemingly innocent, doting over his young daughter, yet he is also a coke dealer. The town is terrorised by a gargantuan bully named Simone (Edoardo Pesce).

Simone is a coke addict and favours Marcello, his supplier, but only as long as Marcello is utterly compliant. Things, of course, go awry.

The film is gloomy, visually (Marcello Fonte), a and narratively, yet there diminutive, awkward, are moments of genuine divorced father who runs humour and warmth. a dog grooming salon. He It’s tense and graphically lives and works in a ruined brutal and refreshingly town that looks like it original. (RB) was hit by a tsunami that WWW1/2

focusing on powerful lyricism and stories with every release since Issues. Her latest project Inner Monologues Part 1 & 2 is a clear example of this mentality.

“I really wanted to do a project which was very honest and authentic,” explained Michaels,“Inner Monologue is about all of the things that I think and feel on a daily basis. It talks about love, heartbreak, self-image, anxiety and depression which are things that I deal with all the time.”

Taking this approach however can be an extremely daunting prospect said Michaels, “You never know how people are going to perceive your art in your mind. If people don’t like it that’s them then saying they don’t like a piece of you, so it can be really scary and a bit unnerving but I’d rather do something that’s truly me than something that’s not.”

By being so honest on these two records Michaels learned about the beneficial nature of therapy and talking through her problems.

Which is a lesson and message she hopes to pass along to others.

“I just hope that people find their strength and their own voice through music, even if it’s not mine, because it is such a beautiful and powerful thing.”

Sep 5. Enmore Theatre, 118-132 Enmore Rd, Newtown. $64.90$119.90+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.enmoretheatre.com.au

Sleater-Kinney - The Center Won’t Hold

The iconic trio of Carrie Brownstein, Corin Tucker and Janet Weiss return with their eagerly anticipated tenth album, The Centre Won’t Hold. With this record, the group has continued to evolve and push boundaries as they explore emotional industrial rock and pop.

Opening with the titular track, The Centre Won’t Hold, Sleater-Kinney immediately introduce the listener to the latest iteration of their sound. Interweaving industrial sounds with haunting vocals this is a truly captivating way to kick-off things off before slowly moving towards a more pop sound later in the album.

When we say pop though it’s important to note that this album never ventures into the sickly sweet territory of many modern pop records. Rather it maintains its emotional, industrial base and simply uses pop melodies to heighten the impact of the music.

Perhaps the records most striking track the pianodriven ballad, Broken, closes out the album in unforgettable fashion. (JA) WWW1/2

The Nightingale Profoundly confronting this controversial Australian film which is set during the sadistic colonisation of Tasmania in 1825, is unpleasant but mandatory viewing.

The story centres on Clare a 21-year-old Irish convict who, along with the aid of a black tracker, embarks on a vengeful search through the wilderness for the evil lieutenant who murdered her husband and young child. This storyline serves as the backdrop to the pivotal issue of the atrocities committed against the Aboriginal race, or more aptly genocide.

Many have criticised this film for its excessive violence and realistically overbearing rape scenes which may haunt audiences long after leaving the theatre. However, for an honest

Photo: Matt Nettheim

By Jamie Apps In music, the most powerful element is always the lyrics. When a song has a strong emotional story underpinning the melodies and rhythms it can connect on a deeper level than perhaps any other entertainment medium.

Nobody understands this line of thinking more than acclaimed songwriter turned performer, Julia Michaels.

When Michaels first entered into the music industry she worked behind the scenes co-writing music for everyone from Selena Gomez to Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani, and even Linkin Park. For Michaels, this role satisfied her inner “love for words” and desire to “help others express their feelings and become happy or content within themselves.”

Speaking with City Hub ahead of her upcoming performance in Sydney Micheals revealed that she does look back on “one or two” of those songs she helped write and wishes she had held on to them for herself.

However, she also realises “everything happens for a reason” and perhaps those decisions helped to move her into the position she is in today.

In 2017 Michaels finally stepped into the limelight with the release of her debut single, Issues. When asked what influenced this decision

and authentic depiction of life during this dark and harrowing chapter in Australian history these disturbing scenes were essential.

Italian-Irish actress Aisling Franciosi (Games Of Thrones) must be praised for her portrayal as Clare, the physically and psychologically tormented convict and Aboriginal actor Baykali Ganambarr who was engaging in his first screen performance as Billy the black tracker.

Australian filmmakers have always excelled in producing period films, but The Nightingale serves as a history lesson like no other.

Indisputably one of the most depressing but finest Australian films in recent years. (MMo) WWWW

Dragged Across Concrete Director S Craig Zahler delivers a stakeout crime-thriller with a slow tempo but an incredibly compelling story in Dragged Across Concrete.

Mel Gibson plays Brett, a cop pushing 60 in a fictional US town known as Bulwark. Brett’s career has stagnated due to his violent nature towards suspects whilst all those around him move up the chain of command.Vince Vaughn plays Brett’ younger partner, Anthony, who falls victim to the fallout of Brett’s latest violent indiscretion. From here the two partners are forced into action which conflicts with their moral compasses as they are

forced to find an alternative source of income.

On the flip side of this underworld drama is Henry (Tory Kittles) who has just been released from prison, but immediately finds himself slipping right back into crime.

Each side of the coin in this story has strong connections to the other. Both Brett and Henry find themselves contemplating crime just to help their disabled or sick loved ones. It is this connection which sees Dragged Across Concrete become so compelling. Will the two men realise their similarities and be able to rectify their own

internal conflicts to see them both benefit or will they destroy each other in the process?

Dragged Across Concrete is a long, methodically slow film but it strangely doesn’t drag. In fact, this approach actually builds the tension as the two parties involved circle around assessing their foe before the impending clash.

The one drawback of this film is occasionally cheesy, over the top dialogue and gratuitous violence. This is quickly forgotten though as you sink back into the gritty drama. (JA) WWWW city hub 29 AUGUST 2019

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SYDNEY OPEN DAY 1 SEPT Did you know the University of Tasmania offers quality health courses right here in Sydney?

As a University of Tasmania student studying in Sydney, you can complete your Nursing or Paramedic Practice course in just two years with our special accelerated courses.

With smaller class sizes and a focus on practical learning, studying with us will get you into your chosen career faster. We also have a huge range of courses across all disciplines at our Tasmanian campuses, as well as online options.

Come to our Sydney Open Day. Hear about our courses, explore our facilities, and enjoy entertainment, food and giveaways.

Pre-register for our Open Day and you could win a $5,000 Tassie adventure and get a complimentary gift pack on the day.

Sunday 1 September • Rozelle campus • 10-3pm Corner of Church & Glover streets, Lilyfield

utas.edu.au/openday

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city hub 29 AUGUST 2019