City Hub 31 October 2019

from Bondi to Balmain ! c i t y h u b sy d n e y. c o m . a u

OCTOBE R 3 1 , 2 0 1 9

FREE

NSW’S MUSIC FEST CRACKDOWN New restrictions and costs are on the horizon.

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Hotels and schools and buses, oh my!

The Hubbub. Page 3

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city hub 31 OCTOBER 2019

Snippets by ALEC SMART School is a Dump The Dept of Planning are working with NSW Dept Education and Northern Beaches Council to relocate French’s Forest High School on Sydney’s North Shore, in order to build a new town centre on the school site, with shops, bars, a sports oval and 3,000 apartments.

However, the site they have chosen for the school – Warringah Aquatic Centre – was once a dump.

The former landfill waste site, used between 197078, contains dangerous concentrations of asbestos, heavy metals and other contaminants hazardous to human health.

An environmental assessment, obtained by community groups under Freedom of Information requests, was conducted in 2015

by Environmental Investigation Services during plans for expansion of the aquatic centre.

The assessment found that, in addition to the aforementioned contaminants, volatile organic compounds and toxic ground gases were also present that posed a ‘medium to severe risk’ to human health. The pool expansion was cancelled.

Australian Conservation Foundation campaigner Jess Abrahams was quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald on Oct 27, warning “..we know there’s no educational need for a new school, it’s just an apartment frenzy… We’re talking about 800 students; the risks of building a school on a toxic waste dump are just huge.”

There are serious concerns that digging up the site will disturb the dangerous contaminants present in the soil, causing them to leach out into creeks that feed Manly Dam, a freshwater reservoir popular with swimmers and kayakers.

Floater faces flushing The Barrier Reef Floating Resort, an enormous high-rise complex marketed as the world’s first floating hotel when it opened in Townsville,

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not sell off any public assets if she was re-elected, declaring, “if we were we would have told you upfront.”

On October 24 the NSW Government announced plans to privatise bus services in the last three regions serviced by the public-owned State Transit, covering routes in Sydney’s north-western suburbs, lower north shore, northern beaches and eastern suburbs. State Transit has eight bus depots that will be divided up between new contractors.

The contracts for those regions will be put out to competitive tender at the start of 2020, and are expected to be awarded by the end of the year. All 13 bus serviced regions across greater Sydney will then be run by private operators.

Although around 3000 drivers and 220 maintenance staff covered by award agreements will be given opportunities to transfer to the new private operators, the Berejiklian government is giving no guarantee that scores of salaried staff currently in support roles with the State Transit Authority will be transferable.

Manly Dam may be poisoned by toxic waste if a school is built on a former dump. Photo: Alec Smart

Queensland, in 1988, is facing an ignominious end. Now rotting and unloved in a dock in North Korea, on Oct 24 North Korean state media reported that leader Kim Jong-un ordered the removal of all ‘shabby’ facilities in the formerly splendid Mount Kumgang tourist resort, which he visited and likened to a ‘disaster-stricken area’.

This includes the 7-storey hotel, which has nearly 200 bedrooms.

The South Korean-funded Mount Kumgang resort, opened in 1998, was once a sign of lessening tensions between viciously divided North and South Korea. However, after a South Korean tourist was shot dead by a North Korean soldier for wandering unknowingly into a militarised zone in 2008, all tourism was suspended.

The floating hotel was originally constructed in Singapore and towed to the Great Barrier Reef off Townsville, where it enjoyed exotic appeal with its tennis courts, swimming pools, nightclubs, bars, restaurants and helipad. However, it struggled financially and its tenure was cut short when it was sold to a Vietnamese company a year later and towed to the Saigon River in Ho Chi Minh City. There it operated as a successful nightclub under new name Saigon Floating Hotel – nicknamed The Floater - until its popularity waned in 1997 and it again ran into financial difficulties.

In 1998 a South Korean company purchased and renovated it – although they forgot to replace Australian power plugs throughout the

THAT SNEAKY RABBIT

vessel - and renamed it Hotel Haegumgang, docking it in the Mount Kumgang tourist region between North and South Korea. Its future is now uncertain and despite it being three times lucky, it’s not thought the 30-year-old Floater will face a fourth reincarnation, and will likely be broken up or perhaps sunk as a reef where fish can check in for the night.

Gladys Bus-ted NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian was accused of lying by NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay during an interview on 2GB Radio. In a reaction to the NSW Government announcement to privatise the last remaining state-run buses, Ms McKay drew attention to Ms Berejiklian’s former promise not to sell public assets.

“She made a commitment and a promise, and I would go so far as to say she lied!” Ms McKay told 2GB Radio host Steve Price. “I know that’s a strong word to use, but that’s exactly what she did. She promised no further privatisations .. and now they’re privatising the remaining three region bus services.”

Ms Berejiklian made a promise during a debate at the last elections that her government would

Raise the rate right up our street Addison Road Community Organisation (Addi Rd) in Marrickville, which provides discounted food and social services for low income and disadvantaged people, in partnership with the Australian Council of Social Service, created a new street within their former army barracks’ grounds, called Raise The Rate Drive.

On October 22 they unveiled the new street sign to boost awareness of the low rate of the government’s Newstart and Youth Allowance welfare support payments to unemployed people.

In 2015, the federal government overhauled what was known as Job Services Australia to create Jobactive, the government’s main employment services program for those out of work. Since the late 1990s, Australia has paid private companies and non-profit agencies to run the 1,800 job centres around the country in what is now a lucrative industry known as ‘welfare-to-work’.

However, the number of providers was slashed from 79 to 44 and the share of for-profit operators increased to almost 50%. These operators pursue financial incentives to encourage welfare recipients back to work. Some companies have rorted the scheme, such as ORS Group, which was exposed on ABC TV’s Four Corners program for falsifying documents and claiming money from the government even when it wasn’t finding work for jobseekers nor booking them into training courses.

Many welfare recipients have been in the system for years, and yet Newstart and Youth Allowance doesn’t keep pace with inflation, increases in rents and spiralling living costs.

By Sam Mcnair

#thatsneakyrabbit

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city hub 31 OCTOBER 2019

3

Glebe Island dust-up Heritage-listed grain silos on Glebe Island, which will likely become a concrete storage facility.

Photo: Alec Smart

BY ALEC SMART The proposed construction of a facility for the delivery, storage and distribution of construction materials, including sand and concrete, on the east side of Glebe Island in Sydney Harbour, faces strong community opposition.

On Monday 28 October, the Port Authority of NSW granted approval to its own plan for a ‘multi user facility’ reactivating the currentlydisused former car import site beneath Anzac Bridge. Located on the western shore of Jones Bay opposite Pyrmont, over 200 submissions were made to the authority, including concerns about air quality, noise levels and traffic congestion.

In a statement the Port Authority said: “Dry bulk construction materials will be offloaded from ships via their unloading equipment and into the facility, where the materials can then be loaded from the storage bays onto trucks within the building.”

Residents of neighbouring communities have been told the new storage facilities will be 210 metres long, 65 metres wide and five storeys high.

The construction materials will include millions of tonnes of cement, aggregate, sand and associated materials destined for the NSW Government’s multiple infrastructure projects.

30 years of noise and dust According to the Port Authority of NSW’s January 2018 release, Glebe Island: the Gateway to Sydney’s Future: “the port at Glebe Island is at the centre of the Bays Precinct Urban Transformation Program, an ambitious urban renewal plan to reinvent and revitalise a central area of Sydney Harbour and transform it into a hub of commercial, residential and recreational innovation.

“This long-term project, along with 70 billion dollars’ worth of other major works like WestConnex, will require immense amounts of construction materials such as cement, sand and aggregate for the concrete supply chain…

“Independent modelling has forecast that annual 4

city hub 31 OCTOBER 2019

construction material throughput at Glebe Island would be between six and eight million tonnes within the next 30 years.”

In a strategic review, Infrastructure NSW (an independent statutory agency that assists the NSW Government) recommended retaining and expanding the port facilities on Glebe Island, to meet the supply needs of the construction industry.

In their 2017 Annual Report they stated: “The review also examined how the … proposal could best integrate with Sydney Metro West and other key infrastructure projects… Given the importance of the construction industry to the state’s economy … the review concluded that Glebe Island should continue to import bulk materials used for the production of concrete for at least the next 20 years... The NSW Government endorsed the review findings and recommendations in full.”

Residents will have to contend with continuous industrial noise, swirling dust and concrete powder The NSW Government affirm: “Glebe Island is identified in the Transformation Plan: The Bays Precinct Sydney as a long-term priority with works commencing in 2022 and beyond.”

Infrastructure NSW, under its specialist unit Projects NSW, is currently responsible for overseeing multiple government-accredited projects, several mired in controversy, including Barangaroo, Blackwattle Bay, Sydney Football Stadium redevelopment and the Waterloo Housing Estate, as well as the construction of Australia’s largest prison for 1700 prisoners near Grafton.

Loads of truckloads The Port Authority claim that bringing crushed rock, sand and gravel in by ship to the proposed Glebe Island facility will have less impact on Sydneysiders than utilising fleets of trucks. “A

single vessel can replace between 1100 - 1500 truckloads of material,” they state in their Oct 28 approval summary.

Nevertheless, hundreds of daily truck movements will still be needed to transport materials from Glebe Island to major construction projects over the next decade or more, including the neighbouring WestConnex interchange toll road; the Sydney Metro harbour rail tunnel between Millers Point and McMahons Point; and the Western Harbour Tunnel between Rozelle and Balgowlah.

Hanson Heidelburg Cement Group, currently operating beside the Fish Markets in Blackwattle Bay, have also submitted a development application to relocate to Glebe Island and construct an enormous concrete batching plant.

This factory will sit alongside the Port Authority of NSW’s multi-user buildings for storage and processing.

Surrounding properties have reportedly depreciated significantly since the proposal was announced in 2018, some by as much as half a million dollars.

Residents who purchased homes in Pyrmont on the opposite shore, many of them prime waterfront high-rise apartments within 200 metres of the 24-hour, 7-day-a-week operational Glebe Island terminal, are expressing outrage at the approval.

Betrayal Pyrmont, Sydney’s most densely-populated suburb with over 22,500 residents, was repurposed at the start of the millennium from abandoned factories, old terraces and industry. 24 hectares were developed into residential townhouses and apartments alongside landscaped parks and gardens with children’s play areas, barbecues, and seafront walks. Much of it was concentrated around Jackson’s Landing, the 11-hectare site of a former sugar refinery, and includes community facilities such as gyms, tennis courts, a community centre and a swimming pool.

Many new Pyrmont residents see the Glebe Island facility as a betrayal by the NSW

Government, furious they were lured into a familyfriendly zone at great personal expense, believing it would remain an ideal area in which to raise children and socialise.

They now have to contend with a future of continuous industrial noise and an atmosphere of swirling dust and concrete powder.

The Don’t Waste Glebe Island campaign (DWGI), launched in March 2018 by residents from Jacksons Landing and surrounds, strongly opposes the Port Authority’s proposal.

On their website they state: “Glebe Island should be a hub for Sydneysiders and tourists alike, with stunning waterfront destinations, open public and green spaces, community hubs, recreation and cultural facilities and more.

“Sydney deserves Glebe Island to become an iconic waterfront destination like the worldclass Opera House and Barangaroo sites, as was promised by the NSW Government.”

Councillor Pauline Lockie of the Inner West Council is angry about the Port Authority’s decision and is taking up residents’ concerns. She told City Hub: “The Port Authority’s approval is concerning for a number of reasons. Inner West Council has already raised concerns about the noise, air quality and traffic issues the new facility is likely to have on residents, especially given the amount of construction that’s planned in the area.

WestConnex, the Western Harbour Tunnel, and the Sydney Metro West all have major construction works in the local area, and the NSW government has never assessed the cumulative impacts of all these works on residents. But as we’re already seeing elsewhere in the inner west, having multiple projects in one place has serious impacts on people’s lives.

The fact that the same authority can propose, assess and approve its own project also makes a mockery of the planning process.”

Balmain MP Jamie Parker agreed that allowing the Port Authority to approve its own development application “makes a mockery of the notion of independent planning approval.”

The appeal of home schooling

BY ISABELLE STACKPOOL Eight-year-old Sierra has a hard time sitting still.

Her body is constantly moving, up and down, twitching and tapping. She bounces around the room, jumping across furniture and playfully crawling along the floor.

Her mum explains that this is where the classroom problems started. That her Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) got her into trouble. Teachers would describe her as unfocused and irritable. But the trouble really began when Sierra started coming home with a decreasing number of eyelashes.

Sierra’s mother, Gabrielle Costello, explains that she had taken her daughter to see a doctor and discovered that she had developed trichotillomania, an anxious reaction that manifests in the compelling urge to pull out eyelashes, eyebrows, hair from the scalp and other parts of the body. Currently in year three, Sierra was diagnosed with the condition in 2018. She developed this coping mechanism as problems began mounting at her local primary school.

Gabrielle says, “The school was supposed to be helping, but more often than not failed doing so… the school even told us she needed one on one assistance, but they weren’t going to give it to her.”

to enrol their children in home education. The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) published its most recent home schooling data in March 2019, indicating a large rise in numbers. In NSW alone from 2014 to 2018, registrations for home schooling increased by 65%. The number of registered children jumped by more than 2,000.

She’s happier, calmer, with fewer emotional outbursts and is generally more co-operative “What I can tell you is that the numbers are moving up dramatically, in all states,” explains Ellen Brown, Director of Teaching at Complete Education Australia, an online platform that offers home schooling programs. The service has been

in operation for seven years, with more than 3,000 students Australia-wide.

Home-schooling data is difficult to obtain as the ABS began tracking such figures only in the late 2000s. However, there may be more children in home schooling than is indicated by the figures.

Brown says many students turn to home education when mainstream schooling is no longer working for them. “Home schooling allows flexibility and many students value this in both time and their learning content.”

Brown also emphasises that there is a harmful stereotype that children who are home schooled learn less. She notes that, “Home school students are just as well equipped as any student in any classroom”.

The strength of home schooling lies in its ability to be flexible, but still carry out all the subjects and topics of a mainstream curriculum.

The right choice Sierra is now sleeping and eating much better.

With full support from Sierra’s psychologist, doctor, occupational therapist and speech therapist, Gabrielle is confident that they have made the right choice for their daughter.

“She’s happier, calmer, with fewer emotional outbursts and is generally more co-operative.”

Her eating and trichotillomania can be monitored, with both parrents helping her with management strategies set up by her psychologist.

It still happens but nowhere near as severely.

Sierra is now happy and productive – with weekly attendances at ballet, singing and drama.

Gabrielle says, “We will just go with the flow.

If Sierra asks to go back to school we will do it or at least work towards preparing her to return, but right now she has no interest in going back.”

Entrée Entrée

French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup

Duck liver pate, Duck liver pate, & port jelly green peppercorn

green peppercorn & port jelly

Snails Snails in the shell with garlic parsley butter in the shell with garlic parsley

butter Calamari golden fried, tossed in salt and Calamari pepper…w aioli golden fried,garlic tossed in salt and Potato Gnocchi pepper…w garlic aioli tomato, basil, wine, garlic, Potato Gnocchi Shallots & parmesan

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Home schooling on the increase Gabrielle eventually became one of thousands of Australians choosing to home school, making the difficult decision to pull Sierra out of her mainstream schooling in July of this year.

Australian schools are designed to accommodate every child, regardless of factors such as gender, race or ability. The Australian Government sets expectations that children with special needs should be supported in class, and provide funding to do so.

Home schooling in Australia is steadily increasing in popularity. Each year, more parents are choosing

Alternative ‘classroom’: Anne Buckingham with her children, whom she home-schools. Photo: Isabelle Stackpool

She mentions there is nothing necessarily wrong with the Australian mainstream schooling system, merely that education should be a choice based on individual needs.

“Each has its place and will suit different families,” she says.

Since starting home-schooling, Gabrielle says that each day Sierra will tackle some general worksheets while Gabrielle works on putting together assessment resources.

“She is meant to be year three, but I am not confident she is at that level thanks to being left behind in the schooling system. So I am gauging her understanding of year one and two content first.”

Is this better for Sierra? Gabrielle definitely thinks so.

“I wouldn’t say there has been anything difficult so far. Surprising I think is how well we’ve handled spending so much time together. I was expecting some clashes for sure, but she’s far more cooperative than when she was at school.”

Mains Mains

Coq au vin Coq au vinBoneless chicken Sous-vide Sous-vide Boneless chicken w bacon, onion, garlic, and w bacon, onion, and mushrooms in a garlic, rich red wine mushrooms in a rich red wine sauce

sauceBourguignon Beef The french slow cooked Beefclassic Bourguignon beef The classic french slow cooked Pork beef Belly Sous-vide finished w cumin & Pork Belly spice red wine glaze

Sous-vide finished w cumin &

Atlantic Fillet spice redSalmon wine glaze Sous-vide w basil, lime & aAtlantic chilli oilSalmon Fillet

Sous-vide w basil, Lamb Shoulder (forlime 2) & tomato, basil, wine, garlic, a chilli oil cooked, herb crusted, Halloumi 14 hrs slow Shallots & parmesan w tzatziki(for and2)side of grilled, Cypriot cheese with olives served Lamb Shoulder rosemary & garlic sauce Halloumi 14 hrs slow cooked, herb crusted, & artichokes salad, fig glaze (also part of 3 Course Set Menu) served w tzatziki and side of grilled, Cypriot cheese with olives Scallops* Duck breast* rosemary & garlic sauce & artichokes salad, fi g glaze large Canadian scallops, Sous-vide finished, (also part & ofpan 3 Course Set Menu) seared on, eggplant & Scallops* served pink on sweet & Duckcherry breast* sour sauce red relish largepepper Canadian scallops, Sous-vide pan of finished, (extra $5 if&part set menu) (extra $4 if part of set menu) seared on, eggplant &

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King Prawns* red pepper relish Shelled Sizzling with roasted (extra $4and if part of set menu) garlic, butter & v olive oil King Prawns* (extra $4 if part of set menu)

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Wagyu Rump* Wagyu Rump* steak 6+ 250 gm steak 6+ 250 gm Sous-vide grain-fed served with Sous-vide grain-fed green pepper sauceserved with green pepper sauce (extra $5 if part of set menu)

(extra $5 if part of set menu) Des serts

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5

Killer dead but unburied

by ALEC SMART Ivan Milat, Australia’s most notorious, and perhaps most prolific, serial killer died on Sunday 27 October, aged 74. The unrepentant murderer succumbed to terminal oesophageal and stomach cancer in the medical wing of Long Bay Jail in Malabar, where he was being treated.

Ivan, convicted in 1996 of the ‘Backpacker Murders’, seven killings of young backpackers whom he picked up and drove to Belanglo State Forest near Mittagong where he tortured and killed them, took his secrets to the grave, as expected.

Detectives reportedly visited him eight times before his death, but failed to extract any confession.

Ivan never admitted guilt despite hundreds of pieces of evidence linking him to the crimes, including backpacks and personal possessions he souvenired from his victims.

Will of Ivan The day after Ivan’s death, the contents of a letter he wrote his brother Bill on 24 October, which doubled as a will, were made public. In it, Ivan declared his wish to leave all of his possessions and money to his beloved brother as his sole beneficiary.

Controversially, in the letter Ivan demanded the taxpayer pay the bill for his funeral expenses.

“Please don’t pay for any funeral service or contribute in any way. Corrective Services NSW to fund it all, a pauper burial or whatever is suitable.”

Despite Ivan’s wishes for a funeral, brother Bill told Ten News that the Milat family wanted a private cremation of their wayward son, who forever tarnished their name.

“If we have a funeral, every kook in the country will be there. If he was buried, they’ll desecrate the grave and make a mess of it. So we’re having none of that.”

Bill also said the public purse should cover the expense.

victims had been subjected to “sexual interference, either before or after death”.

Ivan’s assistant?

After Ivan’s 1994 arrest, homes belonging to his mother and five of his brothers were searched by police, uncovering items belonging to Ivan’s victims.

In 2005, Milat’s former solicitor John Marsden suggested Ivan had had an accomplice who helped him with his string of murders.

A woman contacted City Hub with her frightening recollections of hitching a ride with a gun-wielding Ivan near Newcastle in Easter 1982.

“There were three men seated on the bench seat at the front, I now believe these three men to be members of the Milat family,” she recalled. “One of these men got out of the panel van to physically give me a leg up over the back tailgate of the car.

When he did this he put his hands directly up the back of the army shorts I was wearing. Both my Belanglo State Forest, where six of Ivan Milat’s known victims were found. Photo: WikimediaCommons friend and I knew we were in immediate danger...

“The driver and the man in the middle were very “Corrective Services had him all this time will freeze over before Corrections NSW pays a cent quiet. They rarely said anything, only occasionally so they can foot the bill. (The taxpayer) can be for this man’s funeral. Ivan Milat’s body will remain sniggering and sneering. The man next to the outraged. It was the taxpayer that put him in there, on ice until the family stumps up cash or the family front passenger door was the man I believe to have so it’s the taxpayer that has to pay, and remember can tell police where the bodies are buried.” possibly been Ivan Milat. The two men next to him I’m one of them too.”

Bill and Ivan Milat were two of ten sons in a were definitely his brothers as this was repeatedly family of 14 siblings. Perhaps as a result of a poor mentioned over the course of the next half an hour.” and reportedly violent upbringing, many of the Hell will freeze over before After Ivan’s arrest in 1994, his defence counsel Milat boys resorted to petty crime. Ivan himself attempted to shift the blame for the backpacker was convicted for multiple offences and served Corrections NSW pays a cent for killings to other members of Ivan’s family, time in youth and adult prisons. this man’s funeral particularly Richard.

Ivan’s known victims, whose bodies were However, when Ivan picked up British found in Belanglo State Forest, were all hitchhikers After a public outcry, Corrective Services travelling along the Hume Highway south of Sydney, hitchhiker Paul Onions in January 1990 south of Casula (Onions escaped and later identified Ivan confirmed they had no intention of financing the disappearing between 1989 and 1992. Two of to police), Ivan introduced himself as Bill. Police funeral. NSW Corrections Minister Anthony Roberts them had been shot multiple times in the head, as discovered Ivan often used his brother’s identity declared: “He can rot in hell. He showed no remorse. if used for target practice. Three had stab wounds documents for work or vehicle registrations.

He was sentenced to remain in jail for life, that that paralysed them before death, and one was Perhaps brother Bill, the sole recipient of Ivan’s sentence was carried out and he died in jail.” gruesomely decapitated, the head never found.

Roberts also told 2GB Radio’s Ray Hadley: “Hell Court documents revealed that all but one of the will, is Ivan’s unidentified assistant..

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Think you know all Sydney’s icons?

Our Sydney Harbour cruise will show you some lesser-known, even forgotten icons, best viewed from the water.

A controversial icon? We have that, too, and the first 21st century icon. Then there are five islands, two of which are no longer islands, and an island which is no longer a garden. Plus the garden that’s Australia’s oldest scientific institution. Join us, and explore them all!

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To find out more, we invite you to attend the upcoming information session to meet the project team and discuss the project: • Monday 4 November 2019 anytime between 3:00pm and 8:00pm at the Library at Fort Street Public School

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Early planning is underway to redevelop Fort Street Public School to cater for projected enrolment growth in the area. The project proposes to deliver new flexible learning spaces in existing and new buildings as well as upgrades to core facilities and site improvements, including access and play space.

This also includes providing facilities for the Department of Education’s Observatory Hill Environmental Education Centre.

*Due to the heritage nature of this vessel, this tour is not suitable for individuals with mobility issues.

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7

FEATURE

Summer Of Uncertainty

Strawberry Fields 2018.

Photo: Duncographic

By Sophie Heath The Mountain Sounds music festival, which for five years had presented two days of music each February on the Central Coast, was brought up short in February this year with a $200,000 quote for extra policing. The festival couldn’t support the extensive, last-minute regulatory demands—and was forced to cancel one week out.

The organisers tried to be optimistic. “We may have lost the Mountain, but they can’t stop the Sounds,” they posted on their Facebook page.

The festival went into liquidation shortly after.

The Mountain Sounds experience may soon become the rule rather than the exception.

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian is set to introduce what she is billing the Music Festivals Bill 2019 in mid-November. The bill would force festivals deemed as ‘high risk’ to comply with approved safety management plans regulated by the Liquor and Gaming Authority. The Liberal Party, which has long campaigned against the state’s entertainment industries, insists that the six drug-related deaths of young people at festivals between December 2017 and January 2019 is a rationale for the crackdown.

Among the festivals that will be negatively impacted by such a bill is the Strawberry Fields music festival which has grown into a beloved four-day celebration for both festival attendees and the local community in the town of Tocumwal.

Like many other festivals in NSW, it has laboured under what organisers say is an exhausting litany of bureaucratic demands already.

“The bill is more likely to threaten regional events than save a single life,” Strawberry Fields organisers said of the Berejiklian bill.

The Liberal Government introduced strict licensing regulations to festivals in March this year. A formal investigation was conducted 91 days after the regulations were introduced. The 8

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controversial regulations were rescinded in September after they were overturned by an inquiry on the grounds that there had not been collaboration with the music industry.

It appears that history is repeating itself.

Tara Benney, Director of Strawberry Fields, has expressed her heartbreak over the new bill due to its lack of music industry consultation. While the bill won’t affect the upcoming event in November, it is still highly problematic.

“I’ve seen the way that other events have been treated when they have been brought under the microscope,” Benney said. “I mean you can look at Mountain Sounds as an example of that. That level of uncertainty is something that’s really quite scary to face. Knowing that at the last minute you could be given really strict conditions or told you have to spend an extra $150,000 dollars to fund a sniffer dog operation—that level of uncertainty is really hard to bear in an industry that’s still very hard to make money in.”

At the last minute you could be given really strict conditions or told you have to spend an extra $150,000 dollars to fund a sniffer dog operation - that level of uncertainty is really hard to bear The Premier’s office was contacted for comment by City Hub, but a response hadn’t been received at the time of publishing.

“We walk down the street and we know the butcher and the grocer and the lady that runs the tea rooms,” Benney says. “To have to look at those people and say sorry we need to consider moving to Victoria because the regulatory

environment is too unpredictable here is really tragic.”

The Member for Murray, Helen Dalton, in the secondary debate of the Bill, explained how detrimental the Music Festivals Bill 2019 is to festivals and their local communities.

“Strawberry Fields, for example, is keeping the small town of Tocumwal alive. It brings an estimated $2.6 million to the broader region every year,” Ms Dalton explained to the Lower House in October.

Benney agreed and described Strawberry Fields like a ‘local business’.

“We supply almost $50,000 a year in community funding; we throw free events, we give out community grants in up to $10,000 to organisations which struggle to find it elsewhere. Building a permaculture garden in the local primary school or giving cancer funding to local cancer patients so they can go and get their appointments. We sponsor the local bowls club… the local footy club.

Tocumwal would 100% be impacted and that’s why we don’t want to leave.”

The risk of success for a young entrepreneur in creating cultural events, whether in regional or metropolitan NSW, is already a difficult task without the addition of restrictive festival legislation.

Benney, like so many other festival directors, is having to consider moving to the friendlier festival states of Victoria and Queensland due to the insecurity of the legislation.

The festival stated, “We believe the voice of the local community is the most important in deciding what events happen locally and on what terms.”

Regional festivals are more than just an economy booster, especially in these devastating drought conditions that are crippling communities with anxiety.

The Strawberry Fields Community Grants scheme sponsored a free drought relief concert in May

this year, which improved community spirit and raised $3000 for MHA Foodshare, a program that delivers groceries to drought-affected families.

The new bill is centered around safety. However, the Premier has rejected the deputy state Coroner’s draft report recommendations for safer music festivals, which included the introduction of pill testing and the removal of drug dogs and body searches.

Evidence before the current Law Enforcement Conduct Commission has also confirmed that many searches had no legal justification.

Benney says the government gives no credibility to the mitigation measures the festival already has in place. Strawberry Fields has over a dozen operational plans, including a harm reduction plan, and has NSW police and ambulance on site.

Benney’s frustration extends to the fact that the new bill also has Liquor and Gaming Authority regulating the festival, despite it not selling alcohol.

“No local council or local police area command would feel comfortable allowing an event with 10,000 people to go ahead unless they felt there was sufficient planning. I think the Premier has made a lot of statements saying she cares about patron safety and I hope that she does, but neither her nor I are medical professionals or experts in the field, and I think we should be trusting the opinions of experts.”

Despite the immeasurable benefits this treasured festival and many others like it bring, the grim reality is that the ambiguity surrounding this new bill is a danger to the livelihood of Strawberry Fields home in Tocumwal as well as festival culture statewide.

Are you working with a festival that will be negatively impacted by the proposed new legislation? Please email the author at sophieheath21@gmail.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Jekyll & Hyde

Anthony Warlow seems to have a penchant for playing malevolent Victorian English characters. He played the bloodthirsty barber of Fleet Street, Sweeney Todd, earlier this year, and now he is about to take the stage as the split-personality horror figure, Dr Jekyll/Mr Hyde. The show marks the 25th anniversary of the concept recording, Jekyll And Hyde: Complete Works for which Warlow sang the lead role. The musical by Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse has never been fully staged in Australia, and even this show will be more of a gala presentation.

“It’s not a full production but it will have a sense of period,” says Warlow. “We will be costumed, but we’re not doing a full staging…it’s going to be vignettes, basically.”

Warlow says it’s a very vocally demanding role, and has declined a part in a full production in the past. More recent attempts to stage it were abandoned due to various misfortunes, and the piece has gained a reputation as being somewhat cursed. Jemma Rix, who plays opposite Warlow in the role of Lisa, actually rehearsed that same part for a production that fell through, so she is thrilled to finally get a chance to perform it.

Warlow is equally thrilled to be working with her. “[She’s a] lovely warm, wonderful personality, beautiful spirit, great girl,” he says. They’ll be performing along with a full cast, backed by the Sydney International Orchestra.

“This is really me coming back to it and exorcising some demons, getting it out of my system I suppose, and just revisiting the joy we actually created 25 years ago,” says Warlow. (RB) Nov 2. Darling Harbour Theatre, ICC,14 Darling Drive, Darling Harbour. $99.90-$189.90+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.iccsydney.com.au

a&e

Starstruck The Stage Musical

This stage comedy musical based on the Australian film which thrilled and invigorated audiences back in 1982 is presented by NIDA and should mesmerise a whole new generation of theatregoers.

“It’s a classic coming of age story about Jackie Mullens and her cousin Angus and their journey on the road to stardom,” explained actress Jazz Laker who plays the role of Jackie Mullens. ”Starstruck - The Stage Musical is all about family, love in all its incarnations, and staying true to yourself even when the world seems to be steering you in all the wrong directions.”

The 25 strong cast consists of six thirdyear actors from NIDA’s coveted Bachelor of Fine Arts acting course and 19 students from the Diploma of Musical Theatre course.

When asked why this has been described as an iconic Australian musical Laker was

Art Attack

quick to answer. “It’s a classic story set in an iconic Aussie location with many classic Australian characters. Even the iconic 380 bus from Bondi makes an appearance! It really embodies what it was to be young in Sydney in the 80s. It’s full of all the Aussie hits from the 80s mixed in with original songs from the film.”

Starstruck is a musical for audiences of all ages. “From those who remember the 80s vividly, to those who grew up on secondhand 80s pop culture. Even those who have no connection to the 80s at all! If you like classic Aussie rock, sky-high stunts, and Sydney like you’ve never seen it before, then you’ll love Starstruck The Stage Musical.”

(MMo) Until Nov 5. NIDA Parade Theatre, 215 Anzac Pde, Kensington. $18-$38+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.nida.edu.au

This Halloween why not indulge yourself with an immersive and indulgent burlesque event that is guaranteed to be dark and wild.

The Bower Burlesque Halloween Edition will be bathed in candlelight and achingly cool as it enters into the Surry Hills favourite, Low 302 to make it a whole lot more sexy!

Bower Burlesque is the brainchild of Sydney locals Natalya Alessi, and Donna Mitchell.

Alessi and Mitchell founded the concept earlier this year as an alternative to other traditional burlesque offerings available in town. This week’s Halloween edition is set to feature international burlesque clown Laura King, Sydney’s hottest contemporary artist and vogue sensation Jeremy Lloyd Santos, the effortless Danielle Hocking, the multitalented and hypnotic Donna Mitchell and Miss Burlesque Australia Enter-tainer of the Year Natalya Alessi. And if that’s not enough for you then then late night event, Midnight Menagerie which kicks off at 10pm, amps everything up as it opens with a collection of exotic performers including opera, clowning, sideshow, burlesque and contemporary dance.

Oct 31. Low 302, 302 Crown St, Surry Hills. $11.50-$55.10+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.low302.com.au This Saturday DirtyFeet is set to launch their Inclusion Action Plan which is the result of their earlier accessible and inclusive dance workshops, The Right Foot. The workshop series culminates this weekend at ARA Darling Quarter Theatre with a presentation of the resulting performances created during four creative contemporary dance workshops, led

by Riana Head-Toussaint and Brianna Kell, with the support of the DirtyFeet team.

Nov 2. ARA Darling Quarter Theatre, 3/1-25 Harbour St, Sydney. FREE.

REVIEW: Deadhouse - Tales Of Sydney Morgue Returning to Sydney for a second season, Deadhouse: Tales From Sydney Morgue, will be taking audiences into the depths of the crypt beneath St James’ Church in Sydney. A true-crime, immersive theatre experience, audiences are led right down into the crypt itself.

Splitting the season in two, the true story of Louisa Collins will be told, a 19th-century woman hanged for allegedly murdering her two husbands. The last woman hanged in New South Wales, A Poison Crown will run until November 9.

Mystery and doubt still hang over the case with questions still be raised of her innocence or lack thereof.

From November 20, Deadhouse will immerse audiences in the chase of their lives, with The Deadly Run uncovering the story of two escaped convicts, Kevin Simmonds and Leslie Newcombe. The pair

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STAGE SCENE Sounds SCREEN

escaped Sydney’s notorious Long Bay Penitentiary in 1959 and captured the nation’s attention for five weeks while on the run. Also taking audiences into the crypt beneath St James’, The Deadly Run will be immersive and fast-paced.

While being led into the crypt at St James’ as part of Deadhouse’s A Poison Crown, you can’t help but feel a little scared. Adrenalin starts pumping as the actors, in period costume, pull you into the performance. Once you’re inside the crypt it’s dark, it’s creepy and it’s exhilarating. Being inside the performance leaves you more attached to the story once it’s over, definitely more so than most standard theatre experiences. A Poison Crown was terrifying in the best way possible and left you wondering if Louisa Collins was guilty after all. (MB) WWWW

Kyla Ward. Photo: Phyllis Wong

Until Nov 30.The Crypt – St James’ Church, West Courtyard, 173 King St, Sydney.

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

$69.66-$80.21+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.eventbrite.com.au

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

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REVIEW: Bird

Katherine Chandler’s disturbing yet moving play about a 15-year-old Welsh girl struggling to find sanctuary after all the adults in her life failed her, was inspired by a newspaper report and her own experience working with youth in the care system.

Though Chandler herself had a happy upbringing, she has managed to create a situation and characters that are authentic and genuinely heart-rending.

Ava (Laura Wilson) is 15 and lives in a care home which she will need to leave once she turns 16.

Her best friend is Tash (Bella Ridgeway), who is also in the care home but seems unperturbed by their impending eviction.

The play opens with the two in high spirits, running about near the edge of a cliff. Tash then recedes to the side of the stage and Ava alternates scenes with her mother, Claire (Sarah Easterman), a taxi-driver, Lee (James Gordon) whom she has befriended, and a young boy, Dan (Marvin Adler) who is keen on her.

By degrees, a background

THE NAKED CITY

ROSWELL REVISITED

story unfolds that is explanatory and horrifying.

The set is minimal: the back and side walls are black painted brick marked with graffiti. There’s an oldstyle bus stop bench in the back corner on which Claire spends her off-stage time. At centre stage is an old wooden, playgroundstyle merry-go-round with benches on it - this is where all the main action takes place.

All the performances are strong, with Wilson in particular, carrying the lion’s share of the storytelling.

The writing is excellent.

Chandler manages to avoid overwrought emotion while still giving the drama its due. Occasionally, a word or line may be lost in the very thick Welsh dialect, but it doesn’t affect the narrative. There is just enough humour to keep this dark tale from becoming morbid, but it still packs a punch. (RB) Until Nov 2.The Old Fitz, 129 Dowling St, Woolloomooloo. $35-$40+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.secrethouse.com.au

From Panorama of Hell (Jigoku-hen) ® Hideshi Hino, 1988

With Coffin Ed Former SBS TV and FBi Radio presenter Jaimie Leonarder sounds very much like a religious evangelist when he says.

“Have you ever paused to notice that everyone appears to be looking down these days?. I don’t mean emotionally but psychically.

Their eyes are permanently positioned on their mobile phones. Such profound adoration for relentless data surfing may just neglect the greatest story ever told and it’s all happening above our heads.”

Yet it’s not a spiritual entity that he’s drawing attention to, it’s the world of UFOs and the staggering amount of evidence of their existence that continues to surface.

“Recently the U.S Navy took ownership of a series of short films that have been causing controversy for almost a year. They were shot by 518 Super Hornet pilots in 2004 during a war games exercise involving the aircraft carrier The Nimitz and have remained truly anomalous after much examination. The Navy have not gone on the record to say they are alien aircraft like the army did 72 years ago in Roswell, New Mexico, but at the end of the day, they are telling us that these remain unexplained UFOs.”

Retro Horror: Supernatural And The Occult In Postwar Japanese Manga Over the last few years, anime and manga have become increasingly popular sources of inspiration for Halloween costumes. Most often you’ll see people dressed as their favourite Dragon Ball Z, My Hero Academia, One Punch Man, Death Note or Sailor Moon characters. However, the Japanese art forms of anime and manga have long histories of exploring horror themes.

To coincide with Halloween and this history The Japan Foundation is playing host to a horrifying, yet strangely enthralling exhibition of the best horror manga art from the 1960s to the 1990s.

Retro Horror: Supernatural And The Occult In Postwar Japanese Manga focuses on three manga artists - Tsunezo Murotani, Hino Hideshi, and

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These films were first brought to wider attention by the enigmatic To The Stars Academy, a private entertainment and research organisation set up by the lead singer of the band Blink-182, Tom Delonge. In doing so Delonge has recruited some leading lights of aerospace defence and US Intelligence including Chris Melon, the former deputy director of Naval Intelligence for many years. The US Defence Department is now working in tandem with the Academy to examine metamaterials from exotic unknown technologies, just like the ones encountered by the Nimitz crew.

The UFO phenomenon is a world-wide conundrum that has fostered an international community of researchers and interest groups including UFO Research NSW, of which Jaimie Leonarder is one of the leading voices. He sees part of their mandate as offering a counterpart to what is often mainstream ridicule and scepticism. One of the best ways to do this he explains is by touring international speakers who have devoted years of research to the subject.

This week one of the world’s leading authorities on the supposed Roswell crash Don Schmitt arrives in Australia for

Ochazukenori - with each representing a different phase in the genre’s history.

Retro Horror features over 70 original genga drawings, attendees can enjoy the manga reading lounge with over 80 horror manga classics in both English and Japanese, and a wall-sized reproduction of an iconic piece by Hideshi Hino, perfect for taking commemorative selfies. Finally, the exhibition will be complemented by an extensive event program titled Horror Manga Japan, which includes talks, a manga drawing workshop, and retro radiostyle live ghost story readings.

Until Jan 24.The Japan Foundation, Level 4 (via lifts), Central Park, 28 Broadway, Chippendale.

FREE. Info: www.jpf.org.au

a series of lectures in Sydney and Melbourne. Don has interviewed hundreds of witnesses on this perplexing event and has written more books on the subject than any other researcher. He was the former co-director of the J. Allen Hynek Centre For UFO Studies, where he served as director of special investigations for 10 years. He has coauthored two of the most important books pertaining to this incident, UFO Crash At Roswell and The Truth About The UFO Crash At Roswell, plus many other books and articles.

It was in July 1947 that a press release from the United States Air Force stated they had retrieved a flying saucer from a ranch in New Mexico. 72 years later, an HBO feature film, numerous documentaries and dozens of books, what do we really know? Here’s an opportunity at least to get a truly informed and detailed perspective from somebody who has made it their lifetime study.

UFO Research NSW is a non-profit Incorporated Association and will host two lectures with Don Schmitt in Sydney on Saturday, Nov 2 at the Epping Club and Sunday, Nov 3 at the East Sydney Arts and Community Centre.

Further info at: www.ufor.asn.au

Art Attack The UNSW Centre for Ideas and Carriageworks are presenting a series of live talks which they bill as “exploring the questions we haven’t asked, the futures we can avoid, and the inevitability of unexpected realities.”

Speakers include Monica Lewinsky in conversation with Leigh Sales, Mona Eltahawy talking about The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls, and Reza Aslan on World Without Religion.

Carriageworks CEO Blair French says, “Carriageworks thrives on grappling with difficult ideas – this is what forges contemporary art, culture and community.

We are delighted to partner with UNSW Centre for Ideas to think the unthinkable out loud, in public.” (ID) Nov 7-9.Various Venues & Prices.

Tickets & Info: www.centreforideas.com

By Jamie Apps One of Australia’s hardest working live bands is set to hit the road once again tonight, before arriving in Sydney tomorrow. Although the members of Press Club had been playing music in various forms together for a “long time” according to front-woman Natalie Foster it wasn’t until they focused their efforts into Press Club officially that things took off.

“When Press Club came together we all decided we wanted to create a new band and see what would come out,” recalled Foster before continuing,“We all got into a room and I think it surprised us all that it was this angsty punk music that came from it.”

With it quickly becoming apparent the direction the band was going to take musically they decided to hit the road.And boy did they go all out. In just two years the band played over 200 live shows across Australia.

According to Foster Press Club chose to go down this route of intense touring because, “we always knew our live performance was always going to be our strongest point.” Taking this approach also got the band in front of a lot of people and rapidly established the band on the Australian scene.

When asked if it was difficult to maintain such a busy touring schedule Foster laughed hysterically and simply said, “YES!” It’s not only the live touring schedule though that keeps the band busy. Press Club is an incredibly independent

Art Attack Next week is Australian Music Week and Cronulla is set to be

Press Club

band who choose to undertake a bulk of the logistical elements of releasing music themselves.

“We write, record, do the artwork and we’ve made half of the videos ourself because we try to keep things pretty independent within Australia,” explained Foster.

In more recent times though the band have enlisted some outside help, especially in international

overrun with fantastic events for the astute Sydney music lover.

This year is bigger than ever - along with the 150 showcasing performances & a free five day beach concert series there will also be a

Ready Or Not

Samara Weaving.

Photo: Eric Zachanowich

Ready Or Not is a satire/ horror film starring our very own Samara Weaving who plays a newlywed bride, Grace, and has just married into a very wealthy and very ‘fucked-up’ family. The Le Domas family. What ensues is a game of hide and seek which becomes a hunt with the Le Domas family fully armed and determined to find and kill the fairy tale bride in her long white wedding gown.

A very clever take on the gap between the rich and the poor, something the British do brilliantly.

The film never quite manages to pull off the kind of satire it’s aiming for, due to the penchant for actual

rather than imagined violence and the constant repetition of the word ‘fuck’ in all its various forms instead of witty throwaway insults.

Still, this is perfect for Halloween.

The set is wonderful. An old mansion with hidden rooms and corridors, a psycho aunt, a maniacal butler and frightened bride who eventually turns the tables on all, though, not without toughening up and becoming more like Uma Thurman, not in this film but in Kill Bill.

Ready Or Not will, no doubt, have a sequel and the gun-toting, hunted bride with attitude, is certainly a game-changer. (RLD) WWW

markets. For their European distribution Press Club have employed the help of UK record label, Hassle, to get their music out to European fans. A decision which apparently has paid huge dividends given their recent tour experiences. Just last month the band returned from a second tour of Europe, which was only shortly after their first.

“We went back after just a couple of months of having been there the first time and the reception between just those two trips was incredible,” said Foster before adding, “It’s crazy to think that anyone wants to listen to us over here in Australia, let alone on the other side of the world.”

During that tour however Foster suffered an ankle injury, which is now giving her nerves heading into the Australian tour.

“I’m a bit nervous [because] we haven’t played in a few weeks. I also ruined my ankle while we were overseas, so I’m still recovering from that. I haven’t really run or jump for the last six weeks so I don’t even know if I can.”

Despite these nerves Foster and her bandmates are excited to be returning to their roots with this tour,“It’s pretty exciting to be doing some home shows again because I feel like we haven’t been here in a while.”

Nov 1.The Lansdowne, 2-6 City Rd, Chippendale. $23.40+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.thelansdownepub.com.au

series of insightful conference/panel type events. Some of the high-lights of said panels include; State Of Play which features a raft of speakers from various touring companies and record labels, the Sydney premiere of Tommy

Emmanuel - The Endless Road documentary, and finally a range of live podcasts.

Nov 6-10. Various Venues & Prices. Tickets & Info: www.australianmusicweek.com

Little Monsters

Aussie filmmakers have always had a problem producing comedies that have audiences rolling down the aisles in fits of laughter – until now.

Little Monsters tells of a washed-out musician who goes on a school excursion with a bunch of adorable sixyear-olds (and a gorgeous teacher) to a farm overrun by zombies.

What transpires is a hilarious bloodfest of flesh-eating zombies hysterically ripping limbs off the unsuspecting, in this very unique and gory film written and directed by Abe Forsythe.

Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o (soon in Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker) stars as the delectable Miss Caroline and Alexander England plays ‘Dave the tool’ who ultimately redeems himself and scores the gal.

Production standards are unusually high with pervading silliness in dialogue and situations actually complementing the production.

The problem, however, surrounds what demographic audience this film is trying to reach. It’s not appropriate for families with children under the age of 15 as it’s extremely gruesome with gross scenes of cannibalism, swearing and sexual references. It may also be unappealing for an adult audience as it feels like a kid’s flick with a group of six-year-old school children in most of the scenes.

Ultimately, Little Monsters can best be described as a cinematic curiosity that may have difficulty finding an audience. (MMo)

WWW

Leif Vollebekk New Ways

Leif Vollebekk is welcoming November with the release of his latest album New Ways, an emotionally raw record that he said contained everything he wouldn’t ever want to tell anyone.

Vollebekk ventures into new territory in New Ways, exploring riskier themes of change and desire as opposed to his last album Twin Solitude, which focused mainly on self-reflection.

“That last record I made for me,” Vollebekk said. “This one is for somebody else.”

Although the lyrics are provocative, the music can be a bit lacklustre at times, overshadowing the honest and powerful messages of the songs.

However, singles such as Hot Tears and Phaedrus manage to strike that perfect balance between vocal strength and instrumentals. (EE) WW

Art Attack After The Wedding is a remake of the 2006 Danish film of the same name, however this time the two male protagonists in the original have been substituted with two females.

Michelle Williams as Isabel who runs an orphanage in India, and Julianne Moore as Theresa, the wealthy entrepreneur and philanthropist.

The film is melodramatic, highly contrived, and implausible. (RB) WW1/2 Dark Whispers, Vol. 1 is an Australian anthology of psychological horror shorts all directed by women. The collection of disparate tales is threaded together by a through-line in which Andrea Demetriades plays a woman who goes to pack up the home of her recently deceased mother and discovers a leatherbound book of short horror stories. As she reads each one, it is played out on screen.

The vignettes are a mix of quirky, eerie, ironic, sinister, cheeky, melancholy, with a varied cast. (RB) WW

For our full reviews of both films head to the City Hub website: www.cityhubsydney.com.au Remember if you’ve got any tidbits to share, send them in via #Hubbub. city hub 31 OCTOBER 2019

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CRICOS Provider Code 00586B / OOM0665394

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Know Your Options

Wednesday 13 November 10-4pm Rozelle Campus University of Tasmania

To discover where your results can take you in 2020, visit utas.edu.au/know-your-options

city hub 31 OCTOBER 2019