City Hub 2 March 2017

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Opinion

Mardi Gras: Your rights if searched by sniffer dogs

BY KIERAN ADAIR With the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade just around the corner, there’s no doubt that the New South Wales Police are gearing up for another drug dog operation.

Despite the evidence showing the abysmal failure of sniffer dogs as a harm prevention measure, one that results in upwards of 70% false searches, they keep being trotted out each year, at music festivals, nightclubs, and especially at the Mardi Gras.

Along with the lockout laws, sniffer dogs are another tool being used by the NSW Government to crackdown on the city’s nightlife - searches disproportionately target the young, along with poor, homeless and Aboriginal communities.

Regardless of whether you’re attending as a spectator or participant, we’ve compiled this list of legal tips to make sure you know your rights if searched.

• Make sure you are searched by an officer of the same gender, if reasonably practicable; • Allow you to dress as soon as the search is finished.

During the search the police are not allowed to:

• Ask you to remove any clothing that is not necessary; • Touch your body; • Search any body cavities; or • Search your genital area.

The police cannot:

• Search your genital area or breasts (for female or female identifying trans and intersex people), unless it is reasonable necessary; or • Question you while you are being searched.

If a police officer believes you may have drugs, or anything else dangerous or illegal in your mouth or hair they’re allowed to ask you to open your mouth or shake your hair. For any other search of a body cavity, the police need to have your consent or a court order.

What is ‘reasonable suspicion’ for a search?

It’s likely that police will have sniffer dogs doing checks in both the marshalling area of the parade, and the parade’s after party. If police search you and find something illegal, you could be facing stiff criminal penalties.

That being said, police officers must have a factual basis for their suspicion prior to searching you. It’s important to know that simply being present at Mardi Gras does not make it reasonable for the police to suspect you are carrying drugs or something else illegal.

If you can show that the police did not have ‘reasonable grounds to suspect’, the search may be illegal, but this would need to be established in court after the event. You would not be successful in any court action if the police found drugs or other illegal items when they searched you.

The most commonly used tactic for establishing

What happens after the search?

Safety first for the Mardi Gras. Photo: Hasitha Tudugalle

‘reasonable grounds’ is a positive indication by a police sniffer dog. Sniffer dogs are trained to sit down next to a person if they believe the person has drugs on them. Despite the evidence that these indications are often inaccurate, police continue to use them to establish suspicion.

If a police officer tells you they will search you, try to remain polite, calm and cooperative. If you resist the search, you may be charged with hindering a police search or resisting arrest. If you’re rude toward them, you could be arrested or fined for offensive language. Don’t give them an excuse.

If you are searched make sure to note the time, place of the search, as well as the officer’s name, rank, station and reasons for searching you.

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.

These details will be important later, if you decide to file a complaint against the officer.

What are your rights when searched?

There are still limitations on what police officers can do, even if they decide to search you.

If you are searched it’s important to be aware of these as they’re critical to protecting your rights, and preventing invasive searches.

The police must:

• Conduct the least invasive kind of search practicable in the circumstances. This means that a strip search can only be conducted where no other search will do; • Conduct the search in a way that provides you with reasonable privacy and as quickly as is practicable;

Police have the right to ask for your name and address. It is usually a good idea to give them these details, but you don’t have to give them anything else. It will be entered onto your COPS record, and may be used against you in the future. Remember to take note of the officer’s name, rank and station - this will be useful if you decide to place a complaint later.

If something is found on you during a search, you must give the police your name and address if asked. Depending on what you are caught with, the police may issue you a caution, a court attendance notice or arrest you. The fines in NSW for possession of 0.8g of MDMA or 1g of cocaine can be up to $2200, with a maximum penalty of 2 years in prison.

“No more secrecy”: Greens on greyhound racing

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ABN 52 600 903 348 Group Publisher: Lawrence Gibbons Group Editor: Angira Bharadwaj, Jessica Hill and Stephanie Tiller Contributors: Kieran Adair, Angira Bharadwaj, Jessica Hill, Stephanie Tiller, Benedict Brunker and Andrew Woodhouse.

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Independent Arbiter joins hands with the Greens on greyhound racing. Photo: Nancy W Beach

BY ANGIRA BHARADWAJ Greens MP, Mehreen Faruqi is calling for greyhound racing documents that were previously kept secret to be a released to the public.

Ms Faruqi has challenged Greyhound Racing NSW to release thousands of documents deemed “privileged” in order to establish greater transparency on the controversial issue.

“The papers that have been released show an industry rife with animal cruelty and cover-ups, including evidence of widespread live baiting, evidence of vets falsely or misleadingly filing euthanasia certificates for dogs, the killing of pups considered not suitable for racing and the involvement of outlaw motorcycle clubs,” she said.

“Given that the NSW Government has indicated it intends to repeal the ban on greyhound racing, it is essential that the community has information about the decision making and evidence.”

Ms Faruqi has the support of the Independent Arbiter in her bid to secure the release of the papers.

In a report titled Report Under Standing Order 52 on Disputed Claim of Privileged: Greyhound Welfare, the Hon Keith Mason AC QC found the disputed documents should not be upheld as privileged.

“The independent arbiter has agreed with my assertion and stated that the vast majority of documents which I challenged are not privileged and should be seen by the public,” Ms Faruqi said.

She has now called on the NSW Government to allow the papers to be released.

“Transparency is rare in NSW politics which is why we must fight every move to unnecessarily hide information from the public,” she said.

Paul Toole, a spokesperson for the Minister for Racing, has indicated the Government will be working on reforming the greyhound racing industry.

“On 16 February, the Government released the report of the Greyhound Industry Reform Panel, which made 122 recommendations on matters including animal welfare and integrity.

“The panel consulted widely in developing their report, which will inform decisions of Government. The Government is currently developing its response to the 122 recommendations and that will be released in coming weeks,” the spokesperson said.

Greyhound Racing NSW were unavailable for comment.

Dr Faruqi has said that she will move a motion to release the remaining papers when Parliament resumes in early March. city hub 2 MARCH 2017

3

The Yes Minister

BY BENNEDICT BRUNKER Eastern suburbs Liberals are in revolt over Vaucluse Liberal MP Gabrielle Upton’s sudden show of support for the NSW Government’s plans for council amalgamations.

Ms Upton’s seat of Vaucluse includes Woollahra and Waverley Councils, which are set to be merged with Randwick council under the Government’s long-standing mergers plan.

Ms Upton has spoken out previously against the amalgamations, most notably at a rally in Double Bay in October 2015.

“I believe that local governments are local,” she said to the crowd protesting the government’s move.

“I believe that small can be effective.

My position is that Woollahra Council should not be merged with other councils.”

Ms Upton also urged protestors to sign a petition expressing opposition to the merger.

It was a view she was known to express at Liberal Party branch meetings, according to former Mayor of Woollahra John Comino, speaking to a local newspaper.

Following the NSW Government’s cabinet reshuffle last month – a consequence of former Premier Mike Baird’s resignation and replacement

by Gladys Berejiklian – Ms Upton emerged as the new Minister for Local Government, having previously served as the NSW Attorney-General.

Hopes were high amongst opponents of the amalgamations in Vaucluse and elsewhere that the appointment of a political figure who had spoken out publicly against the plan might signal a shift in the Government’s policy.

However, though the government decided to ditch pending amalgamations in rural areas of NSW, the merger of urban councils looks set to proceed, pending legal challenges in the High Court.

Ms Upton defended the decision in a public statement, saying, “Make no mistake, I fully support the Government policy.”

Asked whether her apparent inconsistency on the issue might harm her in the eyes of her electorate, Ms Upton said, “There may well be a personal political cost as a result of the decision by the state cabinet to go ahead with the mergers of councils in the Sydney area”.

Ms Upton has been largely popular amongst her Vaucluse electorate and local Liberal Party members since first winning the seat in 2011.

However, polling shows that 80 percent of residents in Woollahra oppose the proposed merger – a sizeable chunk of Ms Upton’s electorate.

Ms Upton narrowly defeated well known restauranteur Peter Doyle to win Liberal Party pre-selection for the seat of Vaucluse in 2010.

The unpopularity of her view amongst Vaucluse Liberals means she may face a pre-selection challenge

Gabrielle Upton is causing a stir with NSW Liberals. Photo: UNSW Law Facebook Page

before the next State election.

Working in her favour however, is her significant influence within the NSW Liberal Party, as evidenced by a string of prominent cabinet positions.

The attempted merger has been stalled by Woollahra Council’s pursuance of legal action against the state Government.

Woollahra Council has so far been rebuffed in its attempts to challenge the forced mergers, but is appealing the decision of the Supreme Court in the High Court, a case which is set to be heard this year.

The amalgamations are expected to proceed should the appeal fail, so long as the state Government upholds its merger policy.

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Aboriginal Housing Company isn’t ‘bringing people together’

BY JESSICA HILL The Redfern Indigenous community has denied support for the Pemulwuy Project at The Block, despite such claims from the Aboriginal Housing Company (AHC).

The AHC recently lodged an application to the Department of Planning to increase student accommodation. To support the increase from 154 to 500 students, the building will need to be ten stories higher than the original plan.

Nathan Moran, the CEO of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council (MLALC), said it’s a big lie for the AHC to promote they have support from the Aboriginal community of Redfern.

“We are the Aboriginal community of Redfern, the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council.

Whether the Aboriginal Housing Company likes that or not, we are the authority legislated to speak and we have never supported this development,” he said.

Mr Moran said the AHC didn’t consult the MLALC in regards to the modifications.

“I’m quite shocked that we have not even had the courtesy of a conversation from the housing company,” he said.

“To have no negotiation, let alone discussion, as an Aboriginal community on options other than going for commercial use of the land is quite shocking. It’s very devastating to be honest.”

AHC Chairperson, Alisi Tutuila, said they included the local community in the development and planning of the Pemulwuy Project.

“We’ve worked very hard in engaging with certain stakeholders in the community,” she said.

Ms Tutuila said the modifications would benefit the local Indigenous community at Redfern.

“Apart from being able to provide 62 Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander families with affordable housing dwellings, there will also be Indigenous scholarships for students, Indigenous employment opportunities as well as education and other pathway programs,” she said.

The AHC said the decision to increase student accommodation is to ensure they are able to fund the construction of affordable housing on the site.

“There has been no government funding to cover the entire precinct, which the affordable housing is on.

“We’ve worked very hard to try and secure other funding from other avenues, including government, and there hasn’t been any funding available – hence why we’ve had to increase to be able to yield off the height to be able to build the affordable housing,” said Ms Tutuila.

MP Nigel Scullion, the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, committed a $5 million grant to the Aboriginal Housing Company for the Pemulwuy Project in 2015 as a part of a peace deal made with the Redfern Tent Embassy.

The grant was contingent on affordable housing and commercial development being commenced at the same time.

A spokesperson for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet said the Minster has not received any requests from the AHC to progress this grant.

Mr Moran disputes the claim the AHC exhausted other avenues to fund the Pemulwuy Project.

He said the MLALC offered AHC the opportunity to explore a financial partnership to develop The Block but they didn’t respond to the request.

“I think it’s very important to put out there. We’re not just talking, we actually went to them and offered

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The Block is proposed to be the site for the Pemulwuy Project. Photo: ABC Sydney Facebook Page

to mortgage a whole series of our assets,” he said.

Mr Moran said the AHC are functioning as a commercial operation, which is in conflict to their original foundation.

“Their original foundation was to be an Aboriginal community housing provider for Aboriginal people and families to accommodation on The Block,” he said.

The AHC named the project at Redfern after the Indigenous warrior, Pemulwuy, who lead the resistance against colonists in Sydney.

Mr Moran said the AHC never sought approval from the MLALC or the La Perouse Land Council where Pemulwuy belonged.

“They have shown total disrespect for the culture, the community and even that individual,” he said.

The AHC will hold a community information meeting to address the modifications to the Pemulwuy Project on Thursday 9 March at Redfern Community Centre.

Ms Tutuila said the event provides a formal platform for the local Indigenous community to respond.

Mr Moran said this meeting is not a unique community consultation for the local Indigenous community but is part of the development application process.

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Opinion

Sydney Council Sick of flush with funds WestConnex

BY ANDREW WOODHOUSE Sydney Council is rolling in clover. And no, I don’t mean in Clover Moore. It’s rolling in so much of our money, there’s an embarrassment of riches.

Its latest December 2016 figures state: “Council’s total Investment and Cash position is forecast to be $613.6 million ... with investments earning interest of $1.4 million a month … The majority of the City’s cash and investments portfolio is ... $346.1 million (investments) and ... $88.2 million cash reserves ...”

(December 2016 meeting Item 2).

Phew! That’s good to know. For a moment I thought the money was being splashed about like glitter in the Mardi Gras parade.

But hang on. Excuse me for thinking. We have $613.6 million total in cash and investments. And “the majority” of this money is made up of $346.1 million plus $88.2 million, totalling $434.4 million.

OK, got it so far. Stay with me on this please readers. So that leaves a whopping $179. 2 million, the remainder, going where, exactly?

With this I could buy 40 fabulous four-million dollar Parisian apartments and still have change left over for two Rolls Royce Wraiths with hand-sewn starlight roof linings in cashmere and five round-the-world, first-class trips including five star, champagne-encrusted accommodation all the way. And a new penthouse in Sydney, overlooking Town Hall, just for fun, all a totally tendentious, gorgeous, self-indulgence!

Think Paris, Guangzhou, Mexico City. New Orleans, Rio Di Janero and Copenhagen for starters. Hasn’t she heard of Skype?

She now has twenty staff, including two media advisors and five policy advisors costing $3.6 million this year alone, as well as a personal chauffeur and a fleet of limousines on stand-by, all of which beg the question: what does she actually do? Just cut ribbons at openings? She certainly gives new meaning to the term “disposable income”.

She has almost as many staff as former NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell did during the Olympics yet she deals with about 180,000 constituents compared to the Premier’s state constituency of 7.5 million.

Former Lord Mayors, Jeremy Bingham and Leo Port, had only four staff including two typists.

Current City of Fairfield Mayor, Frank Carbone, representing a similar population to Mrs Moore, doesn’t have any dedicated staff. He sold the mayoral vehicle when he was elected to council in 2012.

Now she is trying to placate the public over her new expenses policy. It is largesse with a capital L. The Minister for Local Government , Gabrielle Upton, recently launched a probe into this proposed policy so Clover has ordered Ms Barone, her right-hand arm CEO, to find ways to make real-time spending more transparent, but not now: in the next financial year instead, of course.

Which will do what? Just highlight how glacially

Rolling in clover.

Image: Mark Lynch

But wait. It’s not my money. It’s too easy to spend other people’s money, especially if you’re in control of it. And Clover Moore, who is in control of it, should know this.

She’s spending $3.5 million on a grandiloquent ribbon arch in front of Town Hall, as a “diversion”, she told us in council, but yet to be certified as structurally sound.

She’s also spending $2.5 million on a milk crate sculpture whose fate is now unsure.

Her defence? “The City of Sydney’s investment in public art helps cement Sydney’s status as Australia’s global city”. Just how could a mega-milk crate have done this? All it does is cement in a structure nobody wants or can use. She’s dreaming.

She splurged $19,000 on a mural by US Artist, MOMO, curated by the appropriately-named local artist, Elliot “Numskull” Routledge. It was constructed in January 2016 but removed within thirteen weeks.

Blink and you missed it.

Her overseas, jaunty junkets and pointy-end-of-theplane trips with her phalanx of flunkeys are legendary.

6

city hub 2 MARCH 2017

slow the Council is to act and how transparently wasteful it really is!

City of Sydney Councillor and experienced businessman, Chris Chung asks rhetorically, “What happened to grass-roots Clover? Gone are the days of Clover being for the people of Sydney; now all she is interested in is her pet projects, and keeping herself and her party politically alive. Over-the-top ratepayer-funded trips for her and seven staff members, and campaigners being paid $100,000 aren’t the priority of the community, but it’s exactly what the Lord Mayor is delivering.”

Council should spend our money on us instead, on it’s core functions I say; repairing footpaths, installing more CCTVs in Kings Cross and more compliance rangers to chase down illegal works, a far better bang for the ratepayers’ bucks.

Or upgrade Green Square, one of the densest populated districts in the world, and construct their plaza and library, still not started 17 years after it was originally proposed and 12 years since Clover assumed the throne.

Andrew Woodhouse is President, Potts Point & Kings Cross Heritage & Residents’ Society

Jenny Leong wants urgent on health and safety breaches at Westconnex construction sites.

Photo: Mark Riboldi

BY STEPHANIE TILLER Newtown Greens MP Jenny Leong has called for “urgent action” on health and safety breaches allegedly occurring on WestConnex construction sites.

Ms Leong’s call for action comes after weeks of incidents surrounding WestConnex construction sites.

One of the incident included a 30-yearold male suffering severe bruising to his legs after he was trapped under a concrete support structure on the site.

Ms Leong said breaches including asbestos contamination, unsecured demolition debris and inadequate security fencing and signage have been raised with her.

“The WestConnex project is designed to be hidden from proper scrutiny. The private Sydney Motorway Corporation sub-contracts work to cowboy contractors who don’t comply with mandatory health and safety requirements, and the construction conditions are not being adequately monitored by the NSW Government.

“While we have received reassurances around health and safety issues, particularly with reference to asbestos, we are still seeing breaches on demolition sites that are being reported by community members,” she said.

Ms Leong said the community is being told “trust us, we’ll fix things” but the breaches of basic compliance issues is making this difficult to believe.

On 11 February 2017, unsecured iron roofing and timber was blown from a WestConnex demolition site onto Campbell Street, St Peters and into the yards of neighbouring homes.

Three days later, St Peters resident Tamara Regan witnessed the unsafe removal of asbestos from a home being demolished by construction workers on Brown Street in St Peters.

A spokesperson for The Sydney Motorway Corporation said both incidents were isolated and site inspections had been carried out to ensure properties and materials on site were secure.

“The safety of the community and our workers is our highest priority in the delivery of the WestConnex project.

“Sydney Motorway Corporation and the New M5 contractor are continuing

to work closely with the Department of Planning and Environment and SafeWork to ensure compliance,” they said.

A spokesperson from SafeWork NSW said they were responding to, “requests for service from members of the public in relation to asbestos and dust contamination, tree work, plant safety and site security.”

Ms Regan said she has been reporting compliance breaches at the construction site of the New M5 St Peters Interchange daily, with no action being taken in response.

“I’m currently lodging up to three complaints a day to the EPA and Work Cover. I contacted Stuart Ayres office in Penrith and they said WestConnex is not a local matter so direct your questions elsewhere.

“Every time I lodge a complaint with the Sydney Motorway Corporation I get a generic email back restating my claim but with no resolution. Often the responses sent to me are completely unrelated to what my complaints are,” she said.

Pauline Lockie, spokesperson for the WestConnex Action Group (WAG), said the lack of action on health and safety breaches is concerning.

“We’re talking about the kind of health and safety breaches that can easily result in serious injury, if not fatality, and yet despite residents and groups like ours reporting these issues to the proper authorities, we are not seeing any kind of serious action being taken.”

“If we’re lucky, the work will get stopped for maybe a few hours or a day at a time, but then it resumes again and we see the same kinds of breaches happening,” she said.

“What is really concerning is not just the volume of complaints that we’re getting about construction breaches on WestConnex sites, but also the lack of action being taken on these complaints.”

“Sydney Motorway Corporation (SMC) is committed to engaging with the community and stakeholders to ensure they are given opportunities to discuss their concerns and provide feedback,” the spokesperson for SMC said.

“SMC has comprehensive complaints management processes to address issues, including safety, as quickly and effectively as possible.”

Ms Leong and WAG called on NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to halt work and conduct a review into WestConnex.

FEATURE

City of Sydney Silenced dedicated and hardworking staff that make these venues and events run smoothly.

For Newtown Social Club it is these staff members that have become their major priority following the announced closure.“Our key focus right now is looking after our staff.They are truly amazing and we want to ensure that they are well looked after in the coming months,” said Music and Marketing Manager Sally Mather.

Despite all of this doom and gloom, Mr Ryan was quick to stress that the council is not the bad guy here and appears to be open to discussion to find a middle ground, on the individual case basis at least.

As such the Harold Park Hotel has been able to resurrect their Sunday Sessions by moving their music performance indoors with just a few doors open to the courtyard.

William Ryan Harold Park Hotel Owner/Operator.

Photo: Clyde Mooney, PubTic

By Jamie Apps We’ve all heard or read about the pressures and hurdles the nightlife economy in our once vibrant city has faced since the introduction of the NSW State Government’s Lockout Laws. More recently however there has been yet another, more silent and lethal danger facing live music venues.

The City Of Sydney council’s noise and development regulations have seen two separate venues very recently announce they would be ceasing live music. The first of such announcements was the Harold Park Hotel, which was closely followed by Newtown Social Club.

In the case of the Harold Park Hotel, a venue with a tradition of complaint-free acoustic live music for the past seven and a half years, they were sent a warning letter which stated they would face a $6000 fine should a further complaint arise. For publican William Ryan, receiving a warning like this after just a single complaint has left a “bitter taste” in his mouth.

“I’ve been the sole operator here and not had a single complaint in my entire life.The thing that gets me is that someone new moves in and rather than coming to talk to me about the issue they’ve hid behind the anonymity of a council complaint,” said Mr Ryan, despondently.

Under the regulations of the Harold Park Hotel’s liquor and gaming licence the venue was well within their rights to have live music within the venue, but fell afoul of a recent change to a development consent under the council’s umbrella.

“Perhaps the biggest hurdle for a small operator like myself are acoustic reports, engineering reports and submissions to council to amend DA’s [which] often leave you with no change from $30,000. If you’re a big multi-venue then that might be an

For the Newtown Social Club the future appears more set in stone as they plug away with events towards their final show in April. Sally Mather assured the City Hub that they “want to ensure our last run of shows are of the same high standard that our punters have come to expect”. In order to do this the final shows will feature the likes of Ash Grunwald,Amy Shark, Bec Sandridge, Cosmos Midnight, Front End Loader and Gareth Liddiad.

Linda Scott believes that Sydney needs to “be a place where experimental venues can open and allow for emerging artists to launch their careers, because without them we risk not having the Flumes and Midnight Oils of the future”. If you share these views then ensure you make your voice heard by heading to the venues and also by attending public council meetings on the matter.

Bec Sandridge joins Newtown Social Club’s final run of live shows

acceptable cost, but for a little player like me that’s not even a consideration,” explained Mr Ryan Labor councillor Linda Scott says this is certainly not the first time a venue has been forced to either cease live music, or outright close down, as a result of council regulations.

“Since the Lord Mayor was elected we’ve seen a more than 60% decrease in the number of live music venues in the City of Sydney,” stated Scott.

Unfortunately one of our cities biggest supporters of live music, the Newtown Social Club, has announced that they too are set to join that long and growing list on April 23, citing regulations as a major factor in their decision.

“Whilst the live music part of the business was a resounding success, the current regulatory climate in Sydney and the inherent challenges therein have made it unsustainable,” Newtown Social Club posted on their Facebook page.

The Labor Party and Linda Scott in particular have been staunch supporters of live music in Sydney, even taking the steps to draw up a live music action plan of 60 recommendations. Had even the first of these recommendations been implemented the situation with the Harold Park Hotel could have been prevented, according to Scott.

“The first recommendation is to protect areas with a longstanding tradition of live music in our planning agreements, but that has not been done and it means that places like the Harold Park Hotel can then have planning controls which prevent them from having live music. This is wrong, it should stop.”

Whilst the loss of a thriving night time economy and creative environment is devastating, perhaps the most immediate impact will be upon those

Cosmos Midnight are playing sellout shows at Newtown Social Club this month

MEET the locals

Clean Club has a sparkling future

BY JESSICA HILL Krasimir “Kris” Kostadinov is a selfproclaimed perfectionist, a personal trait essential to excel in the cleaning industry.

“I just want the job to be perfect and so far nobody can say they will do a better job than me,” he said.

Kris has been running his cleaning business, Clean Club, for the last two and a half years and oversees a number of employees.

Clean Club offers services, such as office cleaning and hospitality cleaning, to businesses and homes throughout the Sydney region.

“I definitely want to grow Clean Club into a big empire. I’m not planning to stop anytime soon,” he said.

And it doesn’t look like he will be.

Kris says he has his customers to thank for his rapidly expanding business.

“Many of my customers are building my clientele. I found after we started working

together, my costumers would recommend the company to their friends, relatives and business partners.”

Kris said he enjoys his job because he gets to meet a lot of new people. He also loves offering solutions to make his customer’s lives easier.

“The people who need house cleaning will have more time to do things they enjoy, because nobody likes to do cleaning,” he said.

“We can also offer peace of mind.”

Clean Club was created in response to an increased need to help the clients at his other business, student services company Key4Oz. Key4Oz helps students from countries, such as Bulgaria, Indonesia and Mexico, get established in Sydney by offering them help with their visas, find employment and select where they would like to study.

“Initially I started (Key4Oz) when I moved



Perfectionist Kris working his magic in Sydney homes and businesses. Photo: Supplied

to Australia but I figured that these people want to work as soon as they come. I thought ‘What’s everybody regardless of education and experience can do?’ and decided cleaning is a good option. That’s why I started the cleaning company to complement and offer them jobs,” he said.

Before the students start work Kris and his team at Clean Club provides the students with both on and off the job training.

Clean Club provides cleaning services up to 25km from the Sydney CBD. It operates from 7am-5pm everyday.

For more information on how you can benefit from Kris’s cleaning services visit his website: cleanclub.com.au or call him on 0435786201.

If you’d to like to know more about the student services provided by Key4Oz, visit their website: key4oz.com. city hub 2 MARCH 2017

7

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

It’s 1956 in small town America.The Cold War is becoming glacial but the Susan B.Anthony Society For The Sisters Of Gertrude Stein stoically decides they’ll still hold their annual quiche breakfast.And then, as director Nathanael Cooper puts it:“A certain thing happens that leaves them all trapped in the bunker where they hold their meeting.”

“It’s [5 Lesbians Eating A Quiche] just very funny, very naughty and very silly,” explained Cooper.

Despite the title, Cooper insists it’s an inclusive show that everyone can enjoy.The set resembles a community hall and attendees are given name tags

Trevor Ashley as Shirley Bassy

Would the real Shirley Bassey (or Liza, Cher, Barbra, or Dusty) please stand up!? When Trevor Ashley is impersonating them, it’s very hard to tell. The gifted entertainer has been acclaimed worldwide for his almost supernaturally accurate imitations.

As part of the Mardi Gras Festival this year, Ashley is reprising his spectacular Shirley Bassey show Diamonds Are For Trevor.

“It’s the least done show of all my shows because it’s so big – we only ever do it in concert,” Ashley explained.

“It is like you’re at a Shirley Bassey concert, so it’s big. I’ve got a 24-piece orchestra, and huge lighting rig… we do about 21 or 22 Bassey songs.”

8

and assigned new female names (even the men) upon arrival so that the audience immediately feels like part of the show.

Catherine Alcorn plays Lulie Stanwyck, President: “She’s formidable – very fierce and strong and has a fascinating character journey.”

Lauren O’Rourke is Wren Robin, Events Chairwoman/Deputy President.“Imagine her as one of those Stepford Wives, dosed up on drugs and with a permanent smile.”

Lauren Jackson plays Veronica “Vern” Schultz, Buildings and Grounds Chairman.“She’s the seductress of the group – very aware of her femininity.”

Ashlee Lollback is Ginny Cadbury, Secretary.An immigrant from the UK attending her first quiche breakfast.“She is very shy and mouselike but she also has an awakening during the performance.”

Bianca Zouppas is Dale Prist, Historian.“You think at the outset that she’s probably the dummy of the group, but what you learn is…how wise she is and what an interesting life she’s had.” (RB) Mar 21–26, varied performance times. Glen Street Theatre, cnr Glen St & Blackbutts Rd, Belrose. $31-$65.Tickets & info: www. glenstreet.com.au

Diamonds Are For Trevor In between singing Bassey’s greatest hits, Ashley tells the story of her tragic and turbulent life. But to stop things becoming maudlin, Ashley accessorises the script with sparkling, bold humour – how bold depends on the vibe he gets from the audience: “You usually do a couple of off colour [jokes] just to test them out,” he says, winking.

Of course, huge personalities like Bassey come ready-made for parody and Ashley revels in the possibilities: “With Bassey it was fun because she is such a diva and everybody knows that she’s a complete and utter nightmare, that it’s fun to sort of go ‘well what would she do?’”

Ashley is a consummate talent with an extraordinary voice – requisite for the intensity and range of Bassey’s repertoire. Couple that with breath-taking gowns by Oscar-winning designer Tim Chappel, and Ashley will have the audience enthralled. (RB) Mar 2, 8pm. Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall. $69-$129.

Tickets & info: www.sydneyoperahouse.com

a&e city hub 2 MARCH 2017

The King and I

5 Lesbians Eating A Quiche

Photo: Dylan Evans

8 STAGE 9 Sounds 10 SCENE 11 SCREEN

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s ambitious and most loved musical The King And I returns to Sydney, in a lavish production which should enchant audiences of all ages returning for encore performances.

The classic musical tells of the experiences of Anna Leonowens (Charmaine Gibbs), a British schoolteacher who becomes the governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam (Stephen Halstead) in the early 1860’s, and her relationship with the King.

Gibbs, who has had principle roles in several productions including Mary Poppins and Miss

STC’s Away

Heather Mitchell.

Photo: James Green

Widely regarded as one of the classics of the Australian theatrical canon, Michael Gow’s Away takes us back to the summer of 1967 with the Vietnam War in our consciousness and a background of social upheaval without precedence. It’s a journey of joy, incredible sadness and grace.

As they leave for their summer holidays, the stories of three families entwine. At the heart are three mothers, each dealing with loss and loneliness in their own particular way. The grief-stricken Coral (Natasha Herbert) has lost her only son in Vietnam and is barely consolable. “Because she is in grief, everything is heightened for her so she sees the pain in everyone around her,” explained Herbert. It was this hub of relationships that initially sparked director

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

Saigon, explained that it’s unnerving playing a role which was initially made famous on stage by Gertrude Lawrence and on film by Deborah Kerr: “It’s absolutely terrifying! It’s a most difficult role and when you play such iconic characters you want to meet the expectations of audiences – it’s daunting, but an incredible privilege.”

Gibbs also savours the experience of working with the large cast of children: “I would work with kids in a heartbeat…it ignites a particular magic on stage.”

With a cast of 60 actors, singers and dancers (including 26 children), 130 period costumes, a beautiful set and a full orchestra, this spectacular promises to be a mesmerising night at the theatre.

Musical numbers including ‘Getting To Know You’, ‘Shall We Dance?’ and ‘Something Wonderful’ should have audiences humming tunes from the show long after leaving the theatre.

“There’s something special in it for everyone.

Leave the political correctness at the door and enjoy watching two people from different backgrounds finding common ground and a way of working with one another,” concluded Gibbs.

(MMo) Mar 3–Mar 12. Rockdale Town Hall, cnr Princess Highway & Bryant St, Rockdale. $40-$110 (family).Tickets & info: www.rockdalemusicalsociety.com

Matthew Lutton’s interest in the play, said Herbert. “Their focus is on their children.

One is coming of age, one is dying and one is dead”.

Drawing heavily on Shakespearean portions – it begins with a school production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and ends on the beach with King Lear – the play inhabits a big, sparse, minimalist space. In between is a transformative, almost psychological storm, that might evoke The Tempest or Lear again.

“It is a little bit like going through a portal into an alternative space, another world,” Herbert elaborated.

Moving outside of time and taking on a ‘dream-like’ quality allows this version of Away to step outside of a literal 1967 context and find more universality of relationships, grief and loss. The parallels with today are not lost on Herbert: “It’s wondering what the future is and what we are creating. It’s that threat of things changing in a way that brings a loss of control”. (GW) Until Mar 25, varied performance times.

Sydney Opera House, Drama Theatre. $61-$105. Tickets & info: www. sydneytheatre.com.au or (02) 9250 1777

Contributors: Carmen Cita, Craig Coventry, Greg Webster, Alicia Sim, Peter Urquhart, James Harkness, Leann Richards, Lisa Seltzer, Mark Morellini, Mel Somerville, Rocio Belinda Mendez, Sarah Pritchard, Athina Mallis, Leigh Livingstone, Joseph Rana, Shon Ho, Jacqui Rothwell, Emily Shen, Andrew Hodgson, Irina Dunn, Caitlin Burns, Zeiya Speede, Rita Bratovich, Chantal Walsh, Raffaele Piccolo, Barbara Karpinski, Taylah Felice, Georgia Fullerton, Bobby Stephenson, Olga Azar, Kaiti Haviland, Daniel Jaramillo, Nina Beeston.

Josh Quong Tart. Photo: John Marmaras

When Oscar Wilde died in a Paris flat in 1900, commenting on the dreary wallpaper, he probably had a notion that his lifestyle, writings and witticisms would have a long legacy.

Maybe even longer than he had imagined. A century (or so) later, playwright David Hare has written The Judas Kiss, presented now by Red Line Productions in partnership with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

In the play, Wilde is in 1895, holed up in a London hotel whilst he contemplates his reaction to losing a libel suit based on his lover’s father’s persecution. Should he remain and fight for his moral rights in the face of Victorian persecution, or flee to France?

The immortal beauty of Wilde, his highs and lows, are explored in Hare’s play. Whatever the choices, Wilde is a modern template of taking risks. His wit might seem offhand, but that was the illusion he maintained. (OA) Until Mar 11, Tue-Sat 8.15pm, Sun 6.30pm. Old Fitz Theatre, 129 Dowling St, Woolloomooloo. $30-$42. Tickets & info: www.redlineproductions.com.au

Live Music Guide LIVE WIRE Sydney

By Jamie Apps

Les Poules a Colin: Raised behind the scenes at folk festivals, this band learned their craft at kitchen parties amongst some of Quebec’s finest traditional musicians in a region famous for its living heritage. Despite their young age the band have been together for nearly eight years, performing a seamless blend of their strong folk upbringing and North American influences that range from old-time to jazz to upbeat contemporary.

Thu, Mar 2, Camelot Lounge Datura4: These Perth psychrockers are set to launch their second album, Hairy Mountain.

Road-tested on sellout WA crowds throughout 2016, Hairy Mountain blends hard rock riffage, psych-boogie blues and culminates in the title track’s lysergic tale of perfect surf breaks and peace-pipe smoking chiefs.

Fri, Mar 3, The Factory Floor Mardi Gras Party: A glittery celebration, this is the largest LGBTQI party in the Southern Hemisphere and is renowned for featuring the biggest and best international and local acts.

Co-headlining this year’s party are The Veronicas alongside Tegan and Sara. Get ready for a magical night of shedding inhibitions and sharing magical moments at the only place to party after the world’s biggest and most iconic parade of sparkles and self-expression.

Sat, Mar 4, Entertainment Quarter – Moore Park Frankie Cosmos: These guys have blossomed into a four-piece band

comprised of David Maine, Lauren Martin, and Luke Pyenson, resulting in their globally acclaimed sophomore LP, Next Thing.The band from New York will make their debut appearance in Sydney this weekend.

Sat, Mar 4, Newtown Social Club Melbourne Ska Orchestra SKA-BQ: This special run of shows will take MSO back to their roots and the old school mentality to embrace everything that is the Ska scene. Kicking off in the afternoon people can expect a mini festival vibe filled with smokin’ BBQ’s, drinks, scooters, a whole lotta Ska! Sun, Mar 5,The Factory Theatre Margaret Glaspy: Due to popular demand, Glaspy has added a Tuesday night show after her Monday night show completely sold out. Recognised for her profound songs, distinctive vocals and snarling electric guitar, Glaspy claimed the seventh spot on The New York Times Best Albums of 2016 list, sandwiched between Bon Iver and Anohni.

Tue, Mar 7, Newtown Social Club Selby & Friends: 2017 season launch show Youth & the Dance will set the tone for the year of dynamic chamber music with delightful new discoveries alongside longtime favourites.The tour highlights the diversity of the piano trio genre, with works ranging from a youthful Beethoven and Saint-Saëns, and culminating in the ever-popular gem, the folk-melody-inspired ‘Dumky’ Trio by Dvořák.

Wed, Mar 8, City Recital Hall

By Jamie Apps This weekend the world of surfing descends upon Manly.To close out the day with a punch and keep the high energy atmosphere flowing into the night one of the hottest electronic beat acts, Hermitude, will be performing a very rare free show.

Although neither Luke Dubbber (a.k.a. Luke Dubs) or Angus Stuart (a.k.a. El Gusto) are surfers themselves, they are excited to be performing at the Australian Open of Surfing.

“We’re really excited for this show,” said Luke.“Manly is a place that I spent a lot of time growing up. I have vivid memories of watching jazz there as a kid, hanging out at the beach and playing lots of gigs when I was coming up in different bands, so it’s going to be nice to be back there.”

Being able to return to familiar surrounds will be a drastic change of pace after the “crazy roller coaster

Circa Waves – Different Creatures

Richard 3 Rose Riley has taken on the unenviable role of Lady Anne in Shakespeare’s Richard 3, which opens the 2017 Bell Shakespeare season.

Lady Anne knows that the deformed Richard has just murdered both her husband Prince Edward and Edward’s father Henry VI when he interrupts her mourning by the side of the former king’s corpse.

Although she calls Richard the “dreadful minister of hell” and “thou lump of foul deformity” she succumbs to his blandishments and agrees to marry him and become his queen.

“Why?” I ask the actress. (I refuse to expunge the feminine form of our English words and risk losing them forever!)

Rose replies: “It’s because she is so vulnerable and traumatised [by the murders] and by the end of the scene she is very lonely and needs the comfort that Richard offers her.”

Rose suggests that Richard’s speech in this crucial Act 1 Scene 2 shows signs of an abusive relationship, in that he blames Lady Anne’s beauty for his attraction to her. “It’s almost like slut shaming,” Rose comments.

Riley plays alongside Kate Mulvany, whom director Peter Evans has cast in the role of Richard for this production.

I ask Rose if this feels odd to her, but she says it is “an absolute fit, I haven’t questioned

Kate Mulvany. Photo: Pierre Toussaint

The Judas Kiss

it once”. She points out that having an actress (there’s that word again) in the role even highlights Richard’s misogyny.

Despite or because of his villainy, Richard 3 is one of the most compelling of Shakespeare’s characters, and we recognise that not only Lady Anne but also the audience is suffering from the Stockholm syndrome as we all fall captive to his evil allure. (ID) Until Apr 1, varied performance times.

Sydney Opera House, Playhouse. $35-$92.

Tickets & info: www.bellshakespeare.com.au

Hermitude ride” of the last couple of years for Hermitude. Following the release of their album Dark Night Sweet Light in 2015 the duo have been on a rapid rise both domestically and worldwide.

“It’s been crazy.We’ve travelled so much and covered so much ground.

It’s been a lot of fun to break into the American scene but we haven’t really had a chance to catch our breath,” reflected Luke.

Following this special one-off show the duo are planning to head into “hibernation” for much of the year to work on their next record.

Whilst you might think they may be feeling an added level of pressure given the success of Dark Night Sweet Light, Luke rejects that notion: “We’re trying to take the different standpoint in the sense that now we have reached this point we have a great platform to share whatever it is

Different Creatures is such a fitting name for the new record by Liverpool’s Circa Waves, as their sound this time around truly conveys that of a different creature to what they were with their debut record.

This time around the band have evolved from a generic indie act into a much more fully fledged and dynamic rock outfit.This change is likely in part due to them welcoming aboard producer Alan Moulder – famous for his work with the Foo Fighters,Arctic Monkeys and Smashing Pumpkins. Lead songwriter Kieran Shudall should also be commended for his part in taking the band to a new level as his fiery desire to see Circa Waves grow into a festival headliner influenced his writing to ensure they met this lofty target.

One thing that is surprising though, given the raft of changes to the band sonically, is that they manage to still capture the emotional, narrative driven appeal that many indie bands build their fanbases around. Different Creatures still has these elements weaved within the 11 tracks for those listeners willing to really settle in and appreciate them. (JA) WWW1/2

that we want to share, and we’re just grateful to have such a massively loyal fanbase.”

For this show Hermitude will welcome fellow beat maker Elk Road to the stage to handle the opening duties.“I don’t think we’ve played a gig with him before but we’ve been keeping an eye on him as he’s been coming up.We like his music, it’s really cool so we can’t wait to see his show live,” said Luke.

For those readers who haven’t ever seen a Hermitude show, Luke explained it by saying:“We’re a hybrid DJ/band setup so we have a bunch of instruments on stage ranging from keyboards, to drums, synths and samplers on stage.Above all else though we just like to see people smiling, dancing and having a good time.”

Mar 4, 6:30pm. MTV Stage, Australian Open of Surfing, Manly Beach. FREE. Info: www.australianopenofsurfing.com

Broads – Vacancy

Kelly Day and Jane Hendry are Broads, an ambient-country duo with velvety vocals and a soporific sound.

Their debut album,Vacancy, is the long awaited ship finally appearing on the horizon for fans who were tantalised by their eponymous EP, released two years ago.

For those who like their music narcotic, this collection of songs will produce a lovely high. Sparse instrumentation and spatial production allow the dulcet, sometimes haunting voices of Day and Hendry to weave and collide through the mix.

Their songs have the nostalgic, melancholy narrative quality of Patsy Cline with the spookiness of Lana del Rey. The spine tingling ‘Winter’s Bed’ is an acapella piece that showcases the duo’s voices, separately and in angelic harmony. ‘Nod Off, Dream’ is the hypnotic earworm that should ensure repeated plays. (RB) WWW1/2 city hub 2 MARCH 2017

9

THE NAKED CITY

THE CARETAKER FROM HELL!

With Coffin Ed We often hear the phrases “tenants from hell” and “rental property being trashed by ungrateful occupants” but what about those landlords and even caretakers with a similar negative wrap? According to a recent study undertaken by Choice and various tenants groups “thousands of tenants are being discriminated against and live in a climate of fear”. With rental housing at a premium, many renters are afraid to complain about things that need fixing in case they are evicted from the property.

Sydney has a long and shameful history when it comes to unscrupulous landlords – from shonky boarding houses, through city apartments stacked high with bunk beds for overseas students to the infamous Alexandria shanty town that once housed Japanese and Korean nationals in shipping containers, clapped out caravans and rusty old buses. Council compliance, whilst officious in many areas, always seems to be one step behind when it comes to exposing and penalising these slumlords.

As bad as it is today I can remember a time in the mid 80’s when tenants had even less rights and holding onto a lease was fraught with all kinds of paranoia. In my case it was a particularly nasty caretaker who terrorised residents in an Elizabeth Bay apartment block, with the support of the owners over whom he held a kind of Machiavellian grip.

Joe, as he was known, was a small, chubby man in his 60s, feared by all who lived in the nine storey apartment building. With his caretakers flat strategically placed inside the building’s foyer, he was in the perfect position to rule over his domain and report the slightest indiscretion on the part of tenants to the ageing landlords who also lived in the building.

Next week the world best water polo players descend upon the iconic Bondi Icebergs.

Founded in 2011 by Thomas Whalan – former water polo Olympian – Water Polo by the Sea brings the best international and local superstars from teams around the world to compete at the one-day showcase event.

The event next week will see the Aussie Sharks take on an International All-Stars team comprised of the top players from Europe and the US. Australian team members include the likes of Triple Olympian and Bondi local Richie Campbell, dual Olympian and Greek champion Johnno Coterill, captain Rhys Howden, and returning Aussie Shark Billy Miller. Whilst the international team features the likes of Rio Olympics Gold medalist Serbian Captain and Sportsman of the Year, Filip

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Tenants who crossed the line, like daring to hold a small party, having even the tiniest pet or playing their stereo a tad too loud during the day were often threatened with eviction, and once you were on Joe’s blacklist you were there forever. During the day he would often prowl the building, his ear glued to tenants doors – snooping, spying and reporting back to the building’s owners.

After losing my door key one night and awakening Joe at 1.30am to ask for the master I was immediately blacklisted and placed under 24-hour surveillance. The real estate agent in Kings Cross who let the flat soon received a bevy of absurd complaints regarding myself and my flatmate – the most ridiculous being that we were housing Vietnamese boat people. This complaint followed my flatmate, who was a high school teacher inviting some of her Asian students over one day for lunch.

Whilst the agent agreed that the complaint was probably nonsense he put me on notice, saying that any further “indiscretion” would see my lease being terminated. It was around that time that I witnessed Joe showing an immaculately suited African man a flat that had come up for lease. After the prospective tenant had left I overheard Joe talking to the owners – “We’re not having any ‘nig nogs’ in this building”.

I was now happy to declare war on the little racist bastard and began by making a tape loop of a yapping dog that I would leave running on an old reel to reel tape recorder every time I left my apartment. He soon became fixated that I had a dog in my pad and insisted on inspecting the premises on a number of occasions, always leaving empty handed!

The spying on tenants became even more frenzied as did the intimidation over the slightest things, like making too big a noise when you closed the ancient lift door. Then one day, a massive sigh of relief echoed throughout the entire building as the glorious news broke. Joe had been found dead in his caretakers flat, apparently from a heart attack, although few would have acknowledged that he actually had a heart to begin with. The building had been liberated, at least for the immediate future. A new mild-mannered caretaker took over and the threat of eviction was never mentioned.

Danny Eastwood Liquére The greatest examples of photography blur the boundaries of reality. In Liquére (a title taken from the Latin verb meaning “to be fluid”), a new collection of nudes from Danny Eastwood, the body is submerged, refracted, arched and outstretched into lurid abstraction.

Presenting the human form with a sculptural sensibility that is rarely accomplished without a sense of irony, each work in this collection captures the perfect

Filipović, along with fellow teammate and powerhouse forward Duško Pijetlović, Spanish Captain and playmaker, Guillermo Molina and Italian Former Captain and London 2012 silver medalist, Maurizio Felugo.

If you are a big fan of water polo City Hub recommends the VIP offering which includes the opportunity to bask in the ultimate poolside experience, as the team at Contrabando serve up their famed Latin street food – indulge in mouth-watering tapas and delicious Tacos – coupled with all-inclusive Nexba infused cocktails and Peroni beer.

(JA) Mar 9, 5:30pm. Bondi Icebergs, 1 Notts Ave, Bondi. $33-$225.

Tickets & info: www.waterpolobythesea.com

state of flux between the body and the water. The result is confounding, and beautiful.

A highly sought after photographer in the commercial world, this collection is an excellent example of Eastwood’s pure, untempered artistic abilities, which you still have time to catch at Sydney’s finest contemporary photography gallery.

(AM) Until Mar 5, Tue-Sun 10am-6pm. Black Eye Gallery, 3/138 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst. Info: www.blackeyegallery.com.au

Saint Amour

Logan Three men fighting their own demons come together and embark on a whimsical road-trip through the wine districts in France, in this alluring film which is sure to captivate lovers of French cinema.

Gerard Depardieu is Jean, a recently widowed cattle farmer who wants to reshape his son’s (Benoit Poelvoorde) life as he is headed on a destructive path owing to his low self-esteem and blatant drinking problem.

Enter Mick (Vincent Lacoste) the mysterious Parisian taxi driver, who is employed to drive father and son on a therapeutic journey to reconnection and self-discovery.

A journey to resolution, where chance meetings with strange characters and sexual encounters

ultimately lead to the three finding solace together, also paves the way to an unconventional and hugely unanticipated finale which should astound audiences.

This film, seemingly a travel brochure of the beautiful wine country in rural France, is a simplistic story of the mending of a father/son relationship.

Mildly humorous and not overly sentimental, this is rewarding viewing for moviegoers who enjoy offbeat films and are not offended by graphic nudity and sex scenes.

(MMo) WWW

Screening at the French Film Festival, Mar 7-30.

Tickets & info: www.affrenchfilmfestival.org

Wolverine finally gets the film which fans of the character have been clamouring for for so long. Logan is set in an incredibly grounded 2029 where mutants are all but extinct after no new mutant births in 25 years.

By implementing a grounded philosophy and blending that with Wolverine’s character traits, Logan has a vast amount of adrenalinefilled, brutally violent and graphic action sequences.

As a counterpoint however there is a level of emotional depth which is rare in comic book films but one which makes this

film much more widely accessible.

The relationships between Logan, Professor Xavier and Laura drive the story along. In particular the relationship between Logan and Laura evolves the character of Wolverine, even putting all previous X-Men films into question.

Fox appear to have found the secret to conveying their characters in meaningful ways with their releases of Deadpool and Logan. Whilst Deadpool showed us that comic book heroes can be funny, Logan shows they can be hurt both physical and emotionally. (JA) WWWW

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Fist Fight Even the title lacks inspiration.

This new comedy (as it’s been deemed) by Richie Keen re-visits the hackneyed high school-gone-to-hell scenario, replete with a motley group of teachers, a principal with all the charm of an army-sergeant, a chronically disappointed young daughter (“But Daddy, you promised!”) and a cameo from a horse on meth.

Ice Cube plays Strickland, a stone-faced, humourless teacher with anger management issues who challenges tattle-tale Andy (Charlie Day) to an after school fist fight. The plot then revolves around Andy’s desperate attempts to avoid the fight.

Not a brilliant plot but it could have worked if the writing wasn’t so lazy. Day zooms into high gear early and stays there. Ice Cube has as much nuance as a maths equation.

Christina Hendricks is a vampy French teacher with absurd and unexplained motives. Jillian Bell is a distastefully sex-obsessed guidance counsellor, too depraved even for dark humour.

The film reaches its nadir when Andy’s daughter sings an atrociously inappropriate rap song during a school talent competition, in which she puts down her arch rival.

There actually are some good laughs, but they feel like lucky one-liners.

Mostly, it’s just wrong. (RB) WW

ATTAChmenT A - Form of Public and Workplace notice Contravention of Fair Work Act 2009 by Surmin Pty Ltd Franchisee of Pizza hut, Surry hills We refer to the recent Compliance Activity (the Activity) conducted by the Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) into allegations raised regarding widespread wage fraud and sham contracting in relation to the engagement of delivery drivers by Pizza Hut franchisees.

As a part of the Activity, the FWO completed an Audit into the compliance of Surmin Pty Ltd with the Fair Work Act 2009 (FW Act).

Surmin Pty Ltd owns a Pizza Hut store located at Shop 1−2 450 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills, NSW 2010 and no previous contraventions of Commonwealth workplace laws have been determined against Surmin Pty Ltd. The FWO determined that Surmin Pty Ltd has contravened: (a) Section 357(1) of the FW Act by representing to three workers that the contract of employment under which each worker was employed was a contract for services for work as an independent contractor; (b) Section 535 of the FW Act for failing to make and keep employee records for the employees as prescribed by sub regulation 3.33(2) of the Fair Work Regulations 2009 (FW Regulations); and (c) Section 536 of the FW Act for failing to issue pay slips in a form prescribed by the FW Regulations. (collectively known as the Contraventions) Surmin Pty Ltd has formally admitted to the FWO that these contraventions occurred and has entered into an Enforceable Undertaking with the FWO (available at wvvw.fairwork.gov.au) committing to a number of measures to remedy the contraventions.

Surmin Pty Ltd expresses its sincere regret and apologises for the conduct which resulted in the contraventions. Furthermore, Surmin Pty Ltd gives a commitment that such conduct will not occur again and that it will comply with all requirements of the Commonwealth workplace relations laws in the future.

If you worked for Surmin Pty Ltd and have queries or questions relating to your employment, please contact Krone - 0422 649 612.

Alternatively, anyone can contact the FWO via the website at www.fairwork.gov.au or the lnfoline on 13 13 94. city hub 2 MARCH 2017

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city hub 2 MARCH 2017