CITY HUB December 2022

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USyd doubtful over ‘Tech Central’

BY AMBER GRIFFIN

The University of Sydney’s Vice Chancellor and President Professor Mark Scott has submitted a letter to the state government over a development proposal in Redfern and North Eveleigh, questioning its contribution to Sydney’s new ‘Tech Central’ game plan.

The institution is sceptical that the development will have a genuine impact on jobs, economic growth and amenities in the area, as the government is claiming. The government is branding ‘Tech Central’, an overhaul of developments throughout Eveleigh, Redfern and Ultimo, as “Australia’s innovative engine”.

PUBLISHED DATE 8 DECEMBER 2022

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“Three world-class universities. A world-leading research hospital. Over 100 research institutes and centres of excellence” Tech Central’s website reads. Sydney University is now calling into question the efficacy of the ‘Paint Shop’ section of the developments.

LETTER HIGHLIGHTS MULTIPLE CONCERNS

The 55-page letter highlights all of the University’s concerns and recommendations for the proposal.

The proposed rezoning of the Paint Shop Sub-Precinct features a redevelopment of the area into a ‘Tech Central’ on hectares of public railway land between the Carriageworks in Eveleigh and Redfern Station.

The University of Sydney views the North Eveleigh Precinct as a “key element in the transformation of the city through the successful creation of the Tech Central Precinct”.

However, they hold concern that the rezoning proposal does not fully appreciate the broader strategic context of the entire Tech Central concept.

“In its current form it will fail to optimise the social, cultural, economic, and environmental outcomes at local, precinct and state levels” Scott stated in the letter.

The University believes that if the rezoning plans go ahead without reconsideration or amendments, the entire ‘Tech Central’ concept that the developers aim to create will be compromised.

Scott said that without collaborative curation of the uses, and the focus of the industries that will ultimately tenant the facility, “It is likely that the entire Tech Central concept and outcome will be compromised, negatively impacting

the jobs, amenity, economic growth and state development opportunity that the broader NSW Government is working to deliver.”

A University of Sydney spokesperson told City Hub “for the precinct to achieve its bold aspirations – in terms of job creation, economic growth, industry and research collaboration and more – we believe a rethink is required around transport, land use planning, funding and investment”.

to support the NSW Government’s objectives for the Tech Central precinct.

“With our Alliance colleagues, we have represented for some time that a gap exists in the capability required to reach ultimate success in the potential of Tech Central.”

In the letter, the University acknowledged that success can only be realised if the North Eveleigh site is able to take on the heavy lifting to support industry and research collaboration in creative tech, and deep-tech specialisations such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and aerospace.

“Our recommendations include developing and curating the land at North Eveleigh (East) as an international standard, Bio-Medical and Engineering Innovation Precinct. For North Eveleigh (West), we would like to see the land remain residential, as is currently envisaged by UrbanGrowth NSW, but with a stronger emphasis on affordable housing focused on key workers, knowledge workers, and student accommodation” the spokesperson said.

The University of Sydney has a strong history in the Eveleigh community. In Appendix A, the letter states “We provide ready-made foundations for Tech Central to leverage, and the University is determined to offer the strength of our built and intellectual assets to make Tech Central the best it can be.”

As a member of the Tech Central Alliance, the University of Sydney have also worked hard for four years

“We support the NSW Government’s objectives for the Tech Central Precinct at Eveleigh, where we have a strong history and committed roots in the local community,” the University of Sydney spokesperson said.

CONSULTATION EXTENSION WANTED

The public consultation period for the rezoning proposal ended on August 25th, with the Department of Planning and Environment currently reviewing submissions and evaluating the proposal.

The University of Sydney is calling for the public consultation period to be extended in order for Transport for NSW to “fully engage with and respond to the submissions and conversations the University has had with the NSW Government regarding the North Eveleigh Precinct”.

“It would be a lost opportunity if adequate time was not made available to properly consult, discuss, and engage with the Tech Central Alliance on the Paint Shop Sub-Precinct Rezoning Proposal” Scott said.

likely that the entire Tech Central concept and outcome will be compromised

Sydney University Vice Chancellor and President Professor Mark Scott raises concerns over Redfern North Eveleigh development. Photo: University of Sydney

Rozelle Parklands key facilities left out

no money allocated to the park, but eventually, $15m was “forced” out of the state government. However, it “has been clear all along that what they promised would cost closer to $30m.”

“The fact that they are making up the difference by secretly cutting many of the sporting and public facilities is a disgrace,” he said.

ROZELLE PARKLANDS WORKING GROUP

As large parts of the project’s recommendations consisted of sporting facilities, the group maintained regular consultation with NSW Rugby League, Little Athletics, the West Tigers, Hockey NSW and several other sporting organisations.

The Balmain & District Football Club’s president Paul Avery said that the new sports fields were absolutely needed as “there is already a severe shortage of local playing fields”.

BY TILEAH DOBSON

It’s been revealed that the NSW Government has left out several key parts of the Rozelle Parklands project, with sporting and community facilities that were put forward by a community working group not included in the final designs.

These include an all-weather sporting field, public car parking, public toilets and two multi-purpose sports courts. A furious Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne didn’t hold back in his criticism of the

state government’s actions, calling it a “cruel sleight of hand.”

“Our community has been relying on this project after a couple of years of disruption to their lives from WestConnex construction and now the Government is short-changing us again,” he said.

“Not only is the Government underfunding the project, they are stripping it of vital sporting infrastructure. Providing a substandard park was never part of the plan.”

Cr Byrne stated that there initially was

The state government remains firm that the rejected features would only have been possible at the sacrifice of other benefits within the 10-hectare site. Most of the recommendations made by the Rozelle Parklands Working Group have remained in the final designs.

“This is the only new open space, and likely the only new sporting fields in our area for the foreseeable future; it’s a once-in-a-generation chance and it’s important to get it right,” he told City Hub.

“We will continue to advocate for vital sporting infrastructure at Rozelle Parklands and, in particular, for an allweather football field.”

The group, which was convened by Transport for NSW, consists of the Planning Department’s executive director of public spaces, Transport for NSW’s executive director of community and place, the executive director of the Office of Sport, and several other government representatives.

“As the largest community football club in Sydney, with almost 3,000 players, including 1,001 girls and women, Balmain DFC has been asking for priority access to the rectangular football field to ensure the current and future needs of our local footballplaying community are met.”

Mayor's message

On behalf of Waverley Council and my fellow Councilors, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our community for taking the time to engage with us this year on a range of neighbourhood and large-scale projects and exciting community programs.

After the challenges of COVID restrictions, it was wonderful to be able to come together to celebrate Waverley’s milestones this year including the spectacular reopening of Bondi Pavilion- which has an exciting summer program planned- the majority completion of the Bondi Junction Cycleway and Streetscape Upgrade and return of community events such as Bondi Festival, Festival of the Winds, Sculpture by the Sea, Head On Photo Festival and City2Surf. To say that 2022 was a big year for Waverley is an understatement, and we have lots more to look forward to in 2023 including the completion

of the Boot Factory building restoration in Spring Street, Bondi Junction, the progression of our surf club upgrades, several exciting streetscape projects, programs for our seniors, families and youth, and our ongoing commitment to reconciliation.

As an organisation, we are making strides towards net zero carbon emissions by 2030 and emissions for Council Assets and Operations have been falling steadily over the last seven years due to comprehensive energy efficiency upgrades, solar installations and renewable energy purchasing. We are helping the community reach their net zero target by 2035 through our latest Environmental Action Plan which has ambitious goals, strengthened long-term targets and actions to ensure ongoing positive impact on our local environment, people and the planet. Our environmental goals are informed by our commitments to the community, the Climate and Biodiversity Emergency, circular economy principles and a long-standing commitment to embed environmental sustainability in Council’s operations and outcomes. Our targets have been informed by science, best practice and developed collaboratively with the local community.

I would also like to thank our Waverley Council staff for their hard work this year including those who work

work behind the scenes to help keep our community safe, well and informed including but not limited to our lifeguards, Public Place Cleansing teams, Parks and Gardens teams and our Customer Service call centre operators. You help the Council keep running 24/7. So from our family to yours: best wishes for the festive season and a happy, safe and exciting 2023.

Key dates in December:

Carols by the Sea, Wednesday 14 December, 4pm to 8pm, Bondi Park

our next Meet the Mayor community session, Thursday 15 December at SHUK Bondi, 2 Mitchell St, North Bondi from 10.30am to 12 noon.

summer at Bondi Pavilion. Visit our What’s On page at bondipavilion.com.au for the latest events our free Justice of the Peace service is available for walkins at Waverley Customer Service Centre (Monday - Friday) from 10am to 2pm (subject to availability, call 9083 8000 to confirm) and at Waverley Library (10am to 12pm Saturdays only). For more, visit the ‘Contact Us’ page on our website.

Bondi Surf Club free community lunch, Sunday 25 December from 11am. RSVP: xmas@bondisurfclub.com

Paula Masselos, Mayor of Waverley

Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah!

the Government is short-changing us again

An artist’s impression of the Rozelle Parklands. Photo: NSW Government

Sydney icon injured by police

“urgent action to prevent excessive and unnecessary policing by NSW”. The letter says Lim is a “well-known personality” in Sydney.

“Danny has always been peaceful and can in no way be considered a threat to the public.”

Moore and Greenwich said that “there is no public benefit in arresting or using police force against people exercising their right to peacefully protest”.

SHOEBRIDGE ADDRESSES SENATE

The federal Senate heard a statement from Greens Senator David Shoebridge about the violent police response.

Shoebridge described the video of Lim being arrested by police as “genuinely shocking”.

He condemned the arrest over a sandwich board sign that “is definitely not as offensive as the brutality he was subjected to yesterday”.

BY ERIN MODARO

Unjust violence and force used by NSW Police on Sydney protesting icon Danny Lim has been heavily condemned.

Lim, who can often be seen strolling Sydney’s streets with his colourful signs, was in the QVB on George Street at around 11am on Tuesday November 22 when police attempted to have him removed from the building. During the attempted arrest Lim was thrown to the ground and sustained head and facial injuries.

The arrest was ‘discontinued’ police say, and Lim was taken to St Vincents Hospital, with cuts to the face and a black eye. Lawyer Chris Murphy documented Lim’s wounds in the hospital, saying the 78-year-old’s condition was “serious”.

Video footage of the police response shows police attempting to remove Lim from the building, saying “you’re under arrest”, as Lim calls out for help. Lim then falls forwards onto the ground while police continue to try to arrest him. The arrest was “discontinued” when Lim sustained the injuries.

Lim was released from hospital several days after suffering from bleeding on the brain and neck injuries.

A day after the arrest attempt, protestors gathered outside the Surry Hills Police Area Command to voice outrage. Signs at the protest read “Stop NSW police brutality”, and “CVN’T hit Danny Lim”, with calls for police officers involved to be suspended without pay while an independent investigation took place.

POLICE RESPONSE CONDEMNED

Both the Greens and the NSW Council for Civil Liberties (NSWCCL) expressed their concerns over the violent response to protesting.

Greens MP Sue Higginson said in a statement that the arrest was a “violent response to a non-violent protest which seems to be the mandate of the current NSW government”.

The LECC will monitor a NSW police internal investigation of the incident and has the power to “step in” if concerns arise.

The NSWCCL says that violent and unjust actions against protestors by police are ongoing.

“Over the past year we have seen police come down hard on protestors” Josh Pallas, President of the NSWCCL said. “[The] police violence directed at Danny Lim takes this to a new level.”

Pallas said Lim is a well-known protestor in Sydney, who was just “going about his life and was still subjected to violent policing”.

Lim has previously been fined $500 for a sign that read “Smile cvn’t!, Why Cvn’t?”, however a court deemed that officers’ behaviour during the arrest was unwarranted, and the sign could not be considered offensive.

Lim’s arrest in 2019 caused protests outside of the Sydney City Police Area Command, in which thousands of people attended. Outside the police station, protestors could be seen holding signs such as “More Danny Less Nanny”, and “FVCK THE COPS. DANNY IS TOPS”.

The 2019 protest also heard speakers who criticised the police’s excessive use of force.

“[Tuesday’s] arrest of Danny Lim at the Queen Victoria Building is what a police state looks like” she said.

NSW Police announced an internal investigation into Lim’s attempted arrest would take place.

Higginson wrote a letter to NSW Minister for Police Paul Toole asking for a “completely independent investigation” into the police’s actions.

“This investigation needs to be conducted at arms-length from the police and ideally by the LECC [Law Enforcement Conduct Commission].”

On November 24, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) announced it would in fact oversee the internal police investigation into the incident.

The LECC was established in 2017 as an independent body to “provide oversight of the NSW Police Force and NSW Crime Commission”.

Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore and Sydney MP Alex Greenwich coauthored a letter to Toole calling for

The current criticism over police’s actions in regard to Lim’s arrest come as harsh anti-protestor laws are being upheld in NSW. NSW Labor recently confirmed support for the laws which allow government to dole out massive fines as well as significant jail time to protestors.

response to a non-violent protest

Sydney icon Danny Lim with St Vincent’s hospital staff as he is released. Photo: David Shoebridge/Facebook

Danny Lim in hospital following attempted arrest (left), and holding an anti-racism sign (right).

Photo: Twitter/Chris Murphy

Wil Anderson joins Addi Road for Hamsters Hampers Of Hope

Wil Anderson is confused, not about the importance of Addi Road’s 2022 Hampers of Hope donation drive, he’s crystal clear about that, no, more about, well … when you watch his video on our Facebook page, it’ll become clear.

The star of ABC TV’s ‘Question Everything’, mega successful stand-up comedian, author and all round pretty top bloke has added himself to a very special list, along with media broadcaster Andrew Denton, AFI award winning actress Kerry Armstrong and singer/songwriter Mark Seymour who’ve all signed up to help Addi Road reach out to their community this year.

Let’s face it, this is the end of what was for many, another very tough year. For some, tougher than others.

The festive season should be a love fest, but for some, it can be very difficult. Rising cost of living prices, food insecurity, a rental and social housing crisis, and that crippling behemoth, Covid, have all joined forces to add serious pressure on so many communities around Australia.

The statistics around these pressures are staggering, here’s just a few; one in six Australians can now be categorised as being severely food insecure, and over the past year, median rent prices increased by 8.7%, while wages only rose by 2.1%, plus the price of food, gas, petrol and rent have skyrocketed thanks to the inflation rate rising to 6.1 per cent in June –  a 21-year high.

“People are feeling the crunch in our community, particularly the vulnerable ones, and everyone needs to understand that these are truly hard times” commented Addi Road’s Chief Operating Officer, Melissa Holmes.

December 2022 sees Addi Road’s fourth offering of Hampers of Hope to the community, boxes of serious goodies; chocolates, luxe soaps and skin lotions, gourmet cookies…the list goes on.

Businesswoman, climate change activist and gender equality advocate, Sam Mostyn AO, wants the message to our most vulnerable to be very clear “The hampers will include a note to let people know that we’re with them, and we don’t want anyone to miss out this festive season”

But these gift boxes need to be paid for. In an effort to encourage donations to fund the mammoth giveaway, Addi Road have taken a slightly different promotional angle this year.

“There are so many passionate, brilliant people out there in our arts and entertainment community,” Holmes says, “we thought we might reach out and see if they might like to help with the donation push. The results have been astounding.”

Humour and love, pure and simple, that’s the message in short, sharp video pieces from Anderson’s ‘Hamsters of Hope,’ to Denton’s ridiculous own merchandise promotion, to Armstrong’s overzealous acting lesson and Mark Seymour’s anthemic ‘Throw your Arms Around Me’.

Over the years, Addi Road has received generous support that’s helped them create over 1,000 hampers per season. That’s a lot of good vibes going out there! This year they want to push that figure higher, and include as many folks as possible to share in the joy.

“Sometimes it’s the only gift the families who receive them will get,’ Wil reminds us in his video. Sadly true. (but to be clear Wil, they’re hampers … H A M P E R S )

Please visit addiroad.org.au and make a donation to the 2022 Hampers of Hope.

“Have they thought of giving people hamsters?”

Stand-up comedian Wil Anderson (left), AFI award winning actress Kerry Armstrong (centre), Aussie rock icon Mark Seymour (right) and Andrew Denton (below)

New Pyrmont off-ramp concerns Sydney Council

information on the Western Distributor proposal” from Council staff. The City of Sydney say that TfNSW only consulted with Transurban, the road operator that manages much of Sydney’s road network, in the development of the proposal.

When City Hub reached out to TfNSW asking why information was withheld from the City of Sydney, a spokesperson said that “Transport consulted directly with City of Sydney in September regarding the proposed works”.

The spokesperson said council was granted a “one-week extension on the consultation period to submit their feedback”. 11 face-to-face community information sessions about the upgrades were held throughout October.

short time, while the traffic increases the proposal will bring to Pyrmont and Ultimo will be permanent”.

“Funnelling more motorway traffic into our local streets will put our community at risk” Cr Moore told residents.

Council has also noted that 71 trees in the inner city area will be removed for the upgrades, which accounts for 10% of total tree coverage across the study area.

Community ground Friends of Ultimo also raised concerns over the increase in traffic flow the upgrades will bring, in a submission to Council.

Funnelling more motorway traffic

BY ERIN MODARO

Questions are being raised about proposed upgrades to the Western Distributor in Pyrmont and Ultimo, as the City of Sydney says Transport for NSW (TfNSW) has kept council in the dark. The upgrade plans include the construction of a new offramp from Fig Street, changes to the intersection at Allen Street and Harris

Street, and changes to the Pyrmont Bridge Road off-ramp.

Council submitted a scathing submission to TfNSW about the upgrades, with claims that adequate consultation with council was not carried out, and that the changes will have negative effects on the surrounding community.

The submission says that staff from TfNSW “deliberately withheld all

However, the submission from council regards consultation during the “development” of the proposal.

INCREASED TRAFFIC FLOW

The City of Sydney also recognised that the upgrades will allow for increased traffic flows in Pyrmont and Ultimo. In a letter to residents from Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore, the Lord Mayor explained that “these kinds of changes only ease motorway congestion for a

“TfNSW’s recently proposed ‘Western Distributor Improvements’ aim to funnel more traffic into Allen and Harris Streets to the detriment of pedestrians, active and public transport and, more generally, the residents of the Peninsula” the submission stated.

Residents are concerned the changes to the road are prioritising vehicles over pedestrian access to the inner-city area.

Greens put renters’ rights at the top of the agenda

Our Newtown electorate community is one of the most diverse, vibrant, and progressive parts of the entire state. It’s also home to one of the highest proportions of renters anywhere in NSW -- which is why we’ve kicked things up a notch on our years-long campaign to protect and massively strengthen renters’ rights.

As rents and eviction rates soar and homelessness surges statewide, it’s clear massive rental reform is needed to give renters the stability and security they so desperately need. This year we’ve worked inside and outside Parliament to push for these muchneeded reforms and put renters’ rights at the top of the agenda.

When catastrophic floods swept across the state earlier this year, we introduced a bill in Parliament to give floodaffected renters urgent and immediate protections like a ban on evictions, cap on rents, and automatic rent waivers for uninhabitable homes.

When unrelenting wet weather battered Sydney and left renters in our community dealing with mould, damp, leaks, and dodgy landlords, we pushed to make it mandatory for all rentals to be waterproofed and mould-free.

And as the rental crisis escalated and increasing numbers of renters were hit with record high rent costs and unfair evictions, we introduced a bill to Parliament that would have finally ended unfair, no grounds evictions in NSW.

The bill would have given renters unprecedented housing security before Christmas and made a huge difference to renters who are too scared to negotiate on rent increases or ask for repairs because of the threat of eviction. Shamefully, NSW Labor teamed up with the Liberal Government to block our bill and deny housing security to the two million people in NSW who rent.

The Greens are the only party in NSW Parliament that will back in renters’ rights every MP, every vote, and every time. We’re committed to cutting rents, ending unfair, no grounds evictions, and giving renters the rights to own pets.

Whether or not you’re a renter, we want to hear the issues that matter most to you.

Take our short community survey at jennyleong.org/yourpriorities or scan the QR code below:

Jenny Leong MP

Greens Member for Newtown

Impression of proposed new ramp on Wester Distributor.

Photo: Transport for NSW.

Tragic accident at Leichhardt Italian Forum

BY ERIN MODARO

Adisastrous accident has occurred at the Italian Forum in Leichhardt as a young boy attending Christmas markets was seriously injured when a window shutter fell and hit him. The shutter was ripped from a residential building above the markets by high winds on November 20.

The boy was taken to the hospital after sustaining head and spinal injuries, where 10 days later he was still recovering. Event organisers at the forum have announced that all future external events have been cancelled in light of the accident.

The mother of the injured boy, Barbara Udwari, is an organiser of the forum Christmas markets.

“I think it’s sensible to not have events so nobody else gets seriously hurt” she told CityHub

Inner West Council Senior Development Compliance Officer Andrew Zapantis conducted an investigation into the incident and found that a shutter in the ‘Milano’ section of the Piazza had collapsed.

The Inner West Council then handed out emergency orders five days after the

incident to either remove the shutters installed with no balcony underneath, or to ensure the ones that remain are safe for pedestrians below.

In a statement from the Inner West Council about the incident, council said they are “negotiating with the strata management to comply with an emergency order to ensure that all shutters into the piazza area securely fixed back on their fixings”.

Balmain MP Jamie Parker said he has

Caring for cats since 1958

been in touch with the family of the injured boy. The MP said he will be taking steps to ensure the safety of the forum is addressed, so that public events can go ahead.

“Ultimately it is the responsibility of the owners and the council to ensure the

forum is safe to hold public events,” Parker said.

FORUM IN DECLINE

Questions over the declining state of the once vibrant community spaces in the forum have arisen in recent months.

Recent investigations into the state of disrepair, vacant shopfronts, and an empty fountain in the piazza, found that business owners and residents were unhappy over the decline of the forum.

Jamie Parker, who attended the opening of the Christmas markets at the forum in 2010, said that there is “still a long way to go” to see the forum reinvigorated.

“Everyone in the community wants to see this space returned to its former glory” Parker said.

Italian charity Co.As.It now operates the cultural centre in the forum after winning a bid to take over in 2014, when the previous operators went into voluntary administration.

City Hub contacted Co.As.It about the incident, and asked whether a Christmas event planned for December 9 was still going ahead, however we didn’t receive a reply.

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A boy has been injured by a falling window shutter while attending Christmas markets at the Italian Forum in Leichhardt. Photo: Facebook/Italian Forum

negotiating with the strata management

“Just 100 extra homes” at Waterloo Estate

Redfern Waterloo community group REDwatch spokesperson Geoff Turnbull suggested that there could be further adjustments to the plans.

“There was a motion that went through the (NSW) State Labor Conference that indicated that Labor would do things a bit differently,” Turnbull said.

“Also, the federal government is looking for places where they can put some of their social and affordable housing people, and Waterloo is reasonably well placed for this in terms of its time frame.”

2000 TENANTS TO BE RELOCATED

Touted as being ‘one of the largest social housing estate renewals in the world’, the project will affect more than 2,000 tenants, with no current locations or estimates of where and for how long they will be relocated.

“They have to knock the buildings down and rebuilt, and then consider the water, the sewage, and then get the interiors done, so that could be three to four years,” Weeks said.

BY JOHN MOYLE

If you were to believe the Land and Housing Corporation’s updates on the relocation of tenants and the demolition and rebuild for the Waterloo South area of the Waterloo Public Housing Estate, you would get the impression that it is a done deal and that everything will proceed smoothly. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Recently the Waterloo south social housing rezoning has been approved, allowing the first stage of the $3 billion redevelopment of the estate to go ahead, which will displace hundreds of current tenants.

The 12.3 hectares of Waterloo South makes up around 32 per cent of the estate and currently houses 749 social housing units, 120 private units and houses, plus some commercial properties.

The NSW government intends to replace these dwellings with a mix of four high rise buildings between 27 and 33 stories, medium rise (between 6 and 13 stories) and low rise (between 2 and 5 stories) allowing for 3,012 new homes. These will comprise of 28 per cent social housing, 7.5 per cent affordable homes and 63 per cent private homes.

Current Waterloo Estate tenants are expected to receive ‘relocation guidelines’ in early 2023, with the government saying they will have 6 months-notice to vacate their properties.

With one bedroom unit prices in nearby Green Square averaging over $1 million, it is estimated that Waterloo South could realise more than $2 billion for the government.

Not so quick say some of the stake holders in the project.

“That mix is concerning us right now,” Richard Weeks, Waterloo Public Housing Action Group said.

A powerful voice of dissent also came from the Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, when she said “The proposal sees just 100 extra social hosing homes than there is now, out of a 3,000

dwelling redevelopment. The social and affordable housing requirement must be increased. The proposal seeks to develop public housing, on public land, in the middle of a housing crisis.”

The Lord Mayor also expressed concern that a revised mix is also critical to “ensuring the delivery of housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this culturally and historically significant area”.

The City of Sydney has area-wide targets of 7.5 per cent of all housing to be social and 7.5 per cent to be affordable.

There are a few options for relocation nearby, however the sites fall short of housing all of the displaced population.

“They are talking longer term of using the units being built in the Waterloo Metro development and the PCYC development in Redfern,” Turnbull said.

 in the middle of a

housing crisis

“Neither of these sites will be ready by the time that the LAHC want to start.”

The PCYC site at 600-660 Elizabeth Street, Redfern, is expected to provide 300 new homes.

The Waterloo Metro Quarter is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024 when Sydney Metro City and Southwest opens.

Waterloo Metro Quarter will deliver 700 new homes, with just 70 apartments being allocated as social and affordable It is also understood that the Department of Communities and Justice have taken a head lease on the old Rachel Forster Hospital site at 134-144 Pitt Street, Redfern, that has up to 218 units.

Even if all of these locations are in the mix for the relocations they still fall short for the total number of people expected to be in temporary housing.

Not so quick LAHC, there are people in the way and they need to be considered before you barge in.

LAHC were contacted repeatedly for comment but did not respond.

NSW Planning Minister Anthony Roberts announced Waterloo South rezoning has been approved. Photo: Facebook/Anthony Roberts

Signs posted outside social housing towers in the Waterloo Estate. Photo: Action for Public Housing/Facebook

Glebe social housing sell-offs continue

BY JACOB DE NOBREGA

Athree bed one bath Glebe terrace home owned by the NSW government was sold to private buyers on November 10 for $1.84 million. The NSW Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) sold the “truly impressive Victorian terrace” at 137 Glebe Street, while housing advocates protested outside the real estate agency where the auction took place.

Government owned terrace homes were previously retained for low-income housing options in the inner city, however many of these old Glebe homes have been sold off in recent years.

137 Glebe Street is a prime housing option for low-income families, being less than a kilometre away from both Glebe Public School and Sydney Secondary College, Blackwattle Bay campus.

A protest organised by local organisation ‘Hands off Glebe’ took place outside Belle Real Estate at the same time as the auction. Hands off Glebe told attendees to bring “signs about protecting social housing”.

Another community group, ‘Action for Public Housing’, noted that this is not the only publicly owned house that was up for auction the same afternoon, with 42 Derwent Street in Glebe going for a large sum of $2.475 million.

Glebe’s social housing history goes back

to the Whitlam government’s purchase and restoration of over 700 homes in 1974. Ten years later, ownership of the housing was transferred over to the NSW government, who has steadily been selling them off since.

PRIORITY IN CONSTRUCTION

A Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) spokesperson said that the sale of 137 Glebe Street is part of their 20year portfolio strategy. This strategy is aimed at growing NSW’s social housing portfolio with modern housing that better meets the needs of current and future residents.

protecting social housing

According to the NSW Department of Communities and Justice, expected waiting times for social housing as of June 2021 in Glebe are over 10 years for 3-bedroom houses, like the Glebe Street and Derwent Street properties.

As of June 2021, there are 44,127 applicants on the Housing Register, with 1,045 of those being in Glebe and its surrounding areas.

Although the LAHC does intend to build 120 new social houses, this is leaving a lot of applicants currently on the housing register in limbo, as more public housing is handed off to the private sector.

A government owned terrace home in Glebe was sold to a private buyer for $1.84 million.

Photo: Facebook/ Hands off Glebe

TANYA PLIBERSEK

FEDERAL

MEMBER FOR SYDNEY

HERE TO HELP

As your local representative, I can assist with enquiries or problems you have with Federal Government departments and services like Centrelink, immigration, superannuation, Child Support payments, Medicare, the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS), Veterans’ Affairs, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the National Broadband Network (NBN), universities, employment, training, Commonwealth funding and grants.

STAYING IN TOUCH

To keep up to date with my activities (incuding my mobile offices), issues and events - both locally and nationally, please subscribe to my eNews at tanyaplibersek.com

CONGR ATUL ATORY MESS AGES

My office can arrange messages of congratulations for people who live in my electorate and are celebrating their golden (50th) and diamond (60th) wedding anniversaries; and 90th and subsequent birthdays. Please allow for 6-8 weeks for congratulatory messages from dignatories.

Protestors holding signs outside Belle Real Estate. Photo: Supplied

Inner West election loophole uncovered

qualified solicitor and am confident I have met both my obligations in declaring interests in my annual return of disclosure and the requirements to nominate for and be elected to public office.” City Hub does not suggest Cr Tsardoulias has acted unlawfully.

LEICHHARDT CAFE NOMINATION

In her first declaration of interests, Cr Tsardoulias did not disclose the connection at all. In her annual 2022 declaration which followed our investigation, she initially declared that she was representing an “owner” of land who she did not name. This was incorrect. City Hub sent further questions to the Inner West Council.

Cr Tsardoulias submitted a fresh declaration correctly disclosing that she had been nominated to the non-residential roll by the Leichhardt Municipal Cafe. She added a statement acknowledging the mistake and explaining that it was an “administrative” one.

BY WENDY BACON

NSW Minister for Local government Wendy Tuckerman is considering amending the NSW Local Government act to close a loophole used by Inner West Labor Councillor Zoi Tsardoulias to get elected in an LGA where she neither lives or pays rates.

A spokesperson for the Minister said that the government would take Office of Local Government advice on an amendment before the next local government election.

Tuckerman’s move was in response to a letter from Greens spokesperson for Local government and corruption Balmain MP Jamie Parker drawing the Minister’s attention to City Hub’s investigation into an obscure section in the NSW Local government act which has been interpreted as allowing companies that hold more than one rateable lease to nominate a person to represent them on the non-residential roll who has no connection with the company. This loophole contrasts with a section in the City of Sydney Act which only allows companies to nominate someone who is an office holder of the company.

Parker wrote that he was concerned that the section “seemingly permits businesses that occupy more than one property to nominate a third-party with no connection to the local area to enrol and nominate to be a Councillor.

In my view, local councillors should have a strong connection to the local government area that they represent.”

In October, Minister Tuckerman responded that “the government agrees that Councillors should have

a connection to the areas they are elected to represent and will consider this issue further prior to the next local government elections.”

AMENDMENT TO CLOSE LOOPHOLE

Five Inner West Greens Councillors -Liz Atkins, Kobi Shetty, Marghanita Da Cruz, Dylan Griffiths and Justine Langford -agree that the Act should be amended. They told City Hub, “As it stands, the NSW Local Government Act has a loophole which undermines local democracy. We support Jamie Parker MP’s call for this to change.”

Long term Independent Councillor John Stamolis, who was one of the first to speak out, called the rule “undemocratic”.

“Everyone I speak with wants this undemocratic rule abolished. It undermines local democracy and it is essential that the NSW Electoral Commission and Office of Local Government take action now.”

Independent Councillor Pauline Lockie said, “I think most people expect their elected representatives to have a connection with the area they represent, especially at local government level, and to be transparent about that connection.”

There are two local government electoral rolls in NSW. The main roll is the regular residential electoral roll. The second is a non-residential role of rate payers who want to vote. These can be individuals or companies that own or lease rateable land. To nominate as a Councillor in a ward, you must be on one of these rolls. Around June last year, Leichhardt

Municipal Cafe owner Maurice Portelli was approached by a ‘friend’ to nominate Cr Tsardoulias onto the roll, although she had no formal connection with his cafe.

He declined to name the friend but said that he agreed to the request. The Labor party then nominated Cr Tsardoulias to stand on its Marrickville ward ticket in the local government elections in December 2021. With a very narrow margin of 77 votes, her successful election delivered a majority of 8 Labor Councillors to 7 Greens and Independents.

City Hub wanted to know whether Labor Councillors supported an amendment and whether they agreed that the connection should have been declared in the first place. We also asked about the identity of the ‘friend’, which Labor Councillors were aware of the Portelli arrangement and whether Tsardoulias met with him before the nomination.

We wanted to know if there was any connection between the agreement and Mayor Darcy’s Byrne and now Deputy Mayor’s Phillipa Scott attendance at the cafe opening that occurred around the same time.

Few people are aware of Section 271 Part 4A. It is not promoted on the Inner West Council’s election page. Although this is the only section that could cover Cr Tsardoulias, it is not clear if it applies to her situation as it is intended to apply to rate payers with ownership or ratepaying leases of multiple properties. The situation of a single ratepaying lessee has not been tested in court. Cr Tsardoulias’ connection to the recently opened cafe remained hidden as she did not publicly disclose it before the 2021 election, or in her first disclosure of interests form. In response to questions earlier in the year, she told City Hub, “I take my responsibilities very seriously and continue to undertake my obligations under the Act in good faith. I have sought legal advice from a suitably

We got a four-word response from Labor Councillor for Ashfield Mark Drury – “This is not journalism”. No other Labor Councillor acknowledged the questions. On the issue of whether the arrangement should have been disclosed, Greens Councillors responded:

“We are also of the view that voters should be aware of candidates’ connection to the LGA, through the NSW Electoral Commission and other disclosures by candidates/councillors.

If an elected Councillor does not have a relevant connection to the local government area (as stipulated in the NSW Local Government Act), for transparency they should declare this in their disclosure of interests.”

While there is no suggestion that manipulation or corruption has occurred in the Inner West, hidden connections that would allow a party to approach business owners to nominate friendly voters does leave rolls and elections open to manipulation, especially in tight elections.”

a loophole which undermines local democracy

Deputy Mayor Phillipa Scott (left), cafe owner Maurice Portelli (centre) and Mayor Darcy Byrne (right) at the opening of the Leichhardt Municipal cafe in June 2021.

Photo: Facebook/Darcy Byrne

Inner West Council cancels advertising agreement with City Hub

BY WENDY BACON

This article appears on a page that would have normally carried an Inner West Council advertisement. But Council recently cancelled City Hub’s advertising contract with no warning and without providing reasons so we are publishing this editorial instead.

This is a blow as it would be for any small publication in the shrinking field of local journalism.

City Hub is the only surviving regular local news outlet. It is free and independent and has been continually publishing since 1995. It is a member of the Australian Press Council.

This lack of independent public interest journalism in inner Sydney is part of a broader crisis in local and regional news. This is why the Federal Department of Communications will be consulting on ways to measure and build localism and media diversity in 2023.

This year, City Hub has published a series of investigative stories relevant to political accountability and transparency in the Inner West Local Government Area. We focussed on Mayor Darcy Byrne’s failure to pay rates and negligence in failing to declare his debts as well as other property matters in his 2021 annual return. We also investigated how Councillor Zoi Tsardoulias’ used a little known legal loophole to get elected for the Marrickville ward by representing the Leichhardt Municipal Cafe with which she has no connection on the non-residential electoral roll for lessee ratepayers. These facts remained hidden until it was exposed by City Hub after which both Councillors revealed the matters in their 2022 Annual Returns.

City Hub does not claim that these stories are of national significance or that these issues are more important than others including planning, climate change, housing or local arts. However effective transparency is part of the framework of democracy. Such stories are properly the stuff of local journalism. Indeed, if they are not covered by local journalists, they may not be covered at all. In the absence of coverage, they will remain hidden which is just what those who benefit from no transparency want.

With the exception of one comment, Mayor Byrne did not acknowledge City Hub questions. Before our last story (p12) City Hub sent questions to all Labor Councillors. The only acknowledgement that we got was four words from Councillor Mark Drury. “This is not journalism”. Questions may

be uncomfortable but in the author’s experience, this is unusual behaviour for public officials or politicians.

City Hub sent the stories to prominent award-winning investigative journalist Bill Birnbauer who was previously an Associate Professor of Journalism at Monash University and a founding member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. He now runs Democracy Watchdogs. He responded: “Those who fear truth or have something to hide, often dismiss negative stories about them as fake news or ‘this is not journalism’ in the hope that gullible readers will simply gloss over the facts revealed. Journalism comes in many forms today, some on new platforms and others on more traditional formats. But what is in common and important is that independently verified information be provided that is in the public interest and that gives readers information that is of use to them even if though they not have an immediate interest. Voters, including ratepayers, have a right to know about the interests behind those seeking to represent them. It is one of the jobs of journalists to dig into the backgrounds and interests of those seeking election so that anything that might influence the votes of those elected is publicly known. It’s vital for our democratic processes.”

So why did Mark Drury write, ‘This is not journalism’ to describe something that is journalism? We suggest it is because he knows that carefully researched journalism matters because it can change public understanding and perceptions.

Advertising chopped in secret hearing

In April this year, City Hub entered into a contract to carry one page of Inner West Council advertising in each of its monthly editions for a year.

On Friday December 2, a City Hub advertising staff member emailed the Inner West Council reminding them that artwork for this issue was due. Council sent back an email informing City Hub that Council was stopping hard copy advertising, which means that “last month’s City Hub is the final edition in which Inner West Council would have an information page”.

Subsequently City Hub discovered from Council minutes that a decision to switch to digital advertising, including across News Corporation platforms, had been taken in a secret session of Council in November. This decision was based on a confidential report to which Gibbons was given no access or opportunity to respond. Three Councillors Greens Kobi Shetty and Independents John Stamolis and Pauline Lockie voted against the motion. We are not clear whether other Councillors understood that City Hub’s advertising would be summarily terminated. According to Council minutes, the General Manager Peter Gainsford, who authorised the motion, considered that secrecy was justified because a public hearing risked interfering with the commercial interests of the person recommending it. The nature of that interest is It is not clear.

On December 6, City Hub publisher Lawrence Gibbons wrote back to Council: “We view Council’s decision to cancel all ongoing advertising in the City Hub to be retaliatory. We believe that Council is seeking to terminate its advertising contract with City Hub because we have published a series of news pieces (that) have tirelessly shined a light” on the Mayor’s conduct. “We believe it is the duty of the Fourth Estate to scrutinise the conduct of publicly elected representatives”.

Cancelling advertising is a well known type of informal censorship. The author remembers when the NSW Labor government and corporate crook Alan Bond withdrew advertising from Fairfax Media in anger at its coverage of political and corporate corruption in the 1980s.

Gibbons then wrote a second letter to Council asking for reasons why he was not notified that the item was on the agenda and why he was not given an opportunity to speak to the meeting. “I understand that this is standard Council policy,” he wrote. In response he received an email from General Manager Peter Gainsford stating, “your request has been forwarded to the relevant Council area who will contact you...”

City Hub will continue to pursue public interest stories relevant to the Inner West in 2023.

Wendy Bacon is an investigative journalist who was previously Director of the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism.

It’s vital for our democratic processes

Local businesses angered by station upgrade

parking spaces for tree plantings on the road and commenced a petition calling on the Inner West Council to re-evaluate the options available to balance the local economy and urban amenity,” the motion read.

BUSINESSES NOT HAPPY

To the Lott Newsagency owner Lin Le, the construction has greatly impacted her business. For her, it’s the lack of available parking and footpath for her customers that causes her issues.

concerns, stating that “customers have said that they were about to give up parking.”

“I’m assuming a lot of people have done the same thing because there’s no parking in the area anymore,” Louise told City Hub

“Because of all the work in front of the store, they’ve [the builders] been dumping sand but they haven’t been containing it with sheets or anything so it doesn’t blow,” she added.

Despite a complaint from one of the other affected stores, nothing has changed.

BY TILEAH DOBSON

The Dulwich Hill Station upgrade is almost completed, and as the end is in sight, some residents and business owners have said it can’t come soon enough.

The station’s upgrade is part of the Dulwich Hill Station Precinct Public Domain Improvements Project by the Inner West Council (IWC). The IWC is focusing on the public areas near the station while the NSW Government is converting the station into a metro stop,

part of the Bankstown Line.

Inner West Councillor Justine Langford confirmed that the “council’s project to upgrade Dulwich Hill Station precinct is due to [be] completed in December this year.”

In a motion brought forth by Councillor Jessica D’Arienzo earlier this month, the impact the project has had on residents and small businesses was acknowledged.

“Local businesses hold grave concerns for the proposal to permanently reduce

“It’s very bad because now [they’ve] blocked everywhere and I don’t know why they didn’t finish it. At the beginning, the council said [that] they’d make a footpath in two—four weeks. And now it’s been two and a half months and it’s still there and not finished,” Le said.

“Every time a customer comes, they say ‘oh I can’t come to your shop cause no parking.’”

*Louise from a local charcoal chicken shop in Dulwich Hill echoed similar

Cr Langford sympathises with the business’s impact but stressed that the lack of parking was temporary.

“There is less parking available while construction workers park in the area. Once this project is complete parking spaces will increase as two new parking areas will be opened.

Parking impacts are only temporary,” Cr Langford said.

City Hub reached out to Cr D’Arienzo for comment but she did not respond in time.

*Lousie’s name has been changed for privacy.

New Service NSW Bondi Junction now open

Our Bondi Junction Service NSW Centre has

moved.

You’ll find us at our new location on the corner of Ebley Street and Hollywood Avenue, Bondi Junction.

You can access services such as Savings Finder rebates and vouchers, Driver Knowledge Tests, driver licence renewals, vessel and vehicle registrations and more.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

You can also access many of our services online at service.nsw.gov.au or call 13 77 88

there’s no parking in the area anymore

The construction has had a negative impact to residents and local business owners. Photos: Inner West Council

Local independent runs for Vaucluse

BY SASHA FOOT

Karen Freyer is vying to turn one of the safest conservative electorates in the state independent, following the retirement of Vaucluse’s long-term Liberal MP Gabrielle Upton. Upton, who has held the seat since 2011, will be replaced in the Liberal bid by former TV journalist Kellie Sloane.

Freyer has extensive experience in political campaigning, a background in journalism, and a slew of overseas university credentials. With her husband, she has recently sold her family home in Redfern to move back to the affluent eastern suburbs electorate.

Yet she tells City Hub that she is an Eastern Suburbs local at heart.

“Before Redfern, I was in Darling Point, so the least amount of time I’ve spent is actually in Redfern,” she explains. “My parents live in Rose Bay, and one of my brothers lives in Woollahra.”

Freyer says she is “particularly excited” to move back into the area so that her children can experience an upbringing similar to hers.

“We found a place to live in Double Bay, which is the first place I lived as a child.”

PROPOSAL

that listens to the needs of the community, not a party machine.”

electorate is in “desperate need” of another state high school.

PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE OPTUS MOBILE PHONE BASE STATION WITH 5G AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS

TO

Her children are following in her footsteps by learning to sail at Woollahra Sailing Club. She added that moving back to the area will allow her children to “walk to all these places that I did when I was growing up, like Red Leaf”.

OPTUS AND VODAFONE MOBILE PHONE BASE STATION WITH 5G AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS

UPGRADE

When asked how she defines her political campaign, Freyer said that she is a “community independent, which means that, unlike the major parties, all my ideas come from the residents, and that is what I will really be focusing on”.

Rooftop Facility, 209-211 Harris Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009

Optus Vodafone Ref: S0969, www.rfnsa.com.au/2009003

1. The proposed facility consists of the addition of new 5G equipment and associated works as follows:

• Installation of three (3) new 5G panel antennas (0.81m long)

• Installation of three (3) new 5G panel antennas (0.75m long)

She believes major parties hinder climate action and referenced the Koala Wars as an example of the National Party “dictating” Liberal party politics.

• Replacement of three (3) existing 4G panel antennas (2.68m long) with three new 4G panel antennas (2.1m long)

• Replacement of three (3) existing 4G panel antennas (2.68m long) with three new 4G panel antennas (1.83m long)

• New ancillary equipment including remote radio units, cabling and antenna mounts

Another key focus of her campaign is to make the planning processes for developments more transparent and conscious of residents’ wishes.

• Reconfiguration of existing equipment on the facility and within the equipment shelter

INSPIRED BY FEDERAL TEALS

• The antennas are at rooftop level and there is a slight increase in the overall scale of the facility

Similar to the federal teal wave, policies around climate action and parliament integrity are driving Freyer’s campaign.

Rooftop Facility, 48 Chippen Street, Chippendale NSW 2008

Optus Vodafone Ref: S2145, www.rfnsa.com.au/2008003

2. The proposed facility consists of the addition of new 5G equipment and associated works as follows:

“I will be following the fantastic work that independents like Allegra Spender and Zali Steggall have achieved,” she says.

• Installation of three (3) new 5G panel antennas (0.75m long)

• Installation of three (3) new 5G panel antennas (1.35m long)

Freyer recalled that when she was a child her parents underwent a significant DA planning process in order to renovate their family home.

• Replacement of three (3) existing 4G panel antennas (2.69m long) with three new 4G panel antennas (2.1m long)

• Replacement of three (3) existing 4G panel antennas (2.68m long) with three new 4G panel antennas (1.5m long)

Though Freyer points out that the media has constructed the idea of teal independents, she recognises the kinship between her campaign and those of other teal members.

• New ancillary equipment including remote radio units, cabling and antenna mounts

But she has found that the “pendulum has swung in a completely different direction, where it is really difficult to stop development”.

• Reconfiguration of existing equipment on the facility and within the equipment shelter

• The antennas are at rooftop level and there is a slight increase in the overall scale of the facility

Rooftop Facility, 134-138 William Street, Wooloomooloo NSW 2011

Optus Vodafone Ref: S8901, www.rfnsa.com.au/2011002

“We need to ensure that if we are going to build more housing, it is thought about carefully, and I am not convinced it is being done in a considered way.”

3. The proposed facility consists of the addition of new 5G equipment and associated works as follows:

“I do not think I am any different – we are all the same in the sense that we have all identified a problem in the way that politics is done at the moment. For example, the electorate of Vaucluse is one of the safest Liberal seats in the state, and one of the problems with living in a safe seat is you tend to be ignored.

• Installation of three (3) new 5G panel antennas (0.75m long)

• Installation of three (3) new 5G panel antennas (1.35m long)

• Replacement of three (3) existing 4G panel antennas (2.53m long) with three new 4G panel antennas (1.83m long)

• Replacement of three (3) existing 4G panel antennas (2.53m long) with three new 4G panel antennas (2.78m long)

• New ancillary equipment including remote radio units, cabling and antenna mounts

• Reconfiguration of existing equipment on the facility and within the equipment shelter

4. Optus and Vodafone regard the proposed installations as Exempt Development in accordance with State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 based on the description above

5. Notification is being undertaken in accordance with Section 7 of Industry Code C564:2020 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment

“So I hope to create an environment in Vaucluse where we have representation

Freyer raised her concern that density increases, such as those proposed for the Edgecliff development, fail to “address the infrastructure needs first”. She cited the need for better public transport, and increasing “access to hospitals, recreational space and schools”.

With Rose Bay Secondary College as the only public high school serving the area, she acknowledges that the

6. Members of the public may obtain further information on the proposed work, and we invite you to provide written comments about the proposal. Further information and/or comments should be directed to Optus’ representative c/- James McIver, Catalyst ONE Pty Ltd; phone: 02 4022 9533; email: consultation@catalystone.com.au and post: PO Box 1119, Crows Nest NSW 1585 by 26 February 2021.

Existing Facility (Level 10), 1-19 Oxford Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010

Optus Ref: S0209, www.rfnsa.com.au/2010024

1. The proposed facility consists of the addition of new 5G equipment and associated works as follows:

Another issue Freyer mentioned when discussing her position on developments is the failure to address affordable housing, noting that “there is basically no affordable housing in the electorate”.

• Installation of three (3) new 5G panel antennas (0.81m in length)

• Replacement of three (3) existing 4G panel antennas (2.68m long) with three new 4G panel antennas (1.5m long)

• New ancillary equipment including remote radio units, cabling and antenna mounts

• Reconfiguration of existing equipment on the facility and within the equipment shelter; the antennas are at level 10 plant room

• Optus regards the proposed installation as a low-impact facility in accordance with the Telecommunications (Low-impact Facilities) Determination 2018 based on the description above

Existing Monopole, 19 Harris Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009

“Some argue that we need to increase density to make housing more affordable, but the type of housing built in the electorate is far from affordable.”

Optus Ref: S5576, www.rfnsa.com.au/2009001

2. The proposed facility consists of the addition of new 5G equipment and associated works as follows:

• Installation of three (3) new 5G panel antennas (0.59m long)

• Installation of three (3) new 5G panel antennas (0.81m long)

• Installation of one (1) new 4G panel antenna (2.69 m long)

She believes that developers, “especially in Vaucluse”, have no incentive to build affordable housing. “We need to ensure that young people and key workers can afford to live there.”

• Replacement of

PUBLIC TRANSPORT ISSUES

When asked whether bus privatisation is an issue she plans on tackling, she replied, “Absolutely”.

“Privatisation has taken over the bus network, and, as a result, bus routes have been cut back.”

Rooftop Facility, Lakes Business Park, Building 2, 2-26 Lord Street, Botany NSW 2019

Optus Ref: S0490, www.rfnsa.com.au/2019001

“There are a lot of older residents in Darling Point, and because the 327 service has been modified, people now need to take two buses to get into the city.”

3. The proposed facility consists of the addition of new 5G equipment and associated works as follows:

• Installation of three (3) new 5G panel antennas (0.59m long)

• New ancillary equipment including remote radio units, cabling and antenna mounts

Freyer also believes that improving the bus network would help to reduce congestion on New South Head Road and Old South Head Road.

• Reconfiguration of existing equipment on the facility and within the equipment shelter

• The antennas are at rooftop level and there is a slight increase in the overall scale of the facility

“There are basically two arterial roads to get in and out of the electorate, and it is incredibly difficult to drive down these roads because of traffic congestion.”

• Optus regards the proposed installation as Exempt Development in accordance with State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 based on the description above

“A way to improve this congestion is to convince people to get out of their cars and use public transport.”

Rooftop Facility, 65-71 Belmore Road, Randwick NSW 2031

Optus Ref: S0041, www.rfnsa.com.au/2031005

4. The proposed facility consists of the addition of new 5G equipment and associated works as follows:

When speaking to Freyer, City Hub mentioned Upton’s role in tabling an enquiry report into religious protection laws in 2021.

• Installation of three (3) new 5G panel antennas (0.59m long)

• Installation of three (3) new 5G panel antennas (0.81m long)

• Provision for three (3) future panel antennas (up to 1.5m long)

• New ancillary equipment including remote radio units, cabling and antenna mounts

• Reconfiguration of existing equipment on the facility and within the equipment shelter

• The antennas are at rooftop level and there is a slight increase in the overall scale of the facility

As the chair of a NSW parliamentary committee, Upton supported a Bill proposed by One Nation NSW leader, Mark Latham, which addressed religious-based discrimination. Advocacy groups at the time condemned the bill, saying it risked discrimination against LGBTQI+ people.

• Optus regards the proposed installation as Exempt Development in accordance with State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 based on the description above

Freyer responded by saying she is “100 per cent with the LGBTQI+ community”.

5. Notification is being undertaken in accordance with Section 7 of Industry Code C564:2020 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment.

Freyer mentioned that changes to the 327 bus route means residents in Darling Point can no longer travel directly from Darling Point to the City.

“Everyone deserves the right to feel safe at school, and the fact it is still legal to fire a teacher for being LGBTQI+ is unacceptable.”

6. Members of the public may obtain further information on the proposed work, and we invite you to provide written comments about the proposal. Further information and/or comments should be directed to Optus’ representative c/- James McIver, Catalyst ONE Pty Ltd; phone: 02 4022 9533; email: consultation@catalystone.com.au and post: PO Box 1119, Crows Nest NSW 1585 by 26 February 2021.

Independent candidate Karen Freyer is running for the seat of Vaucluse in the 2023 state election. Photo: Facebook/Karen Freyer

all my ideas come from the residents

City condemns anti-protest laws

BY SAM PASHMI AND ERIN MODARO

City of Sydney councillors have unanimously called on the NSW government to repeal anti-protest laws passed by NSW Parliament in April this year.

The new laws, passed with support from both the Coalition and Labor parties, ban protests on a wide range of infrastructure including major roads, bridges, tunnels, public transport and infrastructure facilities. They were passed in response to climate protests that disrupted traffic.

The changes are strongly opposed by human rights, environmental and civil liberties groups. In October, the Environmental Defenders Office filed a legal challenge to the laws in the NSW Supreme Court.

The City of Sydney motion was moved by the Deputy Mayor Greens Sylvie Ellsmore and seconded by Independent Councillor Jess Scully at a Council meeting on November 21.

LORD MAYOR BACKS MOTION

It was strongly supported by Lord Mayor Clover Moore, who will now write to the NSW government and Labor opposition, expressing support for repealing the laws and the right to peaceful protests, and calling on NSW police to stop heavy handed policing of protests.

Despite both major parties voting for the laws, Labor Councillor Linda Scott and two Liberal councillors Lyndon Gannan

voted for the motion. Cr Ellsmore told the meeting that the laws meant that protesters face up to two years in jail or a $20,000 fine if they are arrested for ‘obstruction’ which the law defines very broadly. She said that the laws apply to “most of the roads in the city” and that people have been arrested for protesting in Bridge St and Kent St.

and Shauna

She described how the laws are being used to prevent protests with people being kept in jail for up to twenty days pending bail before they had even attended a protest. “People are being preemptively policed to prevent them from doing something they might have been planning to do…It’s difficult not to say that these laws are designed to intimidate and shut down climate protests at a time when we need to be having this conversation about radical changes we need to take around climate.”

MILITARISED POLICE RESPONSE

Her motion also drew attention to ‘Strike Force Guard’, a militarised police unit that was formed at the time the laws were passed. The unit targets environmental campaigners before they protest. It noted that the NSW Council for Civil Liberties and other human rights groups have written to the NSW government expressing concern about “pre-emptive and intimidatory police tactics leading up to the International Mining and Resources Conference held” in Sydney in early November 2022,

including “making unannounced visits to suspected activists’ homes, car stops and searches, and arrests of climate activists and networks prior to the event”.

Seconding the motion, Councillor Jess Scully said, “It’s really disturbing that at a time when …we have an escalating sense of urgency around some of the biggest issues that we are facing in relation to climate change, racism, polarisation of our community, and social inequality, we are actually seeing the major parties criminalising protest in spaces where we have traditionally come together for generations to protest together.”

through parliament with little consultation. She said that the laws had been passed to appease the radio shock jocks who were focused on disruption to traffic.

She compared traffic disruption to “the suffering of people who have lost their homes and their loved ones in floods. They would see that as a more serious. We are in a climate emergency – this is what it’s all about. It’s not just about someone getting to work late, these are young people and they care about their future and they are scared about their future and they have every right to stand up and protest without being arrested.”

She said it was “really disappointing that both the Labour and Liberal parties in NSW supported this legislation. It’s really disappointing that only the Independents and Greens voted against this legislation in NSW.”

Labor Councillor Linda Scott also spoke in favour of the motion.

“It was a disgrace to see protest laws of this kind in NSW,” she said. She complained that Councils were not consulted on the laws which “set a dangerous precedent in NSW”.

Before putting the motion, Lord Mayor Clover Moore expressed her strong support for repeal of the laws which “deny democratic rights” and were rushed

Cr Ellsmore told City Hub, “Every time Australia restricts basic rights to democracy, including the right to peaceful protest, it makes it harder to argue that we want to see change anywhere else in the world. Restricting the right to peaceful protesting is undemocratic, and having violent police crackdowns on them, will severely damage Australia’s international standing on the global stage, especially when calling out other, much more serious forms of human rights abuses in other countries, such as North Korea.”

During climate protests in June and July, many members of activist group Blockade Australia were arrested and faced charges.

“Protesters being sentenced to 2 years in prison or being charged $20,000 because their peaceful protest was making people late to work for 1 day is completely out of whack” Ellsmore said.

Jarrett

these laws are designed to intimidate

Harsh anti-protesting laws in NSW are being condemned by the City of Sydney Council. Photo: Christine Lai

End to no-grounds evictions bill blocked

BY ERIN MODARO

Just days after NSW Labor pledged reforms to renting policy, Labor and the Coalition teamed up to oppose a Greens bill that would bring an end to no-grounds evictions.

The bill would amend the Residential Tenancies Act which, in NSW, currently allows renters to be evicted at any time without reason. Newtown Greens MP Jenny Leong spoke on the importance of the bill, which was introduced to NSW Parliament in October.

“Ending no grounds evictions is not a controversial move,” Leong said. Labor’s recent election promise included an end to no-grounds evictions through “tighter” rental laws, and the introduction of rental bond transfers.

Leong criticised the party for not supporting the Greens bill, which would fast-track renters rights and come into effect sooner than a post 2023 election promise.

“For NSW Labor to stand in the way of this critical reform just days after making an election announcement… to end no grounds evictions and then refuse to support this motion would be

nothing short of offensive” the MP said to Parliament.

Independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich also spoke to the bill, saying that “we have a significant opportunity to pass important protections for renters”.

“If the Opposition committed to the statement it made over the weekend to back renters, it would ensure that this bill is debated and voted on

tomorrow and passes this Parliament,” Greenwich said.

NO-GROUNDS EVICTIONS EXPLAINED

Under current NSW law, landlords are able to evict tenants with no reason given for eviction, both at the end of a fixed term lease, or during an ongoing lease. 90 days’ notice is required for an

Sydney Trains

eviction during a lease, and 30 days’ notice required at the end.

If no grounds evictions were to be outlawed, landlords would retain the right to legally evict tenants for wrongdoing such as property damage or missing rent payments. Australia is among the few OECD countries that still allows for no-grounds evictions. Housing advocates and tenants organisations support the end to no-grounds evictions, including Shelter NSW and the Tenants Union of NSW.

A February special report on eviction by the NSW Tenants Union found that “eviction is too often relied on” by landlords.

“It is relatively easy for a landlord to evict a renter, and often accepted as a standard or common practice” the report reads.

“Many NSW renters don’t know where they will be living from year to year or in some cases from month to month,” Leong said.

Burwood Road Rail Bridge maintenance work

What we’re doing

To improve service reliability and reduce the need for ongoing maintenance, we’re repairing, blasting, and painting the rail bridges at Burwood Station.

Temporary full closure of Burwood Road underpass to motorists will occur across the below dates in December 2022 and January 2023.

• From 7pm Friday 16 December to 9am Saturday 17 December 2022

• From 7pm Saturday 17 December to 9am Sunday 18 December 2022

• From 7pm Sunday 18 December to 4:30am Monday 19 December 2022

• From 10pm Monday 26 December 2022 to 4am Monday 9 January 2023

Contact us

Project information line: 1800 684 490 or Email: projects@transport.nsw.gov.au

Special event clearway at Railway Parade, Burwood Special event clearways will be in effect from 6am Tuesday 27 December 2022 to 6am Monday 9 January 2023 on the southern side of Railway Parade, Burwood between Burwood Rd and Shaftsbury Rd.

Special event clearways are strict no-parking zones and also apply to local residents and Mobility Scheme Parking Permit holders. Vehicles left in clearways will be towed and a fee applies.

Burwood Train Station access

Access to Burwood Station and businesses will be available via an enclosed walkway. Please follow directions from traffic controllers and wayfinding signage

Scan the QR code for more information

A bill to end no grounds evictions has been struck down in NSW Parliament. Photo: Pixabay.

critical that these upgrades are fast-tracked

Bays West to have 30% affordable housing

housing are calculated by Area Median Income (AMI).

“For 100% affordable projects, it typically goes 30% AMI – 80% AMI. For mixed income projects, it typically ranges from 60% AMI to 160% AMI. For the mixed income projects, it’s not evenly distributed within the different levels. Meaning there is more subsidised affordable housing at 60% AMI than 160% AMI”, he said.

Workers at San Francisco’s public institutions of higher education and public healthcare institutions were given priority in the Five88 development. This resulted in 50 units occupied by higher education or healthcare employees, 142 units occupied by people living or working in San Francisco, and 6 units held by households displaced by previous urban renewal projects.

This could be an indicator of how the Bays West affordable housing will be allocated, given both sites prioritise key worker housing.

WILL 30% STAND THE TEST OF TIME?

As for San Francisco, the guarantee that a housing project will deliver upon what has been promised is, “difficult given construction costs”, Smith said.

BY LAUREN FROST

The Bays West Precinct, which is planned to transform a stretch of prime foreshore in White Bay, Johnsons Bay and Rozelle Bay along Sydney’s inner west, has promised that 1/3 of the mixed development’s housing will go to low and moderate income tenants.

This pledge for 30% affordable housing came from NSW Minister for Cities Rob Stokes, in a bid that has housing advocates and the Greens celebrating, for now.

City Hub investigated how plans for a large chunk of a new prime development to be allocated to lower income residents might play out.

MISSION BAY: A CASE STUDY

The new redevelopment plans for the Bays West precinct are reminiscent of redevelopment along the shoreline of San Francisco, particularly in relation to the 30% affordable housing target.

30% is the same number promised for another key plot of foreshore in San Francisco, called Mission Bay, in which construction is currently ongoing.

Both sites, Bays West and Mission Bay, represent formerly industrial dockland areas scouted for transformation into glittering communal cities with prime waterfront views.

Both Bays West and Mission Bay are

populated by affluent, progressive, left-wing residents. These picturesque regions are located in two of the most expensive real estate markets in the world.

Residents of San Francisco have long been in opposition of overdevelopment. Community campaigns have led to strict height controls, limits on commercial space, and a requirement for voters to approve additional city developments. Appealing to the city’s left-wing politics by ensuring a 30% target of affordable housing has been an effective means of achieving community backing for these large developments.

San Francisco voters rejected a proposition for the redevelopment of Mission Bay in 1990. However, only 8 years later in 1998, they approved a plan to redevelop the site. A deal had been struck where a biotech campus for University of California San Francisco was established, plus 30% of the houses in the region were set aside for affordable housing.

More recently, developers were able to increase the height restriction of their waterfront development, named Five88, by including plans for affordable housing. The site is the largest affordable development to open in San Francisco in the past decade, with nearly 200 affordable units included.

The Affordable Housing Bonus Program (AHBP) in San Francisco even offers

incentives to developers for including permanently affordable homes in their projects. These include increased density and height permissions for their developments.

Currently, it still remains unclear as to how much of the proposed 30% affordable housing in the Bays West precinct will be allocated as social or public housing.

“It also depends on whether any public dollars are being used to finance the projects. All of those numbers go into the proforma to determine whether it makes sense to actually build given the community benefit structure. In San Francisco, it costs upwards to $1.2 million per unit to build subsidised affordable housing.”

If the 30% affordable housing target is achieved, residents of the Bays West Precinct will have to wait and see as to how the housing is allocated.

In NSW, social housing refers to secure, affordable rental housing for people earning low incomes where rent is calculated as a percentage of income. Social housing refers to both public housing managed by the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) and the Aboriginal Housing Office, as well as community housing managed by notfor-profit, non-government registered community housing organisations.

Affordable housing, however, is different. Rent is calculated as a discount of the current market rent, usually between 20% and 25%. It is open to a broader range of household incomes than social housing, meaning households with higher levels of income could still be eligible.

In San Francsico, according to Executive Director of the Housing Action Coalition Corey Smith, income limits for affordable

Inner West Greens Councillor, Kobi Shetty, told City Hub that the recent talk of the 30% affordable housing target is “very promising”.

“We need to make sure that any public land being redeveloped puts public benefit first, so there absolutely needs to be a significant amount of public and social housing on the site,” Cr Shetty said.

“With the current housing crisis, it would be both irresponsible and a huge lost opportunity for the state government not to deliver a decent amount of public and social housing onsite. So I am hopeful that they will follow through”.

Although the new 30% target for affordable housing in the sub-precinct is a distinct improvement from earlier plans with a lack of clear target, there is still questions over whether this will be enough, and if the developers will follow through.

hopeful that they will follow through

Artist’s rendering of plans for Mission Bay along the waterfront of San Francisco. Photo: Surfaced Design

Pets could soon be allowed for all renters

BY SHARLOTTE THOU

Sydney renters may soon be allowed to own pets without needing approval from landlords, under new proposed laws. Currently, whether pets are allowed in rental homes is up to the homeowner or landlord’s discretion (with assistance animals being an exception to this rule). Proponents for the changes say that the current laws are not pet-friendly, with many renters being forced to give up their pets – often to adoption shelters –when renting homes.

BLANKET ‘NOT PET CLAUSES’

Policy and & Advocacy Manager of the Tenants Union NSW Jemima Mowbray explained that “very few” properties are advertised as being pet friendly, and that tenants with pets face discrimination and blanket “no-pet clauses”.

She said that victims of domestic abuse “often report delaying leaving an unsafe situation because they can’t secure new housing where they can take their pets”. Additionally, there are reports of households affected by the Lismore floods who have been unsuccessful in finding pet-friendly rental properties,

which has forced them to “sleep in their cars or to take up unsafe, untenable housing situations”.

“We need more pet friendly renting laws in NSW”, she added.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald , Real Estate Institute of NSW Chief Executive Tim McKibbin said that “any proposals that remove landlords’ rights would inevitably make the rental crisis worse by drawing investors out of the market”.

In response, Mowbray told City Hub that “in practice both [domestically] and internationally when renting laws have changed to improve renter’s rights, we haven’t seen this actually eventuate”.

with “greater autonomy and dignity”. Cr Griffiths tabled a motion in support of these proposed changes at a recent Inner West Council meeting.

On a broader level, the change would provide renters with greater autonomy by restricting the ability of landlords to deny freedoms such as owning a pet.

Inner West Councillor Dylan Griffiths said that the changes would provide renters

“Renters are too often denied the opportunity to make basic decisions about our homes…these rights are taken for granted by owners”, he said.

It would also bring laws in NSW in line with laws in other states and territories

such as the ACT and Queensland. For example, in the ACT “landlords are required to go to the tribunal to refuse a pet or may only be able to refuse a pet for certain reasons”.

A poll on the City of Sydney council website reveals that out of 13,364 respondents, 89% believe that it “should be easier for renters to keep pets in their home”.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Have your say

Sydney Metro has lodged Concept  Environmental Impact Statements for two buildings above Hunter Street Station, one of the nine new stations for Sydney Metro West.

Now is the time for you to have a say.

The proposals are for a 58-storey building above Hunter Street Station East, between O’Connell Street and Blight Street, and a 51-storey building above Hunter Street Station West, on the corner of George Street and Hunter Street. Both buildings will include commercial office and retail spaces.

Sydney Metro is Australia’s largest public transport project. By 2030 Sydney will have a network of four metro lines, 46 stations and 113 kilometres of new metro rail.

You are invited to attend information sessions and talk to our team about the proposed precinct over station development at Hunter Street Station.

Thursday, 15 December 2022

Auctionworks, Mezzanine Level, 50 Margaret Street, Sydney 2000

Session 1: 11am–2pm

Session 2: 4pm–7pm

If you have any questions or would like more information please contact our project team:

1800 612 173 Community infoline open 24 hours

sydneymetrowest@transport.nsw.gov.au

Sydney Metro West, PO Box K659, Haymarket NSW 1240

Access information in over 100 languages. Download Sydney Metro Connect from the App store or get it on Google Play.

sydneymetro.info

Proposed termination of Strata Scheme No 58819 being property situated at 270 Victoria Road, Rozelle NSW 2039

Notice is given of an intention to apply to the Registrar General for an order terminating the above Strata Scheme and the consequent winding up of the Owners Corporation, pursuant to section 142 of the Strata Schemes Development Act 2015 (NSW).

Any person having any claim against the Owners Corporation of the above Strata Scheme or any estate or interest in or claim against any of the lots comprised in the Strata Scheme is required, on or before 22 December 2022, to send particulars of the estate, interest or claim to:

Transport for NSW

c/- Justin Madden

Thomson Geer Level 14, 60 Martin Place Sydney NSW 2000

E: jmadden@tglaw.com.au

F: +61 2 8248 5899

Sydney Metro West

Visit the Sydney Metro West interactive portal.

New proposed laws would mean landlords cannot turn away tenants if they have a pet. Photo: Unsplash

need more pet friendly renting laws

Jamie Parker delivers valedictory speech

Community-loved Glebe Ferry here to stay

BY AMBER GRIFFIN

After a lengthy community fight to save the resident-loved F10 ferry service, the Blackwattle Bay ‘Me Mel’ ferry is officially going to remain in Sydney waters.

“After some talk of this service being cancelled, I have confirmed with the Minister for Transport that this fast, direct, timetabled service is continuing,” Balmain MP Jamie Parker said.

Increasing the passenger numbers of the service is critical to ensure the longevity of the service in our Sydney waters.

Parker is encouraging Sydney residents to get out and experience what the Me-Mel F10 ferry service has to offer.

“Summer is here and there’s never been a better time to get on and ride your Glebe ferry!” Parker said.

BY TILEAH DOBSON

Greens Member for the seat of Balmain, Jamie Parker, delivered a heartfelt valedictory speech to NSW Parliament after announcing he would not be running in the 2023 state election.

Having represented the people of Balmain since 2011, Parker was the first of the Greens to represent the party in NSW Parliament. At 51 years old, Parker has been active in social justice and environmental issues for decades.

During his valedictory speech in early November, Parker admitted that he hadn’t “expected to be elected to anything, especially the New South Wales Parliament”.

“The Greens may be a small party, but we have a big appetite for change,” Parker said.

He attributed four key principles that the Greens stand for as his guide that allowed him “to serve [his] community.”

23 YEARS WITH THE GREENS

As the son of a tradesman and grandson to a proud dock worker on his mother’s side, Parker wasn’t born into politics, but raised himself into it through his determination for change. Back in his university days, he served as the NSW president and national environment officer of the National Union of Students. Parker was later

Re-elected twice in 2004 and 2008, Parker used his time on the council to continuously fight for issues important to him and his party. He also served as chair of the Environment Committee during his tenure on the local council, along with Deputy Mayor and later as the Mayor of Leichhardt.

Parker retired from local council and pursued state politics, beating Labor candidate Verity Firth at the 2011 state election. This was a significant moment for Parker and for the Greens as he became the first NSW Greens member to sit in the Lower House of NSW Parliament.

Towards the end of his speech, Parker acknowledged and thanked not only the parliamentary staff for their work, but the families of all members of parliament who sacrifice their home life for democracy.

“I am sad to leave but happy to go, knowing what we have achieved together and the bright future of the Greens in the inner west.”

His departure is projected to trigger a tussle between Inner West councillors Kobi Shetty, who has been announced as the Greens candidate to replace Parker, and Labor Deputy Mayor Philippa Scott. If Shetty is successful at the ballot box, the entire NSW Greens party room will be female.

Jetting its passengers from Glebe to Barangaroo in under 13 minutes, for months the ferry service has been on a government trial to decide if the service is utilised enough by Sydneysiders in order to continue running.

During the ferry trial, the government told the Glebe Society that the service will only continue running if it transports a minimum of 150 passengers per day. Despite secrecy surrounding the usage figures of the Me-Mel ferry, with Parker sharing in a newsletter that daily usage was at approximately 120 people per day, the F10 ferry service has prevailed and will continue to be in service for Sydney residents.

INCREASED DEMAND

The ferry may remain in the water, but the service isn’t entirely ‘out of the water’ yet.

“Passenger numbers still matter so if you can please jump on and ride the ferry to send a message that our community supports this fantastic public transport service.”

With the service currently only accepting debit and credit card, Glebe Society Convenor Allan Hogan shared with City Hub that he believes an important step to improve the ferry’s usage would be to allow the use of the Opal Card on the service.

on and ride the ferry

Ever since the Me-Mel ferry was first introduced to Sydney’s waters, there has been high community demand for the service to be extended to Annandale.

“We’re still pushing for more ferry services for our local area including extending this service into Annandale so watch this space,” Parker said.

elected to Leichhardt Council back in 1999 as a NSW Greens member.

I am sad to leave but happy to go

Long serving Balmain Greens MP Jamie Parker is not running in the 2023 state election.

Photo: Facebook/Jamie Parker

The Glebe Me-Mel ferry is officially here to stay. Photo: Transdev

Balmain MP Jamie Parker has been a prominent advocate of the Glebe Ferry scheme from the start. Photo: Supplied

A CAMPAIGN TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS

BY ERIN MODARO

Elizabeth Farrelly has launched her campaign to run as an independent for the upper house in NSW Parliament at the 2023 state election; a feat that no one has succeeded at before.

Farrelly is well known on the Sydney planning scene. She was an architecture critic for the Sydney Morning Herald for over three decades. As a vocal supporter of heritage preservation and equipped with a PHD in Urbanism from the University of Sydney, Farrelly has plighted against overdevelopment and been a staunch supporter of grassroots campaigns.

No independent candidate has ever been elected to the NSW upper house. The two current independents serving in the Legislative Council, Fred Nile and Justin Field, were voted in as a Christian Democrat and a Greens member respectively, before leaving their parties to become independents.

Farrelly recognises the difficult nature of the task ahead.

“Everything’s stacked against you” she said. “As an independent, you don’t get your name above the line on the ballot paper and that makes it almost doubly difficult to have anyone recognise your existence.”

On ballot papers, independent candidates don’t have their name displayed above the line, unless they run as a part of a party. In a move most famously employed by Sydney’s long-reigning Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Farrelly found herself a party so she could begin with a fighting chance.

Political parties must be registered for a full 12 months before an election.

So, Elizabeth assembled a team of independents and co-opted the Keep Sydney Open Party which first began in opposition to Sydney’s lockout laws.

“A lot of people think it’s weird. To be an independent and have a party” Farrelly acknowledged. “Which it is.”

This political acrobatics reflects a tactic that other independents have used. Sydney is a greenhouse for successful independent campaigns.

Clover Moore’s team has dominated the polls for Sydney’s mayorship for 17 years. Alex Greenwich has sat in NSW’s lower house since 2012.

However, state elections represent a very different playing field to federal ones. Strict caps on political donations make running as an independent difficult. In 2022 to 2023, donations to a registered party or group of candidates are limited to $7000. While third party campaign groups are able to spend $26,700 on seats, often independents don’t have access to this sort of support.

“[Third parties] can spend a lot of money on sort of indirect support and campaigning for the major parties” Farrelly said.

HERITAGE, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

As a strong advocate for city planning and heritage preservation in the past, Farrelly says these areas are a focus of her campaign.

“I’ve always been concerned about heritage, but I’m very concerned, for example, about proposals at Central Station.”

The Central Precinct, a state government overhaul with multiple high-rises planned for the areas around Central station, has been a topic of contention for locals and heritage groups. Recently the National Trust, of which Farrelly is a board member, opposed plans for a 45-storey commercial skyscraper being constructed over a heritage postal building.

Farrelly referred to the Central Precinct plans as “a great forest of towers”. She said she wants a change to how planning decisions are made, moving them to favour public benefit.

“How can this development… be garnered and shaped around doing good things for the public?

“It’s a kind of conceptual shift that we will be pursuing and slightly longer term.”

“CHANGE THE BALANCE OF POWER”

In launching her campaign, Farrelly said she chose the upper house, as the concerns she was finding on the ground weren’t confined to a geographical electorate, but rather “a stratum of society, culture, community… of really passionate, concerned, interested, engaged, people who really want change”.

The current composition of the upper house, Farrelly says, is split 20 to 22 down the line of more progressive members versus conservative.

“And so, if you had even one seat, you could actually stand to change things quite significantly change the balance of power” she said.

While Climate 200 is not officially backing any particular candidates for NSW in 2023 yet, it’s hard not to spot the teal amour brandished on Farrelly’s campaign posters.

Farrelly said it was “crazy not to be a part of the same livery” as the teals.

“They essentially had three those three values, which was gender equality, climate action, and transparency. And we absolutely support all of those things.”

However, where Federal teals met on the battleground over climate policy and ICAC, state teals are zooming in on overdevelopment and planning. Independent candidate for Vaucluse Karen Fryer will face off with new Liberal candidate

Kellie Sloane, both calling for a look at the balance between over-development and meeting housing needs in the eastern suburbs.

While no funding from Climate 200 has been allocated, Farrelly said it “looks promising” that the funding giant will back teals in the NSW election, just over 4 months away.

“It’s really exhilarating,” Farrelly said about the launch of her campaign.

“It’s exciting to see people prepared to give up time and energy and money for, for what’s really an altruistic pursuit to try and make the world a better place.”

Although writer, architecture critic, and former City of Sydney Councillor Dr Elizabeth Farrelly seems to have done it all, now she is looking towards something bigger

Allegra Spender saw major success for teals in the federal election this year, successfully taking a safe-Liberal seat in Wentworth.

Elizabeth Farrelly.

Photo: Petrina Tinslay

COFFIN ED’S NAKED CITY

In the ongoing soap opera of the British Royal Family, one that the media rams down our throats on a daily basis, it was a relatively minor incident. Lady Susan Hussey, Prince William’s godmother and one of the late Queen’s most trusted ladies-inwaiting was forced to give up her honorary role after an unfortunate racist gaffe.

The eighty three year old caused a considerable stink when she drilled a British citizen on her African origins at an official function. The woman, Ngozi Fulani, an advocate for survivors of domestic abuse, described the exchange as a “violation”.

It’s a time when the debate over the indigenous voice to Parliament has only just begun and those who oppose it, like the National Party, have already made their intentions clear. Whilst the public will decide the issue in a referendum next year the PM has signalled that any vote on Australia becoming a Republic is at least a number of years down the track.

It’s interesting to note that one of the titles that the old school colonialist Lady Hussey held was ‘Lady of The Bedchamber’, whose role historically,

was to dress and bathe the ruling female monarch. There was of course a male equivalent.

“The Groom Of The Stool” was a role created during the reign of the vile, murderous and gormandizing Henry VIII, primarily to keep track of the king’s bowel movements and provide a portable commode (i.e. the ‘stool’)

along with water, a wash bowl and towels. It also involved the somewhat delicate, albeit disgusting task, of wiping the ruler’s bum.

You could well argue that despite its abolition, the legacy of the groom remains in the kind of servility that is still observed by many, for the dysfunctional British monarchy. Our

constitutional ties are rooted in the worst of British colonialism, one that is still reflected today by silly old sods like Lady Hussey.

In November of last year the then Prince Charles made a grovelling apology in Barbados for the sins of slavery as the country announced it was becoming a republic and ditching the queen as its head of state.

Those working tirelessly to ensure a First Nations’ voice to parliament would probably not want to see the debate confused or even hijacked by a republican push. It’s hard to separate the history of our colonialist past, entrenched in the monarchy, from the democratic rights of our indigenous peoples, but passing the referendum is essential in its own right.

In the meantime I’d like to suggest that the position of “Groom Of The Stool” be revived, purely as a symbolic honour with no rag on a stick involved. In the absence of the once highly cherished knighthoods it could be awarded to those Australians who show an undying allegiance to the British crown and all that it stands for. Let’s even update the title and in the spirit of the stool’s original mobility, christen it “Groom Of The Portaloo”!

HubARTS

When Velvet was first plugged in and switched on in 2015, audiences were electrified. Now the show has been amped up a few notches and returns as Velvet Rewired, and sparks are flying. The show is a luminous cocktail of disco-flavoured hit songs, acrobatics, aerialism, circus acts, and dance.

Australia’s very pop royalty, Marcia Hines, reprises her role as Diva, belting out disco anthems like only she can.

Also returning are Craig Reid as Hula Boy, and Joe Accaria as the DJ. “I’ve been involved with some great

shows - worked with so many artists as well - to have something in the realm of a physical theatre show or variety show like this still continue is quite astounding,” says Joe Accaria, who was part of the original Velvet. Accaria not only works the turntables for real but he comes down from the platform to play live percussion and perform with the other characters. He’s the musical director for the show.

Velvet Rewired has a very loose narrative that continues from where Velvet left off, but the narrative is only incidental to

MOULIN SCROOGE

The incredibly talented and iconic Carlotta plays the role of Astrid Zeneca, the club owner, and steals the show. A definite highlight of the show is when she performs her moving and meaningful musical number ‘I’m Still Here’. The audience roar and applaud their approval, coming to a standing ovation. The song highlights the personal struggles she has endured over the years for equality and justice for the LGBTQ community.

And what would a Trevor Ashley pantomime be without a selection of semi-clad pretty boys on stage?

The chosen three performers are Stephen Madsen, Jakob Ambrose and Jarrod Moore, genuinely seasoned professional performers and at such youthful ages!

FLICKERFEST

Back for its 32nd year in the refurbished Pavilion (See p.29)

BY MARK MORELLINI

From the creative minds of Trevor Ashley and Phill Scott comes this hilarious pantomime which is the fractured and delightfully sick parody of Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge.

Ashley plays the role of Saton, a gorgeous strip club dancer in Kings Cross who will stop at nothing to keep the club from closing down. A love triangle builds between You-In McGregor and the Duke of York.

The unique aspect of Ashely’s pantomimes is that no two shows are the same. This pantomime should be a hugely entertaining night at the theatre for mature audiences. There’s flamboyant costumes, dazzling musical numbers, beautiful male bodies and then there’s Saton – the most breathtaking strip club dancer you’ll want to bring home! Until December 18.

Seymour Centre, Cnr City Rd and Cleveland St, Chippendale, www.seymourcentre.com

what is essentially a burlesque/cabaret/ circus/rave that is super immersive. The music is a jewellery box of reset, re-polished disco classics. Audience members really get into the theme with many turning up in sequins, flares, bright satins and chunky heels. You don’t have

REVIEW

to dress up but it is advisable to wear shoes you can dance in.

“If you’re lucky I’ll play a couple more tunes at the end and we’ll have a sort of a disco boogie.”

Dec 22 - Feb 5, The Studio, Sydney Opera House, velvetrewired.com.au

THINGS I KNOW TO BE TRUE

BY IRINA DUNN

Andrew Bovell’s screen and stage plays have won him many awards and accolades in Australia and internationally over the years.

The current season of his play, Things I Know to be True at the New Theatre in Newtown has been described as “good on the daily frictions of [family] life,” and indeed it is.

Set in Adelaide, it focuses on the tensions within the Price family; Fran and Bob the parents; 19-year-old youngest daughter Rosie; oldest sibling Pip, an education bureaucrat; eldest son Mark, who wants to change his gender to become “Mia”; and youngest son Ben, who admits to skimming $.25 million dollars from the financial services company he works for. Like most baby boomers, Fran and Bob have prioritised their children’s happiness, and this leads to the kids

feeling that their happiness is indeed life’s number one priority, and that they are entitled, even empowered, to take any decision that furthers their personal goals.

On the other hand, Bob has envisaged an enduring domestic life in the home he and Fran have created, with children and grandchildren gathered around him in the garden. Unbeknown to him, we discover over the course of the play that Fran has often thought of leaving.

Director Hailey McQueen has devised clever ways of moving characters into, and out of, the spotlight on the minimal set, while composer and sound designer Rhiannon Jean subtly enhances the emotional nuances of Bovell’s clever, funny and compassionate script.

Until 17 December, New Theatre, 542 King St, Newtown, www.newtheatre.org.au

Aerialist, Beau Sargent

WOULD YOU LIKE A SONG WITH YOUR FRIES?

BY RITA BRATOVICH

Can’t decide whether to have dinner before or after the show? Why not go somewhere where dinner is the show! Broadway Diner is a new concept cafe in Glebe that is everything you want in a fun night out.

This vibrant restaurant is decked out like a classic ‘50s American diner: black and white checked lino floor; upholstered bench-seat booths; bright neons; pastel colour scheme; and heaps of nostalgic paraphernalia. This is the same crew that has set up

lots of other themed venues throughout Sydney including the infamous Karen’s Diner. Don’t worry, the waitstaff at Broadway Diner won’t be rude or obnoxious, but they may well make a song and dance about taking your order – literally!

As well as being able to balance several platefuls of burgers and fries and remember a laundry list of drink orders, the talented staff at Broadway Diner can belt out a show tune and swivel on their toes like they just stepped off the set of a Hollywood musical.

Your food will come fast because the waiters are on rollerskates. This is the perfect place for a work function, special occasion or Christmas celebration. But you better get your

own skates on – word travels fast and places are filling up.

Broadway Shopping Centre, Bay St, Glebe, www.facebook.com/TheBroadway-Diner

CASULA POWERHOUSE TAKES FLIGHT IN 2023

BY ERIN MODARO

C arriageworks in Eveleigh is pulling out all the stops for next year’s Sydney Festival; a compendium of the newest art and performances that features across Sydney city. The program announced for Carriageworks includes a plethora of new and exciting art that pushes boundaries and hones in on important topics.

The Sydney Festival has been running across the city since 1977, and has grown to become one of Australia’s largest cultural events. Major exhibitions will be dedicated to Australian artists Paul Yore and The Huxleys. Yore’s art comes in partnership with the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) to bring an immersive mixed

media installation named WORD MADE FLESH. Architecturally scaled and created to draw upon a pastiche of materials and ideas, the exhibit engages with ideas of queer identity and Anthropocene.

The Huxleys will bring major exhibition, Bloodlines – a tribute to queer artists who lost their lives during the AIDS epidemic – to Carriageworks. Also on the agenda is an ambitious mega mural by Arrernte and Kalkadoon artist Thea Anamara Perkins. The mural covers the walls of the public space at Carriageworks, and was painted during a three week period.

Jan 5 - 29, 2023, Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh, www.sydneyfestival.org.au

Casual Powerhouse will launch a six month long exhibition in January 2023, capturing human fascination with air travel through history and into the near future.

The exhibition, aptly named Flight, is a multi-faceted event with a series of activities, displays, workshops and more, all integrating the theme of “flight”. At the forefront, the exhibition pays tribute to pioneering Australian aviator, Nancy Bird Walton (16 October 1915 – 13 January 2009). Born with the auspicious surname of “Bird” (Walton was her married name) Nancy Bird Walton had always wanted to fly and took lesson in 1933 at the age of 18.

During her career as a pilot, Walton helped set up an air ambulance service, won several air races, trained air force pilots and founded the Australian Women Pilot’s Association. The new international airport being built at Badgery’s Creek is named in her honour.

Flight will preview the new Nancy Bird Walton Airport and Aerotropolis at Badgerys Creek, due for completion in 2026.

The exhibition also features varied works from established Australian and local artists all themed around air travel. The range includes installations, performance, mixed media, models, photography and even drone-racing.

One of the quirky highlights is the collection of Barbie and Ken dolls dressed in hand-made miniature Qantas uniforms and donated to the Museum by former Qantas cook and flight steward, John Willmott-Potts.

“It’s a chance of a lifetime to look at air travel from a fascinating new perspective,” said Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun.

21 Jan – 11 Jun, 2023, Casula Powerhouse, 1 Powerhouse Rd, Casula www.casulapowerhouse.com

Model of Nancy Bird Waltons Leopard Moth aircraft 1933. Image: MAAS Museum

BOOK REVIEWS

Sydney: a biography

BY LOUIS NOWRA

being displaced from the harbour shores to the outskirts of the city.

As Nowra walks around his adopted city, fragments of the past are called up to trigger recollections of the early and later colonial years as the settlement went from barely surviving to eventually thriving.

BY MANDY SAYER

BY JOHN MOYLE

BY JOHN MOYLE

Author and playwright Louis Nowra’s introduction to Sydney was as a nine-year-old driving across the Sydney Harbour Bridge with his father.

Immediately he contrasts the harbour city’s brightness and industrial and architectural power with the drabness of Melbourne, his home town.

Two decades later Nowra makes the journey again, this time for good.

Not only does his career as a playwright and author take off, he also begins a slow love affair with his new home that would be later celebrated in his books Kings Cross: a biography and Woolloomooloo: a biography.

With his new book Sydney: a biography, Nowra has broadened his purview of the city, taking in his early lodgings in Chippendale to Redfern, Ultimo and Surry Hills with day excursions to Mortdale and Clontarf.

Nowra looks at how the city developed, from early Aboriginal settlement to the establishment of the British penal colony and examines how the relationships between the two cultures resulted in one

Historical personalities and events are recalled, from the early days of theatre in the penal colony to Nowra’s contemporaneous hunt for Tracey Emin’s installation The Distance of Your Heart, comprising of 60 hand cast bronze birds scattered along an 850 metre line between Bridge and Grosvenor Streets. Some of the characters that exemplify Sydney stories are well known, such as crooked premier Robert Askin, whose idea of running the state was similar to that of the Rum Corps of Governor Bligh’s time.

Others, like the Fairfax and Packers, we think we know, but Nowra does a great job of peeling away the onion layers of each family’s secrets and their dynastic rise and

Throughout Sydney: a biography Nowra places equal importance on those who came to shape the city, for better or worse, along with the physical manifestations of the city’s architecture and habitats.

Like the city itself, Sydney: a biography is filled with the brash and the garish that sit side by side with the beautiful and exquisite, making it an engaging read seen through the lens of an adopted Sydneyite.

Sydney: a biography by Louis Nowra, published by UNSW Press, Available in hard copy or digital, www.unsw.press.

recognised the closeness of the sisters as I had an enmeshed relationship with my father, but through this they drew so much strength,” Mandy Sayer, author, said.

The three sisters, from a family of seven, from the 1920s to the early 1930s would write, produce, direct and publicise some of our best silent and early talkie films. Employing the same approach to research that she used on a previous book, Australian Gypsies, Sayer first came across the story online and quickly made her way to the National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra for further investigation. Isabella, Phyllis and Paulette were all born within three years of each other at the turn of the century to a surgeon father who had an upmarket patient list and moonlighted his skills at the JC Williams theatre. Their mother ran an open house and held weekly soirees for the local and overseas travelling performers. The sisters would become avid filmgoers, often taking in a movie three or four times a day. At night they would dissect what they had just seen and make notes on the acting and storylines and discuss how they could be improved.

“They didn’t know it at the time but being born at the turn of the century they represented the new woman in the glorious jazz age,”Sayer said.

While living in a large house in the centre of Sydney replete with a fabulous art and furniture collection their father suddenly dies from a cocaine overdose, leaving them grieving but also with the realisation that

they are not as well off as thought. The three sisters decide that if they make a film they could increase their nest egg, and in 1926 they made Those Who Love, with careful attention to hiring the best actors and crew.

Paulette would write and direct, the ravishing Isabella would act and Phylis would take care of everything else.

The first three films were love stories but the women were different: they cracked safes, they brandished pistols and danced the Charleston on Tamarama Beach and were the embodiment of the new woman.”

After the sisters are forced to give up filmmaking in the early 1930s, Sayer follows their individual lives with equally incredible revelations.

While shedding light on early Australian filmmaking, The Dashing McDonaghs is also a snapshot of a time of rapid change, led by these amazing women, written in Sayer’s crisp storytelling style.

Those Dashing McDonagh Sisters: Australia’s First

Filmmaking

Sayer. Published by NewSouth Publishing, Available in print and digital through leading book outlets.

“I

Female

Team by Mandy

Photo: Tanya Lake

Photo: Adam-Knott

FLICKERFEST IS BACK IN THE PAVILION

BY RITA BRATOVICH

Flickerfest is Australia’s largest and one of the world’s most prestigious short-film festivals. It receives entries from across the globe, this year totalling around 3,150 films all vying for honours in a number of competition categories. Flickerfest is also the only Australian film festival with Academy® qualification and BAFTA recognition which means films that win in the following categories are eligible for an Oscar: Flickerfest Award for Best International Short Film, the Yoram Gross Award for Best International Animation, the Panasonic Lumix for Best Australian Short Film and the Flickerfest Award for Best Documentary.

After a two year relocation to North Bondi Beach Park, Flickerfest returns to its newly refurbished home in Bondi Pavilion.

“We’re looking forward to being back there…it’ll be really nice to have an all-weather venue,” says Bronwyn Kidd, Festival Director. While she appreciates the glossy new building and updated facilities of Bondi Pavilion, she can’t help feeling nostalgic.

“There was something very lovely and charming about the old Bondi Pavilion;

it did have a few little rough edges here and there, but there was something really sweet and charming about it...”

By the time she’s finished programming the 2023 festival Kidd will have watched around 900 short films. After so many years (she became festival director in 1998) she can still appreciate every individual film, and is constantly impressed by the changing scope and variety.

“We’re seeing films reflect environmental concerns; we’re seeing films that

are kind of putting forward a cultural perspective - particularly with First Nations films - a real sense of empowerment, of claiming voices, of telling stories that are significant to them. With female directors, similarly too, I think there’s a whole lot of empowerment, really strong voices…”

On Survival Day (January 26), Flickerfest will feature a program focusing on First Nations film-makes. It’s a very popular program and one of which she is proud.

Also popular is the relatively new Rainbow Shorts program featuring LGBTQI+ film makers.

“Again, so many strong films, and I have to say this is an area where I’ve just seen an explosion in storytelling in the last three years. I mean, we opened up to Rainbow Shorts just four years ago now… but just the quality and the explosion.”

Winnowing down a field of 900 films to a program of 120 is no mean feat and there are tough decisions to be made.

One thing Kidd is decisive about is that there be no films about the pandemic or anything else that’s a downer.

“I’m not looking for bleak story-telling, I’m not looking for issues-based storytelling, you know I wanna take people on an uplifting journey. I want them to come and find a bit of joy at Flickerfest.”

With Flicker Kids, aimed at 4 - 12 year olds; Love Bites featuring films about relationships; and Short Laughs, a collection of comedies, plus a bar inside, and the beach outside Flickerfest truly has something for everyone.

Jan 20 - 29, 2023, Bondi Pavilion, Bondi Beach, then touring nationally from Feb - Oct 2023, www.flickerfest.com.au

WRITINGS FROM THE HEART

BY AMBER GRIFFIN

Currency House’s second edition of the New Platform Paper (NPP) series, From the Heart: The Voice, the Arts and Australian Identity is a collection of essays, addresses and speeches by preeminent First Nations thinkers with backgrounds in creative arts, law, and philosophy.

The book includes contributions by Josephine Caust, Tyson Yunkaporta, Joel Pearson, Sally Sales, Eddie Synot and Rachael Maza.

Rachael Maza is a Yidinji and Meriam woman and the artistic director of Ilbijerri Theatre Company in Melbourne. Her piece, Re-RIGHT-ing the Narrative, talks about the imperative for First Nations people to tell their own story.

“It was completely normal for a completely white creative team to make a black story. The reality is […] things haven’t improved very much and we are still having to fight for the right to tell our stories. The term “self-determination” has been around a long time now, but I wonder if people know what it actually means,” Maza told City Hub.

Maza emphasises the importance of

storytelling for First Nations people. “Storytelling is the sinew that ties us together and to this place; it’s through story that we know who we are, our identity - and this is not a First Nations thing - this is all humans.

“But why it’s so critical for the first peoples of this country at this particular time in our history is we, Australia, are

at a juncture, a fork in the road. We can keep going the way we’ve been going, or we can take the other road - the road that recognises the significant place of the first peoples of this land and their extraordinary cultures and longevity […] Compounding the urgency for first nations peoples to be telling their stories, is the fact that for 240 years

stories ‘about us’ have not been told ‘by us’ - Self-determination in storytelling, in theatre, means ‘those whose story it is have the creative, cultural and political authorship over how and for whom the story is told’.”

“These narratives were not written by us but by those who have profited from the dispossession of the first peoples of this country and the theft of their land. It is an innate human instinct to want to tell a version of one’s history that they can be proud of, leaving out or worse still -completely fabricating the facts as needed.”

“The attitudes about aboriginal people today lie deep in the national psyche and too often are revealed in moments like Goodes’s booing, 15-year-old Cassius killed walking home from school, 97% of kids in detention are black etc. We need and must be able to write our own narratives: narratives of our heroes and our warriors.” Maza said.

‘The Voice, the Arts and Australian Identity’ – Currency House’s new ‘Platform Paper Vol 2’ is available at

Photo: Tiffany Garvie

CATHERINE MCQUADE –KISS HIM GOODBYE

SPACE IS THE PLACE AT TEMPE JETSETS

BY CHESTER RIMES

When the old Newtown Jets Sports Club in Tempe folded around a decade ago, the then Marrickville council called for expressions of interest as to how the premises could be used. Eventually, Brand X seized the opportunity and have reinvented the old club into a series of artist and performance spaces.

Since August of this year, Tuesday nights at the venue have been organised by a collective of musicians, under the title of ‘Jetsets’, dedicated to promoting creative and improvised music, from jazz through to more experimental genres.

reuniting for this exclusive Sydney appearance.

Completing the double bill will be saxophonist and composer Matt Ottignon, premiering a dynamic new set of music with his stellar never-heard-before quartet featuring Lauren Tsamouras (piano), Hannah James (acoustic bass) and Holly Connor (drums). Matt is perhaps best known for his Ethiopian flavoured funk and groove outfit Mr Ott and the quartet is an interesting new project for his original music.

BY JOHN MOYLE

With her new album, Kiss Him Goodbye, Catherine McQuade has not only stretched herself musically but has also made a leap in self confidence by taking on the production credits for much of the album.

Kiss Him Goodbye expands on her early aural palette of big sounds and cinematic themes. Here, they are pushed even further to produce an eight track album of exquisite beauty exploring the gamut of the human relationships through the lens of Serge Gainsbourg, cut with the heavy, curling smoke from an unfiltered Gitane. The Morricone inspired opening and title track, “Kiss Him Goodbye”, complete with Patrick Cronin’s whistling, sets the tone for the album’s sweeping cinematic references. Nowhere on the album is this more

prominent than on “Control”, seemingly inspired by the lush and melodic John Barry scores of the James Bond film from the sixties and seventies.

With its seventies disco beat and chop style guitar, “Take Me to the Moon” could be a flashback to an imaginary night where Gloria Gaynor and Debby Harry meet up with Chic and Giorgio Moroder in a Paris club.

This track alone is worthy a a 12-inch vinyl single.

Embellishing McQuade’s multi instrumental input are TCB’s cello, Michael Davis, drums, Daniel Waldron, oboe and Craig Miller, percussion, with mixing by McQuade or Colin Wynne.

The Kiss Him Goodbye CD includes four bonus tracks from last year’s Life is Elsewhere.

catherinemcquade.bandcamp.com

On Tuesday 13 December, Jetsets is combining with SIMA (The Sydney Improvised Music Association) to present an exceptional double bill featuring international collaborators, pianist Sumire Kuribayashi from Japan and trumpeter Niran Dasika, originally from Canada but raised in Melbourne,

This is a great opportunity to catch not only established international artists Sumire Kuribayashi and Niran Dasika but some of Sydney’s finest young musicians in the Matt Ottignon Quartet, at the same time supporting a much needed community-run art space.

Dec 13, 7pm, Tempe Jetsets, Tempe Recreation Reserve, 1 Holbeach Avenue, www.events.humanitix.com/ jetsets-dec13/tickets

FOR SYNTHONY NO.3

Synthony, the phenomenal hybrid concert experience, returns to Australia for a multi-city tour in 2023. This massive dance party/show

features a 60-piece orchestra, DJs, vocalists, instrumentalists, and a huge laser display.

The all-star line-up for Sythony No.3

includes Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Thandi Phoenix, Ilan Kidron, Cassie McIvor, Greg Gould, Matty O, Mobin Master, and event host, Aroha. More names will be announced soon. Master conductor Sarah-Grace Williams, regarded one of the best in the southern hemisphere, will lead the musicians in a repertoire of classic dance hits from across the decades. Williams was also part of Synthony 1 and Sythony 2, and is excited about how the show has evolved: “This show is SYNTHONY all grown up, like a coming of age! SYNTHONY no.1 is a bit of a nostalgic trip down memory lane, celebrating 30 years

of global dance anthems, SYNTHONY no.2 is a little edgier, we still have a show packed with classics but introduce some more new music as well, and Synthony no.3 takes that one step further – the best of EVERYTHING! I am so incredibly excited to be unleashing Synthony no.3 onto Australian audiences, they are going to love this show! For those who have already seen SYNTHONY 1 & 2, you ain’t seen nothing yet! And for those who have never seen a show –now is the time!”

April 22, 2023, Aware Super Theatre, ICC, Darling Harbour, www.synthony.com

BY MARK MORELLINI

Stephen Spielberg is an illustrious film director, possibly the most prominent in Hollywood. His latest movie is a love letter to filmmaking depicting the events in his childhood and teenage years that inspired him to become a film director. The movie highlights the ups and downs in his early life; prejudice he experienced as a Jewish child, the several relocations he experienced owing to his father’s livelihood, the death of his grandmother and the eventual divorce of his parents. His parents initially detested his dream of being a filmmaker, but quickly supported him when they realised he had genuine artistic flare in this field. Initially spellbinding, a quasi-fairy tale was unfolding on screen. But the magic

was not to last, ultimately delivering at best a ‘mixed bag’.

At a running time of just over 2.5 hours the film concentrated too much on the events that influenced Spielberg to become a film director, resulting in somewhat laborious viewing.

Also cutting the running time back by at least 30 minutes would have delivered a more streamlined and watchable movie. Spielberg’s purpose in producing this movie was to highlight his love and passion for the art of filmmaking but unfortunately underwhelmed in the process. The movie is not a complete train wreck but what was anticipated to be a 5 star cinematic event faltered, resulting in a somewhat average film. WWW In Cinemas January 5

BY MARTIN FABINYI

Stars At Noon, the latest film by French auteur Claire Denis, brings Margaret Qualley and Joe Alwyn to the hell-hole of present-day Nicaragua.

Qualley plays a journalist desperate to return the States, and Alwyn is a mysterious Englishman. Together they attempt to escape the police state for the safety of Costa Rica as their initial physical bond becomes something deeper, and more dangerous. When the CIA appears it seems all bets are off.

Even in the depressing, ugly landscape of its backdrop, the story is lifted from pandemic strife by the all-luminous Qualley. She is terrific here, bringing a depth to the hard-drinking/hard-smoking Trish.

Alwyn, on the other hand, is his usual passive, pale self. However, there’s a certain amount of chemistry between

the two leads.

Denis describes the film as a love story between two people who develop a relationship solely due to the context of the revolution. It’s kept as a mysterious escapade film with an expectant outcome, fuelled by a world where the streets are patrolled by gunmen and the strange “magazine editor”, played by an unrecognisable John C. Reilly, controls the outcome. The haunting music of the film was composed by the English alternative rock band Tindersticks, who have contributed the music to many of Claire Denis’ previous films.

Stars At Noon is an intriguing film: not great but made eminently watchable due to Margaret Qualley’s sublime performance.

WWW

In cinemas December 1

BY MARK MORELLINI

Moviegoers be warned – this is not conventional family viewing. It’s best described as an action-packed Christmas black comedy.

When a paramilitary group breaks into the home of a wealthy but dysfunctional family on Christmas eve it’s up to Santa Claus, who happens to be delivering presents, to step in and save the family from the twisted mind of Scrooge, the villainous intruder who will stop at nothing to benefit from the monetary rewards inside the family’s vault. After what can only be declared as the most disgusting and visually offensive opening scene in any Christmas feature, audiences should quickly conclude that this is the style of movie that cinema-goers will either love or hate – there’s no in-between.

This is an absolutely crude but hilarious fun-filled movie which should also have audiences cringing at the ‘extremely colourful’ and distasteful language.

Laughter turns into gasps of horror as the slaughter escalates to the barbaric and visually off-putting finale. Nothing is left to the imagination in this blood fest as body parts literally ‘fly at ya’ from the screen.

Violent Night is ultimately a well-made but trashy movie that may fail to find an audience. Since Santa Claus is in the movie adults may believe it’s a kid’s Christmas flick and since the word ‘Violent’ is in the title, families will stay away – and so they should.

WWW In Cinemas December 1

BY MARK MORELLINI

The word sadness may appear in the title, but this is the most outrageous, irrelevant, non-sensical and wickedly funny movie you’ll ever care to see and at a running time of just over 2.5 hours you’ll surprisingly wish there was more! Basically a satirical black comedy concerning the wealthy, capitalism, and materialism, the hilarity lies in the extreme level of absurdity and the intensely awkward situations which these characters are placed in.

The colourful madcap characters are quickly introduced in this multi-layered film which is divided into three parts; the fashion world, the yachting experience and marooned on a deserted island. The cruise sequence may unsettle sensitive audiences, many of whom may never travel on an any form of sea craft

again after witnessing the exaggerated yet effective explosion of human fluids aboard the yacht.

Woody Harrelson is the most recognisable actor to Australian audiences, playing the role of the unhinged yet strangely likeable captain, and is supported by an ensemble cast of predominantly European actors. The uninhibited nature of this film and its unconventional structure with sharp yet witty dialogue should transform this into the most talked about and mustsee film of the year. Take the plunge – come aboard this luxury yacht and ‘enjoy’ the voyage to lunacy!! There’s no doubt that audiences should be jolted by this extremely engaging cinematic experience.

WWWW1/2

In Cinemas December 26