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The end of greyhound racing at Wentworth Park is nearly here – finally Pages 16 -17
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TANYA PLIBERSEK FEDERAL MEMBER FOR SYDNEY Anti-Scam & Cost of Living Forum Cost CostofofLiving Living We know Australians are under pressure and there’s much more work to do but we have made progress. Under Labor, 1.25 million jobs have been created, we have the lowest average unemployment for any Government in half a century, business investment is the highest in nearly a decade, and debt is down on what we inherited. We’ve achieved this while delivering a series of tax cuts for every single tax payer including this financial year and the next. That will be five tax cuts in total. We’ve also delivered cheaper medicines, more support for parents, debt relief for students, free TAFE, and a $20,000 instant asset write-off for small businesses. And there’s more practical help on the way. Paid PaidPrac Prac We introduced Prac Payments for students training to be teachers nurses, social workers and midwives. Now we’re expanding Prac Payments for students in clinical psychology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, paramedicine, radiography, pharmacy, rehabilitation therapies, audiology and podiatry. The payment, $338.60 per week during placement, is means tested, benchmarked to the single Austudy rate and indexed annually. Landmark energy rating system for Australian homes Landmark energy rating system for Australian homes We’re expanding our world-leading Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) beyond new builds to include existing homes. The system gives you guidance on how to cut your energy use and slash your energy bills through home energy upgrades. A Home Energy Rating also makes it easier for banks to assess green finance loan applications, unlocking discounted upgrades to make homes cheaper to run. NSW has also announced that Home Energy Ratings will be included in their new Home Energy Saver loan and discount program.
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Prescribing nurses Prescribing nurses Authorised nurses are now able to prescribe Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines. Our Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025 allows authorised nurses to prescribe medicines subsidised by the PBS, in partnership with an authorised health practitioner. This reform will be available to Registered Nurses (RNs) who have undertaken studies as required by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).
1A Great Buckingham Street Redfern NSW 2016
Redfern Town Hall, 73 Pitt St, Redfern. Tuesday, 1 September, 2026, 1pm – 3pm. With over 480,000 scams reported in 2025 we are all vulnerable to being scammed. The people who do this want your money, your identity and any other information that they can use for all the wrong reasons. This is why I’ve invited the Financial Services Minister, Daniel Mulino to talk to Sydneysiders to share tips on how to protect yourself from scammers. Sydneysiders are also facing daily cost of living pressures so I’ve invited organisations who can provide tips and advice on how you can get help. Come and chat with representatives from Moneycare, AGL Energy, Optus, Centrelink, Financial Rights Legal Centre, Australian Tax Office, Redfern Legal Centre, Service NSW, St Vinnies. Places are limited. Scan the QR code, email or phone my office to reserve your spot.
Know your catch Know your catch Australians want to know the origin of their seafood. From 1 July 2026, hospitality businesses are required to clearly label the origin of seafood dishes as either Australian, imported or mixed origin. This will help drive demand for local seafood, supporting Australian jobs right across the supply chain.
AI data centres AI &&data centres Our Government will introduce a world-leading artificial intelligence framework so that Australia can capture the opportunity, share the benefits and keep Australians safe. The new standards will set out clear rules for large data centres— including a legal obligation to underwrite their own power supply, pay their full share of connection costs so energy bills are not impacted, and to be water efficient. We will also work with States and Territories to ensure large data centres are built in the most appropriate locations, and with input from local communities. We will also ensure the strongest possible protection for Australian artists and media. Australian writers, artists and journalists will retain ownership over their work. No company should use Australian creative works to train AI without the artist’s control.
(02) 9379 0700
Tanya.Plibersek.MP@aph.gov.au
Authorised by T. Plibersek, ALP, 1a Great Buckingham Street, Redfern 2016
HubNEWS
OXFORD ST RAIDS NSW Police forced to reopen conduct investigation after mass complaints (See p.8)
Community consulted on Moore Park cycleway proposal BY WILL THORPE
HUBARTS: I WANT YOUR SEX
Gregg Araki delves into submission & sexuality. (See p.21)
Published monthly and freely available throughout the Inner City. Copies are also distributed to serviced apartments, hotels, convenience stores and newsagents throughout the city. Distribution enquiries call 9212 5677. Published by Altmedia Pty Ltd. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy of content, we take no responsibility for inadvertent errors or omissions. ABN 52 600 903 348 Group Editor & Publisher: Lawrence Gibbons Publisher’s Assistant: Mal Moody Admin Assistant: Courtney Miller National Sales Director: Greg Topalian Ph: 0455 120 404 Advertising Manager: Mal Moody Ph: 0401 244 297 Advertising: sales@altmedia.net.au Managing Editor: Chloe Sargeant News Contributors: Jacques Nieuwoudt, Will Thorpe Arts Contributors: Angus Sharpe, Chloe Sargeant, Coffin Ed, Josh Kerwick, Jacques Nieuwoudt, Mark Morellini, Naomi Lawrence Cover Model: Tigger (Supplied by Monty Marshall) Designer: Nadia Kalinitcheva Mail: PO Box 843 Broadway 2007 Email: news@altmedia.net.au, arts@altmedia.net.au Ph: 9212 5677 Website: www.cityhub.com.au PUBLICATION DATE: 27 AUGUST 2026
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he City of Sydney has consulted residents on a permanent cycleway to replace the temporary one along Moore Park Road and Fitzroy Street — and while the proposal has been welcomed, some locals are pushing back on plans for a parallel extension on Oxford Street. A temporary cycleway was established in 2020, utilising a former traffic lane. In the time since, bicycle ridership has increased by 89 percent on Moore Park Road and 74 percent on Fitzroy Street. Safety has improved significantly. In the five years to 2020, one fatality and four serious injuries occurred; there have been none since. Up to 1,000 trips by bike are being made daily along the corridor. “RAPID GROWTH” IN POPULARITY Lord Mayor Clover Moore said that there has been “rapid growth in cycling numbers, particularly given the meteoric rise in shared bike trips.” The Oxford Street route recently recorded its millionth trip. “By building connected bike links, we’re offering people a viable transport option that is safe, cheap and encourages active lifestyles. Cycleways mean riders don’t need to weave in and out of dangerous traffic competing with trucks, cars and buses. People walking also benefit as the cycleways create a buffer from vehicles and reduce the instances of people riding bikes on the footpath.” “It’s our responsibility to ensure the city is safe to ride for the rapidly increasing number of people who choose to do so,” Moore added. SHOULD REPLACE OXFORD ST PLAN, SAY SOME Meanwhile, the City is also pursuing an extension of the
Photo: City of Sydney
Oxford Street cycleway from Taylor Square to the Centennial Park gate, bisecting Paddington and paralleling the route on Moore Park Road.
Three years of consultation, but nobody is really satisfied that any of the concerns have been adequately addressed Six local community groups have formed the Paddington Cycleway Community Alliance to support the corridor alongside Moore Park whilst opposing the planned route on Oxford Street. “There has been three years of consultation, but nobody is really satisfied that any of the concerns have been adequately addressed,” said Nick Stravs of the Paddington Project. He highlighted concerns “in terms of traffic chaos, the righthand turns all along Oxford Street, the economic impacts for businesses, the safety aspects for elderly, disabled, or children, and also emergency service access.” Stravs said that the design was impractical, and added
that there was “a sense of deep frustration that after consultation, none of those things have been addressed.” “People want to cycle, which is great, but they're not cycling to come to the shops in Paddington. They're cycling to get somewhere, and I think that's what Oxford Street West has shown — people are commuting. They want to get from Bondi Junction to the city, or they want to get from Bondi to Central.” “So when you add it up, one that's going to involve design problems that costs a fortune, as opposed to the one that works and will cost a lot less, that has great patronage, connects the city with the east from the Centennial Park gates, it’s just a bit of a nobrainer.” Peak advocacy body Bicycle NSW, however, supports both projects. A City of Sydney spokesperson said that “Transport for NSW has taken longer than anticipated to progress the Oxford Street East cycleway, which is currently in design and a business case is being developed.” The spokesperson added that the Government “should deliver this critical connection as soon as possible”. CITY HUB SEPTEMBER 2026
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HubNEWS
Councils optimistic over government’s new housing and liveability plan
Photo: Will Thorpe
BY WILL THORPE
W
ith the Minns Government’s blueprint for Sydney’s future development aiming to improve liveability whilst providing more homes, councils are hopeful, but concerns about housing affordability and infrastructure remain. Launched on Thursday August 13 by planning minister Paul Scully, the plan forecasts that Sydney’s population will grow by 1.3 million in the next two decades, with 800,000 more homes and 950,000 jobs needed accordingly. Councils will be required to continually plan housing supply for 30 years ahead, with all council areas — including inner urban municipalities such as the City of Sydney — expected to accommodate more residents. Open space has been identified as a priority. The plan envisions no net loss of open space, and requires significant residential or mixed-use developments to provide public open areas. New housing is to be located within 400 metres of a public open space of at least 3,000 square metres. The need for more and cheaper housing is clear. Primara, a
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research firm, found that Sydney’s population would have shrunk by 100,000 in the 2024-25 fiscal year were it not for overseas migration, as Sydneysiders sought cheaper parts of Australia. LONG-TERM THINKING IS “WELCOME” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said that the City “will take some time to go through the document and reach an informed view, but longterm, strategic thinking is always welcome.”
Whilst it is good to see a long-term plan for housing in Sydney, the biggest challenge for the Government will be matching growth with infrastructure funding “The plan’s focus on increasing jobs, open space and encouraging councils to adopt affordable housing schemes like we operate in the City is also welcome.” “The Government should ensure those schemes incentivise affordable housing that is rent based on household income, and managed by a registered not-forprofit Community Housing Provider
in perpetuity, so the housing is genuinely affordable and not lost in 15 years.” “While it makes sense to zone for additional housing and employment floor space around existing infrastructure, these existing precincts aren't the only places that will see development. If the Government expects Sydney to grow effectively, it needs a plan for growth in essential services, in particular public transport connections.” Sarah Dixson is the mayor of Woollahra, a majority-Liberal council that has clashed with the Minns Government over the latter’s development plans, particularly around the unfinished Woollahra station. “Whilst it is good to see a longterm plan for housing in Sydney, the biggest challenge for the Government will be matching growth with infrastructure funding.” Woollahra recently unveiled its alternative to state plans for redevelopment around the halfbuilt facility. This would see an overall reduction in the height of development, and the provision of 3,600 new homes instead of 10,000. Scully has stated a desire to work with councils, to which Dixson responded positively. “We are looking forward to the
opportunity of meeting with the planning minister and presenting an alternative approach to the state-led rezoning for Woollahra and Edgecliff, which includes 10,000 new units around the train stations over 10 years.” “A WIN FOR HOUSING DIVERSITY” Eamon Waterford is the CEO of the Committee for Sydney, a leading urban think tank that hosted Scully for the recent policy launch. “This plan tells a story of more jobs in the west, more housing in the east and more of the infrastructure and amenities that make life better for all of us.” “For the first time, public space targets will be considered as a part of the rezoning process, meaning great outdoor areas will be planned for from the get-go, so that new suburbs, developments and precincts can breathe more easily with better access to nature.” “This isn’t just a plan with broad housing targets, it’s a win for housing diversity and familyfriendly apartments. In a growing city with an increasingly diverse makeup of homeowners and renters, this is so important.” The planning minister was contacted for comment, but did not reply by time of publication.
HubNEWS
NSW Police drops all charges against Rising Tide Blockade protesters BY JACQUES NIEUWOUDT
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SW Police have confirmed they will drop the remaining charges against those who participated in environmental group Rising Tide's 2024 People's Blockade protest. “I feel that the police should have withdrawn these charges in early 2025 and saved a lot of people time and heartaches,” said arrestee Susan Duncan, an ecologist. The kayak blockade, the largest act of civil disobedience for climate inaction in Australia’s history, resulted in the arrests of 141 people who took to the water, successfully blocking three coal ships from entering Newcastle Harbour, the world’s largest coal port. 117 of these arrestees had their defence taken on by Climate Defenders Australia.
CHARGES AGAINST RISING TIDE PROTESTERS Almost all arrestees were charged with the same two offences: causing an obstruction to a major facility, under s 214A(1) (b) of the Crimes Act 1900 – which carries a maximum penalty of 2 years imprisonment – and operating a vessel to interfere with others’ use of waters under s 14(a) of the Marine Safety Act 1998. However, over the course of several test cases, the police repeatedly failed to prosecute anyone under the 214A antiprotest law charges. When Climate Defenders Australia asked police for 214A's more severe charges to be dropped in October 2025, they were denied, forcing them to prepare to defend the remaining cases in June. It was only after police again failed to prosecute anyone
under the 214A charges in June that they dropped all remaining charges against Climate Defenders Australia’s 110 remaining clients.
If the government engaged in meaningful discussions around the pathway to climate action these actions wouldn't be needed “I think it's clear from this that the government's attempts to squash the right to protest are undemocratic and not in line with the law,” said Rising Tide arrestee and neuroscientist Dr Elizabeth Manning. "If the government engaged in meaningful discussions around the pathway to climate action these actions wouldn't be needed.”
Photo: risingtide.au / Instagram
NSW Labor’s public land audit is more like a highly efficient stocktake sale This month, an exclusive story in the Sydney Morning Herald revealed seriously concerning details about the privatisation of public land under NSW Labor. After more than three years, the Minns Labor Government’s land audit doesn't appear to have actually delivered a single home. Instead, it has functioned as a highly efficient stocktake sale of public land and public assets that even the Liberals hadn't touched. As reported in the story, confidential documents have revealed nearly 300 publicly-owned sites worth more than $1.39 billion could be sold on the private market through the this public land audit. The Minns Labor Government has spun this as a means of addressing the housing crisis, however, a Guardian report last year revealed that more than two thirds of the sites were being sold to private developers with many not requiring the delivery of any actual affordable or social housing. Some existing Government owned housing in the Inner West was also sold to the private market – rather than being retained as public housing. If NSW Labor were serious about tackling housing affordability in our city that the private market profits from, they would be keeping publicly owned housing and land in public hands – not flogging it off to cashed up developers. The Greens will be scrutinising the 30 page list of sites on the chopping block exposed in the Sydney Morning Herald and working with communities to stop the sell offs. Public land belongs to all of us – and selling it off is inexcusable by a NSW Labor Government that was elected on a promise of ending the Liberals privatisation agenda.
Jenny Leong MP Greens Member for Newtown
Get in touch if we can help:
Read more about the public land audit and view the sites NSW Labor wants to sell off!
(02) 9517 2800 newtown@parliament.nsw.gov.au jennyleong.org 383 King St, Newtown NSW 2042
This regular column is authorised by Jenny Leong MP. Funded using parliamentary entitlements.
CITY HUB SEPTEMBER 2026
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HubNEWS
Criticism over ‘affordable housing’ in Verona Cinema development BY WILL THORPE
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mixed-use development at the Verona Cinema on Oxford Street was approved in July at a larger scale than initially proposed, but some critics of its affordable housing provision remain unsatisfied despite its developer agreeing to a $3 million contribution. Plans for the Oxford Street venue’s redevelopment have been in the works since late 2022, following its sale to developers WT Malouf and Fenbury — no longer involved — the year prior, and it closed in 2024. The latest iteration is to see it become a seven-storey mixeduse complex, adjoining the block of flats next to it. Envisioned are a cinema, a bar, a retail premises, a rooftop pool, 58 parking spots and 64 units — an increase of 16 on the 48 previously proposed, though other numbers have also been thrown around. Despite this enlargement, the overall number of affordable units is unchanged, with 14 to be designated as such. The City of Sydney and Sydney MLA Alex Greenwich have argued that these homes will not be available to those who most need them, a consequence of how ‘affordable housing’ is defined in NSW. However, homes provided through the developers' payment to the City of Sydney will fall under a different criteria. STATE DEFINITION OF 'AFFORDABLE' IN THE SPOTLIGHT As defined at a state level, ‘affordable housing’ is that which is either discounted by at least 20 per cent below market rent, or for which rent is capped at 30 per cent of the average household income. Under the Minns Government’s housing reforms, ‘State Significant’ projects are fasttracked in exchange for a proportion of units being designated as affordable for 15 years. That proportion may vary 6
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Photo: Supplied
from 10 to 15 per cent depending on the scale of the proposal. In April, housing minister Rose Jackson told the City Hub that the Government was “currently reviewing the guidelines for affordable housing.”
Most of these apartments are noiseaffected, without natural cross ventilation or access to open balconies and 35% have no or limited access to direct sunlight “We will have more to say on rent settings under the new Affordable Housing Policy shortly. We expect the new policy to be in place by mid-2026,” Jackson said at the time. DEVELOPER AGREES TO CONTRIBUTION A December submission by the City objected to the proposal’s affordable housing component.
It argued that the development “should meet the minimum requirements set out in the City of Sydney Affordable Housing Program,” and as such either provide affordable housing in perpetuity at 30 per cent of income or fund its construction elsewhere. Subsequently, the developer agreed to a monetary contribution of $3,088,478 towards affordable housing. Will Mrongovius of the Paddington–Darlinghurst Community Group nonetheless called it “disappointing that the affordable component did not increase.” He noted with colourful language, moreover, that the group considers the Government definition of affordable housing to be unfit for purpose anyway. The City wrote that it was “also concerned that the affordable housing apartments would have the poorest amenity of the proposed development.” “Most of these apartments are noise-affected, without natural cross ventilation or access to open balconies and 35 per cent have no or limited access to direct sunlight.”
Some changes were made in response to this criticism, “where feasible.” The affordable dwellings will have access to all communal and residential facilities, including the rooftop pool and communal space, and the ground floor courtyard and garden. During the assessment process, the City made three submissions outlining its concerns. “A key concern was that the proposal sought to access extra height and floor space beyond the State Environmental Planning Policy infill incentives under the cultural and creative incentives of the Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2012,” a spokesperson said. “This local incentive is for buildings which support creative and cultural uses only, rather than market residential development, as proposed.” A report written by Urbis on behalf of WT Malouf noted the property's function as a cinema, adding that the retail area will support this. WT Malouf hopes to commence construction before the end of 2026, to be completed within three years.
HubNEWS
Sydney's iconic custard puff vendor Emperor's Garden shut down BY JACQUES NIEUWOUDT
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he business behind Sydney Chinatown’s iconic “Emperor’s Puffs”, hot custard-filled buns sold from a door-sized hole-in-the-wall, has closed its doors. In early August, paper notices fixed to both the bakery door and neighbouring Emperor's Garden Restaurant, owned by the same business, stated the premises had been “lawfully re-entered and possession taken”. Emperor’s Garden had been a Chinatown staple since it first opened in 1979. Tourists and locals alike were often seen lining up in droves to purchase a still-
steaming sweet treat from the famous vendor. “Loved this place,” one Reddit user commented. “Severely burnt my tongue many a time. Seriously such a shame, we’re losing a lot of Sydney cities [sic] heritage recently.”
Photo: aliceinthealice / Wikimedia Commons
many as we could and just share this giant pile of them.”
WHAT FORCED THE CLOSURE? According to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), such property confiscations are often Seriously such a undertaken when a company has shame, we’re losing a both failed to pay its debts and has not successfully entered into an lot of [Sydney’s] heritage approved payment plan. recently However, owner Stanley Yee told the Daily Telegraph he doesn’t know what happened, a question “I remember in my teens we'd be out as a big group in the area,” that is all the more complicated by the property’s split ownership with recalled another, “[and] all pool an extended family member. our change together to get as
Despite the closure, Emperor’s Garden playfully described the interruption as "a short break" via its official Instagram page, claiming that they were making "a few moves behind the scenes". The post, captioned “THANK YOU SYDNEY”, told followers that while they waited for the vendor’s iconic puffs to reinflate, the page would “start having a little fun”. This was followed by a meme from The Office, of star John Krasinski smiling deviously, captioned: “other yum cha restaurants in chinatown after finding out about our break”.
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INTERESTED IN ADOPTING? visit www.catprotection.org.au Rehoming Organisation Number: R251000224 CITY HUB SEPTEMBER 2026
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HubNEWS
NSW Police forced to reopen investigation into Oxford St raids
Locals not happy as private school bids to buy entire street BY JACQUES NIEUWOUDT
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Photo: Composite / Wikimedia Commons
BY JACQUES NIEUWOUDT
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SW Police are being forced to properly investigate the alleged misconduct that occurred during a drug raid of several of Sydney’s LGBTQIA+ venues during Pride month. The investigation will seek to determine whether the police overstepped on 13 June, as is alleged by numerous reports of aggressive behaviour which describe individuals being shoved and forced to strip in public.
Dozens of officers stormed a packed crowd trying to watch a drag show According to the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC), this more extensive inquiry was ordered after the police, at the LECC’s request, conducted an internal assessment and subsequently “declined to investigate the matter”. Professional standards manager Inspector Michael Butcher alleged that body camera and CCTV footage was examined, alongside police records and witness testimony, and yet no evidence of any breach of policy was found. 8
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COMMUNITY QUESTIONS FINDINGS “Chris Minns’ goon squad investigated itself and found no wrongdoing, you say?” one sceptical community member wrote online. “These sham committees set up by NSW Police and Labor allow them to pretend to listen to the community while doing absolutely nothing.” The police’s finding contradicts droves of complaints received by MP Alex Greenwich and Lord Mayor Clover Moore, in which patrons of Universal, Palms, and Kinselas that night described police behaviour that was “aggressive, intimidating, disrespectful and unprofessional”. In Greenwich’s letter to the LECC, he described CCTV footage from Universal first-hand, saying he was “appalled” by the police’s conduct. “Dozens of officers stormed a packed crowd trying to watch a drag show,” Greenwich wrote, “including an officer who entered the performance space and refused to leave. There is footage of humiliating searches in front of crowds.” In light of this discrepancy, the LECC has determined the police’s internal review to be insufficient, and has since evoked its statutory power to order further investigation. The Police will be required to share the results of the investigation with Greenwich and Moore.
private Anglican school, the Sydney Church of England Co-educational Grammar School (SCEGGS Redlands), is in talks to purchase a public street in Cremorne – and locals aren’t happy about it. While North Sydney Council rebuffed Redlands School’s bid to purchase Monford Place back in 2021, Council is now reconsidering the fate of the 791-square-metre cul-de-sac. On August 10, councillors voted to move forward with the closure and sale of the street, with Deputy MaryAnn Beregi moving to ignore the Redlands School’s existing offer, and instead require that Monford Place be sold for “no less than the independent valuation price”. What that price is remains confidential, the street already having already undergone a number of independent valuations. The sale proceedings come after North Sydney Council’s five-year renovation of North Sydney Olympic Pool. Originally forecast to cost just $48 million, the restoration ultimately blew out to a whopping $122 million. Now, locals are concerned that North Sydney Council is
Photo: Google Maps
compensating with a cash grab that could greatly impact parking and traffic conditions around the street, which is just off Military Road. Local cleaning business owner Lais Ferraz told the Sydney Morning Herald that she parked in the street every day, and that it was useful to her staff as well. “It’s terrible. This area is super busy with the commercial side, with restaurants and everything.
For the council, it’s money for them. But for the people running a business, living here, it’s not good For the council, it’s money for them. But for the people running a business, living here, it’s not good.” While the street is surrounded by school property, its closure would amount to the loss of 18 public parking spaces, 10 of which are unrestricted. For many, these parking spaces are crucial for accessing the surrounding restaurant shopping district, particularly considering the adjoining Military Road is a clearway on weekdays from 3 pm.
26
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HubNEWS
Mardi Gras cops backlash over "misguided" Pauline Hanson invitation BY JACQUES NIEUWOUDT
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ydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras is facing backlash over online posts inviting One Nation leader Pauline Hanson to attend the festival. The statement was written in response to a News24 appearance, in which Hanson reaffirmed she did not like Mardi Gras, would never attend, and believed sexuality should be kept “behind closed doors” rather than “out there with the gay Mardi Gras”. “Mardi Gras is a party, a protest and a promise that LGBTQIA+ people don’t have to live “behind closed doors”,” the Mardi Gras post read, “No matter who’d prefer it that way. “For someone who says she’s never attended Mardi Gras, we’d argue Pauline Hanson has been participating in her own special
way for decades. She’s inspired floats, drag queens, costumes and even a dance track… Mardi Gras has always responded to prejudice with humour, creativity and a fabulous outfit. “So Pauline, the invitation remains open. Come along one year. You might even like it.”
continue contributing to dangers against our communities.” Mardi Gras responded to this criticism with another post, clarifying that they “utterly reject” Hanson’s views and regret that “some of the intent behind [their] words was lost”.
THE BACKLASH The post was met with immediate criticism, some arguing the joke didn’t land, others declaring it was not the LGBTQIA+ community’s responsibility to convince bigots of their humanity. “This stupid & misguided post harms our communities,” replied Simon Hunt, the performer behind Pauline Pantsdown. “Of course Hanson’s svengali James Ashby will consider jumping at the ‘offer’ in this worst-ever attempt at sardonic humour, & SGLMG will
Pauline, the invitation remains open. Come along one year. You might even like it “Hanson says she’s never attended or watched the Parade… Maybe when she sees the tears, the smiles, the anger and the joy - and looks into the eyes of the people her words affect - she might change her mind.” The statement was met with similar criticism.
Photo: Sydney Mardi Gras / Instagram
Swans players banned amid sexual assault allegation investigation BY JACQUES NIEUWOUDT
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he Sydney Swans have moved to bar five of their players from the remainder of the 2026 AFL season: Riley Bice, Nick Blakey, Isaac Heeney, James Jordon, and Chad Warner. It comes after at least four of these players were embroiled in a Victorian police investigation into an alleged sexual assault in an East Melbourne hotel on August 17. None of the five players have been formally interviewed by police, and it remains unclear which (if any) may be charged, and in what capacity, in relation to the alleged offence. Instead, the board has stressed this latest step is part of the Club’s own disciplinary action, separate to the ongoing investigation. 10 CITY HUB SEPTEMBER 2026
we're holding them to a really high standard.” Sydney Swans chairman Andrew Pridham said the players’ behaviour left the Club with little choice but to enact the ban, which has been endorsed by the AFL.
Photo: Bianca De Marchi / AAP
“The Club believes the players are in serious breach of expected Club behaviour and standards, and it is appropriate to take firm action and highlight that any sanction we impose relates solely to those breaches,” said the official statement. “The Club also acknowledges that these serious allegations impact others and their wellbeing must be paramount.”
“BREACH IN BEHAVIOUR” In a press conference held on August 19, Swans CEO Matthew Pavlich clarified what this so-called “breach in behavior” was. "It was staying out late,” Pavlich said. “It was drinking. It was continuing their night. It was bringing women back to the hotel. It was a long way short of what we expect of our players and
To effectively torpedo our season by making a decision such as this tells you how seriously we're taking this "The only way we can deal with it is to put our foot down incredibly hard, which we've done,” said Pridham. “To effectively torpedo our season by making a decision such as this tells you how seriously we're taking this."
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COFFIN ED’S NAKED CITY
NO ROOM FOR TOWN HALL SQUARES
Photo: Supplied / City of Sydney
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n 1963, jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley released an album with the very catchy title of No Room For Squares. It’s a shameless appropriation of a metaphor, but perhaps the same wording could be applied to the current debate over the Sydney Town Hall Square Project. Said to be 40 years in the planning, the 4,500 square metre plaza will supposedly evoke a European-style atmosphere and ‘unify’ the CBD. Lord Mayor Clover Moore is perhaps the most enthusiastic promoter of the plan. She’s been quoted as stating “I’ve sat in squares in Vienna and Rome and Greece and Spain – it’s where people gather, it’s the centre of city life and it’s quite fantastic.” But Clover was quick to add, “This isn’t going to be like that – it’s going to be just as grand as one of those squares, but it’s going to be very Sydney and it’s going to be very Australian.” When it comes to monumental legacies, many will remember the somewhat infamous Cloud 12 CITY HUB SEPTEMBER 2026
Arch which Clover had proposed almost a decade ago. The massive steel structure planned to tower over George Street, designed by Japanese artist and architect Junya Ishigami. After a lukewarm public response and blow-out costs approaching $22 million, it was eventually canned. The $150 million budget for the Town Hall Square has raised a few eyebrows, as has the inevitable disruption of both demolition and construction. It’s unlikely the project will be completed until 2031 and surrounding retail and other businesses are concerned what impact it will have on them. There are always casualties in these kinds of grandiose redevelopments and the Council has labelled the Woolworths building, which it now incidentally owns, as having no particular historic or architectural significance. That’s despite the fact that the imposing landmark has stood for nearly a century and is deep in the heart of many Sydneysiders.
Meeting your friends on Woolies corner and slipping in for a cold drink or bite to eat has long been an institution in the CBD. It’s a retail monolith that will be sadly missed, all for the sake of a water feature and hundreds of square metres of paving. Critics of the Square have already emerged, with the Daily Telegraph’s James Morrow suggesting it will become a space for numerous political protests, homeless encampments and flocks of ibis. His was a cheap shot but maybe there’s some validity in the points he raises. As far as political protest goes, who knows what the future holds, with the rise of One Nation and a massive swing to the right in Australia. If school kids protesting Pauline Hanson turn out in 2031, like they did recently in the CBD, maybe they will need a much bigger space to voice their anger. As for the city’s homeless taking up residence in the square, it could be argued that the $150 million would be better
spent providing a new hostel, so we never end up again with the tragic case of the homeless Nepali young man whose body lay unnoticed in the Sydney CBD for almost a week. As for an army of ibis running amok, feasting on discarded snacks, it would be nice to see some wildlife in the new plaza and surrounds, which will apparently include rows of iconic Aussie gumtrees. It might be an ask to ship in a load of koalas for the tourists. Possums and rats are prolific throughout the city as are pigeons and cockatoos. They should all be encouraged to gather in the square – well... maybe not the rats, although they are great for cleaning up scraps. The Council has yet to indicate whether buskers will be welcome, not to mention religious evangelists and soapbox orators. And if we must have one of those huge water features why not stock the thing with edible fish and encourage city workers to throw in a line at lunchtime.
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THEIR LIVES ARE (WENT)WORTH MORE: THE GREYHOUNDS’ LAST LAP AT WENTWORTH PARK IS NEARLY HERE
Greyhound Adoption Day 2026 in Sydney CBD. Photo: Dan Himbrechts / AAP
BY CHLOE SARGEANT
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n 16 October, the last greyhound will race around Wentworth Park, marking the end of 94 years of inhumanity there. The greyhound racing industry will frame it as the end of an era. But for the people who have spent years standing outside the gates protesting, campaigning and documenting the dogs injured and killed there, it is something quite different: a local victory that took far too long. “The closure of the Wentworth Park track is a major victory for greyhound welfare and a huge blow to the racing industry,” Kylie Field, NSW Director of the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds (CPG), told City Hub. “The local community has shown that people power can win over powerful gambling and racing interests.” THE HISTORY OF WENTWORTH PARK: FROM PARK, TO TRACK AND BACK AGAIN Wentworth Park’s history stretches well beyond greyhound racing — and public recreation 16 CITY HUB SEPTEMBER 2026
was the point of the place long before betting on dogs entered the picture. The park sits on what was once the swampy mouth of Blackwattle Creek. Reclamation works transformed the area in the late 19th century, and in 1885 the Colonial Government formally proclaimed Wentworth Park for public recreation.
We won’t rest until every track is returned to its local community, and every greyhound is safe By the early 1900s it was a genuinely multipurpose neighbourhood park: cricket, rugby union and rugby league were played there; local brass bands performed in its rotunda; crowds gathered for community events. Even a kindergarten was established. From 1928, part of the park became a speedway, hosting
Aerial view of Wentworth Park, 1964. Photo: City of Sydney Archives
motorcycles and later speedcars, before noise complaints and track damage helped bring that chapter to an end in 1936. Greyhounds had already entered the scene, by that point. Records show the Australasian Greyhound Club secured a short lease in 1932 and dogs were racing there by October. The National Coursing Association entered a formal lease agreement with the Wentworth Park Trust in 1939. After this, the racetrack, grandstands, betting facilities and walls came to dominate a significant chunk of what was always meant to be public parkland.
For animal welfare campaigners, however, that history cannot be separated from the dogs who were injured or never made it home after racing there. CPG recorded more than 60 greyhound deaths at Wentworth Park since 2016, but the full, accurate totals from the many decades of racing will likely never be known. “We will probably never know how many greyhounds died on the Wentworth Park track,” she said. “The 2015 McHugh Inquiry into NSW greyhound racing found that racing staff were directed to falsify records or omit reporting dog injuries and deaths.”
The McHugh Inquiry also exposed the devastating welfare failures across the industry, finding that nationwide, up to 17,000 dogs were being killed every year if they were deemed too slow or unsuitable for racing. The more recent Drake Inquiry – which, Field notes, the NSW Government has largely ignored the recommendations from – identified significant problems with governance, management, culture and greyhound welfare at Greyhound Racing NSW. “The racing industry’s nostalgia for the track is misplaced,” Field said. “The scenes of Self Sink writhing on the track with a broken spine will forever be the image that represents the cruelty that occurred at Wentworth Park.” Greyhound Racing NSW argues welfare outcomes have improved, pointing this year to declining serious injury rates and an 87 per cent reduction in on-track euthanasia across NSW since 2017–18. But advocacy groups frequently point out that official numbers often do not account
Wentworth Park, 2016. Photo: David Moir / AAP
future, while Greens Balmain MP Kobi Shetty campaigned with residents and moved a parliamentary motion in 2024 calling for racing to end and the park to return to community use. Animal Justice Party MP Emma Hurst delivered more than 500 letters to Lands Minister Steve
First Speedcar meeting at Wentworth Park, 1935. Photo: Les Gough Collection
for off-track deaths, or dogs euthanased days later. “It remains a business that is hugely harmful to dogs and communities,” argues Field. “For the sake of the dogs, we have to fight this cruel business at every turn.” A LONG, LONG BATTLE FOUGHT BY MANY But this long-lasting battle has involved far more than one organisation or politician. The City of Sydney formally called for greyhound racing to leave Wentworth Park in 2020. Independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich repeatedly pressed the NSW Government over the track’s
Kamper in 2025 calling for the same thing. After the early closure was confirmed, Hurst described greyhound racing as “a dying industry” and the decision as “one more nail in its coffin”, adding that Wentworth Park “belongs to the public, not an industry that kills dogs as a hobby”. In November 2025, an open letter to the Premier and relevant Ministers was coordinated by the Australian Alliance for Animals, demanding the end of the greyhound racing industry in NSW. It brought together CPG, Animals Australia, and Animal Liberation, alongside Hurst,
Greenwich, Shetty, Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Greens MLC Abigail Boyd, Deputy Lord Mayor Jess Miller and the Lord Mayor. “The influence of Lord Mayor Clover Moore and supportive MPs has been invaluable,” Field said. “Greyhound racing would love a showpiece metro track, but those days are long gone. No community now would choose a dog racing track over green space or land for housing.” WENTWORTH PARK’S FUTURE AFTER THE FINAL GREYHOUND RACE What comes next is a return to what Wentworth Park was supposed to be. The NSW Government plans to remove the racing infrastructure and transform the former 3.9-hectare greyhound precinct into sporting fields and public open space, reconnecting it with surrounding parkland to create a unified park of around 14 hectares. The City of Sydney’s One Park for Everyone vision, developed after community consultation, is considerably more ambitious than simply ripping up a racetrack and laying down grass. The structure plan includes five sports fields, including a new oval with two full-sized community fields; a large playground; new walking, cycling and exercise paths; picnic tables, shelters and open lawns; places for young people to gather and skate;
changerooms and new park facilities; and the retention and reuse of heritage buildings. Plans also include Blackwattle habitat and biodiversity planting, while mature trees and significant heritage items will be retained. The need for open space is becoming more pressing as thousands of new homes and residents are expected around Pyrmont, Ultimo and Blackwattle Bay. “The return of the Wentworth Park greyhound track as public open space is critical,” Moore said in 2025. “We must support increased density with adequate access to parkland.” THE FIGHT CONTINUES Advocates who have spent years campaigning and protesting aren’t under any illusions that 16 October is the end of this – they know a battle has been won, but the war has not. The industry is looking at other Sydney locations, and welfare groups have already promised fierce opposition to any replacement track. Field says that advocates will fight for the closure of every track, tooth and nail – and that the industry’s days are numbered. “The public is sick of the gambling industry and its harmful impact on people and dogs. Greyhound racing is on borrowed time... We won’t rest until every track is returned to its local community, and every greyhound is safe.” CITY HUB SEPTEMBER 2026 17
HubARTS
A VERY SCANDI WINTER
Australian Chamber Orchestra gives us Nordic chills at the Opera House (See p.20) REVIEW
Photo: Daniel Boud / STC
BENNELONG IN LONDON BY NAOMI LAWRENCE old and deeply felt, Bennelong in London turns one man's audition into an electric reckoning, carried by two actors collapsing centuries into a single room. Written by award-winning playwright Jane Harrison, the play follows Sebastian Anderson – played by Guy Simon – an eager young actor auditioning for the titular role in a production of Bennelong in London. With his pleas, Anderson summons Bennelong himself, played by Googoorewon Knox. Together, the two trace Bennelong's storied past, but hear from the man himself, who has always been defined by his actions. The play unravels the man behind it all, from the time he was kidnapped
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and taught the coloniser's version of civility, through the clever ways he pushed back – all the way to his marriage to the formidable Barangaroo and his eventual travels to London. It prods at the real question along the way: how you hold onto your culture while being trotted around as a symbol of it. Simon plays Anderson with keen gusto, bringing a frantic energy alongside real softness, an actor chasing a break who slowly turns into a man genuinely trying to understand another. Knox knocks it out of the park as Bennelong, using physicality and sharp delivery, carrying loss and isolation without ever losing his pride.
The humour itself is biting, understated and littered with meta jokes, and every one of them lands. The play can feel didactic at times, especially through the middle stretch, and it's stronger in its ideas than in its overall execution, but the performances never waver. The staging of a cluttered Parramatta flat sprouts tufts of tall grass underfoot, lit in warm, effusive tones, and Ian Michael directs with a deft hand, building a kinetic energy through blocking
and movement that never lets the space go still. It might still be working out kinks and runs a touch long, but this is one to watch. At its core, it's about cultural inheritance; keeping who you are alive however you can; never forgetting your roots and standing tall. For anyone looking for a sharp, powerful two-hander that digs into complex history, Sydney Theatre Company's Bennelong in London is it.
SYDNEY DANCE COMPANY CELEBRATES 40 YEARS AT THE WHARF
Photo: Supplied / SDC National Library
BY JACQUES NIEUWOUDT ydney Dance Company (SDC) is commemorating four decades at its Walsh Bay home with a seven-week celebration, running from 22 August to 16 October. The celebration will include performances, exhibitions, workshops, and community events honouring all the company has created from the historic waterfront building. The centrepiece of the 40 Years at the Wharf event will be Current, a contemporary dance season running from 3 to 20
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creativity, generosity and sense of belonging that has made this our home for four decades.” The celebration will also highlight the wharf's history, with an exhibition developed in partnership with Museums of History NSW and the State September in the Neilson Studio. Library. The exhibition will feature The season will present world pre- archival photographs, interpretive mieres by choreographers Raghav displays, and historical SDC Handa, Jenni Large and Azzam season posters, all tracing the Mohamed, alongside the Australian evolution of Wharf 4/5 as a centre premiere of Artistic Director Rafael for Australian contemporary Bonachela's E2 7SD. dance. “For forty years, the Wharf Alongside these exclusive has been much more than our collections, including photographs location,” said Bonachela. “It is by Australian black-and-white where ideas are born, where artists photographer Max Dupain, visitors will be able to enjoy come together to take creative newly recorded oral history films risks, and where audiences featuring dancers, staff, and become part of our story. students. “We hope audiences and The celebrations began with participants experience the
a free Open Day on 22 August, offering dance classes, Pilates sessions, family activities, and performances. Visitors were able to attend an open rehearsal of E2 7SD led by Bonachela, and a performance by Sydney Dance Company's Primary Youth Ensemble with Gondwana's Junior Performing Choir. The company's Pre-Professional Year students will also participate in the celebration, presenting a series of 40-minute site-specific improvisations across the piers during the season. Alongside the public program, the company has launched 40 Years at the Wharf: The Next Steps, a fundraiser aimed at supporting future productions, investing in artists, and growing audiences for Australian contemporary dance.
HubARTS
ON NOW AFTER ENTIRE COLLECTION DONATED
Photo: Supplied / University of Sydney
BY JACQUES NIEUWOUDT isitors to the University of Sydney’s Chau Chak Wing Museum (CCWM) will be able to indulge in a new collection of artwork, ephemera, and archival material by Australian artist Tracey Moffatt. Moffatt, widely regarded as Australia’s most recognised contemporary visual artist, is known for her photo-performative photography, experimental films, and videos. Moffatt’s career has spanned four decades, and has seen her hold dozens of exhibitions across the globe. She became the first Australian artist to be honoured with a film retrospective at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. The CCWM welcomed a donated collection of Moffatt’s works, including an edition of every photographic work, film, and video produced by Moffatt since 1985. It is the first donation of its kind to an Australian museum. The resulting exhibition, entitled Tracey Moffatt Sorted - a look at her Archive, has been produced in collaboration with the artist, who has provided complete access to an archive of thousands of previously unseen documents. Among its displays will be “time capsules”, an idea inspired
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by Andy Warhol, which will include idea sketches, personal photographs, film props, correspondence, and photo test prints, which, according to Moffatt, “demonstrate ideas that didn’t work”. Moffatt herself is a fan of the museum, describing a deep love for its eclectic collection. “I just love that one can walk through the museum and see an ancient Egyptian mummy and then, around the corner, cool and often obscure international contemporary art from the 1960s,” she said. Chau Chak Wing Museum director Michael Dagostino said the museum was honoured to be entrusted as custodian of Moffatt’s work. “When I started my arts career, I remember seeing the Scarred for Life series among other works by Tracey Moffatt and they still have a lasting impact on me today, as I am sure they have had on many others,” he said. “At any point in time, Tracey’s work is on display somewhere in the world. Tracey has been an innovator throughout her long and successful career. No museum in Australia has been gifted an artistic archive of such depth and scale.” Tracey Moffatt Sorted a look at her Archive is on now.
OPENS IN MARRICKVILLE BY CHLOE SARGEANT f you have a friend who came back from an overseas holiday suddenly unable to shut up about padel — you’ll probably know the sport is having a bit of a moment. Now, Sydney is getting properly in on the action, with purpose-built indoor padel club Sidewall Social opening in Marrickville. Taking over a historic industrial building at 20–28 Carrington Road, Sidewall Social has five indoor courts — three doubles and two singles — alongside coaching, competitions, social play and a hospitality space for the very important postgame debrief. Padel has become enormously popular across Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. Sidewall Social is hoping to bring that here, pitching itself at everyone from people who have never picked up a racquet through to experienced players – and maybe make some mates while you’re there. “We wanted to build a place where people come for a game but stay for the community,” co-founder Andrew Fineran said. “Padel is incredibly easy to pick up, genuinely social and a lot of fun. We’ve created a club that’s welcoming, inclusive and designed for everyone, whether it’s your very first game or you’ve been playing for years.” And Marrickville feels like a fairly natural place for that kind of venture. The suburb’s old industrial areas have been steadily filling with breweries, hospitality venues, and creative businesses, while still retaining the industrial architecture that gives the neighbourhood its character.
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Co-founder Mark Longhurst said that combination was part of the appeal. “Marrickville has an incredible creative energy and a strong sense of community,” he said. “We’ve embraced the industrial character of the space while creating a space that’s welcoming and built for people to enjoy together.” Sidewall Social’s arrival comes as padel continues to find a bigger Australian audience. Australian sporting names like Pat Rafter have embraced it, joining international converts including David Beckham, Serena Williams and Tom Holland. But if padel truly is Australia’s next sporting obsession, the Inner West now has somewhere to do it — inside an old Marrickville warehouse, naturally. The club marked its official opening event on 22 August - you can learn more at sidewall.com.au.
Photo: Sidewall Social / Instagram
MAJOR TRACEY MOFFATT EXHIBITION
PADEL CLUB SIDEWALL SOCIAL
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HubARTS REVIEW
REVIEW
A SCANDINAVIAN WINTER CONJURED AT THE OPERA HOUSE
Photo: Charlie Kinross
BY ANGUS SHARPE ain threatens to fall. It is the intermission of the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s From Winter’s Stillness at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, and I’m standing on the back deck of the famous building. The first half of the performance is still fresh on my mind, and – as is the concert’s intention – I find it difficult to separate the music from this winter before me; so bleak and bitter, yet remarkably so full of colour. From Winter’s Stillness is a collaboration between the ACO, Norwegian jazz trumpeter Arve Henriksen, and Nordic folk singers Trio Mediæval. Stringing together compositions ranging from medieval to newly commissioned, the concert aspires to capture the mysticism of Scandinavian winter. Today, the world it collides with is this wind-whipped Sydney Harbour; and from what I have seen so far, few musical experiences could better complement it. The opening was quiet. It began with strings which sounded first like the crackle of ice over a lake, before evolving into sombre, tranquil orchestral passes. Over this, as he stood facing the
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strings, both conducting and delivering his work Plume of Ash / Acceptance, Henriksen’s trumpet sang with a mournful tone. ACO Director and lead violinist Richard Tognetti took the role of conductor from Henriksen – violently swinging both hand and bow to draw a ferocious rendition of Terry Riley’s Half Wolf Dances Mad in the Moonlight. Helmed by the Trio, and then finally Henriksen’s voice, the orchestra performed four more pieces. Yet so exceptional was the landscape they constructed with these pieces, like gentle snow over a mountain range, I felt slowly buried by a complete vision of winter. The entire second half is made of Alfred Schnittke’s Concerto Grosso No. 1, interleaved with medieval hymns by the Trio. The result is a deeply unsettling score. Ultimately, like the enormity of winter or the indecipherable beauty of a sprawling landscape, there are few words which can describe the feeling the concert leaves me with. Instead, as I leave the Opera House and plunge into cold rain now falling, it feels like Sydney’s winter is doing that for me.
A POETIC, ENTHRALLING & 'GARISHLY INHUMAN' SET FROM SHOCK CORRIDOR BY ANGUS SHARPE eep in pints of cheap lager, I sway outside the seedy late-night Chippendale refuge, Bar Broadway, next to George Miller – frontman of Naarm post-punk six-piece, Shock Corridor. As I probe Miller with questions, he describes the intent behind his band’s fierce music, and the vision for their performance at Judith Neilson’s Phoenix Central Park earlier that evening. Ultimately, the most valuable insight he leaves me with – after the band slinks back to their accommodation ahead of a looming 8am journey home – is a love poem by the poet W. H. Auden: As I Walked Out One Evening. Reading the poem bleary-
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fresh Miller still hasn’t written lyrics for it. It is a sound garishly inhuman. Mechanical and terrifying. And in its centre, his hushed, tortured voice rising like an animal lost in the gears, Miller recites the Auden poem. As the band follow with music primarily from their upcoming debut self-titled LP, the audience are witness to a machine brought to life. With trip-hop and post-punk influences grappled together, the music grows limbs and writhes. It reaches out and pulls on us, forcing us to convulse to its mesmeric rhythm. Meanwhile, Miller desperately grips the microphone. He calls helplessly into it, as if down a desolate tunnel.
Photo: Gabrielle Clement
eyed and hungover the next morning, I am struck by how well it captures Shock Corridor’s live performance. With the mechanical limbs of a ticking clock, Auden concludes that time will inevitably tear love apart. Yet, at the same time, he questions if this grim certainty is enough to give up on love altogether. As I read every stanza, I can hear the band open the performance with a new, unrecorded, untitled song – so
This tussle between human and machine comes to a head in their final song. With his eyes clenched shut, Miller drops a match into the gears. Drums implode. Music folds into flames. “I would do anything!” the frontman repeatedly screams. Until, over embers, the band emerges from their performance. Eyes glimmer at the uproar of applause around them. Then, silently, calmly, they slip off the stage.
HubARTS Photo: Lacey Terrell
REVIEW
I WANT YOUR SEX BY JOSH KERWICK ueer cinema icon Gregg Araki is back, and has a message for younger generations: put yourself out there, no matter the consequences. Everything changes for the young, dumb, and horny Elliot (Cooper Hoffman) once he enters the employ of Erika Tracy (Olivia Wilde), a renowned artist who combines the sensual and the cerebral. His sexless relationship with Minerva (Charli xcx) leads him to fantasise about Erika. Soon, his wildest fantasies come true as his boss begins a passionate affair with him where he is the sub to her dom. Yet as Erika pushes Elliot’s limits, consequences begin to compound for the young lad. Will
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Erika ruin his life? And will Elliot actually be into seeing her do it? I Want Your Sex traces outside the lines of social taboos to explore the nature of human pleasure. Although their relationship is considered illicit, the forbidden aspect of it is exactly what they both like so much about it. It taps into something about the nature of desire - that socially acceptable desires and what we really want are often two different things. Yet crucially, Araki also captures the messiness of these desires. Though much of the film is a genuine hoot, several scenes really tap into how important it is to communicate properly with a partner, especially in cases where pain is pleasure.
Hoffman and Wilde both pretty much perfectly portray their characters. Hoffman’s talents are particularly wellapplied to the nervy Elliot as he gets deeper into this situation, while Wilde is pitch-perfect as a semi-pretentious artist and domineering sexual partner. There is also a wonderful cast of supporting actors, and Charli xcx is quite funny as Minerva, playing utterly against type as a diligent medical student.
The film does begin to circle the drain a bit by the end, and it’s another film that reminds me why I miss when directors had to shoot on celluloid film rather than digital cameras. Nonetheless, I Want Your Sex is a highly entertaining film about exploring different generations’ relationships to intimacy which only Gregg Araki could make.
I Want Your Sex is in theatres now.
PENNY LANE IS DEAD
BY JOSH KERWICK lending genuine bleakness with a sense of wicked fun, Penny Lane Is Dead is a gem in the recent wave of Australian horror. It’s 1986 in a small coastal town, and golden child Penny Lane (Bailey Spalding) will soon be off to university. She’s celebrating with friends Amy (Alexandra Jensen) and Toni (Tahlee Fereday), the latter of whom Penny is secretly romantically involved with. However, their party is crashed by Penny’s city-dwelling cousin Kat (Sophia WrightMendelsohn). After drugging Penny and getting kicked out by Toni, Kat returns with three shady men, most notably Angus (Ben O’Toole). Toni and Amy realise they’re in way over their head - and as you might guess by the film’s title, things only get
Photo: IMDb
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worse. As such, Toni becomes our perspective character as she attempts to save Penny. Fereday is genuinely excellent at balancing the fear and badassery necessary for the lead. But Wright-Mendelsohn and O’Toole are the impressive performances, inhabiting miscreant Australian archetypes with alarming accuracy. Penny is portrayed with great
capability by Spalding. Her radiance is anathema to Kat’s personal brand of edge, with jealousy undeniably playing a part in her hatred of Penny. In her time with Angus, she seems to fully internalise his misogyny and trade in the lives of her family to appease these evil men. It culminates in a viscerally implicative sexual assault scene, followed by the subsequent
death of Penny. The violence on display feels uncomfortably real compared to many other horror films, considering how accurately it puts Australian misogyny into the limelight while doing it. Their despicable actions makes it all the more satisfying to see them get their comeuppance later. Mia’Kate Russell’s previous experience as a make-up artist shines through for her directorial feature debut, with some particularly gnarly gore. The pacing is a little bit spotty in the second half, but the mix of genuinely upsetting material and extremely capable filmmaking makes Penny Lane Is Dead a surprisingly fun horror/ thriller exercise. Great directing, excellent cast and pernicious commentary give it all the makings of a local cult classic.
Penny Lane Is Dead is in cinemas now. CITY HUB SEPTEMBER 2026 21
HubARTS REVIEW
SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY BY JOSH KERWICK t’s a little embarrassing that it took Marvel nearly 10 years and six appearances to get their most iconic character right, but I’m glad to report that Spider-Man: Brand New Day is by far the best live action Spider-Man film since 2004’s Spider-Man 2. After the multiversal shenanigans of No Way Home that resulted in everyone forgetting the man behind the mask, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is lonely. But Peter realises his body is evolving in strange ways as life forces him back into contact with MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon), while a mysterious villain with mind control abilities appears. If it sounds like there’s a lot going on in Brand New Day – there is. Yet one of this film’s greatest strengths compared
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to prior MCU Spider-Man flicks is its deployment of characters from the franchise to make it feel like a universe, not an excuse for cameos. The approach here largely works because each character reflects Peter in their own ways, allowing him to still have a satisfying character arc while bouncing off other characters, like Jon Bernthal’s Punisher, and the Hulk. Peter’s struggle with letting people back into his life after the trauma of his last adventure make up the crux of Brand New Day, and is perfect for the film’s antagonist played by Sadie Sink. Holland, fresh off the Odyssey boat, manages to turn in his best performance as the character, finally delivering a Spidey flick that feels like it actually understands the weight
Photo: Sony Pictures
of responsibility for Peter Parker. No small part of that lies with director Destin Daniel Cretton, who makes the most tactile and real-feeling Spider-Man film since Raimi got his hands on it. Some may bemoan the overall lack of “point” to SpiderMan: Brand New Day, but this kind of emotionally driven narrative – taking inspiration
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Spider-Man: Brand New Day is in cinemas now.
THE BLUE TRAIL Photo: IMDb
BY MARK MORELLINI hit at the recent Spanish & Latin American Film Festival, The Blue Trail has received 12 nominations at the Brazilian Academy awards. Director Gabriel Mascaro’s story imagines a near-future Brazil where the government decides the elderly no longer contribute economically. Tereza, a 77-year-old woman who has worked two jobs all her life and raised a daughter, has been notified by the government that
from the comics without feeling overstuffed – is what Spidey has needed for a long time, making Brand New Day a delightful superhero caper with a surprising amount of restraint and maturity that never sacrifices the fun factor.
she must relocate to an isolated housing colony where the elderly go to enjoy the remainder of their lives. However, Tereza has other ideas as there’s so much more she wants to experience in life. She endeavours to fight the system and decides to journey down the rivers of the Amazon. Audiences should be spellbound by the impulsive nature of this woman who defies and constantly outruns the law enforcers and snitches,
and triumphantly cheer as she evades the government orders. Denise Weinberg delivers an extraordinary performance as the rebellious and resourceful Tereza. Vastly unknown to Australian moviegoers, she has performed extensively in Brazilian theatre, cinema and television and has won the coveted Brazil’s Grande Premio do Cinema Brasileiro. What gives credence to this film is that all the characters seem like real people who are not working to a script, but living in
a reimagined near future, where the elderly have been stripped of their civil rights, forced to wear diapers and discriminated against, their freedom to live normal lives abolished. There are gleeful moments with slightly cheeky vibes as the mischievous Tereza evades surveillance and embarks on her next misadventure. The story then jolts to one of astonishment and disbelief. This narrative is an eye-opener – could this near-future Brazil become a reality where the elderly have no rights, must carry papers and be constantly monitored? The Blue Trail is a unique film. The mesmerising cinematography captures the picturesque beauty of the tributaries of the Amazon and the breathtaking crimson sunsets. Despite the dark premise, it’s about one woman's insistence to joyously live freely and equally. Tender, uplifting and wondrous, it’s the style of film where you wish there was more.
The Blue Trail is in cinemas now.