TANYA PLIBERSEK
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR SYDNEY
Plus, we’ve announced we’ll open another 50 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, including at Burwood, Chatswood and Marrickville. This builds on the 87 we’ve already delivered, and will mean 4 in 5 Australians will live within a 20-minute drive from one.
When Peter Dutton was Health Minister, he cut $50 billion from our hospitals, tried to jack up essential medicines by $5 and visits to your GP by $7, and said there were “too many free Medicare services.” Labor created Medicare, only Labor will strengthen it.
Funding public schools
We’ve just announced $4.8 billion to fix the funding of NSW public schools. This is the biggest new investment in NSW public schools by the Australian Government ever and it’s tied to reforms like more individualised support for students, evidence-based teaching practices, and more mental health and wellbeing support. We’re making sure every child gets a great start in life.
Supporting micro brewers
In good news for brewers and hospitality venues, the Albanese Labor Government will freeze the indexation on the draught beer excise for two years. This will take the pressure off the price of a beer poured in venues like pubs and clubs, also supporting businesses and tourism. And from 1 July 2026, eligible wine, brewing and spirit manufacturers will be able to reclaim up to $400,000 – an increase of $50,000 – in monies paid to excise or Wine Equalisation Taxes.
Powering 10 million homes
Our government has approved enough renewable energy to power over 10 million homes – that’s almost every household in Australia. This is the most renewable energy any government has ticked off in Australian history.
Unlike the climate deniers and environmental vandals of the Liberal and National party, Labor is getting on with the job of transforming Australia into a renewable energy superpower.
We’ve already added 15GW of renewable energy to the grid – that’s more than Peter Dutton’s entire nuclear plan could hope to produce in 25 years.
The choice is clear: Labor - pumping renewables into the grid at record highs; or Peter Dutton and his $600 billion nuclear fantasy that pushes up power bills and keeps emissions higher for longer.
Protecting our environment
The Albanese Labor Government has also been working hard to protect the environment including:
Protecting an extra 100 million hectares of land and ocean – an area four times the size of the UK.
Driving a transition to a circular economy with the first ever Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Policy to generate strong local demand for recycled goods and cut waste.
Recycling an extra 1 million tonnes of rubbish every year.
Easing the cost of living
Under Labor, wages are up, unemployment is low, and now interest rates are coming down.
We’ve also delivered:
Tax cuts for all Australians
Energy bill relief
Cheaper medicines
15% pay rise for early childhood educators and aged care workers
Lower uni debts
Fee-free TAFE
And more.
With an election soon, Australians will have a choice between a Labor Government who is focused on helping them, or Peter Dutton who has opposed these measures at every turn and has said he’ll cut $315 billion from essential services.
Eviction notices for 147 Waterloo
public housing residents
(See p.4)
HUBARTS: PIRATES OF PENZANCE
An endlessly funny reimagining of a classic
(See p.18)
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HubNEWS
Exhibition honouring 60th anniversary of the Freedom Ride
BY WILL THORPE
Aphotographic exhibition commemorating the historic 1965 Freedom Ride is now open to the public, hosted by the City of Sydney.
The exhibition features pictures from the famous bus tour of northern New South Wales, during which students protested remnant segregation and campaigned against discrimination targeted at Aboriginal peoples, raising national awareness of these injustices.
City Hub attended the exhibition, which began on 13 February and runs for a month. Located near Redfern station, the exhibition space is a historic building which has been aptly renovated for such a display.
As well as pictures of the trip, it features contemporary portraits of some who lived in towns on the way when the bus full of metropolitan varsity students came along, bringing national media attention with them.
Viewers can scan QR codes to hear from some of the people who bore witness to this history.
‘ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S MOST SIGNIFICANT CIVIL RIGHTS PROTESTS’
The trip was inspired by the Freedom Rides, which took place in the United States.
From 1961, multiracial groups of university students travelled on interstate buses into the American Deep South, testing whether court rulings mandating desegregation on buses would be adhered to.
The violent backlash the activists received helped put the cause of black civil rights at the top of the American national consciousness.
Arrente and Kalkadoon man Charles Perkins led the Freedom Ride in New South Wales. He is frequently cited as the first Aboriginal man to graduate from an Australian university.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore AO said the excursion “is now widely recognised as one of Australia’s most significant civil rights protests.”
“While the bus was on the road for a little more than two weeks, the Freedom Ride sparked national and
international debate for years about the discrimination and injustices faced by Aboriginal peoples,” the Lord Mayor remarked.
“The protest had a lasting impact in the regional communities the bus visited and influenced the civil rights and selfdetermination movement in Redfern in the 1970s.”
“Our exhibition is another way to mark the legacy and impact of the Freedom Ride, 60 years on.”
This was the first time I saw white people stand up against the racism we lived with every day
Lyall Munro Jnr, who grew up in Moree, remembers when the students came to town.
“When I was 13, I watched the bus roll down the mission,” Munro said.
“The white students on the bus along with Charlie came down and asked some of the parents on the mission if they could take some of us kids to the pool. Some parents were scared to let
their kids go, but others were okay after they explained what they were doing.”
“This was the first time I saw white people stand up against the racism we lived with every day.”
Heritage Minister Penny Sharpe and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty David Harris commemorated the ride in the northern town of Walgett, where they announced a funding grant for a memorial pavilion.
When students arrived in Walgett, they found Indigenous veterans were banned from the local Returned Services League club.
After the students left the town, their bus was run off the road by angry locals from Walgett who had followed them in the night.
A blue plaque was unveiled by the ministers to commemorate the historic event six decades ago.
Two years after the Freedom Ride, an overwhelming majority of Australians voted to count Indigenous people in the Census and give the Commonwealth Parliament the ability to legislate for their benefit.
The historic 1965 Freedom Ride exhibition is open to the public at 119 Redfern Street, Redfern, from 13 February – 13 March.
Photo: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, courtesy SEARCH Foundation
Photo: Will Thorpe
Photo: Will Thorpe
Food composting will be mandated across NSW by 2030
BY WILL THORPE
Food and garden organics (FOGO) composting will be mandated across NSW by July 2030, with the state government stepping in as Sydney continues to use up its remaining landfill space – projected to run out by the same year.
Councils will be mandated to provide FOGO collection to households by this date, and becoming mandatory for businesses and institutions from July 2026.
Energy Minister Penny Sharpe’s office hailed the policy, saying that the government was taking “strong action” to avert the state’s waste crisis.
We cannot kick this can down the road any longer
“NSW has just passed landmark legislation to become the first state to implement a statewide mandate for Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) recycling, to divert food waste from landfill into compost,” the ministry said.
“FOGO bins will be rolled out at premises such as supermarkets, pubs, cafes, universities, schools, hotels and hospitals.”
In another change, large supermarkets will be required to report on the amounts and types of surplus food donated to charities like OzHarvest, Second Bite and Foodbank.
“With FOGO taking up to a third of household red bin capacity, this legislation will help take some pressure
147 Waterloo public housing residents handed eviction notices
BY LYDIA JUPP
Waterloo South public housing estate residents have rallied after being handed eviction notices giving them six months to "relocate".
off landfill. It also takes us one step closer to a circular economy in NSW, where resources are recycled, reused and repurposed.”
Sharpe said that the state “has ignored the crisis for landfill capacity for too long”.
“We cannot kick this can down the road any longer,” she said.
“The new FOGO laws mean NSW is leading the nation in combating food waste, becoming the first to mandate this recycling revolution across the state.”
An $81 million funding package will support the expansion of composting.
The ministry says the “FOGO Fund” is largely to be distributed to councils, for costs associated with public bins, kitchen caddies and compostable liners, as well as contamination audits, community education programs, and staffing.
It also includes funding boosts for the implementation of FOGO composting in multiple-unit dwellings, statewide advertising, and $1 million for “a pilot to tackle contamination hotspots using artificial intelligence.”
“GREATER
SYDNEY
IS RUNNING OUT OF LANDFILL”
The bill, which has now passed parliament, was first read before the Legislative Council in late November.
“There is no beating about the bush –Greater Sydney is running out of landfill. Our recycling rates have stagnated at 2016 levels,” Sharpe said at the time.
According to the minister, the collection of food waste could divert 950,000 tonnes from landfill annually.
Homes NSW delivered notices to 147 residents on 27 February, informing them that their homes will be torn down as part of ‘Stage 1’ of a $4 billion redevelopment plan. The state government intends to replace the 750 public housing properties with 3000 new homes, half of which will be private. Residents have been fighting it since 2015.
“Waterloo South is our home and we don’t want our community to be destroyed by governments hellbent on privatising housing and land," said Karyn Brown, resident of Waterloo South public housing estate and Action for Public Housing spokesperson.
"Our communities are not for sale. We are in a housing and environment crisis. The last thing the government should be doing is evicting us, putting us in another home someone else could be living in, then demolishing perfectly liveable homes when we need to save and salvage finite resources.”
In 2023, local Labor MP Ron Hoenig sent letters to Waterloo tenants telling them they could “stop the sell-off of the Waterloo Public Housing Estate” and “protect” their homes by voting Labor.
The plan is still going ahead, with the government being awarded the contract for the first stage of the project last August.
Housing Minister Rose Jackson told the SMH that the evicted residents would be able to return to the new housing estate.
RESIDENTS LABEL MOVE AS "DEVELOPER GREED"
"Our communities don’t need more expensive apartments that few can afford to rent, let alone buy: our communities need more public, accessible, and genuinely affordable housing,” said Greens housing spokesperson, Newtown MP Jenny Leong.
"Razing an estate that is currently 100% public housing and replacing it with a watered-down mix of public, community, and market housing while
Our communities don’t need more expensive apartments that few can afford to
the public housing waiting list blows out to more than 63,000 households is completely unconscionable."
The eviction notices informed residents that they would be provided with a "Relocation Officer" to help them move "to another home in the local area, or [their] area of choice", but residents say the issue is bigger than themselves.
“This proposed demolition shows the government only cares about developer greed and privatising public lands, not about solving the housing crisis," said Brown.
"There are 63,000 people on the waiting list for public housing in NSW. You demolish public housing and it takes 10 years to build something in its wake."
Photo: Inner West Council / Facebook
Photo: Action for Public Housing / Facebook
Photo: Action for Public Housing / Facebook
Motion passed to accelerate Town Hall Square construction
BY LYDIA JUPP
Lord Mayor Clover Moore has announced work on the Town Hall Square will start sooner than expected.
At a council meeting on 17 February, the City of Sydney Council unanimously endorsed her motion asking the City to accelerate the delivery of Town Hall Square as part of their 2025/26 budget. Demolition will start in the next few years. The idea of a public square opposite Town Hall has been thrown around by various councils for fifty years. Former Lord Mayor Doug Sutherland devised the plan in 1982.
"For more than three decades, the City of Sydney under successive Lord Mayors has been progressively acquiring properties opposite Town Hall to create space for a future Town Hall Square," said Moore.
Ph: (02) 9517 2800
E: newtown@parliament.nsw.gov.au
W: jennyleong.org
383 King St, Newtown NSW 2042
"That’s because Sydney is Australia’s global city, and like other major cities, it needs large welcoming civic spaces for growing residential and working populations and for millions of local, national and international visitors."
Sydney is Australia’s global city, and… it needs large welcoming civic spaces
In 2023, councillors were advised to extend the commercial and retail leases in the area until 2035, in order to give the council more time to buy the required properties after the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the costs to maintain and upgrade the aging buildings, so they comply with current standards, was becoming prohibitive.
"Investing in buildings we intend to demolish for the future Town Hall Square is not prudent," said Moore. "Therefore, last night I asked Council to re-evaluate and adapt to changing conditions by moving the project forward in this year's budget."
A NEW CHAPTER IN A DECADES-LONG SAGA
Moore was criticised for delaying action on the Square in 2023.
“It’s often said that failing to plan is planning to fail, and it certainly has been in the case of the new Town Hall Square under this Lord Mayor,” Councillor Linda Scott told City Hub two years ago.
“We don’t have a costed, public plan, and a timetable, for the new square, and as a result the timeframe has been pushed out again and again with ad hoc decisions like the one taken by the Lord Mayor and her team last May, to extend the leases for the properties on the land needed for the Square out to 2035.” Council papers have estimated that the project will cost more than $200 million dollars, and will require funding from the state and federal governments. Terminating the leases of the current occupants — like the Woolworths on the north-west corner — would also significantly reduce the council’s income.
We must save our public land and end native forest logging
According to the North East Forest Alliance, more than 7,000 hectares have been logged in the planned Great Koala National Park area since 2023 - despite NSW Labor’s promise to save our native forests.
Our native forests are our best defence against climate catastrophe. It is both confronting and disappointing that despite being elected on a promise to deliver a sanctuary for endangered wildlife, NSW Labor has failed to protect the proposed national park area.
Instead, they have opted to continue with destructive native forest logging in the middle of an environmental crisis.
To make matters worse, the native forest logging industry in NSW is now
pressuring the Minns Labor Government to scrap the 176,000 hectares that they previously committed to protect.
This same industry that is set to reap the most benefits from the destruction of our native forests is proposing that the Government only save 37,000 hectares of this public land - meaning the remaining 139,000 hectares may be sacrificed for corporate interests.
My colleague Sue Higginson MLC, the NSW Greens spokesperson for the Environment, has been leading the campaign to end native forest logging, and to establish a moratorium on logging in the koala habitat.
If we want to seriously address the climate crisis and also give our Koalas a fighting change against extinction, we must end native forest logging.
Call on the Premier and the Minister for the Environment to establish the Great Koala National Park by signing Sue’s petition using the QR code below or visit suehigginson.org/gknp.
Jenny Leong MP Greens Member for Newtown
Photo: Artist's impression of Town Hall Square via Lord Mayor Clover Moore
Flight paths exclude Inner West suburbs from housing reforms
BY LYDIA JUPP
Parts of the Inner West marked for development under the New South Wales government "missing middle" housing reforms will be rejected because they fall under the Sydney Airport’s flight paths.
Announced in late February, the low and mid-rise reforms aim to add 112,000 new dwellings over the next five years, specifically terraces, townhouses and residential flat buildings. However, some suburbs initially listed in the policy, such as Annandale, Petersham, Leichhardt, and Stanmore, as well as parts of Kingsford and Rockdale, will no longer be included.
The "missing middle" reforms are part of the Minns government's attempts to build 378,000 homes by July 2029, increasing the density within 800 metres of 171 sites near train stations and town centres, and allowing buildings up to six storeys within a five-minute walk of the sites.
“The homes built under these reforms will be close to transport, open spaces and services that people need, creating better connected and more liveable neighbourhoods by making the most
of existing critical infrastructure,” Minns said, when the changes were announced.
POLICY DOESN’T APPLY TO AREAS WITH 20+ ANEF CONTOUR
The Department of Housing's website offers an explanation for the excluded areas, and says "the policy does not apply" in areas contained within the Australian Noise Exposure Forecast (ANEF) contour of 20 or greater.
“The 20+ contour is considered a high level of noise exposure and generally affects land under flight landing paths nearing the runways," the website reads.
"Additional housing density is generally discouraged in these areas to ensure the effective operation of the airport and to minimise exposure to hazardous noise levels."
Existing council development policies do not ban development under the flight paths. A guideline for building
Sydney Writers' Fest Chair resigns over Middle East "tussle"
BY LYDIA JUPP
Kathy Shand, the chair of the Sydney Writers' Festival quit mere weeks before 2025’s program announcement, citing concerns that the event fails to present a range of opinions on issues like the ongoing IsraeliPalestinian conflict.
Shand’s replacement, Robert Watkins, didn't offer any information as to why she had stepped down, only thanking her for her "leadership, generosity, and unwavering commitment" to the festival.
However, two sources "familiar with the festival's operations" told SMH there had been a "tussle" going on for years, over the "emphasis placed on showcasing a diversity of views on issues such as the Middle East conflict and geopolitics".
The program was set to be announced on March 13, with the festival beginning May 19.
Guardian Australia was briefed about the 2025 program prior to Shand's
resignation, and had independently confirmed it includes multiple influential Jewish and Palestinian writers and thinkers.
2025 program] demonstrably reflects the festival’s ongoing commitment to presenting a plurality of voices
“Artistic freedom and independence are to be guarded and cherished,” Shand wrote in her resignation statement. “But freedom of expression cannot and should not be used as a justification to accept language and conversations that compromise the festival as a safe and inclusive space for all audiences.
“Every session that is planned needs to reflect the values of the festival and represent the highest standard of consideration and curation.
site acceptability within ANEF zones states that houses, units, and flats are "conditionally acceptable" in areas with a 20 to 25 contour, almost the entire zone.
A spokesperson from the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure told SMH the policy wouldn't apply within the ANEF contours, but that the areas were included because altering flight paths meant the map could change over time.
Additional housing density is generally discouraged in these areas… to minimise exposure to hazardous noise levels
“A small number of town centres and stations have a slight affectation under the current contours. Of those, given the long-term nature of the policy, it would be wrong to exclude the sites in their entirety,” he said.
"Lots impacted by the [ANEC] and contours were taken into account and do not impact the number of homes delivered under the policy,” added Planning Minister Paul Scully.
“The reputation of the Sydney Writers’ Festival has been hard won and is well deserved. This needs to be protected and great care needs to be taken with the stages that carry the imprimatur of the festival. At a time when cultural organisations are faced with challenges I wish the festival well.”
Shand is a board member of the Sydney Jewish museum, and a former copublisher of the Australian Jewish News.
SWF ASSURES "PLURALITY OF VOICES" WILL BE HEARD
"The Sydney Writers’ Festival proudly champions freedom of expression, freedom of speech and respectful debate," said Watkins in a statement.
"The Board firmly believes that the 2025 festival program, scheduled for
announcement on March 13th, will demonstrably reflect the festival’s ongoing commitment to presenting a plurality of voices, a diversity of thought, and a program that will deeply engage our audience. This includes both Jewish and Palestinian writers and thought leaders. The Board are united and supportive of the 2025 program."
Shand's resignation comes in the midst of Creative Australia's decision to rescind their nomination for Lebaneseborn artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Micheal Dagostino to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale.
Photo: Inner West Council Housing Snapshot
Students rally to support faculty member reprimanded over political post
BY LYDIA JUPP
Students at Granville Boys High School spent February 26 protesting to support a member of the school’s faculty, who had been reprimanded for sharing a post about the Sydney nurses who made antisemitic comments in a viral video.
Sheikh Wesam Charkawi, a student support officer at the Granville school and a convener of Muslim Vote, was “counselled about his obligations” by the NSW Education Department after posting a video on TikTok. It was claimed his post breached the department's social media policy and code of ethics.
Charkawi accused political leaders of “selective moral outrage” after footage emerged of nurses from Bankstown Hospital allegedly saying they would refuse to treat Israeli patients, even if it meant killing them.
“The most revealing aspect of the political outrage is the speed, intensity, and coordination of the response from figures who have been otherwise largely indifferent, weak, or outright complicit in enabling mass atrocities,” he said in the video, which has since been deleted.
"This isn't just hypocrisy, and it isn't just a double standard... it's an orchestrated moral framework where
outrage is not dictated by the severity of an action but by the one who commits it."
Charkawi was told by senior education department officials to "temporarily work from an alternate location".
At 9am on February 26, students gathered at the front of the school alongside parents, where they listened to speeches in support of Charkawi.
PUBLIC SECTOR STAFF REMINDED OF DUTY TO IMPARTIALITY
NSW Education Minister Prue Car said school was not a place of protest.
"The best place for students in school is in class learning. That was not the case here and that is not acceptable.”
This isn't just hypocrisy... it's an orchestrated moral framework
Advocacy group Teachers for Palestine, who also attended the protest in support of Charkawi, said that evening that the attack on him was "outrageous", and that his comments did not break the social media policy.
NSW Premier’s department secretary Simon Draper
and NSW Public Service Commissioner Kathrina Lo wrote a joint letter to public sector staff last week, saying they have “a duty to uphold the reputation of your department and the government sector as apolitical, impartial and professional”.
“You have a right to express your views and support causes, but always with a mind to how it might impact on your role as a public servant and trust in our institutions by all members of the community,” read the letter.
NSW Government cracks down on hidden parking app fees
BY NAOMI LAWRENCE
Sydney motorists may soon avoid sneaky surcharges when using parking apps, as the Minns Government moves to ban hidden fees and require councils to charge only the signposted parking prices.
In a statement released on 22 February, NSW Roads Minister John Graham implored local councils to stop passing the buck to drivers and ensure the advertised parking prices are the final amount.
Motorists are fed up with being slugged with hidden fees
Graham’s call follows numerous complaints that third-party parking apps are adding steep service fees, sometimes beyond 10 percent of the total cost.
Ticketless parking systems, offering ease of access via QR codes and digital payment for flexible parking timings, have become the norm with councils
across NSW. While they reduce admin costs and provide real-time data, many motorists report being hit with unexpected fees.
“Councils need to read the signs: motorists are fed up with being slugged with hidden fees on top of the cost of parking,” Graham said.
According to SMH, parking apps like EasyPark — commonly used in Parramatta and Newcastle — charge an 11.5 percent service fee, while North Sydney’s PayStay system adds an 8.25
percent fee per transaction.
Some apps also charge 34 cents per reminder notification, leaving many drivers with a higher bill than expected.
‘THE COST TO PARK SHOULD BE JUST AS IT SAYS ON THE SIGN’
Under current NSW regulations, councils must bear responsibility for covering parking administration costs, not drivers. The government is cracking down on all parking authorities, including local councils, and may
require them to absorb these fees or negotiate fairer deals with service providers.
Despite driver frustrations, Graham also acknowledges that digital parking has its benefits, making payment easier and helping drivers avoid fines. However, he insists that extra fees must be removed.
“The cost to park should be just as it says on the sign regardless of how you pay. It’s a simple concept that we want all councils to get onboard with and we are inviting their feedback to help shape improvements for the consumer,” said Graham.
The government will consult with councils for feedback in making necessary changes in the Pay Parking and Controlled Loading Zone Guidelines, ensuring motorists only pay the advertised price on parking signs.
The reform follows recent government action against two-tiered beach parking schemes in the Northern suburbs. Renters have been forced to pay for permits while homeowners park for free, resulting in Mosman's mayor criticising the NSW government for cost-shifting to local councils.
Photo: City of Sydney
Photo: Video screengrab via VoteLewko / X
Fair Work Commission suspends rail union strikes until July
BY LYDIA JUPP
After months of repeated rail strikes in Sydney, a ruling from the Fair Work Commission has ordered unions to end stoppages until July 1.
The Fair Work Commission announced the decision late on February 19, although they didn't grant the six-month suspension requested by the New South Wales government.
Fair Work president Adam Hatcher said both the NSW government and the rail unions had engaged in "mutual public recrimination" throughout the work stoppages, and expressed his hope that the intermission would help the groups reach an agreement.
We're ready to meet tomorrow if the government will meet us
“This gives us the clear air to stop interrupting people’s lives and get on with the business of landing an agreement, [and] fair pay and conditions for rail workers,” Transport Minister John Graham told the media on the night of the ruling.
Graham said the ruling "promises an end to distribution for commuters," and would allow "cool heads to prevail".
"That's hugely welcome, this is clear air for these discussions, but most importantly it's clear air for the commuters as they move around the city, and that's what really matters here."
The four-month suspension of industrial action will act as a coolingoff period, giving the government and unions time to bring down hostilities.
UNION ‘DISAPPOINTED’ BUT READY FOR NEGOTIATIONS
NSW Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) branch secretary Toby Warnes said it was “incredibly disappointing that the NSW government has allowed its dispute with the state’s rail workers to get to this point” and that it set “a dangerous precedent”.
“It has set an industrial agenda for aggressive employers, which should be a serious concern not just for rail workers, but for workers everywhere.”
Warnes said that although RTBU was hopeful that the NSW government would return to the negotiating table, it wasn’t something they were confident in.
"We're ready to meet tomorrow if the government will meet us," he said. "Relations between rail workers, their managers, management and the government are at an all-time low, I think it's really important we have a moment where we all come together.
"Hopefully we can mend that little bit of the bridge that is left."
NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman criticised the Minns government, saying the unions should have been taken to Fair Work much earlier.
"This is a militant set of unions that has been holding commuters to ransom," he said.
"If a deal is not struck by the 1st of July, that reflects badly on a militant union, a weak government, or both of them."
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
New gambling data shows NSW is losing over $150 million a week
BY LYDIA JUPP
Gambling losses on NSW poker machines have hit a record high, with pubs and clubs raking in $8.64 billion in revenue over 2024.
New data from Liquor and Gaming NSW shows a 6.3 percent increase in net gaming profit among pubs and clubs since 2023, the steepest increase outside of the COVID rebound in at least six years.
“If you average out the appalling losses from poker machines, the people of NSW lose $166 million every week, or $47 million every weekend," said NSW Council of Social Service CEO Cara Varian.
If it’s not a wake-up call to our state’s leaders, I’m not sure what is
“That’s not a few having a punt, it’s a crisis. This new data is appalling in the extreme, and if it’s not a wake-up call to our state’s leaders, I’m not sure what is."
This comes despite a fleet of gambling reform measures introduced by the state government in 2023, including the banning of external gambling signage, a reduction in the cash input limit on new gaming machines, and the investment of $100 million towards further changes. Only last month, the government moved to ban gambling advertisements on public transport.
Sydney’s secret train tunnels will soon see the light of day
BY CHRISTINE LAI
Hidden 20 metres beneath Sydney’s CBD, the longabandoned St James tunnels will finally see the light of day when they open to the public later this year.
Built in the 1920s, the St James tunnels were designed by engineer John Bradfield, who is known for his lead roles in the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the underground railway system.
‘THESE TUNNELS BELONG TO THE PEOPLE OF NSW’ Minister for Transport John Graham said, “These historic tunnels are more than just infrastructure; they are an expression of Sydney’s development as a modern, international city. These tunnels belong to the people of NSW, so it’s fantastic news that they’ll become another of our city’s great public spaces.”
At the time, Varian said NCOSS welcomed the move, but encouraged the government to “ramp up its efforts and implement stronger gambling reform measures”
GAMBLING CULTURE A "PREVENTABLE PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS"
Harm reduction advocates say the government needs to step up and tackle the issue head on.
“If we lined up every poker machine in NSW, the line of devastation would reach from Parliament House on Macquarie Street to Lithgow Workies,” said Varian.
“We’ve seen the NSW Government take small steps towards reform, but they’re avoiding the big step that would actually help – mandatory cashless gaming.
“The Independent Panel report explicitly recommended mandatory cashless gaming – if the Government doesn’t implement it now, we will never get ourselves out of this mess.”
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Wesley Mission's chief executive Stu Cameron said it was a "preventable public health crisis".
“This 6 percent plus increase on 2023’s poker machine losses … is a direct result of a failure to implement reforms with real teeth,” Cameron said.
“The government needs to ask itself –are they here to serve the people of NSW or protect the profits of pubs and clubs?
“There is no clear reason for this damaging rise though it is reasonable to assert that a ruthlessly efficient, harm causing industry continues to perfect their business models that wreak havoc across NSW.”
However, the tunnels were left unfinished when the project was abandoned during the Great Depression. Now, after more than a century, they have been revitalised, offering visitors a unique glimpse into the city’s underground history.
“Tours like BridgeClimb on the Harbour Bridge are now a must-do experience for Sydney locals and visitors alike. In time, we want to see tours of the St James tunnels become just as popular,” Minister Graham said.
Transport Asset Manager of NSW (TAM) Chief Executive Lyndal Punch shared that TAM was proud to be leading
Once utilised as a World War II air raid shelter, tour groups will be able to walk through the disused southern tunnel, extending under Hyde Park, from busy St James station.
St James Tunnels will combine a historical walking tour with an immersive multimedia and soundscape attraction, offering visitors a snapshot of our city’s transport and wartime past.
The St James Tunnels experience is part of the NSW Government’s push for "experience-led tourism," aiming to grow the state's visitor economy to $91 billion by 2035.
Experience-led tourism is a key priority of the NSW Government, with plans to help transform the state’s visitor economy into a $91 billion powerhouse by 2035.
this innovative project which unlocked a “disused, historic rail asset while using multimedia technology to tell the story of Sydney’s city railway development”.
This new visitor attraction will ensure the stories of the past continue to inspire future generations
“This new visitor attraction will ensure the stories of the past continue to inspire future generations.”
The tour is anticipated to run several times a day and will be suitable for visitors aged 13 and above.
Tours are expected to commence later this year, once an operator is appointed.
Photo: Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation
Photo: Beau Giles / Flickr
Cat Boutique
Your one-stop shop for all your cat care essentials! Stock up on all your feline friends’ favourite treats, toys, food, litter and so much more.
Plus lots of great gifts for cat lovers!
214 Marrickville Road, Marrickville
Monday to Friday 10am – 5pm | Saturdays 10am – 2pm
Name: TURNIP, Age: 1 year (est)
Sex & Colour: Female Calico DSH
Turnip will turn up the happiness in your life! She is sure to make you feel better and give your heart a boost with her special blend of purrs and head bumps. Turnip is very passionate about food and can be quite persuasive when it comes to snacks, snuggling up to you and giving you those gorgeous green eyes to encourage an extra treat or two. She will need a strictly indoor-only forever home so her special diet and medications can be monitored. Turnip is an exceptional little kitty and has a unique wobbly way of making her way around, but this doesn’t stop her exploring and never gets in the way of her having fun. With her pretty pink nose and glamourous eyeliner you’ll soon be smitten with this stunning feline.
INTERESTED IN ADOPTING? visit www.catprotection.org.au
Rehoming Organisation Number: R251000224
Rozelle sports grounds inaccessible & trapped in bureaucratic limbo
BY WILL THORPE
Two new sporting fields in the Rozelle Parklands are in bureaucratic limbo as Transport for NSW and the Inner West Council tussle on who should bear responsibility for hypothetical future contamination.
The parklands were initially opened in December 2023 on much of the site of the former Rozelle railway yard, closing the following month following the discovery of asbestos in mulch.
The area was reopened to the public in stages from late March, and it was reported at the time that the public would regain access to the sporting fields. Most of the parklands reopened in late April.
However, sporting clubs and organisations are still unable to obtain permission to use the fields, which consist of an oval with a cricket pitch and a rectangular field, situated next to each other between Lilyfield Road and the City West Link, and bounded to the west by the pedestrian bridge to the Rozelle Bay light rail station.
BALMAIN DISTRICT FC DESPERATE TO USE FACILITIES
Early in January, president of the Balmain District Football Club Paul Avery told the Daily Telegraph that the bureaucratic hold-up was “utter madness” and bemoaned the delay.
“We have more than 3,100 players in the association and we’re desperate to get access to the playing fields because all the facilities we play on at the moment are beyond capacity,’ Avery said.
“For more than 12 months we’ve been looking with longing at the fields which are open to everyone except for sporting clubs. The situation is just crazy.”
“The delays have been a huge disappointment to all sport codes but particularly football and AFL because we have an increasing participation rate and a chronic shortage of fields to play on.”
As of writing, nearly two months have passed with the issue yet to be resolved – though Transport for NSW says it hopes to reach an agreement “as soon as possible” to permit the handover of
the facilities to the Inner West Council.
Inner West mayor Darcy Byrne expressed his anger at the stagnation, accusing Transport for NSW of seeking to “rip our community off”.
“We’ve discovered now that the agency seemingly wants to transfer liability and risk for the contaminated ground underneath the Parklands to our community and there’s no way we will be agreeing to that,” the mayor chided.
“After the asbestos saga and all of the other problems at Rozelle Parklands, you would think Transport for NSW would get their act together so that we, as a council, can start managing and improving the Parklands for our community.”
LOCAL MP CAUTIONS INNER WEST COUNCIL
However, state member for Balmain Kobi Shetty was concerned that the council “may be biting off more than they can chew, particularly in light of the difficulties with this particular site.”
A press release from her office stated that ratepayers “could be saddled with an annual bill of $650,000 for the ongoing care and management of Rozelle Parklands, as part of a planned
agreement with the NSW Government and Inner West Council.”
According to her office, the council has been seeking to take over the care, control and management of the entire parklands, with the New South Wales Government in exchange offering a oneoff payment of $20 million for use across the Inner West Council area rather than specifically on the parklands.
The community deserves to be able to enjoy this park, without the risk of cost blowouts
“We had the asbestos debacle this time last year, and we’re still waiting for contractors to finish the work that should have been delivered when the toll road opened over a year ago, including the promised sports courts, lighting, and more amenities blocks,” the local member said.
Shetty said that the parklands “aren’t even finished yet and Council are looking at saddling our community with
an ongoing bill of well over half a million dollars for maintenance every year.”
“I’ve heard from locals who are concerned that it’s just not sustainable for council to take on this cost. They don’t want to see rates escalating in the future as a result of this decision, or the money being taken from other important projects to fund it.”
This comes as other councils in Sydney have sought to impose monolithic rate rises on residents, namely the Northern Beaches Council and the North Sydney Council.
“Council could minimise this risk by leaving the care and management of Rozelle Parklands with the NSW Government and lease the sports fields. We already have an example of this type of arrangement in the heritage listed Callan Park, managed by Greater Sydney Parklands.”
“At the end of the day, there’s no real benefit to our community if council takes responsibility for this site without appropriate compensation for the ongoing cost. The community deserves to be able to enjoy this park, without the risk of cost blowouts impacting ratepayers in the future.”
Photo: Inner West Council / Instagram
COFFIN ED’S NAKED CITY
THE BIG LEAGUES: FEAR & SYCOPHANCY IN LAS VEGAS
You are staging a big sporting event that will be viewed by millions of Australians on local TV, including many young children and impressionable teenagers. You decide to get publicity by inviting somebody bound to capture everybody’s attention.
Would you invite a pathological liar, a man convicted of sexual battery, a once close confidant of notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, a supporter of Germany’s far right AfD party, a buddy of Vladimir Putin and a former TV hack who once suggested his stardom entitled him to “grab 'em by the pussy”? If you are the current Australian Rugby League supremo Peter V’landys, the answer is yes!
Prior to the NRL games which began in Vegas last weekend, V’landys appeared on Fox and Friends, personally extending an invitation for President Donald Trump to attend.
“Good morning, Mr. President,” he gushed, “I know you watch Fox and
Friends, which is a great program, extremely fair and balanced. Mr President, we want to introduce you to the toughest game on earth, rugby league, in the world’s sport and entertainment capital, Las Vegas.” It was either a sickening display of sycophancy, a misguided attempt to
lure somebody who doesn’t give a soiled diaper about Rugby League, or simply a contrived publicity stunt – maybe a combo of all three! Again, it reinforced that cringeworthy desire for American validation of one of our popular sports.
The reality is the US has the NFL, and
collectively they don’t give a hoot about the so-called “toughest game on earth”. It’s a passing novelty for the Yanks; dressing it up in Vegas is like putting lipstick on a pig.
You have to keep asking ‘why Sin City?’, when the opening games would have had more cultural significance if played at Redfern Oval. Nevertheless the NRL and Channel Nine still see a degree of ‘magic’ regarding Vegas.
If Trump won’t turn up for an NRL game in Vegas there’s always the possibility he will front the Riviera on the Gaza Strip he proposed last month — maybe Peter V’landys should be putting in his request now. There’s bound to be a Trump Hotel, a couple of Trump casinos, a 36-hole golf course and a stadium constructed entirely out of recycled rubble – all that you need to kick off the NRL season.
Is the idea of a Riviera in Gaza a silly idea? Peter, you can be assured it got a good and balanced reception on ‘Fox and Friends’ so it’s definitely not bullshit.
Photo: Screenshot, Fox News
DELISH NEW NIGHT MARKETS COME TO
Darlo! A
The night markets are set to run from 4 – 9pm on every third Saturday of the month, on the grounds of the picturesque St John’s Anglican Church on Darlinghurst Road.
Locals and visitors alike will be able enjoy vibrant evenings filled with delicious food, live music, and a welcoming community atmosphere.
The enticing range of stalls offer food to suit all tastes – from mouth-watering burgers or juicy dumplings, to Japanese okonomiyaki or matcha treats, Italian cakes or gnocchi, Turkish gözleme, or locally produced honey. The Darlo Night Market is operated by Organic Food Markets, who also run the iconic and widely beloved Kings Cross Saturday Market.
The variety of stalls at the new market is diverse and eclectic – you’ll find artisan jewellery, perfume bars, orchids, dog treats, and much more.
Plus, the market evenings offer the opportunity to sit outdoors to enjoy the music and soak in the lively village vibe, or simply pick up something to eat on your way home.
Families and friends can enjoy free live music throughout the evening, making the market a perfect destination to unwind, socialise, and experience the best of the inner east. There’s even Mr Peabody’s puppet show to keep the kids entertained — although grownups will be hooked, too.
The Darlo Night Market is part of the broader Darlo Village project—an initiative to promote Darlinghurst’s dynamic culture. Supported by the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, the project aims to activate the area with new social and cultural experiences, fostering a lively and connected neighbourhood.
Director Amanda Choularton shared her enthusiasm for the initiative. “Darlo is
known for its nightlife,” said Choularton. “And Darlo Village Night Market aims to bring the community together each month and showcase the best of local food and culture.”
With live music, diverse food offerings, and a warm community spirit, the Darlo Night Market is the perfect place to bring your kids, meet friends, and immerse yourself in the village atmosphere. Don’t miss out on the launch and the opportunity to be part of this exciting new chapter for Darlinghurst!
YOU COULD BE A PART OF THIS EXCITING NEW COMMUNITY EVENT PLUS – THE NIGHT MARKETS ARE OPEN TO ALL LOCAL BUSINESSES!
Having your own stall at the Darlo Village Night Market means showcasing your business in a prime Darlinghurst location to a lively and receptive local audience. It will help drive customers into your brick and mortar store, as well as give you a prime opportunity to engage with your community and grow your brand recognition. Plus, gorgeous community vibes and a chance to get to know your fellow local businesses!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Here are all the Darlo Night Market dates for 2025: MARCH 15
Autumn is on its way APRIL 19
Easter weekend special JUNE 21
Winter Solstice market JULY 19
Mid-winter warmers AUGUST 16 It might be chilly - how about a hot chocolate?
SEPTEMBER 20
Welcome spring! OCTOBER 18
Halloween build-up
NOVEMBER 15
Christmas shopping begins DECEMBER 20
Festive market just before Christmas
darlo markets.night
St John’s Anglican Church - 3rd Saturday of each month
food stalls, flowers, organic food, treats, crafts, live music!
HubARTS
REVIEW
BY JOSH KERWICK
Despite first being staged in 1880, there’s nothing that feels outdated about the Hayes Theatre’s new production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance, a wickedly fun reimagining of this centuryold comedy.
I’d wager that this is unlike any production of The Pirates of Penzance you’ve ever seen before. In the intimate performance space of the Hayes Theatre, a number of audience members are situated on stage and are called upon by the performers to contribute –however, the show isn’t at all reliant on this to be funny, with plenty of gags to be enjoyed throughout.
Utilising a cast of only five performers who regularly switch costumes, The Pirates of Penzance is impressively crafted by its creative team.
Jay Laga’aia is splendid as the Pirate King, and is the real heart of the show. Maxwell Simon is splendid as the young Frederic, imbuing the character with a hilarious youthful naivety that makes him a deeply
10 YEARS OF AUSSIE EUROVISION
Tiktok sensation Go-Jo announced as our 2025 Eurovision entry (See p.20)
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE: AN ENDLESSLY FUNNY REIMAGINING OF A CLASSIC
and
(also the show’s
and often its source of live music) play the most flexible roles in The Pirates of Penzance, but are both hysterical.
But the MVP is Brittanie Shipway, who plays the dual roles of both Ruth and Mabel. Not only are these two
MARVELOUS THE SHOW:
BY MARK MORELLINI
Co-creator and director Samwise Holmes spent five years working on the spectacular, and raunchy Marvel parody Marvelous.
“Marvelous’ core aim is to create hilarious, stylistic and altogether unexpected twists on the most iconic scenes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe,” Holmes enthuses. “It’s a creative extravaganza featuring almost every style of performance you can imagine.”
Holmes is certain that he has pushed boundaries in this production.
“We’re putting performances onstage that will be nothing like anything people have seen before, from our acrobatic aerial boyband with the multiverse of Spider-
Men, to our ballet-stunt-strip-fight scene featuring Black Widow,” he explains.
What makes this show more enjoyable is that there is audience interaction, notably with the Deadpool narrator. “We focused on writing a great show first, that also happens to be a Marvel parody,” says Holmes.
Finally, what advice does he have for people who are planning on coming along to see Marvelous?
“My recommendation is that you go and watch any other show… otherwise you might accidentally walk away with your mind blown. And honestly, we just can’t afford to keep cleaning up the pavement out front from all the blown minds!!”
Marvelous The Show is running from Mar 14 – 22 at Riverside Theatre.
characters vastly different – Ruth an “improper” woman and Mabel a dignified lady – Shipway switches vocal styles on the fly to portray both of these characters during different scenes.
Major props must be given to Richard Carroll’s direction of the show, too; it’s deeply impressive that the show manages to feel both chaotic and controlled at the same time, with some truly mind-boggling choreography that’ll have you wondering how they pulled it off.
It all makes The Pirates of Penzance feel effortlessly entertaining and funny, in spite of the hard work that’s clearly gone into it. This production is as hilarious as it is impressive to watch, and makes for a highly entertaining night of musical theatre.
The Pirates of Penzance is playing at the Hayes Theatre until March 16, Illawarra Performing Arts Centre 26-29 March and Canberra Theatre Centre 2-6 April.
HENRY V EXPLORES HOW WAR SHAPES YOUNG MEN
BY IRINA DUNN
“In contemporary warfare, ground troops are often young men between the ages of 18 to 28… and they’re often required to do and experience unthinkable things,” says Marion Potts, the director of Bell Shakespeare’s new production of Henry V. “The suppression of their humanity is almost part of the job description. It’s a very singular experience of masculinity and objectively tragic.”
There are so many wars going on in the world that the play has particular relevance for audiences.
“Henry V is so rich that it allows for different interpretations that reflect our time and place,” Potts says. “It’s the mark of a true classic… Shakespeare always cracks open big questions that allow us to think deeply, together, about how we can best navigate them.”
Henry V is about becoming a man and going off to fight a war. Is Henry’s war a “just” war?
“Is any war a ‘just’ war? This is partly what our production
invites us to question… No one goes to war thinking they’re in the wrong.
“What makes Henry likeable aren’t so much his qualities of ‘manliness’ as his qualities of ‘human-ness’,” says Potts. “If anything, I think those conventional qualities of ‘manliness’ are what he struggles with most.”
Henry V is on at the Sydney Opera
earnest himbo. Cast members Billie Palin
Trevor Jones
musical director
Photo: Supplied
Photo: John McCrae
Photo: Supplied
YEAR 12 SHOWCASE ARTEXPRESS ARRIVES AT ART GALLERY OF NSW
BY JOSH KERWICK
One of the yearly highlights at the Art Gallery of NSW is when ARTEXPRESS arrives, the exhibition that displays the best of the HSC Visual Arts cohort from across New South Wales.
Across a number of different artistic forms, like painting, ceramics, photomedia and textiles, visitors can appreciate the full creativity of this cohort while this show is on display until late April.
Curator Louise Halpin, who’s put together ARTEXPRESS for the past six years, explains the exhibition’s unique appeal to City Hub
“It’s both a learning resource for other students when they come with school groups, but it’s a really key exhibition because our general public love to come in and see what young people are passionate about, and get a reminder of what it was like when they were 17 or 18.”
“I love seeing what students are coming up with each year, what they’re experimenting with and the ideas they’re coming up with," Halpin continues.
“This year, I’ve noticed a really strong approach to family, siblings and the connection to past generations, particularly if they’ve
come from other countries. They’re really exploring that in a creative way!”
An example of that strong familial theme comes from Ziggy Marsden (Newtown High School of Performing Arts), whose photo series Nana’s old home is a very personal work about the now-abandoned plot where his Nana used to live, shot on Polaroids and Super 8 film.
“I really like touching on personal things in regards to memory in my artwork,” says Ziggy. “I think it always conveys in your artwork, because it comes across as very intimate.”
Ziggy didn’t expect his work to make it to ARTEXPRESS, but he was absolutely delighted when he found that it had. He says: “It made it feel like the hard work paid off, but I was also happy because it was such a personal subject that got selected.”
“It also feels like a celebration of upcoming artists as well, which is really important because sure, there’s a lot of amazing art in the Gallery already, but it’s also really great to look at the generation that’s upcoming,” Ziggy concludes.
The exceptional artworks from 50 members of the next generation of Australian artists is well worth a visit to the Art Gallery of NSW – and it’s free. ARTEXPRESS 2025 is on until April 27.
SYDNEY'S CLIMATE ACTION WEEK TO HOLD 300 COMMUNITY-LED EVENTS
BY LYDIA JUPP
–16 March marks Sydney's Climate Action Week, bringing individuals, businesses, and communities together to collaborate, celebrate progress, and accelerate the transition to a zero-emission, nature-positive future.
With the New South Wales government warning that temperatures across the state would still increase even if emissions are lowered, there has never been a more important time to take action on climate change.
“We are at a critical threshold," said Ed Schmidt, Director of the Climate Action Foundation, the organisation that coordinates the week.
"Last year was the hottest on record and the devastating impacts of climate change are only accelerating. The urgency is clear, but so is the opportunity.
"Climate Action Week Sydney is happening at a pivotal moment as communities, governments, and industries around the world seek solutions to the escalating climate crisis. Sydney is becoming a global hub for climate action and is leading the way by bringing together influential voices, industry leaders, and grassroots changemakers to share stories of impact and inspire action.”
Organisers are expecting tens of thousands of attendees, across more than 300 free or low-cost communityled events in Sydney.
"It’s critical for everyone to come together, collaborate and drive greater action as the climate crisis intensifies," said Schmidt.
CLIMATE ACTION "NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT"
The week will focus on six long-term goals that will help guide the vision for climate action over the next ten years, including:
■ empowering the next generation
■ honouring and collaborating with First Nations communities to elevate Indigenous cultural knowledge
■ attracting domestic and international talent to Australia in order to drive positive, lasting impact.
The opening day event will feature discussions with the NSW Minister for Climate Change, Energy, Environment, and Heritage, the Hon. Penny Sharpe, the Superpower Institute’s Professor Ross Garnaut, Chair of the National Reconstruction Fund Martijn Wilder, and many more.
Events range from keynote addresses to art installations, film premieres, immersive experiences, cooking classes, behind-the-scenes tours, and more.
Events are kid-friendly too, with the Australian Museum hosting an interactive climate solutions experience that intertwines First Nations’ Caring for Country knowledge with innovative, nature-based solutions.
“NSW is proud to be part of Climate Action Week to bring together those working on the solutions we need to protect the future for our children," said Sharpe.
"It has never been more important to join communities across the globe that are taking positive action to address climate change.”
You can find out more information at caw.sydney.
Photo: Supplied
Photo: Art Gallery of NSW / Mim Stirling
GO-JO ANNOUNCED AS AUSTRALIA’S 2025 EUROVISION ACT
GREAT SOUTHERN NIGHTS IS BRINGING 300+ GIGS TO OUR DOORSTEPS
BY LYDIA JUPP
BY LYDIA JUPP
Marty Zambotto, better known online as Go-Jo, has been chosen to represent Australia in its 10th year in the Eurovision Song Contest.
The 29-year-old will be performing his newest single, Milkshake Man, as the highly-anticipated event travels to Switzerland, who won the competition last year.
Zambotto went viral in 2023 after he uploaded a TikTok of himself busking outside Glebe Markets with his song Mrs Hollywood, alongside a sign offering strangers $50 to join him with their best improvised saxophone solo. The song went on to amass more than 60 million digital streams, with the Sydneysider becoming the ninth most-streamed Australian artist in the world for 2023. He's also toured across Europe, the United States, and Southeast Asia, supporting acts like Tash Sultana and the Jonas Brothers.
"It's an absolute dream come true to represent such a beautiful and diverse nation," said Zambotto. "I've never been more excited to share my art and vision with the incredible Eurovision fans around the world.
"The Milkshake Man's purpose is to inspire people to embrace the loudest and proudest version of themselves, and I can't think of a better place to share that message than the Eurovision stage!"
Growing up in Manjimup, a few hundred kilometres out from Perth, Zambotto began his career in music producing and writing songs for others, releasing his first solo song in 2018.
"A lot of people only see what I put on social media, but there's been so much [sic] years of me just, like, creating in a room with, like, weeds growing up the sides of my room," he told ABC News Breakfast on the morning of the announcement.
2025 marks one decade since Australia's first official entry to Eurovision, represented by Guy Sebastian's song Tonight Again, which finished in fifth place in the Grand Final.
The year after we came close to victory, with Dami Im winning her semi-final and placing second overall with her song Sound Of Silence .
Other artists that have represented Australia on the international stage include Kate Miller-Heidke, Montaigne, Isaiah Firebrace, and Electric Fields.
“From the first moment we saw Go-Jo on stage, we realised he had a unique connection with audiences, and we know he’ll get a lot of love from the Eurovision community,” said Australia’s Eurovision Creative Director Paul Clarke.
The 69th Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Basel, Switzerland, 13-17 May.
New South Wales is the place to be for live music this autumn because the state's annual celebration of live music, Great Southern Nights, is making its return.
Hundreds — literally hundreds — of artists will be storming stages across NSW, for a jam-packed two weeks from March 21 to April 6. No matter where you are, or what you listen to, there'll be something that’ll tickle your fancy.
Out of the 300 or so artists on the lineup, you'll find some classic names in Australian music, like Missy Higgins, Lime Cordiale, Thelma Plum, and Thirsty Merc, or you could try some breakthrough artists like aleksiah and Charley. Tear up dance floors with Kinder, DJ Havana Brown, or keep it chill with Tash and Emily Wurramara.
There are multiple ARIA Award winners and nominees playing shows right across the state, so if you've been meaning to get around to listening to some of their stuff, Great Southern Nights is the perfect opportunity.
A whopping 120 venues are taking part in the festivities this year, with performances in Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, and the Central Coast, as well as a little further afield, in places like Broken Hill, Byron Bay, the
Central West, Orange, Tamworth and Tilba.
But why limit yourself to one area?
Great Southern Nights has teamed up with Visit NSW, encouraging people to explore new towns and rediscover old ones, with an interactive gig map and travel guides on their website to help you plan the road trip of your dreams. The weather is cooling down, and the nights are getting longer- it's the perfect time for some new adventures before we have to bundle up for winter.
This year also includes two outdoor program highlights, with walkable gig trails in the Hollywood Quarter in Sydney, and in Midtown Newcastle. The streets will be transformed into free, curated music journeys, with a huge range of artists performing until the wee hours of the morning. Food trucks and nearby venues will be open to keep you going all night, so you can grab dinner and a show.
Great Southern Nights is offering up just about anything you could want on a silver platter. So whether you're thinking of planning an impromptu road trip with some mates, or just want to check out what the kids are listening to these days, get over to greatsouthernnights.com.au and start planning.
Photo: Gabrielle Clement/Supplied
NICKEL BOYS: A TRULY INNOVATIVE CINEMATIC TRIUMPH
Photo: IMdB
BY JOSH KERWICK
When we look back in a decade or two at the cinema of the 2020s, there’s little doubt that Nickel Boys (based on Colson Whitehead’s novel of the same name) will be remembered as a true innovator.
To call RaMell Ross’ Oscar-nominated film ‘fresh’ feels like an understatement. In fact, Nickel Boys feels as though it’s inventing a new cinematic language for other films to utilise as it shows the institutionalised racism and violence of the 1960s through the eyes of two young Black boys.
Elwood (Ethan Herisse) is a bright,
politically savvy Black teenager growing up in Jim Crow-era Florida with his grandmother Hattie (Aunjanue EllisTaylor) who is simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. He’s falsely implicated in stealing a car and sent to The Nickel Academy, a segregated “reform school” where the Black students are subject to abuse, or worse – some disappear without a trace. It’s here where the optimistic Elwood meets Turner (Brandon Wilson), who’s become deeply cynical as a result of his time at Nickel Academy. At Nickel, the two boys strike up a friendship, trying to find meaning of the horrific system
CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD REVEALS A FRANCHISE IN CRISIS
BY JOSH KERWICK
It’s no secret the once-oppressively popular Marvel franchise has been going through a rough patch, and
Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) is struggling to live up to Steve Rogers’ legacy as Captain America, while Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross (Harrison Ford) takes office. However, they’re caught up in a conspiracy seeking to turn America against the world.
Mackie, to his credit, does all he can. His arc is predictable, but he makes a charming lead. Ford is also weirdly good here.
He and Mackie have solid chemistry, bouncing off each other in pivotal scenes.
This feels like a film that won't please anyone. Fans will be confused by its connections to the MCU’s largely maligned films, and anyone else will find its story impenetrable.
It's not the worst Marvel film ever Brave New World is the most indicative of a franchise in a serious identity crisis.
they’re in and how to survive it.
These two young actors are simply phenomenal in this film. They represent two sides of the African-American experience during the fight for civil rights, and these are reflected in their performances. Although the two constantly share dialogue, they often have to act right into the lens as if they were talking to a person – an act they both make seem deeply believable.
Both Herisse and Wilson make their characters feel so alive and full of life, despite the horrific circumstances
they’re in. As Nickel Boys progresses, you can feel the pair having a profound effect on one another as they navigate the deeply racist institution that is Nickel Academy.
Speaking frankly, Nickel Boys is a masterpiece. Destined to be a future reference point in cinematic history, RaMell Ross has crafted a truly essential film that's worth seeing for both its highly original, transcendent filmmaking and its tale of two boys finding friendship in terrifying circumstances.
BY MARK MORELLINI
The Seed Of The Sacred Fig may feel confronting and unsettling as you learn about what life looks like under an oppressive and corrupt dictatorship in Iran.
With a backdrop of violent protests, the story centres on a man who has received a sensitive promotion to an investigating judge, and quickly learns about the inhumane treatment of prisoners who acted against the dictatorship. He warns his family they must be discreet.
When the gun he was given by the
justice department is stolen, blame falls on his daughters — and he faces three years imprisonment. But did they know how this would affect their father?
This significant drama utilises real-life protest footage from Iran. Incredibly, Mohammad Rasoulof shot this film in secret, resulting in persecution which forced him to flee Iran.
Overwhelmingly depressing, it sends a message on the importance of freedom. Ultimately, it should make audiences realise how blessed we are to live in a democratic country.
Photo: MGM Studios
THE MONKEY: AN ENTERTAINING, SELFAWARE HORROR-COMEDY
BY JOSH KERWICK
“T he monkey that likes killing our family… it’s back,” says Theo James in the trailer for The Monkey
So rarely has a single line of dialogue so efficiently declared the modus operandi of a film – indeed, this is a film about a toy monkey that kills people. That might be enough for you to buy a ticket! But like its titular mechanical primate, there’s a bit more to The Monkey than meets the eye.
This is the latest offering from Osgood Perkins, based on the Stephen King short story of the same name. Though it could easily coast on its silly premise, Perkins and co. manage to make much more out of it than you’re expecting, imbuing it with expected hilarity and surprising thematic heft.
The film follows twins Hal and Bill Shelburn, both played by Theo James as adults, who discover a wind-up drumming monkey that previously belonged to their deadbeat father. They soon discover that once the key is turned in its back, it chooses someone to die; one of these victims is their mother (Tatiana Maslany).
Years later, Hal and Bill are totally estranged. When Hal is set to spend a week with his son Petey (Colin O’Brien), people mysteriously start dying again. After a call from Bill, they can infer only one thing… It's the monkey. Theo James portrays both twins excellently in this film, and it’s clear that he’s clued into both the campy goodness and surprisingly robust thematic framework of the film.
Director Perkins is clearly having a lot of fun with this film, too. Compared to his previous film Longlegs, a seriously bleak serial killer story, The Monkey is delightfully campy and often quite funny. He’s clearly taking cues from Final Destination, delivering a number of deviously-realised deaths that are equally gory and goofy – though some occasionally spotty CGI can take away from the fun.
But even if not every element of The Monkey sticks, it’s easy to enjoy it for the gleefully unhinged horror film that it is. Thanks to a strong double performance by Theo James and director Osgood Perkins having a splendid time behind the camera, it’s always entertaining to see just what’ll happen when that wretched primate brings stick to drum.
SPIT: GOOD AUSSIE COMEDY IS BACK WITH THIS HILARIOUS CRIME-THRILLER
BY MARK MORELLINI
Making moviegoers laugh is not an easy feat, as Australian filmmakers have discovered in recent years, failing to capture the heart and soul of likeable characters. Finally, the drought is over with the release of Spit comedic crime thriller directed by Jonathan Teplitzky.
Spit has generally been described as a standalone film, rather than a sequel to 2003’s Getting Square directed by Jonathan Teplitzky and starring Sam Worthington and David Wenham in pivotal roles.
Wenham reprises his role as Johnny Francis 'Spit' Spiteri, a lovable ‘thongwearing’ larrikin who re-enters Australia on a false passport after 22
years on the run — only to end up in an immigration detention centre. He’s an unlikely international fugitive and criminal mastermind who becomes the target of underground figures who want retribution for old scores.
Is Spit really as unintelligent as he appears to be, or is it just a front to mislead and manipulate people? Can he outsmart the shady characters, and more importantly, does he have the capacity for affection and love?
While Getting Square featured an ensemble cast of characters, Spit is a character piece which explores the essence of what makes Spit tick.
Audiences will learn of the tragic events in his past and how the aftermath ushered in a fresh, positive chapter into his life.
He has low intelligence, as noted by one of the other characters, who states: “If Johnny was a clock, he couldn’t tell the time!”.
This is just one of the many entertaining pieces of dialogue that compound the hilarity of the narrative.
Aside from the comedy, there are many elements in the story which highlight the plight of illegal immigrants who see themselves as innocent victims of cruel
circumstances. Spit befriends several Muslim people in the detention centre, which conjures many heartfelt moments as he learns of their past lives.
The mood then traverses to high comedy, especially in scenes where he teaches them English. Spit isn't an astute instructor, so audiences should find the hilarity of these scenes almost unbearable, especially when he teaches them about ‘mateship’ and his fractured version of what it means to be a true Australian.
Some of the gags surrounding the stereotyped bad guys and cops feel contrived and cheesy, but this is overshadowed by the majority of comedy, which is fresh, witty and at times, side-splitting.
David Wenham’s performance is simply unmissable. After a 22-year absence he has successfully brought the character of Spit back to the big screen without skipping a beat – perhaps stepping back into those thongs performed the magic!
1/2
Photo: IMdB
Photo: IMdB
