CULTURE WATCH

from Insights Spring 2022

by Insights Magazine

BELIEF MATTERS

Regenerating Australia

A FILM THAT PONDERS WHAT AUSTRALIA MIGHT LOOK LIKE IN 2030

Last time that Australian actor-turned-director Damon Gameau brought a new project to the country’s big screens, drought was blighting the country, the nation had just sweltered through its hottest summer on record, and severe storms were popping up with frequency in

Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. That was back in 2019, and eco-conscious documentary 2040 couldn’t have felt timelier as a result when we interviewed Gameau about the documentary, he said then that “It’s the most important issue of our time and no-one is covering it. No one is covering the urgency”. 2040 explored how the country might change — and how it might adapt to tackle climate change — in the space of just 21 years, and found welcoming audiences at festivals locally and overseas, and in cinemas in general.

Now, Gameau is back with a similar project. Given the unprecedented weather conditions of the past year in

Queensland and New South Wales with major flooding, his latest film also arrives at a time when the environment and the changing climate are firmly on everyone’s minds. This time around, however, he’s going shorter — in the doco’s length, and in terms of how far ahead he’s looking to the future.

With documentary short Regenerating Australia, Gameau ponders how the nation could look in 2030, but only if we start transitioning to a fairer, cleaner, more community-focused economy now — and putting in place changes inspired by the country’s residents. The short 17-minute film is produced in partnership with WWF-Australia, and is presented as

a news bulletin on New Year’s Eve 2029, looking back at everything that’s been achieved over the decade prior. And if you’re wondering where Gameau came up with the answers, Regenerating Australia is based on a four-month interview process with a diverse range of Australians, who all offered their thoughts, hopes and dreams on what they’d love THE to see happen. ENVIRONMENT The short is constructed from fictional news

AND THE reports and press conferences — but real-life high-

CHANGING profile journalists, politicians, business leaders, CLIMATE ARE and citizens such as Kerry O’Brien, Sandra Sully,

FIRMLY ON Gorgi Coghlan, Patrick Abboud, Larissa Behrendt,

EVERYONE’S and David Pocock all feature throughout the film.MINDS The film highlights a number of solutions that would allow us to achieve a cleaner, fairer future for all which you can find out in much more detail on the website. The short film premiered around the country earlier this year and now you can book a screening of this film for your community group if you wish. ADRIAN DRAYTON HOST A SCREENING To host a screening for your business or community group, or just connect with Regenerating Australia, go to their website and Facebook page for more information. Website: https://theregenerators.co/regenerating-australia Regenerators Movement: https://theregenerators.co Facebook: www.facebook.com/startregenerating

Kogarah Storehouse celebrates 30 yearsOn Sunday, 11 September, Kogarah Uniting Church will hold a thanksgiving service to mark 30 years of the Kogarah Storehouse being a force for good in the local community.

The storehouse was an old, disused factory that was transformed into a big space for local community services. At the time that congregation members were looking for a space, the derelict 100 year old factory on the corner of Gray and Kensington street became available.

Kogarah Uniting Church’s Russell Foxe said that this coincided with the congregation having the funds to purchase the property, having sold two former church buildings. St George Hospital, founded in 1894, was steadily growing and by necessity needed to acquire properties around it so it could expand. Two properties, acquired in 1986, were the former Methodist Church building in Kensington Street together with the former Congregational Church in Gray Street.

“God had gone before us,” Mr Foxe recalled.

“They needed to sell, we had the money.” The old building, now with a new mission, reminded someone of the biblical passage Malachi 3:10: “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”

The Storehouse has grown over three decades and now offers a wide range of services, including no-interest loans, domestic violence support, and Christmas Hampers. A wide variety of community groups meet regularly in the space. According to the most recent Annual Report, the Storehouse provided 8640 Food Parcels in 2021.

The Storehouse’s No Interest Loan Scheme also launched in 2021. The service provides Centrelink clients loans of up to $1500 to pay for medical expenses, emergency home repairs, and fixing broken down appliances. According to Mr Foxe, the thanksgiving service aims to mark, “What God has done.”

The service will feature a slide show, capturing memories from over the past 30 years. Rev. Ken Day, the minister at the time that the Storehouse launched, will preach at the service.

The Thanksgiving Service for Kogarah Storehouse takes place at Kogarah Uniting Church 10am on Sunday, 11 September. There will also be a celebratory dinner on 15 September. JONATHAN FOYE