CITY HUB November 2023

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PEACE

MAKER Nazanin Boniadi Sydney Peace Prize recipient 2023

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HubNEWS

Government expands sexual evidence program (See p. 19)

Saving Moore Park Golf Course

BY JUSTIN COOPER AND GRACE JOHNSON espite the Minns Government announcing a major boost to community sports, plans to halve the beloved Moore Park Golf Course persist.

The government confirmed on Sunday October 22 that of the golf course’s 45 hectares, 20 will be ‘repurposed’ into parkland. The next day, they announced the ‘Local Sport Grand program, which will provide $4.65 million in funding to NSW sporting organisations, with $50,000 per electorate and grants up to $20,000 for individual clubs.

But Moore Park Golf Course continues to face an unsettling fate - in halving the 18hole golf course, the demise of the club is almost certain.

Though the government claims that the parkland will create more “green space,” including for grassroots sport and recreation, carving the golf course in two will also mean many golf-lovers will not be able to access a championship course at affordable prices. The club charges only $2000 to join, as opposed to the $30,000 that other golf courses in the area charge.

Some think that it is an unfair attack on golf, a major argument being that Centennial Park, Sydney’s largest green space, is only 3km away.

Independent Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich expressed his gratitude towards the government for addressing the “expanding inner city” and “returning this precious parkland back to public use.”

Jeff Angel from the Total Environment Centre has reportedly said that golf courses should be fair game when it comes to building more open, public space.

“Unfortunately for the Moore Park golf club, 600 members have exclusive control over an important piece of crown land and they can’t be allowed to stand in the way of the greater public good,” he said.

In fact, over 93,000 people play rounds of golf at the club year, but - but the statement does speak to the continuing perception of golf as a sport for an elite few.

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HubARTS: The Dictionary of Lost Words STC’s new production is literally a play on words (See p.24)

PUBLISHED DATE 9 NOVEMBER 2023 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 Assistant: Mal Moody Advertising Managers: Mal Moody 0484 042 615 Advertising: sales@altmedia.net.au News Editor: Grace Johnson Contributors: Grace Johnson, Justin Cooper, Abha Haval, Lauren Frost, Alexandra Snow Arts Editor: Rita Bratovich Contributors: Rita Bratovich, John Moyle, Mark Morellini, Kelly O’Hare, Jasmine Simmons, Isabella Gibbs, Guy James Whitworth Cover Photo: Nazanin Boniadi, 2023 recipient of the Sydney Peace Prize. Photo by Mark Dickson Designer: Nadia Kalinitcheva Mail: PO Box 843 Broadway 2007 Email: news@altmedia.net.au, arts@altmedia.net.au Ph: 9212 5677 Fax: 9212 5633 Website: www.cityhub.com.au If you have a story, or any comments you’d like to share with us: news@altmedia.net.au @CityHubSydney

MISPERCEPTIONS ABOUT GOLF

John Janik, president of the Moore Park Golf Course, insists that the elitist image that once dominated the sport no longer exists, at least at their club.

Members of Moore Park Golf Course practising. Photo: Supplied

According to Mr Janik, the sport has changed, particularly after COVID-19, when the club saw a boost of interest in the sport.

“Golf was always open in New South Wales during COVID. And I think people finally had a go at it and all their misconceptions were thrown away,” said Mr Janik.

“People saw that, at least for Moore Park, it wasn’t the privileged people or the chauvinistic behaviour of the past.

This is all the young generation.”

It’s basically an attack on sport “It’s young kids wanting to play the game, and they finally get a good opportunity on a fantastic golf course, then someone wants to take it away from them. It just doesn’t make any sense to me.”

Mr Janik emphasised the sense of community that has formed at the club.

“It’s a community and, at our course especially, it’s any gender, at any age, at any time. There are no restrictions whatsoever.”

Following the announcement to halve the golf course, City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore expressed her excitement about providing extended green spaces for the community.

“I thank and congratulate the Premier – it is imperative for growing, denselypopulated communities to have access to open space with parkland and this will really help.”

The government anticipates over 80,000 people will be living in a 2km radius of Moore Park by 2040.

Premier Chris Minns said, “Over the past century, Sydney has changed significantly. When the golf course was first established, the surrounding areas were largely industrial lands.”

“As we work to tackle the housing crisis facing NSW by building up, we know that delivering public infrastructure including parks is more important than ever before.”

But what of the government’s professed commitment to community sports?

NSW Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said, “The NSW Government understands the vital role community sport plays in keeping people healthy, active and socially connected.”

Yet golf courses with fewer than 18 holes are not able to host championships and competitions. It is unsure that the club will be stay open at all.

“It’s basically an attack on sport,” said Mr Janik.

“Based on historical similarities, as soon as you go from 18 holes to 9 holes, it’s not 50 per cent of your revenue that’s affected, it’s more like two thirds,” he continued.

“We’ve got several representative teams including junior’s and women’s teams.

But all those teams will disappear almost straightaway.”

The club has since launched their petition, named ‘Retain Moore Park Golf Course as a Championship 18-hole course to be enjoyed by everyone.’ At the moment of publication, it has received almost 11,000 signatures out of its goal of 15,000.

CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

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HubNEWS

Mayor blocks display of Israeli flag City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

Photo: Facebook, Clover Moore

In requesting that communities unite peacefully, Moore noted the considerable rise in Antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents occurring across Sydney, with both synagogues and mosques on high alert.

“There is no place for violence, discrimination or expressions of hate in our city,” she asserted.

The motion was supported unanimously by council, with Moore expected to write to both Israeli and Palestinian communities in Sydney.

Since the initial attacks on October 7 in Israel, several councils have continued to grapple with the conflict’s effects on both Israeli and Palestinian communities.

BY JUSTIN COOPER ord Mayor Clover Moore has blocked plans to display the Israeli flag in her mayoral minute during a City of Sydney’s council meeting.

Ahead of the meeting, Councillor Shauna Jarrett had put forward a motion requesting council to fly the Israeli flag for some time and illuminate Sydney Town Hall with the colours of the Israeli flag as a “mark of respect” for Israel and the Jewish community.

Lord Mayor Moore instead called on the council to avoid displaying any partisan symbols, naming such gestures “one-sided” and “divisive.”

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COUNCIL CONDEMNS VIOLENCE

Mayor Moore’s mayoral minute condemned the ongoing attacks in Israel and the Gaza strip which has resulted in thousands of deaths.

“We condemn war, terrorism and violence in any form,” said the mayor.

“We stand with the innocent victims of this long-running conflict, in both Israeli and Palestinian communities, who are suffering and have suffered over so many years.”

Recalling the City’s “values of diversity, solidarity and inclusivity,” Moore recognised the impacts of the overseas conflict on local communities.

On October 23, Randwick Council held an extraordinary council meeting to overturn previous plans to fly the Palestinian flag on November 29, The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

We condemn war, terrorism and violence in any form Councillor Daniel Rosenfeld from Randwick City Council said he was “disappointed” with the mayor’s decision not to display the Israeli flag.

But Woollahra Municipal Council has continued to show solidarity to their large Jewish population by flying the Israeli Flag outside of the Council Chambers.

Waverley Council Update Mayor's message

Supporting our local community

The unfolding crisis in the Middle East has caused great concern and distress for many in Waverley, including our Jewish population which is the largest in NSW. At our Council meeting on the 17th of October, Waverley Council resolved to offer financial and in-kind support to Jewish community organisations to help provide social services to those affected by the conflict in the Middle East. As Mayor, my unwavering focus is on ensuring the safety, resilience and harmony of our local community, which is home to people from around the world. During these difficult times, I call on our community to look forward and come together in unity to support each other during this time of heartbreak for many.

Charing Cross Streetscape Upgrade

I am delighted to announce that the Charing Cross Streetscape Upgrade project has reached its next phase.

The Review of Environmental Factors (REF) is now open for community feedback until 29 November at haveyoursay.waverley.nsw.gov.au. Charing Cross was Waverley’s first village and is the second-oldest shopping strip in Sydney. Our planned streetscape upgrade along Bronte Road aims to highlight the important heritage features of this historical area and improve safety and experience for pedestrians and all road users. Once the REF is evaluated, a contractor will be appointed to undertake preliminary electrical works early next year, including undergrounding of powerlines. For more about this exciting project to revitalise this beautiful part of Waverley, visit the Major Projects page on our website.

Bronte Park and Beach Plan of Management Waverley Council is inviting the community to provide feedback about our updated Plan of Management for Bronte Park and Beach (Bronte PoM). The Bronte PoM has been updated to bring it into line with the updated Crown Land Management Act 2016 (CLM Act) and the Local Government Act (LG Act). Essentially, there are three key changes required to update the Bronte PoM and these are Native Title Declaration, Community Land Categorisation and Leases and Licenses and other Estates. To learn more and provide feedback, please visit visit haveyoursay.waverley.nsw.gov.au. Consultation closes Friday 15 December 2023.

Waverley Customer Service Centre: 55 Spring Street, Bondi Junction. Ph: 9083 8000

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CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

waverley.nsw.gov.au

What’s on at Bondi Pavilion

Rediscover Bondi Pavilion this month through a range of immersive experiences to suit all interests including the Head On Photo Festival until 3 December; Classic Hits concert with Lara Nakhle on 15 November; Wendy Harmer: Lies my Mirror Told Me, also on 15 November and Venezuelan comic genius Ivan Aristeguitea with his show Citizen on 18 November, just to name a few! For more, visit bondipavilion.com.au/whats_on.

Light Up Waverley festive lights competition With the festive season fast approaching, we're thrilled to be launching Light Up Waverley to all residents, businesses and schools! Our festive lights competition is open to all community members and there are six award categories to enter including best sustainable display. All you need to do is decorate your outdoor space - whether it's your front yard, balcony, window, school fence or store front - for the chance to win one of six $250 gift cards. To enter, visit haveyoursay.waverley.nsw.gov.au/light-waverley.

Thank you to our sponsor Premium Solutions Group for helping make Light Up Waverley possible.

Paula Masselos, Mayor of Waverley

Stay in touch: waverley.nsw.gov.au/subscribe

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WEIHENSTEPHAN AUSTRALIA @WEIHENSTEPHANAUSTRALIA

BUILT ON A RICH HISTORY OF TRADITION, CULTURE AND QUALITY

CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

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HubNEWS

Deputy Mayor sacked and silenced

BY GRACE JOHNSON reens Councillor Ludovico Fabiano has been stripped of his position as Deputy Mayor after he made amendments to an urgent motion on the Israel-Gaza situation to also acknowledge Palestinian deaths.

Fellow council members also had Councillor Fabiano, along with colleague Councillor Dominic Wy Kanak, removed from an array of other committees, including the Multicultural Advisory Committee.

Councillors also tried to remove Cr Wy Kanak, the only Indigenous councillor on the panel, from the Reconciliation Action Plan for supporting the amendments.

Cr Fabiano said that he could not commit full support to the Labor-Liberal motion as it did not mention attacks on civilians in Gaza.

Cr Fabiano said, “In my speech to Council on the motion, I condemned the Hamas attacks, the Israeli bombing of Gaza and the loss of Israeli and Palestinian lives. I also implored my fellow Councillors that we join the call for an end to the violent attacks on civilians in Gaza and Israel by seeking peace with justice.”

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Greens Councillors Ludovico Fabiano and Wy Kanak, Waverley Council. Photo: Instagram, @ludovico_fabiano

ACKNOWLEDGING ALL CIVILIAN DEATHS The amendments, put forward with the support of Cr Wy Kanak, were as follows: “This Council: 1. Condemns war crimes perpetrated

by Hamas, including the premeditated targeting of Israeli civilians, the war crimes perpetrated by a right-wing Israeli government, including the bombing of Palestinian civilians, and calls for all perpetrators to be held accountable for their actions in accordance with

International law and an immediate ceasefire between all parties and an end to the war in Gaza.’

2. Writes to the Premier of NSW, Chris Minns, calling on the NSW Government to take all steps necessary to ensure the safety of the NSW Jewish community and all communities impacted by these events.”

The amendments were misconstrued as a refusal to condemn the Hamas attacks.

President of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties (NSWCCL) Lydia Shelly said in a statement, “The views held by the Deputy Mayor and Wy Kanak reflect non-controversial statements in support of human rights and international humanitarian law.”

“It makes me uncomfortable that simply expressing views in support of human rights and international humanitarian law could lead to these Councillors losing positions to which they were elected.”

Ms Shelly said, “This motion signifies a very concerning slide towards silencing those whose views may not conform with those who wield political power.”

The amendments were misconstrued as a refusal to condemn the Hamas attacks Waverley Council released a vague and peripheral statement in which Mayor Paula Masselos said her “unwavering focus is on ensuring the safety, resilience and harmony of our local community, which is home to people from around the world.”

“I am proud to represent a community that is committed to helping each other in times of need and showing compassion for our fellow citizens.”

Redfern Station accessibility gets a boost

GET IN TOUCH IF WE CAN HELP Ph: (02) 9517 2800 E: newtown@parliament.nsw.gov.au W: jennyleong.org 383 King St, Newtown NSW 2042

This regular column is authorised by Jenny Leong MP. Funded using parliamentary entitlements 6

CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

After numerous delays and budget overruns, the Government has opened the long-awaited $166 million Redfern Station upgrade. The upgrades to the station come after years of notable grassroots activism and advocacy from the community, including key groups REDWatch, The Factory, and the Alexandria Residents’ Action Group (ARAG), as well as the Lift Redfern Campaign that involved over 11,500 signatures. So many people were individually involved in this campaign over so many years that we don’t have the column space to mention them all here!

This much-anticipated opening delivers a significant improvement in accessibility and convenience for Sydney commuters and promised barrier-free community access across the station through the new southern concourse.

In a disappointing turn of events, however, it seems the freshly installed access gates at the Marian Street and Little Eveleigh Street entrances will be closed overnight (outside of usual station operating hours), forcing non-train travellers to detour via the Lawson Street bridge to cross the rail

tracks. We are on a mission to get this decision overturned!

We also know that the accessibility improvements don’t extend to all lines.

Underground platforms 11 and 12, servicing the T4 Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra Line, remain without lifts, a significant oversight that undermines the commitment to make Redfern Station fully accessible and compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act, and leaves a significant portion of commuters without the improved accessibility they were promised.

While we support any works undertaken to make Sydney’s public transport more accessible for those with a disability, limited mobility, or even passengers with prams or luggage, the failure to deliver a truly accessible Redfern Station, despite the costly delays, raises serious questions about the management of critical infrastructure projects - and underscores the need for a more transparent and accountable approach to fulfilling commitments made to the commuting public.

We believe that the Government should fulfill its promise of a fully accessible Redfern Station.

Make our collective demand for change heard - sign the petition for 24-hour access to the Southern Concourse and lifts for platforms 11 and 12 by scanning the QR code below or at this link: jennyleong.org/makeredfernaccessible

Jenny Leong MP Greens Member for Newtown

HubNEWS

SPONSORED CONTENT

IT TAKES A THOUSAND YEARS TO MAKE BEER THIS GOOD

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n 725, the French born Bishop (later Saint), Korbinian arrived in the district of Freising in Bavaria (Germany). He and a dozen companions founded a Benedictine monastery on Nähberg Hill; it became known as Weihenstephan Abbey and gave its name to the surrounding district.

Evidence that the monastery might be involved in the brewing of beer comes from a document from 768 indicating that hops were being grown in the immediate vicinity. In fact, it would have been unusual if the monks were not making beer.

During the middle ages, beer was the most consumed beverage in Europe, often being safer to drink than plain water. Many people made their own brews at home and it was generally pretty rough. However, from as early as the 400s, monasteries in France were making beer and the practice quickly spread to other European countries.

The monastic approach to brewing was methodical, rigorous, and very technical; much of the knowledge and process that is used today was developed within those ancient cloistered walls.

Alas, for Weihenstephan Abbey, any functioning brewery they had at this time was destroyed along with the rest of the monastery when Hungarians attacked in 955. Proving their tenacity, the Benedictines rebuilt on the same spot.

By 1040, Weihenstephan was back in brewing business - literally. Abbott Arnold was granted an official licence by the City of Freising. But, while they now had a viable revenue stream, the monks’ problems were far from over.

Between 1085 and 1463, Weihenstephan was burnt to cinders and rebuilt from scratch four times; the abbey population was decimated by three different plagues; the Hungarians attacked again, then the Swedes and

Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan can lay legitimate claim to being the oldest brewery in the world. Historical documents confirm that in 1040AD, Weihenstephan was officially given a licence to produce and sell beer by the local authorities. But the brewing history of this ancient estate on a hill in Germany dates back even further.

then France; they endured famine and an almighty earthquake.

Yet, somehow, they not only survived but flourished.

The beer-making process continued to develop throughout Europe with results varying from delicious to dangerous.

In 1516, Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria announced a decree that only water, hops and barley could be used in the making of beer. This was known as the Bavarian Purity Law and it gave beer from the region a distinguishing quality that still is present today.

Weihenstephan Abbey continued to produce beer, improving the process and the quality of their ingredients until March 24, 1803. On that day, the monastery fell victim to the

restructuring and secularisation that was happening across Germany. The State took ownership of the land, the buildings, intellectual property and, of course, the brewery, all of which were absorbed into the holdings of the royal house of Schleissheim.

It wasn’t the end of the beer, though.

Not by a long shot.

Weihenstephan powered on as one of the most innovative breweries in the land, and in 1852, the esteemed Central Agricultural School Schleissheim was moved to the erstwhile abbey.

Some 40 years later, the school was upgraded to an academy and then in 1919 it became the University of Agriculture and Brewing.

In 1921, the institution had a final

name change to Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan. With its incorporation of the Technical University of Munich in 1930, the brewery became and still is one of the most advanced and prestigious breweries in the world.

So, what about the beer? How good is it?

Well, at this year’s Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA), the Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan medalled on every single one of the eight different beers they entered. Their Kristallweissbier won gold for the third year in a row. Kristallweissbier is one of Weihenstephan’s showcase beers and has received many awards. It is, as its name suggests, a crystal clear wheat beer, with a crisp effervescence and top notes of banana.

Silver medals went to Original Helles and Weizenbock Vitus (both bottled), while bronze was awarded to Kristallweissbier (this time in a keg), Original Helles, Hefeweissbier (both in a keg), and Kellerbier 1516, Hefeweissbier, and Hefeweissbier Dunkel (all bottled).

Weihenstephan’s range also includes the Korbinian, named after the founder of the monastery. It’s a rich, dark beer with sweet, roasted malt flavour.

They have a sharp, bitter Pilsner; the celebrational Festbier; and a nonalcoholic wheat beer made using a unique method that delivers a low-carb beer that is full on flavour.

While Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan is very technologically advanced, many of its processes are carbon neutral and there is a strong ethos within the organisation to be sustainable, green, and in harmony with nature.

When you see a Weihenstephan beer being poured, you are seeing more than a thousand years of diligence, experimentation, resilience, dedication, knowledge and passion filling that glass. And it tastes magnificent.

CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

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HubNEWS

Flags lowered after Voice defeat

BY JUSTIN COOPER ydney Councils have lowered Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags to half mast, following the Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum defeat.

On October 14, the Yes23 campaign declared a Week of Silence. During this time, the flags were flown at half-mast.

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We offered this recognition, and it has been refused City of Sydney and Inner West Councils also announced their solidarity by lowering flags at the at town halls across their government areas.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flag at half mast. Photo: Facebook, Aboriginal Legal Services

COUNCILS IN SOLIDARITY

Posting to social media, City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore announced her reaction to the “devastating and tragic” result.

“I acknowledge the harmful toll the Referendum has taken, and I stand with you in grief,” said Moore.

“The Yes23 campaign have called for

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags to fly at half-mast, and I will support that call.”

In a statement to Sydney Morning Herald, a City of Sydney spokesperson confirmed the Lord Mayor’s response.

“We will be lowering the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags to half-mast at Sydney Town Hall

and Redfern Community Centre, in response to requests from the Indigenous community,” said the spokesperson.

Inner West Council also complied with the requests. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags at Leichhardt Town Hall were lowered for a week from October 15 as well as flags across the area.

“Showing respect and solidarity to Indigenous people, who will be really hurting today, is the right thing to do.

Compassion costs us nothing,” says Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne.

“We hope other organisations will also act on their request,” he continued.

The announcement posted to social media by Yes23 Co-Chair Rachel Perkins, was a statment from “Indigenous Australians who supported the Voice Referendum.”

“Now is the time for silence, to mourn and deeply consider the consequence of this outcome,” the statement read.

“Much will be asked about the role of racism and prejudice against Indigenous people in this result. The only thing we ask is that each and every Australian who voted in this election reflect hard on this question,” the statement continued.

“The truth is that we offered this recognition, and it has been refused. We now know where we stand in this our own country. Always was. Always will be.”

The statement explained the Week of Silence commenced from Saturday, October 14, and requested comments from the community regarding the result will not be provided during this time.

FIX OUR INNER WEST BUSES Our community deserves world-class, sustainable public transport.

But we are facing a bus crisis due to privatisation.

Sign my petition to call on the minister to fix our buses and put them back into public hands.

Scan the QR code or visit TAKE ACTION at www.kobishetty.org 8

CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

www.kobishetty.org balmain@parliament.nsw.gov.au Authorised by Kobi Shetty MP. Funded using parliamentary entitlements. November 2023

HubNEWS

Unions protest “asbestos of the 2020s”

CFMEU-organised protest against engineered stone in Sydney.

Photo: Facebook, CFMEU Construction & General NSW

BY JUSTIN COOPER

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ustralian unions and health groups continue to push for the ban of silica-based engineered stone, a harmful material that debilitates the thousands of workers who regularly inhale silica dust.

A recent report by Safe Work Australia recommended the nation-wide ban of the dangerous silica-based product, finding no amount of the cancer-causing product to be “safe” for tradies. The engineered stone is commonly used for home countertops.

Cutting and inhaling the particles of the silica-based products is linked to high rates of silicosis, an incurable and deadly lung disease. Inhaling the silica dust also increases risks of lung cancer, kidney disease and pulmonary infections.

THOUSANDS OF WORKERS AFFECTED

Ahead of the report and government discussion on the ban on October 27, thousands of members from the Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union (CFMEU) marched through Sydney and towards NSW Parliament calling for the ban.

CFMEU National Secretary, Zach Smith, says the report is “the final nail in the coffin of the killer stone.”

The union has been calling for the ban as part of the CFMEU This Killer Stone campaign, with Mr Smith saying the report leaves “no option for federal and state ministers” but to commit.

“Anyone who opposes a complete ban on engineered stone will have blood on their hands,” said Mr Smith.

“The science has always been clear: there is no safe exposure to engineered stone. Anyone suggesting otherwise wants to kill workers,” he continued.

“This is a huge day for Australia.

Ministers must agree to banning the asbestos of the 2020s.”

Silicosis is one of the oldest known lung diseases, yet cases have only continued to rise in the past 20 years.

A study by Curtin University estimates that more than 275,000 miners, construction workers and tradesmen have been exposed to the high levels of carcinogenic crystalline silica.

Central Coast resident Beau Hull was diagnosed with silicosis in March last

year, causing him to leave the industry due to dangerous health impacts.

“It was disgusting having the dust all over you, you could smell it on you, you were breathing it in, you could feel it on your teeth, and you were bringing it home,” Mr Hull said.

There is no safe exposure to engineered stone Once an active 36-year-old, Hull has become limited in his everyday activities.

“I’m getting tired a lot quicker and the activities I used to love doing just seem like they’re decreasing.”

“It’s killing me at the moment. It’s really getting to me, just thinking about it all the time, not knowing what’s going to happen,” Mr Hull said.

The Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) released a statement against the product’s use due to the unmeasurable health risks associated with the engineered stone.

CEO of PHAA Professor Terry Slevin said the ban is “well overdue.”

Has a stray kitty stolen your heart?

The Cat Protection Society of NSW can help you with affordable options to get them healthy & safe, and to become a part of your family.

Don’t delay, call the Cat Protection Society today on 9557 4818 or visit catprotection.org.au

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With his athletic antics you’ll be endlessly entertained. This lively little guy thrives on human love and attention and wants to be at the centre of everything. He wants you all to himself, so no other pets please. With his fabulous fluffy coat, Dizzee will need regular brushing to help keep him tangle-free but that’s okay this purring machine is very partial to a bit of pampering and will happily lap up all the attention. Dizzee is best-suited to an indoor-only forever home to protect his pale features from the sun. You’ll be feeling giddy with delight, Dizzee has so much love to give!

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INTERESTED IN ADOPTING? Call the Cat Protection Society of NSW on 02 9557 4818 or visit

www.catprotection.org.au Rehoming Organisation Number: R251000224 CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

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HubNEWS

The City of Sydney voted ‘yes’

Councillor Yvonne Weldon, City of Sydney.

Photo: AAP Image, Gaye Gerard

BY GRACE JOHNSON n the wake of the ‘No’ vote majority, City of Sydney’s first Indigenous councillor put forward two motions to promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices and to advocate for truth-telling in the public domain.

Despite the majority of Australians voting no, and each state showing a ‘no’ majority, the City of Sydney community was overwhelmingly in support of the referendum. It seems that Sydney now needs to take the lead in recognising Indigenous voices.

Councillor Yvonne Weldon expressed her disappointment with the “devastating” outcome. But she is hopeful about the support within the LGA. “The City of Sydney had one of the highest Yes votes in the Country. I’m encouraged by the support locally,” said Cr Weldon.

Cr Weldon’s motions aim to promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices within the community, but also to bring wider awareness of Indigenous culture and heritage across the city.

Both motions were passed with unanimous support.

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SYDNEY’S VOICE PANEL

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Panel, made up of local community members and industry professionals, was established on December 15 in 2008 to give advice and inform the policies of City of Sydney 10

CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

Council for matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Similar to the notion proposed in the Voice Referendum, the panel advises on the needs of the Indigenous community in the LGA and offers increased knowledge and understanding of their culture, but has no authorisation to make any executive decisions or represent the City.

The panel has contributed to the Eora Journey, meaning “the people’s journey,” which addresses the need to have greater recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and heritage, as well as critical issues like housing and the Waterloo estate redevelopment.

Sydney needs to take the lead in recognising Indigenous voices” Although the panel provides invaluable insight to matters of importance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, it has been criticised as being ‘tokenistic.’ In the lead up to the Voice to Parliament referendum, Lord Mayor of City of Sydney Clover Moore released a newsletter that said the council’s advisory had acted as a ‘Voice’ for Indigenous people since 2008.

Social commentator and journalist Prue MacSween then slammed the mayor for ‘virtue-signalling.’

Cr Weldon’s motion aims to see the advisory panel hold more capacity to make their own decisions and make proactive submissions to council, rather than merely serving as a sounding board.

“The principles underlying the Voice remain pertinent. We need to listen to and give more agency to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities,” she said.

TELLING THE TRUTH The second motion brought to council on truth-telling in the public domain has its roots in the long saga of Australia evading, and often deliberately misconstruing, its Indigenous history.

The statue of Governor Lachlan Macquarie at the northern end of Hyde Park is particularly deceptive. Amongst the most eulogised of colonial leaders, Governor Macquarie is described as a “perfect gentleman, a Christian and supreme legislator of the human heart” on the statue’s inscription. On his tomb in Scotland, he is called the “Father of Australia” and is frequently heralded as the one to bring civilisation to the colony.

However, an 1816 directive issued

by Governor Macquarie stated that Indigenous people in Sydney are to surrender themselves as prisoners of war – “If they refuse to do so, make the least show of resistance, or attempt to run away from you, you will fire upon and compel them to surrender, breaking and destroying the Spears, Clubs and Waddies of all those you take Prisoners.”

“Such natives as happen to be killed on such occasions, if grown up men, are to be hanged up on Trees in Conspicuous Situations, to Strike the Survivors with the greatest terror.”

Although the governor recommended that women and children be spared, that is not what happened. The 1816 Appin massacre ensued. Two Dharawal men and one woman were hung in trees to terrorise other Indigenous people, and their heads were then hacked off and sent to Edinburgh University like prizes.

Evidently, the public domain ignores much of real history in favour of upholding colonial narratives.

The statues have long been the centre of heated debate, particularly during the Black Lives Matter rallies, when they were painted with slogans like “no pride in genocide.”

Some have called for the statues to be removed completely.

But Cr Weldon’s motion instead calls for a review of the public statues in the City of Sydney to introduce alternate plaques that will better reflect the history of the area, represent a more accurate picture of the celebrated figures, and incorporate contemporary and First Nations perspectives.

Cr Weldon emphasised the importance of acknowledging Indigenous people and culture, saying, “Whether through place names, public art or monuments, representation and recognition in the public domain is important.”

HubNEWS

Fight for children’s surgery program continues

BY GRACE JOHNSON abor councillors have lost their motion to rescind support for the retention of paediatric cardiac services at Sydney Children’s Hospital at an extraordinary council meeting held at Randwick City Council on October 30, meaning the fight to reinstate critical services for sick children will continue.

The Labor councillors on the Randwick City Council, three out of the fifteen total, put forward a notice of rescission motion, following Mayor Philipa Veitch’s mayoral minute on October 24. Council had resolved to write to the NSW Premier and the NSW Minister for Health and Medical Research, requesting that the State Government restore and maintain an appropriately funded program for paediatric cardiac surgeries, including cardiac bypass, at the Sydney Children’s Hospital.

There also seems to have been some confusion amongst Labor Councillors Dylan Parker, Alexandra Luxford and Kathy Neilson, who had put forward the motion.

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Mayor of Randwick Philipa Veitch told City Hub, “I’m very happy that the notice of rescission motion lost.”

“Now we can begin the real work of reinstating critical services at the Sydney Children’s Hospital.”

Councillors Dylan Parker, Alexandra Luxford and Kathy Neilson, who had put forward the motion to rescind support, also seemed to have been confused about the situation.

It seemed that they were under the impression that NSW Health Minister Ryan Park had offered a briefing to the Mayor and General Manager about stopping medium to high complexity cardiac services at Sydney Children’s Hospital. Their motion to rescind thus requested “That Council defer consideration until the offered briefing to the Mayor and General Manager from the Minister for Health has been accepted and has occurred.”

No such briefing was offered.

MISGUIDED DECISIONS

In July, the health minister wrote to Sydney Children’s Hospital informing them that only low complexity surgeries would be able to go ahead - all medium to high complexity surgeries would be redirected to Westmead Children’s Hospital, over 30km away.

This decision was made without consulting neither the hospital, nor the council, nor other relevant committees.

Staff at the Sydney Children’s Hospital, devastated, wrote a letter to the health minister, saying “Your decision to stop

Nurse with baby at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick. Photo: Facebook, Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick

cardiac surgery is going to put children’s lives at risk.”

Medium complexity surgeries were stopped at the children’s hospital in Randwick in 2018 due to concerns about mortality rates. The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons then conducted a review commissioned by NSW Health, which found that “analysis of survival rates at the two hospitals indicated no significant difference in 30day mortality.”

The NSW Paediatric Cardiac Services Model of Care Panel made recommendations that low and medium complexity surgeries take place at both locations.

During the election process for the Legislative Assembly, Health Minister Ryan Park, Member for Coogee Marjorie O’Neill and Member for Kingsford Matt Thistlethwaite had all supported the reinstatement of cardiac surgeries, but have since backflipped on the decision, despite expert recommendations.

RUN-ON EFFECTS

What are the consequences of not having a cardiac surgery program at Sydney Children’s Hospital?

The short answer: there are many.

Dr Puneet Singh, who has worked as an Intensive Care Doctor for the past fifteen years, and Chair of Senior Medical Staff Council at Sydney Children’s Hospital, spoke to City Hub about the disastrous run-on effects the halted cardiac program will have, putting thousands of children’s lives at risk.

Dr Singh told City Hub that the cardiac surgery program is essential for safe provision of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) at the hospital.

“ECMO is not just for children with heart problems. It’s for children with trauma, cancer, pneumonia, sepsis, airway disease, for babies born with illnesses at Royal Women’s Hospital and babies transferred to Sydney Children’s Hospital from all over New South Wales.”

The cardiac bypass service used during children’s cardiac surgery is also used for windpipe reconstruction surgery and major blood vessel surgery.

Are we waiting for a death to happen? “We can currently handle emergency situations with the ECMO service. Also because we have performed cardiac surgery for more than three decades and are doing regular emergency drills and simulations,” said Dr Singh.

“But we need regular surgery to maintain the skills of all staff, not just the surgeon.

This includes ICU doctors, ICU nurses, operating theatre nurses, anaesthetists and perfusionists. It’s a whole team.”

Dr Singh’s analogy was trying to fly an airplane in difficult weather conditions when you have not been regularly flying in good conditions.

Some children have already had to be transferred over 30km to Children’s Hospital Westmead while in a critical

condition. The trip can take an hour or more, depending on traffic.

Dr Singh said that there have not yet been tragic consequences of having to transfer a child between hospitals.

“But are we waiting for a death to happen?

These are still critically ill children being transferred, which is preventable by providing cardiac bypass surgery services at Randwick.”

The Sydney Children’s Hospital supports children not only in the area but from all over New South Wales.

In the 2022-2023 period, Sydney Children’s Hospital received 1068 admissions to their Intensive Care Unit.

50 per cent of all admissions were within the 50km radius.

20 per cent came from all parts of New South Wales, but also from different states, including Western Australia and South Australia.

The children’s hospitals at Randwick and Westmead were merged into the Sydney Children’s Network in 2010.

The two hospitals have reportedly been competing for status and funding since 1962.

There have been some benefits to the merger, including the ability to share patient files. The network is also the largest paediatric health entity in Australia, so there is a political edge, too.

It’s when the competition between the hospitals starts to compromise patient care that it becomes a problem, and this is well on the way to happening.

CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

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HubNEWS

NSW plastic ban fails, campaigners say

Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe. Photo: Facebook, Penny Sharpe MLC

BY LAUREN FROST s the NSW Government ramps up efforts to reduce plastic pollution, campaigners say the single-use plastic ban has failed.

November 1 marked one year since the ban was introduced, but campaigners say the current ban doesn’t go far enough. According to them, the ban on single-use plastics only encourages toxic alternatives and prevents biodegradable products from replacing plastic products in NSW. On October 29, the NSW Government

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introduced the ‘NSW Plastics: Next Steps’ discussion paper, where industries, businesses and communities can have their say on helping to prevent the 800,000 tonnes of plastic waste produced each year.

The initiative aims to address plastics that are often littered, that release microplastics into the environment, that contain harmful additives, and that are regulated or proposed to be in other areas of Australia.

But anti-plastic campaigners say this is not enough, and that we should be

attacking plastic waste by not producing it in the first place.

a much bigger problem that needs to be solved,” Mr Nelson continued.

FUTURE ANTI-PLASTIC POLICIES

“The best way to reduce plastic waste is not to make it in the first place,” he asserted.

Ryan Nelson, the founder of Refilled, a Sydney-based startup aiming to eliminate 100 million single-use plastic bottles by 2030 said: “In its current form, the ban fails to address the most egregious single-use plastic problem, plastic drinks bottles.

More than 891 billion single-use plastic bottles are produced worldwide every year and less than 20% are ever recycled.”

NSW alone generates 800,000 tonnes of plastic waste each year “Billions of plastic bottles make the short and highly destructive journey from factory, to consumer, to bin, to landfill. This is a problem that governments have no idea how to solve.

They are fiddling around at the edges by banning trivial plastic items like lollipop sticks and bread ties. Plastic bottles are

Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe also commented on the severity of plastic pollution, saying that “By 2050 there may be more plastic than fish by weight in the world’s oceans.”

“Plastic has become so widespread that we are constantly eating, drinking and breathing it in,” she said.

Several councils across Sydney, including Randwick Council and the Inner West Council, have partnered with RecycleSmart to offer residents free regular collections of hard-torecycle items. This includes e-waste, soft plastics, clothing, and misfit and problem waste.

However, only a small portion of plastic waste in NSW is recycled.

“NSW alone generates 800,000 tonnes of plastic waste each year and only 12% of it is recycled,” Minister Sharpe said.

Feedback on ‘NSW Plastics: Next Steps’ will be open from the 29th of October 2023 to the 4th of February next year.

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CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

HubNEWS

$100 million towards gambling harm minimisation

TANYA PLIBERSEK FEDERAL MEMBER FOR SYDNEY Thanks to everyone who helped on the referendum last month. It was great to see so many in our community come together to campaign, talk to their neighbours, and show support.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result we wanted.

Losses from gambling are not only financial. Photo: Andrew Angelov

BY ABHA HAVAL uring GambleAware Week this past October, the Minns Labor Government announced they would be investing a record-breaking $100 million towards gambling harm minimisation across NSW. The theme for this year’s GambleAware Week, which took place October 16-22, was ‘What’s gambling costing you?’

The aim was to boost awareness of the damaging effects of gambling beyond monetary loss, including loss of family time, impacts on physical and mental health, and negative influence on the community.

The investment is a significant step in the government’s long-term commitment to tackle money-laundering, implement game reforms, and reduce the harmful effects gambling has on communities.

Responsible Wagering Australia (RWA) supported the new initiative by the Labor government. CEO Kai Cantwell said, “We are pleased to see the government take steps to introduce cashless gaming and third-party exclusions in pubs and clubs, noting that there is still much more to be done to ensure that Australians gambling in pubs and clubs have the same protections they have online.”

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SUPPORT FALLING SHORT

However, not everyone has been so optimistic about the announcement. A recovering gambler, who wished to stay anonymous, spoke to City Hub about the lack of support that is crucial to gamblers.

“There are many people, services and rehabs that assist compulsive gamblers.

I feel like they fall short of support and that is causing them harm.”

“Gambling has been affecting people for a long time. It does affect families and jobs. It has a ripple effect; a very hard addiction to defeat,” he said.

“There needs to be proper education about compulsive gambling in high schools. Children are being groomed to gamble.”

Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said, “we know there are people out there experiencing gambling harm in our community, and we are concerned the impact this has on individuals, their families and broader community.”

Gambling has been affecting people for a long time “We are committed to increasing awareness of the risks of gambling, in all forms, and I can assure people there is a lot of help and support out there in NSW communities, that is freely available and accessible.”

Mr Harris said one of the goals was to prevent harm caused by gambling before it happens.

“Our first budget delivers $100 million in harm minimisation initiatives, including funding for the NSW Office of Responsible Gambling to provide support to people affected by gambling harm through these GambleAware services as well as working to prevent harm before it even occurs by investing in education and awareness raising.”

While Australians said no to this particular constitutional change, it is clear that most want to see us close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Now, we must redouble our efforts to tackle Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage, and that’s something we can all get behind.

Our strong new climate laws, the safeguard mechanism, developed with the Greens Party and independents including teal MPs, mean that coal and gas projects must comply with Australia’s commitment to net zero.

The safeguard laws allow the Climate Minister to stop coal and gas projects adding to Australia’s emissions. There are serious criminal penalties for breaking these laws, including gaol time for company executives.

Australians elected a government committed to In Government, we’ve been listening action on climate change – and and involving First Nations voices to that’s what we’re doing. We’re better protect our environment. also focused on tackling the cost of living pressures. I'm proud of what we’ve already achieved, We are doubling the number of Indigenous Rangers this decade and including: we’ve just announced funding for ten o Energy bill relief more Indigenous Protected Areas, o Cheaper child care including the Wuthathi IPA, which I recently formalised in Cape York. We o Increased rent assistance are bringing clean water to remote o More Medicare bulk billing Aboriginal towns, like Yuendumu in o Cheaper medicines the Northern Territory. o Boosting income support payments like pensions The government is also focused on o Fee-free TAFE training the transition to renewable energy, o Building more public housing as part of our pathway to net zero. and affordable homes o Expanding paid parental leave It’s a massive job. We’re building renewable energy generation and We’re getting wages moving, storage. We’re rolling out and have set a record with over transmission lines to get more 550,000 jobs created since we renewable energy into people’s came to office. These are the homes and businesses. We’re things that make a tangible increasing the take up of electric difference to people’s lives, and cars. We’re making homes and we’re getting on with the job of businesses more energy efficient. delivering them.

We’re investing in clean fuel technology of the future. In the last month alone, I’ve approved three new renewable energy projects.

TANYA PLIBERSEK MP 1A Great Buckingham St Redfern NSW 2016

02 9379 0700

Tanya.Plibersek.MP@aph.gov.au SSO Here to Help 2020 V1.indd 1

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HubNEWS

Inner West Labor disappoints trans community

Pride in Protest at a protest in Sydney. Photo: Facebook, Pride in Protest

BY GRACE JOHNSON he trans community has been left disappointed after Labor councillors voted down endorsing Trans Day of Resistance during an Inner West Council meeting.

The motion was brought to council by Councillor Liz Atkins, who asked that Council agree to fly the flag for Trans Awareness Week through to the Day of Resistance on November 25, in addition to flying the flag at half mast every year for Trans Day of Remembrance. The motion also requested that Council endorse the Trans Day of Resistance and promote the event on social media and in the November edition of Council news.

Labor councillors, the majority, unanimously voted down the motion, despite full support from the Greens and some Independents.

Instead of endorsing the event, flags will be flown at the Town Hall sites and pale pink and blue coloured lights will illuminate Camperdown Memorial Rest Park. And in lieu of promoting the Trans Day of Resistance rally, council will highlight the work of trans and gender diverse activists and organisations, shirking an active position of support.

The decision to vote down support for Trans Day of Resistance is, however, consistent with the Labor government’s

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CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

overall lack of action regarding the trans community.

A spokesperson from activist collective Pride in Protest told City Hub that “it’s disappointing that the Inner West Council isn’t, because of the Labor majority, willing to stand behind the trans community and everything that we’re doing for safety and justice.”

“It doesn’t stop us from everything we’re going to do, we just have to know that Council isn’t behind this as much as we’d hoped they would be.”

The Minns Labor government had promised to ban conversion therapy, recognised as a form of torture by the United Nations, but many have pointed out, and criticised, the lack of action on this front.

The Pride in Protest spokesperson told City Hub, “It does seem to be a trend within the Labor Party that they’ll say they support our communities, say they support trans rights. But when it comes to material things they can do to show that support, they’re nowhere to be found.”

Cr Atkins spoke to City Hub about the motion’s outcome, saying “it was really disappointing.”

“Council has previously passed a lot of motions including supporting changes to birth certificates without having to have surgery and putting a motion to Local Government NSW about gender affirmation leave.”

“We do support trans and queer rights.

But this time they would not endorse the resistance rally,” they continued. “For Labor, I think that demands went too far in relation to the demands about cops out of community.”

For the Trans Day of Resistance, Pride in Protest brought several demands to council, including enabling gender self-ID without undergoing surgery (NSW is the only state in Australia to not allow this), providing a minimum of 6 paid weeks of annual leave for gender-affirming surgeries, reinstating an improved and universal Safe Schools program at every school, and ending the policing of the trans community, including no cops at Pride.

Inner West Council is prepared to do the easy things Cr Atkins said, “At this point in time, the Inner West Council is prepared to do the easy things. They’re prepared to do the flag flying and the lights in the park. To put the flag at half mast, that’s very easy to do.

“But when it comes to the demands of trans people in particular, and queer people in general, who are over-policed by the police, they aren’t prepared to support those hard demands.”

Yaz from Pride in Protest also spoke to City Hub, saying despite the sense of community trans people have amongst themselves and with allies, it is difficult to overcome the unique struggles that the trans and queer community face when they lack support from local councils, especially from the most progressive areas of Sydney.

“Even when you have a strong community behind you, you are just facing such a behemoth because the institutions and bureaucracies we engage with just appear to hold so much power,” they said.

“And then when we call upon our local governments to support us and push up against those bureaucracies, and they don’t do that, it further gives that sense of just being isolated, not being able to have that material change that is needed.”

The spokesperson of Pride in Protest also noted the disparity between support for the Trans Day of Remembrance and Day of Resistance.

“It really comes across as negating that this is a daily struggle that the trans community is engaged in and that we only need to think back and commiserate about folks who have lost their lives, rather than actually doing anything to keep the current trans community alive,” they said.

Speaking to Council, Cr Atkins called attention to a recent report by the Trans Justice Project and the Victorian Pride Lobby, which found that anti-trans hate has been intensifying over time, with 8 out of 10 participants reporting an increase in the past three years. 1 in 2 trans people experience anti-trans hate, and 1 in 10 experience anti-trans violence.

They also pointed to legislation regarding trans people in the United Kingdom and the United States, which exclude them from the health system and insist on putting them in prisons according to the gender assigned at birth, thus increasing their exposure to danger.

“We need to make sure that does not happen here,” said Cr Atkins, “and the Inner West Council has been in the forefront of work to make it clear that trans and gender diverse people are welcome in our community.”

In asking the council to endorse the November 25 rally, Cr Atkins emphasised the over-policing of the trans community and the underreporting of crimes against trans and queer people that ensues.

Last year’s rally saw over 3000 attendees, and Pride in Protest is hoping to have the same turnout this November. Whether the government will listen to the community is yet to be seen.

HubNEWS

Rainbow crossing becomes more inclusive

BY LAUREN FROST ity of Sydney Council has unanimously approved a motion to update the public rainbow flag street crossings at Taylor Square South and Prince Alfred Park.

The motion, put forward by Councillor Adam Worling, called for the current rainbow crossing to be updated with the Progress Pride Flag.

Cr Worling told City Hub that “this notice of motion is a fairly straightforward and simple one, but I believe its impact will be felt deeply across the City.”

The Progress Pride Flag is an update on Gilbert Barker’s original 1978 rainbow flag design that has become synonymous with the LGBTQIA+ community.

The black and brown of the chevron on the Progress Pride Flag, designed by non-binary artist and graphic designer Daniel Quasar in 2018, represents Indigenous people and people of colour, whilst the white, pink and blue represents transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse people.

The rainbow crossing at Taylor Square was painted in 2018, after the original on Oxford Street was controversially destroyed.

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The Oxford Street rainbow was installed in February 2013 to celebrate 35 years of Mardi Gras. It was approved as a temporary artwork until the end of March, but Mayor Clover Moore, and many others, wanted it to stay.

Then-Roads Minister Duncan Gay claimed that the rainbow crossing was a safety hazard due to people stopping to take photos amidst traffic, and had the road jackhammered, resurfaced and repainted overnight.

I believe its impact will be felt deeply across the City Independent Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich told City Hub, “When the last government removed the rainbow crossing from Oxford Street on what it claimed were ‘safety concerns’, I worked with the Lord Mayor and City of Sydney to find a new location that celebrates the local LGBTIQA+ community.”

Mr Greenwich said he “welcomes Councillor Worling’s motion to investigate new places to spread the rainbow love.”

Rainbow crossing at Taylor Square. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

At 21.3%, the City of Sydney has the highest proportion of LGBTIQA+ people in all of Australia. Thus, the visibility that the public rainbow artworks provide for the community is paramount.

Mayor Clover Moore told City Hub: “The City is committed to enshrining Oxford Street as the heart of LGBTIQA+ culture in Australia. This area has had many rainbow-themed additions by the City,

including new Progress Pride street name signs and banners; rainbow lighting and several LGBTIQA+-themed murals.”

Cr Worling said, “I love the mighty Rainbow crossing on Bourke Street at Taylor Square.

“Though what is missing in these two locations, I believe, is the representation of our entire LGBTIQA+ community in all its brilliant diversity.”

CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

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HubNEWS

Inner West honours Chinese residents’ contributions

Council pours cold water on wellness lovers

BY ALEXANDRA SNOW ce bath operators on Sydney’s beaches are left devastated after Randwick Council banned their activities and allegedly threatened to fine them, leaving the future of ice baths on Coogee Beach uncertain.

As the popularity of breath work, cold water therapy, and the Wim Hoff method rise, wellness groups have popped up across Sydney suburbs.

Somatic Ice, a beloved group that attracts almost 50 people a week to its icy session on the scenic south end of

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liked seeing people at the beach doing something healthy for themselves.”

LOSS OF COMMUNITY

The benefits of breath work and coldwater therapy have been credited with reducing anxiety, increasing energy and fat loss. But Ms McGrath says it’s much more than that.

“We’ve built a community. People have made friends, boyfriends and girlfriends from the sessions.”

Ms McGrath mentioned a regular patron who works nights and is struggling

Bust of Mei Quong Tart in Ashfield.

Photo: Monument Australia

BY GRACE JOHNSON community and well known amongst political figures and social elites. His nner West Council has unanimously tea rooms were the sites of Sydney’s passed a motion to recognise the first suffragette meetings and, between long contribution of the Chinese 1885 and 1888, home to functions for community to Ashfield. inmates of destitute asylums. As part The motion, put forward by Councillors of his employment system, he devised Jessica D’Arienzo and Mark Drury, policies including sick leave, holiday pay, requested that council, following and time off for personal reasons, long community consultation, seek the before this was mandatory. support of the Geographical Names Board to give Hercules Street in Ashfield When Quong Tart was roughly 52 years an additional name, ‘Quong Tart Plaza,’ old, he was brutally attacked with an where Mei Quong Tart’s bust is located. iron bar in a suspected robbery. He never recovered. Quong Tart died 11 Cr D’Arienzo told City Hub, “This an months later, in his home in Ashfield. exciting opportunity to highlight the On the day of his long and fruitful an early pioneer of funeral, more than settlement of Chinese 200 people escorted people in the Inner multiculturalism in his coffin from his West and recognise a time rife with antihome on Arthur Street, the Chinese headed by a band community in the Chinese sentiment from the Professional central business Musicians’ Association. district of Ashfield, and the significant His coffin was then placed on a funeral contribution made by members of the train headed for the Rookwood Cemetery, Chinese community.” where thousands gathered to pay their respects.

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PIONEER OF MULTICULTURALISM

Mei Quong Tart, born in 1850 in the Guangdong Province of China, was a prominent merchant and early pioneer of multiculturalism in a time rife with anti-Chinese sentiment. He was a community leader, an active philanthropist, and a spokesman for the Chinese community. He advocated for better treatment of Chinese residents in Australia, supported a petition to open a Chinese consulate in Australia, and also campaigned against the opium trade, going on an investigation himself to Chinese camps in New South Wales.

Quong Tart was much beloved in the 18

CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

Mei Quong Tart built and lived in the house that Uniting would later purchase in 2002 and turn into a residential aged care home, opening its doors in 2008. It is now home to 63 Chinese residents.

In September of this year, the Uniting Quong Tart aged care home was gifted a Blue Plaque by the NSW Government.

Uniting Chief Executive Tracy Burton said, “We’re so pleased that Mei Quong Tart is being acknowledged for his pioneering multiculturalism and his philanthropy, and that his life and his good works are now officially recognised as an important part of Sydney’s rich cultural and historical heritage.”

Ice baths at Coogee Beach, Sydney. Photo: Facebook, Fi Woolly - Breathless Coogee Beach

Coogee Beach, were told they could be fined up to thousands of dollars if they continue.

“We became staples of peoples’ weeks,” Ms McGrath said.

She stated that Randwick Council were initially very supportive, but council rangers came and warned them of upcoming fines.

Ms McGrath, who works full-time in advertising, said that once the ice baths took off, she notified the council, got all the insurance necessary, and filled in all the paperwork for permits.

Having invested over $10,000 in equipment, Ms McGrath considers the ice baths to be her passion project and is gutted to see them shut down, and without good reason. Following the shutdown, she reached out to the council, who told her it was the lifeguards objecting to the ice baths. But none of the lifeguards she spoke with seemed to share this sentiment.

“The lifeguards were really supportive that we were doing something good for the community,” she said. “They

without the social element of the ice baths.

Many of the local businesses, especially cafés and shops in the vicinity, benefitted from the influx of participants.

We became staples of peoples’ weeks But Somatic Ice isn’t the only group hit with bad news. Happy Humans Project, operating on the north end of the beach, were also forced to halt their activities due to complaints. Conscious Community was shut down last year, prompting their move to Bondi Beach.

Waverley Council have taken a different approach and given permits to ice bath providers on Bondi Beach.

An online petition, started by Somatic Ice, received over 1100 signatures within 48 hours supporting their return to Coogee beach. The Happy Human Project has also set up an online petition to allow them to continue operating.

HubNEWS

Child Sexual Evidence Program expanded statewide

BY GRACE JOHNSON SW Parliament has passed the Bill to expand the Child Sexual Evidence Program statewide, helping to reduce the stress and trauma experienced by child complainants.

The Child Sexual Evidence Program allows children who are complainants or prosecution witnesses in sexual offence matters to pre-record their evidence and have it played later in court.

By recording evidence at an early stage of the trial, children can be protected from often prolonged court processes which only worsen their stress and trauma following an already disturbing experience.

Witness intermediaries will also be available to assist children with their communication needs at the police interview and at court during the prerecorded evidence hearing, providing invaluable support to children giving evidence.

Child sexual abuse remains a prevalent issue nationwide. According to The Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS), 28.5 per cent of Australians have experienced child sexual abuse, with rates of girls experiencing sexual abuse double than that of boys.

39 out of 40 Local Government Areas (LGAs) with the highest rate of child sexual abuse per capita were located in regional, rural or remote areas.

Yet until now, only children located in the metropolitan areas of Sydney and Newcastle were able to access the Child Sexual Offence Program.

It’s precisely for this reason that the Bill to expand the program was introduced.

Previously, the program was only available in Sydney’s Downing Centre Court and the Newcastle District Court. The expansion will see pre-recorded evidence and witness intermediaries made available to all District Court locations in NSW.

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HEART OF THE PROGRAM

The Program was first introduced as a three-year pilot in 2016, aiming to help children to give evidence in legal system that wasn’t designed for them. An evaluation of the pilot by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) found that the Program reduced stress for children and resulted in a better quality of evidence.

But at the heart of the program’s expansion is the Milthorpe family, whose grassroots campaign led to statewide change.

However, the change tragically has its roots in the life-altering trauma of their two young daughters, who suffered years of sexual abuse from a trusted family friend.

The younger girl of the two had just turned five when she told her mother she had been sexually abused for a number of

NSW Parliament passed the Bill to expand the Child Sexual Evidence Program on October 12.

Photo: Gorodonkoff, Shutterstock

years. Her older sister was eight years old.

The first police interview took place in November 2013. Two and a half years passed before the girls were in court. The process in court only proved to be more traumatising for the children, something they are still recovering from, several years later.

It takes unfathomable courage for kids to come forward and testify The case was originally meant to be held in their hometown of Albury. But after a series of delays and a run-in with the offender, the case was moved to Sydney, where only more delays ensued. The family had to live out of suitcases for almost five weeks as the case dragged on.

The girls were then subjected to brutal cross-examinations over several days.

They weren’t permitted to have a parent present. They were doubted and then subjugated to legal jargon they could hardly understand. Their inability to answer at certain points, or recall exact dates of the abuse, was misconstrued as inaccuracy or falsehood. In fact, the children were accused of being liars.

One time a juror fell asleep during testimony, so the younger daughter, 7 at

the time, had to go back the next week and relive her traumatic memories once more.

TRAUMA CREATED IN COURT

Michelle Milthorpe talked to City Hub about the shocking and distressing court process her daughters had to endure.

“I never expected that they could treat children the way that they did,” she said.

“Never in a million years.”

The Program had been piloted at the same time the girls were going through the court process, but they weren’t eligible to participate. Then the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse released its 2017 report, which included recommendations about the importance of pre-recording witness evidence and using intermediaries in child sexual offence prosecutions.

Once the former Coalition Government had piloted the program and received successful endorsements, the government invested $28 million to make the program permanent in the initial two locations.

Then in February 2023, Coalition invested $64.3 million over 4 years to roll out the expanded program to every district court and police district in New South Wales.

Mrs Milthorpe told City Hub, “We were concerned when there was a change in government that we would see that that might not go through, or that the Labour Party might put their money somewhere else.”

“But we’re just so pleased that it’s had bipartisan agreement, because at the end of the day, it’s not political. This is about children and this is about decreasing trauma for children and recognition that child sexual assault is just all too common.”

In the legislative assembly hansard from October 10, Ms Donna Davis MP for Parramatta said, “It takes unfathomable courage for kids to come forward and testify to what happened to them. The pain of facing perpetrators and being forced to relive their horrific experiences can cause further damage to them. The bill’s reforms will help to minimise that damage and ensure that victim-survivor testimony is as widely available across our court system as possible.”

By the end of the distressing court trial, the offender was found guilty of six counts of aggravated indecent assault against the older daughter. Charges for the offences against the younger daughter were dropped, as she was considered an unreliable witness.

The pedophile was immediately bailed.

Five months later, he was sentenced to three years and nine months in jail, but was released after two years and six months. He has since returned to the same town the girls continue to live in.

In early 2022, both children went to court to fight for their right to tell their story under their real names, and won.

Their names are Rose and Pippa.

CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

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HubNEWS

Greater access at Redfern Station

BY JUSTIN COOPER he long-awaited upgrades to Redfern Station have finally opened to the public, providing a new concourse to help reduce platform crowding and improve commuter accessibility.

On Sunday October 8, the $166 million project was unveiled. Connecting Little Eveleight Street to Marian Street, the 90-metre concourse stretches across the 10 railway tracks and provides elevator access to each of the station’s platforms.

The upgrades were a part of the NSW Government’s Transport Access Program, aiming to provide platform accessibility for people with disability or limited mobility, as well as assisting passengers with large luggage, bikes or prams.

for this project for decades,” said Ms Haylen. She continued to thank workers and community supporters.

“Now with an additional $300m in the budget for further station accessibility upgrades, I look forward to seeing even more communities across NSW making the most of these vital station upgrades,” Ms Haylen continued.

The upgrade has been anticipated ever since construction began in 2019. Whilst initially slated to open in 2020, delays also caused the project to also go over budget by $66 million.

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The upgrade of this station was years in the making New concourse at Redfern station. Photo: Suppled from NSW Government Media

ADDRESSING DEMAND

Redfern Station is the fifth busiest station in the state, seeing an average of 46,000 passengers each weekday.

It is also one of the oldest stations in NSW - the station opened in 1878 and has been operating for the past 140 years.

Unveiling the new concourse, Premier Chris Minns explained the significance

of the upgrade connecting the Redfern area, and anticipated the rapid growth from community development.

“Given its close proximity to education, health, employment and cultural precincts, we know how important Redfern Station is for people accessing local services and attractions, so it’s great to see these accessibility upgrades completed,” said Mr Minns.

“I am pleased to mark the completion of this project, which will benefit so many rail commuters and visitors travelling on our states rail network,” he continued.

Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said the changes “breathe new life” into the station and will better address the commuter demand.

“The upgrade of this station was years in the making, with people advocating

The additional six lifts to each of the Redfern platforms have been longawaited, with the station installing one lift in 2015 on platforms 6/7.

Lift installments have been a major aspect to the Transport Access Program.

Many Inner West stations have recently seen them installed, with two lifts now operating at Stanmore Station, and Dulwich Hill Station expecting lift access next month.

Council takes stand for Bondi Bowlo

BY GRACE JOHNSON averley Council is protesting the 420% rent increase imposed on the beloved Bondi Bowling Club by the Minns Government without club or community consultation.

Earlier this month, around 11,000 Crown Land leaseholders were notified that their rent had been redetermined.

The Bondi Bowling Club historically paid $22,000 annually in rent. They were then told that they’d have to pay $95,000, meaning they will have to fork out an extra $1,500 per week to keep their doors open.

The not-for-profit sees around 10,000 come through its doors each year, and has no pokies machines to build revenue.

Councillor Sally Betts, who, with Councillor Tony Kay, brought forth the motion, said in her address to council earlier this month, “Bondi Bowling Club has become really a hub for young people.”

“It really is providing an amazing facility for our community and I think we need to do whatever we can to help them.”

At the time of the rent increase, Matty Graham, president of the bowling club, said that bowling clubs are the “heart and soul of the local community,”

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Afternoon at Bondi Bowling Club. Photo: Facebook, Bondi Bowlo

where you can have a reasonably priced drink and play a sport that is “healthy, safe, and offers access for all ages, all genders, and all abilities as well.”

I think we need to do whatever we can to help them Council is now investigating ways they can offer to take over the management of this parcel of Crown Land. Currently, the managing arrangements are through a special lease dating back to 1965,

which provides tenure in perpetuity.

Some councillors raised concerns over what taking over management would entail. One noted that the building was in serious need of repairs. Mr Graham previously referred to the “laundry list of renovations” that the club needed.

Council is also considering assisting the club to raise funds by leasing its premises for events.

FIGHTING BACK

The Bondi Bowling Club has also started a petition to fight against not only the astronomical rent increase of their own

club, but others that have been crippled by the changes.

Lambton Bowling Club will have to pay $95,000 a year instead of their usual $12,000, an increase of nearly 800 per cent.

Penrith Bowling Club will have a staggering increase of more than 1,000 per cent.

The petition, started by Mr Graham, says that the Minns Government has been “unrepentant about the impact that this rental increase will have on not-for-profit community clubs and has been unwilling to concede that this massive increase may force the closure of some clubs.”

COFFIN ED’S NAKED CITY

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ISLAND FEVER ON COCKATOO

hen Alcatraz in San Francisco harbour stopped operating as a prison in 1963 there were no immediate plans for it to assume a new role. Sydney has its own ‘Alcatraz’ in the predominantly concrete landmark of Cockatoo Island and its future seems very much up in the air.

That’s despite years of trying all manner of activities on the island and a series of somewhat ambitious renewal plans. In May of 2021 it was announced that the historic site would be revitalised as a new creative precinct with eateries, parkland and facilities for the arts. More recently the Harbour Trust announced the Cockatoo Island / Wareamah Draft Master Plan, one which “presents a new vision for reactivation and transformation – for the island to become the vibrant and connected heart of Western Sydney Harbour.” The plan is currently open for discussion and the public are invited to make submissions up until mid-December.

In past decades the island has hosted a number of film, comedy and music festivals including One Electric Day and a production of the opera, Carmen. Some

Cockatoo Island.

Photo: Commons

have been moderately successful, others have sent their promoters broke.

The latest master plan calls for a hotel, high end restaurants, a second ferry wharf and turning the old slipway into an enormous harbour swimming pool. The wretchedly cynical might say “the arty farty stuff doesn’t work so let’s turn the joint into one big tourist trap”.

Perhaps the overriding question is – with Sydney offering so much in the way

PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE OPTUS MOBILE PHONE BASE STATION WITH 5G AT S1402 Central Square: 477 Pitt St, Haymarket NSW 2000 RFNSA reference: 2000153

1. The proposed facility consists of the addition of new 5G equipment and associated works as follows: • The removal and reuse of existing equipment • The installation of three (3) new panel antennas, 0.81m long on new mounts • The installation of three (3) new panel antennas, 0.59m long on new mounts • The installation of ancillary equipment including twelve (12) remote radio units, feeders, cables, combiners, GPS, mounts, and other associated equipment essential to the operation and safety of the facility 2. Optus regards the proposed installation as Exempt Development under the SEPP (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021, based on the description above.

3. In accordance with Section 7 of C564:2020 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment Code, we invite you to provide feedback about the proposal.

Further information and/or comments should be directed to: Archie Aparicio of Genus at Feedback@Genus.com.au or Unit 2-3, 54 Lyn Pde, Prestons NSW 2170 by 5pm on Monday, 27 November 2023. Additional information may also be obtained from www.rfnsa.com.au/2000153

of beaches, parkland, cosmopolitan suburbs and a bustling night life, why in the hell would you want to be stuck out on a concrete slab in the middle of the harbour? If you suffer from agoraphobia or what is sometimes referred to as ‘island fever’ then the experience might not be a pleasant one. Laugh if you like but ‘island fever’ is recognised as a genuine form of psychological distress – a dysfunction, or disorder that causes significant stress, abnormal thoughts, and feelings in people

that are temporarily or permanently staying or living on islands.”

The counter argument here is that many people enjoy the concept of temporary isolation, cut off from the humdrum of the city and forking out hundreds of dollars to spend the night in an upmarket glamping tent.

In a previous article I suggested that the best option for the island might be accommodating a permanent population.

Forget about the five star hotel and the gourmet nosheries, we are in the middle of a housing crisis. The State Government could convert a number of the buildings on Cockatoo into low cost rental accomodation – a budget version of other successful island communities in Sydney like Dangar on the Hawkesbury and Scotland Island on Pittwater.

It’s highly unlikely of course that such a scenario will eventuate. History tells us that Sydney invariably opts for the grandiose and commercially driven, as opposed to a more community oriented approach. In the meantime you have approximately a month to have your say at: consult.dcceew.gov.au/cockatooisland-wareamah-draft-master-plan

PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE OPTUS AND VODAFONE MOBILE PHONE BASE STATION WITH 5G Rooftop Facility, Devere Hotel, 44-46 Macleay Street, Elizabeth Bay NSW 2011 Site Ref: S1774 / JS9538, www.rfnsa.com.au/2011008 1. The proposed facility consists of the addition of new 5G equipment and associated works as follows: • Recovery of four existing panel antennas • Installation of three new panel antennas (0.75m long) • Installation of one new panel antenna (0.79m long) • Installation of one new panel antenna (1.83m long) • Installation of one new panel antenna (2.18m long) • Installation of two new panel antennas (2.69m long) • New ancillary equipment including twenty-four remote radio units, cabling and antenna mounts • Reconfiguration of existing equipment on the facility and within the shelter 2. Optus and Vodafone regard the proposed installation as Exempt Development in accordance with State Environmental Planning Policy (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021 based on the description above.

3. Notification is being undertaken in accordance with Section 7 of Industry Code C564:2020 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment.

4. Members of the public may obtain further information on the proposed work, and we invite you to provide written comments about the proposal. Further information and/or comments should be directed to Optus’ representative c/- Elliot Nelson, Catalyst ONE Pty Ltd; phone: 02 4022 9533; email: consultation@catalystone.com.au and post: PO Box 1119, Crows Nest NSW 1585 by 5:00pm on 24 November 2023.

CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

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WOMAN LIFE FREEDOM AND PEACE This year’s recipient of the Sydney Peace Prize is actor and activist, Nazanin Boniadi,

recognised for her continuous advocacy on behalf of oppressed women and children in Iran.

BY RITA BRATOVICH oniadi was born in Iran but was an activist by proxy even before then - she was in her mother’s womb when both her parents attended a protest against the newly formed theocracy in Iran in 1979. Tens of thousands of women and men were met with violence, imprisoned, and exiled under the brutal regime of the Ayatollah Khomeini.

Boniadi’s parents were forced to seek political asylum in the UK when she was only three weeks old. She grew up with the privileges afforded by democracy, attending university in the US, forging a successful acting career, then becoming a spokesperson for Amnesty International and independent advocate.

In her speech at the Sydney Peace Prize award ceremony at Sydney Town Hall, Boniadi acknowledged how fortunate she was to be there.

“While I stand before you, my fellow artists and activists inside [Iran] are denied their livelihoods and lives for daring to dissent. It doesn’t escape me that their destiny could have easily been mine.”

Though she had already been an activist for more than a decade, Boniadi was galvanised by the murder in 2022 of Mahsa Amini, a KurdishIranian women who was arrested by the morality police for “inappropriate wearing of the hijab.”

Amini’s murder instigated a massive movement under the banner, WomanLifeFreedom, which Boniadi has fortified with her high profile support.

“Women have been both the spark and the engine of these uprisings.

Despite the threat of an unspeakable assault on their minds, bodies and souls, young school girls have taken to the streets, removing their mandatory head coverings while chanting ‘we

and comprising: Shokoofeh Azar, International Booker Prize and Stella Prize nominated Iranian- Australian author and journalist; Gelareh Pour, acclaimed Iranian-born singer and songwriter; and Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert, leading political scientist and expert in Middle East. Dr Gilbert was held for 804 days in prison in Iran.

Azar spoke of her complex relationship with Islam. She was young when Ayatollah Khomeini came to power, and she felt restricted and confused by the laws regarding women’s coverings.

“It was later I came to understand that the whole regime was based on my body…if I cover my body, Islam is protected, if not, Islam is not protected,” she said.

It made her hate and reject the religion until she left Iran and explored other countries where the Islam was practiced.

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Nazanin Boniadi, dressed by Carla Zampatti (major sponsor). Photo: Mark Dickson

don’t want an Islamic republic!’” said Boniadi in her speech, calling the movement the first female-led revolution of our time.

In Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Phillipines, Poland, history and social science scholarship have shown a direct correlation between the success of protest movements and the participation of women, Boniadi told an attentive Town Hall audience.

“If the women and people of Iran succeed in achieving the freedom they deserve, this could be the most positive development for regional and global security and peace in decades.”

At the end of her speech, Boniadi was given a lengthy standing ovation before being presented with the beautiful Sydney Peace Prize statuette by Lord Mayor Clover Moore, a long time patron of Sydney Peace Foundation.

Boniadi then joined a panel convened by journalist and presenter, Jan Fran,

Women have been both the spark and the engine of these uprisings

Lord Mayor Clover Moore presents prize to Nazanin Boniadi. Photo: Mark Dickson

“And I saw so many different versions of Islam in all of these countries….Islam in Turkmenistan was so nice…everybody had their lifestyles, nobody asked you to do this, do that…”

In some countries, the conditions were even worse than in Iran. What Azar concluded was that authoritarian interpretation had more to do with politics and power than the true doctrine of Islam.

“When politics and religion comes together it’s horrible.”

“I think as an artist you’re always connected to anywhere you live, but being apart from Iran I always felt really lucky to be able to have the culture of Iran through my music and poetry and be connected.”

British-Australian academic, Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert was imprisoned in Iran in 2018 on spurious espionage charges.

She survived emotionally and mentally thanks to her own resilience and resourcefulness and the kinship of fellow prisoners.

I think storytelling and empathy are the common thread between art and activism

“I learned that Iranian women are remarkable people, remarkably strong,” she told the Town Hall audience. Asked what can be done from Australia to help women in Iran, she responded: “We can continue to keep the message of WomanLifeFreedom alive…we can continue to talk about it, we can continue to attend events like this, we can show our solidarity with the brave women and men of Iran and show them that they’re not alone.”

In a brief interview with City Hub after the event, Boniadi shared her thoughts on what can be done from afar.

“I think it’s really important that we use our voices and our votes to make sure that democracy prevails, and what that looks like is educating yourselves about what your lawmakers envision for Australia’s future. And hopefully that’s aligned with unity — democracies need to unite against autocracies, and any policy that would help that benefits the people of Australia.”

With regard to the place of art in activism, Boniadi said: “You know so much of what I do as an artist is, of course, storytelling; using empathy to portray the human condition, and as an activist I [seek] to change the human condition through storytelling, again telling the stories of brave protestors in Iran and their plight and their struggles, and again that requires empathy. So I think storytelling and empathy are the common thread between art and activism.”

And, on the what the Sydney Peace Prize means to her: “I mean it’s a huge honour, really, because I view myself as a conduit and a megaphone for the Iranian people I really think what this moment means to me is the opportunity - which I’m so grateful for - to centre the Iranian people and their struggles on the world stage and to be able to amplify their voices and really celebrate them and their courage.”

Jan Fran, MC. Dressed by Carla Zampatti, major sponsor. Photo: Mark Dickson

Fran asked the panel about the place of art in activism and Azar described the vantage point of being a writer outside Iran.

“For the first time ever I saw Khomeini as a fictional character, and as someone I was able to mock. So in this way I had my revenge.”

Gelareh Pour had to escape Iran to even be able to sing. Women cannot sing, create music or express themselves in any way under the oppressive regime.

Pour explained that not only did this stifle women in their creativity, it actually inhibited their true identity.

“Who are we? What are we capable of?

They don’t even give us a chance to understand that,” she said.

Pour explains that there are not any role models, there are no visible women artists in Iran, so she and others like her can’t even aspire, can’t even imagine the possibility of being an artist.

“But when you move out and you experience that, you find yourself.”

Her music meant that leaving Iran did not mean abandoning it altogether.

Gelareh Pour performs her own composition.

Photo: Mark Dickson

Shokoofeh Azar, Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert. Photo: Mark Dickson

Panel. Photo: Mark Dickson

sydneypeacefoundation.org.au CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

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HubARTS

RAMSES II AT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM

A rare and magnificent exhibition of Egyptian treasures (See p.26)

REVIEW

THE DICTIONARY OF LOST WORDS

BY RITA BRATOVICH esearching the development of the Oxford English Dictionary does not sound like fertile ground for creative inspiration, yet that is how academic, Pip Williams came to write her outstandingly successful first novel, The Dictionary of Lost Words. The compilation of the Oxford Dictionary was a mammoth undertaking, beginning in 1857 and not reaching completion until 1928. It was put together by a team of lexicographers led by James Murray and comprised exclusively of men.

Williams surmised that the absence of female participation — or at least the lack

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REVIEW

TWELFTH NIGHT

of acknowledgement — must surely mean the absence of words and meanings that pertained to women. Her research led her down a rabbit hole where she chanced upon a frequently repeated anecdote: after the publication of the dictionary, it was discovered that the word “bondmaid” had been omitted. That gave her the seed for her plot.

The fictional Esme Nicolls is the daughter of one of the lexicographers. We meet Esme at age 4, sitting underneath the sorting table in the scriptorium where words are being collected on slips of paper and categorised.

When a slip of paper inscribed with the word Photo: Brett Boardman

“bondmaid” falls to the floor unnoticed, Esme grabs it and secrets it in a large trunk.

Over time, many more slips are surreptitiously collected by Esme and placed in the trunk.

We follow Esme through several time leaps into pre-teens, later teens, early and late twenties.

Playwright, Verity Laughton has adapted Williams’ novel for the stage and the lengthy play stays fairly faithful to the novel. The cast is excellent. Tilda Cobham-Hervey does a fine job playing Esme from age 4 through to adulthood and being on stage for virtually the entirety of the play.

CHOREOGRAPHERS CELEBRATE 10 YEARS AT CARRIAGEWORKS

BY JASMINE SIMMONS he choreographers from New Breed at the Sydney Dance Company will celebrate a decade of accomplishments at Carriageworks. Since its establishment, New Breed has seen 35 emerging dance artists present worldpremiere contemporary works.

“New Breed has been instrumental in helping to support the early careers of some of Australia’s most exciting emerging dancemakers, many of whom are now acclaimed, internationally recognised choreographers, who continue to push the boundaries of contemporary dance and champion progressive ideas”, said Artistic Director of the Sydney Dance Company, Rafael Bonachela.

This year’s program will feature works from four talented choreographers: Tra Mi Dinh, Beau Dean Riley Smith, Eliza Cooper, and Riley Fitzgerald.

Tra Mi Dinh is an Australian dancer and choreographer who recently recieved the Keir Choreographic Award and a fellowship from Lucy Guerin Inc. Beau Dean Riley Smith is an award-winning dancer, choreographer, and actor, having graduated from NAISDA Dance College

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BY JOHN MOYLE fter a lengthy national tour, Bell Shakespeare’s production of Twelfth Night lands at Sydney’s Opera House.

Arguably Shakespeare’s greatest comedy, it is also one of his most complex, dealing with identity and gender shifts, love, loss and the navigating of the spaces in between.

Heather Fairbairn’s direction is fast paced and slapstick but manages to skilfully insert powerful soliloquies such as Malvolia’s “I may command where I adore” which proved to be a showstopper.

Set designer Charles Davis has kept the staging simple by employing a simple but highly effective scrim to differentiate between the inside and outside worlds, while a bare tree stump becomes the main onstage prop, along with an old upright piano which is used effectively by Feste and Malvolia.

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Davis also doubles as costume designer combining historical and modern designs that blend styles in much the way that the characters blend and bend, especially when Malvolia makes her powerful declarative breakout in the second half.

Verity Hampson’s lighting works well with the scrim, especially when the outside becomes the inside and at the play’s dramatic conclusion.

Sound is an important element under David Bergman’s direction as it has to handle Kantor’s delivery of Sarah Blasko’s smokey blues-based music across numerous set-ups.

Bell Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is an exercise in how to bring a 400-year-old play into modern times without essentially changing its original intent.

Until November 19, Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point www.bellshakespeare.com.au/ twelfth-night

Angela Mahlatjie is delightful as Tilda Taylor, an actress-cum-suffragette. Ksenja Logos is superb in dual roles as the toothless, impoverished, foul-mouthed Mabel and as the staid, rather mysterious Ditte.

Rachel Burke is the true and constant servant, Lizzie.

Director, Jessica Arthur, does well to keep the momentum up with a weighty script busy with plot points.

This is a unique, intriguing play with some interesting messaging around language.

Until December 16, Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point www.sydneyoperahouse.com

with a Diploma in Dance. Eliza Cooper works as a fashion movement director for leading designers and is a freelance costume designer and maker.

Riley Fitzgerald started dancing at an allboys hip-hip class when he was 10 years old and quickly progressed to training with the Anita Coutts School of Dance.

New Breed is a thrilling dance program that will showcase the extraordinary talents of these four choreographers.

December 6 - 16, Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh, carriageworks.com.au Dance Company - New Breed Performing at Carriageworks. Photo: Supplied

HubARTS Photo: Alison Catseye Productions

LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE

BY RITA BRATOVICH essage In A Bottle is a breathtaking dance production that incorporates the music and lyrics of Sting in telling a story of disrupted lives, loss, separation, hope and resilience - truly a story for our times.

The creative dynamo behind the work is Kate Prince, a highly acclaimed choreographer and self-confessed Sting and The Police devotee. Prince has come to Sydney for the Australian premiere of the show, which has already had a successful season in the UK and will go on to tour internationally.

It was when she listened to “Walking On The Moon” while on her honeymoon

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of the story would be about refugees, but during the development it had changed from being based on Syria to Ukraine and then Gaza. In the end it became a fictional conflict in a fictional place but with very real elements.

Sting was introduced to the project and loved it. He re-recorded some songs to suit the new arrangements.

Multi-award winning orchestrator/ composer/musician, Alex Lacamoire, who has worked on dozens of hit Broadway musicals, composed musical transitions for Message In A Bottle.

Apart from the recorded songs, there is no singing or speaking in the show, only dance.

Photo: Daniel Boud

that Prince felt inspired to choreograph to Sting’s music.

“It’s so different, it’s so varied and, lyrically, it’s so interesting,” she explains. She pitched the concept and it was accepted.

Prince and a creative team workshopped six songs initially, to try and create a storyline. The lyrics of each had an inherent meaning that could be blended to become a whole, for instance: “sending out an SOS” from “Message In A Bottle”; At the same time the show was being developed, the news was filled with graphic images and stories from the Syrian war. One photo stood out — that of a man carrying the body of a young refugee boy that had washed ashore in Turkey.

“I could not shake his image from my mind…” says Prince. She knew the core

“I think you can say so much more with dance than you can say with words,” explains Prince. “I think that in a play or in a movie, you’re limited to the words, but dance is a universal language, and it’s so much about feeling…”

Without the respite afforded by songs or spoken parts, the energy level on stage is electric and relentless.

“Those dancers work so hard to try and tell a real story every night, and what they do physically is so intense and gruelling. They’re like Olympic athletes, really, what they’re able to do.”

Though the story is sometimes harrowing and has, at times, drawn tears from audience members, it is also uplifting and heartwarming.

“It’s a celebration of human resilience, of what people can endure and survive…of hope.”

ROUGE IN THE SPIEGELTENT

BY JOHN MOYLE eclared the Best Circus at the 2020 Adelaide Fringe and after a triumphant run at Edinburg Fringe Festival, Highwire Entertainment’s production of Rouge is set to put some sizzle into Sydney’s Spiegeltent in the run-up to Christmas.

With the press release declaring “an adults-only sultry spectacle of new age circus and cabaret” Rouge has a lot to deliver to meet expectations, and Highwire founder and Rouge director, Elena Kirschbaum, leaves no doubt that it will.

“Rouge is a circus cabaret show in which we are taking those elements of danger and wonderment and spectacle that comes with circus,” Kirschbaum said. “We are taking it on an emotional journey while blending the music with the story telling and adding circus into the mix.

Rouge is so visceral and real and right in front of you.”

Kirschbaum adds that the element of danger is also a huge part of the attraction to cabaret and circus.

“When you are performing, one of the things people want is a sense of danger, a group of people doing something with their bodies that other people can’t do.”

Rouge features six artists performing across a wide set of disciplines that will call on all of their training and expertise, and then some.

“Rouge is a very special show; it has a small cast who are constantly on stage, and if they are not, they are getting changed,” Kirscbaum said.

“They are moving the whole time, delivering short, sharp acts at a very

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fast pace. We can deliver something that is very unreal.”

Australia is very fortunate that the arts of circus and cabaret have not only survived, but flourished despite the closure of Circus Oz, which not only toured circus, but was also a major trainer and incubator of its many associated art forms.

“Our performers come from a range of backgrounds, some have studied at the Institute of Circus Arts, and we all have performers who have trained in other spaces such as acting and singing,” Kirschbaum said.

“All of our artists are coming from really highly trained spaces that are quite broad.”

Besides the multiple roles played by the six performers, there is an inanimate performer in Rouge, and that is the Sydney Spiegeltent.

“What is really wonderful is that the Spiegeltent itself is a different world,” Kirschbaum said.

“The tents were created as mobile venues back in the early 1900s, as a meeting and performance space, and unlike a traditional theatre which is a black box, they are setting a scene to transport people to a different world.”

If you are looking for something more that’s a little naughty but always dazzling, this summer head along to Rouge in the Sydney Spiegeltent located in the Entertainment Quarter.

November 23 – December 17, Sydney Spiegeltent, The Entertainment Quarter, 122 Lang Road, Moore Park sydneyspiegeltent.com/rouge CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

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HubARTS

KANDINSKY:

THE LIFE AND WORK OF A TWENTIETH CENTURY MASTER

BY GUY JAMES WHITWORTH his week sees the opening of the summer blockbuster show, Kandinsky, at The Art Gallery of NSW; a glorious retrospective of Vasily Kandinsky that only a gallery on this scale (and budget) can really put on.

This absolutely breath-taking exhibition of 47 key paintings, curated with the assistance of Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, draws from the Guggenheim’s impressive collection to reveal Kandinsky’s work in depth rarely seen outside of Europe. Kandinsky (very much in the “one name” club like Madonna, Picasso or Nollsey… okay, maybe not the last one) needs little introduction. He is one of the biggest names in art from the last century, and a key player in both defining and elevating the acceptance of abstract art to the masses.

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Containing works from his humble beginnings in Munich to the return to his birthplace of Moscow, followed by the interwar years in Germany where he was a painting instructor at the influential Bauhaus Art School, and closing with his final chapter in Paris, this exhibition covers it all.

Although Kandinsky didn’t have quite the theatrics and intrigue of some of the most dramatic (maybe read problematic) male artists of the last century — namely Picasso with his many wives and lovers — Kandinsky certainly lived life to the fullest. He become engaged to his second wife while still married to his first (who also happened to be his cousin).

He then became engaged to his third wife at the age of fifty, while she was still very much in the first bloom of youth at sweet 17. Many visitors to this exhibition may have to play the thoroughly modern game

Photo: Guy James Whitworth

of emotionally separating the artist from the art.

However, it certainly cannot be denied that Vasily Kandinsky (oddly, research for this piece shows that sometimes his first name spelt with a W sometimes with a V) broke new ground in painting during the first decades of the 20th century, incorporating a reference of music, recurring graphic motifs and spirituality in his work, although one can’t help but notice how similar in mood and tone so much of his work is.

To perhaps oversimplify why this is, like most artists of his time, Kandinsky wouldn’t have ever painted with the

expectation that each piece would be shown side by side in an exhibition of this type.

Yet undoubtedly, the artist’s brilliance is still clear to see, with crescendo-like key pieces such as “Blue Mountain” and “Composition 8” (it’s fair to say emotive titles for his paintings may not have been his strong point) on show within this collection.

As a summer blockbuster show this exhibition certainly delivers and should be on every Sydney visitor (and locals) list of things to do. Free admission.

November 4, 2023 – March 10, 2024, Art Gallery of New South Wales Art Gallery Rd, Sydney www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au

INCREDIBLE RAMSES EXHIBITION AT AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM

BY JOHN MOYLE ith the arrival of the Australian Museum’s Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs exhibition in Sydney this November, be prepared for an onslaught of Egypt mania.

The exhibition will feature 182 mostly priceless artefacts, with the high points including the sarcophagus of Ramses II, one of the most impressive royal coffins to be discovered, jewellery, masks, amulets and animal mummies.

“This is the biggest cultural exhibition that Australia has had in at least 10 years in terms of the range of objects, the value of them, the rarity of the objects and the fact that it is a multi-national exhibition,” Fran Dovey, head of exhibitions, Australian Museum said.

While Tutankhamun is probably the best know pharaoh, he lived only a short time and left no great mark on ancient Egypt, while Ramses II lived to around 90 years of age, won many significant battles that led to peace and an extensive building campaign which included many monuments to himself.

Married to Nefertari, who is also represented in the exhibition, Ramses went on the sire over 100 children with his numerous consorts.

Nine more pharaohs would take his name after his death.

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The main shipment of objects, including the coffin, began arriving in specially built air-conditioned crates under armed guard at the Museum last week.

“Any of these objects that travel are incredibly valuable, and right from the beginning we have been working with the conservation team to create the atmosphere controlled crates and to make sure that they are stored in conservation grade facilities,” Dovey said.

“No expense is spared to make sure that an object

leaves Egypt and gets around the world in one piece.”

To make sure that the exhibition goer can see the artefacts in the best conditions the Museum is installing specially built plinths and new lighting.

“Many of the objects are in perfect condition and you can get quite close to them, and the lighting is so exquisite they just glow,” Dovey said.

“They are what you would expect from Egyptian jewellery, the lapis lazuli, the gold with gods represented, and there is a section about the people who built the tombs with some of their objects and doodles.”

In addition to the exhibition there is a Virtual Reality experience with motion chairs, where the viewer can take a journey through the ancient village of Abul Simbel, the place where Ramses was worshipped and four colossal statues representing him have been discovered.

“It’s an 11-minute experience, unlike normal VR, here you sit in a special chair with your feet off the ground and the chair moves as you travel through Abu Simbel guided by Nevertari,” Dovey said.

“There’s an educational component and one where you get chased by the sand mummy.”

The VR experience requires a separate ticket.

November 18, 2023 – May 19, 2024 Australian Museum, College St, Sydney australian.museum/exhibition/ramses

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THE ART OF BANKSY EXHIBITION COMING TO SYDNEY

BY ISABELLA GIBBS he brilliant street art exhibition, The Art of Banksy: Without Limits is currently making its way around Australia. The showcase was incredibly successful across Europe, The United States, Asia, and South America, with over 1,500,000 visitors. Moving to Brisbane earlier this year, the display is now showing in Adelaide and there is a ticket waitlist for when it arrives in Sydney.

The exhibition of museum quality features over 150 artworks including murals, photographs, sculptures, installations, original art, and more. To walk through the space and view all of Banky’s works will take approximately 45 to 60 minutes. This allows art enthusiasts optimal time to enter the mind of Banksy and gain knowledge of his renowned story and practice.

Making a pseudo name for himself as one of the world’s most famous street and graffiti artists, Banksy has successfully kept his true identity secret.

The mysterious artist is considered one

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of the most invaluable artists of our time, conquering the streets of Bristol, England. The Art of Banksy exhibition aims to educate audiences on the

artist’s substantial political influence, expressed humorously and energetically in his works. Banksy’s artworks have sold for high prices at a number of

PROPOSAL TO INSTALL NEW TELSTRA MOBILE PHONE BASE STATION AT 21-23 PALMER STREET, BALMAIN 2041 (Lot 1 on DP539690)

PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE TELSTRA MOBILE PHONE BASE STATION AT NOMBI Telstra plans to upgrade an existing telecommunications facility located at OXLEY HIGHWAY NOMBI 2379 (LOT 2/-/DP1055813) www.rfnsa.com.au/2379002 1. Telstra are currently upgrading existing mobile network facilities to introduce 5G to its network. As part of this network upgrade, Telstra proposes the installation of LTE700 and NR/WCDMA850 at NOMBI. Proposed works at the above site will involve the Removal of three (3) existing panel antennas, Installation of six (6) new panel antennas (each no longer than 2.8m), Swapping one (1) existing outdoor cabinet for one (1) new outdoor cabinet, Installation of new RF ancillaries for Telstra on the existing tower, and Installation of associated ancillary equipment at the existing outdoor cabinet.

2. To improve Telstra’s mobile phone network.

3. Telstra regards the proposed installation as a Low-impact Facility in accordance with the Telecommunications (Low-impact facilities) Determination 2018 based on the description above.

4. In accordance with Section 7 of C564:2020 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment Code, we invite you to provide feedback about the proposal.

Further information or written submissions should be directed to Ryan Wong, BMM Group via email to: submissions@bmmgroup.com.au or 1300 260 834 by 24th November 2023.

auctions, bringing rapid attention to street art.

Without Limits features Banksy’s most famous works, including Love Is In The Air (2003), Napalm (2004), and Pulp Fiction (2004). The centrepiece of the exhibition are the iconic Banksy’s pieces: Girl With Balloon (2002), and Dismaland (2015).

Due to its unlimited interpretations, Girl With Balloon (2002) has gained worldwide traction. The simple image of a young girl reaching for a heartshaped balloon depicts many emotions, including hope, freedom, and love.

The experimental and interactive art installation, Dismaland (2015), was a parody of Disney’s attractions and characters. In the Without Limits exhibition, a simulation of the original “Dismaland Bemusement Park” is set up for audiences to explore.

To learn more about Banksy and his influence on the artworld, join the Sydney waitlist for this spectacular art showcase. www.theartofbanksy.com

1.

Telstra are proposing to provide improved coverage in the Balmain area. As part of the proposed mobile phone base station, Telstra proposes the installation of 4G and 5G technologies in Balmain. The proposed facility consists of the installation of nine (9) new panel antennas (each no more than 2.8m long) attached to new antenna mounts, the installation of six (6) remote radio units (RRUs) located behind the antennas, installation of three (3) new equipment cabinets (each not more than 2m in height and 2 square metres in base area) located at the base of the existing building on ground level, and installation of associated ancillary equipment. All internal equipment will be housed within the proposed equipment cabinets.

2.

Telstra considers the proposal to be Exempt Development in accordance with the State Environmental Planning Policy (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021 based on the description above.

3.

The proposed infrastructure will comply with the ACMA EME regulatory arrangements. An EME Report can be obtained from www.rfnsa.com.au/2041032.

4.

In accordance with Section 6 of C564:2020 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment Code, we invite you to provide feedback about the proposal. Further information and/or submissions should be directed to: Michael Cheung / Telstra, (08) 8237 9777, Michael.Cheung@aurecongroup.com by 6 December 2023.

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BY WILL MCLENNAN

JACOB LEE

COMES TO SYDNEY

BY JASMINE SIMMONS ustralian singer-songwriter, Jacob Lee is set to perform four shows in December. Having just completed his sold out European and UK tours, Lee will play in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast.

After gaining a total of 280 million views on his Youtube channel, Lee has risen to prominence as one of Australia’s most viewed independent artists. His stage presence has been described as magnetic, three dimensional, and inspiring, aiming to do more than just entertain. The atmosphere is transformed at Lee’s shows, captivating audiences and leaving them wanting more.

Lee grew up in the Gold Coast with a passion for songwriting and producing emotional, heartfelt music. He appeared in Australia’s The X Factor competition back in 2011, and was then a contestant on The Voice Australia in 2014. A few years later, Lee began sharing his own music with the world, releasing his hit single “I Belong To You”. Currently, the single alone has over 100 million views on YouTube.

Supporting Lee on his upcoming Australian Luminary Tour will be René Le Feurve and Georgia Hoareau. Both supporting artists are also based in Queensland and have been previously

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Photo: Instagram

SANS RIVAL CRAFTING WAVES OF ECLECTIC SOUND

BY KELLY O’HARE omegrown talent and rising stars, Sans Rival, formerly known as The Red, are creating ripples in the Australian music landscape. Their fusion of eclectic sounds with an indie alternate rock flair has quickly garnered the attention of music enthusiasts. With roots in the Blue Mountains the band is currently based in the Inner West hotbed of Marrickville.

Sans Rival has made a significant impact with their latest single, “No Hard Feelings”, creating anticipation for their upcoming release, “Give Me The Night”, set to drop on November 27.

Sans Rival — Finn (drums), Hally (guitar & vocals), Corey (bass), and Nick (keyboard) — traces its roots back to high school in the Blue Mountains.

Defying genre boundaries, their music is a

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melting pot of diverse influences, drawing inspiration from sources including Brit-Pop, post-punk, Oasis, Joy Division, and more contemporary acts like Fontaine, Nothing But Thieves, and Sam Fender.

The band’s latest single, “No Hard Feelings”, carries a powerful backstory.

Hally (singer and guitarist) describes it as a reflection on the end of a youthful fling.

“I was trying to capture the sense of youthful spontaneity and inexperience, as well as the sting of getting dumped,” he says.

Hoping to one day grace the stages of music festivals, Sans Rival have been working hard, recording a bunch of new songs and gearing up for live performances lined up for December and January. www.instagram.com/sansrivalband

nominated for the Gold Coast Music Awards.

The Luminary Tour is an opportunity for contemporary music enthusiasts to support local independent artists. Make sure to secure tickets while they still last!

December 1, Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst, www.moshtix.com.au

NEW SINGLE AND A TOUR FOR SCATTER LIGHT

BY KELLY O’HARE ower trio, Scatter Light, have ignited the Australian music landscape. Their music is a bold fusion of raw, grungy power rock of the past with a vibrant and colourful psychedelic soundscape that resonates with today’s audiences.

What makes this band’s music unique is that Cairn and James are classically trained while Ollie is not. This blend of artistic expression and technical proficiency creates a harmonious dynamic essential to Scatter Light’s distinctive sound. As Ollie describes it, “We’ve struck a balance where we’re all equally artists and proficient in our instruments, without leaning too heavily in either direction.”

The name ‘Scatter Light’ was inspired by a captivating view witnessed from Ollie’s balcony,

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where the setting sun painted the sky with a vivid array of colours. Curious about this phenomenon, Ollie discovered it was called ‘light scattering.’ The name perfectly encapsulates the band’s mission to scatter and disperse a spectrum of emotions through their music.

“As humans, we don’t just have one set of feelings we express,” says Ollie. To achieve this, they’ve carefully structured their performances to take the audience on an emotional rollercoaster. Their musical narrative commences with high-energy moments, dips into deeper and more poignant passages, and builds to a grand finale.

Scatter Light’s “Too Late Now” single launch tour will kick off this November. www.instagram.com/scatterlightband

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REMINISCING WITH GLENN SHORROCK Glenn Shorrock.

Photo: Neil Donovan

BY JOHN MOYLE lenn Shorrock’s name can be associated with every era of modern Australian music, and now, after 60 years in the business, he is fronting a special show at the State Theatre to celebrate.

It’s A Long Way There will see Shorrock joined by long-time friends and frequent musical partners Brian Cadd, Wendy Matthews and a six-piece band to present a show of around 30 songs taken from the highpoint of his career with The Twilights, Axiom, Little River Band and his extensive solo career.

Expect to hear “Needle in a Haystack” and “What’s Wrong With The Way I Live?” from The Twilights, “Arkansas Grass” and “Little Ray of Sunshine” from Axiom, “Long Way There” and “Reminiscing” from Little River Band plus a couple of Beatles’ treats.

Reflecting on his sixty years in the business, Shorrock said: “I’ve learned how to be a young performer and I’ve learned how to be an International artist, and now I’m looking at the golden years, which in AFL parlance is the last quarter.

And I am still enjoying singing.”

Known for his distinctive vocals, Shorrock also possesses a strong ability to use his harmony skills to collaborate and blend with fellow singers.

A UK immigrant, Shorrock first came to national attention with The Twilights which had minor success before breaking up in 1969. He then joined forces with Brian Cadd to form Axiom.

Billed as something of a super group at the time, Axiom’s sophisticated country

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rock sound benefitted from the vocal blending of Shorrock and Cadd, along with their songwriting skills.

Songs such as “Arkansas Grass” and “Little Ray of Sunshine” encouraged the band to try their luck in the UK, but even with a recording contract, it was not to be, and eventually the members found their way back to Australia.

With Beeb Birtles and Graeham Goble at the core, Shorrock would then move on to form Little River Band.

“We had made music in Melbourne as a home-grown product with music written by myself, Birtles and Goble, and with Glenn Wheatley’s help, we sold it to the world,” Shorrock said.

Little River Band belongs in that small pantheon of Australian acts who can claim to have achieved international success on a scale, and their long list of hit songs still resonate today.

Shorrock has had a long association with Wendy Matthews, who is also finding that Australian audiences adore her as much as the many musicians she has worked with.

“I have known Wendy for a long time, since meeting her in Los Angeles in the late seventies, and I ended up getting her to sing backing vocals for my solo album, Villain Of The Peace,” Shorrock said.

This will not be Glenn Shorrock’s first appearance at the State, but it will certainly be one of the most memorable for him.

December 9, State Theatre, 49 Market St, Sydney www.statetheatre.com.au

ICEHOUSE ON THE FORECOURT

BY JOHN MOYLE t’s been a long journey, but for Icehouse frontman Iva Davies, the announcement of the band’s forecourt concert at Sydney’s Opera House on 12 December marks a high point in a 50year association.

Raised in regional Wagga Wagga, Davies first took to the bagpipes before moving onto the oboe which gained him admission to the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music.

It was as a member of the Con’s orchestra that at the age of 16 Davies played in two operas at the Opera House some months before its official opening in 1973.

“During those early years I played at the Opera House in various guises, and then I went in a completely different direction, and I arrived back there in 1985, having co-written a score for the Sydney Dance Company project called Boxes,” Davies said.

In the late 1970s Davies formed the band Flowers, which was soon signed to Regular Records before releasing Icehouse, their debut album.

One of the album’s singles, “Can’t Help Myself”, reached the top five, while the album became the highest selling debut album in Australia.

Due to an international recording deal, in 1981 Flowers were forced to change their name, and chose Icehouse after their debut release.

Part of Icehouse’s success was down to their sound, which deviated from the four-on-the-floor rock of many of the bands of the time.

By serendipity, Davies had discovered the Fairlight sampling synthesiser, the world’s first digital synthesiser and sampler, invented by two Australians.

Davies’ first and much modified Fairlight now forms part of the Great Southern Land exhibition at the National Museum of Australia.

In the countdown to the year 2000,

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Davies, Icehouse, Richard Tognetti and Australian Japanese drum ensemble Taikoz prepared for a 25 minute version of “Great Southern Land” to be preformed before the countdown to the new millennium.

The highlight for me, and one to never forget, had been working for the best part of a year with Richard Tognettti, who was keen to showcase his electric violin,” Davies said.

“Together we wrote an extended version of “Great Southern Land” and it became a piece called “Ghost in Time” that was a kind of double concerto for electric violin and guitar.

“In the 25 minutes leading up to the countdown it was the place to be, and it was going out to four billion people on TV, and when we finished, the fireworks went off above my head.”

In the years since, and without new hits, Icehouse has become one of the most popular bands in the country with record breaking shows such as those at the Enmore, and as a headline act for many major festivals.

Icehouse will be performing December 12 at the Opera House forecourt with Sneaky Sound System and Karen Lee Andrews in seated and standing configurations.

December 12, Sydney Opera House forecourt, Bennelong Point www.sydneyoperahouse.com/ contemporary-music/icehouse

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REVIEW

Ali Al Jenabi In DAMAGE. Photo: Film Still

SOFIA’S VISION OF PRISCILLA PRESLEY

DAMAGE

BY MARK MORELLINI ultures clash in this low budget yet powerful and thought-provoking Australian movie. Ali is not an Australian citizen but he’s been living in this country for 5 years and driving a taxi for only one week using another man’s license.

He’s fighting his own demons, suffering lingering memories of an unforgettable war-torn life back in Iraq. Along comes his passenger Esther, an 88 year old Australian woman who can’t remember the address of where she wants to go.

The world is upside down for them both – she can’t remember and he can’t forget.

As Ali attempts to drive Esther to some unknown destination, they learn about each other’s lives through awkward conversations, a short but therapeutic

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PRISCILLA. Photo: Film still

relationship developing.

Ali is portrayed by Ali Al Jenabi, an Iraqi asylum seeker living in Sydney, and Esther is played by Adelaide jazz-singer Imelda Bourke, both of whom are nonactors. Damage is a dramatic movie with a touch of humour. It’s difficult not to quietly laugh when arguments develop between both characters.

Long lasting and recurring images of war ravaged Iraq are effectively incorporated as Ali constantly reminisces on his old life. It’s seemingly a simplistic synopsis but there are many underlying themes and messages cleverly delivered through meaningful dialogue and cleverly placed imagery.

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In Cinemas November 9

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Top marks go to the underwater cinematography department who have captured the beauty and terror that lurks in the darkness and the tight crevasse’s which the characters must swim through. Effective sound editing also intensifies the frightening nature of the narrative.

Adversely, there are several lines of dialogue which are just plain silly and the plan Drew ultimately conjures up to save May in the final act is physically not possible, nonsensical, and so laughably silly that it significantly degrades what would otherwise have been a respectable thriller.

I mean honestly, how dumb do they think moviegoers are?

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In Cinemas November 2

One of the most talked-about aspects of the film is the comparison between Austin Butler’s rendition of Elvis Presley in the 2022 film Elvis and what’s seen of Jacob Elordi’s portrayal of the rock ‘n’ roll legend in the trailer for Priscilla. Social media platforms are abuzz with discussions and lively debates regarding the performances of the two actors, igniting curiosity about how Priscilla will offer a fresh perspective on the iconic figure and how Elordi’s depiction will measure up in this context.

With the film’s unique take on the Elvis and Priscilla love story, Priscilla is shaping up to be a must-see film for movie enthusiasts.

Australian release Jan 18, 2024

PALESTINIAN FILMS

Louisa Krause and Sophie Lowe in THE DIVE. Photo: Film still

THE DIVE

BY MARK MORELLINI his heart-stopping underwater thriller should have audiences gasping for oxygen soon after the opening sequences.

Two sisters May (Louisa Krause) and Drew (Sophie Lowe) who have minor unresolved sibling issues, go diving in a reclusive spot, enjoying the beauty and serenity of the underwater world. A ferocious landslide leaves May trapped alive underneath a huge boulder 28 metres beneath the surface.

With oxygen running low and time ticking away, it’s up to Drew to save her sister.

This suspenseful edge-of-your-seat nail biting thriller starts off chillingly and quickly accelerates, as everything that could conceivably hinder Drew’s effort in saving her sister has cleverly been written into the script.

BY KELLY O’HARE nticipation is building for the upcoming release of biographical drama film, Priscilla, directed, written, and produced by Sofia Coppola. While the film is set to premiere in Australia early next year, it’s already generating significant buzz, thanks to its intriguing trailer and the comparisons it’s inspired.

Priscilla takes an enthralling dive into the life of Priscilla Presley, drawing inspiration from her 1985 memoir, Elvis and Me. Priscilla Presley herself is an executive producer.

The role of Priscilla is played by the talented Cailee Spaeny (Pacific Rim Uprising). The film focuses on her relationship with the iconic Elvis Presley, portrayed by Jacob Elordi (Euphoria).

OFFERING A PERSPECTIVE

Creation And Catastrophe.

Photo: Film still

BY RITA BRATOVICH he 2023 Palestinian Film Festival has been postponed in view of the current situation, but they have made two documentaries available to watch free on their website.

The first is 1948: Creation and Catastrophe (2017) which provides a detailed and objective background on the events leading to the creation of Israel in 1948. It is a compilation of historic footage, commentary and interviews with both Arabic and Jewish people who were present and/ or involved in activities at the time.

Interviewees include historians, refugees, officials, survivors, soldiers from Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, UK, USA and Canada.

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The other film, Gaza (2019), is much more visceral, showing what life is like in more recent years for the Palestinians living in Gaza. This is an observational documentary, capturing real citizens in daily life. It focuses on several people, among them: a fisherman, a cellist, a first responder, an actor. It also captures several missile attacks and the chaos that results. This is a very difficult watch at times but provides clarity and insight into a complex, tragic situation.

Both films can be streamed on the Palestinian Film Festival website.

Find the link at the bottom of our article online: cityhub.com. au/palestinian-films-offering-aperspective

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ROCK HUDSON:

BRITISH FILM FESTIVAL 2023

ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWED

BY MARK MORELLINI ock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed is an insightful documentary which all cinephiles and enthusiasts of the movies from the Golden Years of Hollywood should enjoy.

Rock Hudson was an iconic ‘lady’s leading man’ in the 1950s and’ 60s, regarded as the biggest star and the number one box office draw in Hollywood. He was the Tom Cruise of his day. Women fantasised about being with Rock Hudson while men fantasised about being Rock Hudson.

He lived a double life. He was gay and cleverly closeted by the studio system.

Being gay in Hollywood in that era was taboo - if the truth came out it would have instantly killed his career.

The tabloids were looking for trash on homosexuals in the movie business with headlines warning, ‘Homos are taking over Hollywood!’

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Caligula.

Photo: Film still

BY MARK MORELLINI he British Film Festival returns this year presenting a program of 27 of the finest movies and documentaries that Britain has to offer. “[British] cinema is gritty, it’s realistic and we certainly identify with the other characters, we feel a real empathy and understanding of them,’ enthused Kim Petalas, Festival Curator.

This is certainly the case with The Old Oak, a drama that should be universally appealing. The movie details how the locals react when Syrian asylum seekers are brought in to permanently reside in a small traditional British village. It’s a story inspired by true events which deals with themes of racism, tolerance and ultimately acceptance.

The Old Oak seemed a quasidocumentary style of filmmaking, where all the characters felt very real, as if they weren’t acting. “That’s Ken Loach’s style of direction which is very realistic, heartfelt and he explores all class structures,” explained Petalas.

Fans of Hitchcock movies should attend screenings of the documentary My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock, which extensively researches and shows footage from most of Hitchcock’s movies.

Squaring The Circle – The Story Of

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Hipgnosis is a documentary that surrounds the iconic album art design studio Hipgnosis which created some of the most recognisable album covers of all time including those of Pink Floyd, Wings, AC/DC, and Led Zeppelin.

The retrospective programs are always quite popular and Petalas explained that it’s an important element because it ties the whole festival together. It gives audiences an opportunity to reflect on the past and also blends the past and the future together.

One retrospective title which was so controversial when it was released in 1981 that it compelled audiences to attend screenings was Caligula.

Presented in a new 4K restoration, Caligula – The Ultimate Cut should also arouse interest for a whole new generation of moviegoers.

“It’s completely reconstructed. In the original version Helen Mirren’s screen time was only 11 minutes, but in this new version she’s in it for over an hour.

Malcolm McDowell who distanced himself from the original movie, is proud and speaks very highly of this new cut.”

Petalas believes that the British Film Festival should be of interest to all audiences as there are the classics, dramas, quirky films, and great documentaries.

KIM’S HOT PICKS ONE LIFE – The opening night movie stars Sir Anthony Hopkins and details the heroic deeds of Sir Nicholas Winton, known as the ‘British Schindler’, who helped rescue hundreds of Jewish children from Europe during WWII. THE CRITIC – Sir Ian McKellen and Gemma Arterton lead an all-star cast in

this mischievous whodunnit concerning ambition, desire, blackmail, and betrayal.

PRETTY RED DRESS – Themes of self-discovery and gender expression resonate throughout this poignant queer drama set to the music of Tina Turner.

The raw passion and energy in this film is amazing.

November 1-29, All Palace Cinemas, www.britishfilmfestival.com.au

In the early 1980s when the ‘mystery illness’ AIDS came to worldwide attention and Hudson’s health started to decrease the rumours about Hudson resurfaced.

The truth was finally revealed and he succumbed to the deadly virus in 1985 at the age of 59.

This is an interesting and very in depth documentary. Old Hollywood photographs and footage from most of Hudson’s movies are utilised to display his macho onscreen persona. In contrast, interviews with close friends and ex-lovers reveal what Rock Hudson was really like away from the cameras.

A wealth of information is brought to the table from interviews that have been recorded over the years with Doris Day, Linda Evans, Piper Laurie and Ross Hunter amongst others.

A never before revealed phone recording with Hudson where a studio employee sets him up on a sexual rendezvous with

Rock Hudson.

Photo: Supplied

The tabloids announced that Hudson, at the age of 30, was ‘suspiciously unmarried’, so the studios devised a sham marriage for him with Phyllis Gates (who was rumoured to be bisexual) to keep the tabloids at bay. He was even taught how to act heterosexual.

But how long could Hollywood keep this secret from surfacing, since nearly everyone who worked in the film industry knew or heard rumours about Rock Hudson’s sexual persuasion?

Strangely, Hudson wasn’t concerned about the truth coming out – he was more concerned about receiving bad reviews for his performances.

one of his friends should raise eyebrows, as should footage from his beefcake parties at his place of residence known as ‘The Castle.’

Former lovers detailing their sexual experiences with Hudson may be confronting for many viewers.

Memorable is a fascinating interview with Linda Evans of that infamous kiss scene with Hudson in the ‘80s hit series Dynasty. She reveals that her friends refused to visit her after she filmed the scene because they were afraid of being infected with AIDS.

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Available to watch on digita lplatforms CITY HUB NOVEMBER 2023

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