TANYA PLIBERSEK
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR SYDNEY
Women’s Health
Our women’s health package has delivered more choice, lower costs and better access to new contraceptives, menopausal hormone therapies and endometriosis treatments saving women hundreds of dollars in out of pocket expenses. We’ve also opened 33 endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics across Australia, including one at Leichhardt.
Fair, more sustainable superannuation
We’ve introduced legislation to boost the superannuation savings of low-income workers. We’re ensuring that superannuation tax concessions are fairer and more sustainable. More than a million low-income workers will receive a bigger tax concession on their superannuation contributions. Our changes to the Low Income Superannuation Tax Offset (LISTO) make the super system fairer from top to bottom.
The legislation also delivers on the Government's commitment to better target superannuation tax concessions for individuals with large balances.
This is on top of lifting the Superannuation Guarantee to 12 per cent, paying super on paid parental leave and legislating payday super to start on 1 July this year.
Renewable energy + net zero
We’ve approved more than 130 renewable energy projects including 54 solar farms, 28 onshore wind farms, 20 energy storage systems, 17 infrastructure and exploration projects and 13 transmission projects. Together, the projects will generate more than 43.5 gigawatts of power, enough to run every household in Australia while also cutting greenhouse gas emissions by over 70 million tonnes of CO2 each year, the equivalent of removing around 22.7 million passenger cars from the road.
World leading decarbonisation finance
Our $5 billion Net Zero Fund is designed to drive decarbonisation, unlock new manufacturing investment and improve energy affordability in hard-to-abate sectors of the Australian economy. The Net Zero Fund will offer highly concessional finance to help firms decarbonise the most energy-intensive parts of their operations, as well as support investment in the scale-up of domestic manufacturing of low emissions technologies. The Fund will be operational by mid 2026.
Cutting the cost of EVs
The Albanese Government is helping more Australians buy an electric vehicle sooner. The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has committed up to $60 million to partner with Hyundai Capital Australia (HCAU) to offer discounted finance on eligible Hyundai and Kia electric vehicles. It will be available for new, fully electric vehicles priced below the luxury car tax threshold.
Eligible customers could save between 0.5 per cent 1.0 per cent on their finance rate. On a $70,000 loan, a 1.0 per cent discount over five years could save more than $1,900 in interest costs.
Solar panel recycling
Australia leads the world in rooftop solar uptake, with more than one in three Australian homes now having solar panels installed. Those panels contain valuable material and strategic minerals that can support the renewable energy transition, such as copper, silver and aluminium. But only 17 per cent of solar panels are currently recycled. Increasing this could unlock up to $7.3 billion in benefits through reduced waste and reuse of materials. We’ll invest $24.7 million over three years to deliver a national pilot for recycling solar panels and establish up to 100 pilot collection sites nationwide.
Despair as McDonald's proposal renewed
(See p.6)
HUBARTS: PERFECT ARRANGEMENT
A madcap Lavender Scare play that is sharp, cheeky & entrancing
(See p.18)
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HubNEWS
What should be done with Victoria Barracks?
BY WILL THORPE
With the Albanese Government intending to divest Sydney’s historic Victoria Barracks, attention has turned to what should be done with it, and whether the plan is a wise one.
The forecasted sale of this and other Defence Force properties across the country is intended to provide a sugar hit of up to $1.8 billion for the public coffers. The plan has, inevitably, proven contentious. Marjorie O’Neill, Labor MLA for Coogee, emerged as one strident opponent.
“Victoria Barracks, Sydney is not surplus land, nor is it a disposable asset,” O'Neill wrote in a letter to defence minister Richard Marles. “It is one of Australia’s most important military, operational, and heritage sites, with a continuous history dating back to the 1840s.”
“From the earliest days of colonial forces, through Federation, and into the modern Australian Defence Force, Victoria Barracks has played a central role in shaping Australia’s defence capability and national identity.”
“Generations of service men and women have passed through its gates, and its buildings and grounds stand as a living record of their service and sacrifice.”
HERITAGE SITE, NOT HOUSING, SAYS LOCAL GROUP
Will Mrongovius, convenor of the Paddington–Darlinghurst Community Group, said that its members — “who live right next
to Victoria Barracks” — support O’Neill’s position.
“Simply put, Victoria Barracks belongs to the people. It is a historical site that cannot be recreated.”
“Defence are not the owners of the site, they are custodians.”
“Arguments about affordable housing are ridiculous. The state government housing policy is a joke and totally ignores low cost and social housing.”
A spokeswoman for pro-housing group Sydney YIMBY told the Daily Telegraph in February that she does not “want to see it go to waste on a few dozen houses when we could be housing hundreds of people.”
The Paddington Society disagrees. It notes the barracks’ significance “for its long military history and its Georgian architecture with both national and global value.”
“This is not a housing site, it’s a heritage one. We definitely do not want to see 40-storey housing blocks as has been suggested. Any housing on the site should be discreet and entirely subsidiary to the Barracks.”
CITY SUPPORTS CONVERSION INTO PUBLIC PLACE
The City of Sydney has been eager for Victoria Barracks to be converted into parkland and, potentially in part, housing.
Last year, the City sought public input on the site’s future, should the land be divested.
A spokesperson said that the feedback “highlighted a desire for
a publicly accessible place that celebrates its military heritage, provides open space, community and cultural uses and supports Sydney’s housing needs.”
Following public consultation, councillors in November endorsed eight “guiding principles” to govern future decisions if the land is divested.
Simply put, Victoria Barracks belongs to the people. It is a historical site that cannot be re-created
These concern conserving the heritage and military significance of the site; maximising public accessibility and maintaining public ownership; enhancing and expanding green open space; prioritising cultural and community uses; incorporating “diverse” housing including public housing; encouraging “compatible and viable” commercial uses; supporting environmental sustainability; and “robust planning, implementation and management.”
“The principles honour the past while addressing contemporary urban challenges including housing affordability, access to green space and community connection.”
“The aim was, and is, to ensure the Federal Government includes community voices in future decision-making and that any transformation of the site provides lasting benefits for current and future generations.”
Photo: Forces Command - Australian Army / Facebook
New Liberal leader Angus Taylor announces shadow cabinet
BY PATRICK LENTON
The new Liberal leader Angus Taylor has announced his frontbench, saying it “blends proven experience with the next generation of Coalition talent.”
Taylor promised that his new shadow ministry would improve living standards and “protect” Australia’s way of life.
He replaced Sussan Ley — just nine months after she made history as the first woman to lead the Liberals — with Taylor winning 34 votes to Ley’s 17.
The spill came after weeks of difficulty for the Liberal party, with a momentary split from the Nationals earlier this month, a surge in One Nation’s popularity, and a wave of shadow cabinet resignations destabilising Ley’s position as leader.
Notably, the Nationals have been brought back into the shadow cabinet, after the brief split. Taylor noted a “strong reset” in the relationship.
WHO’S DOING WHAT?
Tim Wilson has been given the treasury portfolio, beginning by pointing out the cost-ofliving crisis impacting people around the country, and blaming the crisis solely on the Labor government.
Randa Abdel-Fattah to headline 2026 Sydney Writers' Festival
BY PATRICK LENTON
Only weeks after the Adelaide Writers' Week debacle, Sydney Writers' Festival (SWF) has announced the Palestinian-Australian academic and author Randa Abdel-Fattah will headline their 2026 program.
"We're going to do everything we can over the next two years ... so that you see the pathway forward," Wilson says. "The pathway forward for achieving economic hope in Australia is a change of government and the end of the Albanese government. We are going to deliver that," he says.
The deputy Liberal leader, Senator Jane Hume, has chosen the employment and industrial relations portfolio, and will lead the party’s economic team alongside Wilson. Tasmanian conservative Claire Chandler is taking on the finance portfolio.
The
end of the Albanese government. We are going to deliver that
Andrew Hastie has taken on the new industry and sovereign capability portfolio, and was appointed deputy leader in the House of Representatives.
Taylor has also rewarded key backers, with Sarah Henderson given the communications portfolio and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to be shadow minister for skills and training.
Abdel-Fattah made headlines recently after the Adelaide Writers' Week board deemed her “too culturally sensitive” following the Bondi Beach attack, and removed her from the festival. This led to the resignation of director Louise Adler and a boycott by 180 writers, forcing the event’s total cancellation.
A few months before that, the Bendigo Writers Festival was cancelled after more than 50 authors, academics and participants boycotted the August event, after a speaker code was implemented that required festival attendees to censor their opinions about the genocide in Gaza. The code was implemented after the festival received concerns from a lobby group about the inclusion of Abdel-Fattah. The festival will not be running again next year.
The inclusion of Abdel-Fattah in the lineup is sure to be widely commented upon – recently Premier Chris Minns described her appearance at Newcastle Writers Festival as a “real head-scratcher”.
SWF ‘NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF CENSORING WRITERS’
SWF issued the invitation to Abdel-Fattah last year for her adult fiction debut, Discipline, which follows two Palestinians in Sydney who confront questions of silence over the bombardment of Gaza, and media censorship around the conflict.
She will feature in two sessions at SWF, in a program of around 200 events.
A festival like ours… is not going to be in the business of cancelling or censoring writers
SMH reported that SWF has informed key backers and donors that it will not rescind its invitation to Abdel-Fattah, despite what is sure to be considerable pressure.
“A festival like ours, which holds freedom of expression as a core value, is not going to be in the business of cancelling or censoring writers,” festival chief executive Brooke Webb said. “Readers can make up their own minds about what they would like to attend. We know that without writers, there is no festival.”
Photo: Bianca De Marchi / AAP
Photos: Macquarie University
Minister steps in to save new Barangaroo venue's 24-hour trading
BY LYDIA JUPP
Planning Minister Paul Scully has stepped in to override a decision about 24-hour trading at new Barangaroo venue The Cutaway, after residents objected over noise.
A new $100 million cultural hub, the Cutaway will be fitted with multiple spaces for largescale events, like Vivid — so the NSW Government had originally proposed 24/7 operating hours. But residents' objections about potential late-night noise caused the trading schedule to be scaled back.
Millers Point Community Resident Action Group President Anne Crabb told SMH the design of the venue could amplify noise and disrupt residents.
“Unlike current 24/7 venues such as The Crown Casino and The Star, this is a huge and open cavernous space located on the harbourfront,” she said.
The Cutaway was created as a first-class event venue and should be allowed to function as one
“Barangaroo can and should be a vibrant cultural precinct, but this must not come at the expense of our long-standing residential community who will have to deal with the late-night impacts.” Strata representatives from neighbouring towers have also raised concerns about noise.
'24/7 AS NEEDED'
But on February 20, Scully overrode the decision.
“The new and improved Cutaway will support everything from festivals and installations to community gatherings and contemporary performance and following my request, it can operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week as needed,” he said. “We will be maximising the benefit of this venue given the significant taxpayer investment made to allow it to host events that support Sydney’s
growing events calendar.
“The Cutaway was created as a first-class event venue and should be allowed to function as one.”
In response, Crabb told SMH that the Millers Point Community Resident Action Group was “extremely disappointed” by the decision, and opined that the government had spent too much on the venue and so was just “desperate to find any excuse to keep the place open 24/7”.
The first events at The Cutaway are expected to start by July.
TELL THE PREMIER WHAT REALLY HAPPENED AT SYDNEY TOWN HALL
On February 9, approximately 30,000 community members gathered at Sydney Town Hall to peacefully protest the visit of Israel’s President, who was found by a UN Commission of Inquiry to have directly incited genocide in Gaza.
Our peaceful protest was met with unbridled aggression from NSW Police officers, who pepper sprayed, chased, and assaulted community members who had no way to safely disperse.
Anti-genocide protestors young and old were shoved by riot police and mounted officers.
Muslims engaging in evening prayer were dragged on the ground. Staunch First Nations activists were targeted and wrenched from the crowd. Medics had their goggles ripped off and were pepper sprayed at point blank range. Ribs and backs were broken, punches were thrown, and trauma was inflicted. All at the hands of a statesanctioned, militarised police force.
In Parliament, the NSW Premier and Police Minister have defended the brutality of the NSW Police and even tried to justify it by saying protestors weren’t compliant enough. They’ve said that we “should be thanking the police” and shouldn’t condemn their violence “without the full context”.
If NSW Labor needs more “context” to understand that police violence is never acceptable, we can provide this in the form of firsthand stories from the thousands of people who were there and experienced terror at the hands of the NSW Police.
Jenny Leong MP Member for Newtown
Tell the Premier and Police Minister what really happened at Sydney Town Hall
Photo: Toby Peet / NSW Government
Despair as McDonald’s resurrects Newtown proposal
BY WILL THORPE
The Newtown site at which McDonald’s is again seeking to set up shop is surrounded by thriving restaurants, pubs and other eateries.
Next to it is Clem’s Chicken Shop. Broaster Chicken is just across the street. But, this is a place in motion. Last year, the American fast-food juggernaut KFC controversially pitched itself just 150 metres up King Street.
The Newtown staple Big Daddy’s was a minute away in the other direction, past Cooper’s Hotel. Once thriving, the diner sits empty, the door locked. It closed abruptly last year. Nearby, Anonymous Milkbar served its last customers the year before.
There’s no reason for there to be a Macca’s in Newtown… Newtown is better than this
McDonald’s sought to open up in Newtown last year, but the contentious development application was rejected by the City of Sydney.
In response to criticisms, the company has made a number of changes to its original proposal. It is no longer pursuing permission to operate around the clock.
BACK TO THE FUTURE IF
MCDONALD’S APPROVED
Newtown regulars and locals bemoan every change that ebbs away at the high street’s established character as a home for independent businesses, alongside the odd smaller chain, such as Oporto and El Jannah. The neighbourhood's uniqueness is vigorously defended by its young, artsy devotees, the masses who gravitate to it. Many of them are students at the
nearby University of Sydney.
Yet, if one goes back in time, then one will discover that these global behemoths are only returning to an old haunt.
Kelly’s on King, the popular Irish pub, was a KFC restaurant in the seventies and eighties. McDonald’s was on the strip, too. The famous logo adorned the Bank Hotel, advising oncoming motorists that freshly-cooked, familiar food was ahead.
One reader, identified only
as Leah, was prompted by a previous City Hub article to reminisce about what once was. “Macca’s was a cultural icon, a safe space and hideout for us teenage misfits of the Newtown nineties.”
“Losing our Timezone opposite hit us hard, but when we lost our Macca’s, it was like we all became simultaneously homeless. Gentrification killed so much of the eclectic mashup that made Newtown so unique.”
OPPOSITION TO MACCAS ALSO POLITICAL
As of late, the phrase “keep Newtown weird” conveys opposition to KFC and McDonald’s. Those chains are part of the neighbourhood’s history; however, younger Newtonians prefer to keep it that way. Their successors are the backdrop to newer memories, for anyone that has drunkenly, loudly whiled time away in the Kelly’s smoking area, or resorted to Clem’s in search of intoxication-busting sustenance. A love of the present stands in contrast with a pining for the past.
Broaster Chicken Shop did not mince words about the perceived threat to its existence. “Once McDonald’s gets approved then Broaster will shut down, next day,” the outlet told this masthead.
‘Raq the Clown’ is one 20-something Newtown regular, who last year hosted a weekly music bingo night at Kelly’s, and who hosts the ‘Klown Karaoke’ show at the Enmore Hotel.
“There’s no reason for there to be a Macca’s in Newtown,” she said.
“There’s already so many food options on King Street to choose from — smaller businesses that deserve the utmost business.
Newtown is better than this.”
“Like so many in the Inner West who want to see an end to the genocide in Gaza and of the Israeli occupation of Palestine, we are deeply concerned by the prospect that McDonald's — a target of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement — could be opening in the heart of our community,” Greens MLA Jenny Leong told City Hub
"McDonald's has provided the Israeli Defence Force with free meals in the midst of ongoing ethnic cleansing and forced starvation in Gaza. This is clearly not a good fit for our Newtown community."
The City of Sydney invites public feedback as it assesses the latest proposal.
Photo: Janette Beard via City of Sydney
Extra public holiday for Anzac Day weekend greenlit
BY LYDIA JUPP
Premier Chris Minns has confirmed the Monday after Anzac Day will be a public holiday in 2026 and 2027.
Currently, only WA and the ACT observe a holiday on the Monday.
"We expect big participation, major crowds, full public, civic participation in Anzac Day… then following that on the Monday, we'll have an additional public holiday," Minns announced on February 15.
He also acknowledged that not everyone is on board.
"Not all business groups are supportive of this change [and] I think it's important that we recognise that," he said. "We know that it's somewhat of an additional burden, but this is, we
believe, an important thing to do for the state."
The new Monday holiday will run as a two-year trial before a government review in 2032, when Anzac Day next falls on a weekend.
Minns confirmed that traditional Anzac Day services will continue uninterrupted, and two-up gambling will remain legal only on 25 April and Remembrance Day on 11 November.
HOLIDAY GIVES PEOPLE MORE TIME TO CONNECT, REFLECT
Acting President of RSL NSW Vince Williams welcomed the added holiday, noting it could help local veterans connect.
"I've already had feedback from some smaller RSL organisations that have said that it may give
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them an opportunity to get together on the Monday," said Williams.
We encourage people to get out to marches and events right across NSW by having the Monday as well
"Whereas on Anzac Day, they get spread right across the state with all visiting associations
or their former unit, but not necessarily with their local colleagues or vice versa.”
"We know Anzac Day is still the most important day and we encourage people to get out to marches and events right across NSW by having the Monday as well," Veterans Minister David Harris told ABC
The move also addresses NSW’s short public holiday calendar. With just 11 official days off, the state has the fewest in Australia.
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Photo: Hasitha Tudugalle / Wikimedia Commons
Final designs for Leichhardt Oval upgrade unveiled
BY CHLOE SARGEANT
Final designs for the long-awaited upgrade of Leichhardt Oval have been revealed.
The complete plans were released by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure as part of a State Significant Development Application for the refurbishment of the much-loved sporting ground, following years of community advocacy aimed at saving it.
After years of fighting to save Leichhardt Oval our plans for the much-needed renovation are progressing well
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said this marked a significant milestone for a project that has faced repeated uncertainty.
“After years of fighting to save Leichhardt Oval our plans for the much-needed renovation are progressing well,” Byrne said. The proposed upgrade aims to transform the ground into a modern hub for elite and community sport, catering to both men’s and women’s competitions across multiple codes.
Under the plans, the Wests Tigers are locked in to play both
NRL and NRLW matches at the venue for the next 15 years, reinforcing the ground’s role as a long-term home for the club.
CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN AFTER 2026 SEASON
Planned improvements include the renovation of the historic western grandstand with new stadium seating, and implementing modern stadium seating throughout the ground.
The design also incorporates upgraded hospitality and media facilities, as well as four NRLcompliant women-friendly change rooms.
A new northern grandstand is proposed, along with the replacement of the lower seating bowl with a new 1,500-seat stand.
If approved, construction is due to commence after the 2026 season, with works scheduled to be completed ahead of the 2028 season kick-off.
Last month’s community exhibition period, which closed February 12, follows years of debate over the future of Leichhardt Oval, with concerns previously raised about ageing infrastructure, compliance with modern safety standards, and the viability of hosting professional sport without significant investment. Funding commitments from multiple levels of government were ultimately secured after sustained campaigning by Inner West Council and community supporters.
Calls for protections over growing renter info being collected
BY WILL THORPE
Areport has found that increasing information is being collected on renters, necessitating new legislated protections. The research into “property technology” used by landlords and real estate agencies was led by Sophia Maalsen, Associate Professor at the University of Sydney, and published by the Australian Housing & Urban Research Institute (AHURI).
“How applications are sorted and scored remains opaque, and the weighting of characteristics is unknown, creating a ‘black box’ effect,” said Maalsen.
Tech plays a key role in increasing data collection, and property tech “is already utilising AI and automated decision-making to rank” applicants.
“In the social rental sector, automated screening is used to identify the most vulnerable applicants and decide where
Data commonly collected on renters includes identity documents, employment and financial details, bank statements, and references. Applicants are also likely to be checked against databases and blacklists.
Renters shouldn’t have to trade away their privacy just to find a place to live
Some application forms had about 50 data points, including “lifestyle-related” questions, like smoking.
Researchers found that new technology, including AI capabilities, had outpaced regulation. The Privacy Act 1988, which protects personal information, was noted not to apply to many real estate agencies, due to a small business exemption.
applicants land on property waitlists.”
Looking overseas, researchers noted a UK tenant screening service that identifies applicants who employ “high risk language” or who are recently-arrived immigrants.
NEW BILL INTRODUCED
“It’s estimated around 187,000 pieces of identification information are collected from NSW renters every week. But currently, there is no consistent standard for how this highly sensitive information is stored, used, or destroyed,” says inaugural NSW Rental Commissioner Trina Jones.
The Minns Government has introduced the Residential Tenancies Amendment Protection of Personal Information Bill, intended to “stop the unnecessary collection of extra personal information”.
“Renters shouldn’t have to trade away their privacy just to find a place to live,” Jones told City Hub.
Photo: Dept of Planning, Housing & Infrastructure
Photo: Will Thorpe
PETS PALACE
Synthetic turf opponents draw on marine pollution findings
BY WILL THORPE
Areport into the marine impact of synthetic turf has been seized by opponents of the material’s installation at Callan Park.
In January, analysis by the Australian Microplastic Assessment Project (AUSMAP), a citizen group, highlighted the surging quantity of synthetic grass fibres in Sydney waterways. At locations regularly monitored by the group, the concentration of synthetic grass debris was found to have increased about tenfold from 2022 to 2025, reaching over 20 blades per square metre.
They stated that the “increasingly popular” material “has the potential to release microplastics into surrounding drains, parks and waterways.”
The Inner West Council seeks to install synthetic grass on Waterfront Oval beside the Bay Run, and on the field next to Balmain Road.
A rally to oppose the plan was held on February 7, at the Cecily Street gate to Balmain Oval.
On publishing their findings, AUSMAP endorsed a five year moratorium on the planning and approval of synthetic grass fields, pending further research on human and environmental harm.
Favouring natural grass, the group says that substantial investment should be undertaken in the drainage infrastructure and condition of grass fields, to disincentivise their replacement.
“JUST NOT RIGHT” TO REPLACE EXISTING NATURAL FIELDS
Millicent Lamshed is a Balmain resident who recently completed an Honours course in Wildlife Conservation at the University of Sydney.
“As a researcher in wildlife conservation, and a lifelong Inner West local, I believe we need to move beyond a purely anthropocentric view of urban planning, where convenience for
one human activity outweighs the health of our local ecosystem.”
She added that there was “clear evidence that modern engineering and the inclusion of organic infill does not solve the problem of microplastic dispersal.”
Adding a known source of microplastic pollution directly into our beloved parklands… is an ecological risk we simply cannot mitigate
“Research shows the synthetic fibres detach and tear through use, and inevitably migrate through drainage systems and our waterways. We have observed in lab-based studies that fish behaviourally ingest these fibres, which then accumulate within their digestive tracts.”
“Adding a known source of microplastic pollution directly into
our beloved parklands on the foreshore — regardless of the infill used — is an ecological risk we simply cannot mitigate if we value a living, healthy river.”
The Inner West Council and state government are planning to install tidal baths just off Callan Park. “Personally, I would not like to swim in a body of water polluted by microplastics and infill runoff,” Lamshed, who lives across from the park, opined.
She said that it is “just not right” to replace existing “beautiful natural fields” for the benefit of one sport.
SYNTHETIC TURF A “QUICK FIX”
“My kids play soccer with a local club, so I get the desire to look at anything that will increase the capacity of our fields,” Greens Member for Balmain Kobi Shetty told City Hub
“But, we mustn’t be so quick to trade off the impact on our wildlife and our harbour in the process, particularly when the Inner West Council haven’t invested enough in best practice maintenance for the grass fields.” Shetty said
that the council was trying to use synthetic turf as a “quick fix.”
“Microplastics have tripled in our Sydney waterways in the last three years, so council has to take these concerns and the impact on the environment more seriously,” she said.
“We also know that even with organic infill these fields are way hotter, meaning that on extreme heat days that are becoming more frequent, these fields can’t be used.”
“There are better solutions that haven’t even been attempted, like investing properly in best practice management of natural turf, or hybrid solutions that the football clubs would prefer.”
“The Inner West Council and the NSW state government should be funding these alternatives that the whole community can get behind, including other codes like cricket that will lose access to Waterfront Drive Ground if this project goes ahead.”
The Inner West Council was contacted for comment, but did not respond prior to publication.
Photo: Callan Park / Instagram
GPs in NSW will soon be able to diagnose and treat ADHD
BY LYDIA JUPP
From March this year, GPs across NSW will be able to diagnose and treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
The change follows landmark government reforms to make ADHD care easier, faster, and more affordable.
Almost 600 GPs have indicated their interest in undertaking training to treat ADHD, with those in regional, rural, and remote areas prioritised for training.
not left behind," said Health Minister Ryan Park.
More than 800 GPs have been trained to fill repeat ADHD medication scripts as part of the first phase of reforms, saving patients with an existing diagnosis $500–1400 a year.
Since 1 September 2025, over 5000 patients have utilised seeing their GP for repeat scripts.
GPS OFFER "WHOLE-OF-PERSON CARE" APPROACH
The Royal Australian College of GPs said the reforms would
common condition that can be diagnosed and managed well by a specialist GP with appropriate training," said RACGP NSW & ACT Chair Dr Rebekah Hoffman.
This is a common condition that can be diagnosed and managed well by a specialist GP with appropriate training
Sydney doctor Will Errington said GPs are better placed to provide whole-of-person care,
taking into consideration various different aspects of a patient's health and life.
“What helped me most to overcome the challenges of ADHD was not just medication, but also the continued access to treatment and support I received from my ADHD coach, my school, my paediatricians, my GPs and my family," said 21-year-old recent psychology graduate Lucia Porteus.
“Many of my peers have struggled to access medication or a diagnosis for ADHD because of costs and long wait lists, but this new policy will remove such barriers for so many people.”
CLEANING UP NSW POLITICS GREENS BILL TO REFORM LOBBYING LAWS
Political decisions should be made in the interests of communities, not for lobbyists working on behalf of vested interests like property developers and the gambling industry.
In 2021 The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) recommended significant reforms to reduce corruption risks and limit the power of vested interests.
So far, the NSW Labor Government has not implemented the ICAC recommendations.
We’ve seen the impact of this inaction with the failed pokies reform - where community well-being has been sacrificed to protect gambling profits.
It’s no wonder people are cynical about politics. We urgently need to reform lobbying laws to protect our democracy.
That’s why I’ve introduced the Greens bill to restrict the power of lobbyists in NSW Parliament. This bill will implement the ICAC reforms and reduce corruption risks in NSW politics.
I’ll be speaking on the Greens lobbying reform bill in March. You can support these reforms by adding your name to the petition below.
Please use the QR code below to take action. Let’s clean up NSW politics.
Yours sincerely,
Photo: Shvets / Pexels
Kobi Shetty MP Member for Balmain
COFFIN ED’S NAKED CITY
THE POLITICS OF MUSIC
When Sussan Ley, resplendent in an all-white pantsuit confronted the media after her party room axing, she signed off with the rather surprising words:
"I was part of the early punk rock movement in Canberra, I will continue to find wisdom in one of punk's defining themes, a fearless and honest belief in yourself."
You have to wonder, following her resignation from Parliament, whether she found solace that afternoon listening to the Sex Pistols’ greatest hits, and donning an old dog collar from her high school years.
It should be remembered she previously bagged Anthony Albanese for wearing a Joy Division t-shirt on his return from an American visit, claiming it was antisemitic. Perhaps she finds pure punk acceptable but the post-punk groaning of Ian Curtis not so enlightening.
Most politicians seem reluctant to endorse particular musicians and many musicians seem hesitant when it comes to expressing political beliefs and allegiances. The relationship between pollies and well-known musical artists is an interesting one.
In Trump’s oligarchy, a large chorus of rock musicians have spoken out against his vile totalitarian regime. Perhaps the harshest critic has been Bruce Springsteen, who has described Trump and his cronies as “corrupt, incompetent and treasonous,” and recorded the protest song Streets of Minneapolis
Not surprisingly Trump has fired back with his usual brand of petty, calling the Boss "overrated" and a “pushy obnoxious jerk”; even describing his skin as “atrophied”.
Meanwhile, he’s had little success in attracting supporters from the broad music community, with the exception of
Despite previously supporting Democratic presidents such as Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, Robert James Ritchie has found a new hero, and maybe a new legion of redneck fans, in his support of the current president.
Many Australian musicians have expressed their political views in song, from Midnight Oil to Paul Kelly and Yothu Yindi. They have been passionate supporters of Indigenous rights
and social justice, but not overtly in support of any political party.
Singers such as the ‘Working Class Man’ Jimmy Barnes, who makes no secret of his socialist beliefs, have always been protective of the political hijacking of their songs.
On the other hand, both an online backlash and a temporary ban on Apple Music hasn’t deterred former Neighbours star Holly Valance, from a recent collaboration with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation. Valance makes no secret of her support for Donald Trump and Nigel Farage and has become somewhat of a darling of the far right.
An updated version of her 2002 hit Kiss Kiss, Valance released Kiss Kiss (XX) My Arse, which mocks trans people and woke culture. It was released on Australia Day with much enthusiasm from Sky News and other right-wing media.
Perhaps she will be called upon for the next federal election in 2028, when One Nation go all out to win as many seats as possible. Maybe a trance version of Jack O’Hagan’s God Bless Australia:
“Here in this God-given land of ours, Australia
This proud possession, our own piece of earth
That was built by our fathers, who pioneered our heritage, Here in Australia, the land of our birth.”
Nah, that wouldn’t work: Pauline is a self admitted atheist. And of course the lefty, snowflake, woke brigade could easily fight back with a version of Joe Dolce’s Shaddap You Face –Pauline.
The idea of poaching a popular song in general, however, is not such a bad one. It worked brilliantly for US president Franklin D. Roosevelt in his 1932 presidential campaign, when he hijacked Happy Days Are Here Again
The song actually became a staple on Australian TV in the late 50s and 60s when children’s TV star Happy Hammond appropriated it as his theme song for The Happy Show. That was definitely a more innocent era — whether something like this would work as a campaign song in these far more cynical and often troubling times, remains to be seen.
the Village People and an aging Kid Rock.
Photo: Lukas Coch / AAP
Photo: JDNOPICS / X
POLICE VIOLENCE AT HERZOG RALLIES TOOK US RIGHT BACK TO THAT RIOT, SAY 78ERS
For some of the original 78ers, the violence at last week’s protest against Israeli President Isaac Herzog did not feel like a contemporary moment. It felt like 1978 all over again.
BY CHLOE SARGEANT
Mounted officers surged and pepper spray was heavily deployed at Sydney Town Hall on February 9, with police allegedly punching protesters and forcefully dragging Muslim men as they knelt in prayer.
27 people were arrested and dozens injured.
Within days, several 78ers publicly said the scenes had triggered traumatic memories of the first Mardi Gras, when LGBTQ+ people were attacked by police, and 53 people were arrested and many assaulted in cells at Darlinghurst Police Station.
“I found myself reliving 24 June 1978 — the horrors, violence, and trauma inflicted by police on the 78ers that night,” said founding member of CAMP Peter de Waal, describing the “painful clarity” of those memories returning.
Mark Gillespie, Graham Chuck, Steve Warren, Meredith Knight and Peter Murphy joined de Waal in calling for an independent investigation, condemning what they described as political repression of protest movements.
Their pleas came just before the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) announced it would investigate, following a significant number of complaints.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon has denied all allegations of police violence, while apologising “for any offence that may have been taken” after Muslim leaders said the violent disruption of prayers breached religious sanctity.
Premier Chris Minns has refused to apologise to the Muslim community, and defended police.
I found myself reliving 24 June 1978 — the horrors, violence, and trauma inflicted by police on the 78ers that night
He claims, much to the indignation of many attendees of the protest, that officers did “everything possible” to avoid confrontation
after protesters defied restrictions on protest, which were introduced in the wake of the tragic Bondi Junction terror attack.
ANTI-PROTEST LAWS FACE GROWING SCRUTINY IN NSW
The confrontation has reignited broader concerns about NSW’s protest laws. While the temporary protest restrictions have now lapsed, civil liberties advocates argue the state’s slow but clear erosion of protest protections has created a climate where heavyhanded policing is more likely.
First Nations activists are now mounting a constitutional challenge, arguing it impermissibly burdens the implied freedom of political communication.
“Aboriginal people were also on the front lines in support of our Palestinian brothers and sisters,” said Dhungutti activist Paul Silva. “The attack against us was completely unprovoked… But we will not be intimidated and will continue to campaign in the courts and on the streets to remove all restrictions on our rights to demonstrate and speak freely.”
Their case adds to a growing chorus warning that the right to peaceful assembly in NSW has been steadily narrowed.
For the 78ers, the debate is not abstract. From the 1978 Mardi Gras arrests to the policing of the 2004 Redfern protests following the death of TJ Hickey, and other confrontations at various progressive protests, it’s hard not to acknowledge that NSW has a long, long history of fraught encounters between police and protest movements.
Greens justice spokesperson Sue Higginson welcomed the LECC inquiry as an important step towards transparency.
“This is what the community needs, and it’s what the Police need too,” said Higginson. “It is in no one’s interest to have police acting with impunity – it leads to violence”.
Nearly half a decade after the first Mardi Gras, the 78ers' reactions show the lesson remains the same: protest is a democratic right — and when that right is met with force, history has a way of resurfacing.
Photos: Flavio Brancaleone / AAP
HubARTS
SEND HELP
This inventive tropical island gore-fest is a delightful Raimi ride (See p.22)
PERFECT ARRANGEMENT
BY NAOMI LAWRENCE
Patrick Kennedy’s Perfect Arrangement is a riotous, madcap farce set in 1950s America during the Lavender Scare. Topher Payne’s play explores a world of surveillance, fear, and forced conformity that led to the earliest stirrings of the US gay rights movement.
Despite its period setting, the play feels painfully relevant today, as queer protections are challenged and identities repoliced.
Perfect Arrangement follows Bob and Norma, State Department officials tasked with hunting “sexual deviants". Behind the veneer, they’re queer, married to each other’s partners and juggling a precarious web of secrets.
Kennedy leans into 50s sitcomstyle shenanigans while threading
BY IRINA DUNN
Isaw my first David Williamson play in 1971: The Removalists, a shocking examination of domestic and police violence. Nearly 60 plays later, his latest, The Social Ladder, is enjoying a season at Williamson’s favoured theatre, the Ensemble.
The 80+year-old playwright has lost none of his bite or wit in this amusing work which exposes the pretensions and prejudices of couples at a dinner party.
The hosts are Katie Norrie (Mandy Bishop), an arts program officer from Engadine who selects guests to help her climb the social ladder, and her longsuffering husband Roger (Johnny Nasser).
Then there’s envy of the Sydney social set Catherine Mallory (Sarah Chadwick) and her conservative husband Charles Mallory (Andrew McFarlane).
Lastly, there are former friends Ben Gregory (Matt Minto) and his
intimate tension, highlighting just how oppressive these lives feel.
The heart of the play lives with its women.
Dominique Purdue’s Norma is the emotional core: tortured, fiery and magnetic as she cracks under the mounting pressure. Her romance with Jordan Thompson's Millie — who is restlessly electric — anchors the story in a refreshing counterpoint to the pervasive misogyny.
Brooke Ryan as Kitty is an absurd riot, and Lucinda Jard’s Barbara, a fabulously icy femme fatale/not-so-evil bisexual, delivers barbs and heartbreak.
Brock Cramond’s Jim charms with sass and physicality, while Luke Visentin’s Bob grounds the story as a borderline villain, trapped by the system he upholds and doling out casual misogyny.
The ensemble shines, bringing nuance to each character. Payne’s writing is quick, sharp and timeless, and the cast and crew do it full justice.
Kennedy’s direction and design team sharpen an already great script. The kitsch set hits all the right 50s sitcom vibes. Screaming ‘Murican reds and
THE SOCIAL LADDER
teacher wife Laura (Jo Downing), who are now restored because Catherine likes one of Ben’s films – mistakenly as it turns out.
Resentments and antipathies of course bubble up.
As the alcohol begins to take effect, Williamson’s vintage fastpaced dialogue ramps up, with the cut and thrust among the
characters eliciting appreciative laughter.
In the end, all characters are revealed to have all-too-human faults, which is Williamson’s great skill as a playwright. We recognise ourselves, and accept his forgiveness of the individuals he created for our scrutiny. Williamson has probed
blues, portraits with censored eyes, an applause light hanging above — the overall effect is transportive yet jarring.
Presented as a part of Mardi Gras+, Perfect Arrangement — on until 7 March at New Theatre — is sharp, cheeky and entrancing, luring you in with big laughs for a resonant story.
Australian society with a forensic eye for the last six decades, exposing it on the stage and screen to the delight and perhaps dismay of his audience.
Janine Watson is to be congratulated for her skilled direction. She wrote, “I admire beyond words the humility required to play shameless characters. I also admire beyond words the empathy required to play characters filled with shame. This play has both… I needed a fearless cast and I got that in spades.”
Veronique Benett’s gaudy set and costumes perfectly reflect Katie’s aspirations and the social status of her guests, while lighting designer Matt Cox had fun with the chandeliers.
Go see it if you need a dose of comedy in these sometimes dark times.
The Social Ladder is showing at Ensemble Theatre until 14 March.
REVIEW
Photo: Supplied
Photo: Phil Erbacher
BIENNALE OF SYDNEY UNVEILS PROGRAM FOR 25TH EDITION NEWTOWN HOTEL RELAUNCH PROMISES TO BE "BIGGER & GAYER THAN EVER"
BY LYDIA JUPP
Those wandering down King Street may have seen a few changes at the Newtown Hotel.
Last year, Universal Hotel Group and long‑time Darlinghurst publican Sue Cameron traded leaseholds in a rare one‑for‑one pub swap. A proud lesbian and stalwart of the Sydney hospitality scene, Cameron aims to reinstate what is a historically queer pub back into the hands of the queer community.
Speaking to City Hub, Cameron said the pub's purchase was partially inspired by the impact of lesbian entrepreneur Dawn O'Donnell, one of the early influencers of the Sydney gay club scene, and former owner of the Newtown Hotel.
"I live in Darlinghurst, and I am seeing queer venues… dropping like flies," said Jacqui St. Hyde, “so it is nice that here in Newtown, they are thriving and coming back bigger and stronger and gayer than ever, hunny."
Bettie Blackheart referenced The Newtown's strong drag and showgirl history, including appearances from legends like Robyn Lee and Simone Troy, saying the relaunch is “absolutely fantastic and well deserved for a venue that holds so much drag history.”
The change of ownership has also led to a more diverse range of talent, including the addition of three resident drag kings. Sexy Galexy said that the kings are excited to finally have more
"I'm just walking in the footsteps of someone really fabulous," she said. "I don't want to recreate or rewrite anything. I just want to have people come back here that remember this hotel for what it was. I want to create something in here that's special for a generation in memory.
Community led entertainment is one of her priorities – the hotel already boasts five resident drag queens.
representation and exposure to the Inner West masses.
The hotel’s second level now features an elevated stage, complete with a piano, in front of a mural of queer icons including Chappell Roan, RuPaul, and of course, O'Donnell herself.
"I just thought this is possibly an opportunity for my swan song," Cameron said. "It's my opportunity to go, I've created something special, and this is my goodbye wish."
BY LYDIA JUPP
Aslate of new artists have been announced for the Biennale of Sydney, as the exhibition gears up for its 25th edition — titled Rememory — running from 14 March to 14 June.
This theme is taken from celebrated author Toni Morrison, and explores the intersection of memory and history as a means of revisiting, reconstructing, and reclaiming histories. So this year, Biennale invites artists to reflect on their own roots while engaging with Sydney and its surrounding communities and histories.
The 33 newly announced artists include Ángel Poyón, Angélica Serech, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Carmen Glynn Braun, alongside Australian artists Abdul Abdullah, Dennis Golding, Helen Grace, Wendy Hubert, among others.
The now 83 artists, collaborations, and collectives hail from 37 different countries.
The exhibition launches on 13 March with opening night concert Lights On at White Bay Power Station, featuring Brooklyn based DJ Haram, FBi Radio's Maz, contemporary music ensemble Hand to Earth, and American artist Niecy Blues.
Over the opening weekend of 14 15 March, free performances, talks and art activations will take place, including a series of Spotlight Artist Talks, where
artists present alongside their works. Performances will activate the artworks of Nikesha Breeze and Marian Abboud, plus a special musical performance by Indigenous artist Nancy McDinny and family alongside her paintings.
A range of additional programs will be taking place throughout the Biennale, including curated Art After Dark programs at White Bay Power Station, general art tours, history tours in partnership with Museums of History NSW, Family Days, Youth programs, education programs and access programs.
Every Saturday and Sunday, White Bay Power Station will host the Memory Lane Food Markets, which celebrate food as living memory.
“At its core, the Biennale of Sydney brings people together through art, offering cultural experiences that invite audiences to encounter different perspectives, listen deeply, and engage in meaningful connection," said Chief Executive Officer of the Biennale, Barbara Moore.
"Rememory creates space to reflect on the ideas and histories that shape our world, while fostering dialogue across cultures, communities, and generations. Through free and inclusive access, this edition invites everyone to experience Sydney as a vibrant, global cultural city.”
Photo: Tom Wilkinson
Photo: Daniel Boud
WET LEG’S SEXY, FEROCIOUS SET AT UNSW ROUNDHOUSE
BY ANGUS SHARPE
One thousand screams erupted into the UNSW Roundhouse Theatre as UK indie-rock five-piece Wet Leg tore into their sold-out performance. Some are deep bellowing howls. Others, sharp wailing cries. Together, they form one deafening, cathartic roar. Strobes flash into this screaming audience. And upon the stage, Wet Leg, pause their driving music to watch with glee.
Halfway through the set, the band stopped, and for a full minute – a ritual when playing their 2022 hit, Ur Mum – they simply let us scream.
Then, the band falls back into their music with jovial energy,
contrasting the primal catharsis of moments ago.
This contrast perfectly defines the band’s entire hour-long performance. Arriving behind a screen of thick glowing smoke, Teasdale had begun with an unmistakable air of toughness. Baring silhouetted biceps to the room, a fan at her feet had blown her hair medusa-like around her face. To a pounding bass which built toward a chorus of loud drums and screaming guitar, she had delivered the dry, barbed lyrics of Catch These Fists
“I know all too well what you’re like,” her heroic silhouette had spat over a siren-like riff, “I don’t want your love, I just wanna fight.”
Then, as the smoke lifted and lights illuminated both Teasdale’s camp outfit and the band around her, the five-piece had leaped into the tongue-in-cheek hypersexual fan favourite Wet Dream
The diversity of these two tracks demonstrated a trend which persisted through the rest of the night, and it became clear that despite their music primarily focusing on female empowerment, over their two albums they have tackled this theme in vastly different manners.
Across favourites and newer cuts, the set list was brilliantly
textured. Teasdale’s vocals ranged from candid to comedic to angelic, and her bandmates had space to explore catchy riffs, slow love songs, or tirades of weaponised distortion.
Rather than descending into a heaving mosh-pit, the audience stood enthralled.
Then, the band abruptly finished after a scintillating rendition of Mangetout
The five members dropped their instruments and simply left the stage. Stunned by what we had witnessed, we collectively drifted away.
HAKUMBA BRING JOY TO MOTHERSHIP SLIPWAY
BY ANGUS SHARPE
“We’re just trying to bring happiness to people's lives,” says Dorka Foster, frontperson of Hungarian Afrobeat orchestra Hakumba. Yet, beneath her grin there is an unmistakable seriousness.
It’s two days after her project’s rhapsodic performance at Marrickville’s Mothership Slipway, presented by CG Discs and Jazz Doof. With an armoury of instruments and profound enthusiasm, the eleven-piece had enraptured the sold-out audience. Over a coffee, Foster reflects on the importance of her band’s energy.
“It has always been a big aim of Hakumba to create a space and time where people can forget about their shit and just feel easy.”
Yet, creating these spaces –especially in Hungary – comes at a cost.
“The crazy thing is, we play this happy music, but behind closed
doors the band can still be really pessimistic…” Foster continues.
“It's really difficult to be an artist in Hungary now. People struggle just to stay alive, spend money and build futures. Because of that, in our generation we struggle to find motivation to do things like chase success as an artist.”
So, the band leaped at the chance to to travel through
an Australian summer, and have a reprieve from European winter and the pessimism of Hungarian politics. Foster noted that bandmates were visibly blossoming and glowing.
By the time they took the stage at Slipway, their happiness was unmistakable and infectious.
Hakumba’s set began with pace: groovy bass and electric
guitar met drums that leaned rock and punk more than jazz. Percussion bounced through elastic piano tones, while saxophones and trumpet delivered triumphant melodies that had the crowd moving.
Lyrics shifted seamlessly between hip-hop, Hungarian folk and English choruses yelled ecstatically by the horn section. The band built brilliant tension into songs that alternated between serene horn-led moments and eruptive grooves that invited dance.
If the performance had never ended, the crowd might have happily danced forever. But after an hour of constant energy, Hakumba was told to wrap up — and with one final extended song, the alley’s rhythm reached a fever pitch as a sax player was lifted above the audience in ecstatic applause.
Every band member was beaming — and so were we.
Photo: Charlie Hardy
Photo: Mikayla Grosse
SIRÂT
BY JOSH KERWICK
As the world around them descends into war, people are partying until they can’t anymore. That includes Mar, who has been drifting from rave to rave in Morocco and has been officially missing for five months. Her father Luis (Sergi López) and brother Esteban (Bruno Núñez Arjona) are searching for her in the dusty alcoves of loud beats and debauchery scattered across the country in French director Óliver Laxe’s Sirât
Their only hint is that she may be heading to another party, deep in the Saharan desert. Following a group of ravers, Luis and Esteban are thrust into increasing danger on their journey.
Although most straightforwardly
an ultra-stylish road movie, Sirât can accurately be described as a cry for meaning in a world of relentless cruelty. What begins as a propulsive quest to find a missing family member rapidly transforms into a seriously bleak exploration of what it’s like to pursue meaning in a world intent on proving it has none.
In the fictional reality of Sirât, a nondescript incident has occurred that’s sparked something like World War III, but rather than fully grapple with it, each character in the film deliberately ignores it.
The pentuplet of ravers and their actors are delightful to watch, the rituals of movement and music allow each person to bury their heads in the infinite sands of the Moroccan desert.
Sirât is a genuinely propulsive and heart-pounding film with an exceptionally strong grasp of filmmaking, with stunning visuals and a fantastically ominous soundtrack by Kangding Ray. There’s a tactility to the filmmaking that makes each bump in the road, creak of a wheel, and thump of bass vibrate throughout your entire body in a genuinely anxiety-inducing way. It reminded me heavily of The Wages of Fear, but goes
even further with its nihilistic worldview.
Indeed, despite exceptional craft and occasional levity, Sirât is a bleak affair. It resolves with very few answers on where they are meant to go once the credits start to roll. In that way, its ending points a mirror back to us and asks of our own reality: what now?
Sirât is in cinemas from February 25.
UNMISSABLE FILMS AT 2026 ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL
BY MARK MORELLINI
The Alliance Française French Film Festival returns in 2026 for its 37th year, with a program consisting of 38 of the finest French cinematic offerings.
Alliance Française de Sydney's General Manager Denis Morandet explained that Australians truly love French culture — which explains why this festival is the biggest outside of France.
“Over the years, the festival has earned trust as people know they will see films that entertain while also being thoughtful, romantic, and socially aware.”
Colours Of Time opens this year’s festival, described by Morandet as a playful and moving exploration of family, art, and memory.
“To me, it is a delightful crowdpleaser, as charming as it is reflective, blending the romance of Belle Époque Paris with the rhythms of contemporary life.”
Jodie Foster and Angelina Jolie star in French dramas A Private Life and Couture respectively.
Morendet says French cinema allows Hollywood heavyweights “space to explore complex roles that might not always exist within the constraints of Hollywood. These two films are a perfect example of that quest.”
When asked whether nonFrench speaking audiences should
come along, Morandet answered with a definite yes!
“French cinema is not about language; it is about emotion, connection, and storytelling. For non-French speakers, this Film Festival is an invitation to travel without leaving Sydney."
Morandet has given City Hub a balanced ("and biased!" he jokes) selection of top picks, which capture the festival’s richness.
The Richest Woman in the World: A fascinating true story portraying ambition, power, and reinvention, blending drama with subtle social commentary. This entertaining film became a box-office hit in France for good reason!
The Party’s Over: A gripping and sharp dark comedy that examines friendship, secrets, and the consequences of choices. Little Amelie and the Character of Rain: Based on Amélie Nothomb's short novel of the same name, this film is a gentle celebration of life’s small wonders. What Is Love?: A sensitive, modern exploration of family, faith, and self-discovery, infused with humour.
The Stranger: Visually striking, the film brings a contemporary lens to Camus’ classic tale.
Alliance Française French Film Festival runs from 3 March –8 April.
Photo: IMDb
Photo: IMDb
PLAINCLOTHES
BY NAOMI LAWRENCE
An intense, slow-burn romantic thriller set in 1990s New York, Plainclothes thrives on tension, forbidden desire and a commanding performance from Tom Blyth.
Carmen Emmi’s confident debut follows Lucas (Blyth), an undercover officer tasked with entrapping gay men in a city gripped by moral panic. But soon, his controlled world spirals when he forms a connection with
BY NAOMI LAWRENCE
An unhinged dark comedy thriller, Send Help is a wild, bloody and unmistakably Sam Raimi ride. Gleefully squirmworthy, it delivers plenty of laughs while daring you not to cover your eyes.
Raimi’s first R-rated feature in over eight years, Send Help is a confident return to familiar grounds, though lighter and glossier than his usual fare.
After a plane crash, Linda (Rachel McAdams), a mousy, socially awkward but determined employee, and her brash, nepo-baby boss Bradley (Dylan O’Brien) find themselves stranded on a deserted island.
Tension ignites as the film quickly reveals itself to be less about escape, and more about control.
Written by Damian Swift and
Mark Shannon, Send Help revels in flipping status and refusing a moral centre, with
one of his targets, the enigmatic Andrew (Russell Tovey).
As their secret rendezvous intensifies, Lucas is torn between duty, desire, and the everpresent threat of exposure, all while grappling with grief over his father.
Blyth anchors the drama, inhabiting Lucas’ repression, vulnerability, and escalating obsession. Every fraught glance and hesitant gesture conveys palpable paranoia.
Tovey remains enigmatic and magnetic, his controlled appearances slipping between warmth and indifference. Together, every encounter is precarious and charged, delivering steamy tension. Doomed from the start, their connection feels weighted with risk and desire. Meanwhile, family and community close in like walls: a homophobic uncle looms while Maria Dizzia, in a skilful turn as Lucas’ mother, manages to convey grief in just a tilt of her head.
Emmi’s visuals echo this slowburn tension. Shot on film and spliced with vibrant, grainy VHS textures, the film achieves a disorienting, anxious yet dreamlike quality.
Surveillance and voyeurism saturate every frame, placing viewers in the dual role of watcher and watched. Silence carries weight throughout most of the film; glances, pauses, and body
SEND HELP
both characters committing questionable acts.
Both stars fully commit to the madness, showcasing range in different roles for them.
McAdams steals the show, embracing a not-so-unlikeable and increasingly feral protagonist with relish. O’Brien serves as a fantastic man-child with pitch perfect comic timing, his manic reactions and hyena-like cackles carrying the film through its slower stretches.
Together, their animosity-fuelled chemistry keeps every scene crackling. The film hinges on their relationship, teasing a will-theywon’t-they dynamic that’s really a manipulative, toxic tango.
McAdams is a beast, bringing exceptional physicality and depth, as does O’Brien, though a touch more background could’ve made him a bit less one note.
Visually, Send Help a confident, cohesive style, even if some CGI and green screen proves
distractingly rough despite the onlocation shoot.
The gore is surprisingly restrained but well punctuated by memorably inventive and shocking moments — puke-filled CPR, Linda doused in boar snot and blood, and more, capped by a gloriously vicious fight.
The narrative occasionally loops and the film’s flaws are part of the Raimi package. While expected for what feels like a big budget
language convey more than dialogue does, culminating in a gut-punch final act.
The story occasionally treads familiar ground — Blyth’s arc as a conflicted, closeted cop can at times feel surface-level and Tovey’s Andrew undercooked — but the combination of mood, texture and performance sustain Plainclothes.
Plainclothes is for anyone who savours character-driven storytelling, slow-burning erotic tension, and windows into a notso-distant past where identity is a constant performance.
By the final frame, heartbreak and fleeting triumph coexist in a way that's strangely reminiscent of Fleabag, leaving a pulse of hope.
A beautiful pressure cooker of a film where desire itself becomes evident in a world steeped in surveillance, Plainclothes confirms Emmi as a filmmaker to watch. 1/2
Plainclothes is in cinemas from March 5.
For fans of Raimi, or anyone drawn to campy horror, the film is a deeply entertaining, mustwatch ride.
Part Cast Away, part Misery, with a dash of Triangle of Sadness, Send Help is a delightfully chaotic thriller that knows exactly how to provoke.
Send Help is in cinemas now.
Photo: IMDb
Photo: IMDb
