City Hub 30 November 2017

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Discover the real Bondi 2017ACHIEVEMENTS

Page 11

I want to thank everyone who worked hard to achieve the landslide victory for love, fairness and equality.

The question now is when will same sex couples be able to get married – it’s looking like early February at this stage.

It was the culmination of a tough number of weeks, months and years.

I’ve also been speaking out on other issues important to the inner city like defending green open space, protecting residents from intrusive noise, reducing building defects, preventing climate change and getting more affordable housing.

Whether you were one of the first people to lobby your MP or one of the last people to post your survey form, you have helped make Australia a better place.

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Turn the page to read some of our achievements for the year.

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Sign of the times

BY JOHN MOYLE Last week more than 500 Facebook followers of the Piccolo Bar received a shock when former operator Tina Newton-Carra posted that the Kings Cross institution was being forced to remove its iconic black and yellow under-awning sign.

At first glance it appeared to be a sign of gentrification marching through the area, but on closer inspection the demand is the result of something just as insidious: an executive strata committee exercising its powers without proper consultation with the parties concerned.

“Since 1952 there has always been some under-awning sign there and this one has been there for 12-15 years,” Tina NewtonCarra, former Piccolo Bar operator says.

While the sign is not designated heritage, it does have important cultural significance to the area as it sign posts one of Australia’s oldest cafes and its long history.

The strata committee of the building, known as The Manhattan and featuring 38 apartments and five shops, voted 6:3 to remove the sign.

Four of the committee who voted for removal do not live in the building.

The demand also impacts upon the EzyMart convenience shop, located on the corner of Roslyn and Ward Avenue, one of the last older style corner stores in the area.

“We lose money if we don’t have a sign,” Hussein, EzyMart shop manager, said.

For the first time in years all five Roslyn Street shops under the new awning are currently occupied and the street has something of its old character returning.

The situation is curious as the executive strata committee is going against its own recommendations, because in April they

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MARRIAGE EquAlITy

The awning sign at the centre of the issue. Photo: John Moyle

signed-off on a contract with new awning erectors for the ‘sign to be re-fitted to awning structure’.

On Tuesday, builders took down the store sign and put it into storage.

“The body corporate don’t seem to have considered that we are a small business and that to pay our strata levies we need to make a profit,” said Shamus Moore, Piccolo Bar operator.

The situation is one experienced by many dwellers in multiple occupancy buildings where a small clique take over the decisionmaking without historical or current knowledge.

“A very small group in the building have a history of issues with the Piccolo Bar,” Ian Chapman, committee member said.

2017ACHIEVEMENTS DEMOCRACy

Australia voted “yes” to marriage equality and the Parliament is finally debating and voting on a bill.

The government abandoned a forced merger of Woollahra Municipal Council with Randwick and Waverley councils.

AMENITy

ARTS

The department did not approve the Harbourside redevelopment monstrosity and demanded more work on bulk and scale.

Lendlease withdrew late night excavation and concrete pouring at Barangaroo.

The final Elizabeth Bay Marina is smaller with night works limited to emergencies.

The government is now consulting on and establishing regulations for short term letting.

HERITAGE The Save Our Sirius win in the Land and Environment Court confirmed that the government cannot legally refuse to heritage list an iconic building because it would reduce its sale price.

The government rejected a three storey glass building for luxury retail adjacent to the 1850s Campbell’s Stores at The Rocks. www.alexgreenwich.com

Strata disputes such as this can quickly escalate beyond consultation into expensive legal representation for both parties.

Jimmy Thomson is a real estate commentator who writes the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review and his own website, and is well-informed on the rapidly changing environment in Potts Point.

“Sadly, it seems that the gentrification of our inner-city suburbs is providing the opportunity for some committees and individuals to settle old strata scores,” Jimmy Thomson told City Hub. If all attempts to settle disputes through dialogue fail, many cases will end up before the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which in the year 2016-2017 dealt with 1,369 cases.

The government promised to retain some cultural presence at the Powerhouse site in Ultimo.

Proposals to amalgamate the National Art School with other art schools is now off the agenda.

SOCIAl juSTICE

With cross party colleagues, I drafted one of the world’s most robust assisted dying bills, which helped grow support in the Parliament. Funding cuts to community legal centres were overturned.

TRANSpORT

We finally have plans and timeframes to upgrade Edgecliff Railway Station for accessibility.

The government will fix the Sydney Harbour Bridge cycleway, which puts cyclists and pedestrians in conflict and has inaccessible steps.

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Liberal with her mouth

BY ALEC SMART Inner West Council Deputy Mayor Julie Passas is in hot water over an allegation that she abused and intimidated a gay neighbour after 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 results 10 days earlier.

“After viewing the [same-sex] announcement at Prince Alfred Park with a friend, I went home and decided to fly a rainbow flag outside my apartment to celebrate what the LGBTI community had achieved.

“Soon before I left home to join the celebrations on Oxford Street, I was confronted outside my home by my neighbour Julie Passas, who also happens to be the Deputy Mayor of the Inner West Council. She demanded that I remove the flag because it was offensive to her culture and religion.

“After standing my ground and telling her that I would not take it down, Passas shouted for the whole apartment complex to hear that only “until [I] could breastfeed and have children”, should I be afforded the right to marry.”

Liberal Councillor Passas, 69, a retired former cleaning business and coffee shop proprietor, is the secretary of the body corporate of the housing complex in which Comensoli lives, where she herself has resided since 2013.

She denies the allegations, despite claims that Ashfield police, to whom Comensoli has levelled a formal complaint, were there to witness one of the altercations.

Although Councillor Passas didn’t respond to City Hub’s request for a comment, she told Fairfax News “He told me that I’m an old idiot and to go and get a life.”

She also told the Daily Telegraph, “The flag was as big as a bed sheet and was in breach of the complex’s strata laws which stops residents hanging material – political or otherwise – in common areas.”

“I told him you’ve got people in the complex from different culture and religions – and you have to live by the same rules that stopped me from hanging a ‘no’ banner.”

Cr Passas insisted the allegations by Comensoli were ‘completely false’, and claimed the fact that so many people commented and shared the original post on Facebook was “why you don’t get politicians taking a stand on anything these days because it’s trial by social media.”

Comensoli’s Facebook post received over 520 comments in 72 hours, overwhelmingly supportive.

One of those who commented was Inner West Council Mayor Darcy Byrne; two hours after the post went public.

However, Councillor Byrne was the one responsible for granting the office of Deputy Mayor to Cr Passas after the September 9 Local Elections, in return for her support for his mayoral candidacy.

The deal struck between Labour and the Liberal Party that put Councilor Passas in power, despite the Liberals being a minority party in the 15-seat Inner West Council, had the five Greens and two of the three Independents fuming that they had been marginalized.

Byrne wrote to Comensoli, “‪Dear Daniel, I am very sorry to hear about this. The conduct you describe is by any measure unacceptable. You are able to make a complaint through the Council’s General Manager. While I would have no legal role in that investigation I can commit to ensuring that this would be taken seriously and dealt with properly.

“I am very proud that in the past 2 months we have established the newly elected Inner West Council as the most pro civil rights local government in the history of our area including adopting my policies of campaigning openly for the YES campaign, becoming the first Council in Australia to open our town halls free of charge for same sex marriages and opening Australia’s first LGBTIQ Pride Centre in the Inner West (St Peters Town Hall is a possible location). Here is the link to my post earlier this week condemning intimidatory behaviour from a Christian vigilante group. I have been receiving some pretty vile messages since myself.”

Despite Councillor Byrne’s suggestion that a formal complaint be issued to the inner West Council, he received a lot of angry replies from people accusing him of knowing Councillor Passas’s proclivity for confrontation. This included a Ken Oath who said, “You knew exactly who you were installing as Deputy Mayor in yr [sic] abysmal deal with the Libs to freeze out the Greens and independents. Passas is notorious in political circles. She has decades of atrocious form.”

Between 21 February 2013 and 26 May 2015, Councillor Passas breached several clauses of the Council’s Code of Conduct at a

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Daniel Comensoli’s Facebook post from November 25 alleged the Deputy Mayor of the Inner West Council was homophobic

variety of Council meetings, including refusing to abide by the Mayor’s procedural rulings and being disruptive. This eventuated in three months disqualification from holding civic office.

When City Hub approached the Inner West Council for comment, 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.”

Comensoli’s Facebook post was shared over 640 times. Among those who shared the post was Pauline Lockie, Independent Councillor for Stanmore on the Inner West Council, who lost the Inner West Mayoral election to Councillor Darcy Byrne by one vote.

Cr. Lockie told City Hub, “I would be concerned about the suitability of any Councillor to continue to hold office if they were found to have subjected residents to abuse or harassment.”

The allegations of homophobic abuse come a week after two ‘gay-friendly’ wall murals in Sydney’s inner-west were vandalized

by Christian supporters of the unsuccessful No vote in the national plebiscite on same-sex marriage. 61.6 per cent of Australians voted ‘Yes’ to allow same-sex couples to marry.

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WestConnex Hell

Inner West Council is calling on the NSW Government to halt construction and review plans for the next stage of WestConnex. Photo: Alec Smart

BY ANNA FREELAND According to the M4-M5 Link Environmental Following weeks of complaints from residents in Impact Statement (EIS), approved by the Department St Peters, Haberfield and Ashfield, the Inner West of Planning and Environment, impacted residents are Council is calling on the NSW Government to halt entitled to noise mitigation measures as outlined in the construction and review plans for the next stage of Construction Noise and Vibration Management Plan.

WestConnex.

The Sydney Motorway Corporation (SMC) At last Tuesday’s Council meeting, Independent and contractors are required to install measures Councillor Pauline Lockie put forward a motion according to this plan to comply with their project calling for urgent action from key decision-makers, approval conditions.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Planning Minister Having reviewed the EIS, Ms Lockie believes Anthony Roberts and Minister for WestConnex that CPB Contractors, the company hired by Stuart Ayres, to address major concerns from SMC to carry out construction for this stage, may 8 CHANCES TO WIN UP TO be 1 MILLION DOLLARS. residents about ongoing noise impacts. in breach of their contract. THAT’S. . .

“I’ve been getting lots of reports from residents “From my reading, it appears they should have who are suffering stress and mental health issues,” implemented a range of noise abatement measures Ms Lockie said. on properties during the construction phase.

“People are being driven literally mad by this, and “They haven’t done that. Instead, the it’s falling to residents to notify the Council so we contractors have actively been telling residents can take action because the government has been so they’re not entitled to measures until the road is negligent when it comes to their duty of care.” open.”

In recent weeks, night works on the new St A spokesperson for the SMC said that all work Peters Interchange have generated dozens of on the New M5 is being carried out in line with complaints, from poor notification services to the Conditions of Approval. ineffective noise mitigation.

“We’ve worked with the community throughout Ms Lockie says residents are being kept awake the planning, design, and construction of the AUGUST 2017to do so with every all night, several nights a week. 7 JUNE – 3 project and will continue “I would think a reasonable expectation is that effort being made to minimise disruption,” the if WestConnex construction is happening right spokesperson said. outside your door, which has been happening St Peters resident, Jacinta Green believes the SMC night after night for many residents, that you may be being misled by CPB and that they are would be relocated for as long as that work was failing to meet their obligations as documented in the necessary so that you could get some sleep and Construction Noise and Vibration Management Plan. function like a normal human being.”

“We have no faith that the CPB are reporting According to Ms Lockie, residents in St Peters accurately to SMC,” she said. “There has been no have been told they’re ineligible for alternative visible effort to minimise noise work.” accommodation and noise mitigation during Ms Green, who has lived in the area for 17 construction. years, says she and her partner have been dealing “Not only are residents not receiving noise with night works since August and the contractors abatement measures that they appear to be have treated them “like dirt.” entitled to, they’ll also We’re be downgraded fromyou thesea golden “Last week they had to replaceto thewin primary giving opportunity up to 1 measures once the road opens.” water main. We weren’t consulted; we were simply

informed that night work would be happening on now they have to redo the whole thing. It’s Wednesday and Thursday from 10:00pm to 5:00am. unbelievable.”

“I wrote to ask for alternative accommodation This is the latest in a string of incidents dating because it was going to be directly under my back to August which Ms Green said stem from an bedroom window.” error in the noise and vibration modelling.

After multiple emails and phone calls Ms Green A professional Ecologist, Ms Green says CPB said the company declined without explanation. have repeatedly refused to provide a copy of the “It’s been a farce. This is the third week of modelling, saying it is “too complex”. ongoing night work, I’m already tired and now “You have to go through such mental distress they’re literally cutting concrete underneath my to get them to treat you like a human being,” bedroom window! How can this be acceptable?” she said. “We’re not even human beings, we’re She said WestConnex contractors eventually referred to as ‘sensitive receivers’. It’s now offered to “loan” her a set of noise-cancelling November and we’re still not being notified about headphones. out of hours work because we’ve been modelled “They were older, iPhone-specific headsets. not to be impacted.”

I have an Android and my partner has a newer Ms Lockie says the IWC will continue to lobby iPhone so we couldn’t even use these ridiculous the government until resident’s concerns are things!” addressed.

On Thursday, after filming concrete being cut “We’ve found repeatedly that the government outside her window the night before, she was doesn’t do anything for residents until they’re offered one night’s alternative accommodation. absolutely shamed into it,” she said. “If CBP are in “Many residents have resorted to taking videos breach of their planning conditions I would expect or photos of incidents, otherwise we’re often the Department of Planning to come down on that informed it didn’t happen,” she said. and issue penalties accordingly.” ad W128mm XtoH158mm 2017 PRESS.pdf 1 17/10/2017 AM “To topdollars, itAHN off, newspaper it seems they forgot connect The NSW Government is yet10:23 to respond to million every week for Oct 8 weeks, a sumptuous several houses to the new water main and issues raised by the IWC.

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Opinion

Powerhouse unplugged

BY KYLIE WINKWORTH Spare a thought for the poor Powerhouse Museum (PHM) this festive season. While its sister organisation, the Art Gallery of NSW (AGNSW), is rejoicing for the monster $344m Sydney Modern Gallery on land belonging to the Royal Botanic Gardens, the PHM is desperately searching for dance partners to defend its ownership and right to stay in its architecturally significant buildings in Ultimo.

It is three years since Premier Mike Baird announced his captain’s pick to evict the PHM from its historic site at Ultimo and pack it off to Parramatta.

There was no feasibility study, no assessment of costs or options, and no consultation with the PHM’s board or director. Baird made it sound so easy, as if all that was needed was to call up the moving vans.

His cultural ambassador to western Sydney, the director of the MCA Liz Ann Macgregor, said at the time that the Powerhouse was the ‘obvious candidate’ to go west.

What might be obvious to the director of a contemporary art gallery is far from obvious to the more than 12,000 people who signed the petition to keep the PHM in Ultimo and develop a new museum in Parramatta.

Macgregor’s argument was that the government would not fund a new museum in Parramatta without closing the Powerhouse at Ultimo.

This defence of budgetary prudence seems questionable after last week’s announcement that the NSW government has found a lazy $2.5b to spend on demolishing and rebuilding not one, not two, but three stadiums within 23ks of the city.

There was not a peep out of the spruikers for cultural equity for Western Sydney when the Sydney Modern plans went on exhibition last week. It must have escaped the notice of the Daily Telegraph’s Fair Go for the West campaigners that the Sydney Modern project will concentrate three public art museums in the city, while Parramatta, which is pitching itself as a creative city, is the only city in Western Sydney without an art gallery.

Parramatta Council’s cultural plan says that an art gallery is a priority for the city. If the AGNSW considered building Sydney Modern in Parramatta it is not telling us. Like all the government’s infrastructure projects, the business case is a secret from the NSW taxpayers.

Since Baird announced the Powerhouse would be moving to Parramatta a secret conclave of consultants and public servants have been working on the project, including the move of the state’s most logistically complex and large collection.

Powerhouse Museum is facing relocation to Parramatta despite incredible difficulties to move some exhibits. Photo: Alec Smart

There are 240,000 objects held in state-of-the-art environmentally zoned and accessible storage at Ultimo. More than $10m has been spent on what looks like a consultants’ picnic.

None of their reports have been made public.

There is still no concept for the museum beyond vacuous clichés like ‘iconic first class museum’. Not a single new curator, designer or arts worker from western Sydney has been employed.

Arts Minister Don Harwin has done his best to put an appearance of proper planning around Baird’s thought bubble. This was undercut by the Premier confirming in July that the whole museum would be moving, while in midst of belated community consultations.

The extended business case on the PHM to Parramatta ‘move’ is due for completion at the end of the year. There have been hints from the Arts Minister that some ‘cultural presence’ or space may remain on the museum’s site at Ultimo, which may or may not include a residential tower.

Recent reports suggest that the museum is in talks with UTS about buying or leasing some of the site. One suggestion is that the science and technology collections would move to Parramatta while leaving the decorative arts and fashion at Ultimo.

This would destroy the core of the museum’s historic purpose as Australia’s only museum of applied arts and sciences.

A remnant cultural presence on the PHM site at Ultimo may

sound like an acceptable compromise in this long campaign. But trading a fully functioning public museum, wholly owned by the NSW community, for some indeterminate cultural presence still constitutes a world first museum demolition plan. The PHM is not a generic cultural space. It is a unique collecting organisation with a priceless heritage collection developed since 1879.

The community should not be complacent about a PHM/ UTS partnership, brokered in a desperate attempt to keep some part of the site as a museum.

Ask anyone in Darlington, Chippendale or Camperdown and they will tell you that universities eat their neighbourhoods for breakfast.

It doesn’t matter if the museum’s partner is UTS, Lend Lease or any other nameless centre, if an MOU involves the leasing, subcontracting or exclusive use of any of the museum’s exhibition spaces, buildings, land or resources.

The Powerhouse Museum Alliance has issued a statement of concern about the mooted PHM/ UTS partnership. The PMA does not support a partnership or MOU that gives UTS, or any other organisation, the dedicated use of all or part of the museum’s facilities, land, collections and expertise.

The museum’s buildings, collection and staff are funded by NSW taxpayers for the benefit of the whole community. They should not be subcontracted or leased to any one organisation in the guise of a partnership. The Powerhouse Museum’s facilities must remain in public hands, open and accessible to the whole community.

Meanwhile three years of uncertainty and remorseless budget cuts are grinding away the museum’s visitors, revenue, sponsors and self-belief.

The last annual report is dismal; falling ticket income, lower commercial revenue and a deficit of $10m. The MAAS trust met just six times, a remarkably lax and hands-off performance considering the death threats facing the museum.

There were only 176 acquisitions last financial year, down from 725 a decade ago.

Reading the annual report, the collection seems increasingly peripheral to the museum’s exhibitions, research and programs.

Each year the museum is looking more like a cross between Westfield and Carriageworks. Making partnerships, meetings, art installations and MAAS centres appear to be the core activities. The two pages on key achievements for the year have fewer highlights than many regional museums.

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Opinion

WestConnex delivers less park WENDY BACON The NSW Gladys Berejiklian government announced last week that it plans to tear down Sydney Cricket Ground Allianz stadium and rebuild it to blend with Moore Park and connect to a massive intersection and widened roads, all the way from the massive WestConnex interchange at St Peters.

With this announcement, the government’s plans for Sydney’s inner south-east have finally come into clear view and link two of Sydney’s biggest environmental struggles - the fight against WestConnex and the decades-long battle to preserve Moore Park against encroachment from development.

Already residents have protested against the destruction of thousands of mature trees in Alexandria, Anzac Parade and Alison Road in Randwick. Now more will be destroyed to provide room for an extension of WestConnex new M5 tollway that will carve a tunnel between tightly packed apartments through to a huge intersection, new stadium, Randwick Racecourse and an entertainment quarter expanded to include a hotel and apartments at what was once Sydney Showground.

The widened roads are NSW Roads and Maritime’s solution to the extra 60,000 cars a day that it expects to dump in Alexandria as a direct result of WestConnex.

Together the widened roads and rebuilt stadium will cost more than $2 billion dollars. None of the road works are included in the WestConnex budget,

Trees on Euston Rd, St Peters, were wrapped by environmental campaigners before WestConnex contractors cut them down.

Photo: Lorrie Graham

which Premier Gladys Berejiklian still officially pretends is near $17 billion, although City of Sydney estimates to be closer to $45 billion.

The eighteen year old Olympic stadium at Homebush will also be demolished and rebuilt.

Meanwhile across Sydney, local schools are overcrowded, housing is impossibly expensive, public transport is overcrowded and there is never enough money to maintain parklands to meet community needs.

City of Sydney Mayor Clover Moore and most of the City councillors are furious. Ms. Moore has been fighting to preserve Moore Park for her entire time in public office and has been a key opponent of WestConnex.

Community group Keep Sydney Beautiful spokesperson Maria Bradley, who has been involved in previous battles against development of Moore Park, is preparing for another battle. City Hub met her on the corner of Anzac Parade and Dacey Avenue where the landscape is already shockingly scarred by the removal of hundreds of trees.

“Public infrastucture has been hijacked by powerful commercial interests,” she said.

Those interests include the power elite who control the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust which, due to a Labor government decision in the 1980s, is not subject to NSW environmental laws. There are nine men and one woman on the Trust including ex-News

Corp Australia CEO John Hartigan, talkback radio giant Alan Jones and ex-LNP Premier Barry O’Farrell who is now also CEO of Racing Australia.

The only woman is Katie Page, a powerful business woman in her own right and wife of Gerry Harvey who is steering a billion dollar overhaul of his entarinment quarter next door to the Sydney Cricket Ground.

But no insider knows more about how the plans emerged than Trust Chairman Tony Shepherd who steered WestConnex through its initial stages as Chair of the WestConnex Delivery Authority and strongly supported the $35 million Tibby Cotter bridge across Anzac Parade.

The bridge, which ran way over budget, has turned into a little used costly white elephant.

Greens Planning spokesperson MLC David Shoebridge describes the story of the decision to tear down the stadiums at SCG and Olympic Park as, “A classic Sydney tale. 10 men and one woman in a well-stocked boardroom decide the future of our city and tell the government to spend $2.5 billion to tear down and remake two premier stadiums. Meanwhile the parents whose kids play sport on the weekend run raffles and sausage sizzles to fix the broken toilets at their soccer field, or struggle to get their local netball court resurfaced.

“The priorities are so distorted it would be comical if our planning system wasn’t so brazenly corrupted.”

The RMS and Sydney Cricket Ground Trust use soothing words to

assure the public that they will do their utmost to preserve the environment.

RMS’s promise to replace trees is unlikely to impress residents when only this week it was revealed that while the NSW Planning Deparmtent had approved Westconnex plans to replace lost trees, the definition of a ‘tree’ has been reduced down to the size of a ball point pen.

This means that we can be sure the shockingly devastated landscapes of Haberfield and St Peters will remain that way for a long time.

In an ironic twist, the NSW government launched its Greening Sydney policy this week, including targets for tree canopy. WestConnex, which has destroyed more than 7000 trees, including critically endangered bush, wasn’t mentioned.

Greens MP Shoebridge welcomed the new policy, which reflects targets in a bill he introduced three months ago, but remains critical.

“Trees aren’t ‘delivered’, they grow and mature over time. This fundamental misunderstanding explains how distorted their priorities are. It allows the Coalition to publish a Green Paper on trees one day that emphasises ‘delivering green infrastructure’ and at the same time savage hundreds more magnificent mature trees in the heart of our city.

“We have to work with nature and protect it, not just dominate and destroy it.”

Wendy Bacon is a past Professor of Journalism at UTS and a campaigner against Westconnex.

Injecting life into drug addiction

BY JOHN MOYLE Recent developments nationally and around the globe has seen the Kings Cross Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC) take a leading role as a source of information and inspiration for other proposed injecting centres.

It’s taken a while, but it is a story of the journey from pariah to an inspirer.

Since it’s opening in 2003, at the height of a heroin crisis in Kings Cross, the Uniting Churchoperated facility has learnt a lot about navigating the corridors of Macquarie Street and Police Headquarters, plus the opprobrium of numerous local pressure groups.

Sixteen years on, Kings Cross MSIC has proven itself to be a valuable saver of lives while itself surviving many government, police and independent evaluations to become a model for new centres around the world, including Scotland, Ireland, United States, Canada and Victoria’s North Richmond.

“People are looking at how we handle the legislation and are comparing that to their own jurisdiction, along with how we handle overdoses and working with local referral agencies,” Dr. Marianne Jauncey, medical director, Uniting MSIC, said.

On the 31st of October this year, the government of Victoria made the formal announcement that they would establish and operate a medically supervised injecting centre.

“There will be a number of similarities to the facility in Kings Cross, but the Victorian trial site will have a distinct approach,” a spokesperson for Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services told City Hub. “It will be funded by the government and will be overseen by Health, which is different to NSW, where it is Health and Police,” Dr. Jauncey said.

The Victorian facility will be located at the North Richmond Community Health facility; in the heart of an area that last year experienced 34

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Addicts can inject safely at Kings Cross Medically Supervised Injecting Centre. Photo: supplied

fatal heroin overdoses representing 20 per cent of the states opioid fatalities.

Presently, the North Richmond facility allows users to pick up clean injecting equipment but they must leave to inject.

“The trial will take place for an initial two year period, with the option to extend the trial for a further three years, and will open in mid-2018,” the Health and Human Services spokesperson said.

Dr. Jauncey said that she sees the Kings Cross MSIC’s role as ‘being able to provide advice and support training plus documentation, as much as we can.”

The possibility also exists for North Richmond staff to use the Sydney facility for training and

orientation in such matters as airway management and the correct administration of Narcan, a drug that reverses the effects of opioid overdoses.

The International Network of Drug Consumption Rooms, a platform for the exchange of injecting centre information, states that there are 110 medically supervised injecting centres around the world, with just 10 of these are outside Europe.

While Glasgow’s first injecting centre (that consults with Kings Cross MSIC) has just had its approval withheld by the Lord Advocate, Dublin’s Ana Liffey Drug Project will be Ireland’s first medically supervise injecting centre as a response to that city’s increasing level of street injecting.

The Ana Liffey centre will enter trials next year, after lobbying began in 2012.

“The evidence coming out of the many evaluations of the Uniting MSIC in Kings Cross was a great benefit to making our case,” Tony Duffin, CEO, Ana Liffey Drug Project said.

In the lead up to the Irish centre being granted its trial status, Duffin spent two weeks at the Kings Cross centre, while Dr. Jauncey travelled to Ireland twice to debate the issue.

“There has been an explosion of supervised injecting centres in places like Canada in response to the overdose crisis being experienced across North America,” Dr. Jauncey said.

Canada currently has around 20 centres operating, with another 30 proposed centres that have their applications waiting for legislative approval.

“The difference between Canada and the United States is stark,” said Dr. Jauncey, “and while the US doesn’t have any legal centres at the moment, there is a number of conversations going on in a number of jurisdictions.”

Ithaca, in upstate New York, has been one such place where the mayor has stated that he wants his jurisdiction to be the first to get a medical supervised injecting centre.

A lot of the street heroin in North America is now laced with fentanyl, a potent drug, toxic in even small doses, and is making an already bad problem a lot worse and more immediate.

With Australian’s being eager adopters of many new illicit drugs, it may only be a matter of time before we get hit by a wave of fentanyl related overdoses, a situation that has not been overlooked by the Kings Cross MSIC. “There is great concern amongst the frontline practitioners that illicit fentanyl will make its way into the drug market here and we need to be prepared for this drug,” Dr. Jauncey said.

This threat provides additional reasons to support establishing more medically supervised injecting centres in major areas across Australia.

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Sedimental blues

BY GEORGIA CLARK 50 years ago the once pristine stretches of the Parramatta River assumed an identity as an industrial dumping ground. Today, the legacy of the river’s industrial past still lingers, with fishing bans enforced West of the Harbour Bridge and once healthy stretches of the River largely unswimmable.

It’s a toxic time-bomb and disturbing this sediment could worsen already dire pollution levels. Now, sweeping developments along the shore of the River could be bringing more pollution to the already sullied waters.

Although just a few months ago, some 200 construction sites were fined more than $165,000 for development pollution in the river, local and state government body Our Living River still plans to have the river swimmable in just a matter of years.

The move comes as the Inner West Council this month unanimously decided to work to clean up the river in a bid to make it swimmable. But a report from the Sydney Institute of Marine Science from three years ago has warned that human activity in the river could risk uprooting these sediments and affecting water equality and biogenic habitats.

According to Dr Stuart Khan, Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at UNSW, there is still much uncertainty around whether the water will be safe to swim in.

“The question is whether it’s a safe level of exposure. That question still needs to be answered in terms of recreational use of the area. One thing about dioxins is that they tend to stick to sediment and sediment gets buried… but you still wouldn’t want to resuspend it all back into the water column where fish will come into contact with it,” he said.

According to Dr Khan, the combination of

Industrial waste and toxic pathogens make the water west of the bridge unsafe to fish and swim in. Photo: Georgia Clark

sediment run-off and chemical contaminants have made the river a virtual waste-ground.

“There are two different types of contaminants - chemical contaminants, so things like dioxins, which are very toxic but we don’t really have a good understanding of how concentrated they are and the roots of exposure to those contaminants are relatively minor…

“While we are concerned about the consequences and that they cause cancer… they’re not at top of list… that’s more about pathogens that might be present and those concentrations are very transient depending on the weather..

“If people were to come into contact that’s when you can get gastro, ear infections, they’re the things stopping a lot of recreational use at the moment,” he said.

Fishermen still gather in numbers to catch and

eat fish, unphased by the legacy of pollution.

One fisherman just West of the Harbour Bridge, Herman, said he has been eating fish in the area weekly for 15 years.

“If I catch five I will take three and give it to my friends … I come every week yeah and I will eat the fish. It’s not really a problem for me…

I’ve been eating the fish all my life, for 15 years, multiple that by every week I came here. I’m alright. It’s not really a major concern for me,” he said.”

But just decades earlier, the industrial development of chemicals like Agent Orange left fish and sediment West of the Bridge riddled with dioxins that cause cancer in humans. That, combined with sediment run-off from local developments and untreated stormwater has made the river highly polluted.

According to Stan Konstantaras, President of the Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW, numerous anglers continue to eat fish in the area despite the health risks association with consumption of fish West of the Harbour, because of cultural and language barriers.

“I think they’re not concerned because they don’t understand and don’t have enough information… we’re west of the Bridge and there’s no signs anywhere to indicate that it’s unsafe to eat them. No real targeted campaign to non-speaking anglers,” he said.

And now, decades later, plans to make the upper and middle part of the river swimmable by 2025 have been revived. With non-compliance on development pollution at 50%, Jerome Laxelle, chair of Our Living River, said addressing noncompliance is crucial to ensuring the river is safe to swim in.

“50% is too high and we need to work with local government and builders to ensure sediment controls are kept up to speed. Development is a real threat to the river’s environmental conditions but also a real opportunity to help fund the cleaning up of the river,” he said.

But the group are confident that the river will be safe to swim in by 2025.

“This was a date we thought was achievable in conjunction with agencies like Sydney Water,” Laxelle said. “We set that as a target date, but there is a bit of work to do. However, at each and every stage we’re all surprised at the existing quality of the water.”

With the blueprint for the river’s plans soon to be released, the potential health and ecological impacts of swimming in the area is still unknown.

But with stormwater runoff released with negligible treatment and pollution worsened by non-compliant developers whether the river’s act will be cleaned up, only time will tell.

Light rail, major impacts

BY JADE MORELLINI Light Rail construction taking place along the Sydney CBD, Randwick and Kingsford is having a substantial impact on smaller businesses in the area, with a large number of stores having moved out or closed down.

Kensington Supermarket has been thriving for five years along Anzac Parade but now, it is one of many businesses that has experienced great losses due to construction.

Manager, Alex Romano is heavily concerned about the drop of his sales since light rail works began. “Our sales have gone down by about 75%, simply because no one can see my shop. It has been blocked from the other side of the road by the construction which is in the middle of Anzac Parade, so residents on the other side don’t come to my store anymore.”

Construction for the light rail commenced in 2016 and is expected to be completed in 2019 as part of the $2.1 billion CBD and South East Light Rail project, so businesses need to deal with noise and blockage for another few years.

Spokesperson of Transport for NSW said, “To date, over 12 kilometres of track has been laid with the first overhead wires installed along Alison Road (from Wansey) to Lang Road (along Anzac Parade) in preparation for vehicle testing in the coming months.”

The Light Rail works have caused a dramatic change for traffic conditions since the closure of High Street to general traffic between Clara Street and Avoca Street in March, making it harder to access stores and cafes along that strip.

“Our business has been running for 50 years and yeah I have seen a decrease in sales since construction started,” Manager of Auto One Kensington, Darren Huckins said. “People coming from the city can’t really see our signage and where our shop is because it’s been blocked off by all the tram lines and equipment, so that’s been a big impact.”

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Light Rail construction impacts on local businesses and night works keep residents awake.

Photo: Sardaka

“The construction has also impacted on the traffic in Anzac Parade,” Manager of Max Brenner Chocolate Bar at Anzac Parade, Wendy Liu said.

“Our shop is facing High Street and there is no parking in the area, so it really is causing problems for customers to get here, especially when it comes to trying to find parking.”

With an estimated 700 – 750 on street parking spaces having being removed since construction began in Randwick, it is putting shops in a difficult position as it means local residents and shoppers will have a hard time trying to find parking spaces.

This will have a flow on effect for businesses in the area as they may lose customers.

Light Rail Liaison Officer at Randwick Council, Chris Bastic said: “The council have had their own $30 million package to try and assist businesses during the construction of light rail by creating extra car parking spaces

around Kingsford and Kensington and they are incorporating different traffic measures to increase car parking spots.”

Under the City of Randwick Council parking recovery plan, they have identified 21 streets with enough space to create more than 400 new on street parking spaces and they have also changed the parking time limits to better assist residents and businesses.

But a lot of stores rely on foot traffic for a large proportion of their trade and with the construction sights blocking their shopfronts, it is making it much harder to draw customers in. In an attempt to numb the loss and aid these businesses, a Transport for NSW spokesperson said: “To address and assist with this we have established signs and boardings, produced Facebook videos and prepared local newspaper advertorials to promote shops, cafes and pubs, and

emphasise the fact that businesses remain very much open and operational during this time.”

In this zone, construction work was estimated to last until November, however it has taken longer than expected.

“Small businesses on the light rail alignment who believe they have been impacted where construction has taken longer than originally expected, may request assistance from Transport for NSW to help with their rent,” a Transport for NSW spokesperson said.

“Every shop has lost quite a lot of business, so the State Government has also established a rent relief program, whereby if the businesses can prove that they’ve lost business the government will give them rent relief,” Bastic explained.

Rent relief will remove some of the financial pressure and compensate businesses for the losses they may be experiencing due to the Light Rail construction.

But many businesses aren’t aware of the initiatives in place by the council and state government to assist with the losses caused by construction.

“Nothing has been done to help and a fair few other stores have actually moved out,” Huckins said.

“Consultation is a major part of the CBD and South East Light Rail project and we regularly consult with the community, businesses and residents via information sessions, regular notifications and doorknocking.

“We are committed to assisting small businesses during light rail construction and addressing any concerns that may arise. As such we have created the “Business Reference Group” as an advisory and consultative council, in addition to holding business forums for the wider business community, to openly engage us to provide feedback on their needs as well as allowing us to inform of upcoming works and completion of construction,” Transport for NSW spokesperson said.

FEATURE

Bondi Through The Lens

By Rita Bratovich If you were to ask the question “what is Bondi?” you might get answers like: • “a world famous beach” • “an Iconic Sydney suburb” • “a pretentious hub of avo eating hipsters” But if you ask “what is the real Bondi?” your answers will come in the form of candid portraits, amazing stills, surprising landscapes and sneaky snaps in the upcoming #whatistherealbondi photography exhibition at Bondi Pavilion.

The first solo exhibition by multi award-winning photographer, Jonathan Armstrong, seeks to reveal the bits of Bondi that don’t normally bask in the sun.

“Whatever people think Bondi is, they think that’s all it is…I’m just trying to present a few different alternative views of Bondi,” Armstrong explains.

“The only thing that defines it is that it can’t be defined…it’s very diverse and eclectic, and there’s lots of layers of history there.”

The title, #whatistherealbondi, is an active hashtag and people are encouraged to take their own photos and add them on Facebook and Instagram. (A selection of photos will be printed and displayed on a cork board as part of the exhibition.)

Armstrong’s own personal connection to Bondi goes a long way back.

“I grew up in the Bondi area and I’ve lived there all my life… and I’ve been surfing down at Bondi Beach since I was about ten.”

Michael Sweet.

Photo: Jonathan Armstrong

His affinity for photography is equally steeped in his upbringing. Armstrong’s father was an award-winning photographer and Armstrong recalls trailing him with a hand-me-down fully manual Minolta, and watching him work in the dark room.

“I absorbed his technical skills growing up and I think I absorbed his way of looking at life through a lens.”

Armstrong believes that photography helps you develop a curiosity about life, a particular way of looking at things - and an acute appreciation for the unexpected.

When he is out and about - which is frequently - Armstrong always has a camera with him.

“The great thing about Bondi is that you really have no idea what you’re going to see from one day to the next,” he says.

With Bondi already being among the most photographed locations in Australia, if not the world, the challenge is to avoid cliches while still capturing its essence. Armstrong solves that by seeking out the unusual, the hidden, the transient.

Behind the facade of golden sand, high-end sneaker stores and lively bars is a less glamorous scene of neglected apartment blocks, graffiti, and homelessness - yet also old-world simplicity and quirkiness. One thing Armstrong loves about Bondi is that “you can just go up and talk to a stranger.” If he sees the potential for a portrait he doesn’t feel awkward about talking to subject.

One man featured in the exhibition is a local identity named Michael Sweet, a homeless man often seen in the park or on the streets. Armstrong sat with

Michael and spoke with him for quite a while before taking the very engaging photo of him.

Another photo shows a cook flipping a pizza at Gelbison, a suburban style, family-owned pizzeria with lino floor, no tablecloths and no fuss, that has been a fixture in a Bondi side street forever.

Serendipity as well as preparedness are the formula for some of Armstrong’s best photos: a guy playing saxophone; a skater in mid-air; three girls draped in Australian flag dresses on Australia day.

One of his most spectacular images is of an acrobatic couple Armstrong chanced upon while they were training on the beach.

It happens that they are minor celebrities having decided to document their “world wide wedding” (six continents, 83 days, 38 “I do’s”). When Armstrong asked if he could photograph them, Cheetah Platt (the man) said they were about to try a manoeuvre where he throws his fiancé high into the air, momentarily folds his arms and then “hopefully, I’ll unfold my arms and catch her while she’s on the way down, just before her head basically gets rammed into the sand.” He did and it’s an unbelievable photo.

Waverley Council are supporting #whatistherealbondi and encouraging interaction from the public. A spokesperson from the council described the importance of public art.

“Bondi is a beautifully dynamic place to live and visit and is linked to the popular imagination of Australian identity. Every year we have artists exhibit work with interrogating ideas that are timely and responsive to the local community. Jonathan’s exhibition has engaged the public in telling the story of Bondi. It’s an interesting way of exploring what makes Bondi so special, which is an on-going and ever changing conversation.”

The council spokesperson believes there is much to be discovered about Bondi from famous names on tombstones in Waverley Cemetery to the Sea Wall canvas of renowned street artists to the long rich history hidden in the narrow streets. Projects such as #whatistherealbondi help not only showcase these things, but preserve them, which is why the council is keen to support them.

“Photography and art are a lens from which we can understand history. In this case we have a local artist who is creating a platform to explore local identity, which while insightful now, will no doubt become even more valuable with time…[Armstrong] captures a genuine slice of the real Bondi in this exhibition. There is a wit and whimsy and sharp, yet playful critique of Bondi captured in this exhibition. From our perspective, the exhibition is about so much more than the beach.”

Dec 5-17, 10am - 5pm daily. FREE. Bondi Pavilion, Bondi Beach. www.bigjphotography.com and www.waverley.nsw.gov.au

PROPOSAL TO INSTALL A TEMPORARY MOBILE PHONE TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITY AT BLOCk 7 HICkSON ROAD, BARANGAROO NSW 2000 Optus wish to inform the community of a proposal for the installation and operation of a temporary telecommunications facility at Hickson Road, Barangaroo NSW. The facility will provide additional services to the people in the area during December and January when the New Year’s Eve events are occurring in the area. The temporary facility will operate from the 15th December 2017 to the 8th January 2018.

The proposal involves the following activities:

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• The delivery and set up of a trailer supporting an equipment shelter and a pump-up radio mast with a height of 15.5 metres; • The installation of three (3) panel antennas at heights of 14 metres and three (3) antennas at 15 metres on the mast; • The installation of a radio dish (600mm in diameter) at the top of the mast at a height of 16 metres; • The placement of a diesel generator adjacent to the base of the mast; • Associated and necessary works to ensure the proper functioning of the telecommunications facility including guy wires, fencing, cabling, electrical works, signage and safe access.

The proposal does not need development approval from the Local Council.

The proposed infrastructure complies with the ACMA EMR regulatory arrangements.

Further information can be obtained from Mark Byrnes on (02) 9363 3815 or email to info@commplan.com.au.

Written submissions on the proposals should be addressed to Optus C/- CommPlan Pty Ltd, PO Box 267, Edgecliff NSW 2027 and received by 14 December 2017.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The Martini Lounge “Love Edition” Audiences will be transported to a bustling 1950s jazz bar for one night at The Basement. The Martini Lounge will host an impressive array of acts, paying homage to the bygone eras in a fusion of blues, jazz and burlesque.

Independent artist and producer Sheena Miss Demeanor said, “Burlesque performers will dazzle you with their stunning costuming and impress with their dance skills that include fan dancing, poi, contortion and of course, a performance inside a giant martini glass.”

The infamous giant martini glass act will be performed by Miss Demeanor herself, with a cast of dancers including Bella Louche, Lillian Starr and Rosie Rivette.

This is the second instalment at The Basement, after a highly successful and sellout show in June.

The night will be hosted by sass Queen Memphis Mae, and headlined by burlesque act Zelia Rose, who has just returned from a tour with international sensation, Dita Von Teese.

Classic tunes from Billie Holliday and Etta James will be covered, as well as some modern interpretations from Prince and Madeline Peyroux.

Musical director and respected Sydney based guitarist, George “Medicine” Rigatos, will lead jazz and blues band, The Hanged Men. The show can be accompanied with an intimate dinner, The Basement is offering dinner and drinks packages for large groups.

In fitting with the evening, bartenders will be mixing classic martinis in a variety of flavours. (GF) Dec 1,The Basement, 7 Macquarie Place, Sydney. $30-$101.Tickets & Info: www.thebasement.com.au

In many countries around the world, political satire is often a tool to combat oppression and to highlight the injustices done under a regime or dictator. Australian satirists The Chaser are hosting The Umpteenth Inaugural Annual Chaser Lecture for the third year running and this year’s guest will be the Venezuelan political satirists Elio Casale, Oswaldo Graziani and Juan Andrés Ravell who created the highly popular website El Chigüire Bipolar.

This year the trio became the beneficiaries of the 2017 Vaclav Havel Prize for the Creative Dissident, an award presented by the human rights foundation from New York City. The success behind the El Chiguire Bipolar website since

city hub 30 NOVEMBER 2017

a country where you could be persecuted or even killed for it.”

Don’t miss out on what will be an educational as well as an entertaining night. (DJ)

Nov 30. MacLaurin Hall, University of Sydney. $303-$3025 (table of 10).

Tickets & Info: www.thechaserlecture.com

New Breed 2017

Tyrone Robinson. Photo: Pedro Greig

New Breed 2017 is providing five emerging Australian choreographers with the opportunity to create their own works which will be fully commissioned and showcased under the Sydney Dance Company, Carriageworks and The Balnaves Foundation.

Tyrone Robinson is one of the talented choreographers selected to create his own work, [bio]Curious.

“I’m choreographing a work on three of the Sydney Dance Company dancers and my work is an exploration of our connection to nature and the unconscious intimacies of those actions. It was very much inspired by the eco-sexual conservation movement which asks the question, if we were to look at nature as a lover, can we evoke a greater care for the environment?”

Robinson said.

His raw and powerful work has a unique style, with his history of hip-hop and jazz blending with contemporary dance.

“I have a background in commercial dance like hiphop and jazz, then I went to the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts and did contemporary

arts for three years so there are definitely elements of my hip-hop background which emerge within the contemporary choreography,” Robinson said.

Robinson wants audiences to leave the theatre with a greater appreciation and connection to plants and realise that maybe, plants are more important than they are treated.

“I’m a bit interested to see if people can start to look at the environment and their connection to plants and house plants specifically, in a different light and to acknowledge the existence of another living being within their environment. I feel that a lot of people overlook this and plants often become a thing that is purely aesthetic,” Robinson concluded. (JM) Until Dec 9. Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh. $35.

Tickets & Info: www.carriageworks.com.au

High Fidelity Neil Gooding Productions and Highway Run Productions are bringing High Fidelity to Hayes Theatre Company.

Based on the novel by Nick Horny, High Fidelity tracks music-loving Rob Gordon (Toby Francis) who tries to figure out why he struggles with relationships so much after getting dumped by his latest girlfriend, Laura (Teagan Waters).

“It’s the classic story of a relationship that has got to its peak and the girl wants to move forward with her life but the guy hasn’t

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its inception in 2008 is the way the trio disseminate fake news to expose the Venezuelan government from withholding real news and highlighting the chaotic nature of politics in the country.

City Hub spoke to Julian Morrow from The Chaser on the decision to choose the Venezuelan Trio and what makes them great satirists in his view, “We thought they were the perfect candidates just for the fact that they come from a place where freedom of speech is suppressed and they have won a human rights award for their political satire. In Australia we have the right to freedom of speech and that’s the sign of a mature democracy but it takes a lot more guts to do satire in

El Chiguire Bipolar receives Havel Prize

The Umpteenth Inaugural Annual Chaser Lecture

12 STAGE 13 Sounds 14 SCENE 15 SCREEN

grown up and taken any responsibility. She decides to leave and he wakes up and realises he had to grow up,” says Teagan Waters, “That happens over whatever period or era we’re in.

It’s a classic kind of story.”

The production features original music by Tom Kitt, skilfully woven between the sounds and styles of some of history’s greatest artists.

With much of the production set in a record shop where Rob works, music becomes vital in bringing Rob and Laura back together.

Teagan Wouters, Toby Francis, Joe Kosky and Dash Kruck.

Photo: Lauren Peters

“It’s a really fun show. If you’ve seen the movie or read the book, you’ll love the musical,” says Waters, “You’ll have a good time!” (ES)

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

Until Dec 17. Hayes Theatre, 19 Greenknowe Avenue, Potts Point. $64.Tickets & Info: www.hayestheatre.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.

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Gordi: Will bring the intimate sounds of her latest record, Reservoir, to life tonight. It’s clear that the 24-year old artist from Canowindra is quickly becoming one of Australia’s most buzzed about songwriters and promising exports as she is set to play one of her biggest spaces yet.

Thu, Nov 30, Oxford Art Factory Emma Pask: Tonight is a very rare chance to catch one of Australia’s finest voices, who was recently nominated for an ARIA award for Best Jazz Album, up close and personal. Award winning vocalist Emma Pask is sure to delight as she interweaves storytelling through timeless swinging jazz standards, upbeat latin rhythms, tender ballads & of course some raucous blues.

Thu, Nov 30, Camelot Lounge

By Jamie Apps

Didirri: When they invented the phrase “not a dry eye in the house” they must have been pre-emptively talking about Didirri. When performing, his uninhibited lyrics tug on raw exposed nerves while his charming melodies soothe your heart - a consequence of his richly textured vocal style, warm persona and humble upbringing.

Fri, Dec 1, Waywards The Teskey Brothers: It’s been a big year for Melbourne’s The Teskey Brothers.The soul revivalists won the hearts of many with their debut album Half Mile Harvest which reached #18 on the ARIA album chart and earned the band three nominations at this year’s Music Victoria Awards.

Sat, Dec 2,The Basement Feist: A decade on from her world-conquering hit 1234, four-time

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Feist is set to return to Sydney this weekend. Five years on from her last Australian visit, Feist returns with a full band in tow and a brand new album under her belt. Pleasure, Feist’s fifth studio record and first in six years, reflects on secrets and shame, loneliness and tenderness, care and fatigue and is at it’s core a study on self-awareness.

Sun, Dec 3, Sydney Opera House Bahamas: Bahamas, the stage name for Toronto’s Afie Jurvenen, will take in Sydney this Monday. Distinguishing himself as a member of Feist’s touring band in his earliest musical days, Bahamas has since supported the likes of Jason Collett, Elvis Costello, Jack Johnson and City And Colour.

Mon, Dec 4,The Basement Mansionair: Over the past few

years Mansionair has been praised for their mesmerising and genre-defying music. The juxtaposition between singer Jack Froggatt’s intimate vocal delivery and the geographic stretch of Mansionair’s production makes them one of the country’s most intriguing bands. Watching it come to life live on stage really is a wonder to behold.

Tue, Dec 5,The Lansdowne Hansori Music: An enchanting summer night concert invites families to hear from the youngest talented musicians as they retell some of the most beautiful classical pieces by Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Schumann, Mozart, Offenbach, Baranowska and many more.

Wed, Dec 6, Sydney Opera House

Slum Sociable

Photo: Anna Snowsill

By Jamie Apps Whilst many musicians appear to be living a dream life and thus be impervious to mental health issues from the outside, sadly this can occasionally be far from the case.

Just last week Slum Sociable, a duo consisting of Edward Quinn and Miller Upchurch, finally released their debut album after delaying the release due to Miller’s battles with depression.

In a recent social media post Miller opened up about his battle with depression, not only to fans of Slum Sociable but also to his close family and friends.

“I hadn’t really spoken with family or friends about it beforehand,” reflected Upchurch before

also saying,“Since making that post I haven’t really had an excuse or been able to hide away as much because it’s out there now which has actually helped.”

Battles with depression can be different for each individual but for Upchurch he says his big issue was “shying away, not talking about it or actively trying to cope with it.” Understandably this put a big strain on both his personal and professional relationship with Edward.

“He understandably would get frustrated with me because I wasn’t putting in the work that we both need to be doing moving forward and following our dreams.” said Upchurch when speaking about delaying the album’s release.

Since taking the daunting step of opening up Edward and Miller’s relationship has improved significantly. Couple this with the “overwhelming” outpouring of support from fans Upchurch says he is “definitely doing much better now.”

With a newfound positive outlook on life and music Slum Sociable are set to kick off their tour in Sydney tomorrow night.

“We’re very excited but there’s definitely nerves as well,” explained Upchurch,“We’ve played

Oxford Art Factory as a support act before so it’s kind of surreal going in as the headline act.”

As these are some of their biggest shows to date Slum Sociable have been working diligently to improve their live show and ensure they live up to the standards they feel a headline act should bring.

Some of the improvements they’ve made are to increase the overall level of production but they also want to bring the emotion to life in these songs.

“We pour a lot of emotion into the performances because we have such powerful ties to the lyrical content.”

In order to further bring this out during the live show Slum Sociable will be bringing along two of their best mates, Dylan Savage (bass) and Ryan Beasley (drums).

“The whole sound of the record changes when we play live in the four piece setup so the people who have heard lots of the songs can expect a couple of screwballs for the live show.” concluded Upchurch.

Dec 1. Oxford Art Factory, 38-46 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. $23.26+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.oxfordartfactory.com

Agent Orange Justice Concert Often worthy causes that uplift justice and remember the triumphs of the past have the power to bring music, poetry and politics together.

This year’s Anti-War concert is a charity event that will be hosting singer songwriters, musicians and poets to acknowledge three different events: the commemoration of the WWI anti-conscription victory in the 1917 plebiscite, a benefit to the Agent Orange Justice movement that recognises the 30,000 vets affected as well as the four million Vietnamese who have birth defects due to the chemicals sprayed by the Americans during the Vietnam

War and a memorial concert to remember the Australian poet and human rights activist Denis Kevans who past away 12 years ago.

City Hub Spoke to poet Jenni Nixon on how she became involved with the Anti-War concert and what do all these causes mean to her personally.

“I got into reading political poetry quite a while ago and I’ve done political poems and acting with the Queensland Theatre Company, which taught me about politics and performance. As it is an anti-war concert, I think it’s the boys taking the toys away from

the bullies. Deciding conflicts through war is wrong so I’m a pacifist even though my grandfather was in Gallipoli and my father was in New Guinea, I know through family history the experience of war and what it does to men and women who fight.”

This event is a timely reminder to think about what kind of world we want to live in and why wars are never the answer.

Dec 3. Gaelic Club, 1/64 Devonshire St, Surry Hills. $5 or above donation upon entry. Info: www.agentorangejustice.org.au

Yung Lean - Stranger Swedish rapper Yung Lean’s (aka Jonatan Leandoer Håstad) latest record Stranger has moments of brilliance but unfortunately they are far too often buried beneath banal filler.

When Håstad arrived on the hip-hop scene four years ago he made an instant impact, essentially launching a new sub-genre of “sad boy” rap. With Stranger he has attempted to innovate and refine this style, however

more often than not the tracks lack a punch to give them any long lasting meaning.

A few tracks do however standout amongst the bunch. Openers Muddy Sea and Red Bottom Sky kick the album off nicely, particularly as introductions to the genre. The other tracks which could stand the test of time are Salute/Pacman, Agony and Yellowman.

(JA) WW1/2

SH!TSHOW

Frontier Comedy and The Brag are bringing funny pair and comedy podcast hosts Gus and Rig to the Oxford Art Factory for a first-time stage recording of their podcast, Sh!tshow. The boys will be hitting the stage on Sunday the 3rd and 10th of December for the live recordings.

Gus and Rig had started their road to podcast glory by setting up a PA system and commentating games live for a lower grade Sydney Uni Aussie Rules team, in which they left playing to commentate. The two later launched their first podcast in 2016 with Medallica: Minnows vs The World. A podcast they ran during the Rio Olympics

that focused on countries that had never won a medal.

Their latest venture Sh!tshow is centred around a range of different stuff-ups and shenanigans from, weird cults, philandering politicians, stupid inventions and many other disasters. Since debuting the podcast in May, Sh!tshow has been signed by Seventh Street Media and has earned itself five-star ratings on Facebook and YouTube.

Get in quick and join the boys for what is sure to be a hilarious stage recording of Sh!tshow. (RH) Dec 3 & 10. Oxford Art Factory, 38-46 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. $15+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.oxfordartfactory.com

Roads and Maritime Services

Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycleway Access Proposals – Have your say The NSW Government is investing in projects to modernise and improve access to the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Roads and Maritime Services is currently seeking community and stakeholder feedback on two proposals to improve access to the Sydney Harbour Bridge cycleway.

Southern cycleway connection We have prepared a Review of Environmental Factors to examine the potential impact of the southern cycleway connection between the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Kent Street cycleways.

Northern cycle ramp We have prepared an Options Report to help determine the best design option for a ramp to replace using the stairs at the northern end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge cycleway.

The Review of Environmental Factors and the Options Report are available at rms.nsw.gov.au/sydneyharbourbridge.

Roads and Maritime is seeking feedback from the community on both reports until Friday 15 December 2017. You can provide feedback by: Online consultation map at (insert ECCO address) Mail: PO Box 973 Parramatta CBD NSW 2124 Email: sydneyharbourbridgeprojects@rms.nsw.gov.au We will also host a community information session as part of the consultation process: Thursday 30 November 2017 6pm – 8pm Bradfield Park Community Centre 41 Alfred Street, Milsons Point

BLZ129795

Live Music Guide LIVE WIRE Sydney

For more information call: 1800 581 595, email: sydneyharbourbridgeprojects@rms.nsw.gov.au or visit rms.nsw.gov.au/sydneyharbourbridge city hub 30 NOVEMBER 2017

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THE NAKED CITY

LA GRAND BOOFHEAD

A Well Founded Fear Special Screening A decade ago filmmakers followed Phil Glendenning as he tracked down people who were deported by the Australian Government after their claims for protection were rejected. A Well Founded Fear is the story of Phil’s search.

This week the Edmund Rice Centre will host a special screening of this poignant film in the hopes of kickstarting a forum for new ideas activism and energy in solidarity.

“The event will be a good ‘coming together’ of the different groups in an informal way. I would reallly like to see the groups working together more. Activism can be heartbreaking, but it does not have to be.” said event coordinator Stephen Langford.

Current activist groups, such as the Refugee Action Coalition will be present for the evening to discuss the main ideas and

With Coffin Ed Given the current concerns about burgeoning obesity, not to mention the terrible famines in countries like Yemen, it’s hard to believe eating contests and so called ‘food challenges’ still enjoy a certain popularity.A staple of state fairs and other celebrations, hot dog and other fast food eating battles have long been a public favourite in the US. For the record the current world title holder in the hot dog department is Joey Chestnut who captured his 10th Mustard Belt this year by chomping down on no less than 72 dogs and buns at an annual Independence Day event in New York.

Whilst this kind of combative gluttony seems ingrained in the American psyche, similar events in Australia have only enjoyed partial success.

However whilst pie eating contests here are fewer and far between the equally ridiculous ‘food challenge’ is gaining in popularity, particularly in the gourmet metropolis of Melbourne where a large number of restaurants and fast food outlets have put out the ‘dare’.Take Misty’s Diner in Prahran which is said to specialise in the food that finally killed Elvis. Knock over a massive five patty whopper with five slices of cheese, five of bacon and a big plate of fries in under 14 minutes and you cement your place on their wall of fame.

It’s a scenario that was often repeated in the cult SBS Food Network show Man V Food in which the ebullient host Adam Richman regularly attempted to devour massive burger and taco meals, egged on by a screaming crowd of fast food addicts.Whilst most of his challenges were in the solo mode in one episode he combined appetites with 39 other contestants in an attempt to polish off a 190 pound burger – unsuccessfully I might add!

When he finally left the show some years ago he’s reported to have dropped an incredible 70 pounds in just a short space of time and no doubt increased his life expectancy by decades. Not so with another celebrated SBS foodie host in the ever ballooning shape of French actor Gerard Depardieu and his current show Bon Appétit.

Put simply the show features Gerard eating his way around Europe with the kind of enthusiasm you would find in a death row inmate just served their last meal.There’s definitely a perverse fascination in watching him even further extend his bulging frame or as the SMH critic aptly put it: “At 67, he looks like an inflatable man filled to bursting point with helium; one more waferthin mint slice, you suspect, and he’ll go the way of Monsieur Creosote in Monty Python’s Meaning of Life.”

The gusto with which he attacks every mouthful soon makes La Grande Bouffe look like a weight reduction clinic. Already sporting a quintuple heart bypass and claiming to drink as many as 14 bottles of wine a day, you soon get the impression that you are watching a gastronomical journey that borders on the suicidal.

Once your sympathy dissipates for Gerard, it soon extends to the plethora of barnyard animals and crustaceans that he so aggressively eyes off as victims of his foodie lust. In one episode, whilst travelling on a boat to enjoy some kind of seafood delicacy he eyes off a group of playful seals, joyfully announcing “Oh I bet they taste good!”

We can only hope he is never invited to Australia to film a similar series. If so we need to lock up every wombat, wallaby, potoroo, possum and bush turkey in sight. Gerard - the feral cats and foxes are all yours!

challenges facing refugee groups within Australia today. (JA) Dec 5, Edmund Rice Centre, 15 Henley Rd, Homebush West. FREE. Info: www.erc.org.au/aw or Ph: (02) 8762 4200

Designers And Fleas December 2017

Photo: Jamie Lam. Image courtesy of KINDRED and UTS

Designers & Fleas handpicks emerging artists, indie designers and vintage vendors and mixes them up beautifully under one glorious roof in Ultimo, a district that sits at the cusp of Sydney’s brightest creative precincts.

The vibe is an eclectic hybrid of avant-garde jostled up against up-cycled and vintage with music, food and a genuine community fair feel. It is a distinctly urban market and the perfect way to spend an early December Sydney Sunday afternoon browsing for unique pieces to go into Christmas stockings. Hands down, Designers & Fleas is the best place in the CBD to score superfresh creations from Sydney-based artists and designers, for just one day only.

“This pioneering event was conceived to be a

physical hands-on platform with real customers to give aspiring creative entrepreneurs invaluable on-the-spot feedback and experience selling and showcasing their work side-by-side local designers and makers.” said Designers & Fleas curator, Carolina Totterman.

This weekends event is the second edition of Designers & Fleas, which debuted on an empty lot on Harris Street in August, with plans to feature a rotating selection of around 50 vendors comprised of local makers, designers and artists, four times a year, so they can sell and showcase their respective crafts including recent graduates and current UTS students.

Dec 3. 634 Harris St, Ultimo. Info: www.facebook.com/designersandfleas

Goodbye Christopher Robin This poignant story of what propelled author A.A. Milne to write the Winnie The Pooh series of children’s books is decisively one of the best films of the year.

A.A Milne (Domhnall Gleeson) was mentally scarred from his experiences in the First World War and spending time with his young son Christopher Robin (Will Tilston) playing games with furry toys in the woods was not only therapeutic for his mental health, 14

city hub 30 NOVEMBER 2017

but also the catalyst which inspired the magical world of Winnie The Pooh.

When young Christopher said to his father, “If you wrote a book for me I’d definitely read it” little did they know this would be the inception of the world’s best loved children’s books and that fame and fortune would ultimately lead to a crossroad in their relationship.

Australian actress Margot Robbie portrays Christopher’s loving but

temperamental mother, but the standout performer is Will Tilston whose charismatic performance brings the cheeky and imaginative Christopher Robin to life.

Only the British could bring this father/son relationship story to the screen, with such elegance, artistry and a beautifully written script with numerous heart-wrenching scenes leading to a tearful but satisfying conclusion. (MMo) WWWW

The Man Who Invented Christmas

The story of how Charles Dickens wrote the literary classic A Christmas Carol is meant to inspire festive cheer, but unfortunately, this well-intentioned Christmas film for adults is wearisome and fails to ignite on many levels.

After his success with Oliver Twist, three flops followed and Charles Dickens had six weeks to write a new book and have it on the shelves in time for Christmas.

This biodrama/comedy details how writing the book took over his life, affecting his marriage and the realisation that if he didn’t complete this book, he’d never write again.The

characters from the story come to life and guide him through the writing of the book, notably Scrooge, brilliantly portrayed by Christopher Plummer.

A great cast of British have been assembled for this film which boasts extremely convincing period interiors and visually stunning cinematography.

Adversely, Dan Steven’s portrayal of Mr Dickens is strikingly annoying and the comedic elements throughout the film detract from a story which would have been more successful written as pure drama. (MMo) WW1/2

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Only The Brave

Derived from the GQ article No Exit by Sean Flynn, Only The Brave tells the true story of a crew of elite firefighters who fought the Yarnell Hill Fire in 2013.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski and featuring an exciting cast, consisting of Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jeff Bridges, James Badge Dale and Taylor Kitsch.

The film is a heroic story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots as they fight to protect their families and community. Heavily invested in lead characters Donut

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(Teller) and Soup (Brolin), the film follows them whilst they struggle to deal with their demanding career and keep their loved ones.

The film was able to capture the fire scenes perfectly and overall was shot beautifully.

Teller’s performance was the stand out, with the rest of the cast playing their parts well. A bit of a slow burner with a touching story and an action-packed end. If you plan on seeing this film, bring tissues and prepare to be heartbroken. An awesome drama worth the time.

WWW1/2

Shot Caller

On the surface Ric Roman Waugh’s film appears to be a relatively generic offering which explores the concept that prisons create hardened criminals rather than rehabilitating them.

Shot Caller introduces us to Jacob Harlon (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) who is a white collar family man sentenced to 16 months in prison for manslaughter following a fatal car accident. Once behind bars Harlon quickly falls into the grips of a neo-Nazi gang, initially as a means of

survival but eventually moving up through the ranks as he acclimates to his surrounds.

As the story progresses Shot Caller can become overly reliant on cliches and overused tropes from the genre, which sadly this makes the film predictable.

Despite being cliche and telegraphing the ultimate conclusion from some distance the simplistic, bleak nature of the story telling makes for an intriguing watch. (JA) WWW

EXCITING OPPORTUNITY ALEXANDRIA PARK SCHOOL CANTEEN LICENCE 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.

A free, inclusive event for all people living with HIV, their friends and families

Monday 4 December, 7– 9.30pm Adina Hotel, Royal Mail Room, 2 Lee Street, Haymarket RSVP: phone (02) 9206 2177 or email contact@positivelife.org.au

city hub 30 NOVEMBER 2017

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SHOPPING

SO MUCH MORE

C H RI STM AS SH O PPI N G N I G HT 6 - 8 P M , F R I D AY 8 D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 20% OFF STAR GIFT CARDS^ UP TO 50% DISCOUNT IN SELECTED STORES FOUR LUXURY PRIZES TO BE WON* COMPLIMENTARY TREATS AND SPARKLING LIVE ENTERTAINMENT RETAIL ARCADE I 80 PYRMONT STREET, PYRMONT I THESTARSYDNEY.COM.AU

^Only at the gift card desk in the Retail Arcade. Card sales limited to $25,000 to the general public on the night to a maximum of one (1) gift card per adult per transaction to the maximum value of $1,000. Purchase in following denominations only until sold out: $1,000 and $500. Valid until 26 December 2017 and valid in the following stores only: Adriano Zumbo Pâtissier, Ribs & Burgers, City Essentials, Havana, Pulse Express, Din Tai Fung, Flying Fish & Chips, D Grill, El Clandestino, Gelato Messina, Gojima, G-Star, Chanel Fragrance & Beauty, IM Lingerie, Salvatore Ferragamo, Kennedy, Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Moda Emporio, Star Hair & Beauty, Floral Desire and The Century. *Terms and conditions apply, see thestarsydney.com.au for details.

Winners will be announced in the Fashion Precinct from 8pm on Friday 8 December 2017. Authorised under NSW Permit No. LTPS/17/19894 The Star practises the responsible service of alcohol.

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city hub 30 NOVEMBER 2017