The Beast - August 2020

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Apply for a small business grant today Waverley Council has small grants available to help local businesses on their journey to reduce single use plastic. Apply for up to $5000 with Waverley Council’s Environment Grants program. Tell us how your idea leads to measurable waste reductions. Micro businesses with five or fewer full time employees can apply. Applications close 1 September 2020. Email questions and applications to Council’s Environment Team at environment@waverley.nsw.gov.au For larger investments to improve waste and recycling, businesses of any size can apply for a rebate of $1000 to $50,000 in matched funds through the NSW EPA Bin Trim program. Head to epa.nsw.gov.au to find out more.

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The Community Has Spoken, Council Is Listening Words James Hutton, Publisher Welcome to the August 2020 edition of The Beast, the monthly magazine for Sydney’s beaches of the east. This time last month I thought we were out of the woods as far as COVID-19 goes, but it certainly doesn’t seem like that’s the case any more. I’m just glad we’re in Sydney and not Melbourne, for many reasons. This month’s cover illustration was created by Bellevue Hill’s wonderfully talented artist, Jenny Ham. Jenny’s been delivering The Beast in her spare time for quite a while now but we only recently discovered her talents as an illustrator. If anyone needs some awesome illustrations done, please give me a yell and I’ll put you in touch with her.

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As I’m sure many of you would be aware, I’ve been involved in the campaign to keep the redevelopment of the Bronte Surf Life Saving Club building to a reasonable size. I’m somewhat relieved to report that our Waverley councillors have listened to the community’s concerns and voted at their most recent meeting against endorsing the behemoth that the surf club board have been pushing for. Due to the enormity of the community reaction, Council will now review the situation and look to provide a new plan, more in tune with the beach and adjoining parkland. Despite the Plan of Management for Bronte Park allowing for a 25 per cent increase in the size of the building, as well as

a loophole for “design excellence”, we look forward to seeing new designs for one building, the same size as what’s there now, and on the existing footprint. There really is no need for anything bigger than what’s currently there and I’m yet to hear an argument of any substance in support of a larger building. Public space is simply too important to hand over to a private club with so few members, so please continue to let your councillors know how you feel. They are listening to the community and they want to hear from you. Thanks again to everyone who has helped me get this edition off to the printers, I’m really enjoying it at the moment. Cheers, James


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All that is appalling about Australia.

A Message From Your Newly Appointed COVID-19 Ambassador Words Pearl Bullivant Photo Gina Rinehart With a second wave of The Great Toilet Roll Shortage of 2020 waiting to engulf New South Wales, Pearl has appointed herself ‘COVID-19 Ambassador’, hoping to attract the same $345,000 pay packet offered to Scott Cam by the Federal Government for his role as National Careers Ambassador. Who else would be better to impart sensible advice to the badly behaved masses than Pearl? Who else is qualified to pull them into line with much needed guidance and carefully constructed rules? Unlike Scott Cam’s single public appearance in return for his large pay packet, Pearl will be making no public appearances for fear of contracting ‘The One-Nine’, but 6 The Beast August 2020

I am hoping for a photo opportunity with Michaelia Cash, who represents all that is appalling about Australia. Why the ambassador position? Well, according to behaviourists, Australians object to being told what to do. Telling people not to hoard toilet paper or hang out at Bondi Beach means they will do the opposite, with top-down messages from politicians viewed as paternalistic, which is ironic considering the Australian habit of holding the government responsible for every woe in their affluent lives. Australians have morphed into such spoilt brats with zero resilience that they will only sacrifice their lifestyles if there is a reward in sight. Not only

do we require a carrot, we need to be addressed in a positive and inclusive way (hence the cringeworthy “We’re all in this together” cliché) by older, wellrespected Australians, and this is where Pearl comes in wielding her big stick. The need to do the right thing has to be regularly spelt out to people, and during these dark times (of not being able to holiday in Bali) Pearl’s columns will provide necessary guidance to earn my $345,000 and achieve social cohesiveness. This month’s insight is addressed to my funds manager, lawyer, medico, barrister and trust fund readers: Take a big yogic breath and think twice before you apply for the JobKeeper subsidy. I’m aware the pink batts saga and years of neo-conservative rule has established what has become normal Australian behaviour, making it un-Australian not to rort your fellow woman/ man (the building industry is the paradigm of the very worst behaviour), but we already have huge corporations leeching on the taxpayers’ teat without the affluent catching the dribbles. It may be tempting to manipulate your cashflow to qualify for assistance, but it is not a good look relying on taxpayers to fund the retention of your junior stockbrokers when management and partners can take a pay cut. It’s not like one can jet off to Lake Como at the moment, and Rose Bay Secondary College is a perfect alternative if one can no longer pay the Cranbrook fees. Stop and think, “Is it right to impose my desire for a new Maserati onto others?” Finally, in the words of Scott Cam, “We work for a living that’s the Australian way - and we get paid for what we do.” A true philosopher! Next month’s column: “Pearl’s Guide to Pedestrianism During The One-Nine”.


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The Beast's Monthly Mailbag Words The Wonderful People of the Eastern Suburbs WHAT IS BRONTE SURF CLUB? Bronte Surf Club has been a much loved institution since it arose from the community in the very early 1900s. It has done more than patrol the sands on summer weekends; it has had a very important social role the whole year round. But the current plans for the clubhouse make me wonder what its future role is meant to be. Bronte no longer has a surf race. Bronte no longer has its Sunday Jog. Life members pay a large fee to hire the club for a celebration. The surf club gym charges a fee. The club appears to claim a membership of around 1,900 as justification for a huge new clubhouse, but that membership is very largely composed of nippers and their parents - members who only appear on Sunday mornings for a few hours, for about one third of the year. The nippers are a wonderful extension of the club’s role but, rightly, they are there for young children and only for a short period on a Sunday, for a small part of the year. It’s busy at Bronte on weekends for about that one third of a year but the activities now seem to heavily involve running a shop, and the bar upstairs seems to be far more active than the club membership needs. The other two-thirds of the year it appears largely unused. Go to Bronte during a week day morning during the swimming season. At the south end the Waverley community are swimming in the pool, swimming in the Bogey Hole, having a dip in the ocean, then showering at the southern end, sitting on the

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grass. It’s a very, very busy place. Then look at the surf club, locked up with nobody there except the professional lifeguards. You have to ask yourself, “What exactly is the Bronte Surf Club now, and why does it need such a huge building when it’s empty most of the year?” Then there is the inexplicable decision to put the public amenities around the back, quite remote from the beach. Daily, swimmers will be required to walk around a locked up, empty building to get to the showers after a swim. The second largest tourist attraction in New South Wales is the Coastal Walk. The only toilets on this section of the walk are toilets at the north end. So, a walker is now expected to search for the toilets and to find them around the back of the clubhouse? How bizarre is that! I wonder what we are being asked to provide this building for. Is it for the community life saving club we have loved for the last hundred plus years, or is it for a Gold Coast business surf club? Why do we continue to need trucks driving in delivering vast quantities of kegs to a membership that is there for such a limited time? Why must the swimming community be relegated to a toilet block so inaccessible and invisible around the back? Why must the “Pit” out the front, which is so much a part of the everyday life of the juniors, be sacrificed for a locked up block? I suspect that the bulk of the members of the surf club who love Bronte do not wish to see this development eventuate. The

club has changed and its social role now appears rather limited to one third of the year based primarily around the nippers. Professional lifeguards are now responsible for saving lives so that role has lessened. The amenities are much more important than they have ever been. And why should the juniors lose their cherished space? I believe I’m not alone in wishing for a design that fulfills the wishes of the swimming community and visitors to Waverley, something that does the real job in servicing the beach and does not create what may, perhaps, become a large bar, shop and restaurant on the beachfront. Brian Waverley BRONTE GREED Hello James - Regarding the proposed development of the Bronte SLSC, many must be finding old scars starting to itch, having almost recovered from the Bronte RSL development fight. Surely we should know by now that “Greed is good”. Andrew Bronte PUBLIC PARKLANDS HANDED OVER FOR PRIVATE PROFIT Centennial Park is a great resource to the community, but its requirement to be self-funded means that they now try and squeeze every last dollar from the parklands. Now, would you believe they even charge kids $5 to shoot hoops at the netball courts down at Moore Park? First they tore up half of the courts and built a synthetic playing field that is fenced off, padlocked and alienated from the parklands. Now the few remaining courts, which were once open to the public and have been free to use for as long as I remember, have been handed over to the management of the adjacent tennis centre in order to squeeze a profit out of public land. There are no fences or gates restricting public access to the courts, and no signs indicating fees and charges, or conditions


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of use that apply to what any reasonable person would deem open public space, but try and take your kids down there when the courts are otherwise empty to casually shoot some hoops or practice netball, and an employee from the tennis courts will scurry out and demand you pay $5 dollars and threaten you with trespassing if you don’t bow to this extortion. This is a deplorable alienation of public space for private profit. Sure, it’s only $5, but it’s about the principle. Centennial Park belongs to the people of New South Wales; how long will it be before they charge you $5 to throw down a picnic blanket? Yours in outrage, Paul Ceccato Randwick PEARLY SHELLS I wouldn’t worry about Pearl’s column too much. I’m pretty sure it’s satire, poking fun at the faux hippies who still enjoy the trappings of capitalism, those who think tokenistic symbolism and voting green is the way to offset their privileged existence. Kind of like that anarchist who drives a Mercedes, the guy who thinks the GFC is a valid equivalence to the COVID pandemic, all while getting angry at the faux hippies’ favourite stereotypical evil villain, the Murdoch press. Anthony Bosch Bondi HOP ON THE BUS, GUS! Before taking the 373 bus from Coogee and suffering Berejiklian’s latest fare hike, as well as the virtual elimination of the much loved “Funday Sunday” tickets, Gus wanted to check his Corona-App, but it didn't work. Thanks, Scomo! Let’s check Scomo’s home renovation grant, from which Gus was excluded - too many conditions. Thanks, Scomo! How about the Job Keeper grant? Gus was excluded. It demands more conditions than Abbott-TurnbullScomo’s global warming turbocharging Adani mine. Thanks, Scomo!

10 The Beast August 2020

Gus failed also to get onto the ABC’s website. Scomo had just forced the ABC to cut 250 jobs by deliberately underfunding the ABC. Thanks, Scomo! So, Gus looked around and saw a picture of a koala - it will be extinct by 2050 thanks to a Liberal Party favouring developers’ greed over animal survival, while also creating traffic jams and “No Parking” along the way. Thanks for that. Finally, Gus looked out to sea to see one of the Liberal Party’s $100 billion U-Boats. At least Scomo’s Liberal Party protects Gus from Australia’s mortal enemies, like Mongolia and Uruguay. “Labor would only squander the $100 billion on health and education,” Gus wondered, while enjoying the 50 ways to meet his lover... Gus and Paul Simon Coogee STRANGE NOISES This will sound strange, but I want to put it out there: I have noticed a high-pitched continuous tone, like a transformer or an old TV, in the Randwick area where I live since May 1. It is particularly pronounced at night when it is quiet, particularly indoors where other ambient noise is less. It does wax and wane, but is pretty much there all the time. I have tried but failed to pinpoint any directionality. It is bothering me but many people don’t hear it, or hear it and aren’t bothered. It is definitely something that wasn’t there previously. I’ve gone through all the obvious things - tinnitus (it isn’t), and Ausgrid says it isn’t the power lines. An acoustics consultant I spoke to says this type of thing is understudied but there are probably a small percentage of people who can perceive electromagnetic effects and mentioned that 5G was switched on around that date. It sounds strange, I know, but I can attest I am a scientifically minded person in my early 40s and have no agenda other than finding out what it is. Has anyone else noticed this? Jonathan Randwick

APPRECIATION Hi everyone - Just wanted to send an email expressing my appreciation for this magazine. I hadn’t heard of it before and, being given an issue the other day, it was great to see a section about a local artist! I feel like more local artists of all ages need to be encouraged to publicise their work, and hearing from someone who I coincidentally went to school with and am studying the same art degree as, it was great to read through the interview and learn of her progress and success. Thanks for giving these opportunities to promote creativity and having this as another great platform for the community! Tonya Hetreles Maroubra THANK-MWAH! Just want to say thank-MWAH! to the lovely young people who peeled my silly carcass from the pavement after my swan dive into the concrete on Bronte Beach steps. I vaguely recall a mental rebuke to my cold feet to speed up in their thongs beforehand. Nose, knees and toes are fine. Near tears at the sight of your dear, concerned faces, my umbrella being carefully folded and many pairs of gentle hands resurrecting me like a misplaced sculpture by the sea. Sorry to anyone else who sensed a lumpy rug underfoot. Annie Crossan Clovelly NEW BREED OF DOG OWNER Is it just me, or is it possible there is a new breed of dog owner in town? Since the lockdown started to ease, I can't help but notice that there are considerably more dog droppings on the footpaths. It’s everywhere; Hall Street, Glenayr Avenue, Curlewis Street, Campbell Parade and even the beach promenade itself. What’s going on? Did a lot of people acquire new canine friends for company during the lockdown period and, like the child who gets a puppy for Christmas, lose interest once they realise they have to take responsibility for


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them? Perhaps the concern over COVID-19 has precluded other local considerations? Whatever, I'm not the only one who has remarked that poo-cleaning etiquette has taken a nose dive. I haven't seen so many footpath pies since the ‘90s when stepping in one was almost de rigeur. If you read this and recognise yourself as a possible culprit, please know that walking your dog and ignoring the inevitable results is not cool. The Waverley Council website states, “Sydney dogs produce more than 1,000 tonnes of waste every day. Owners must pick up and appropriately dispose of dog droppings. We have dog tidy stations installed throughout Waverley.” I very much look forward to an unsoiled footpath soon. Tina Harris Bondi

ATTACK ON LOCAL STATUES Dear Editor - To the witless vandals who attacked Randwick’s statue of Captain Cook: Is this what your ‘woke’ activism has degraded into now; a sewer of outright criminality, groupthink and mob rule? You sprayed this public work with the words, “No pride in genocide,” as if Cook himself were a latter-day Adolf Eichmann (when in fact he was murdered by Indigenes, not the other way around). Who do you suppose was elevated by your crime this week? Do you think Aboriginal literacy and life expectation will now surge as a result of your airheaded hooliganism? Do you seriously think that the first step to uniting a nation is to trash a neighbourhood? Grow up. Gary Malone Randwick

COVID-UNSAFE PROPOSED AMENITIES BLOCK It was a joy to get your latest Beast publication, the only remaining news outlet for locals to express their concerns regarding local issues, and good to see the many letters against the proposed Bronte Surf Club overdevelopment. What was missing, however, were any remarks about the COVID-unsafe effect of the new design. In this pandemic era, getting rid of social outdoor space like The Cubes in favour of enclosed spaces is COVID-unsafe. Same goes for the proposed amenities building, which is more confined and not nearly as spacious, airy and sunny as the present change rooms. Andrew Goldfinch has not been in the present women’s change rooms - nor should he enter - but it is a popular area for women who want to change and have a cold shower, and a private change cubicle if they wish (or a relaxed ciggie away from the parents). The change rooms are also separate from the toilet area. And, Gail Leveson, why should we get changed in a dark cave? Judy Bronte

RUPERT’S TOILET PAPER Visiting my local shop recently, I saw piles of unwanted toilet paper. Once hyped up by Rupert Murdoch’s media (plus others), today, toilet paper hoarding is truly so last month. Still, the media’s panic-making had forced factories to work overtime for nothing. Now, we are left with heaps of undesirable toilet paper. Rupert’s media hype was, as Shakespeare would have said, “much to do about nothing”. Meanwhile, Murdoch’s “everScomo-supporting” NewsCorp was forced to acknowledge that Australia is in recession. It happened on Scomo’s watch - a triple failed PR man who first gave us the failed “Where the hell are you?” campaign, then the failed “bushfire handshake”, only to be followed by the failed “Get off my grass” PR gig. Never mind! Murdoch’s press (plus others) has convinced Australians that Scomo is great and his Liberal Party is good for the economy, while Labor rises taxes. Looking back, the opposite emerges. It was John Howard who gave us the GST, the biggest tax hike in recent memory, and it was Labor’s treasurer, Wayne Swan, who avoided a recession

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during the GFC in 2008/09. PR man Scomo likes to blame COVID-19 for his own economic mismanagement. By contrast, Wayne Swan got on with the job and became “The world’s best treasurer”, a fact that even Rupert Murdoch’s The Australian had to acknowledge. Otherwise, the media is working hard to keep the urban myth alive that the Liberals are good for the economy. Thanks but no thanks for the recession, Scomo. Thomas, the Mercedes-Driving Anarchist Coogee SUSTAINABILITY I’ve noticed that you guys seem pretty big on sustainability, but that doesn’t really mesh with the way the magazine is distributed. Everyone receives it (even people with no junk mail signs), and unfortunately a lot of people are going to throw it out right away. Most people who don’t will throw it out once they’ve finished reading it. This is a problem because it’s printed on hard to recycle, plasticky, glossy paper. It would be fantastic if the magazine was printed on recycled, matte, compostable paper instead (you could even use this as an opportunity to work with compost revolution and have them plug their initiative in a small spot in the magazine where you say the paper is recycled/ compostable). I know I’d appreciate the free compost food, and I think that would be a fantastic way to practise sustainability as well as talking about it. Chris Randwick DEVELOPMENT AT WHAT COST? Hi James - Apparently there is the possibility of a bit of an article going into The Beast about developers and the devastation they are wreaking on Bondi. It may sound like a NIMBY thing, but for someone who has lived here all my adult life and given much to the local community, I speak from the bottom of my (broken) heart when I say developers are ruining my life.


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Opposite me currently are two blocks; one a house, and the other a small block with two or three flats. The developer will be building five flats on one site with a basement car park and a three-story gym with swimming pool, cafe and basement parking. The operating hours will be seven days per week, 18 hours per day goodbye peace. The legal floor space ratio (FSR) in both cases has been usurped; one apparently because of affordable housing, and the other... well, there is no reason why it has been passed. My 100-metre street already has two knocked down houses with rebuilds going on for years, purely for the almighty dollar. From the time the building starts (the site is 20 metres away from me) there will be very loud non-stop noise, major dust issues and no parking, because of the dozens of tradies who park wherever they can and are never booked (they have a golden pass, apparently).

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I will leave my home. Yes, after 30 years here, Bondi will lose an active and giving lifetime member - it’s sad. Why? Because some dude wants to make more money. Why else? Because the New South Wales Government condones it. Development is their raison d’être. There is a human cost as their stadiums, endless flats, roads and unnecessary and unused tramways wreak devastation on homes and lives, not to mention the loss of animal habitat (and breathable air) with the wanton destruction of beautiful trees. My understanding is that Waverley ‘Planning’ Committee is the arbiter of all this. Well, what a lot of power they have. Why is it that Council is unable or unwilling to stick to the legal floor space ratios? Nicolette Boaz Bondi P.S. I believe the gym is the same developer as the monster in Castlefield Street.

The Beast The Beast Pty Ltd ABN 32 143 796 801 www.thebeast.com.au Editor james@thebeast.com.au Advertising Enquiries advertising@thebeast.com.au Rates and Specs thebeast.com.au/advertise Circulation 61,000 copies are delivered every month; 56,500 are placed in mailboxes and 4,500 in local shops. PEFC Certified The Beast uses paper from sustainably managed forests. Letters to the Editor Please send your feedback to letters@thebeast.com.au and include your name and the suburb you live in.


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Bronte juniors at the first NSW Juvenile State Championships in 1966.

Public Opinion Forces Council to Reconsider Surf Club Proposal Words Duncan Horscroft Photo Pria Serakah The proposed development of the Bronte Surf Club has divided the local community and it’s time everyone sat down, took a deep breath and looked at the big picture. When the plan went up for public opinion in June, a lot of people were aghast at the enormity of the proposal, which was only one of four concept designs and nothing had been set in concrete, so to speak. Bronte Surf Club’s approach to this whole issue has been criticised. The Project Control Group, comprised of council officers and surf club representatives, developed four options, with Council endorsing one for development to concept level for consultation. Due to the enormity of the community reaction, Council has decided to review the situation and is looking to provide a new plan which would be more in tune with the adjoining parkland and not privatise any public space. 16 The Beast August 2020

The local Bronte Boardriders Club has been very vocal in its objection to the loss of public space, especially the removal of the existing Dave Brown Place (The Cubes), which the Boardriders use as their regular meeting place. Unfortunately this area has become run down, so why hasn’t council done anything to tidy it up and repair the crumbling brickwork and seating that is used regularly by locals? Moving that area into the adjoining parkland and removing two public sheds at the back of the existing amenities seems to be a ridiculous idea, as public parkland should take precedence over buildings. Some of the local protesters have argued that the surf club is not a viable facility, and that local surfers and lifeguards play a bigger role in rescues than volunteer lifesavers. Bronte Surf Club is steeped in history, claiming to be the “world’s first surf club”, and

they have provided a wealth of life saving training to multitudes of people including nippers, where many professional lifeguards did their initial training. This writer has been a patrolling member of the surf club for many years and is more than grateful for the training provided by the club, which has been vital in assisting people not only on the beach, but in general day-to-day life. Unfortunately there has been a hate campaign aimed at the overall surf club and this is totally unnecessary as most of the planning has come from the surf club’s board of directors, not club members. It’s time for all the members of the surf club, and the various community groups who use the beach, to loudly voice their opinion and urge council to come up with a plan to appease both members and the community alike. It’s also time for the surf club to start listening to the concerns of the broader community and respect everyone’s opinion. And it’s also time for Waverley Council to exert its authority as caretaker of the land and sensibly apply a plan which suits everyone. In late June, Waverley Council endorsed a consultation report that, among thirteen new design principles, “agreed to look at the reduction of overall footprint of the building(s), consider relocation of the public amenities and Council facilities to within existing building curtilage, consider locating Dave Brown Place within existing curtilage (and) minimise net loss of public open space and public green space.” Hopefully common sense will prevail and we can all enjoy the new club and amenities, albeit in a much lesser form than is being proposed.


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Jason Sangha sends one to the boundary.

Randy Petes Build on Solid Innings Words Nicola Smith Photo Peter Bannigan Local Cricket Club Randwick Petersham will not only celebrate its 20th season this year, but they will also do so as defending champions of the Belvedere Cup. The club, a local community fixture that is partially based at Coogee Oval, has over 250 years of combined cricket history in Sydney. The first grade Randwick Petersham team was unable to play the Belvedere Cup final due to COVID-19 restrictions, however they finished the season 11 points in front of the next team, head and shoulders above the competition. Club CEO John Stewart said he was excited to go into their 20th season on top. “It’s pretty special to go into our 20th year as defending champions, we’re really pleased about that,” Mr Stewart told The Beast. Randwick and Petersham cricket clubs amalgamated in 2001 and began a new era of leadership under former Australian Test Cricketer Mike Whitney. Looking back on the past twenty years, Mr Whitney says 18 The Beast August 2020

he is proud of what the club has accomplished. “The club’s been really successful in its first nineteen seasons. Every grade’s won a premiership and we’ve produced players that have gone on to play for New South Wales and Australia,” Mr Whitney told The Beast. As an entity in the Randwick and Petersham communities, we’re very strong and we play our part, and I’m really proud of that.” Club players include Jason Sangha, David Warner and Jason Sams, as well as Whitney himself, who played for the club from 1976-1994 and credits the club as the launching pad of his cricket career. After a successful career in test cricket, Whitney had a strong desire to return to where it all began. “I thought, without your grade club and their support and help, you don’t get a chance to play for New South Wales, and without playing for your state you don’t get the chance to play for Australia, and that’s sometimes forgotten,” Mr Whitney said.

While the club has a strong community presence and grassroots focus, it is also unique as the only premier club in Sydney with a link to an international side. Randwick Petersham is partnered with Cricket Ireland and has had many Irish players represent the club including their current captain Andrew Balbirnie. The club also played a warm-up game against the Irish team before the Cricket World Cup in 2015. Randwick Petersham’s 20th season will not be a typical one, with both the start of play and their celebratory gala dinner postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions. However, Mr Stewart said the club is entering this season with a clear vision for the years to come. “We’re definitely looking at the club from multiple perspectives, providing the best facilities we can so that we can provide the best environment for our players to train and perform,” he told The Beast. “We’re really grateful for the support of the local councils, Randwick and Inner West, getting our practice facilities at Snape Park up to a high standard and preserving the historic pavilions at Coogee and Petersham Ovals.” Following the explosion of women’s cricket, the club is also looking at establishing its first women’s side in 2021. After twenty years as president, Mr Whitney is sure that running a club is truly a team sport. “The club has only been really strong and successful because of a really strong committee that is dedicated and willing to give its time,” he told The Beast. “I hope that when I step down the foundation stones are firmly in place for a long, long time. Twenty years isn’t too long - these past twenty have gone by in a flash - and I want it to still be going in 100 years.”


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The Fortress of Emanuel.

Growing Local Schools Drive Residents Up The Wall Words Nicola Smith Photo Murid Malas Frustrated residents are concerned that a new Development Application for Emanuel School will increase traffic and congestion problems in the local area. Residents living in the small residential streets between Emanuel, Randwick Public School and St Margaret Mary’s Primary School have started a change.org petition opposing the school’s latest DA due to an ongoing trend of residents being parked in or unable to leave their streets due to congestion around pick-up and drop-off times. Residents fear that school renovations aimed at increasing the student population from 785 to 920 will exacerbate the problem. Randwick local Emmanuela Mattana is one of many frustrated residents. “There are confrontations between parents and residents all the time when they have to 20 The Beast August 2020

ask them to move their cars,” she told The Beast. Extreme congestion caused during pick-up and drop-off times has become increasingly common in the local area, where schools have to try to fit large student populations on small parcels of land, as well as accommodating parents who want to drive their children to and from school. The change.org petition created by Randwick residents had 136 signatures at the time of printing, with an additional 63 signatures from a paper petition that Ms Mattana took door to door. “If we don’t speak because we think [the DA] will get approved anyway, then we may as well give up,” Ms Mattana told The Beast. The petition also opposes the development on the grounds that the scale and bulk of the building are too severe, will

block out natural light and necessitate the removal of heritage-listed walls. A spokesperson from Randwick Council said that Council aims to support both the residents and the school. “We regularly survey local residents to establish the level of support for introduction or expansion of the resident parking scheme,” the spokesperson said. “We also conduct regular parking enforcement at each school to address concerns of residents and behaviours associated with schools.” Other schools in the area, such as Marcellin College in Randwick and Moriah War Memorial College in Queens Park, request that parents try to avoid driving their children to school to avoid issues of congestion. Accommodating school students who need to travel to school, as well as the local residents, many of whom live in high-density around the schools and often rely on on-street parking, is an ongoing issue in the Eastern Suburbs that seems intractable. Schools in very high-density areas, such as St Andrew’s Cathedral School in the city, encounter fewer transport issues than their suburban counterparts due to the high number of public transport options that their centrality provides. However, only one bus route goes directly past Emanuel School on Avoca Street, with only one bus every twenty minutes. While public transport may be the solution to the issue of congestion, no clear plans have been made at this stage, fuelling the parking anxiety of residents. “It’s in your face, all the time,” Miss Mattana told The Beast, “literally every day.” Emanuel School declined to comment for this article.


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Another happy reader.

Manny, JFK and the Little Book Words Nicola Smith Photo Francesco De Ferrari When Clovelly Lawyer John Kambas from JFK Legal placed his first advertisement in The Beast he never imagined it would lead to him taking on AMP Limited on behalf of a 94 year-old Holocaust survivor almost four years later. Mr Kambas was sitting on the cliff just outside his family home in Kangaroo Valley, the only place on the property to get phone reception, when he received a call from Maroubra resident Manny Rosenthal. “He asked, ‘Is this JFK the solicitor?’ in this really thick accent, and at first I thought it was a joke,” Mr Kambas told The Beast. But Mr Rosenthal was insistent that he wanted “JFK the solicitor” to help him. Mr Rosenthal, now living in Maroubra, had gone to his safe to find his concentration camp papers to respond to the German Government, who thought he was dead, to prove that he 22 The Beast August 2020

was still alive and entitled to his Holocaust pension. In the safe, he found another document that had been long forgotten. The document was an investment notice from AMP recording a $20,000 investment Mr Rosenthal had made in 1982. “Mr Rosenthal never received any notices regarding the investment and the interest was reinvested, so he forgot about it,” Mr Kambas explained. Mr Rosenthal told Mr Kambas that he had found his number in “the little book”. “I couldn’t understand, he kept saying, ‘the little book,’ then he said it was in Maroubra, and it came every month, and it clicked that he was talking about The Beast.” They initially tried to resolve the case through the Australian Financial Complaints Authority but were unsuccessful in getting AMP to recognise Mr Rosenthal’s investment. Mr Kambas told The Beast he

did not think AMP realised how determined Mr Rosenthal was. “There was this crazy Greek lawyer JFK and this Holocaust survivor Manny, who was going ‘all the way with JFK’ to court,” he said. Mr Kambas filed the case with the NSW District Court, and with the help of The Beast Editor James Hutton, Mr Kambas contacted several news outlets, trying to get some media attention for the case. The Daily Telegraph picked up the story the day before the mediation hearing, and on May 29 it ran a story about the case. “I told The Daily Telegraph, ‘You’ve got to get the article in tomorrow,’ because there was a mediation,” Mr Kambas said. The Daily Telegraph article had a positive effect and the case settled. Manny was very happy with the settlement. “It was a David and Goliath battle, and in the end right was done,” Mr Kambas said. “Did the article have an impact in the settlement negotiations? I think it did, as it helped our case, but who really knows?” Mr Kambas told The Beast. Since then, the story has gone through Jewish, Greek and regional media outlets. Mr Rosenthal came to Australia in 1951 after initially travelling to Brooklyn following the war. He worked as a plumber and is a long-term resident of the Eastern Suburbs. He was the only member of his family to survive the concentration camps. “In a legal career, you rarely get cases of this intrigue; a writer couldn’t have dreamed this up,” Mr Kambas said. “If it weren’t for ‘the little book’, I wouldn’t have found him. I’ll be telling this story for a long time. When I’m ninetyfour, I will still be telling the story of ‘the little book’.”


Bondi Pavilion Retail Tenancy Tender Waverley Council’s Bondi Pavilion is undergoing a restoration, which will include a number of retail tenancies. The first to be offered for lease is ‘Shop 4’ at the southern end of the building, facing Bondi Beach. It is approximately 440sqm of internal space and 400sqm of potential outdoor seating area, subject to D/A approval. This tenancy presents a unique and exciting opportunity for professional food and beverage operators to establish their new business in an iconic heritage building in one of Australia’s best known and loved locations. The tender is open 14 July to 12 August 2020. The tender package can be downloaded now from Tenderlink: tenderlink.com/waverley

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visit waverley.nsw.gov.au or tenderlink.com/waverley


Rob with his award-winning shot of chef Josh Niland.

Local Lad Takes Out Australia’s Most Prestigious Portraiture Award Words Luke Kennedy Photo Noah Idea Food and lifestyle photographer Rob Palmer was too busy to talk. It was mid-morning in a pre-COVID world and he was flat out in his studio shooting a job for an important client. He knew he’d been shortlisted for the National Photographic Portrait Prize, but figured he would never win and they probably just needed another form. “I was like, ‘Oh Tara, I'm sorry. I can’t chat now … I’ll call you back in a minute’,” recounts Rob with a wry chuckle. That was 9.30 in the morning and he never did make that return call. When Tara phoned back at 4.30 in the afternoon he was still blazing away behind the camera and let the mobile ring out. Fortunately, Rob picked up the second time and apologised for his evasiveness. “I was like, ‘Oh, look, I'm really sorry, time just flew by’. She said, ‘I just rang to call you because you won’t… I was like 24 The Beast August 2020

‘Oh no way’, I’d been blowing her off all day just because I thought she needed a piece of paperwork.” Winning Australia’s most prestigious portraiture award was a huge accolade for the Eastern Suburbs born and raised lensman, who started out as a surf photographer. In his early twenties, Rob would travel to Hawaii’s fabled North Shore each year with his mentor Dean Wilmot. At Pipeline, Rob would swim out over the shallow volcanic reef, clutching his fisheye lens. The goal was to try and position himself as close to the surfers as possible without getting run over or slammed into the reef by the fearsome waves. Rob’s brine-soaked high point arrived one morning when Kelly Slater paddled out at Backdoor Pipeline. “Scott Aichner and one other photographer were a few metres in front of me,” he recalls.

“Aichner was a big bloke and he was a bit of a gnarly dude. Just as Slater cruised past, dragging his arm in the barrel, Aichner just grabs the other photographer and dunks him, just drowns him under the water and reaches over and sticks his camera in Slater’s face as he comes by. And then I'm sitting back and Slater cruises past and I thought I got the shot but I wasn't quite sure.” As it transpired, the other photographers had missed the moment, but Rob’s image of Kelly was pin-sharp and framed him perfectly beneath the curling lip. The shot eventually ran as the cover image of a Japanese surfing magazine. When Rob’s passion for the surf scene dwindled, he made the transition to food and lifestyle, indicating his career was given a kickstart when he shared a studio with two experienced photographers. “There are probably two guys, John Paul Urizar and Jon Bader, who were my other kind of mentors outside of surfing. They showed me everything I needed to know to be a fullyfledged photographer and not just a surf photographer.” As the world went mad for cooking shows and culinary conjurers, Rob soon found himself shooting everything from celebrity chefs and cookbooks to high-end ad campaigns and lavish magazine spreads. Without gloating, he runs through an impressive list of food and lifestyle specialists he’s worked with including Matt Moran, Pete Evans, Manu Feildel and Michelle Bridges. One of Rob’s more recent assignments was a book collaboration with on-trend chef Josh Niland, who heads up Saint Peter restaurant in Paddington. Niland is credited with reinventing our approach to eating seafood. He champions dishes like


fish head terrine and eyeball appetizers, despises waste and has a reverential attitude towards the food he serves. “You know he kind of honours all of the food he is about to work with,” explains Rob, “and I just happened to get that really cool shot of him about to cut a giant mahi mahi to pieces.” Rob knew he had captured something that resonated and Niland was also pleased with the way he had been portrayed. “I just said to him, ‘Let’s throw it in the National Portrait Prize’,” explains Rob, “and he goes, ‘cool’, and I kind of did it and thought nothing of it.” The striking image of Niland sanctifying the tremendous fish was announced as the winner of the National Photographic Portrait Prize back in mid March. When Rob arrived at the National Portrait Gallery in Melbourne to receive the

award he was treated to another surprise. As the gallery director made her formal address to the press, Rob still had no idea about the prize structure.

The money shot. “I turned to one of the judges and said, ‘That’s a lot of prize money for everyone’. The judge

turned to me and said, ‘That’s not for everyone, that’s for you’. I was like, ‘30K for me? That’s awesome’.” As a cherry on top, the prize also included an additional $20,000 worth of camera gear. Things have slowed down for Rob since the onset of the pandemic but he has been using the downtime to work on a series of portraits featuring chefs and other members of the hospitality industry. “My motivation was to document this unique point in time and the effect it has had both personally and financially on chefs and restaurateurs,” explains Rob. “Hopefully this series can raise awareness about what the hospitality industry is going through and eventually encourage - when the time is right - people to go out and support their local eats.” Everyone in the east is with you on that one Rob.

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How would you describe your art? From large oil paintings of atmospheric landscapes, to smaller paintings or drawings, illustrative work. I’ve also done some portraits. Who are your artistic inspirations? There are many, from the greats - Constable, Turner, the French impressionists, Cezanne and Bonnard - to the Australian greats - Lloyd Rees, all the Australian impressionists, especially their vision of light here, which is totally different from the light in England - and children’s book illustrators, especially Beatrix Potter. I’m always inspired by Michael Leunig’s brilliant wit and observation, his cartoons help keep me sane! What are you working on at the moment? Illustrations for a children’s book a friend is writing. A lady of many talents.

Local Artist... Jenny Ham from Bellevue Hill Interview and Photo James Hutton Introducing this month’s talented cover artist, Bellevue Hill’s legendary lady, Jenny Ham... How long have you lived here? About 12 years now, but over 30 years living in and around Bondi. I moved here from England about 40 years ago. Why do you live here? I love being near the sea, and the Eastern Suburbs offers everything! What’s your favourite beach? Bondi, it really feels like home now! What’s your favourite eatery? I rarely eat out, but the best experience I remember is “21” in Double Bay - superb food and a lovely, relaxed family atmosphere. Where do you like to have a drink? With dinner at my daughter’s house, or with friends, at theirs or mine. Best thing about the Eastern Suburbs? Being so close to everything - good shopping, parklands, lovely beaches and easy access to the city. Worst thing about the Eastern Suburbs? More and more ever-larger cars, with fewer and fewer parking spots! 28 The Beast August 2020

When did you discover you had a gift for your craft? From the age of four, I always knew I’d be an artist. Both my parents were artists, and I was much encouraged. Any other local artists to look out for? I don’t know of anyone local, but I met the clever young artist Harrison Murdoch who designed the cover of the May 2020 issue of The Beast, and much admire the following cover art since then too. What music are you into at the moment? I have masses of CDs and tapes dating back to the ‘60s, ‘70s and later, including Pink Floyd, Joan Armatrading, some classical, some ambient... quite an eclectic mix. Who is your favourite person? My daughter. What do you get up to on the weekends? I catch up with family and friends, or go for a walk or a drive somewhere. What do you do for work? I’m retired now, but I do my art and drop off a few copies of The Beast while I’m out and about. Do you have a favourite quote? Yes, from the wonderful Michael Leunig: “Feed the inner duck, not with human news, or greedy things that suck, but give it quiet views; comments from the moon, opinions from the sky, the insights of a tune, the wisdom of a sigh.” Any other words of wisdom for readers of The Beast? Enjoy every day, the people you love, nourish your soul with nature and laughter, and focus on the things you love to do.


Mayor’s Message Bondi Pavilion Waverley Council’s public tender for a vibrant mix of dining outlets in the southern end of iconic Bondi Pavilion is now open until 12 August. The tender presents an exciting opportunity for unique food and beverage offerings in one of Sydney’s most famous locations. We want to attract a provider who is used to operating in a heritage building and meets the diversity of the people who live in Bondi. They will need to cater to locals who are down for their morning exercise and want to grab a quick coffee, to people who have travelled to Bondi for a long lunch overlooking the famous beach, through to dinner and drinks at night. Our restoration of the heritage building has begun and will take around 18 months to complete. We are so very proud to be retaining the Pavilion as a cultural and community hub for future generations with a major focus on sustainability. For more about the tender, visit tenderlink.com

Bronte Surf Club Following our latest community consultation, Council will commence a design review process of its concept design for the new Bronte Surf Club and Community Facilities Building Upgrade project with key stakeholders. This process will be guided by several design review

Mayor of Waverley, Paula Masselos, with Warren Whillier, grandson of the late Olympian Evelyn Whillier at Bronte Ocean Pool. principles including the reduction of overall footprint of the building and net loss of public open space. See our website for updates.

Waverley’s Olympians To celebrate Bronte Ocean Pool’s link to the Olympics, the Council recently unveiled a photographic installation at the pool honouring local Olympians Fanny Durack, Mina Wylie and Evelyn Whillier (née de Lacy). The women all trained at the pool in the early 20th century and collectively competed at the Stockholm and Berlin Olympics (1912 and 1936) and the 1938 Empire Games. Paula Masselos, Mayor of Waverley

Charing Cross to Bronte Heritage Walk Become a tourist in your own town with the new Charing Cross to Bronte Heritage Walk! This selfguided tour travels through much of the Charing Cross Conservation Area and maps the colourful characters and historical buildings in the two villages. Discover the hidden gems and hidden histories of our area by downloading the brochure on Council’s website waverley.nsw.gov.au

Ph: 9083 8000 | waverley.nsw.gov.au | Stay in touch: waverley.nsw.gov.au/subscribe Updates for Coronavirus COVID-19: waverley.nsw.gov.au/coronavirus

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Not normal.

The Unreliable Guide To... Normal Words Nat Shepherd Photo Polly Thene There’s been a lot of talk about getting back to normal, but what is ‘normal’? So far, 2020 has been like an episode of Black Mirror, directed by David Lynch, but was 2019 really normal? The dictionary defines normal as a ‘usual, typical, or expected state or condition’. 2019 was a year when the government cut funding to the Rural Fire Service in one of the driest years on record and then sat back and watched/took a trip to Hawaii while huge swathes of the country burnt to the ground. I don’t know about you, but that’s not my kind of normal. 2019 was also the year our government approved raids on journalists who dared to say things that highlighted political corruption. That’s not my kind of normal either. Worse still, parliament began debating the legality of any kind of protest against government malpractice. Last time I checked ‘normal’, that was our democratic right. If 2019 was ‘normal’, I guess 2020 is following the pattern. But what do we want to be the 30 The Beast August 2020

next ‘normal’? The Unreliable Guide has some suggestions... The new normal The term ‘new normal’ is everywhere right now. In business speak, the ‘new normal’ refers to a previously unfamiliar or atypical situation that has become standard, which would be fine if anything was standard. 2020 has been defined by shifting sands. Social distancing is the new normal - unless you’re crammed on the bus on your way to work. Stay at home became stay two metres apart, became 1.5 metres, became a metre. The message changes every five minutes, there is no fixed standard, which could explain why most people are acting like it’s C-over. We are C-over it. Political vision vs short-term greed This lack of a clear message from the government seems to be driven by the fight between prioritising physical health or economic health. Renowned economic historian Niall Fergu-

son suggests the world economy will take at least six years to recover and that tourism - one of our key economic drivers cannot recover until there is a cure or vaccine. We may never go back to the ‘normal’ of 2019, but do we want to? Maybe we need to decide, as a nation, on the value of life. The cost of always putting the economy first has not been to our advantage. Our world is dying, and it’s all our fault. The mantra of ‘more production, more consumption, more development’ is resulting in less biodiversity, less climate stability and less physical and mental health. Perhaps the new normal we need to aim for is one that finds a new way to quantify growth; quality over quantity. Shape a new future With that in mind, what could the future look like? Imagine less time-consuming commuting as more and more work is done from home. Imagine children partly home-schooled, finding deeper and stronger bonds with their family. Imagine cities becoming less toxic with the reduction of work travel. Imagine reclaiming city spaces for people, not cars. Imagine a well-funded public health system able to cope with the next pandemic. Imagine. These are not pipe dreams, they are possibilities. We just have to believe in them, and vote for the kind of leaders who have the vision to make it happen. Finally, The Unreliable Guide suggests we don’t let this golden opportunity slip through our fingers. It feels like destiny has tossed us a lifesaving ring, so let’s use it to paddle back to the shore of reason, accountability and wisdom. If we let go now, we will certainly drown in our own filth. Let’s make a new world, not a new normal.


The latest from Randwick City Council about living in this great city

Randwick News During the lockdown earlier this year, many of our beachside car parks were closed to traffic, which led to an unexpectedly lovely opportunity. In the absence of cars, many families realised they could use these spaces as unofficial pedal parks, where kids could ride – or learn to ride for the first time – bikes, skateboards and scooters, or play ball games. Until the end of August we’re providing space at Clovelly Beach and Chifley Sports Reserve, so that residents can carry on enjoying this lovely, safe outdoor space for kids to play in. This will be a trial to see if these pop up ‘pedal parks’ should be a regular winter initiative. Another popular lockdown habit that many people started was listening to podcasts. If you’re looking for a new recommendation, our library has just released their first podcast series, Randwick Local Legends, which explores the history of Randwick City as told by locals. There are interviews with well-known names such as Bob Carr and Little Pattie as well as people such as Lyn Smith who was a nurse at the Prince Henry Hospital from 1955 to 1959. The first episode features rugby legend Gary Ella, a proud Yuin and Bidjigal man who grew up in La Perouse. Listen to Gary’s personal recollections of diving for coins off the wharf, fishing for mullet and lobster in Botany Bay and his recruitment to the Wallabies. There is a new episode every week, so you can start listening now or save up and binge on all of them at the end of August. Happy listening! Councillor Danny Said Mayor of Randwick 1300 722 542 randwick.nsw.gov.au

What’s On(line) BABIES AND BOP RHYME TIME LIVE

Every Wednesday, 10.30am facebook.com/ RandwickCityLibrary

ENGLISH CONVERSATION CLASS Every Wednesday, 11am Classes delivered via Zoom Bookings essential randwick.nsw.gov.au/library

KIDS’ CLUB LIVE

Every Wednesday, 11.15am facebook.com/ RandwickCityLibrary

ISOLATION VOCALISATION Every Wednesday, 6pm randwick.nsw.gov.au

ELIBRARY HELP CHAT LIVE ON FACEBOOK

Every Thursday, 10am facebook.com/ RandwickCityLibrary

EVERY SECOND THURSDAY BOOKCLUB Fortnightly Thursday, 3pm facebook.com/ RandwickCityLibrary

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New podcast every Friday randwick.nsw.gov.au/podcast


August 2020 Tide Chart Numbers Bureau of Meteorology Tidal Centre Photo Penny Ward Monday 31 0114 0709 1246 1915

0.34 1.33 0.49 1.74

3 0214 0807 1341 2014

0.31 1.35 0.49 1.86

Tuesday

Wednesday

0.31 1.37 0.49 1.83

5 0331 0929 1504 2131

0.33 1.37 0.50 1.78

10 0624 0.54 1247 1.38 1846 0.70

11 0044 0705 1337 1950

1.32 0.58 1.39 0.73

12 0140 0753 1433 2105

1.23 0.63 1.42 0.73

17 0058 0650 1226 1858

18 0140 0735 1314 1943

0.29 1.37 0.42 1.91

19 0221 0820 1401 2029

0.21 1.44 0.35 1.96

25 0040 0650 1321 1950

1.46 0.44 1.60 0.51

26 0145 1.31 0745 0.53 1425 1.60 2111 0.53

24 0600 0.34 1223 1.61 1837 0.45

Grommies.

Friday

• New Moon • First Quarter • Full Moon • Last Quarter

4 0254 0849 1424 2054

0.39 1.30 0.49 1.82

Thursday

6 0406 1007 1544 2207

0.36 1.38 0.53 1.71

7 0441 1045 1624 2243

0.40 1.38 0.57 1.62

13 0248 0849 1532 2219

1.17 0.65 1.46 0.68

14 0403 0948 1630 2322

1.15 0.65 1.53 0.60

20 0304 0905 1451 2115

0.16 1.50 0.32 1.96

21 0346 0952 1542 2202

0.15 1.56 0.31 1.90

27 0303 0849 1534 2230

1.21 0.59 1.61 0.50

28 0423 0958 1641 2337

1.18 0.61 1.64 0.45

Saturday

Sunday

1 0041 0630 1204 1843

0.40 1.30 0.52 1.83

2 0130 0721 1254 1930

0.34 1.33 0.50 1.86

8 0514 1122 1706 2318

0.44 1.38 0.61 1.52

9 0547 1203 1752 2358

0.49 1.38 0.66 1.42

15 0509 1.18 1045 0.62 1723 1.62

16 0013 0603 1137 1812

0.49 1.23 0.56 1.72

22 0430 1040 1636 2251

23 0515 1130 1734 2344

0.24 1.61 0.39 1.63

30 0030 0624 1158 1830

0.39 1.27 0.54 1.72

0.18 1.59 0.34 1.78

29 0531 1.21 1101 0.58 1740 1.68


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August 2020 The Beast 33


Right on the kisser.

Football, Meat Pies, Roos and the Women’s World Cup Words Alasdair McClintock Photo Alex Perry Finally, some good news! In case you missed it, Australia and New Zealand have won the right to host the next Women’s Football World Cup in 2023. It’s still a while off, but I think we can all agree it’s nice to have something to look forward to. In Stephen Bradburyesque scenes, Japan and Brazil pulled out last minute and it came down to us and Colombia. No offense to all the wonderful Colombians out there, but I think even they’ll admit we were always going to win that. Like Bradbury, a whole lot of hard work went into even getting in that position though, so to imply that it was merely a case of good luck is unfair. People seem to forget that Bradbury had to work his butt off to even make the Olympics, let alone the final of his event. He didn’t have people falling over in every race! And nor did the team putting together Australia’s bid just scribble out a phone number on a cocktail 34 The Beast August 2020

napkin in a Swiss bar and say with a slur and a wink, “Hey, if you’re looking for somewhere to hold your event, we’ve got a pretty nice place for you.” But this is not an article supporting Stephen Bradbury - he lost that right when he immersed himself in a pyramid scheme - and nor is it an investigative piece on what goes on in Swiss bars (I expect that might be quite dull); this is a celebration of what should be an amazing event for Australia. Hot off the success of the Women’s T20 World Cup (albeit three years later), we have another huge event to get excited about and encourage young women into sport. Cricket though, is cricket. It’s a worldly game, but it’s not the world game. With the Women’s Football World Cup, we get the full bubbling stew of what the world has to offer, because everybody plays football. The variety of nationalities and energy they will bring will res-

urrect shades of Sydney 2000 and bring the country together in a celebration it so desperately needs. ‘The beautiful game’ has been pretty ugly of late; racism, exorbitant transfer fees and corruption are the first things that come to mind when someone mentions it. In Australia, it has long failed to live up to its world status. Whether that’s due to mismanagement or arrogance, or both, is hard to say. Yet, despite all this, the growth of the women’s game has remained a shining light. There is something so eminently positive about having the Women’s World Cup being played in Australia and New Zealand that I sense it is not just the solvent the world game needs right now, but the world in general. It will also be nice to have the world’s eyes on us for something positive again, not for being on fire or for a guy punching out a kangaroo to save his dog.



Penny and Charles, doing their bit.

Eastern Suburbs Residents Save Australia from Economic Ruin Satire Kieran Blake, kieranblake13@yahoo.com.au Photo Grant Leech Residents of the Eastern Suburbs are being lauded as national heroes after it was discovered that their expensive renovations have rescued an economy destined for certain collapse following the COVID-19 lockdown. The entire nation is pouring forth its gratitude to selfless home owners who are adding designer kitchens and elaborate guest rooms in a coordinated campaign to ward off a crippling depression. “It’s wonderful news,” gushed Penny from Point Piper. “I feel so proud to learn that my new bathroom will protect Australia’s way of life forever. And to think, the renovation was initially an attempt to keep up with the Jones’ - or rather 36 The Beast August 2020

the Turnbulls, the Packers and the S.Cams.” The recent HomeBuilder initiative galvanised Penny and her patriotic neighbours, and Struggle Street is now home to utes, trucks, cranes and a fleet of skip bins. True Blue Australians rushed to social media to thank renovators for their sacrifice. “How good are renovators!” beamed @1Ozzie. “Huge thanks to the real Aussie heroes who are supporting impoverished tradies and construction workers who struggle day after day just to put meth on the table,” tweeted @Straya. Locals are less surprised that the region is shouldering Australia’s economic burden, as

sites such as Bondi Beach inject millions of dollars into the nation’s coffers every year. Fellow Struggle Street dweller Jason was inspired to finally act, after consuming every episode of The Block, House Rules and Grand Designs Australia, UK (and New Zealand). He will add a bar and entertainment area downstairs. “We’ll never have to spend money at a licensed venue again,” he beamed, before adding, “The builder was even kind enough to leave a space for us to display our upcoming Australia Day and Queen’s Birthday honours.” Such has been the success of the grassroots economic activism that it has inspired home owners in suburbs such as Vaucluse, Bellevue Hill, Toorak, New Farm, Dalkeith and Somerton Park. Grant from Tamarama is still basking in the karmic glow of his altruistic extension, and responded to critics of the renovation revolution. “Some people dismissed HomeBuilder as a cynical marketing ploy on behalf of Scott Morrison (born and bred right here in the Eastern Suburbs) to distract Australians from other more sinister policies, or to appease his new supporter base. Others questioned how HomeBuilder could actually make a difference, considering so few Aussies qualify,” Grant explained, “but I reminded them of Ghandi, Mandela, Mother Theresa and Mary Mackillop - one person can change the world. Plus, what’s more patriotic than Italian marble, Scandinavian redwood and French doors?” Penny, meanwhile, is so energised by nationalistic fervour that she and Charles have decided to extend their charity and renovate their weekender in Gerroa, as well as their yacht.


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It wasn't me.

All Animals Are Equal Words Jeremy Ireland Photo Daniel Battley It’s hard to believe that spring is just around the corner. As we start to shrug off the effects of winter, the impending season is looked upon as a time of anticipation and regeneration. The days get longer, temperatures rise, flowers begin to bloom; all things that elevate one’s mood and make you feel good about the world. The optimist in me wants this year to be no different, the realist isn’t so sure. In what can only be described so far as a very trying year, I was desperate to try and find a ‘feel good’ topic to celebrate the end of winter and help us out of hibernation. But the more I tried, the more it just didn’t feel right. This year will be quite unlike any other. This virus has reshaped the world and how we live. We are facing what Lily Rothman from Time magazine describes as a ‘society-wide problem’, exacerbated by the fact that the psychological impact varies greatly from person to person. It’s the first time in living memory where a health crisis has caused an economic shutdown, dragging us into an enforced recession. 38 The Beast August 2020

To try and put this into perspective, it’s worth looking at the different challenges people have faced during lockdown and their varying impacts on mental health. Economically, to have your job classified as nonessential and shut down for an indefinite period sends a clear message about the types of jobs, if not careers, that keep the world turning during a crisis. If yours didn’t make the cut, the psychological fallout may be very different from someone who held their job in an industry that was considered essential. Similarly, the impact would be just as stressful for someone who did hold their job but was asked to work extra hours to meet the increased workload. Throw in some home-schooling, especially while trying to work from home, and you’re starting to get the picture. Socially, the same principle applies. Psychological impacts will differ depending on where people sit on the lockdown curve. My dear elderly neighbour, who is more at risk than most, has no doubt felt the effects of isolation more than

a younger person would have. Those who have fallen victim to an increase in abuse, domestic violence and crime will have a different experience as well. Even politically there were differences. As the second wave hit, it felt like there was a witch-hunt going on in Victoria. The language used and the way it was delivered by the various state premiers was verging on belligerent. “Don’t come to New South Wales,” Victorians were told, “or you’ll cop an $11,000 fine and six months jail.” Unfortunately, a by-product of what we have seen through this economic and social lockdown has been prejudice, which is judging people based on stereotypes. When we stereotype, we see what we want to see and hear what we want to hear, or place a person or group of persons into an inflexible, allencompassing category. In the US, it’s come down to “Democrats wear masks, Republicans don’t”. In Australia, it’s “Everyone from Melbourne is a risk”, and blaming backpackers for Bondi becoming a hot spot. Even your vocation can be stereotyped. Consider the musicians who lost out from the closure of our pubs and clubs. “Surely muso’s don’t get paid? That’s not a real job, they’re just doing it for the fun and a few free beers, right?” The main point here is that everyone’s individual experience of the pandemic will be different. Some people will benefit, some people will be decimated by it, and some people will barely feel a ripple. Either way, don’t ignore how you feel about it. If you feel it’s getting on top of you, please seek professional help. Have you got a question? Please contact Jeremy at bondicounsellingservices.com.


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Way better than work.

COVID-19 Has Taught Us So Much Words Dr Marjorie O'Neill, Member for Coogee Photo Roland Pin As we enter the middle of 2020, it becomes apparent that we have just lived through extraordinary times, and none of us saw it coming. It hit us suddenly and brutally in the early months of this year and it is obvious that its impact on individuals has varied greatly, but no one has been unaffected. The effects of COVID-19 on our small businesses, sole traders and those working in the entertainment, travel and accommodation industries have been dreadful. I feel deeply for the many people who have lost their livelihoods, as well as the increasing numbers that are experiencing food insecurity. Yet even within the dreadful context of a global pandemic, there have been opportunities for good things to happen that deserve recognition. It is important that we acknowledge what we have gained through 40 The Beast August 2020

this difficult time and, if possible, ensure we build on these lessons. As a community, we have certainly achieved a great deal. First and foremost, to this point in time at least, we have managed an amazing success rate in combating the spread of COVID-19 among our community, and this has been a direct result of all of us doing what has been asked of us in terms of social distancing and hygiene. This self-discipline has been mixed with a strong sense of community and kindness. We also learnt to value our essential workers. The support of neighbours for the elderly and those at risk throughout these months has been beautiful to witness. I have been privileged to be a part of a number of community initiatives to assist those in need, including donating

and collecting used computer devices to benefit kids who need them, setting up community cupboards so food and goods can be discreetly accessed by those without, and helping support our struggling small local businesses. It has been wonderful seeing our community come together at this time, something I hope stays with us for many years to come. We have also learnt to use technology much more effectively. How wonderful were our children learning to adapt to online learning, and their teachers who made it happen almost overnight? Let’s not forget the amazing parents who learnt to run a small classroom at home! While this was happening, our pollution levels decreased and many of us are now asking whether we really need to go back to daily commuting and full-time face-toface work. Zoom is now a part of our everyday language and many organisations have finally recognised that their employees are capable of doing their jobs without direct control. Solitude, or at least more contemplative time, gardening and lots more home cooking are also benefits of our social isolation. It seems that everyone I know has learnt or experimented with something new this year. In my family, we have baked bread, made fresh pasta, done jigsaws, planted masses of vegies and even done a bit of cleaning up around the house. We have seen more of our neighbours, as they have tended to sit out the front of their homes or walk around the block, and we have certainly shared much more family time. As I contemplate the implications of COVID-19 in our area, I am of course reminded of those words from The Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.�


If you have any issues at all that you require assistance with, please do not hesitate to contact my office on 9398 1822, email coogee@parliament.nsw.gov.au, or come in at 15/53-55 Frenchmans Road, Randwick.

CONTACT MARJORIE

Electorate Office Details: Address: 15/53-55 Frenchmans Road, Randwick NSW 2031 Email: coogee@parliament.nsw.gov.au Phone: 9398 1822 Fax: 9398 1044 Authorised by Dr Marjorie O’Neill MP, 15-53-55 Frenchmans Road, Randwick NSW 2031. Printed by Jeffries Printing, 5/71a Milperra Road, Revesby 2212 using parliamentary entitlements. July 2019.


A man for all seasons.

Super and The Pandemic Words Andrew Bragg, Liberal Senator for NSW Photo John Mangos No doubt as you read this you are somehow reflecting on the effects of the COVID-19 virus, whether it’s a health impact on you or someone near to you, an employment impact, or in the case of most people, a financial impact. With restrictions easing, life will slowly begin to return to a new normal. It concerns me that during this transition many ‘armchair experts’ will be trying to advise you on the best ways to navigate your life and financial future. Most of them will be from the unions and big business, vested interests which espouse the virtues of an outdated superannuation system that was the brainchild of Labor cronies and the union movement. It’s now 2020 and we are still stuck with the 1992 Superannuation Guarantee Act from Paul Keating, which is outdated, inefficient and beholden to vested interests. The system is seri42 The Beast August 2020

ously underperforming and not delivering as it was intended for Australian workers. Many people have argued against early access of super, which we legislated during the pandemic. Super is your money. Emotional rhetoric may make for salacious reading but I prefer to deal in good policy and the facts. I have recently published a book called Bad Egg: How To Fix Super. My research for the book uncovered startling failures. The industry wants you to keep your savings in a fund because clearly your money is working for them. I want you to be able to use your money to buy a house should you choose to get into the market. Super has damaged home ownership. In 1996, 11 per cent of 25-34 year-olds owned their own household outright. By 2016 this number had dropped to just 1.5 per cent. My research revealed a whopping 63 per cent

totally agreed with allowing access to super for a first home. Next, the super system costs more than it saves. Treasury figures put savings to the economy in the reduced age pension at $9 billion. The cost of the scheme in foregone revenue is $36 billion. Try running your household budget on that ratio and see how long you last before you go broke! Thirdly, super is not significantly reducing pension reliance. With average balances around $196,400 for men and $129,100 for women, super will only last for a few years of retirement. And it explains why 68 per cent of retirees will still take some form of pension either part or full - until 2050. Pension reliance will not change between now and 2050 under any proposed superannuation policy, which shows the system is not working. Fourth, self-interest reigns supreme. Anyone who has looked at the super system will appreciate the intricate alliance between industry super funds, the union movement and the Labor Party. Super funds provide the money, the union movement provides the people and the ALP provides parliamentary representation. They are all fellow travellers. The super system has done exactly what venerated Hawke era Finance Minister Peter Walsh feared. He said, “Consistent with its policy of putting the interests of those with jobs ahead of those without jobs, the ACTU was in favour of compulsory superannuation … (for lower income workers) it will be a cost ineffective investment …but are a pot of gold for those, including unions, who can get into super fund management.” Gotcha. So when you’re looking at super, look at who is talking and how they might stand to benefit. It is, after all, the people’s money, and that means your money.


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The Fletch, massive and delicious.

Glenayr on Blair Words Joel Bevilacqua Photo Bryan Fletcher For those who do not know me, I am not an Eastern suburbs local. Before I moved here and became a revered food critique, I was born and raised in the rugged wilderness of Hobart, Tasmania. Before David Walsh erected the world famous Mona Museum and kick-started the city’s cultural revolution, my home was a simple place of simple tastes. After four years living in the Eastern Suburbs, my style and culinary tastes have changed somewhat. Now, whenever I order my usual soy latte back home, it gives rise to sniggers and scoffs from my mates. But I like to think I’ve retained a little bit of my honest upbringing, and perhaps that is why I am so excited about the opening of Glenayr on Blair, a fantastic little sandwich shop specialising in fresh, hearty sandwiches at reasonable prices. A word of advice: don’t go in there and ask for gluten-free or rye bread (white and brown are the only options available). No offence to the gluten intolerant, 44 The Beast August 2020

but this place just isn’t for you. Glenayr on Blair is for people looking for a good, honest feed that is both delicious and filling. Owner Daniel Weinstein explains that he opened the shop because he saw a gap in the market for lunchtime options in the area that fit this criterion. He had also heard that Reddam House School had shut down their canteen and that the senior students were allowed to leave school at lunch to hunt for food. When I was visiting, a bunch of Reddam boys came in and ordered their usuals from the specials board. Many of the sandwiches featured are named after special people in Weinstein’s life. Three of these are good mates who he met during his Waverley College days. ‘The Rawso’ (poached chicken, basil pesto, avocado, beetroot, zucchini, eggplant and roast carrot) is a tribute to the much-loved former Paddington Colt, Shane Rawson, who sadly passed away four years ago. ‘The Cheg’ (chermulah chicken, harissa mayo, hummus, cucumber, roast

capsicum, roast carrot coriander and lettuce) is named after Michael Chegwidden, who also sadly passed away shortly after the boys finished school. ‘The Fletch’, named after former Rabbitoh and Rooster Bryan Fletcher, is fittingly filled with beef brisket, house mayo, Swiss cheese, pickles and coleslaw. ‘The Aria’ (butter and vegemite, $4) and the ‘The Jade’ (chicken schnitzel and cheese, $5) are named after Weinstein’s daughters. If you’re picky, you can also create your own. Being a fan of The Matty Johns Show, I decided to tuck into The Fletch. It’s a big feed to say the least - bloody tasty as well - and at just $13 you can see why the school kids have picked Glenayr on Blair as their new lunchtime spot. The $9 coffee and bacon and egg roll deal has also proved popular with the tradies. I may have lied a little bit earlier. Glenayr on Blair also do salads, but even these are fuss free. It is a set salad, and all you have to do is choose what meat you want. Options include chicken schnitzel, chermulah or poached chicken, tuna and smoked salmon. Despite the salads looking the goods, I will be sticking with the sandwich when I return. It might be the bread-stealing convict blood that runs through my veins, but I am of the strong belief that it is very hard to beat a big, fresh, hearty sandwich. Glenayr on Blair 85 Glenayr Avenue, Bondi Facebook Glenayr on Blair Instagram glenayronblair Phone 0478 072 201 Open Mon-Fri 8.30am2.30pm, Sat-Sun 10am-3pm Prices Sandwich Specials $13, Salads $12-$15 Cards Master, Visa, Amex Licensed No


It's that time of year.

Fragrant Chicken Noodle Soup Words and Picture Dana Sims Instagram @stone_and_twine The fresh, light and fragrant nature of this spicy soup makes it so uplifting. Before you’ve even dived in there’s a sense of winter comfort and the familiarity of Vietnamese flavours. Chicken noodle soups can be as simple as a whole chicken cooked in broth with seasonal vegetables, or paired with spices and fresh Asian ingredients for an aromatic, zesty treat, which is what we’re going for here. The turmeric and ginger provide the goodness and a generous amount of silky noodles gives it body. The aromats and spices infuse the broth and the chicken as it poaches. This recipe serves six. It’s good for the body and soul, and a party on the palate! Ingredients 1 x 1.3kg fresh chicken, rinsed 2L good quality chicken stock 1L water 50ml fish sauce 2 tbsp brown sugar

400gm rice noodles 150gm oyster mushrooms, cut in half Juice of 1 lime To serve: 1 bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped 2 chopped spring onions, fried in vegetable oil until crisp 1 lime - cut into wedges For the paste: 2 tsp coriander seeds 3 small red chillies, chopped 2 lemongrass stalks, chopped (white part only) 8cm piece fresh ginger, skin removed then chopped 3 cloves garlic, chopped 2 spring onions, chopped 3cm piece fresh turmeric, skin removed then chopped 1 tsp black peppercorns 2 kaffir lime leaf ½ cup sunflower oil Method 1. Place all ingredients for the spice paste into a blender until a smooth paste forms. Remove

from the blender and transfer to a large stockpot on medium heat. Stir the paste consistently for approx. 6 minutes, ensuring it doesn’t stick, so it starts to get a slightly deeper colour. 2. Add the stock and water and give it a good stir before placing the chicken in. Ensure the chicken is covered with the liquid. Place the lid on the stockpot and bring to a simmer. Remove the lid and cook for 50-55 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. 3. Transfer the chicken to a plate to allow it to cool, before removing the skin and shredding the chicken off the bones into a separate bowl. 4. Keep the stockpot to a simmer and, in a separate pot of boiling water, cook the rice noodles for approx. 5-6 minutes (depending on thickness of your noodles). 5. Add the fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice and oyster mushrooms to the stockpot. Stir through and turn up the heat to medium. Check the seasoning and whether you want to add more chilli. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir through, cooking for a further few minutes until the noodles are cooked. 6. Divide the rice noodles into serving bowls, then ladle the soup and chicken over the top. Top with coriander, fried shallots and lime wedges and serve hot. Dana Sims is a Sydneybased food and prop stylist who has grown up in the Eastern Suburbs and loves to create delicious food for entertaining and family. She is inspired by the fresh produce we have access to here in Sydney. For ideas, recipes and styling inspiration, check out her Instagram, @stone_and_twine. August 2020 The Beast 45


Subject Reflection Location Bondi Photographer Ashlea Hingston

Subject Crab hunting Location Gordons Bay Photographer Melissa Martin

Subject Salty seduction Location Bondi Photographer Poppy Wolanski

Subject Foggy Location Centennial Park Photographer Jules Breese

Subject Cloud Jumping Location Bondi Photographer YohAn Jeevaratnam

The Beast Magazine wants your local photos!


Subject Dislocation Location Tamarama Photographer Lea Carter @carterlea

Subject Drone view Location Bronte Photographer Seb Elmaloglou www.intepic.net

Subject Cocky Location Centennial Park Photographer @candice_epthorp_photography

Subject Rapids Location Maroubra Photographer Andrew Worssam

Subject Lids Location Maroubra Photographer Chloe Contos @contosphotos

Subject Silhouettes Location Bronte Photographer Andrew Worssam

Please send them to photos@thebeast.com.au


Tales in Space

WEAPON OF YOU Label Independent Reviewer Alasdair McClintock Rating  Local act Tales in Space have grown up, had kids and moved away from the infectious pop they were known for, towards a more introspective and melancholic sound. This is not music to be discarded, like a backpacker might a prophylactic in Bronte Cutting; it is to be mulled over, like an expensive Tasmanian whisky in the Southern Highlands. While keeping true to their electro roots there is newfound depth beyond the MIDI keyboard, most evident in songs like ‘Weapon of You’ and ‘Stormy Eyes’. Get around it!

Phoebe Bridgers PUNISHER

Label Dead Oceans Reviewer Alasdair McClintock Rating 

THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND Genre Comedy Drama Director Judd Apatow Reviewer Linda Heller-Salvador The King Of Staten Island is directed by Judd Apatow, who is known for elevating stand up comedians into the feature film spotlight - think Seth Rogen in Knocked Up and Amy Schumer in Trainwreck. It’s an amusingly entertaining and light-hearted exploration of depression, mental health issues and drug addiction which is co-written by comedian Pete Davidson (Saturday Night Live) and is loosely based on his life and events that lead to him being the irresponsible man-child that he was. When Scott Carlin (Davidson) was young his firefighter father died in tragic circumstances which affected him deeply. The now 24 year-old Scott still lives at home with his mother Margie (Marisa Tomei) and sister, Claire (Maude Apatow). He wanders aimlessly through life with no purpose except for getting stoned, hanging out with friends and dreaming of opening an unrealistic tattoo restaurant, that is, until a series of unforeseen events help him deal with his grief and move forward with his life. 48 The Beast August 2020

There is a pretty dark line in Punisher about living near a hospital and the sirens waking you up at night. I can’t be bothered typing it out, but it’s fairly indicative of what I would call this “gothic folk” genre. You’ve got to really be in the mood for it and the first time I listened I was, but the second time not so much. If you’re into Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes, I expect you will like this. I found it enjoyable, but as is often the case with this sort of grim self-examining, by the end of it you just feel like yelling, “Oh, get over yourself!”

Ocean Alley

LONELY DIAMOND Label UNIFIED/Sony Music Reviewer Alasdair McClintock Rating  Sometimes you don’t realise how good an album is until you’re not listening to it. When you’re staring blankly at a wall, questioning the mundanity of life, and it seeps into the back of your head, coaxing you into a brighter present where you realise music is a good enough reason to exist. Ocean Alley must have felt under some pressure to deliver after all their recent success, and they have nailed it. It’s the next logical step, not too far away from the sound that made them so popular, but exhibiting just enough growth to keep the drooling critics at peace.


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ACROSS 1. A western US state (10) 6. Aussie who won the first posthumous acting Oscar (5,5) 7. A system such as a pattern of letters that assists in remembering something (8) 9. Chapeau in English (3) 10. Capital of Brazil (8) 12. Dora’s male cousin (5) 13. Time period (3) 14. Lottery (5) 15. Glen Campbell song, ... Cowboy (10) 16. French island (3,9)

DOWN 1. Original fire Pokémon species (10) 2. Frozen water (3) 3. Large body of water (5) 4. Destroy (10) 5. Danny Zuko (4,8) 6. Evaluation of work by one or more people (4,6) 8. The number of cases a doctor, lawyer, or social worker has at one time (8) 10. New York City convenience store (6) 11. Film about Margaret Thatcher, The ... Lady (4)

Trivial Trivia Words Cameron Anderson Photo Lea Carter Instagram @carterlea 1. What is the first name of Harry Potter’s mother? 2. What does Charlie say before his death in Citizen Kane? 3. What is the national flower of Australia? 4. Which flower does vanilla flavour come from?

5. What is the first name of Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s first child? 6. Which special day is on August 28th to support the Cancer Council in Australia? 7. What is the colloquial term for discrediting someone’s achievements?

8. Which Australian actress from the film Bridesmaids was born in Balmain? 9. Which year is it customary for the wedding anniversary gift to be fruit or flowers? 10. What do you get if you cross a sheepdog with a rose?

Bronte boardrider. August 2020 The Beast 49


Libra Sep 24-Oct 23 You’d only be able to root about 3 per cent of the people you think you could, so it’s worth maintaining your current squeeze.

Pisces Feb 20-Mar 20 Yes, there is a solution to every problem, but quite often your hairbrained solutions are worse than the problem itself.

Scorpio Oct 24-Nov 22 People are always nice to you because you’ve always been nice to them, so keep being a legend and your life will be wonderful.

Aries Mar 21-Apr 20 Your friends have more fun than you because they take more drugs - simple as that. I’ll leave the important decisions to you.

Visions Beardy from Hell

Sagittarius Nov 23-Dec 21 Get up off your lazy arse and get your bloody life in order, or at least try and find someone who’ll do it for you.

Taurus Apr 21-May 21 You’re going to start noticing heaps of things that resemble scrotums, which could be a sign that you need to cradle a sack.

Leo Jul 23-Aug 22 You worry way too much about all your possessions. You’d be heaps happier if you owned less shit, so stop accumulating.

Capricorn Dec 22-Jan 20 If you really have to believe in something that’s not real, just stick with religion instead of your stupid conspiracy theories.

Gemini May 22-Jun 21 If you put as much effort into your work as you do into deciding what to have for dinner, you’ll be a very successful person.

Virgo Aug 23-Sep 23 It’s not some silly genetic disorder or food intolerance that’s making you tired, it’s because you don’t get enough bloody sleep.

Aquarius Jan 21-Feb 19 If you’re not doing something that scares the shit out of you at least once a month, you’re not really living.

Cancer Jun 22-Jul 22 Eyeing off your neighbour’s spouse will wind up getting you bashed or gangied - there’s no in-between - so tread carefully.

Star Signs

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50 The Beast August 2020

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ENABLE OVER PRINT PREVIEW IN ADOBE ACROBAT TO PREVIEW CORRECTLY

Description: Runners Shop logo Scale: 100%. Size: See Artwork Date: 31/10/18 Client: The Runners Shop Die Line Reference: N/A

4 Colour process

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Odissey Ten’s artwork procedures are in place to ensure accuracy of final artwork. Final sign-off is responsibility of the client. Odissey Ten Pty Ltd cannot accept responsibility for incorrect artwork that has been approved by the client. Note that this artwork is a guide for colours. Please check the scale / measurements for correct sizes. Should you have any questions, telephone 02 4324 4486


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