INNER WEST INDEPENDENT August 2021

Marrickville Library chosen among world’s best

“we took for granted direct human-to-human communication”

The Inner West’s Avalanche are bringing rock’n’roll back

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YOUR FREE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER

AU G U S T, 2 0 21

Over 20 hectares of tree canopy have been destroyed in the last 12 months in the inner west.

Help us stop the inner west tree massacre.

Darcy Byrne discusses his re-election bid after Labor and Liberal Councilors have teamed up to dismantle the Inner West aCouncil’s tumultuous first Mayoral tree policy to make itterm easier to rip out healthy, mature trees. It is a developers Page 13

dream.

In just one year, over 37 football fields of tree canopy have been destroyed.

These trees will take decades to replace and their removal means hotter days, more air pollution, fewer birds and less wildlife.

Sign the petition at www.jamieparker.org.au/tree

SIGN THE PETITION

Over 20 hectares of tree canopy has

SIGN THE

been destroyed in the last 12 months.

PETITION

Help us stop the inner west tree massacre.

Authorised by Jamie Parker MP. Funded using parliamentary entitlements. April 2021.

Authorised by Jamie Parker MP and funded using parliamentary entitlements. July 2021.

Untitled-1 1 Inner West Independent - Full Page Tree Massacre.indd 1

28/7/21 9:04 am 16/04/2021 3:53:31 PM

Cats and kittens available for adoption Discounted feline health services Information and advice Specialist cat boutique

103 Enmore Road Newtown 9519 7201 www.catprotection.org.au

For people working with cats www.catcare.org.au Rehoming Organisation Number R251000224

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INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021

IndieNEWS Workers struggle to stay above water

BY ELYSIA COOK s Sydney was plunged into lockdown in June, Marrickville’s Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre (AKAC) stood down its entire workforce, indefinitely and without pay.

While full-time and part-time workers have been asked to access their annual leave, many of the casual staff working at AKAC aren’t eligible for the COVID-19 Disaster Payment.

An AKAC staff member, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Independent that the only contact received regarding the decision came in the form of a generic email and text message.

Since the decision, workers have been garnering community support behind their appeals for paid pandemic leave.

On July 8, several workers held an in-person demonstration outside the aquatic centre, in line with COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time.

A worker who was present at the action speculated that police who arrived to disperse the demonstration was called by the centre.

“I assume they were called by [AKAC] management, I don’t know who else would have called,” the worker said.

The next day staff were sent an email by AKAC management concerning the rally.

In the email, management displayed their support for the employees to be heard, however communicated with staff that their concerns, in this case, were misplaced.

Belgravia Health and Leisure mirrored the sentiments of management. “[We] support the rights of employees to have their say about COVID-19 lockdown financial assistance, in ways that comply with the relevant laws around public gatherings,” a Belgravia Health and Leisure spokesperson told the Independent.

An online community event was held on July 10 whereby workers called on the community to post a selfie with a sign of support. Staff initially managed to gain traction through an online petition in conjunction with the United Workers Union (UWU), since collecting hundreds of signatures throughout the Inner West community.

On July 5, AKAC conducted a meeting to negotiate with workers. While staff were offered free fitness classes and health services, they were not given paid pandemic leave.

“They’re saying they can’t afford to pay it but I doubt that that’s the truth,” said one worker.

A IndieARTS: REUBEN STYLES (Y.O.G.A) Styles has lived in the Inner West for the past four years and admits, “I came for the vibe but I stayed for the coffee.”

(See p. 23)

PUBLISHED DATE 29 AUGUST 2021 Published monthly and freely available throughout the Inner West.

Copies are also distributed to serviced apartments, hotels, convenience stores and newsagents throughout the Inner West local council area.

Distribution enquiries call 9212 5677.

Published by Altmedia Pty Ltd. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy of content, we take no responsibility for inadvertent errors or omissions.

ABN 52 600 903 348 Group Publisher: Lawrence Gibbons Publisher Assistant: Mal Moody Group News Editors: Daniel Lo Surdo, Eva Baxter Arts Editor: Jamie Apps Contributors: Wendy Bacon, Daniel Lo Surdo, Eva Baxter, Elysia Cook, Katelyn Milligan, Tessa Pelle, Osmond Chiu, Pip Hinman.

Gemma Billington, Rachel Clark, Georgia Robinson, Mark Morellini, Soofia Tariq, Jamie Apps, Irina Dunn, Renee Lou Dallow, Olga Azar, Patrick McKenzie, Jarrod Wolfhunter, Lucinda Garbutt-Young, Tessa Pelle, Craig Coventry Advertising Managers: Mal Moody 0484 042 615 Dan Kinsela 0480 362 148 Advertising: sales@altmedia.net.au Cover Photo: Mark Dixon. Mayor Darcy Byrne is standing for re-election and hopes to become mayor again in Council’s next term.

Designer: Nadia Kalinitcheva Mail: PO Box 843 Broadway 2007 Email: news@altmedia.net.au, arts@altmedia.net.au Ph: 9212 5677 Fax: 9212 5633

If you have a story, or any comments you’d like to share with us: news@altmedia.net.au

Marrickville’s Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre has stood down staff indefinitely. Photo: Facebook/Isaac Nellist

Belgravia Leisure is a multi-million dollar for-profit organisation. Company CEO Geoff Lord was featured in last year’s Australian Financial Review Rich List and has a net worth of $569 million.

Marrickville Ward Councillor Victor Macri says that AKAC’s refusal to pay workers could have been a reaction to the Inner West Council’s move to reclaim centre management in July next year.

“Their [AKAC’s] long term plan isn’t there anymore,” said Macri.

“I question what weight that had on how they reacted.”

In a statement, Venue Manager Alex Watt said that AKAC’s response has been “consistent, lawful and, unfortunately, necessary throughout the pandemic.”

[They] breed an environment that makes the workers and staff unhappy

“Individual employers cannot be held responsible for financially supporting workers during these difficult times.

That is the responsibility of government programs like JobKeeper and the current COVID-19 Disaster Payment”.

An AKAC staff member agreed that the government should also step up.

“The government and the state should be doing more, especially for those on income support payments.”

PRE-EXISTING ISSUES

A staff member expressed concern over the casual and seasonal nature of work at the centre.

“A lot of the people the company preys on are young students who are on Youth Allowance,” she said.

UWU National Coordinator Shara Teo agreed that insecure work in the industry was an “existing issue that has now been exacerbated” by the unfolding situation.

A previous employee of AKAC told the Independent that working conditions at the centre were “dreadful”.

“In my entire six years spent there the pool was never drained and refilled, and on more than a few occasions aquatic staff got gastro.

“Not only does the company that runs it not care about its workers, but it breeds an environment that makes the workers and staff unhappy.

“When I worked there I’ve seen mice and roaches in pool equipment that’s not stored properly. I’ve found redback spiders on baby equipment only moments before using it.

“I regularly complained to my boss and also wrote evaluation forms and none of it mattered.”

Belgravia understood their employment records to be impeccable through the health and recreation space.

“Belgravia Health and Leisure has an employment record envied across the sector,” a spokesperson told the Independent.

“The company moved from employing almost entirely casual staff to over a third of the employees now categorised as full- or part-time, almost double the industry average. Our commitment to health and safety for both staff and customers is the best in the country.”

COUNCIL INVOLVEMENT

While the aquatic centre is owned

by Inner West Council, it has been outsourced to Belgravia Leisure.

Greens candidate for the DjarrawunangAshfield Ward Dylan Griffiths says that in the meantime, the community needs to support the campaign of the workers.

“Facilities should be run for the community, by the community,” Griffiths said.

The UWU has called on residents to write an open letter to the City of Sydney Council, requesting that they “reconsider their relationship with Belgravia”.

INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021

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IndieNEWS

Inner West Elections pushed to December will be able to pre-poll 13 days before December 4th.

The postponement also means that nominations due to originally open on July 26 will instead open on October 25, while the term for elected councillors still marked to end in 2024.

COVID-19 CONCERNS

Local Government Elections in NSW have been postponed to December 4 this year. Photo: Creative Commons.

BY DANIEL LO SURDO SW Local Government Elections scheduled for September 4 this year have been postponed three months to December 4 as the COVID-19 outbreak throughout the state continues to grow.

Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock MP announced on the 24th of July that December 4 would be the new date that elections would be held, revoking the order made on June 26 last year that postponed the elections to September 4 2021.

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“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and current public health orders impacting Greater Sydney, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the local government elections until later this year,” Mrs Hancock said.

“We have taken this step to postpone the election to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our communities, voters, polling staff and candidates.”

Electors will be able to vote in person, by post or online in December, with online voting to be afforded for vulnerable residents, while all voters

Many councillors across the state had displayed concern with proceeding with elections in September, as they believed incumbents and those with a strong profile would be heavily favoured against the restricted campaign backdrop of COVID-19 restrictions.

[We’ve] made the difficult decision to postpone the local government elections Approximately 5.1 million voters are enrolled in this year’s elections, with over 5000 candidates scheduled to compete for positions on 125 of NSW’s 128 local councils.

The Minister for Local Government

also marked the 4th of December as the date for which any by-elections for any council in NSW are to be held.

The announcement comes after NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced that State Health officials recorded 163 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8 pm on Friday, the 25th of July. Of these cases, 87 were linked to a known case or cluster, with the source of infection for the remaining 76 under investigation.

All of Greater Sydney entered a lockdown on June 26 which will remain until at least July 30.

With the September 4 date previously scheduled just over a month away, prospective candidates throughout the Local Government Areas of Greater Sydney and NSW had begun launching campaigns to gain election or reelection to council.

Inner West Council elections are projected to be hotly contested in December, with many prospective councillors having already launched their campaign for office. Additional to the elections this year will be a poll asking residents to offer their view on de-amalgamation in the Inner West.

We can get through this together As Greater Sydney adjusts to the news of an extended lockdow to deal with a new outbreak of COVID-19 in our community, it is so important that we take collective responsibility and do what we can to limit the spread. In addition to adhering to all the advice from NSW Health, let’s all stay safe by staying home if we can, checking in regularly on our loved ones and supporting our local businesses with takeaway and delivery where possible.

As the situation evolves, it’s important to stay up to date with the latest information on restrictions.

You can always find the most up to date information at www.nsw.gov. au/covid-19/rules If you have questions about these restrictions or need support during this time, please feel free to contact us on 9517 2800 or newtown@parliament.nsw.gov.au. @jennyleong.newtown

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INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021

We know that some people will be doing it tougher than others, and our office will be advocating strongly for financial support for those who need it - particularly casual workers and those working in industries where working from home isn’t an option.

Many of the small businesses, creatives and sole traders who have been hardest hit by COVID and this current lockdown are not eligible for Government assistance and that is just not good enough!

Scan the code to sign the petition to get much needed help to those who need it now.

SCAN ME

@jennyleong

If you require specialist assistance as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may find this information helpful.

Health Advice: 1800 020 080 Health Order Info: 13 77 88

Mental Health Help: 1800 011 511

Disability Services Help: 1800 643 787

Domestic Violence Help: 1800 656 463 Homelessness Hotline: 1800 152 152 Tenants’ Advice: 1800 251 101

Remember - wear a mask, if you have symptoms get tested, and be sure to follow the NSW Health advice to keep yourself and our community safe. And if you are eligible for a vaccine, register now.

Together, we can get through this.

Jenny Leong MP Greens Member for Newtown @jennyleong.newtown

Addi Road Volunteers Awarded HOPE

NOT FEAR

I’ve been thinking how there are two sides to this pandemic. Everyone is really scared this time. I’m a bit nervous, too. This Delta strain is so contagious.

Because of what we did last year during the first wave of COVID-19—setting up our Food Relief Hub and working with so many charities and community groups—we were ready to act quickly again. But there is still a deep fatigue from fearing an unknown entity.

That’s one side of it—this anxiety and dread which has actually been there for quite a while. Many of us were already feeling things were getting worse, that we were failing our world—from the growing inequality in our society to how we are destroying the planet. The pandemic has heightened that cloud over us. It’s something that can make us feel dark and lonely.

But at the same time, our reality on the ground at Addi Road, amid all this anxiety and confusion, is one of hope. Strong hope. We feel and see a growing desire to help each other, to be together and not alone.

There is a sense of power in people coming together here. It’s visible everywhere.

The hopeful feeling has been brought out by how we’ve responded to the pandemic. We can apply it to how we have been responding to social injustice and the climate crisis, too. It involves this power of people coming together.

Just before this Sydney lockdown, people streamed in out of nowhere, offering to help. Not even a text had been sent out. It was people who had volunteered at our Food Relief Hub in the first lockdown in 2020; people who understood what we do—and they were ready.

Juliana Jamaluddin, Addi Road Board member; Olivia Wilson-Zarganis, Inner West Multicultural Network Community Project Officer; Rosanna Barbero, Addi Road CEO.

More and more people are coming here for food. All kinds of organisations are reaching out. They talk to us while they are here—about their lives, their needs and what is happening out there. They see Addi Road as a safe place, physically and spiritually. It’s really special to feel it. It’s not just about need. The international students that we helped last year have now organised themselves. They have learnt how to support one another.

Addi Road is both an organisation and a place where hope and action converge.

Our volunteers are from all walks of life: sportspeople, writers, musicians, artists, lawyers, doctors, plumbers, electricians, CEOs and unemployed people working together. We have teenagers, retired people, pilots, cleaners, refugees, international students, all asking if we need help.

Last year many of them were recipients.

People will say words like ‘empowerment’, but they don’t always understand what it means. We work very hard to offer a rights-based approach to development. We don’t just give food; we engage with people—giving support and solidarity. We are the community and we are part of the community, that’s the key. It’s people’s right to have access—not just to the resources but to the action, so they’re not just passive recipients.

We don’t just talk about COVID-19 and food when people come here. We talk about the crisis of inequality. How racism hurts our nation. Two women wearing hijabs came here the other day. They’d been spat on and were scared to go out because the racism they experienced was so strong. We really do see the best and worst.

When I do feel a heavy burden, it’s for those who are taking the bulk of the harm, the impact of the virus.

Like someone who has to clean at RPA at 4.30 every

morning: this woman came here for food. She can’t be there to make breakfast for her kids. She has barely enough money to cover her rent. The pandemic has made life even harder and more stressful.

There is very little recognition for those people out there. And the urgency of things makes it difficult.

But it also shows how we can’t wait for others to draw a map of what society might look like in the future. We have to do it ourselves.

Our kids are suffering but I think they will come out of it stronger. They will learn new ways to live and see the power of humanity at a time like this.

Even the power of the positive environmental impact, the clear skies and nature returning, healing itself.

Just knowing the world can come together and produce a vaccine in a year when it might have normally taken a decade or more.

I think people have tasted a sense of power, a right to be part of decision-making. A right to imagine the kind of society they prefer. And they know it’s going to come from our ability to organise and support one another and make collective change.

There is that sense of power in people coming together here. Another level of connectedness. A rejuvenation of people’s awareness of the importance of community and social cohesion.

There’s a word in Khmer – saw-saw-trong. It means the central pillar that holds us together. It also means a place where you gather. I’m glad Addi Road can offer that to the community.

Thank you for being part of this with us, Rosanna Barbero, CEO Addison Road Community Organisation

From the ground up

Addi Road emergency food relief

For a heritage site and organisation with a whole lot of local, community, and multicultural history beneath us, this year's NSW History Week theme is very close to our hearts. In fact, it's a theme that we proposed to the History Council, who takes suggestions from members every year!

With lockdown, we’ve seen a sharp rise in people contacting us for food relief. Whatever your financial situation, you are welcome at the Addison Road Food Pantry. No proof of income or visa status is required, and vouchers are available for those who cannot pay. We are also have emergency food hampers for people in need. Organisations or individuals can contact our office for pick-up or delivery details on 9569 7633 or info@addiroad.org.au.

Addison Road Community Organisation invites you to enjoy some of the many online events being held across the state to celebrate and promote history, on the theme of 'From the Ground Up'. For the occasion, we'll be launching two digital history projects: - 'Many Little Voices' podcast on the role of multicultural childcare in shaping strong

communities since the 1970s - An exhibition about the Sydney Vietnam Moratorium (anti-war) marches that shook the city 50 years ago (badges from the exhibition above).

You'll be able to find our productions on the NSW History Week events page, on Inner West Council's History Week events and on the Addi Road website. But you'll have to wait to 4–12 September!

www.addiroad.org.au

INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021

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IndieNEWS

Vaccinations given to Ashfield’s most vulnerable

BY KATELYN MILLIGAN 57 Pfizer vaccinations were administrated to homeless people most at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic by The Rev Bill Crews Foundation in Ashfield on the 13th of July.

One of society’s most vulnerable groups were left behind by the Federal Government’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan, with charities such as The Rev Bill Crews Foundation working hard to catch those who have slipped through the cracks.

Given Sydney’s recent COVID-19 outbreak, the city’s homeless people are extremely vulnerable to the virus, with many who attended the vaccination hub having multiple chronic illnesses.

Reverend Bill Crews has been campaigning for vaccinations for the homeless since the start of the pandemic.

“I kept saying they’re as vulnerable as old people in nursing homes, but they kept getting overlooked. It’s dangerous to leave them behind,” Rev. Crews told the Independent.

Rev. Crews says it’s in society’s best interest to vaccinate the homeless, as they pose a great risk of spreading the

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Pfizer vaccinations were administrated to homeless people by The Rev Bill Crews Foundation in Ashfield on Tuesday. Photo: The Rev. Bill Crews Foundation

virus amongst the community, often congregating together and roaming the city.

“It’s kind of a two-way thing where they’re vulnerable, and the community is vulnerable to them. So it’s really important that they get vaccinated for everybody,” Rev. Crews said.

COMMUNITY REACTION

One difficulty the Foundation faces is the COVID vaccine requires two doses to be administrated three weeks apart, making it difficult to coordinate with rough sleepers and the homeless without a fixed address.

Local resident and community service teacher Nadia Ballantine-Jones says the initiative is important in preventing vulnerable people from being left behind.

They’re as vulnerable as old people in nursing homes “There are so many marginalized and vulnerable people. The work that Reverend Bill Crews and the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre does is paramount for inclusiveness and … giving support to vulnerable people more

than ever now with COVID.” Front line workers of the Foundation and Newtown Neighbourhood Centre who work with people experiencing homelessness were among those vaccinated this month.

Newtown Neighbourhood Centre CEO Liz Yoh was one of the frontline workers who received the vaccine. Yoh says she noticed some hesitancy amongst participants due to the lack of reliable information about the vaccine available to the homeless.

“They trust the people that work there. That makes a big difference in terms of people’s willingness to come in and get vaccinated,” Yoh told the Independent.

Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne has praised the work of The Foundation.

“I congratulate and thank the Rev. Bill Crews for ensuring that the most vulnerable in our community are able to get their COVID vaccinations,” Byrne told the Independent.

The Rev Bill Crews Foundation and Newtown Neighbourhood Centre have plans to open further vaccination hubs for vulnerable individuals in overlooked Sydney areas.

TELSTRA IS PLANNING TO REMOVE A PAYPHONE PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE OPTUS AND VODAFONE MOBILE PHONE BASE STATION WITH 5G AT

It is proposed that a coin and card payphone be removed from: Outside 15 Malua Street near Gannon Avenue, Dolls Point NSW 2219 (Payphone ID: 02958311X2) The next nearest coin and card payphone is located: Outside 29 Clareville Avenue near Russell Avenue, Sandringham NSW 2219 and is approximately 630 metres away from the payphone that is proposed to be removed.

(Payphone ID: 02952906X2)

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Reference Number 45608

Telstra intends making a final decision on this proposal by: 14th September 2021 To assist us in making a final decision, we invite your comments on this proposal. Please send us your comments in writing to: Telstra Payphone Siting Manager Locked Bag 4850 Melbourne Vic 3001 or by calling us on 1800 011 433 selection Option 2 or by email to Payphones@team.telstra.com For more information on payphone services (including, any applicable payphone consultation document) see: https://www.telstra.com.au/consumer-advice/payphones 6

INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021

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Rooftop Facility, 585-595 Darling Street, Rozelle NSW 2039 Optus Vodafone Ref: S8059 / JS9998, www.rfnsa.com.au/2039006 The proposed facility consists of the addition of new 5G equipment and associated works as follows: • Installation of three (3) new 5G panel antennas (0.81m long) • Installation of three (3) new 5G panel antennas (0.75m long) • Replacement of three (3) existing 4G panel antennas (2.53m long) with three new 4G panel antennas (2.1m long) • New ancillary equipment including remote radio units, cabling and antenna mounts • Reconfiguration of existing equipment on the facility and within the equipment shelter • The antennas are at rooftop level and will be contained within a shroud. There will be a slight increase in the overall height of the shroud Optus and Vodafone regard the proposed installation as Exempt Development in accordance with State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 based on the description above Notification is being undertaken in accordance with Section 7 of Industry Code C564:2020 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment Members of the public may obtain further information on the proposed work, and we invite you to provide written comments about the proposal. Further information and/or comments should be directed to Optus’ representative c/- James McIver, Catalyst ONE Pty Ltd; phone: 02 4022 9533; email: consultation@catalystone.com.au and post: PO Box 1119, Crows Nest NSW 1585 by 13 August 2021.

Inner West Council candidates’ forum Sunday 14 November from 3pm to 5pm To celebrate the City Hub’s 26th anniversary, we will host a forum for candidates in the upcoming Inner West Council elections.

• Meet select candidates from across all four wards • Bring your questions • Participate in the democratic process

Special screening of Rats in the Ranks Sunday 14 November 5:30pm Following the candidate’s forum, we will have a special screening of Rats in the Ranks Shot and screened around the time of the City Hub’s launch in 1995, Rats in the Ranks is a classic look at local politics in the Inner West.

“An astonishing combination of suspense and humour.. Five stars” David Stratton “I agree. Five stars from me also. It is about democracy and the flaws of human beings. Love it” Margaret Pomeranz

TO REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT SCAN:

INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021

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IndieNEWS

Inner West Next for Deep Excavation bill to be about half a million dollars to repair your home, and when you find out it’s not worth it, the only option we have is to have our homes demolished.”

Calman has failed to garner any compensation from the State.

“Transport for NSW are not providing the information such as soil moisture content records, geotechnical records and draining records,” Calman said. “[They] have perfected the art of institutionalised abuse, because it’s nothing short of abuse.”

INNER WEST DISILLUSION

Deep excavation set to begin in the Inner West has alarmed residents concerned for the safety of their homes. Photo: Supplied

BY DANIEL LO SURDO eep excavation set to take place in the Inner West has raised concerns with the Rozelle community about the ramifications to their lives and properties.

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impossible, already we’ve seen ratrunning,” Hehir said.

“Excavation doesn’t just happen without person power, the contractors essentially park the local streets, so amenity is impacted in a great many ways.”

Excavation as part of the Rozelle Interchange, a three-storey spaghetti junction connecting the M4-M5 Link Tunnels and the City West Link, began in June after 60 per cent of the Interchange’s tunnelling had been completed. With the junction varying in depths of 35 and 65 metres, deep excavation will be a crucial part of the interchange’s construction, which will also provide a connection to the Western Harbour Tunnel.

A CONCERNING PRECEDENT

Rozelle Against WestConnex Convenor Peter Hehir conveyed the frustration that residents are forced to endure with construction occurring just metres below their homes.

Deep excavation techniques expected to be used in construction has alarmed Rozelle residents concerned by the effects to property evident in previous stages of WestConnex related works around the Inner West.

“It’s impossible to sleep at night with the noise of the construction that goes on,” Hehir told the Independent.

“I have to take medication to get to sleep because of the jackhammering happening directly beneath me, it’s been going on constantly since June of last year, it’s a nightmare.”

With works occurring underneath his home for over 12 months, Hehir has lived through the immediate implications of underground work in Rozelle.

“There’s vibration, noise, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, parking is almost 8

INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021

The Western Harbour Tunnel aims to create a western bypass of the CBD, whereby the 6.5 kilometre, six-lane motorway will connect commuters from the Warringah Freeway in Cammeray to the Rozelle Interchange.

The project was awarded $108 million in June’s NSW Budget and is expected to begin formal construction next year, with a completion date scheduled for April 2026.

Beverly Hills resident Kathryn Calman is one of many Sydney residents whose homes have been damaged by deep excavation. First eroded in 1999 and then again in 2014 after works to the nearby M5 Motorway, Calman has suffered through much of the State’s underground construction works.

“The project didn’t make sense, because they weren’t telling you the overall plan, they were just telling you bits and pieces,” Calman told the Independent.

“We don’t have tunnelling near us,

we have deep excavation, and they brought the deep excavation many metres down, close to 18 metres to our home.”

With Calman’s Californian Bungalow sitting on Ashfield Shale sentiment, excavation caused extreme changes in soil level moisture contract, making the soil in direct vicinity to the construction contract much faster than the earth situated below the back of her house, forging irreparable damage to her home.

It’s impossible to sleep at night with the noise of the construction that goes on “What happened was something called differential settlement – that’s when your house is tilting,” Calman said.

“One section of our house is sinking, and the other is not.

“We have, as many of the Inner West … an older home, on brick peers, not as flexible as the modern structures of houses today, so it’s not been able to cope at all with the changes in soil moisture.”

Engineering advice appraised Calman’s restoration job at $500,000 – one that would prove useless when cracks begin reappearing years later.

“In a short couple of years it’ll all be cracking anyway, probably cracking worse, so when you find your damage

With impending deep excavation procedures set to be carried out by the State contractor for the Western Harbour Tunnel, concern for similar property damage has shifted to the Inner West community.

Inner West Councillor Pauline Lockie expressed concern for residents vulnerable to the effects of the construction method.

“Based on what we’ve seen elsewhere in the Inner West with the WestConnex project, I think residents are right to be concerned about these excavation works,” Lockie told the Independent.

“When the previous stages of WestConnex were announced, the NSW Government downplayed the risk of property damage, and promised that anyone who had an issue would be compensated.”

Lockie understands that her constituents have now become disillusioned by the promises of the State.

“I’ve now lost count of the number of residents along the WestConnex route who’ve come to me with reports of serious property damage and not been paid a cent.”

Transport for NSW maintains that Inner West property owners will be safeguarded throughout the construction.

“All eligible properties will be offered a property condition report before works commence,” a Transport for NSW spokesperson told the Independent.

“An independent body will verify building condition survey reports, resolve any property damage disputes and establish ongoing settlement monitoring requirements.

“If any damage is found to be directly related to these projects, the damage will be fixed at no cost to the individual in question.”

Transport for NSW estimates Western Harbour Tunnel works to begin sometime in 2022.

IndieNEWS

Inner West to endure further pain

BY DANIEL LO SURDO he Inner West is set to undergo a colossal 12 months of construction with work on the Western Harbour Tunnel set to begin.

The Western Harbour Tunnel began excavation work in June after 60 per cent of the Rozelle Interchange’s tunnelling had been completed.

Excavation will allow the road to be connected to the tunnel, with the three-storey underground interchange connecting a spaghetti junction underneath the Inner West.

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The impacts are going to be terrible Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance understands the project and its adjoining Beaches Link motorway to be a critical piece for Sydney’s future.

“The Western Harbour Tunnel will … revolutionise transport capacity in and around our city,” Constance said.

“This city-shaping piece of infrastructure will deliver a vital boost to the NSW economy, with the tunnel and freeway upgrade … expected to support around 15,000 full-time equivalent jobs.”

Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne worries the construction will continue to disrupt the lives of his constituents.

“The impacts are going to be terrible for the construction of the Western Harbour Tunnel,” Byrne told the Independent.

“Residents have been living under extraordinary conditions for several years now in which the roadbuilders have basically taken over their neighbourhood … so to compound that by then bringing in this enormous industrial tunnelling operation just up the road will mean that the impact on their lives is painful and prolonged.”

INNER WEST DANGER

With the NSW Government’s sevenyear compulsory acquisition of the former Balmain League’s Club this year, Byrne is concerned that compounding noise and air pollution tied to the construction of the Western Harbour Tunnel may become a legitimate danger to the Inner West community.

“There [will be] a huge number of vehicles and lots of heavy vehicles that are moving in and around that precinct and that’s going to result in very poor

Construction effects for WestConnex and surrounding projects stand to be worsened for Inner West residents. Photo: Creative Commons

traffic conditions for a long time to come,” Byrne said.

“Putting a small mine in the middle of Rozelle Shopping Centre, adjacent to a primary school will … make conditions quite potentially unsafe for parents and kids who are travelling to and from school every day.”

Inner West community organisation group Leichhardt Against WestConnex (LAW) expressed their disappointment with the State’s treatment of residents in lockdown.

“The projects were approved on the basis that the impacts on residents and the environment could be appropriately managed – this occurred well before COVID,” a LAW spokesperson told the Independent.

“It is not acceptable for residents to be forced to live with impacts on the basis of such approval conditions … in circumstances where residents cannot leave their homes to escape and are forced to work at home and homeschool.”

Vape shops opened near schools operated devices that simulate tobacco smoking. The community concern comes after the Therapeutic Goods Administration announced an overhaul to NSW’s nicotine e-cigarette laws in May. It is illegal to sell e-cigarettes to a person under 18.

Magoffin said that she finds the government’s response to vaping contradictory.

Vapes are being sold as if they’re lollies. It’s appalling

Vapes are an endemic problem across high schools. Photo: Lindsay Fox

BY ELYSIA COOK. n late June, parents of students at Ashfield Boys High School (ABHS) and Ashfield Public School took to the Inner West Council Watch Facebook group to voice their concern over a pop-up vape shop located roughly 100 metres away.

Kate Magoffin has a son in Year 8 at ABHS. Magoffin has taken issue with the state government licensing the

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store at such close proximity to her son’s school.

Magoffin told the Independent that special deals were advertised in the window of the new vape shop for the week following its opening. The NSW Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2008 states that “it is illegal to display, advertise or promote e-cigarettes”.

Vapes and electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, are battery-

“I wonder that such a premises is allowed to operate so close to two schools. And how would the state government know what local people are concerned about?”

VEXED VAPOUR

St Peters resident and casual teacher Jennifer Killen said that vaping is an endemic problem across high schools and is of primary concern to both the NSW Department of Health and Education.

“Vapes are being sold as if they’re lollies. It’s appalling. Would you put a cigarette shop or an alcohol shop next to a school?”

However, a spokesperson from Legalise Vaping Australia called into question whether parents were keeping in mind that convenience stores are often located next to schools.

“A vape shop isn’t allowed to sell food or any other products that would bring in a customer not looking for a vape.

So why are parents not concerned about convenience stores that sell cigarettes?”

The spokesperson said that the current regulatory model put in place by the government has made buying and selling vapes in Australia problematic.

“People can’t go and buy them in a reputable store so what ends up happening is you get this weird grey market where kids go online and buy these products from Instagram and overseas suppliers.”

Councillor for Marrickville Ward Colin Hesse said, “ultimately the decision makers on these products are the NSW and Federal Governments.”

For Killen this is not a local or a political problem, “it’s a statewide problem, and presumably a national problem.”

“The multinationals are trying to make up for their loss in cigarette sales, and they’ve just dived on our children.”

INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021

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IndieNEWS

Marrickville Library recognised globally

BY TESSA PELLE he Inner West is celebrating Marrickville Library’s nomination for the 2021 International Public Library of the Year Award.

It is the only Australian library shortlisted after the International Federation of Library Associations narrowed the list from 32 to just 5. The finalists include competitors from Norway, Belgium, China, and Holland.

Inner West local Jenna McCallum says the library is well-deserving of international praise.

“It’s pretty amazing … you don’t often think of these things as being close to home,” she says.

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A BELOVED COMMUNITY SPACE

Jenna is a mother of two and frequents the library with her family. She says it is the perfect way to spend time with her little one.

“The staff there are so nice. We read books every night, so we probably go if not every week, every second week and probably get about 20 books each time.”

“My son goes to daycare four days a week so getting ready for school-age

Marrickville Library has been shortlisted for the 2021 International Public Library of the Year Award.

Photo: Inner West Council

and learning, but his learning and appreciation of books, reading and just literacy at this age has really motivated him to learn to read,” she says.

 You don’t ... think of these things as being close to home The library is also a beloved community space. Jenna says it is the ideal venue to meet up with people and recommends it to friends.

“I’ve certainly told a lot of people to check it out or meet there and made friends with other people we’ve met there.”

The state of the art facility inhabits the site of the heritage-listed old Marrickville Hospital, built in 1899.

Recycled materials have been used wherever possible, along with design features that reduce energy consumption.

“The space is laid out very well and

there’s all these little reading nooks,” Jenna says.

Since its grand opening in 2019, Marrickville Library has been home to 85,000 books, including the Inner West Council’s formerly archived historic art book collection. The library is located at Patyegarang Place, named after a Gadigal woman who was one of the first people to teach an Aboriginal language to a colonist.

The library has won numerous awards for national architecture, design, and heritage in Australia. Inner West Councillor Pauline Lockie is however most proud of how communityorientated Marrickville Library is.

“I was able to visit before it opened back in 2019, and you could see even then that this was going to be a really incredible space for our community. Not just from an architecture and design point of view, even though its obviously really impressive from those angles, but just the way it’s designed with people in mind.”

“In every way, the library has been designed to make it a really welcoming and inviting space for the community,” Councillor Lockie says.

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INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021

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IndieNEWS

Inner West Council dispute over mayoral misconduct

BY EVA BAXTER tumultuous Inner West Council meeting led to council acknowledging the findings by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) that Labor Mayor Darcy Byrne was guilty of misconduct.

Greens Clr Louise Steer told the Independent, “it is a big step to do a motion like that against the mayor and it would be a big step in any council.”

Greens Clr Kiat put forward the motion which passed 7 to 4 and means council notes the findings of NCAT in relation to the allegations brought against the Mayor relating to his conduct, and also notes that NCAT is still in the process of considering what penalty should apply, and that an independent conduct reviewer found Clr Byrne made a social media post in breach of code of conduct in that he made comments about another councillor which a reasonable person would consider humiliating.

The Inner West Independent has reported previously that NCAT found Mayor Byrne had acted unethically and misused his public office.

an alliance of that kind had been in operation since 2017.

Clr Steer said, “at the beginning of term, Labor did join forces with the Liberals and conservative Independent in order to control the mayoralty and the deputy mayorship and the people who have been appointed have been appointed as a result of that collaboration.”

Steer and Hesse said the alliance has been a disservice to Inner West residents who voted for equal numbers of Greens and Labor councillors, with 5 councillors each representing both parties.

“I think it’s disappointing to a lot of residents and I think it does bend council out of shape, I think it makes it a more combative place because there’s so much time spent on the politics […],” said Hesse.

“I think that is actually against what our residents want, I think people who vote for the Greens and Labor don’t have much between them […] philosophically speaking, Labor and Greens in the Inner West are not that different.”

Hesse said the alliance had worked together to deliver a tree policy which has seen a significant and serious loss of trees on private property over the last 12 months and to make sure that precinct committees that existed for 25-30 years in the former Leichhardt local government area weren’t reinstituted after the amalgamation.

Labor Clr Drury told the Independent, “the alliance is a political fiction devised by the Greens to explain their ineffectiveness. It seems to me that some Greens councillors have more in common and vote more often with Clr Julie Passas than I do.”

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This is the first time ever that a motion such as this has been done in the inner west Due to conflict of interest, Clr Byrne exited the meeting and Labor councillors Mckenna and Drury attempted to fight the motion by debating whether it was procedurally valid.

“I think Labor was afraid that everybody would end up voting for that motion, as in fact that is what happened, and they didn’t want to put on record the facts about the mayor’s situation,” said Steer.

Labor Clr Drury said in the meeting the motion was meaningless and would be voted along party lines.

Independent Clr Stamolis told the Independent this is the first time ever that a motion such as this has been done in the Inner West, “it was a signal that there was alarm amongst councillors.”

“It was a long protracted ninety-minute

NCAT is considering which penalty should apply following the mayor being found guilty of misconduct.

Photo: flickr

debate where we were expressing concerns with the leadership of our council.”

Clr Stamolis said the motion was a culmination of various things over a long time, from general managers leaving, to Facebook wars, to some of the terminology that the mayor uses about councillors, “all of this is showing something is going wrong with the leadership and with the focus

and the culture of our council, and generally that comes from the top.”

PARTY PARTNERSHIP Greens councillors suggested the “thwart” term of council was due to an alliance between Labor, Liberal and the conservative Independent.

Clr Colin Hesse told the Independent that the alliance has fallen apart, but

FUTURE FOCUS The upcoming election is set to change the power dynamics with at least 7 new councillors out of 15.

Greens councillors Steer, Hesse, Kiat and Porteous are not running for reelection.

Clr Kiat said in the meeting the relationship between Liberal Clr Passas and Clr Byrne had broken down and the mayor no longer has majority support.

City Hub is hosting a forum for candidates in the upcoming Inner West Council elections. Meet candidates.

Bring questions. Participate in the democratic process.

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INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021

THE MAYOR UNMASKED Darcy Byrne discusses his re-election bid after a tumultuous first mayoral term

BY EVA BAXTER arcy Byrne is the inaugural mayor of Inner West Council and was the last mayor of Leichhardt Council.

Leichhardt Council ceased to exist when it was amalgamated with Ashfield and Marrickville Councils in 2016 to form the Inner West Council.

2021 will mark the end of the councils first term, and over five years the bruises left by amalgamation seem yet to heal.

As mayor of Leichhardt, Byrne opposed the amalgamation.

“I didn’t believe the government’s arguments at the time, they didn’t make the case for why an amalgamation would be an improvement, it was purely ideological and that’s why I opposed it then,” he told the Inner West Independent.

On May 24 this year, Council voted in the majority for residents to be polled on the day of elections on whether the inner west local government area should be de-amalgamated to restore the three former councils.

The mayor voted against the poll.

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“Having been through the process and seen how disruptive it was and also how much the government was able to get away with while there was no elected council in place, I’m just really fearful about what the consequences could be.”

Byrne said for 18 months Council was run by an administrator until representatives were elected in September 2017.

“In that time, there’d been cutbacks to services, a lack of responsiveness from the council and big state government projects like WestConnex had been smashed through without any organised Council opposition,” he said.

One of the arguments from those who want to de-amalgamate is the long council meetings which often prove cantankerous.

Byrne said most of the community don’t watch council meetings and don’t care about politicians squabbling with each other.

“I agree that the meetings can be challenging and messy, that’s not what matters, it would be good if that improved, what really matters is the quality of the services that’s being provided to residents and how effective the council is in supporting the community,” he said.

The costs of de-amalgamation are something the community would pay attention to.

A cost/benefit analysis moved by Labor will be returned to Council on August 3rd.

Mayor Darcy Byrne. Photo: Mark Dixon.

Byrne fears a shortage of funding may derail a successful de-amalgamation.

“There will be costs in the tens of millions of dollars … I don’t trust the government to fund that, they didn’t fund the amalgamation properly, why would they fund the de-amalgamation properly?”

The Independent asked whether he will honour the decision of the community if the poll reveals the community is in majority support of de-amalgamation.

 People move to the inner west because they want community “The truth is the local government minister is the only person who has the power to undertake a de-amalgamation.

“Given the big risks, and the fact that it’s completely out of Council’s control, the survey is not my priority, I want to make the council work for local residents, and so that’s what I’m trying to stay focused on, especially now during the pandemic.”

BALMAIN BOY

Byrne spent his boyhood in Balmain.

“It was famous at the time for having brickies and barristers drinking together in the front bar of the pubs.”

Byrne’s parents were both schoolteachers who had been members of the Labor party at different times.

“I always grew up with politics,” he said.

His main motivation to follow a political career was the decade he spent managing services for disadvantaged young people in public housing estates around the inner city as a caseworker and a program manager.

Byrne contends the sense of community in Balmain and the inner west is still the same as when he was a kid.

“I think people move to the inner west because they want to have that sense of community, and that’s what I like about the place.”

INTERNAL POLITICS

The Independent asked Byrne about the accusations from the Greens that Labor refuses to work with them.

“It’s true that I haven’t been able to work closely with the Greens on this term of council, but that’s because we have different goals, they want to destroy the council, and I want to make it work for local people, and they’re very diametrically opposed.

“A cynic would say that’s the reason for running on a de-amalgamation agenda because you can avoid the responsibility of actually having to say how you would improve things,” Byrne said.

The Greens have said that Labor struck up an alliance with the Liberal candidates, particularly Julie Passas for most of this council’s term and that this alliance was used to get Byrne his position as mayor.

Byrne said he was aware Councillor Passas had a record of being argumentative on Ashfield Council but claimed that he didn’t really know her.

“I thought it was important after the last election to make sure that the progressive policy agenda could be implemented and that we needed to win the mayoralty in order to do that.

“The fact is that the Liberal councillors said before the election that they would not support the Greens, so it was no

surprise that the Liberals supported us.”

Julie Passas was found guilty by a tribunal of having committed homosexual vilification and found by the Supreme Court to be guilty of defamation in July last year. Byrne said he has publicly advocated for the Liberal party to withdraw support for her.

The mayor is under scrutiny by a tribunal that found him guilty of misconduct. The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal will decide his penalty, which could be suspension from office. He declined to answer questions about the case due to sub judice.

The Independent reported previously that the Facebook posts which a conduct reviewer found breached the Council’s social media policy were still up at the beginning of July. As of July 23, they had been removed.

Members of Facebook group Inner West Council Watch have said the mayor has blocked them despite not being abusive or offensive towards him. Byrne kept distant when asked about the happenings of the group.

“I’m not able to comment on what’s said in the Inner West Council Watch Group as I have been blocked. I’m not sure why that’s happened, you’d have to ask the moderators of the group.”

Marghanita da Cruz is the only incumbent Green running for re-election. da Cruz is a moderator of the Inner West Council Watch group and denied blocking the mayor from the page. She said the Greens were waiting until they know which of them are elected before they put forward a mayoral candidate.

Byrne said the three former councils were not able to achieve projects the amalgamated council has completed.

These are the Marrickville Library, the new Ashfield Aquatic Centre, and the heritage restoration of the Dawn Fraser Baths, the Balmain pool Byrne learnt how to swim in.

Register online for November 14 at eventbrite for City Hub’s Inner West Council Candidates’ Forum.

INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021

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IndieNEWS

Local suffers when party politics thrive

BY EVA BAXTER nner West Council is infamous for its infighting. Independent councillor John Stamolis said that’s what happens when big party politics interferes at the local level.

Stamolis has served his community for 24 years but will be fighting desperately to win an election against rookies backed by political parties which dominate the Inner West Council.

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Political party platforms are rarely set at local level “Let’s say we’re running a 100-metre race, well they’ve already given the political parties a 50m head start,” said Stamolis. “Their political tag gives them that, you remove the tag, the head starts gone. People then have to vote for good citizens in their community.”

“90% of councils in Australia are able to function very well without any control or interference from the two big political parties, they do not exist in 90% of councils, so why do they need to be in the Inner West?” he said.

Independent councillor Pauline Lockie said people vote for names they don’t recognise because of familiarities with the party behind them.

“You have to do the work as an independent to reach out to your community, to communicate with your constituents, to make it really clear what you stand for,” she said.

For Lockie, running for council in 2017 and again this year is an opportunity to push for her interests but also to make sure there are people on council who aren’t tied to political parties.

“Political party platforms are rarely set at local level, they tend to be set at state if not national level, and those kinds of policy objectives, agreements, ambitions, don’t necessarily serve local communities all that well,” she said.

BIG PARTIES, LITTLE GAMES Jack Robertson is running as an Independent for Balmain for the first time. He’s a local musician who’s been playing in Balmain pubs for 20 years.

“A big part of my specific impetus came from a debate that happened online

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INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021

Independent John Stamolis and Independent Pauline Lockie are both running for re-election.

Photo: various

about the William Wallace hotel, which is currently ongoing reservations,” he said.

“It was a classic case of politicians wading in, trying to use the local issue which was a practical issue, for point scoring, and it crystallized the feelings I’ve had about […] a lot of issues where it just needs three councillors to get together and come up with the best solution and not play politics with it.”

“The worst thing for us is that there are so many exciting things going on but also things that could really be taken out of our control,” he said. He listed Tigers footy club, Bays precinct, WestConnex, Callan Park.

“We need to start talking clearly and bluntly about practical ways forward, otherwise we’re gonna lose control over them completely,” he said.

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IndieNEWS

Opinion

De-amalgamation: distracting a better Inner West Photo: Unsplash/Photoholgic

BY OSMOND CHIU ocal councils get a bad rap, but what they do matters. More than just roads, rates and rubbish, they shape our community’s look and feel, from our common and green spaces to what is encouraged whether it be music precincts or revitalized high streets. They take leading roles in fighting racism and action on climate change and crucially provide essential services like early childhood education, swimming pools and libraries. What they do matters because it shapes our everyday quality of life. COVID-19 has only reinforced its importance.

I care about what our Council does because I have a strong attachment to where I live and want it to thrive. I do not, however, have an attachment to arbitrary local government boundaries.

I suspect many others share my view as one thing I have never heard anyone mention when they talk about our community is splitting up the Inner West Council. Despite this, de-amalgamation is being pushed by some as the defining issue of December’s local government election.

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SYMBOLISM OF DE-AMALGAMATION

Rather than simply and clearly explaining how Inner West residents will be better off, the non-binding de-amalgamation poll has become a confusing and abstract debate about a process, supported by a strange alliance of disparate and ideologically contradictory groups.

Advocates have tapped into anger about rate rises in the old Marrickville Council

due to harmonisation, frustrations about services, a reactionary concern about public debt and deficits, a desire for more councillors, a dislike of party politics and resentment over forced mergers. Anger has been combined with claims the State Government will cover all costs associated with deamalgamation and implied rate rises may be reversed.

I do not ... have an attachment to arbitrary local government boundaries When it comes to de-amalgamation, the adage that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is, seems to apply.

Firstly, it must be made clear the deamalgamation poll is purely symbolic. The Local Government Act clearly indicates any de-amalgamation decision will ultimately be determined by the Local Government Minister, not by the poll.

Secondly, the actual costs and possible impacts of de-amalgamation need to be explained. Instead, de-amalgamation is being painted as having no costs and only benefits, a free lunch someone else will pay for. It insults the intelligence of residents of the Inner West to make this claim.

De-amalgamation is not a cost-free exercise. Undoing contracts, separating ICT systems, and restructuring the workforce has a cost and impact on services. An independent cost-benefit will be released in August but initial estimates from Council staff have costed it at between $20m and $34m in the

first year with ongoing costs of between $11m and $15m per annum. That’s an extra $429 for every ratepayer in the first year, on top of existing rates, and an extra $189 per year thereafter.

The most optimistic assessment would be a one-off grant from the NSW Government to cover costs rather than ongoing support for long-term costs of demerging that will probably exceed estimates. Given Inner West Council was already shortchanged $24 million during the amalgamation process, it seems all but certain residents would foot much of the bill.

UNDERSTANDING A REVERSION What should guide our decisions are whether we will be better off as a community. Frustrations about services are understandable but it is unclear how de-amalgamation would make things better. There is no doubt cost-shifting to councils by the State Government, rate capping and a growing population have increased pressures and affected services. It also makes it implausible that de-amalgamating would result in rate decreases and better services.

An independent report commissioned

by Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council, who are pushing for a demerger, indicates increases to rates would still be likely as well as “strict cost control” even after de-amalgamation.

As someone who lived in the Inner West before and after the merger, I would frankly struggle to explain how a reversion would make our everyday lives better. The attempt to paint a picture of an idealised past for these

former councils reminds me of diaspora communities romanticising longdeparted homelands. Claims about the state of political divisions and party politics on Inner West Council seem absurd given the former Marrickville and Leichhardt Councils were both notorious for politicking, with books written and documentaries made about it. The fact a satirical Balmain Secessionist Movement ticket got elected to Leichhardt Council in living memory indicates many residents were far from satisfied.

This is not to say our local democracy is perfect. More can be done to improve it. While the number of councillors is capped at fifteen, we should consider other ideas like community boards and trialling citizens’ juries. We need to, however, ensure underrepresented groups that often are not heard like young people, those from culturally diverse backgrounds and renters get a much larger say rather than simply providing another megaphone to those with existing platforms.

Ultimately, this comes down to our priorities and whether we want to look to the future or the past. There is nothing wrong with advocating for deamalgamation and wanting a vote as a symbolic protest, I get the appeal, but for me, and I suspect many others, it is a distraction from a vision and a plan for a better, fairer, and more vibrant future for the Inner West.

Osmond Chiu is a Research Fellow at the Per Capita think tank. He is also a member of the Inner West Council’s Multicultural Advisory Committee.

INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021

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IndieNEWS

Opinion

De-amalgamation. Why the scare tactics?

BY PIP HINMAN he political forces that were against even asking the Inner West Council to request the NSW Electoral Commission for a poll on de-amalgamation – giving residents their first democratic say on the matter – were defeated by a majority of councillors agreeing.

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Their efforts are now going into furious postings on social media aimed at frightening people from even engaging in a discussion about the benefits of deamalgamation.

The purpose of the poll is to gauge community views on the forced amalgamation of Marrickville, Leichhardt and Ashfield Councils by the NSW Liberal-National government in 2016.

If a majority of residents vote to deamalgamate, it will then be incumbent on the incoming council to prepare a business case to put to the NSW government.

Those supporting de-amalgamation should vote “Yes” in big numbers and vote for people who will campaign for it on council. This will put sustained pressure on the NSW government to pay for the de-amalgamation.

Below are some of the arguments being put forward by opponents of deamalgamation and my responses.

‘THE NSW GOVERNMENT WILL NEVER AGREE TO DE-AMALGAMATE.’

The amended Local Government Act sets out a process for a demerger within 10 years of the forced amalgamations. A provision allows for the state government to pay the costs. However, although the NSW government has quietly dropped its laws on the forced mergers and NSW Nationals leader John Barilaro has made his opposition to amalgamations public, this will not happen without a community campaign.

There is a growing movement to reverse the forced amalgamations across NSW. Gundagai and Tumbarumba have applied to the NSW Boundaries Commission to demerge and have had their cases heard.

Residents of five other councils — Bombala, Guyra, Pittwater, Inner West and Canterbury-Bankstown — are waiting to do so.

A strong vote for de-amalgamation in the September 4 poll would strengthen the community campaign to force the NSW government to reverse the forced amalgamation and pay all the costs of de-amalgamation.

‘The cost of amalgamating the three councils was enormous and the cost to de-amalgamate would be the same or more.’

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INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021

Photo: Supplied

The cost of merging the three councils has been estimated at roughly $30 million and only $10 million of this has been covered by the NSW government.

Arguably de-merging may cost the same.

But the NSW government made this mess, and it should pay to fix it.

The ongoing cost to the community of remaining in a mega council is far bigger.

Those supporting deamalgamation should vote YES in big numbers The NSW government asserted in 2016 the forced mergers would save $2 billion over 20 years. But six years after the forced amalgamation, the promised savings have failed to materialise.

The 2020-21 Inner West Council (IWC) budget is forecasting losses topping $40 million (excluding capital grants and contributions), compared to $18 million deficit the previous financial year and $3 million the financial year before that.

Local representation has been reduced from 36 councillors across Ashfield, Marrickville and Leichhardt to only 15 in the Inner West Council.

Services have been cut; our rates are going up; and council agendas are overloaded. The cost of forced amalgamation is the endless milking of

residents for poorer services and less representation.

‘I’m yet to see any real evidence of ‘dysfunction’ in the current council.’

Anyone who has witnessed council meetings has seen the impossible agendas, bullying and personal attacks on others. In other public services, this behaviour would not be tolerated.

Councillors don’t have to agree with each other, but they should be working for the public good – aiming to really represent residents. That means working with and encouraging resident’s groups to campaign for what they want.

‘If people want de-amalgamation to go ahead, they have to present a business case.’

No, that will be up to the incoming council to prepare if the poll reveals that residents want the Inner West Council to de-amalgamate. Business cases are not neutral.

‘The only way to win this fight with the NSW government is by following their rules.’

No major reform has ever been won with this conservative mindset: for example, same-sex marriage rights, the right to die with dignity and the right to safe abortion.

‘The push for a poll on deamalgamation is just about creating more councillor positions to lower quota, which is to the advantage of unrepresentative council candidates.’

Making council local again and returning the level of representation our communities previously had will make council more representative.

A more diverse council would more accurately reflect communities in the inner west.

‘Better to focus on making council work better for us in its current amalgamated state.’

We have tried that approach for five years. It has not worked.

‘Have other councils deamalgamated?’

In Queensland, several amalgamations were reversed, most notably Noosa, which split from Sunshine Coast Regional and Port Douglas from Cairns Regional. It can be done.

‘De-amalgamation will not give us a positive result any time soon.’

Community pressure and councillors committed to working with residents can make local councils more representative and transparent.

Check out how Issy Wyner and Nick Origlass pioneered “open council” in Leichhardt Council in the 1970s. It was a new form of community governance on council, where councillors were forced to hear resident’s concerns.

Wyner and Origlass won more open space and public housing on the former industrial sites and rallied community support to block overdevelopment.

IndieNEWS

Byrne tells NCAT he did not understand conflict of interest rules

BY WENDY BACON ith local government elections postponed until December 2021, Inner West Council Mayor Darcy Byrne faces a possible suspension that could prevent him standing to continue leading the Council until the postponed election.

That could prevent him from continuing to lead the Council until the postponed election.

Inner West Councillors vote for the Mayor, unlike in the nearby City of Sydney which has a popular election.

The current term expires in September.

In May this year, Byrne was found guilty by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) of breaching conflict of interest provisions and improperly using his power as a Councillor to get two fellow Councillors Col Hesse and Pauline Lockie to apologise after he had threatened them with defamation proceedings. The Tribunal has said Bryne acted unethically and misused his public office.

A range of penalties are available to NCAT including counselling, a reprimand or suspension. Working in Byrne’s favour is that he has now told the Tribunal he regrets the breaches which are his first offences. He also posted on Facebook a character reference from retired High Court judge Mary Gaudron.

He may well avoid suspension. But on the less favourable side is Byrne’s own earlier attitude to the findings against him. Even after the NCAT judgement against him, Byrne told a Council meeting that the charges were “trumped up”. He explained to NCAT that he regretted making this serious allegation but did so because he was “discombobulated” by a move against him in Council.

This accusation that there was a conspiracy against him was not one made in the spur of the moment. He made it last year in an appearance at a Parliamentary Inquiry into NSW government rorts. The Office of Local Government later offered detailed evidence showing that its investigation began well before the hearing was scheduled. Byrne continued to point to a political conspiracy in answers to this reporter’s questions after the NCAT judgement was published. But Bryne told the Tribunal hearing on penalty that after reading the judgement, he realised he was wrong.

NCAT principal member Linda Pearson has reserved her judgement.

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Photo: Facebook

The most surprising aspect of Byrne’s argument in favour of leniency is that he admits he has not previously clearly understood ‘conflict of interest’ provisions. The notion of pecuniary and non-pecuniary conflict of interest is key to accountable public administration. It prevents corruption by making private interests transparent. For these reasons, it is one of the most important principles in which all Councillors receive training to make sure they comply with Code of Conduct provisions. The Office of Local Government advises that if Councillors are in any doubt they should seek advice and err on the side of caution.

Byrne told the Tribunal that he had an “incorrect impression” of what was meant by a significant, nonpecuniary conflict of interest when the breaches occurred and conceded he “didn’t have the understanding that I should have” Byrne told the Tribunal that he had an “incorrect impression” of what was meant by a significant, non-pecuniary conflict of interest when the breaches occurred and conceded he “didn’t have the understanding that I should have”.

Asked for his response to this admission, Councillor Colin Hesse who served as an Acting Mayor on Marrickville Council as well as the Inner West Council said, “I am simply stunned that a three term Councillor, and a person who’s been Mayor for six years claims not to understand the conflict of interest provisions. Clr Byrne should acknowledge his responsibility and resign from the Mayoralty.”

Byrne’s admission that he has not previously understood the conflict of interest provisions raises questions about whether he may have failed to declare a pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest in the thousands of votes he has participated in since he was first elected as a Leichhardt Council in 2008.

Earlier in July, Council passed a motion that noted both the NCAT findings against Byrne. It also noted separate findings by an independent conduct review that Byrne also breached the code of conduct when he posted social media posts about a Councillor [ Lockie] that a ‘reasonable person’ would consider humiliating.

Bryne continued to publish the ‘humiliating’ posts long after the Council review. This reporter last observed them on July 7 this year. Finally, Byrne has removed them. The Inner West Independent contacted Lockie who confirmed that Byrne has still not apologised to her.

These matters raise questions about Bryne’s political judgement and his capacity to separate his own personal interests from the public interest.

This is further illustrated by the fact that Byrne was present when three other Councillors declared a conflict of interest on the same occasion on which he mistakenly failed to do so.

Hesse, Lockie and Greens Councillor Lou Steer left the Council chamber because they understood that they had an interest in the Mayor’s threat to take defamation proceedings which was part of the substance of the motion. How could Byrne have failed to turn his mind to the issue? Did he take the risk of staying in the room so his motion could pass?

The Council is finely balanced with Labor and the Greens each having five Councillors. Byrne narrowly won the Mayoralty in 2018 with a combination of five Labor votes, two Liberals and one independent Victor Macri defeating five Greens and two Independents Lockie and John Stamolis. As part of this arrangement, Labor Councillors voted as a bloc to deliver the Deputy Mayor position to Liberal Julie Passas who has described Byrne as begging for her vote in 2017 and 2019.

At the time, Labor’s support for Passas came as a shock. This alliance, which locked both the Greens and the two more progressive independents out of any power sharing arrangement, has mired the Inner West Council in conflict in its first term.

Byrne has told Inner West Independent that “he was aware councillor Passas has a record of being argumentative on Ashfield council, but he didn’t really know her” but this too is surprising. It is hard to believe that Byrne did not see Daily Telegraph reports that in 2015, Ashfield Council censured and ordered Passas to make a public apology and acknowledge her behaviour towards a council staff member constituted “intimidation, harassment and verbal abuse”. In 2016, the Inner West Courier reported that NCAT had found Passas engaged in seven grounds of misconduct and that even after warning from then Ashfield Mayor Lucille McKenna, she refused to leave the Council chamber. Even if Byrne hadn’t seen these reports, you would expect that ex-Ashfield Councillors Lucille McKenna and Mark Drury would have drawn it to his attention during discussions on the Mayoral vote.

Continued on page 18 INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021

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Byrne tells NCAT he did not understand conflict of interest rules (Continued from page 17) In August 2019, NCAT ruled that a complaint of “unlawful homosexual vilification” by then Deputy Mayor Passas’s neighbour Danile Comesoli had been substantiated. She was ordered to pay $2,500 in compensation and apologise.

Passas has now fallen out with Byrne who urged the Liberal Party to disendorse her. Assuming he is not suspended, he can no longer rely on her vote in the coming Mayoral election in September.

Even before the fresh election, Darcy Byrne is campaigning to be Mayor. As ebullient as ever, this week he posted up a large poster on his Facebook page supporting ‘Mayor Darcy Byrne’ with the words ‘CHAMP’, #Champion and #Legend scrawled over it. Both of Labor’s female Councillors Lucille McKenna and Anna York are retiring with only Bryne and Mark Drury to face the election again. After loyally sticking with Byrne up until now, it is unlikely that the Labor Councillors would not support Byrne continuing as Mayor despite the findings against him.

So who will stand against him? It is possible that one of two Independents Victor Macri or Lockie will put themselves

forward as Mayor or Deputy Mayor.

The Greens had not planned to select a Mayoral candidate until after the election. First term Councillor Marghanita De Cruz is the only Greens Councillor seeking reelection. One possibility for an interim Mayoral candidate would be Rochelle Porteous in recognition of her 12 years of experience as a Greens Councillor and three terms as Mayor of Leichhardt Council.

REAL POLICY DIFFERENCES

In all of the political maneuvering, we should not forget that underlying the conflict that led to Byrne’s defamation threat lie real policy differences and attitudes towards property development and housing in the Inner West.

The controversial vote that led to Byrne’s threats occurred in August 2018 when Bryne and Passas successfully moved in favour of proceeding with the exhibition of a controversial plan to develop Marrickville’s Victoria Road precinct by knocking down old industrial buildings to make way for high rise apartment blocks. This development is now called Wicks Place. Council staff had

recommended delaying the exhibition.

The developer was represented by two consultants with close ties to the NSW Labor Party.

The Greens, Lockie and Independent Council John Stamolis voted against the motion. After the meeting, Lockie posted on Facebook: “I’m appalled that other councillors ignored strong legal and planning advice from our own staff in favour of developers – and that the mayor was the one pushing this.”

Hesse posted a comment on the post, following a post by Cr Byrne of a link to a council media release, stating “Here’s a promotion from the developers”.

Other people also posted comments.

Those pushing approval for the residential development argued at the time that if the vote did not go through, the Rich Street Creative precinct on the opposite block owned by the same developers might not go ahead. It was predicted by Byrne and others that this Rich Street Precinct would provide 460 creative jobs.

Three years later, little has happened.

However, just before the current lockdown, the Wicks Place developers managed to demolish most of the old industrial block, evicting several

viable innovative and creative small businesses. The Rich Street Creative Precinct was supposed to begin before the apartments and be finished by now.Instead, it has not even begun and faces a very uncertain future.

One thing that has happened is that Rich St. has changed its name to Timberlands which its developers are promoting as “a campus working environment” with “the community at its heart”. A place where “creative minds are nurtured and inspired.”

Wicks Place begins the The Victoria Road development that was strongly opposed by many in the Marrickville community and Council staff for many years. So far, it has led to a net loss of creative and arts jobs, rather than the hundreds of jobs promised by Byrne nearly three years ago.

With the elections postponed, this might be a good time to have a critical reassessment of what we mean when we talk about “creative and entertainment precincts” and what impact they will have on housing; and whether the prospects of younger people, including artists, living and working in Sydney’s Inner West is fast becoming an impossible dream.

COFFIN ED’S NAKED CITY

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CALL THE POSSUM MAN!

s the play on words cleverly states “one man’s fish is another man’s poisson.”

Perhaps we could add to that “one man’s pest is another man’s possum.” That’s certainly the case with our beloved brushtail marsupial which is regarded as New Zealand’s worst ever feral invader. European settlers brought possums there in the 1850s where they soon found a ready made habitat, their numbers swelling to over 50 million a hundred years later. These days their spread is partially controlled through trapping and poisoning and for many Kiwis they have the social status of rats.

Here in Australia possums are protected wildlife but, as with many of our marsupials, it wasn’t always that way. We don’t have to go back too far in history when it was virtually open season in some States on the culling and trapping of a wide variety of Australian fauna. Koalas and possums were particularly prized for their fur. In Queensland for example, Government sanctioned koala and possum harvests took place right up until the 1930s. At one stage the killing of possums ranged from about 400,000 to three million per annum and koalas from about 450,000 to nearly one million – figures that are hard to comprehend today. God knows how many koala fur coats and other items of apparel have survived and are now hidden away, somewhat shamefully on top of old wardrobes or in outback country sheds.

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generally good. However the law says that any possums captured must be released at dusk within 150 metres of where they were living, given that they are very territorial and may not survive if they are introduced to a new area. Whether this ruling is universally observed is open to scrutiny and in less regulated times, possums may well have finished up at a greyhound training track or dumped in the bush.

These days, as so many native Australian animals are threatened with extinction, there are strict laws applying to their protection. Every now and then there are violations such as the 2016 live baiting scandal which saw the shutdown of the NSW greyhound industry and horrified many people. There are also individual incidents such as the head of science at St Augustine’s College in Brookvale, who in 2017 was convicted of animal cruelty for bashing a possum to death because it was eating the plants in his garden. The crime became even more emotive when it was revealed the female victim was carrying two joeys at the time.

Clearly he should have called for a licensed ‘possum man’, one of many throughout NSW who for around $200 a visit will come to your home and remove those noisy and at times destructive critters from your roof area. Whether it’s trapping or simply blocking the entry ports where the possums sneak in, their success rate is

A story which has always fascinated me is that of the legendary Blue Mountains possum man, who after 30 years of capturing and releasing possums, began to morph into a possum himself. It’s almost entirely mythological but the story goes that after such a long affinity with these nocturnal raiders, possum man began to think, act and even look like one of his furry friends.

Eventually he found himself sleeping all day, emerging at dusk to join a family of local possums in their foraging for food scraps, garden vegetables and other assorted items on the omnivorous menu. With a long grey beard and a huge shaggy mop of hair, he adopted the same stealthy movements of his marsupial mates, crouching low on hands and knees, and seldom spotted by curious neighbours or late night workers.

Australians have always loved characters such as Blinky Bill and Kanga the Roo, and perhaps it’s time to enshrine possum man in a kind of reverse anthropomorphisation. Next time you see a bunch of possums at midnight, tearing up your vegetable garden, remember they could be human as well!

IndieNEWS

Opinion

The Party Plot

BY PETER HEHIR “Who would vote for a Party Plot that would milk a hardy land?

Rather a call for the working man in a voice he’ll understand As he picks his pitiful pittance up, the fruit of a weary toil,” These are the opening lines of a poem that could have been penned yesterday.

Actually, they were written at RAAF Base Wagga Wagga in 1969 by an old mate of mine, David Lewis Paget, in a volume later published as “G. Ron. Nemo’s Intergalactic Cure All”, when we were both “baggy arses” and just out of our teens. Dave and I were in the same RAAF Instrument Fitters course – 49 Instruments.

Don’t bother trying to locate the volume.

I’ve tried and couldn’t find it anywhere on the net, but I do have one of the very, very few copies that I suspect may still be in existence. And it’s signed; “… to that little coterie of unlimited talent at 30 The Terrace and the memories you bequeathed to me …”

Needless to say, it’s a treasured possession.

The poem is one of a number of his very earliest works. It’s in a battered, 50 year old, well-thumbed, hand-printed, A4 stapled volume of 22 poems, published in an extremely limited edition in 1972, and written when we were both very square pegs in exceedingly round holes; railing against authority and bucking a system that every member of the service delighted in telling us just couldn’t be done.

“You can’t buck the system”, I’d hear whenever I was being charged for some ridiculous, petty infringement. I didn’t believe it then and I don’t believe it now.

Twenty-two charges. (“Never for the same thing twice sir,” as I once responded with my tongue planted firmly in my cheek when asked what did I have to say for myself, “So I figure I must be improving”).

And after six years I was on my way out of the RAAF and into NIDA. Not only can you buck the system, but I’m also absolutely convinced it’s your democratic duty to do precisely that!

LOOKING TO THE INNER WEST

“The Party Plot” is one of my favourite poems. The title says it all. It’s not in any way intellectual, which, apart from the theme, is for me a major part of its attraction.

It’s easily accessible to the common man – I hasten to add this poem was written long before political correctness became the buzzword; so the word

G. Ron. Nemo’s Intergalactic Cure All. Photo: Peter Hehir

“man” does include women and children. Just as humanity and mankind are gender-inclusive; and were never intended to be otherwise…

We all know that the system of local government in the Inner West has been hijacked by a Party Plot.

When solid independents do stand up ... they barely get elected And it’s our right; nay, our responsibility, to collectively take it back. It was stolen from us by the top end of town in order to distance us from the decision making process.

We won’t sell our suburbs and our amenity for the developer’s buck. But what we can do is exercise our democratic right to say enough is enough!

Independent Inner West Councillor John Stamolis states: “When solid independents DO stand up against the two major parties, they barely get elected.

“If you rank all 15 IWC Councillors by vote, the three independents come in at

13th, 14th and 15th. Only a few hundred votes and we all could go in [December]!

“I can’t get a quota (25%) after 24 years of service to my community, nor can any independent! Our elections are not local, they are highly political.”

So how about we do what the rest of the country does and keep both of the major parties out of local government?

We have our opportunity on December 4th, when, after 5 previously unsuccessful attempts to allow residents a say on the amalgamation of the three Councils, the “Laboral Coalition” were finally defeated and democracy actually had a win!

We do get to vote and I say don’t listen to the scare tactics! The cost will be borne by the State Government as there is a provision for this in the Act. The Berejiklian Government created the mess, (against the very best independent advice), so they can clean it up.

VOTE YES TO DE-AMALGAMATION!

Seeing the Libs in bed with the ALP – this “Laboral Coalition” – in order to keep those among us who actually live

in the area muted; and so effectively disenfranchised, really makes my blood boil! This unholy alliance is the cadre that currently rules the recently (2016) amalgamated Inner West Council.

As a past Secretary and President of the Rozelle Branch of the ALP, I find this totally inconceivable. Something that I never, ever, thought could possibly happen. Not in my lifetime. It simply is beyond comprehension!

The final two lines of David’s poem read; “For it’s not to keep their pockets lined that we want the members there, But to raise the poor from the daily grind of a blank and dark despair”.

How does raising the rates in Marrickville and Leichhardt or plunging us into a $6,000,000 debt achieve that? Or providing the mayor with 5 spin doctors costing $2,100,000 over the 4-year term?

We can’t, and won’t stuff the politician’s pockets as the high-priced lobbyists do.

We now have a real chance to take back our stolen Councils on December 4th.

So… Are you with me?

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IndieARTS GLEBE COMEDIANS PREMIERE ON SBS ON DEMAND

COVID-19 EXPOSURES ARE CHANGING OUR ARTS COMMUNITY

BY LUCINDA GARBUTT-YOUNG lose contacts are in isolation after a COVID-19 case at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital vaccination centre on July 6. Among them is Word Travels Creative Director, Miles Merrill.

Merrill, who is at home with his whole family, gave insight into creative practice of his literary arts organisation during this time.

“I think the challenge... is that I’m trying to manage five other staff members while trying to manage two children and my partner is working full-time [at home],” Merrill said.

“For the organisation, last year when COVID hit we had about $30,000 worth of gigs just wiped off the calendar within a week. This year, we’re emailing

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BY TESSA PELLE BS On Demand recently premiered an exclusive comedy sketch series, Cancelled!, by two Glebe locals.

The series looks at the “scandals that rocked Australia”. From a controversial novel banned in Australia to a pop duo too racy for radio. Every public outrage that never happened is explored in Cancelled! The show features entirely fabricated scandals and the public reactions that follow.

Glebe based comedians, Victoria Zerbst and Jenna Owen write and star in the series alongside SBS’ The Feed comedy team. They say the comedy sketches are a deep dive into cancel culture and media perception.

“Everyone is the author of their own content in a way, we live in a very public centric life…it’s very interesting to see the hilarious ways people can make missteps whether it’s by accident or not,” Zerbst says.

“I think in our series we kind of look at the people behind those decisions. The whole point of it is to unpack the nuance of this issue in this way that’s funny,” Owen says.

Zerbst and Owens derive their inspiration from how scandals are handled by the public.

“We got interested in this whole idea of cancel culture, but also I think more specifically about things being pulled before they get to see the light of day due to some form of public outcry and did quite a bit of research into that,” Owen says.

The “20-1” style countdown show explores the decision-making process behind scandalous pop culture events

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every stakeholder to say.. ‘What a great opportunity to innovate, it’s all happening on digital.’”

Though Merrill has been able to offer online workshops during isolation, he is concerned about creative performances in the future. Cancellations and constant digitisation are changing the arts.

“We’re losing something, I think we took for granted how vital it is to have direct human-to-human communication on a deeper level than just conversation.

That communication is the arts.

“We’re not actually replacing what we are missing. We’re coming up with simulations of the same experience and it’s just not the same… It’s not as good,’ Merrill said.

However, Merrill and his team join with hundreds of Sydney creatives to continue producing arts amidst physical isolation.

“This morning I did [a workshop for] 96 year five girls in one Zoom session,” he said. “We’re doing four simultaneous workshops with the same school for four different facilitators and that will all be now via Zoom.”

And despite feeling like he’s “on some sort of hamster wheel” with testing, Merrill stressed the importance of the vaccine.

and the public reactions that follow.

“It’s not groundbreaking to say that elements of cancel culture are really good or really bad. I think what’s important to investigate is sometimes the perpetrators or the big perpetrators like cancel culture because so much of what goes on behind the scenes is actually where the blame lies,” Owen says.

Cancelled! expertly critiques topics such as the corporatisation of LGBTQI identities in a segment about gay dolls.

The comedic pair use humour and satire to make prevalent social issues more palatable for a wider audience.

“I think so many young people care so much about what’s happening in the world and being able to find a way to provoke conversation and let people into what feels really important,” Zerbst says.

“What we’re always trying to do with satire and the whole point of satire is to engage critical thinking in a way that our institutions just don’t anymore,” Owen says.

Watch Cancelled! on SBS On Demand at www.sbs.com.au

LIGHTING THE WAY FOR ASPIRING DANCERS

BY GEMMA BILLINGTON he spectacular Light The Way Dance Convention is set to hit the stage in August this year and all budding dancers are urged to grab themselves a ticket.

The convention will bring together some of the biggest names in the industry to teach a 3-day intensive of musical theatre, dance master classes and on-stage performances.

Kelley Abbey, producer, choreographer and the talent behind beloved performances like Happy Feet and E Street, will join other celebrated Australian dancers in the Sydney Coliseum Theatre from August 6-8.

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“[The convention] is actually something that’s never been done.

There’ve been dance festivals but… no one has ever brought together this array of talent in the dance landscape or in a couple of shows and brought them together on the one stage,” said Abbey.

“It’s really great value for anyone who is a lover of the arts and a lover of dance. You don’t have to be a dancer to enjoy.”

Abbey spotted a need for the unique dance program after co-releasing the book, Light The Way. “A big motivation for doing the book was educating the dance industry

on who came before them… getting younger performers to understand that it didn’t happen overnight, and it wasn’t a straight-line journey,” Abbey said.

“The convention came out of the book. We just looked at it and went, ‘we could make this an event’… It will involve incredible workshops taken by really great industry leaders with three shows at night.”

It’s an event not to be missed.

Aug 6-8. Sydney Coliseum Theatre, 33 Railway St, Rooty Hill. $40-$365+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.lightthewaydancecollective.com

IndieARTS

THE COST OF COVID: CANCELLING CULTURAL & CREATIVE EVENTS

BY GEMMA BILLINGTON ancellations have been rife across the arts sector amid health concerns for the growing COVID-19 delta variant outbreak throughout Greater Sydney.

Greater Sydney is currently under strict stay at home orders until July 30, though as case numbers remain high, arts exhibitions, events and performances have been forced to postpone.

Vivid, Opera Australia, Sydney Theatre Company, Jim Jefferies, Sullivan+Strumpf are among the artists and companies facing forced cancellations/postponements in light of Sydney’s extended lockdowns.

James Hancock is one of the artists effected by the 2021 Vivid cancellation.

Having to deal with his second Vivid postponement, he says this year’s announcement has been equally as difficult to process.

“It’s very sad to hear that Vivid will be postponed again. I was so excited to have my work featured in Vivid and was ready to tell friends and family to check my work out as part of the festival,” he

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said. “Sydney loves Vivid and it’s such an amazing celebration of talent in the winter months. But this time, dealing with disappointment and moving on, it’s hard not to get depressed about it.”

The NSW Government announced that Vivid 2021 would be suspended until September 17 before then running until October 9.

In 2019, Vivid generated over $172 million for the state economy, attracting 2.5 million attendees to the colourful light works and live performances decorating the Sydney CBD, Circular Quay, The Rocks and Darling Harbour.

COVID-19 impact widening Last Friday, Opera Australia announced the cancellation of the Sydney winter opera season, meaning all four productions; Aida, Attila, Otello and The Tales Of Hoffmann, are unable to go ahead.

Opera Australia’s Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini said that while the announcement is disappointing, he’s hopeful the events will be rescheduled.

“So much work and preparation has been done by all our talented staff and

performers,” said Terracini. “We’d like to assure everyone that all this hard work will not go to waste and we are endeavouring to reschedule all of the productions into future seasons.”

Opera Australia’s The Phantom Of The Opera has also faced closure, initially scheduled to open at the Sydney Opera House and the Arts Centre Melbourne later this year.

Alongside Vivid and Opera Australia, Sydney Theatre Company has also made the decision to cancel their esteemed show, Triple X. Playwright and trans performer Glace Chase said the semi-autobiographical

trans love story was anticipated to become the first of its kind to be featured on a mainstream stage.

“It’s a story that’s never been seen on a mainstage, a story based on a true experience from my life – a trans woman and the straight man that she falls into a thwarted relationship with,” said Chase.

“Although a mainstream audience has never seen a story like this before – an honest depiction of trans romance – it’s the desperate desire for connection, to be understood by someone, and to be seen that makes Triple X so relatable, and even more relevant in these isolated times.”

MIDDLE EASTERN & WEST AFRICAN DRUMMING & DANCE CLASSES AT ADDISON ROAD COMMUNITY CENTRE

BY ELYSIA COOK oomba Percussion’s Middle Eastern Drumming, West African Drumming and Dance classes are set to return to Addison Road Community Centre once safe to do so. The classes will run for nine weeks once Sydney’s current lockdown ends.

Coomba has played the Middle Eastern Tabla, also known as the darbuka, for over 25 years.

Coomba said that COVID-19 has hindered community engagement for the myriad of cultures and ethnicities who call the Inner West home.

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“It’s been difficult to get people out and keep traditions alive in the midst of this pandemic.

We’ll have to opt for a Zoom class if the lockdown is further extended.”

While Coomba covers Middle Eastern Drumming, internationally recognised Guinea Djembe Master Drummer BangouraKe lends his expertise in the West African Drumming and Dance classes.

“The classes encourage teamwork, positive social skills, interaction, coordination and memory recall. Aside from that, it’s a whole lot of loud fun, really.”

Coomba’s classes explore popular rhythms from Turkish, Middle Eastern and Arabic percussion styles. The classes will navigate a learning process with a focus on building familiarity with primary rhythms and, from there, performing variations and even improvisation.

To end the term with a bang, there will be a group performance by the students to showcase what they’ve learnt.

For bookings and enquiries, contact Ian Watson via email at drumanddance. bookings@gmail.com or mobile on 0431239534.

INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021

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THE IMMIGRANTS - THE INNER WEST’S NEXT BIG ROCK STARS

AVALANCHE REVIVING T AUSSIE ROCK

BY JAMIE APPS n the years gone by you used to be able to walk into any pub around Australia and be welcomed by the sound a local band loudly bashing out good fun, rock’n’roll. This sound would become known as Aussie rock, before then being taken to the global stage via bands such as AC/DC, Rose Tattoo and Wolfmother. Sadly these days with the demise of live bands performing in pubs in favour of DJs, or even worse the dreaded Spotify playlist, that Aussie rock sound has receded into somewhat obscurity. However, Western Sydney band Avalanche are leading charge to bring Aussie rock’n’roll back to the mainstream.

Speaking with the Inner West Independent recently Avalanche’s Steven Campbell spoke about how they are helping to rejuvenate Aussie rock, and in doing so are bringing together two generations of rock’n’roll fans.

“A lot of rock’n’roll has fallen out of the mainstream,” said Campbell. “Now you tend to see people just listening to it in their cars or enjoying it in their own time.”

Despite Aussie rock seemingly becoming a bit of a guilty pleasure Campbell believes their is still a place for it in pubs and live music venues around the country. Campbell says this because he has personally witnessed at Avalanche shows how the music can

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bring together multiple generations of music fans.

“We are still pretty young, with us all aged between 19 and 23, so we have that younger crowd coming just for us but we also tend to have a lot of older people coming because of their love for that Aussie rock style of music. When we played the Aussie Made tour there were people there who have been listening to this style of music for decades, so to have them come up and say we play the style of music that they grew up on and loved was awesome.”

With their latest release, Second Hand Band, Campbell says Avalanche have found their groove and are now playing the “best shows” they’ve ever done. “It’s been about 3 years of hard work and it’s all finally culminating in these live shows.”

As restrictions ease Avalanche will be returning to the stage in Newtown and Enmore. At these shows Campbell says fans should expect a “really fun, feel good, pub-style rock’n’roll show.”

“We always put our utmost into everything that we do. Whether that is Veronica running in and out of the crowd doing solos or me running up and down the stage while sweating on everyone. It’s the biggest party style rock’n’roll that you will find from a local rock’n’roll band.”

Aug 6. Kelly’s On King, 285 King St, Newtown. $15+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.sevenrooms.com

BY JARROD WOLFHUNTER he Immigrants (formerly Kody) are the next biggest rock outfit to come crashing out of the Inner West; with ambitious plans of album releases and national and international touring, they warrant as much support and backing as they can get from the local community they feel so passionate towards.

Headed by exciting front-man, guitarist, and lyricist, Darren - with his raw, powerful voice; reminiscent of driving force vocalists of yonder, Cave, Cohen, Waits; accompanied by livewire drummer Lucas Tolentino, lead guitarist Nazo Nazarian and cool AF, bassist SuZen Raj Bajracharya (Zen); The Immigrants have powered through the entertainment lockdown period of

days of coming together – a sure sign of big things to come, and they haven’t taken their foot off the accelerator since.

In September 2020, The Immigrants released their self-titled EP, with hitsingle Lonely Bones gathering attention in Sydney, Brisbane, and unexpectedly, Texas, USA. They dropped a single (Saturday Night) in April 2021, with Despise (single) set to be released on August 19 – an evocative track that has a deep meaning for lead-singer, Darren.

The band has kept a consistent momentum since their inception in 2018 but the impacts of the pandemic shutdown have been dire, and though The Immigrants have persevered, inspirationally, through the worst

2020-21 by turning to and tearing up Sydney’s busking scene.

You’ve probably already encountered them in Hyde Park, Pitt Street Mall, Town Hall, Newtown Train Station, etc. In a period where live music was virtually banned their iconic sounds could be heard blasting out as they imposed their dynamic riffs on Sydneytown and Inner West districts when very little else was going on.

The Immigrants came together in 2018 as the brainchild of Darren Browne who recruited each electric member over a weeklong recruitment binge from none other than Gumtree. The outfit was complete and performing within three

of it, they talk sombrely about a music scene, slow out of the blocks, struggling to get purchase, where once it was notorious and thriving.

However challenging, it’s a battle The Immigrants will not back away from.

The next step for The Immigrants will be an album release, Australian tour, and perhaps and international tour when it’s safe to do so.

The Immigrants have a steady plan for a heap of future gigs in Sydney and especially in the Inner West.

They’re gunna be big but they need the community support and support from local venues and promotional services to do it. Get behind em!

IndieARTS

ONE HALF OF PEKING DUK, REUBEN STYLES, RELEASES SOLO TRACK IN LOCKDOWN

BY SASHA FOOT euben Styles is set to release new single Wolfer & Dove on Friday as part of his side project, Your Only Great Always (Y.O.G.A), in the midst of Sydney’s current lockdown.

Speaking to the Inner West Independent over Zoom, Styles’s background shows his darkly-lit music studio, adorned with fairy lights and an impressive collection of guitars.

He has fortunately kept working in lockdown as his private Leichhardt studio is only a short walk from his St Peter’s home.

Styles has lived in the Inner West for the past four years and admits, “I came for the vibe but I stayed for the coffee.”

Despite the circumstances, Styles remains positive about the release of Wolfer & Dove.

“It is very prepared for an online only audience, the music video just so happened to be filmed before lockdown,” he told the Inner West Independent.

However he admits Sydney’s lockdown has impacted a live show set that was scheduled for August.

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“There was an opportunity for a Y.O.G.A set... I was so excited because the debut of that show was supporting Kwame - it was great, we sold out and [now] that’s not going ahead,” he said.

Wolfer & Dove reflects Y.O.G.A’s focus on addressing mental health issues, with specific reference to hypermasculinity in Australia.

The filming of Wolfer & Dove’s music video on a farm in Cooma addresses masculine culture in rural areas.

“It’s a story about a man chasing his inner ‘herself’ and going through the mental health stigma that can be followed around regional communities,” he said.

Styles spoke fondly of property owner

George, who gave full support to the music video’s vision.

“George is a great person that has been really active in creating spaces for people to open up and talk - share stories and their feelings.”

The music video’s lead actor, queer performance artist Nicola Enrico Bruni, enhances the track’s theme through a shocking reversal of masculine ideals.

“Nicola is a bearded drag queen and she plays the role of a real blokey bloke. You really feel this is the true hard yakka, before she makes the switch to herself,” he says.

The project of Y.O.G.A confronts mental health issues by creating a collaborative space that allows people to share stories through art and music.

Styles posted on Y.O.G.A’s instagram about the struggle of losing a close friend to mental illness, leading his friends, other music industry professionals and listeners to share their own experiences.

He looks forward to the reopening of Sydney and having the opportunity to perform his new track.

“I know the song is going to be really, really fun to play live,” he says.

THE LONG & WINDING ROAD: ABBAS KIAROSTAMI RETROSPECTIVE

Photo: Sean Pollock

BY JAMIE APPS emory is a such a fleeting and precious commodity.

It is this idea which provides the framework for the new documentary Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In. After suffering a near fatal brain haemorrhage in 2018 legendary Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was confronted with the

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fragility of memory & thus this documentary was set forth.

Directed by Alex’s son Jason Ferguson the documentary recounts the life of Alex as a way to capture all of his memories in a timeless fashion. As the documentary progresses we hear tales of Alex’s life as a young boy in Govan in Scotland, through to his playing career as a striker at Rangers, to his long and successful managerial career, & finally his recovery from the brain haemorrhage.

For ardent football fans this is a heartfelt look into the life of one the sports greatest managers ever. However, this documentary is not just for football fans. Even those who may not be overly invested in football will enjoy the recollections of personally milestones and the insights the film gives about the importance of cherishing life’s precious moments and memories.

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Wind Will Carry

SIR ALEX FERGUSON: NEVER GIVE IN

BY TESSA PELLE he Sydney Film Festival (SFF) and Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) will present a program of eight essential features and three short films from trailblazing Iranian filmmaker, Abbas Kiarostami.

Audiences can view the full retrospective as part of the 68th Sydney Film Festival and a selection at ACMI in September.

Abbas Kiarostami films serve as a film buff’s introduction to the vivid world of Iranian cinema. Director of Film Programs at ACMI, Kristy Matheson says the retrospective is an exciting part of this year’s festival.

“We’re really tuning in to big emotions and spectacle and seeing something we’ve never seen before, and I think that [Kiarostami] was quite interested in how audiences would receive the film so I think they’re actually films that people can actively watch.”

The late director is renowned for his deeply humanistic filmmaking style. His films are marked by their tenderness, often taking place in the most thoughtful spaces.

“They’re really films about conversations. They’re characterised by all these kinds of lovely, tiny conversations that people have with each other and out of those, the characters develop,” Kristy says.

Kiarostami’s diverse body of work encourages audiences to think deeper about the world around them.

“They’re films you can see more than once and you might have a different take on it. I think they are exciting to watch because you’re not given everything. You sort of have to bring a bit of your own thoughts to it.”

INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021

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INNER WEST INDEPENDENT AUGUST 2021