City Hub 14 December 2017

Page 1

from Bondi to Balmain...

City News Since 1995 cityhub.net.au

DECEMBER 14 2017

FREE

Sexual harassment takes centre stage Page 11

#MeToo

Behind The Scenes PADDY’S HAYMARKET CHRISTMAS TRADING TIMES Wed 20 Dec Thur 21 Dec Fri 22 Dec Sat 23 Dec Sun 24 Dec Mon 25 Dec Tue 26 Dec Wed 27 Dec

paddysmarketshaymarket

10am – 6pm 10am – 6pm 10am – 6pm 10am – 6pm 10am – 6pm CLOSED CLOSED 10am – 6pm

PADDY’S HAYMARKET CHRISTMAS EVENTS SCHEDULE

Thur 28 Dec Fri 29 Dec Sat 30 Dec Sun 31 Dec Mon 1 Jan Tue 2 Jan

10am – 6pm 10am – 6pm 10am – 6pm 10am – 6pm CLOSED CLOSED

Thur 21 Dec

Soulfood A Cappella

1pm - 3pm

Fri 22 Dec

Elf Face Painter

1pm - 3pm

Fri 22 Dec

Meet & Greet Toy Soldier & Raggedy Ann

1pm - 3pm

Sat 23 Dec

Soulfood A Cappella

1pm - 3pm

Sat 23 Dec

Meet the Grinch

1pm - 3pm

Fri 26 Jan

10am – 6pm

Sat 23 Dec

PHOTOS WITH SANTA

1pm - 3pm

Sat 23 Dec

Elf Face Painter

1pm - 3pm

Sat 23 Dec

Meet & Greet With Fairy & Santa’s Reindeer

2pm - 4pm

Sun 24 Dec

Meet & Greet Santa’s Reindeer & Balloon Twister

12pm - 2pm

paddysmarkets.com.au


&

E AT , D R I N K

B E M E R RY

THIS SEASON ’S HOTTEST COMBO

This Christmas, The Star is your hub of festivity with lively bars and delicious dining. That’s why Christmas and The Star is this season’s hottest combo. T H E S TA R SY D N E Y. C O M . AU

The Star practises the responsible service of alcohol. Guests must be aged 18 years or over to enter the casino. Think! About your choices. Call Gambling Help 1800 858 858 www.gamblinghelp.nsw.gov.au

2

city hub 14 DECEMBER 2017


Gays prepare to say “I Do” Published weekly and freely available Sydney-wide. Copies are also distributed to serviced apartments, hotels, convenience stores and newsagents throughout the city.

Distribution enquiries call 9212 5677. Published by Altmedia Pty Ltd. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy of content, takes no responsibility for inadvertent errors or omissions.

ABN 52 600 903 348 Group Publisher: Lawrence Gibbons Group Editor: Alec Smart Contributors: Anna Freeland, Jade Morellini, John Moyle, Alec Smart Arts Editor: Jamie Apps Advertising Manager: Karl Krticka Cover Photo: Emma Leslie. Monica Davidson. Designer: Nadia Kalinitcheva Advertising: sales@altmedia.net.au Mail: PO Box 843 Broadway 2007 Email: news@altmedia.net.au, arts@altmedia.net.au Ph: 9212 5677, Fax: 9212 5633 Website: altmedia.net.au If you have a story, or any comments you’d like to share with us: news@altmedia.net.au altmediagroup

altmediasydney

BY ALEC SMART Sydney City Council have made good on their promise to provide free weddings for 100 days to same-sex marriages if the national Same-Sex Marriage Plebiscite delivered a Yes result. The free use of City of Sydney venues will begin on 9 January next year. On 23 October this year, City Councilor Linda Scott introduced a motion to Sydney City Council to provide city community venues and parks free for same-sex weddings for 100 days if the national plebiscite approved of same-sex marriages. The motion was approved with a majority vote. On 15 November, the results of the $122 million national postal-vote revealed 61.6 per cent of Australians had voted ‘Yes’ to allow same-sex couples to marry. As a result, the City Council has now allocated 100 days between 9 January and 18 April 2018 when fees for same-sex weddings will be waived to encourage gay and lesbian partners to tie the knot. “We didn’t want the $122 million dollar postal survey,” Cr Scott said, “and it has been a bruising process for many. This is a chance to show the City’s LGBTQI community that they are respected and supported. “I have now successfully ensured the City of Sydney will waive usage fees for our City’s venues, parks and community facilities for same-sex weddings.” Despite an initial backlash to the Yes vote – there were threats of a legal amendment introduced by Senator James Paterson to sabotage the introduction of a Same-Sex Marriage Bill, and in Sydney two ‘gayfriendly’ wall murals in the inner-west

A rainbow was projected on the Sydney Opera House to celebrate the success of the Yes vote for same-sex marriage. Photo: Ann-Marie Calilhanna

were vandalized – on 7 December the Australian Parliament approved legislation that removed marriage discrimination. The legislation affords same-sex couples the same right to marry and share property as heterosexuals. Curiously, Councillor Christine Forster, the sister of former Prime Minister Tony Abbot, although a supporter of same-sex marriage, voted against the City providing free weddings for same-sex couples. This despite being in a lesbian relationship herself. “I did not support the proposal to offer free venue hire to same-sex couples only, and sought to amend the motion to include ALL couples who wish to marry during the period,” she said. “When that amendment was defeated, I voted against the motion on the basis that it flies against what we have been fighting for, which is equal rights for all, not special rights for any particular group. The equality campaign has been all

about making marriage more inclusive, not exclusive.” However, Lord Mayor Clover Moore wholeheartedly approved of supporting same-sex unions. At a Vote Yes event prior to the result of the national plebiscite she declared, “The LGBTIQ community is at risk of discrimination and social isolation with current public debate on marriage equality. “The City supports the aspirations of same-sex couples to have their commitment to each other recognised and valued.” Last Friday evening, 8 December, The sails of the Sydney Opera House were illuminated to mark the passing of marriage equality into law in Australia. The main sails were lit up pink on the western side facing the Harbour Bridge whilst the Bennelong sails, the smaller pair at the rear nearest the Botanic Gardens, were covered in a shimmering rainbow.

CONGRATULATIONS L♥VE HAS WON

Wishing you a happy festive season We look forward to working with you in 2018 Sign on for updates at www. jennyleong.org/sign_up Contact us on 9517 2800 or drop into our office at 383 King Street, Newtown Authorised by Jenny Leong MP, State Member for Newtown, using parliamentary entitlements, Dec 2017. city hub 14 DECEMBER 2017

3


Redfern Station railroaded BY JOHN MOYLE Mike Baird’s legacy gets another boost as the fight for Redfern Station upgrades and new stations for the proposed Sydney Metro Line continue within the NSW Government. Meanwhile the community, University of Sydney and other stakeholders are ignored. Baird was known for his love of taking assets held in public hands and flogging them to the nearest developer, often at knockdown prices. “Everyone assumed that once Mike Baird was gone, the Liberal-National government would learn a lesson and not behave in such an arrogant manner,” said Newtown MP Jenny Leong. “But they have not learnt that lesson and have a commitment to a privatisation agenda that fails to meet the public needs.” Who would have thought a few years ago that Redfern Station would become the focal point for stoushes between the State Government, the local community and the University of Sydney, and all for different reasons. For the University of Sydney, it is about timetables being altered to bypass Redfern Station for Central, forcing many of around 10,000 university students travelling from western Sydney and the Blue Mountains to change at Strathfield to access the university. “These timetabling changes create major complications for the university’s already significant public transport pressures, and in a further blow, we were dismayed that these changes have happened without any consultation with those affected,” a University of Sydney spokesperson said. The timetable changes are even more staggering when trains bypassing Redfern Station directly to Central only save three minutes of travel time. The University of Sydney is also currently arguing its case for a dedicated station on the

Redfern Station might be bypassed by trains, inconveniencing thousands of university students. Photo: Abesty

proposed Sydney Metro route and light rail options along Parramatta Road. Both of these proposals have competing interests, with UrbanGrowth NSW Development Corporation being unclear which option they favour. Mike Baird, as premier, voted in favour of a station at Waterloo, putting paid, for the time being at least, to the University of Sydney’s dedicated station. This decision was made after the university’s Campus Infrastructure Services offered a commitment of $1 billion in private funding to develop space around the proposed station with retail space, underground parking and open space. The university predicted that 36,000 trips through the space would be made daily. For Greens member Leong the battle with state

government consultation and transparency has also been long and frustrating, but she sees a station upgrade as the primary issue. “It is unbelievable to think that we are having a pubic stoush over timetabling when Redfern, one of the busiest stations in out city does not have a lift access,” she said, adding that it is “totally unacceptable that people with mobility issues, heavy loads such as books and people with children should not have access to lifts.” This week, the University of Sydney received the news that after repeated refusal by the government to discuss the rail issues affecting the institution, there has finally been a breakthrough. “We are pleased that the minster has responded to our letter and we are also grateful that Sydney Trains

has contacted us for a meeting and we look forward to making our case in person for upgrades at Redfern Station,” Spokesperson, University of Sydney said. The State Government’s reluctance to address these two important issues is even more extraordinary when UrbanGrowth NSW Development Corporation’s sale of a lease for part of the Australian Technology Park is taken into account. The right to develop a parcel of the publicly-owned land was sold to Mirvac for $263 million, filling Mike Baird’s coffers even further. In no time at all, after the ATP deal, Mirvac were behaving like weasels when they objected to paying the City of Sydney $9.5 million as part of their community contribution. “We know that they are more than happy making huge profits selling off pubic land and over developing areas in the interest of development companies than they are providing the necessary infrastructure needed to maintaining that type of development,” Ms Leong said. Mirvac long-term plans for the precinct are massive and include leasing 93,000 sq. m of new office space to the Commonwealth Bank. Most of the bank’s 10,000 new jobs will be sourced from existing positions that will relocate from Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park and Lidcombe. “Which is what we don’t want,” said Ms Leong, “especially when we need more jobs out in the west and there is no commitment to servicing even more people through Redfern Station, coming on top of all the students.” The University of Sydney estimates that their student population will increase by an extra 26,000 over the next 20 years. After three years there have still been no hard or qualified decisions being made by the NSW Government on any of these aforementioned issues and it seems once again the community that are left unheard.

SUNDAY Y BUR

17 TH DECEMBER

ER E RINK T N CA C IC MPI Y L O

Y L I AM

Y A D UN

F

F

VENUE:

CANTERBURY OLYMPIC ICE RINK 17A PHILLIPS AVENUE CANTERBURY 2193 NSW SPEED SKATE - A - THON, FIGURE SKATING GALA, PUBLIC SESSION, ICE HOCKEY FUN GAMES,

BUY TICKETS AT THE DOOR

JUMPING CASTLES, FACE PAINTING, BBQ

9AM - 5PM ALL PROCEEDS WILL GO TO IMPROVING OUR ICE RINK FACILITIES

For tickets and more information visit: www.canterburyolympicicerink.org.au 4

city hub 14 DECEMBER 2017


20% OFF All Philips products.

15-70% Off RRP in our factory seconds outlet

HURRY IN WHILE STOCK LASTS

8 CHANCES TO WIN UP TO 1 MILLION DOLLARS. THAT’S. . .

125

$

130

$

RRP $299.95 ZBPB620BAL

BOSS TO GO PLUS

RRP $219.95 ZBTA845BSS

THE SMART TOAST

7 JUNE – 3 AUGUST 2017

$60 59 S Y D N E Y W I N T E R S A R E N E V E R G R E Y AT T H E S TA R $

RRP $169.95 ZBKE825BSS

RRP $129.95 ZBBM100WHT

THE SMART KETTLE THE BAKER'S OVEN We’re giving you a golden opportunity to win up to 1 million dollars, every week for 8 weeks, a sumptuous selection of red-hot food offers for $12.50, decadent truffle infused dishes, and an array of colourful sports events. It promises to be a winter that swaps big chills for big thrills.

140

$

24/ 7 SPORTSBAR

FOOD QUARTE R

RRP $299 ZBEC200XW

NESPRESSO INISSIA BUNDLE

19

$ $

12.50

$

12.50

12 SQUEEZY FREEZY THE $

.50

87.20

$

RRP $89.95 ZBSM300WHT

$

RRP $399.95 ZGC7520

.50 $8 12 INSTANTCARE STEAM SYSTEM

Sunday 1

Monday 1

Tuesday 1

Wednesday 1

Super Thursday2

Grilled Angus beef burger, with FUEL’s secret sauce.

Char-grilled 220g rib eye, with crumbed calamari rings, chips & herb gravy.

Battered flathead fish, with salt and vinegar chips and coleslaw.

Chicken schnitzel 300g, with chips and creamy mushroom sauce.

All your Asian favourites, at a great price.

8 0 P Y R M O N T S T R E E T, S Y D N E Y | T H E S TA R S Y D N E Y.C O M . AU |

/ T H E S TA R

! JOIN THE STAR CLUB TO WIN A PRIZE

Trading Hours

Terms and conditions apply. Promotion runs from 7 June to 3 August 2017. NSW Permit No. LTPS/17/14057.

Monday to Saturday:

Offer Ends 31 December 2017

FREE PARKING FOR YOUR NEXT VISIT

9 am - 5pm

Present this coupon to The Star Club Desk on the Main Casino Floor. Valid until 3 August 2017.

46 Wattle Street, Ultimo NSW 2007 Ph: (02) 9660 8217

*Open to Members of The Star Club. First draw held at 9:00pm Thursday 15 June 2017. Winner has a 1 in 88 chance of winning $1,000,000 cash. For full terms and conditions, please see a casino host. 1 Red Hot Specials in 24/7 Sports Bar are available every Sunday to Wednesday from 11 June to 2 August 2017 and not available in conjunction with other offers or Member discounts. Offer not available at special events. 2 Super Red Hot Special is available every Thursday from 15 June to 3 August 2017 and not available in conjunction with other offers or Member discount. Check out thestarsydney.com.au for opening times. Guests must be aged 18 years or over to enter the casino. The Star practises the responsible service of alcohol. Offers are not redeemable in conjunction with any other offer or Member discount. Think! About your choices. Call Gambling Help 1800 858 858 www.gamblinghelp.nsw.gov.au YRHL1NGXZ5

city hub 14 DECEMBER 2017

5


EPA rejects WestConnex EIS BY WENDY BACON The NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has strongly criticised the Sydney Motorway Corporation’s environmental assessment of the proposed Westconnex Stage 3 M4/M5 tunnels between St Peters and Rozelle. The EPA charges that the assessment is so lacking in detail that it is not possible to “determine whether mitigation measures proposed are appropriate.” The EPA recommends that approval should not be given to the project without further detailed environmental work. The EPA is one of a number of government departments required by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) to comment on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared by international engineering firm AECOM for the Sydney Motorway Corporation. Appproval cannot be given without an EPA licence. The significance of the EPA finding is that it has the potential to derail the politically sensitve timetable for the privatisation of the Sydney Motorway Corporation, which will include the finalisation of tolls regime for WestConnex. The EPA criticises the AECOM EIS for assessing as ‘short term’ consecutive construction impacts that could last four years, failing to assess potential contamination of waterways including Rozelle Bay and Whites Creek, and a lack of quantification of noise and vibration impacts. In a covering letter, the NSW EPA Regional Director Metropolitan Giselle

City councillors Jess Miller and Jess Scully plant a memorial tree at the site of the former WestConnex protest camp in Sydney Park. Photo: City Of Sydney

Howard writes that the EPA is concerned about “significant and ongoing impacts experienced by the communities at Haberfield and St Peters, particularly in relation to noise and vibration.” She finds that there is “minimal evidence to suggest that this has shaped the approach to mitigation” in the EIS. The EPA considers that these “need to be quantifed and assessed in detail” before approval, rather than in a postapproval plan. The EIS was completed before the selection of construction sites or design of a proposed underground interchange at Rozelle. This meant that the 7000 page EIS mentions hundreds of potential impacts that could affect communities all along the route, but simply defers

assessment to a detailed post-approval design stage. The EPA’s criticisms add force to similar concerns already strongly expressed by the City of Sydney, the Inner West Council and community groups. But coming from a government department, the DPE would be expected to give them more weight. The EPA is one of 13,000 submissions that must be considered in Response to Submissions and Preferred Infrastructure reports. AECOM’s responses have not yet been published on the Department of Planning website. The Planning department is under political pressure to approve the project so that the Berejiklian government can finalise the sale of 51% of the network

of WestConnex tollways, including the financing and construction of the M4-M5 tunnels. If privatisation is achieved, it will become even harder for regulators to control the conduct of contractors. Earlier approvals have allowed Westconnex contractors to adapt and design the project as they go along. With the M4East and New M5, thousands of residents still have no idea what mitigation they will be offered. But the EIS for Stage 3 is far more uncertain and incomplete. The EPA is clearly indicating that it does not want to grant a further licence in these circumstances. Approval will either need to be significantly delayed or pressure will need to be applied to EPA to buckle. Co-convenor of Leichhardt against WestConnex Christine Valentine told City Hub that, “If this project is approved in its current form it would create a dangerous precedent for all other infrastructure projects and expose the NSW public to unaccptable financial risk. The EIS clearly fails to assess the impacts, let alone provide the basis for a determination that multiple risks to the communtiy can be controlled to an acceptable level.” Apart from more work that needs to be done on the EIS, the EPA sets out more explicit and stringent requirements for justification of out-of-hours work, independent auditing of conditions on sites and an Independent Complaints Commissioner. These recommendation are implicit recognition that the EPA has been unable to satisfactorily control the impacts of the WestConnex M4 East and the New M5. For example, when lack of watering of

construction sites led to huge dust clouds moving across local streets, the EPA, which is under-resourced, could not follow up complaints unless residents supplied videos. NSW Planning have also allowed WestConnex contractors to conduct a huge amount of extremely noisy night work without providing proper justification. Residents have been left battling to receive even minimal noise mitigation and, according to Inner West Council community forum minutes, have experienced “reduced sleep, increased stress levels and feelings of helplessness” as a result of the constant strain of living with the construction. Anti-Westconnex campaigner Haberfield resident Sharon Laura, who is living with impacts of the M4 East in Haberfield and has assisted other residents to achieve some mitigation, told City Hub that she was concerned that the Department of Planning would submit to pressure to approve the project. “If the Department of Planning has any concern for residents of Sydney it must not justify any more approvals by simply devising conditions that allow for future changes to approvals behind closed doors. Our lived experience shows that on a daily basis, minute by minute, the dust noise and fumes overwhelm residents. After approval, ‘project creep’ means that more residents, more open space, and more trees are taken and who knows what is happening to our waterways?” Wendy Bacon was Professor of Journalism at UTS and supports the AntiWestconnex campaign.

Last Books Quality second-hand books bought and sold An eclectic treasury of over 10,000 books

Leather Lounges, Recliners, Formal and Casual

OPEN Monday-Friday 11am-7pm Saturday 10am-6pm Sunday 10am-5pm

New Collections In Store Now 38-42 Parramatta Rd Stanmore 2048 P: (02) 9565 1275 E: info@annadaleinteriors.com

www.annandaleinteriors.com.au 6

city hub 14 DECEMBER 2017

617 KING STREET SOUTH NEWTOWN

SYDNEY PARK ST PETERS STATION

LAST BOOKS

02 9519 3704 lastbooks@iinet.net.au

www.lastbooks.com.au

BRING IN THIS AD FOR 10% OFF


NOW AT BROADWAY

8 CHANCES TO WIN UP TO 1 MILLION DOLLARS. THAT’S. . .

CNR GREEK & BAY STREET, BROADWAY

7 JUNE – 3 AUGUST 2017

S Y D N E Y W I N T E R S A R E N E V E R G R E Y AT T H E S TA R We’re giving you a golden opportunity to win up to 1 million dollars, every week for 8 weeks, a sumptuous selection of red-hot food offers for $12.50, decadent truffle infused dishes, and an array of colourful sports events. It promises to be a winter that swaps big chills for big thrills. 24/ 7 SPORTSBAR

$

12.50

$

12.50

FOOD QUARTE R

$

12.50

$

12.50

$

8

Sunday 1

Monday 1

Tuesday 1

Wednesday 1

Super Thursday2

Grilled Angus beef burger, with FUEL’s secret sauce.

Char-grilled 220g rib eye, with crumbed calamari rings, chips & herb gravy.

Battered flathead fish, with salt and vinegar chips and coleslaw.

Chicken schnitzel 300g, with chips and creamy mushroom sauce.

All your Asian favourites, at a great price.

MOVIE TICKETS

8 0 P Y R M O N T S T R E E T, S Y D N E Y | T H E S TA R S Y D N E Y.C O M . AU | $19^ movie tickets after 2pm Thursday to Sunday

/ T H E S TA R

!

FREE PARKING FOR YOUR NEXT VISIT HOYTS.COM.AU Terms and conditions apply. Promotion runs from 7 June Present this coupon to The Star Club Desk on the JOIN THE STAR CLUB TO WIN A PRIZE

to 3 August 2017. NSW Permit No. LTPS/17/14057.

Main Casino Floor. Valid until 3 August 2017.

*$15 tickets all day Monday to Wednesday and before 2pm Thursday to Sunday, excluding Midnight screenings, Special Events, Public Holidays and HOYTS LUX. Online, 3D and Xtremescreen surcharges apply. ^$19oftickets after Sunday, Midnight Screenings andhas Public Special Events andfull HOYTS LUX. Online, please 3D and Xtremescreen surcharges apply. *Open to Members The Star Club.2pm First Thursday draw held atto9:00pm Thursday 15 June 2017. Winner a 1 in Holidays 88 chance excluding of winning $1,000,000 cash. For terms and conditions, see a casino host. 1 Red Hot Specials in 24/7 Sports Bar are available every Sunday to Wednesday from 11 June 2 August not availableand in conjunction other offers Member pricing discounts. Offer not available special events. 2 Super Red Hot Special is available every Thursday Pricing is to correct at 2017 timeand of publishing is subjectwith to change. Fororcorrect information, pleaseatvisit hoyts.com.au. from 15 June to 3 August 2017 and not available in conjunction with other offers or Member discount. Check out thestarsydney.com.au for opening times. Guests must be aged 18 years or over to enter the casino. The Star practises the responsible service of alcohol. Offers are not redeemable in conjunction with any other offer or Member discount. Think! About your choices. Call Gambling Help 1800 858 858 www.gamblinghelp.nsw.gov.au YRHL1NGXZ5

city hub 14 DECEMBER 2017

7


Passas misses protest BY ALEC SMART Protestors calling for the resignation of Deputy Mayor Julie Passas disrupted an Inner West Council (IWC) meeting after the controversial councillor delayed her appearance by several hours. On 12 December, approximately 10 protestors bearing rainbow-coloured signs saying ‘Please Resign’ were admitted to the Council chambers in a public protest over allegations that the Deputy Mayor is hostile to the LGBTI community. The protest came about over an allegation that Cr Passas abused and intimidated a gay neighbour when she saw a rainbow flag hanging on his balcony. Ashfield resident Daniel Comensoli posted an accusation on Facebook on November 25 that Ashfield Councillor and Deputy Mayor Julie Passas used homophobic insults and repeatedly demanded, over the course of several days, that his rainbow flag be removed. Comensoli claimed the initial confrontation took place on the day of the same-sex marriage plebiscite result 10 days earlier, when it was revealed 61.6 per cent of Australians had voted ‘Yes’ to allow same-sex couples to marry. Jack London, spokesperson for the group attending Tuesday’s IWC meeting said they had been granted permission to protest by Mayor Darcy Byrne. “All we wanted was to be heard. Daniel is a friend of ours and we wanted to show our support for him. However, Mayor Darcy Byrne didn’t provide that opportunity. “The Council meeting started at 6.30pm. We sat quietly through condolences then expected to be able to say something about Julie Passas when a motion of No Confidence came up in the meeting agenda, but councilor Passas didn’t show up.

Protestors calling for the dismissal of Inner West Council Deputy Mayor Julie Passas. Photo: Richard Fan

One of her minions, Tom, we believe was on the phone to her, and someone reported they saw her elsewhere in the building smoking a cigarette, avoiding us.” A City Hub reporter attending the IWC meeting observed the protestors became agitated after Mayor Byrne didn’t raise the No Confidence motion they believed was on the Council’s agenda. Instead, he passed a motion to grant free use of council premises for 100 days to same-sex couples

THE APPRENTICE RESERVATIONS ESSENTIAL

BOOK NOW!

GST included Prices may vary during special events

RTO 91430 Published: April 2017 city hub 14 DECEMBER 2017

Pizzeria & restaurant Alberto’s Pizzeria Restaurant was established 38 years ago and has been successfully catering to the locals of the Inner West ever since. Quality food, huge servings and a wide selection make Albertos a must-dine experience.

 GENEROUS TOPPINGS  PROMPT SERVICE  UNBEATABLE VALUE FOR MONEY

FULLY LICENSED

Email: SI.TheApprentice@tafensw.edu.au Phone: (02) 9217 5527

8

wishing to marry – something the City Of Sydney Council initiated. It became apparent to the protestors that their opportunity to challenge Cr Passas and her alleged homophobia was being thwarted by the Mayor, so they began to heckle him. “Where is the Deputy Mayor? Where is Julie? We don’t want to deal with a homophobic Deputy Mayor, the one you and Labor voted for!” they taunted Mayor Byrne.

Further chants including “Farcy Farcy” and “Hey ho, homophobia has to go!” were called out and the protestors assembled behind the Mayor’s bench with their signs until the Mayor inevitably suspended the meeting. “Mayor Darcy Byrne shut down the Council meeting for 15 minutes,” London confirmed. “We went to the pub for a drink while we waited for the Deputy Mayor to show up, but when we returned we found we’d been locked out of the building.” Liberal Councillor Passas, 69, a retired former cleaning business and coffee shop proprietor, is an assertive figure and has a notoriously combative history – which City Hub revealed last week. She is also the secretary of the body corporate of the housing complex in which her rainbow flag-hanging neighbor Daniel Comensoli lives, where she herself has resided since 2013. She denies Comensoli’s allegations of homophobic abuse, despite claims that Ashfield police, to whom Comensoli levelled a formal complaint, were there to witness one of the altercations. When City Hub approached the Inner West Council for comment after the abuse allegations were raised, a spokesperson replied, “Council has received a formal complaint regarding the incident, which has been referred to Council’s Independent Ombudsman for review. “As the matter is before the Ombudsman, it is inappropriate for anyone from Council to comment further.” IWC Green Party councilors have been informed that if they persist in presenting a vote of No Confidence in Cr Passas at future council meetings, they will be in breach of the legal procedure that grants Passas the right to privacy while the Ombudsman makes his investigation.

TA pAS AL

CI

SpE

Buy ANy

2

pASTA AND GET

1 LARGE DRINK ORDER ONLINE

FOR

FREE

OPEN 7 DAYS

5:30pm till late

zA

pIz

SpE

C

IAL

Buy ANy

2

GOuRMET OR EXOTIC pIzzA AND GET

3

d GARLIC OR MARGARITA OF THE SAME SIzE THE

FREE

FOR (Offer expires 31.01.2018)

 02 9519 4262 • 589 King street neWtOWn orders@albertospizza.com.au • www.albertospizza.com.au


Rose Bay battles BY JOHN MOYLE Rose Bay in Sydney’s eastern suburbs is bounded by the harbour and New Beach Road on one side and Old South Head Road on the other, as it passes through the suburb on its way to Watsons Bay. The suburb is made up of single dwellings, duplexes and low-rise apartment blocks settled into tree-lined streets. Rose Bay is accessible to the city by ferry, buses and the two main road exits of New South Head Road and Old South Head Road that also draw traffic from as far away as Watsons Bay and Dover Heights. Sounds like an idyllic suburb, except Bruce Bland, vice-president, Rose Bay Residents Association, claims that Rose Bay “is an area under siege.” The siege Mr Bland is referring to is not the old soldiers at the gate type, but development that appears to be unbridled and in danger of robbing the suburb of its community atmosphere, which the residents value highly. “We now have clogged streets, there is a shortage of pre-schools, and we think that it is only going to get worse if more rezoning happens,” Mr. Bland said. The 120-strong association has been in existence for 20 years and is used to a fight, but they are feeling fatigued, as the suburb is now ringed by new residential and commercial projects that the locals feel they have lost control of. And one old controversy has reappeared. The old controversy is the O’Neil

family’s third attempt at placing a third arm on the Rose Bay Marina, despite strong opposition from residents, Woollahra Council, the Land and Environment Court, the Joint Regional Planning Panel and local MP Gabrielle Upton. ‘Residents have raised significant concerns with me about the proposal for a third arm at Rose Bay Marina,” said Ms Upton “I am against the expansion of Rose Bay Marina and will continue to fight on behalf of my local community.” “We thought that battle was over,” Mr. Bland said, “but as soon as the developer Denis O’Neil built the two arm marina, he put in for the third arm.” This battle has cost the Woollahra Council over $600,000 in court fees. Along New South Head Road and not far from the marina, a new development is rising behind the Rose Bay Hotel that could see up to a hundred new car spaces being created to service the nearby shopping centre redevelopment. “The council is doing this because there is no parking and what they are saying is that the only thing to do is to redevelop the existing car spaces, and in order to pay for it, they put units on top, which the developer then doubles, claiming that they need to make a profit,” Mr. Bland said. A member of the non-aligned Residents First, Woollahra councillor Claudia Cullen sees a disparity between development and infrastructure. “The Woollahra Council’s target for new development to the end of 2021 is set at 300 and it means that we are putting extra pressure on infrastructure,”

Cr Cullen said, adding “without the delivery of infrastructure the Council and State Government can’t continue to approve further dwellings.” Cr Cullen also pointed out that there is no public high school in the area “and the Waverley school only has 50 spaces left, while the public junior schools are already full.” Moving across Rose Bay to the shopping centre precinct along Old South Head Road things are no better. Where once Bunnings stood servicing the ‘Toolmen’ of the district, there is now a building zone that will change the streetscape irreparably. “The site is now a unit block up to six storeys and the developers have an option and a DA for everything to the lights at Dover Road, a distance of about 150 metres,” Mr Bland said. The Rose Bay Residents Association see this new unit block and commercial centre as stripping the area of its much valued community atmosphere. “Our view is that the area has a great village atmosphere with all the amenities and shops at ground level, and this is what we are trying to preserve,” Mr Bland said. The sale of the 100 year old Uniting Church on the corner of Dover Road and Old South Head Road has placed the area under even further pressure, as the much-used and much-loved church and hall has issued tenants with notices to quit in readiness for a possible demolition. The church has not had an active congregation for some time, but for over 50 years it has acted as a community centre, housing the BoPeep Kindergarten,

Rose Bay Uniting Church is facing closure, evicting the numerous community groups that use it. Photo: John Moyle

a ballet school and Zumba classes, with all being well attended. Lisa ran the Zumba classes for around 150 students, but will now be moving out after 13 years. She heard about the closure through gossip and could not get any further information from the agent or the Uniting Church. “They told the ballet class and the kindy downstairs that it is closing at the end of the year,” Lisa said. Adjoining the church is the two storey Wesley Hall with a meeting space for 350 people on its upper floor, also sold. “From what I understand, the Uniting Church wanted to money do that it could go to other causes,” Maria Judd, committee member, Rose Bay Residents Association said. The Uniting Church’s Sydney Presbytery, which is responsible for the sale of assets, did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

While Woollahra Council need to step up to the plate and give some direction to the residents’ concerns, the makeup of the council might make that more like herding cats. “What we’ve got is three councillors that agree with us, but three out of fifteen is not enough,” Mr. Bland says. As of next year, any council decision on development applications will be even more difficult with the introduction of the Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel, that forces the decision making process away from Sydney and Wollongong councils to a panel of independent assessors under the Minister for Planning. This move is meant to make DA approvals more transparent and accountable, but as every developer knows, where there’s a will there’s a way. Woollahra mayor Peter Cavanagh was contacted for this article.

EXCITING OPPORTUNITY ALEXANDRIA PARK SCHOOL CANTEEN LICENCE 479 Crown St Surry Hills 9698 8108 @madspudscafe mad spuds café www.madspudscafe.com.au mention this ad and receive

20% off

your favourite dish

An exciting opportunity exists for the license to operate the Alexandria Park Community School Canteen commencing 2018. Alexandria Park is a K-12 of approximately 750 students. The school is currently being redeveloped to cater accommodate up to 2,200 students. Opportunities will also exist to cater to students from neighbouring Cleveland Street Intensive English High School. If you have the skills resources and experience to cater to the needs of these dynamic and growing communites, please request a tender package or direct enquiries to: Alexander Forbath 02 9698 1967 alexander.forbath@det.nsw.edu.au Tenders close at 3pm on Monday 11th December A tender visit and briefing session is planned to be held on 30th November.

city hub 14 DECEMBER 2017

9


Busting up our buses about everything they do,” Cr Wakefield said. “The tender for the inner west privatisation occurred within days, the public became aware of it within days of it done so I’m not quite sure yet, hopefully we will find out soon.” On 11 December, pickets gathered at the 12 government bus depots to protest against the privatisation of buses. They plan to rally again on 18 December. According to Jefferson Lee, spokesperson for S.T.O.P (Sydney Transport-Users Opposing Privatisation), on Christmas Day, they hope to present 12 turkeys to the 12 depot masters entitled, “Turkey stuffed by Minister Constance and the Keolis-Downer Bus Privatisation Plan.”

Sydney Buses might be privatised. Photo: Bidgee

that the role of a councillor will be to speak up for residents and suggest a finetuning of the way the remaining buses and the new light rail vehicles service the public transport needs of Kensington and Kingsford. So if buses are privatised it will mean that commuters who are trying to get to other areas of the city not serviced by the light rail, may find themselves inconvenienced.” According to Cr Wakefield, privatisation may also cause bus fares to increase. “I believe in the

A slice of Europe in the heart of Surry Hills

medium term it will make Opal fares increase. All the rationalisation is relative in the Eastern Suburbs, while the whole vast route is profitable there will be sections of it that aren’t profitable and those sections are likely to be cut by the private operators.” After the opening of the Inner West public bus services to tender by private operators on 15 May this year, it is still unknown whether Eastern Suburbs buses have gone to tender. “The state government is extremely secretive

Office tO Let

Share offIce Space In good BuIldIng In ultImo

7 Days QUICK SERVICE SYDNEY’S CHEAPEST RUBBISH REMOVAL

All Areas Free Quotes

• Tree Lopping • Yard Clean Up

Ph: 9747 8471

061ICT1203

BY JADE MORELLINI Randwick Council is standing up against the privatisation of Sydney buses. During the Council’s last meeting on 28 November, a Mayoral Minute opposing privatisation of Sydney Buses was approved. It stated, “Council voice its opposition to the privatisation of Sydney buses, and its support for the STA bus drivers, on Council’s website and Facebook page, as well as in the Mayoral Column. Further, Council write to the Transport Minister for NSW, stating our opposition to the privatisation of Sydney buses.” Deputy Mayor Murray Matson, Greens Party councillor, said the reason Randwick Council voted against privatisation was, “We understand that if the buses aren’t privatised and there are buses that connect to Kensington and Kingsford from other areas, we are concerned that that act of privatisation will make it very difficult for the Council to get an agreement on the finetuning of those buses.” This means that bus routes and services may be changed or slashed and this will significantly impact on the community, especially those who are frequent bus users. Mayor of Waverly Council, John Wakefield, said, “The privatisation is likely to result in a reduction of services in medium terms. There will be an undertaking - there always is by the private operators - they will keep things the same but inevitably as time goes on, they will cut the services.” “When any public service is privatised,” Cr Matson added, “it is always a concern that the profit objective will overwhelm the objective of providing reliable public transport. When the light rail starts working there will be changes in the bus services provided. “The councillors and myself are of the view

• Small Demolition

We Load • Deceased Estates

Mob: 0418 426 422

WRITERS AND OPINION MAKERS WANTED Bright window office, approximately 4mx4m, some furniture available. Internet and copy facilities negotiable. Security building, share facilities. Freshly-made traditional Polish dumplings (pierogi), goose, duck, polish borsch (barszcz czerwony) stuffed meat. Fresh flowers, tables covered by embroidered tablecloths, soft light and smooth jazz music create a very special atmosphere… Monday: closed Tuesday: 6pm – 10 pm Wednesday – Sunday: 9am -10pm

admin@altmedia.net.au

in Push g buttons since 1989

AltMedia is looking for writers. Opportunities in print and online are available to opinion makers and up and coming journalists. Send a CV, writing samples and a covering letter to: news@altmedia.net.au

We Want You!

The CiTy hub is looking for volunTeers To regularly ConTribuTe. These roles will involve professionally covering various topics in arts & entertainment. This role is a practical internship/contributors position and one in which a number of our current editors have undertaken.

This role is for you:

This role is noT for you:

4 If you relish the opportunity to work in a real news environment 4 If you are passionate about Sydney having an independent local voice 4 If you want on-the-job experience and training for your portfolio 4 If you are organised and can hit deadlines

6 If you don’t like conducting interviews 6 If you don’t like constructive feedback to improve your writing 6 If you only want to go to film premieres

Details:

572 Crown St, Surry Hills, P: 02 9699 2455, F: facebook.com/Alchemy-Polish www.alchemy-restaurant.com 10

city hub 14 DECEMBER 2017

419A King Street, Newtown Ph (02) 9550 1782 shop@allbuttons.com.au www.allbuttons.com.au

▶ minimum commitment: one article a week (150-300 words) ▶ all work is from home, role does require some 10min, over-the-phone interviews. ▶ perks include: free tickets and material All applications must include a short cover letter detailing current or previous schooling/experience and two examples of short-form pieces. sent to: arts@altmedia.net.au


FEATURE

Creative Sexual Harassment By Rita Bratovich The New York Times expose on Harvey Weinstein revealed details of sexual predation and tyrannical abuse of power against vulnerable women in the film industry. The #metoo campaign is proving that the Weinstein story is far from unique and not confined to Hollywood. As the roll call of offenders in the United States continues, similar accusations are beginning to surface in Australia. But is it really a problem here? “Pretty much every woman I know in the industry has a story to tell,” says Megan Riakos, President of Women In Film and Television, NSW (WIFT). Riakos is a film maker whose experiences with gender discrimination were what spurred her originally to join WIFT. The organisation advocates for better representation of women in the film and television industry. Each year they conduct a survey to garner feedback and gauge the working environment. This year, for the first time, they included a question about gender related harassment or discrimination. The response was sobering: 72% of respondents had experienced harassment or discrimination that had adversely affected their career. It’s a raw statistic that only provides a keyhole insight but clearly shows a need for a paradigm shift. “We need culture change in order to support policy change and we also need, I feel, an industry wide code of conduct that has the industry making a very clear statement about what is acceptable and what isn’t,” says Riakos. To that end, WIFT has collaborated with significant entities in film and television as well as Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia (R&DVS) to hold the Safer Workplace Strategies Forum on December 12. The half-day event will be live-streamed on WIFT NSW Facebook page and the entire video will be available for viewing until early next year after which it will be edited into segments and available on the WIFT website. Experts and professionals from a number of relevant fields will sit on panels moderated by Margaret Pomeranz, Director of the Board of AACTA, and Emma Alberici, ABC Presenter. Karen Willis, Executive Officer, R&DVS Australia will lead practical sessions on Empowering Ethical Bystanders and Frameworks for organisational policy and cultural change. Dr Bianca Fileborn. Photo: Supplied

The forum is open to everyone and Riakos hopes the audience will include a good gender mix and people who can be effectual. “We want as many men there as possible and we want big players there because it is about the leadership of organisations creating a culture that encourages a safe and healthy, respectful workplace.” Further WIFT projects will focus on better education, especially in schools, and tools to help writers and creators depict women more positively on screen, as well as pursuing their core goal of greater female representation in the industry. Monica Davidson is the owner of Creative Plus Business. Her company offers business services and resources for people in the creative sector, and she herself has worked in film and television for over 25 years. She is unequivocal about the issue of sexual harassment. “I think the problem is huge in Australia, huge!…It’s the unspoken demon that’s been lurking underneath the surface for a very, very long time.” Davidson recalls her first job interview for a production company in the 1980s where she was told she’d be required to “wear short skirts and bend over the photocopier and fetch coffee.” That was par for the course for women at the time. While this sort of overt sexual harassment has mostly been purged from the workplace, Davidson believes it’s been superseded by “covert gender discrimination and harassment which is less obvious and so, consequently, harder to fight.” Women are often doubted, even blamed if they speak out about certain male behaviour; they are accused of misinterpreting a gesture that was intended as a compliment or over-reacting to “locker-room banter.” As such, Davidson, believes it is incumbent upon men to take responsibility and speak up. She cites the recent scandal around Don Burke. “I knew about that. Everybody knew about that - that was an open secret in the television industry. Nobody did anything about it, but particularly none of the men who knew did anything about it.” Through her work advising creatives on business matters, Davidson sees many young female clients who often end up discussing personal issues with her. A significant number have reported being sexually harassed with

Monica Davidson. Photo: Supplied

certain men’s names coming up repeatedly. “I’ve had five women in this office who’ve reported to me about the same man working in the film industry… nothing’s come out about him yet…he’s not a public figure but he is extremely well known in the industry behind the scenes.” In one incident, a young female client, shy, new to the industry and not fluent in English confided to Davidson that “[this man] told her basically that her career would be over if she didn’t give him a blow job in the car park at a conference.” She didn’t, and she was in tears wondering if her career was over. Davidson is bound by confidentiality laws and cannot disclose the names of perpetrators or clients which is why she wishes others would speak up; silence and indifference enable this noxious behaviour. There is no quick-fix but Davidson believes the solution begins with educating men, empowering women and effecting more gender equality in the work place. It’s a view shared by Dr Bianca Fileborn, Lecturer in Criminology at UNSW and researcher in areas of gender and sexuality. Dr Fileborn believes education around identity, ethics and behaviour should begin as early as possible in schools and be consistent. Her research into sexual harassment and violence has centred mainly on the Australian music industry, where the problem is virulent and endemic. “[It’s a] very male dominated industry; there are huge levels of gender inequality in that industry,” says Dr Fileborn, explaining that wide gender disparity creates a fertile environment for sexual harassment. Almost invariably, once a perpetrator is outed

it will turn out their behaviour was an “open secret” in the industry. Why is there an implicit code of silence? Dr Fileborn says there are several reasons. “Bystanders tend to overestimate the extent to which people around them support the behaviour of the perpetrator…so they tend to think ‘if I speak out I’m going to be the only one who thinks this is wrong and it’s going to be socially awkward and embarrassing.’” There is the risk of personal or professional consequences, intimidation and threat if the offender is a person of power. Most insidious, though, is a tacit, collective acceptance of this sort of behaviour as a norm. “I think it’s something that permeates through whole aspects of our society and our culture - it’s so entrenched,” explains Dr Fileborn. She cites the National Community Attitudes towards Violence Against Women Survey (NCAS) conducted every four years which consistently shows a significant number of people still adhere to misperceptions and double standards that blame the victim and excuse the perpetrator. A key factor in sustaining this negative, misogynous culture is the lack of mechanisms available to women for reporting or even sharing their experience. The #metoo phenomena has simultaneously highlighted this lacking and provided the start of a solution. “It’s made the whole thing with the Harvey Weinstein case more visible… but the crucial thing with social media is it enables women and it enables other people who have experienced this type of harassment to have a voice and to have a say.”

www.wiftnsw.org.au, www.creativeplusbusiness.com www.socialsciences.arts.unsw.edu.au/about-us/people/bianca-fileborn city hub 14 DECEMBER 2017

11


ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The Bear Pack

Barbara & The Camp Dogs Barbara And The Camp Dogs could be on its way to becoming one of Australia’s most important performance pieces. The young theatre show has so far received a standing ovation at every single performance – no small feat for a world premiere, though perhaps not surprising given the talent behind it all. Co-written by legendary indigenous singer and performer Ursula Yovich, and multiple award-winning playwright Alana Valentine, the play is a powerful story about relationships and rock ‘n’ roll, personified by a visceral cast, which features an all-female rock band. The story is an emotional rollercoaster, buttressed by no less than sixteen powerful songs. Valentine says critics agree that because Yovich cowrote both the play and the music, her embodiment of the material takes her into a “stratosphere of performance never seen before.” Yovich has an impressive list of credits to her name, including a Helpmann Award for the play Capricornia, appearing in The Sapphires, and nominations for various other acting awards alongside the likes of Cate Blanchett.

Carlo Ritchie & Steen Raskopoulos

Coming to the Enmore Theatre for a one-night only show is award winning improv duo from Sydney, The Bear Pack. Steen Raskopoulos and Carlo Ritchie are putting on a show of improvised story telling dedicated to the memory of late fellow improviser Elliot Miller, with all profits going to Chris O’Brian Lifehouse. “He was a wonderful and generous improviser who had so much fun and energy on the stage.” Raskopoulos (Whose Line Is It Anyway) and Ritchie (The Checkout) started performing together in 2009, later forming The Bear Pack in 2011, “‘We started together at university, Steen actually taught me improve, 2008 my first year at university! It’s been a terrific ride, hopefully we will keep doing it as long as we have the energy and people tolerate us I suppose,” followed by a chuckle from Ritchie.

Endorsed by Ritchie, the two will be accompanied by Ange Lavoipierre on the cello, “She is on fire at the moment and is at the absolute peak of what she’s doing. For people who have been seeing the show for a long time or for the first time, I feel like it will be a highlight, she is really smashing it.” The audience will be in for an interesting night with the first half of the show hosting some amazing performers such as, Susie Youssef and Amanda Buckley. Then strap in for a hilarious unscripted second half with the mastermind improvisers The Bear Pack. This is a one night only show, make sure you get in quick! (RH) Dec 14. Enmore Theatre, 118-132 Enmore Rd, Newtown. $28.95+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.enmoretheatre.com.au

a&e

12

city hub 14 DECEMBER 2017

“Ursula should be one of this country’s most important theatrical treasures. I think this show is going to put her right up there again,” Valentine told City Hub. (AE)

Until Dec 23. Upstair Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre. 18 & 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills. $37-$72.Tickets & Info: www.belvoir.com.au

The Dancing Heart Of Coogee

When the Empire Performing Arts dancers hit the stage on Friday at St Brigid’s for the inaugural annual concert, it will be the fulfilment of a lifelong dream for Coogee local and dance school director Emma Milgate.

12 STAGE 13 Sounds 14 SCENE 15 SCREEN

At 18 years of age, the Royal Academy of Dance instructor moved to Coogee with stars in her eyes and a burning ambition to inspire the love of dance in her community. In January 2017, she opened Empire Performing Arts with

Arts Editor: Jamie Apps For more A&E stories go to www.altmedia.net.au and don’t forget to join the conversation on Twitter at @CityHubSyd

just 20 students, and today the studio is enabling a chorus of 90 local students to express themselves creatively and build their confidence. “Dancing is for everyone! It teaches children to connect, empathise and project. Energetic, creative, dynamic and above all fun is what we strive for in our classes at Empire Performing Arts.” Empire Performing Arts teaches classical ballet, acrobatics, jazz/hip hop and contemporary dance to both boys and girls at St Brigid’s Parish Hall and St Nicolas’ Anglican Church in Coogee. “This studio is not all about tutus and tiaras – I believe dance classes should be inclusive of all, and genderneutral. Simply giving kids the confidence to stand tall, respect their bodies, look people in the eyes with a feeling of self confidence, make new friends and memories, be part of a team, and learn how to accept a win or loss with grace is a privilege.” Enrolments are now open for 2018. (JA) Dec 15. St Brigid’s Parish, 135B Brook St, Coogee. Info: www.empireperformingarts.com.au

Contributors: Barbara Karpinski, Craig Coventry, Emily Shen, Georgia Fullerton, Greg Webster, Irina Dunn, Jade Morellini, James Harkness, Joseph Rana, Leann Richards, Lisa Seltzer, Mark Morellini, Mel Somerville, Olga Azar, Rita Bratovich, Rocio Belinda Mendez, Sarah Pritchard, Shon Ho, Zeiya Speede, Jade Morellini, Alex Eugene, Manuel Gonzalez, Tommy Boutros, Riley Hooper & Taylor Martin, Mohsen Dezaki, Daniel Jaramillo.


A Christmas Carol A Christmas Carol is a new theatrical adaptation of the classic Charles Dickens novel by Sydney based playwright Melissa Lee Speyer, who’s worked closely with the director Michael Dean and the actors, to create an adaptation that feels traditional and pays homage to Dickens but is also for our times. “Dickens had a lot to say about the state of his world, about poverty, wealth and capitalism, and we’ve tried to play with that and bring in what’s familiar in 2017, making it fresh and relevant to the audience. We’ve included some of the political processes that have resulted in the election of Donald Trump and closer to home, the political divisions on both sides of politics, both sides blaming each other,” said Michael Dean.

There are seven actors who play all kinds of roles, and a live musician, Miles Elkington, who we see on stage, on keyboard and synthesiser, who has composed original songs and arranged the carols. “What inspired me to want to do a Christmas play, is that in a lot of places in the world a Christmas play is a staple of the theatre calendar, whereas we don’t really have that in Sydney. I would love to see the Christmas play become part of the Sydney tradition,” said Dean. Set in a dream world, it’s not Sydney 2017 and it’s not Victorian England either. It’s a ghost story, a fantastical adventure story but it’s also a musical for people who want to see a production of a classical

Live Music Guide LIVE WIRE Sydney By Jamie Apps

Red Bull Sound Select Christmas Showcase. Basenji.

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs: The grandest presentation of Messiah to have ever taken place in Australia, Sydney Philharmonia’s Christmas production brings the members of their specialist Symphony Chorus and VOX Choirs together with the 460 choristers who have joined the organisation’s Christmas Choir, specifically to learn and perform in this much-loved bi-annual extravaganza. Thu, Dec 14, Sydney Opera House Mick Thomas & The Roving Commission: After a year that saw the release of his first book and a stunning compilation record documenting the past 25 years of releases - not to mention an extensive national tour and a quick jaunt to Europe - Mick hits Sydney for his annual Christmas show. Fri, Dec 15, Leadbelly A Joyful Celtic Christmas: A celebration of Christmas with a Celtic twist, the performance will include a unique program of carols including Silent Night (Tawel Nos in Welsh), Deck the Halls in a traditional Welsh air, A Welsh Noel, Torches and an original composition of Bethlehem by the choir’s musical director, Viv Llewellyn, and his grandfather. Fri, Dec 15, Riverside Theatres Red Bull Sound Select Christmas Showcase: This month’s edition of the Red Bull Sound Select program has been curated by FBi Radio and features Basenji, Mallrat, Haiku Hands and Genesis Owusu. As a Christmas showcase event you can expect a

festive, happy, party atmosphere for this one. Fri, Dec 15, Beach Road Hotel Dreamers Crime: Have recently released their long awaited debut album, Compromises, and will thus be heading to Sydney this weekend to show it off. The band are expecting a big year in 2018 so get in on the ground floor now. Sat, Dec 16, Factory Theatre Icehouse: Since January the group have been traversing Australia and New Zealand with their 40 Years Live tour but they are set to play their final cap off show of the year in Sydney this weekend. Sun, Dec 17, Enmore Theatre The Coogee Carols: Randwick City Council presents the 16th Annual Coogee Carols at the Goldstein Reserve, Coogee Beach this Sunday. Amanda Keller returns to host the free event which draws an audience from local and surrounding areas to celebrate community, family and the spirit of Christmas, opposite one of the most beautiful beaches in the world for a relaxed night of fun for everyone to enjoy. Sun, Dec 17, Goldstein Reserve NOËL! NOËL!: In addition to carols and Christmas songs like O Holy Night, Silent Night and Once in Royal David’s City, Joel Parnis will sing a new arrangement of Bring Him Home from Les Miserablés, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas and a new and irreverent The Twelve Days of Christmas. Wed, Dec 20, St Stephen’s Anglican Church

Photo: Michael Yore

story that has some great Christmassy elements and also some surprises.There’s a 5pm performance on the 24th and afterwards there will be a Christmas dinner that you can book for and will be a great way to spend Christmas Eve. (MS)

Until Dec 24. Kings Cross Theatre, Level 2, Kings Cross Hotel, 244-248 William St, Kings Cross. $20-$35. Tickets & Info: www.liesliesandpropaganda.com

Tay Oskee By Jamie Apps The childhood of every musician plays a big role in the type of artist they grow to become. Tay Oskee’s incredibly unique upbringing though was perhaps even more pivotal than any other artist I’ve spoken with. Oskee’s mother is Indian so he has always been “surrounded by different cultures and sounds” which is where he credits his love for different instruments from around the world to. Aside from Indian culture Oskee has also been influenced by Aboriginal culture from a very early age. “My Mum and Dad worked up in the Northern Territory so that was a big chunk of my childhood. We lived in Yirrkala, an aboriginal community, and then I went to school at Nhulunbuy which is the mining town. I spent more time with the Yolngu people than I did with white man which at the time I thought nothing of but looking back it definitely played a big part in shaping me as a person.” Oskee explained. Musically this comes through primarily in Oskee’s lyrics, notably his connection to nature and the feeling of being lost in the big city. That feeling of being lost is something Oskee will have to tackle more and more in the future as his music really begins to blossom, particularly after winning the Byron Bay Blues Festival Busking Competition earlier this year. “I went there not expecting much so when I found out I won I couldn’t believe it. It

was always a dream to play Blues Fest so when suddenly out of nowhere I’m playing on one of their huge stages it freaked me out a little bit.” Since performing at Blues Fest Oskee went on to record his latest single, Like Waves, with Murray Burns (Mi Sex) and will be making his way down to Sydney for only the second time ever this weekend.

“I cant wait to get on the road. This is the most extensive tour I’ve done so it’s really exciting.” Looking ahead to 2018 Oskee says to, “keep an eye on my social media feeds and Spotify because there’s lots of new music coming.” Dec 17. Golden Barley Hotel, 165-169 Edgeware Rd, Enmore. FREE. Info: www.facebook.com/tayoskee

Undertow Closer to Darkness The Remixes

Suburban Dark Death From Below

This is a creative compilation of remixes. They have made music out of what sounds like a clucking chicken and a relentless smoke alarm. The mixtures are very danceable with dramatic drops and vocals that are always an extra rhythmic element, spiking interest in the selfaware part of the listeners brain. There are only a few tracks, not enough for a full party but an exciting addition to any list. With varied artists, the resulting five songs are equally different from each other, switching from mood to mood for a spicy eclectic vibe. These remixes demand attention, they will not suffer to be played in the background of the listeners daily tasks. Determinedly they pull focus and hold the listeners brain captive, restricting alternative coherent thought. Listeners would do well to keep these songs for physical exertion and mental oblivion. (SP) WWW

The latest release from Sydney duo Suburban Dark would be better described as a collection of soundscapes rather than songs. Death From Below is filled to the brim with deep, dark synthetic sounds which could very easily have been pulled from a dark, futuristic sci-fi film. Scattered throughout the record are a few tracks which would much more fundamentally be recognised as songs. These tracks welcome aboard a selection of Australia’s finest MC talents such as, MC Jewson (Thundamentals) and TELL (Mantra & Grey Ghost). Whilst the more traditional tracks are of a high quality they simply fail to draw you back in as strongly as the soundscapes, which are the more memorable portion of the record. (JA) WWW1/2 city hub 14 DECEMBER 2017

13


THE NAKED CITY

SPEAKERS CORNER

With Coffin Ed If you believe newspaper reports the recent tour by alt-right provocateur Milo Yiannapolous (previously known as Milo Hanrahan and Milo Andreas Wagner) was a raging financial success. Milo himself is reported to have pocketed around $250,000 as part of a speaking tour that grossed over $1 million. The promoters obviously knew just who their audience was, championed by the likes of Andrew Bolt, Mark Latham and Alan Jones. It was very much a case of preaching to the converted with an internet and social media campaign that kept venues secret until the last moment to avoid demonstrators and possible cancellations due to security concerns. No pole posters or late night TV adverts for Milo. Whilst Yiannapolous did a number of TV interviews prior to the tour and on his arrival in Australia, much of the mainstream media chose to ignore the visit. Surprisingly there was little coverage of his more outrageous statements in our local media immediately prior to him setting foot here and describing the Opera House as one of the ugliest

buildings in the world – now that’s a headline grabber! This is despite his much reported remarks supposedly endorsing underage sex and paedophilia which saw him resign from Brietbart earlier in the year and lose a major book contract. Where was the outrage from the Christian lobby and child protection groups such as Bravehearts over his impending visit? In 2011 the legendary US cartoonist Robert Crumb was booked to appear at the annual Graphix event at the Sydney Opera House. The Daily Telegraph decided to stir up some tabloid furore by targeting some of Crumb’s more sexualised cartoons, alerting anti-child abuse campaigner Hetty Johnson to this “self-confessed sex pervert.” Once Hetty jumped on the band wagon describing his work as “perverted images emanating from what is clearly a sick mind,” it was open slather for every shock jock and would be guardian of our morality. Crumb eventually reacted to the trumped up hullabaloo by pulling the plug on his own tour and who can blame him? Speaking tours have become increasingly popular in recent

years with a diverse group of personalities lining up at the lectern. From Henry Rollins, through Richard Dawkins to physicist Brian Cox, it‘s clear Australian audiences have an appetite for the spoken word. They are also hugely profitable for both the speaker and promoter, as the touring costs are nothing compared to music acts or theatre productions. Whilst nearly all the visiting speakers are marketed to a seemingly rational and well educated audience, the success of the Yiannapolous tour, could well open the door for an influx of the more extreme – direct from the ranks of the lunatic right! Holocaust denier David Irving is never going to get a visa but what about the gun toting ‘activist’ Ted Nugent, the former Grand Wizard of the KKK and noted Trump supporter David Duke or the entire choral ensemble of the notorious “God Hates Everything” Westboro Baptist Church. Packaged together all three of them might even fill ANZ Stadium (hopefully whilst it‘s actually being demolished). If it’s anti-immigration, antiMuslim, anti-PC, anti-feminist and debunks the whole myth of climate change there’s clearly an audience out there willing to shell out the big bucks to hear some imported pseudo celebrity exercise their right to freedom of speech – or freedom of ‘hate speech’. What we often get with your more extreme speakers is a kind of perverse stand up, heavy on entertainment whilst light on fact. So let’s not be too fussy about allowing the likes of Milo, Ted and David into the country but in future can they all be booked into the Comedy Store?

At Your Door: The Doormen Of New York City Stu Spence is a former TV host, renowned photojournalist, fine art photographer and writer. In his career, he has snapped the likes of Kylie Minogue and Michael Hutchence to You Am I, Nicole Kidman and many others. As a writer, Stu has contributed columns and features for magazines, online publications and newspapers. “I see these little things and they instantly evoke personalities.” The Watsons Bay resident has turned his weekly appearance of When a Man Snaps in the Huffington Post into a book of 50 of his images colliding with witty captions. When asked how the book came to be Stu explained, “Looking back, I think two things inspired When a Man Snaps. The advent of the mobile phone camera, which meant I didn’t have to use film or walk around with a camera, that was a real liberation for me. The second thing was social media. I started to entertain my friends with unusual imagery accompanied with a caption that was hopefully strange or funny. I wanted to say

volumes in the least amount of words.” When a Man Snaps is a funny look into Stu’s interesting and quirky take on the world. The book features a hilarious little background story of the first image, giving you an insight into Stu’s personality. “This week I really love the guy fishing with his imaginary friends. I’d never seen someone set up so many fishing rods. Sometimes the captions come to me easily and sometimes I have to work for them, that one I worked for.” A perfect coffee table piece, right in time for Christmas. (RH) When a Man Snaps is available online at www.whenamansnaps.com

The Big Christmas Feed

This weekend a group of local Sydney businesses will come together to help spread some Christmas cheer to 200 homeless men and women. To get things started Little Marionette and Tippity Tea will be onsite serving fresh barista coffee and tea, while Chargrill Charlies, Messina, Oregano Bakery, Seagrass Hospitality Group

and Top Juice feed roaming guests from live food stations. The casual, festival style event will also include a Pop Up Pantry, with take home items comprised of; 100kg of fresh fruit and carry bags from Harris Farm and personal care items made possible through donations by Award Home Loans, Belle Property and donors to the Go Fund Me page. Completing the offering on site will be a visit from the Orange Sky amenities shower truck and a live acoustic band playing festive tunes. Simone Azzi, founder of the Passion Project and The Big Christmas Feed said, “This is our second social outreach project for 2017 and each one just gets bigger each time thanks to the generosity of my community and local businesses. 2017 has already surpassed my wildest expectations and we have another event in the works for May 2018.” (JA) The Big Christmas Feed will take place Sun Dec 17 from 5-7pm at Tom Uren Square. If you would like to make a donation please head to www.gofundme.com/ bigchristmasfeed

In This Corner Of The World This is a beautifully animated, deeply engaging film by director/ screenwriter Sunao Katabuchi. Set in Japan, the story centres predominantly around the life of Suzu, beginning with her carefree childhood where she exhibits early signs of artistic prowess. The plot is sectioned into timelines with titles showing time and place.This first part takes 14

city hub 14 DECEMBER 2017

place several years before WWII in a town near Hiroshima, and so a tone of eerie foreboding is set.As war approaches and Suzu enters her teens she is married off by arrangement and moves to Kure, a naval port about 15 miles from Hiroshima. Much of the plot takes place over the two years from 1944 through 1945 against a foreground of

family saga and backdrop of merciless bombings, privation and tragedy. No punches are pulled and there are some visceral, truly heartwrenching moments, yet there is also humour, humanity, courage. The artwork is exquisite and cinematic devices during some scenes are impressive. (RB) WWW1/2


Ferdinand

Inspired by The Story of Ferdinand, a book by Munroe Leaf and Robert Lawson, is Blue Sky Studio’s family comedy, Ferdinand. Directed by Carlos Saldanha (Rio) alongside an all-star cast of voices including, John Cena, Gina Rodriguez, Kate McKinnon, Anthony Anderson, Peyton Manning and many others. Set in Spain, Ferdinand, a giant bull with a big heart, lives the perfect life loved and adored by his owner, a little girl named Nina. After being mistaken for a fighting

bull, Ferdinand is captured and taken to a farm were the bulls are either fighters or meat. Rallying together an unlikely team they attempt to escape only to have Ferdinand chosen to fight the greatest matador in Spain in the process. Enjoyable and funny for the whole family. A hearty kid’s movie with beautiful animated landscapes and loveable characters. In the words of my three-year-old nephew, “can we watch it again uncle Rye?” (RH) WWW1/2

The Secret Scripture

Based on Sebastian Barry’s Man Booker Prize-winning novel, The Secret Scripture starts slowly but develops into an intriguing and heart-rending mystery. With stellar performances from Vanessa Redgrave as the elderly Rose, and Rooney Mara as young Rose, this is a story that tugs on your heartstrings in more ways than one. Rose insists on one version of her past, while the psychiatric home she’s spent most of her life in has

Connect with something bigger.

The Disaster Artist

a different version of events. Rose’s ‘secret scripture’ – her written version of events – reveals the true reality. Set in Ireland in troubled times, the landscape in both physical and political senses plays a huge part in the story, and the role of women at that time is explored. A sense of loss and futility permeates the film, however there are moments of dazzling brilliance that make this worth watching. (LS) WWW1/2

Produced and directed by James Franco, The Disaster Artist is a biographical comedy-drama, based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell. The film features a stellar cast of James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogan, Josh Hutcherson, Jackie Weaver and Alison Brie to name a few. After meeting at an acting class, Tommy (James Franco) and Greg (Dave Franco) make their way to Hollywood to pursue their shared dream of acting. Not getting anywhere

the pair decide to make a movie masterpiece of their own, The Room, which is widely thought to be the worst movie ever made. For a film about the making of a film, The Disaster Artist could possibly be the best movie of 2017. The story has charm, the acting is spot on and it’s hysterically entertaining. If James Franco wins a prestigious award of any kind, that will be the icing on the cake. Spend the money and go see this film! (RH) WWWWW

Office tO Let

CAREERS AT STARBUCKS

Store Managers & Assistant Store Managers At Starbucks, our mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit - one person, one cup and one neighbourhood at a time. Our teams connect with, laugh with, and uplift the lives of our customers - even if just for a few moments. Sure, it starts with the promise of a perfectly made beverage, but our work goes far beyond that. It’s really about human connection. We are growing rapidly and are on the lookout for outstanding Store Managers and Assistant Store Managers who can help us drive the amazing, passionate culture and awesome results we are known for. We want to hear from those who have a strong background in Quick Service Retail at Assistant Manager or Manager level. We currently have roles available in: Western Sydney • Sydney CBD • Bondi Junction • Chatswood • Manly With all of this exciting growth, we also have a number of Barista and Shift Supervisor roles available around Sydney too. To view our current job opportunities and to apply today visit www.starbucks.com.au/careers

Share office Space in good building in ultimo. Bright window office, approximately 4mx4m, some furniture available. Internet and copy facilities negotiable. Security building, share facilities.

admin@altmedia.net.au city hub 14 DECEMBER 2017

15


16

city hub 14 DECEMBER 2017


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.