FREE • junE 26 2014Independent newspaper

FundIng FIght

Discontent grows over chapel takeoverPage 3

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By Nick RichaRdsoNWaverley Council voted

unanimously to seek the continuation of funding for women’s refuges and specialist women’s homelessness support services in the inner city and eastern suburbs at a council meeting held last Tuesday (June 17).

The council will formally write to State Member for Vaucluse and NSW Minister for Community Services, Gabrielle Upton, to clarify the position of local women’s homelessness facilities including B Miles House.

Ms Upton announced a record $445 million over three years for non-government organisations

to deliver homelessness services across New South Wales, including $23.8 million in the South Eastern Sydney District, as part of the Going Home Staying Home reforms.

“Going Home Staying Home will help improve the lives of the most vulnerable members of our society,” Ms Upton said.

The reforms have been criticised by Spokesperson for the Status of Women and Greens NSW MP, Dr Mehreen Faruqi MLC, for failing to guarantee long-term funding for specialist women’s homelessness programs such as B. Miles House.

“It is essential for women who may have experienced domestic

violence and trauma to feel safe and receive specialist care,” Dr. Faruqi said.

Dr Faruqi has accused the NSW Government of mismanaging the tender process and promoting instability in the sector.

“There has been a lack of consultation with service providers on the tenders, as well as the short time period between qualifying, tendering, and the announcement of successful bids that has thrown the sector into turmoil.”

“Because of this, some service providers are facing the real possibility of closing down after 30 to 40 years of women’s only specialist service provision,” Dr Faruqi said.

These concerns were echoed by council, with the motion to request continuation of funding to women’s refuges and specialist women’s homelessness support services receiving support across the political divide.

B Miles House is one such service which has not been guaranteed continued funding under the new reforms. B Miles has been in operation since 1989 and “accommodates and supports women who are living with a mental illness and are homeless, or are at risk of homelessness”.

The future of B Miles is of great concern to Waverley Mayor Sally Betts, who has undertaken to discuss its future specifically with

Minister Upton.“We were happy to in principal

support the motion on the Council paper because the Minister had already made the commitment to the continuation, and in fact announced an increase in the funding to specialist women’s services,” said Ms Betts.

The motion was brought to council by Greens Councillor Dominic Wy Kanak after hearing from representatives of the SOS Women’s Services Campaign.

The SOS Women’s Services Campaign is a coalition of women and women’s services which is campaigning for the continued funding of specialist women’s homelessness services.

“I think that in some scenarios having a specialist service for women is the kind of comfort and surroundings the most recently traumatised would need,” said Cr Wy Kanak.

“I think once they have worked through the service they could transition to something more generalised. These services are definitely needed in the earliest stages of trauma.”

Cr Wy Kanak is especially concerned for his immediate and other extended Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.

“High levels of victims and perpetrators of abuse and violence in the Indigenous Community are in need of specialist domestic violence and homelessness services,” Cr Wy Kanak said.

Sydney’s most comprehensive What’s On guide Page 18

Waverley Council supports continued funding for women’s homelessnessCouncillor Dominic Wy Kanak

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BY Nick RichaRdsoNBronte RSL Club has denied

accusations made by attendees of last week’s liquidation meeting that the decisions made were illegitimate and lacking in transparency.

Newly elected President of the Bronte RSL Club and secretary of the sub-branch, Simon Paterson, stressed that only members were invited to the meeting and that the vote was legitimate.

“At that meeting, Club members voted almost unanimously against the motion and resolved to keep the Club in existence with a view to reinstating a new Club within the proposed redevelopment of the Macpherson Street site,” Mr Paterson said.

“This has been voted and supported by the Bronte RSL Sub-Branch head office and part of the deal with land owners Bronte RSL Sub-Branch and the developer.”

This was supported by sub-branch President, Peter Hillman.

“It was run right,” Mr Hillman said. “Obviously there are some disgruntled people, but people think there is a chance for the club to continue. Only seven people voted with that block to end the club. The other 40 voted for it to continue.”

Mr Paterson said lawyers were

present at the meeting to oversee the vote.

“A new Club Board was elected at the meeting over the watch of an administrator working within the constitution and bylaws.”

The decision to continue the club was conditional on the club providing a commercial return to the sub-branch to provide community services it had heretofore provided, including “the well-being, care, compensation and commemoration of serving and ex-serving Defense Force Personnel and their dependents”.

“These days, community clubs need to offer a lot more than poker machines, bingo, and a meat raffle to attract patronage,” Mr Paterson said. “Our goal is to create an offering which encompasses a range

of uses, which might include a gym and other health, community and family-related services.”

Mr Paterson would not respond to accusations that the meeting was “a coup d’état” on the part of developers.

“The plans for a new club are a quarter or a fifth of the size of the original club,” said Mr Hillman. “The club could not continue in the old building. Costs were too high.”

Mr Hillman could not confirm membership checks were made at the meeting and was unsure of when there was last an Annual General Meeting. “Even if they hadn’t had an AGM, I know the committee has been meeting, the board of management has been meeting,” he said.

Bronte RSL Club denies meeting illegitimate

Coogee MP Bruce Notley-smith outside Bronte RsL

BY Nick RichaRdsoNThe Sydney Presbytery of the

Uniting Church will meet this Tuesday (June 24) at a Special Meeting of the Presbytery to determine whether they will proceed with or reverse the decision to dissolve the congregation at Bondi’s Chapel by the Sea.

The ministry was dissolved on May 26. Reverend John Queripel, who led the congregation, was stood aside and prohibited from speaking of the processes taking place at the Chapel, attending the

Chapel, or meeting with any of the congregational members to discuss the takeover.

“The decision to dissolve the Chapel Congregation was a matter of good governance,” said Reverend Bill Crews, co-chair of the Sydney Presbytery of the Uniting Church.

“This decision was made following the submission of a Consultation Report to Sydney Presbytery. This Report was in effect a review of the current state of governance at Chapel by the Sea.”

“The Report identified risks brought about because of the Congregation’s incapacity to fulfil the purpose, function and responsibilities specified in Church Regulations.”

The claims made by Rev Crews and the Sydney Presbytery are disputed by a member of the local congregation of the Chapel who wished to remain nameless.

“The recommendation to dissolve the Congregation at the Chapel arose from processes and a report which were deeply flawed, being almost totally outside the regulations, by-laws, policies and procedures of the Uniting Church,” he said.

“This report followed a laudatory report which the Chapel and the minister received marked ‘final’ a short time ago in February. That report noted the effective management of the church’s property and business as well as strongly affirming the pastoral, spiritual and community work of the minister and congregation.”

Concern is growing in the community that the takeover will see a number of Church services, including Norman Andrews House, sold. Norman Andrews House has provided homelessness support services for over 20 years.

Waverley Councillor Dominic Wy Kanak presented a motion that council write to the Sydney Presbytery on behalf of its constituents to secure in writing an assurance from the Uniting Church Administration that it is not selling

its 48% share in Norman Andrews House at last Tuesday’s council meeting (June 17).

Despite assurances from the Sydney Presbytery that Norman Andrews House is at no risk of being sold, there is some ambiguity surrounding its future.

Moves have already been made by the Church to maximise the profits of the Chapel’s property portfolio. The Gould Street Laundrette was given notice to leave after they refused to sign a lease which almost doubled their rent and included a demolition clause. It is closing down on June 27.

“As a community we have lost butcher shops, fruit shops, we have lost everything, those cohesive elements that binds the community together,” said concerned resident Haydn Keenan. “The unsexy elements get driven out by outrageous rent demands and we, the community, pay the price. This is 21st century corporate religion.”

But the Uniting Church has no issues identifying the Church’s property dealings as commercial ventures.

“The current rent for the Laundromat is less than market value. The Church has had a number of parties interested in taking over the lease of this shop over the past year,” Rev Crews said.

The congregation, supporters of the Chapel and Rev Queripel will be holding a silent vigil outside the special meeting this Tuesday.

Discontent grows over Chapel takeover

Reverend John Queripel

BY EMILY CONTADOR-KELsALLBondi Junction is set to receive new bike paths

in the midst of a sydney-wide push for motorists to take up cycling.

Waverley council has entered into a contract agreement with landscape architecture and urban design office spackman Mossop Michaels to start designing bike paths at Bondi Junction.

The creation of bike paths is part of council’s Waverley Bike Plan 2013 and Complete streets Project, which aims to improve the public domain at Bondi Junction.

Councillor and Chair of the Community safety Committee, Angela Burrill, hopes the project will result in improved access and safety for cyclists and pedestrians.

The project is in its early stages; “completing engineering surveys, traffic and pedestrian counts, reviewing existing documents, consultation with stakeholders including residents and local business owners, preparation of draft design” are part of the future design process, said Cr Burrill.

Councillor Andrew Cusack, who voted against the motion, does not believe bike paths are suited to the Waverley environment.

“Whilst I believe (the cycle way) is a noble, environmentally and ‘politically’ correct thing to do, I am extremely anxious about ‘force fitting’ bikes onto our streets. I have seen and been saddened by many, many accidents and even deaths of late,” he said.

Carol Thompson, a cyclist in support of bike paths, also recognised the dangers of cycling.

“Cycling is a growing activity across many age groups, and with that comes more accidents and near-misses both with traffic and pedestrians,” she said.

Cr Cusack acknowledged the potential success of cycle ways, such as those at the City of Melbourne, although does not feel Waverley can

experience this success.“I don’t want the blood on my hands because

we are trying to do something that I believe appears impractical given the complexities of our road systems in Waverley.”

“If you want to cycle, it may be safer to find a nice park with a bike track.”

Cyclist Annabelle Drew, who cycles to La Perouse via Bondi and the coast, strongly supports the development of cycling infrastructure as an investment for the future.

“Everywhere that provides our daily necessities such as shops, services and schools needs paths and provisions for cyclists.”

According to council’s Complete streets Project, the council aims to develop a safe and convenient bike network and provide infrastructure that is suitable for all cyclists, catering for potential growth in cycling.

Bike paths for Bondi Junction

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BY Lucia osBoRNe-cRowLeY The residents of the City of Sydney local

government area are currently being surveyed regarding a proposal by Harold Park developer Mirvac to create a new suburb for the Harold Park development.

Mirvac has requested that a new suburb be created, with boundaries bordering the development and also including the existing residential block of 71-90 Ross Street, and named after the development.

Mirvac’s alternative proposal is to shuffle the surrounding suburb boundaries so that the Harold Park development will be included in the suburb of Glebe, rather than its current position within Forest Lodge.

Harold Park project director Adrian Checcin said that the new suburb proposal intends to help preserve the area’s historical links.

“Mirvac proposed changing the name of the suburb the development sits within from Forest Lodge to Harold Park to maintain a connection with its rich history as the home of harness racing in NSW,” he said.

While considering Mirvac’s requests, council has added two alternatives for the opening of the Harold Park development. The first of these involves the Harold Park site being listed as an ‘urban place’ within the suburb of Forest Lodge. This ‘urban place’ categorisation has previously been used in the naming of Chinatown, Kings Cross and Strawberry Hills.

The final option being considered by the council at this stage is for no change to accompany the opening of the Harold Park site.

“The City of Sydney will seek the community’s view on the proposal and three other options for the

site,” A City of Sydney spokeswoman told City News.Robert Armstrong, resident of Glebe and member

of the Glebe Society, is opposed to Mirvac’s proposal.“My belief is that it should be retained within the

suburb category of Forest Lodge,” he said.Susie Cleary, another Glebe resident, is similarly

opposed to the creation of a new suburb but feels that the determination of Harold Park as an ‘urban place’ is an appropriate compromise.

“I believe that option three – creating an urban place out of Harold Park, similar to Chinatown – is the most sensible way to go.”

“It cannot be taken out of Forest Lodge; that would be ridiculous,” she said.

Should council decide to go forward with the proposal to create a new suburb for Harold Park, it will have to then present this proposal to the Geographical Names Board of NSW for consideration.

Council consults residents over Mirvac’s new suburb proposal

The current Harold Park development site

The property at 106-108 Quarry street, Ultimo

BY Lucia osBoRNe-cRowLeY A property on Quarry street

in Ultimo has been brought to the attention of the City of sydney Council as a serious safety hazard to its lodgers and surrounding residents.

Council was alerted to the risk when a neighbouring resident informed councillors that the building appeared to be overcrowded. Upon inspection, Fire and Rescue New south Wales discovered that the property was being used as an illegal boarding house for backpackers and international students.

The building had been authorised as a single dwelling only, however council discovered the building had been divided into twenty-two separate rooms.

Katherine Goldman, of the office of City of sydney Councillor Angela Vithoulkas was able to confirm that the property had been safely evacuated. A former resident of the boarding house, who preferred not to be named, also confirmed that the building had been evacuated and that its residents had moved elsewhere.

Ms Goldman believes that this unauthorised overcrowding of inner city dwellings poses a broader problem to the community.

“When people buy property

for the purpose of taking advantage of young backpackers and international students, it is exploitation and it is unsafe.”

“This is not a problem with all landlords, but a small number of landlords are taking advantage of the under supply of accommodation in the inner city and the fact that the area is a draw card for students and young people,” she said.

Council found the property was housing fifty-eight people, who for the most part had responded to subletting advertisements on Gumtree, Facebook and Craigslist.

The issue is also particularly problematic as it is very hard for council and other regulatory

bodies to identify and control. Fire and Rescue NsW Chief superintendent Greg Buckley said increased community vigilance is the best way to prevent these situations occurring.

“We rely on community complaints for these situations to be brought to our attention so increased community awareness of the issue is important,” he said.

Ms Goldman agreed with this concern.

“The problem for Council is that we do not have power of entry into these buildings, so we are beholden to local residents to alert us to these problems in order for the right mechanisms to be put in place,” she said.

Ms Goldman commended Fire Rescue NsW and the City of sydney Council for their response to the situation.

Illegal boarding houses posea threat to inner city safety

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newS In BRIefSmoke-Free Martin PlaceAt this Monday’s City of sydney Council meeting (June 23), council debated a motion put forward by Councillor Christine Forster to implement a six month trial for a smoke-free Martin Place. The motion is being proposed based on the City of Melbourne’s smoke-free trial of Causeway Lane, highlighting the fact that Martin Place is one of sydney’s equally iconic public spaces and should be free of second hand smoke. In addition to the health benefits of a smoke-free Martin Place, Cr Forster has outlined the environmental benefits of eliminating the significant amounts of cigarette waste that collects in Martin Place each day.

Northern Territory Intervention – Seven Years Onsaturday June 21st marked seven since since John Howard’s announcement of the Northern Territory Intervention, and to mark this a rally organised by the stop the Intervention Collective sydney took place at sydney Town Hall to protest

Indigenous policy put in place by Australian governments both past and present. The rally involved a march from sydney Town Hall to the Redfern Tent Embassy and featured speakers David shoebridge of the NsW Greens, Kyol Blakeny of the National Union of students, Jenny Munro of the Redfern Tent Embassy and Ray Jackson of the Indigenous social Justice Association.

Community calls for Metgasco license cancellation at Bentley Blockade breakfastOn Monday the 23rd of June, a breakfast was held by community members at the Bentley Blockade site to call on the NsW government to definitively cancel Metgasco’s exploration license and to put a permanent stop to Metgasco’s drilling at Rosella. The community voiced concerns at the breakfast about the possibility of the NsW government reneging on its suspension of Metgasco’s license, and gathered to urge the government to make the license cancellation permanent.

BY emiLY coNtadoR-keLsaLLSydney tobacco retailers and

consumers have found that the federal government’s plain packaging initiative has not had a profound impact on consumer habits, but instead attribute most of the changes they have witnessed to increasing tobacco prices in Australia.

Last week, British American Tobacco Australasia (BATA) reported the federal government’s plain packaging campaign and increased pricing was causing a boom in cheap cigarette sales and actually increasing smokers’ intake of cigarettes.

In a media release, Scott McIntyre, spokesperson for BATA, said plain packaging and high excise increases have caused a “race to the bottom” as smokers walk into retailers and ask for the cheapest packs on sale.

“Smokers are now looking for cheaper brands and paying $13 a pack instead of $25 as excise has pushed prices to their highest ever point. Plain packs and excise has seen smokers look for cheaper products, and instead of quitting they’re saving money.”

Ricky Wu from tobacconist ‘Fone Smart’ at Kings Cross said customers walk in and ask for the cheapest cigarettes without concern for brand distinction, however attributes this to the rising price of tobacco in Australia rather than plain packaging.

“Some customers used to have some brand but the prices keep going up and there are some new brands with low prices.”

“Just the beginning of plain packaging [saw a change in sales], people see it’s [the packaging] horrible, but after that, a couple of weeks, people just get used to it.”

The Australian Government’s Department of Health reported tobacco sales are at their lowest; “Recent figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that total consumption of tobacco and cigarettes in the March quarter 2014 is the lowest ever recorded, as measured by estimated expenditure on tobacco products.”

BATA’s Mr McIntyre pointed to these figures as evidence for people spending less money on cigarettes rather than smoking less.

Kat Foundling, a daily smoker, said her smoking habits had not been affected by plain packaging but by the expense of tobacco; “The pricing of cigarettes has led me down the sad trail of buying the cheapest most disgusting 40packs- which funnily enough has increased my smoking habits,” she said.

Fiona Fang of Cignall in Edgecliff, a tobacco retailer, has found that both plain packaging and increased tobacco prices had impacted sales.

“Some people don’t like the package so they don’t buy [it] or

cut down.”“Most people don’t like the

package, it’s awful.”Ms Fang had experienced

customers coming in and asking for the cheapest cigarettes, and said there had been a decrease in sales of expensive tobacco brands since the implementation of plain packaging.

Nader Tehrani, a smoker of 12 years who recently quit, said plain packaging made no difference to

him.Mr Wu said if people want to

smoke, they will smoke regardless of packaging.

“Even one customer dropped in and said ‘hello I’m looking for my friend Bryan’, I said ‘Who?’ ‘Bryan’, He said look at the packs and I see the pack and the dead guy on the pack is Bryan,” he said.

“They get used to the pack, it’s no different.”

Impact of plain packaging questionable in inner city

Fone smart tobacconist, Kings Cross

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BY Joshua tasseLLMarrickville’s Indigenous

artists will be showcased during Marrickville Council’s Open Marrickville festival next week in the lead-up to NAIDOC week.

Marrickville’s historic Red Rattler Theatre will play host to a Klub Koori event next Friday, featuring local Indigenous artists such as Krista Pav, Marcus Corowa, Michael Charlton and Green Hand Band.

Artist Development Manager at Gadigal Information service, Darrell sibosado said Open Marrickville was a great opportunity to showcase local Indigenous performance culture.

“Klub Koori does an annual program of live music and events across sydney, and Marrickville Council invited us to do something there,” said Mr sibosado.

Gadigal Information service delivers government funded development programs on a statewide or national basis, working closely with local councils.

Mr sibosado explained that local support such as the Klub Koori event effectively showcased the wares of Indigenous musicians.

“It’s councils like Marrickville and Leichhardt, that’s where

[support] starts. That’s what their constituents are made up of, there’s so many different groups, particularly Marrickville - it’s so multicultural.”

“Arts support in Australia is very lacking. When you dig further down, there’s even less support for Indigenous arts.”

Headlining act Krista Pav is looking forward to showcasing her wares on stage.

“This is my first Klub Koori event, and I’m very excited to be a part of it - I’ve always participated as a person in the audience, and I’m looking forward to getting up there.”

BY Joshua tasseLLHarm minimisation, not

condemnation - that is the message from the organisers of the What’s The Harm? drug and alcohol awareness week in Redfern.

Filling the void left by the absence of Drug Action Week after the defunding of the Alcohol and Other Drug Council of Australia, the Redfern and Waterloo Community Drug Action Team (CDAT) is working to publicise drug issues in the Redfern community.

“There is a desperate need for people in the Redfern-Waterloo community to understand drug and alcohol issues and what can be done to minimise the harm they cause,” said Brian Parker, a local public housing resident and the chair of CDAT.

“CDAT don’t condemn or condone it. We just try to put things in place to prevent harm.”

Ernie B, a former Redfern resident, opened up about drug and alcohol services for the community.

“How you quantify services for an addict is difficult. One of the big attractions of Alcoholics Anonymous, and one of its failings, is that it’s entirely

voluntary.”“The problem then becomes

educating people on the value of harm minimisation.”

CDAT partnered with the Inner Sydney Regional Council for Social Development (ISRCSD), a community development organisation aimed at providing resources to the disability and aged care sectors, for the week’s events.

“Due to the high level of public housing properties (in Redfern-Waterloo), it means a bigger number of people from a lower socio-economic background live in the area, along with many people with mental health issues which is often accompanied by co-morbidity issues, i.e. drug and alcohol misuse,” said Charmaine Jones, Executive Officer for the ISRCSD.

Mr. Parker said that Superintendent Luke Freudenstein, commander of the Redfern Local Area Command, and his team were doing “a fantastic job”.

The week’s events saw a modest attendance of 18 for an emerging drug workshop, 28 at a debate on the legalisation of illicit substances, and approximately 200 at the Open Day.

Open Marrickville promotes Indigenous performers

Redfern-waterloo gets real on drugs

Krista Pav on Living Black, 2012

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BY Lucia osBoRNe-cRowLeYThe Italian Forum’s Business

Management Committee (BMC) has begun a public campaign to put pressure on Leichhardt Council to stop its fight for the sale of the Italian Forum Cultural Centre to local Italian language and community services facility, Co.As.It.

Sol Michael, a strata representative to the Business Management Committee and owner of a fashion business in the Forum, told the Inner West Independent that the committee has decided to launch its public campaign against council’s sale to Co.As.It because it feels that its concerns have not been taken into consideration by council.

“They won’t meet with us and they won’t listen to our point of view so I’m putting our point of view on paper,” said Mr Michael.

“The BMC is going to fight council every step of the way in this matter because they have no concern whether the forum will survive as a centre or not and they have had the temerity to ignore us.”

Leichhardt Mayor Darcy Byrne said council would continue its efforts to secure the sale because it feels that it is the best way to support Leichhardt’s Italian community.

“As Mayor, I am required to

look out for the public interest. The organisation (Co.As.It) is deeply involved in the Italian community. We believe this sale is the best way to keep the Italian community in Leichhardt forever.”

Co.As.It General Manager Thomas Camporeale also feels that Co.As.It is well-suited to bring cultural events to the centre.

“Co.As.It. strongly rejects claims that it is not able to run the Centre as a Cultural Centre.”

“Co.As.It. has extensive experience in promoting and managing cultural events - this is in fact part of our business.”

The Actors Centre Australia,

a current tenant of the Italian Forum Cultural Centre, shares the Business Management Committee’s feeling that it has not been appropriately consulted regarding the sale.

“I do not understand why no-one from council has come down here to speak with me,” said Actors Centre Australia’s Creative Director Dean Carey.

“I did have a visit early on from Leichhardt Council General Manager Peter Head, but I invited all of the councillors to take a tour of the cultural centre and not one person accepted my offer.”

According to Mr Carey, Mayor Byrne has agreed to meet with the Business Management Committee this week to discuss the sale.

Tension over sale of Italian forum Cultural Centre rises

The Italian Forum piazza and Cultural Centre

BY Jessica YuNCuts in the Federal Budget mean families in

the inner west will have to pay more for family day care services, according to Anthony Albanese.

From July 2015, existing family day care providers will have to reapply for the Community support Programme (CsP) which funds these providers. The criteria to be eligible for the CsP will be tightened, meaning several family day care providers will likely lose out. The cost will then have to be covered by families’ out-of-pocket expenses.

“It’ll put more pressure on families, and means that some will make a determination to not return to work. Either that or they’ll have to be worse off with an extra 35 dollars a week potentially as a result of the cut,” said Anthony Albanese.

Family Day Care Australia, the national peak body supporting the quality of family day care, has launched a campaign ‘Families Need Family Day Care’ to call the government to review the changes to the CsP.

spokesperson sasha Westwood says Family Day Care Australia is in the midst of conducting a nation-wide review of its members to better gauge which service providers will be impacted and how.

“It’s been a really nerve-wracking time for a lot of services just determining whether they will receive this funding or not.”

The Infants Home Child & Family services is a family day care provider in the inner west that receives funding from the Community service Programme. CEO Anita Kumar says The Infants Home focuses on disadvantaged children and families, and many of the parents will not be able to cope with the added costs.

“This massive increase is unsustainable, as the majority of our families will not be able to afford

the increase with an already stretched budget,” said Ms Kumar.

“These cuts are devastating; they mark the beginning of the end of quality family day care.”

Working mother of two Vicky Han makes use of The Infant Home’s family day care services. Her two year old daughter has been with an educator at The Infants Home for eighteen months. Her concern is not just the burden of additional costs, but also the quality of the service and changes to her own schedule.

“I work 4 days a week and [my daughter] will be in care four days a week, so is that feasible?” said Ms Han.

“It becomes too expensive.”

family day care providers will ‘feel the heat’ following federal cuts

BY Lucia osBoRNe-cRowLeYThe concept of reverse vending

machines is one that has been debated over several years by the City of sydney Council and is now officially being trialled in sydney’s inner city.

These machines are designed to accept empty plastic bottles or cans from sydneysiders and reward the user with a “small gift or charity donation”, according to a council media release.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore described the machines as “vending machines with a twist that will encourage sydneysiders to be even better at recycling plastic bottles and aluminium cans”.

Council is trialling the initiative by installing the machines in Dixon street Mall, Alfred street, Haymarket and Circular Quay. A similar container deposit project was undertaken in south Australia and is reported to have

raised recycling rates to ninety percent, according to council, and councillors hope that the reverse vending machine project in sydney’s inner city will have a similar effect.

This initiative is being implemented in response to a broader recycling problem in sydney and NsW that council is tackling through a range of new projects.

“In 2013 beverage containers and their associated rubbish made up 41 per cent of the total rubbish and 59 per cent of the top ten rubbish items reported by volunteers in NsW,” said Clean Up Australia founder and chairman Ian Kiernan.

“This is a serious problem. We need better ways to capture these containers, turning them from rubbish into a resource. The cleanest and most accessible solution we have seen is the reverse vending model.”

To accompany the City’s trial of reverse vending machines, council also plans to implement strategies to increase recycling rates of batteries, light bulbs and mobiles phones.

Vending machines with a twist

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Ian Keirnan of Clean Up Australia deposits a plastic bottle into the new Envirobank reverse vending recycling machine

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BY Lucia osBoRNe-cRowLeY This week, Peter Fraser and his partner

Gordon Stevenson will become the first same-sex couple to get married here in Sydney.

As of Friday, June 27, same-sex couples living in Australia will be able to marry in British consulates in Sydney and Canberra as long as one partner holds British citizenship. Following the British High Commission’s announcement that British marriage equality laws would extend to British nationals living overseas, Peter and Gordon were the first couple to register to marry in Sydney’s British consulate.

“It’s a real privilege to be the first same-sex couple to be married here in Australia and it’s great that the British government’s laws have changed to include citizens living in other countries,” Mr Fraser said.

Friday’s introduction of same-sex marriages in British consulates will mean that many

Australians will no longer have to travel overseas to get married.

“It may be nineteen years too late, but we are now able to stand up in front of our friends and family in the city we live in and the city we love and have our relationship acknowledged.”

Rodney Croome, national director of Marriage Equality Australia and gay rights activist, believes that Friday’s wedding will impact the marriage equality debate here in Australia.

“What these weddings will show is that same-sex marriages can take place in this country without the sky falling in,” Mr Croome said.

“It will also show that marriage reform can occur under conservative governments, as we have seen in Britain and New Zealand. It shows that we have fallen behind some of our closest allies in terms of marriage equality.”

Dr.Mehreen Faruqi MLC of the NSW Greens also believes that the impact of this development will be felt within Australia’s marriage reform debate.

“Same sex couples marrying under foreign law in Australian cities is an important symbolic step forward for marriage equality in Australia.”

“I have no doubt it will feed into the broader campaign, as the couples and their families participate in and bear witness to the ceremonies.”

The marriages that take place in the British consulates in Sydney and Canberra beginning this Friday will not be recognised in Australian jurisdictions.

“The happiness of these marriages will be tinged with the sadness of knowing that as soon as the couples step back onto Australian soil, their marriages count for nothing,” Mr Croome said.

“I am hopeful that parliamentarians will understand that the failure of Australia to recognize these marriages is a slight against not only the couples themselves but a slight against the countries that married them.”

Mr Fraser believes that these marriages will encourage a parliamentary conscience vote on marriage reform.

“This will pave the way for a free vote within the current government,” said Mr Fraser.

NSW Premier Mike Baird told Bondi View that he was in support of a conscience vote on marriage reform.

“Like Barry O’Farrell, I am a supporter of a conscience vote on this issue.”

In the meantime, couples such as Peter and Gordon are celebrating the significance of being able to marry within Australia.

“It takes away the stigma of being a second-class citizen here in Australia. He will not be my boyfriend or my partner but my husband, and that makes all the difference. I just hope this is available to all Australians soon enough.”

Same-sex marriage on Sydney soil

Peter Fraser and his Partner Gordon

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By Carmen CitaTalk of protest and civil disobedience

usually conjures thoughts of distant ideologues like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. Unbeknownst to many Australians we have our own rich and unsung history of civil rights activism right here in Sydney.

In an homage to the founding heroes of the Aboriginal civil rights movement, a provocative new exhibition arrives at Carriageworks.

Programmed to coincide with NAIDOC Week, Hereby Make Protest explores and celebrates the spirit of activism that ignited and now propels the quest for Indigenous self-determination and equality.

Featuring archival documents, letters and petitions alongside new works by contemporary Indigenous artists, Nicole Foreshew, Jacob Nash and Karla Dickens, the exhibition honours the legacy of the Australian Aboriginal Progressive Association (AAPA) and the Aborigines Progressive Association (APA).

Wiradjuri artist Karla Dickens has produced two installations for the exhibition: Assimilated Warriors, a salute to the early faceless warriors who fought for Aboriginal equality and Demanding a Voice is Tiresome, an acknowledgement of the unseen women of the movement.

Dickens says, “My work pays tribute to my forefathers and mothers, who worked towards a fair deal. It takes great courage to scratch at the shadows of silence within a dominant discourse of denial, betrayal and abuse.”

Reflecting on the motivations of these pioneers, Dickens adds, “There is a power

in asserting objection, in disapproving of the obvious injustices, pains and truths of those who are unheard. Protest is about giving voice, standing shoulder to shoulder.”

Established in 1924, the AAPA fought tirelessly for Indigenous self-determination. Influenced by the Black Nationalism teachings of Marcus Garvey in the United States, AAPA president Fred Maynard campaigned against the New South Wales Aborigines Protection Board (NSWAPB) and its practice of removing Aboriginal children from their families.

Petitions and protestations from the AAPA gained wide media coverage and public support. At its peak, the association comprised eleven branches with more than 500 active members.

Unable to withstand a NSWAPB-

sponsored smear campaign and frequent police harassment, the AAPA dissolved in 1927. But the groundswell of support did not die with the association.

Ten years later, civil rights activists Jack Patten and Bill Ferguson joined forces to form the APA. The top three items on the APA agenda were full citizenship rights for Aboriginal Australians, Aboriginal representation in Parliament and abolition of the NSWAPB.

In 1938, APA marked Australia Day with a protest, declaring the sesquicentenary a National Day of Mourning for Aboriginal Australians, bereaved of their land and cultural identity.

The new Carriageworks exhibition takes its name from the official resolution made at the Day of Mourning Conference

on January 26, 1938.Carriageworks artistic associate, Andrea

James explains, “On that day, the APA took a stand against unfair treatment of the Aborigines of Australia, declaring, with a firm and solemn voice, ‘We are gathered here today and we hereby make protest’ - it was a fantastic rallying cry.”

Ms James is a descendant of the Yorta Yorta and Kurnai Aboriginal nations. As exhibition curator, she sees Hereby Make Protest as an important nod to the founding organisations of the Aboriginal civil rights movement.

“Both organisations sparked off here in Sydney. We want to put people in touch with important local knowledge. The iconic Day of Mourning happened right here in our backyard,” she says.

Hereby Make Protest is the third in a series of social history projects that all aim to connect visitors to local Aboriginal

history by engaging and educating people through contemporary Aboriginal art.

Though not always intentionally, the theme of protest inhabits much of artist Dickens’ work. She explains, “I’m not a politician, I’m an artist, a storyteller. With my art, I talk about my personal experiences. I don’t set out to make political statements. I am political, simply because I am who I am – a single mother, a lesbian, a first Australian.

“I am at a point in my life where I have a hell of a lot to say. Art is my voice - art is how I protest.”

Dickens was awarded the prestigious 2013 Parliament of NSW Aboriginal Art Prize for her work, Day of Mourning. The work is comprised of a salvaged Australian flag embroidered with crosses, representing the sense of loss and pain that the artist feels each year on January 26th.

Before winning the $40,000 prize, Dickens’ artwork drew criticism from social commentator Andrew Bolt on 2GB.

“After Andrew Bolt and Steve Price mentioned my artwork, I was targeted by white power rednecks. I started receiving abusive emails. Somebody hacked into my computer, forcing me to take my website down.”

Just as the APA had stirred the NSWAPB with their protestations in 1927, Dickens touched a nerve with her art.

“When this happened, I realised the breadth and the impact of the political, social and ideological statement that I had made with my art. The hostile response validated the sense of grief that inspired the piece of art in the first place,” says Dickens. (CC)

Until Jul 18, Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh, free, carriageworks.com.au

“We hereby make protest”

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Hereby Make Protest, 2014, Carriageworks, Sydney. Works by Karla Dickens, Nicole Foreshew and Jacob Nash

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GREATER SYDNEY

Spakka-NapoliPositioned at the end of a weirdly shaped arcade and saddled with a quirky spelling of Spaccanapoli (the road that bisects Naples), this restaurant makes you work for your reward: lightly charred, puffy-crusted Neapolitan pizzas. The Monday/Tuesday special – three “tapas” dishes and a cocktail for thirty bucks – makes me rethink my ambivalence toward limoncello with The Amalfi ($14.50). Robust namesake Spakka Napoli ($13.50) sangria is guaranteed to complement their terracotta pots of Meatballs ($9.50), Eggplant Parmigiana ($10.90) and my favourite – Pollo Alla Cacciatore ($9.90). The Eggplant Sausage Pizza ($22.90) special is further improved by chilli sauce, which should

come with a warning label, or at least imported red-label Peroni ($7) to ease the pain.Shop 13, 166-174 Military Road, Neutral Bay (02) 9908 7045 spakkanapoli.com.auPizza, Italian $$

INNER WEST

The WorkersThis’ll bring a tear to the eye to Labor Party faithful who remember the glory days of Whitlam, Hawke and Wran. They’re the dudes on the roof – the question Bar Manager Jeremy Baldi gets “asked the most”. Mosey across the Astroturf, Woodlands Margaret River Chardonnay ($43/bottle) in hand, to gaze at photographic memorabilia. Tuck into Chihuahuas ($5.50/each) – mini Mexican hot

dogs with grilled franks, jalapenos and cheese – searching for the birth of land rights: Gough pouring sand into Vincent Lingiari’s hands. Dude food like Más Verduras ($5.50/each) – fried zucchini tacos - and Quesadillas de Espinica ($13) – grilled spinach and ricotta tortillas - with a Blood and Sand ($16) Whisky cocktail help Wednesday night comedians go down. 1/292 Darling Street, Balmain 9318 1547 theworkersbalmain.com.auBar Food, Wine, Cocktails $JamVybz Restaurant & Café Despite Jerk Chicken ($17.99) creeping onto bar menus, there isn’t much authentic Jamaican in Sydney. This brightly coloured Glebe flagship cooks it over wood-fire, coated with tasty jerk marinade producing bona fide falling-off-the-bone goodness. Initiate yourself with the Chef’s

Sample Platter ($18.99) bearing codfish fritters, jerk chicken wings and jerk prawn kebabs. With homemade ‘slaw and pineapple to sweeten the deal, it appeals to both seasoned and unseasoned Caribbean eaters. “Reggae dancehall favourite” Curried Goat ($19) is deliciously tender, while Coconut Curried Shrimp ($22) is mild and easy to eat. Sweet Potato Pudding ($8.50) is warm and deliciously sweet, leaving you feeling the good vibes - driven home by the Bob Marley posters and tunes.72 Glebe Point Road, Glebe (02) 9571 1158 jamvybzrestaurant.com.auJamaican $-$$

ROCKS & CBD

Umi Kaiten-ZushiMeters from Capitol Square Light Rail Station Umi Kaiten-Zushi offers a

well-stocked train of freshly prepared sushi. Spicy Tuna ($4.50) and Seared Scallop ($5.50) were highlights, and if they’re not rotating ‘round the fish tank, the chef will whip them up straight away. Happy Hour(s) kick in from 3-7pm with five-dollar drinks, including sake. Dewazakura Junmai ($7/60ml) is a pleasant drop. While it’s hard to stay away from the fishes - 5-Kinds Assorted Sashimi ($18) and Chef’s Choice Nigiri Selection ($15-20) - for many, winter hotpots like the gentle Miso Soy Milk Seafood Foil Nabe ($16.80) are the order of the day. Combine it with warming fare from Grilled Cheese Mayo Scallops ($12/3) to sizzling Teriyaki Salmon ($15).Shop 1, 477 Pitt Street, Sydney (02) 9281 2006 umisushi.com.auJapanese $-$$Greenheart EspressoAndrea Vagge and Fiona Bloomer (ex-La Locanda) have set up shop on

Kent Street, citing kids and needing “a Monday to Friday lifestyle” as the reason for their shift. Andrea’s made the shift from cooking Italian cuisine to designing bespoke salads. His belief in premium ingredients holds across the ever-changing selection that includes Roasted La Ionica Chicken, Israeli Cous Cous, Moroccan Carrots ($14) with yoghurt dressing; Tuna, Green Beans, Shaved Fennel and Radicchio ($14) in balsamic, and Soba Noodles, Tofu, Bean Sprouts, Chilli and Crispy Shallots Thai-style ($14). Tuck into an excellent house-made Chicken Sausage Roll ($6.50) in the Matt Woods designed setting - a vibrant aquamarine break from the drabness of the CBD. 432 Kent Street, Sydney (02) 8084 5954 facebook.com/pages/Greenheart-Espresso/648104028564490Café $

$ - mains less than $15 $$ - mains between $15-$22 $$$ - mains between $22-$30 $$$$ - mains over $30

EAT & DRINK By Jackie McMillan

From the moment you slide into your stylish but comfortable Autoban chair in this relaxed-looking dining room, it’s evident you’re in for a seamless experience. The rounded edges of the chairs echo the Deco lines of the building, and the service is equally free of sharp bumps. Having had his fill of Sydney toques already, Chef Ross Lusted has returned to the charcoal grilling of his South African youth, simply because it tastes good. Now that’s not

to say dishes like Moreton Bay Bugs, Sweet Grilled Endive, Tamarind and Roasted Chilli Paste ($35) lack complexity; rather it’s that Lusted makes them look like remarkably simple packages. While he employs a global palate of flavours, honed during his Amanresorts days, local produce sings across the menu, starting with Natural Oysters ($4.50/each) with white miso dressing and chives. Move on to a pretty plate of hand-picked Spanner Crab ($33) with mandarin, Meyer lemon curd, chestnuts and nashi pear, before standout mains like the Japanese-inspired Ocean Trout with Silken Eggplant, Sesame and Puffed Rice ($45) lubricated with a roasted tea broth. Your must-have dessert is the Burnt Caramel Cream ($16) – a re-imagined crème brûlée juxtaposed against mint and juicy Packham pear, presented in ceramics designed by Lusted himself. It’s perfect against the 2012 Peregrine Charcoal Creek Riesling ($14/glass). Ground Level, 44 Bridge Street, Sydney(02) 9247 7000 thebridgeroom.com.auModern Australian $$$$

While dining in shopping centres isn’t really my thing, visiting The Strand Arcade late last year, made me feel like a naughty child, unwrapping my Christmas presents early. Niño Zocali’s two restaurants, La Rosa and Pendolino, sit at either end of this picturesque Victorian arcade. The older sibling has a dark, moody seriousness. It softly whispers: red wine; then seduces you with Ravioli Di Magro Con Burro Fusso ($27.90/$39.90). The hand-made, al

dente ravioli glisten under burnt butter and crisp sage leaves, melting in your mouth to reveal their tasty spinach centres. The unctuous richness is cut by the sharp bite of Parmigiano Reggiano. I suspect putting one of these on my tongue is the closest I’ll ever come to understanding Communion. This near-religious experience eclipses my Slow-Roasted Duck Leg ($43.60) main. With desserts here being such a triumph, if you were a light eater, I’d consider doing entree, small pasta, and dessert. Start with Free-Range Raw Beef Carpaccio ($26.50) perfectly balanced by wild baby olives, rocket cress and Tetsun di Barolo cheese, whilst enjoying the trio of Aussie olive oils and bread. Finish with Meringata Di Fragolini E Rabarbaro ($17.90) – a meringue cake that kicks the Eton Mess to the kerb – accompanied by braised rhubarb and wild strawberries, Lambrusco jelly and strawberry sorbet. Game, set, match: Italy.Shop 100, Level 2, The Strand Arcade, 412-414 George Street, Sydney (02) 9231 6117 pendolino.com.auItalian $$$$

The Bridge Room Pendolino

EAT & DRINK By Jackie McMillan

EASTERN SUBURBS

Luxe Woollahra Located in Queens Court, or as it appears to be, downtown Provence, the pink stone walls, al fresco dining and designer shops surrounding this café make you feel far from Sydney. The café’s artisan baked goods are now a perfect side order to the new dinner menu of seasonal share plate specialties from Grilled Peppers ($12) with yuzu salt and creamy goats’ curd; to Scotch Eggs ($12) made with Italian pork sausage and quail eggs; to deliciously soft Miso Eggplant ($8) blanketed in crunchy kale. Match a fleshy tail of Grilled Lobster ($34) dripping in saffron butter with a bottle of King Valley ‘Holly’s Garden’ Pinot Gris ($54) before finishing with a

Tahini Biscuit Ice Cream Sandwich ($12).Queens Court, 118 Queens Street Woollahra (02) 9363 8828luxesydney.com.auCafé, Modern Australian $$$La Scala on Jersey While we wait for a table, somebody’s ‘Nonna’ arrives with a basket of heirloom tomatoes, and is greeted by a handsome denim-apron clad young waiter. This is the new look La Scala, with Tasmanian-born, Naples-raised Massimo Mele at the helm. Order the Chickpea Pancakes ($18) – crunchy cigars filled with mushroom and spinach, topped with Gorgonzola sauce. Even mains are presented with big scissor-like servers, though you might consider keeping the whole bowl of Oxtail Ragu ($28) to yourself. The Barossa Elderton “Estate” Shiraz

($69/bottle, $14.50/glass) smugly cuts in on the dance; also suiting melt-in-your-mouth Slow-Cooked Suffolk Lamb Shoulder Chops ($38) with salsa verde. However Witlof, Radicchio and Pickled Beetroot ($12) almost steals the show… Corner Jersey Road & Melrose Lane, Woollahra (02) 9357 0815 lascalaonjersey.com.auItalian $$Hotel CentennialABC Radio’s Simon Marnie is tucking into three courses of roast pheasant at a neighbouring table. Catching his eye, he ventures over and recommends Fig and Caramelised Onion Flatbread ($19) dotted with goat’s curd and lemon thyme. It’s but one way to try out the glowing wood fire oven, which adds to the homely nature of this refurbished

pub – well homely if you live in The Hamptons. The kitchen delivers modern comfort food, from Shank and Shoulder Shepherd’s Pie ($26) to Wood Roasted Lamb Loin ($36) with juniper pickled blueberries, pea sprouts and goat’s curd. Green harissa sees Broccoli, Flat Beans and Smoked Almonds ($15) pop like fireworks; and the Chocolate Ale Cake ($14) is divine! 88 Oxford Street, Woollahra (02) 9362 3838 hotelcentennial.com.auPub Bistro, Modern Australian $$$$

NEWTOWN & ENVIRONS

Botany View HotelThe front bar feels like a scene from Cheers - for locals, it’s clearly a place where everybody knows your name.

Drink specials abound: from ten-buck Aperol Spritzes “all day every day” to twelve-buck jugs of mainstream beers, to quirky Absolut Vodka ($25/4) mixes. On the menu put out by Darley Street Bistro, the regulars are divided. One tells me: “it’s a bit over-rated, they put too many things on the plate,” but others swear by it. Greek Style Chicken Breast ($23) with skordalia, feta, oregano, tangy mash and a well-dressed tomato and cucumber salad was beaten by Beef Fillet ($31), loaded with bacon/thyme hash-brown, eschallot puree, garlic spinach, truffle brisket croquette and jus. 597 King Street, Newtown (02) 9519 4501 botanyviewhotel.comPub Bistro $$$Three Williams In a part of Redfern not overflowing with great brunch options, Three

Williams made a splash. Despite the stripped-back minimalism of concrete, ramps and plywood, it’s welcoming to people who stretch beyond hipster clichés, including little people. The yummy Mummy set select slick salads like Chicken, Spice Roasted Carrots, Avocado, Cashew and Citrus Dressing ($14) with house-made Pineapple and Mint Soda ($12/jug). On naughty days it’s Crunchy Brioche French Toast ($14) with roasted pecans, blueberries, yoghurt and maple syrup, or Beef Brisket, ‘Slaw ‘n’ Gerkins ‘Narnies’ ($14). I’m all about egg cartons of creamy Fish Croquettes ($3/each) with lemon, aioli and dessert in a glass: Banana, Medjool Date and Walnut Praline Smoothie ($7). 613a Elizabeth Street, Redfern (02) 9698 1111 threewilliams.comCafé $

17

DARLO, KINGS X & SURRY HILLS

The Clock HotelInspired by Spain’s tonicas, dedicated gin and tonic bars, mixologist Jeremy Shipley has scoured the globe for fourteen local and international gins. I started with The Botanist ($13) – a serious Scottish gin with New Zealand’s Quina-Fina (low sugar) tonic and mint. After dabbling in Spain with Gin Mare ($12), I found my sweet spot with Hayman’s Old Tom ($10). You’ll also find gin cocktails like Hotel Georgia ($16), clever snacks like Mini Cuban Sliders ($8) with New York

pastrami and beet relish, plus some of the best thin-crust pizzas I’ve seen in a pub. My hit pizzas are the vegetarian Mushrooms, Pumpkin, Zucchini, Treviso ($18) and the Pork and Fennel Sausage with Artichoke and Mint ($18). 470 Crown Street, Surry Hills(02) 9331 5333 clockhotel.com.auPub Bistro, Pizza $$Café PaciIt’s coming to crunch time at Sydney’s favourite pop-up. The Seasonal Set Menu ($85/head) offers a rye taco nod to the Mexican predecessor, delivered with a Finnish grin. If money isn’t an object, throw yourself at the mercy of the savvy floor crew

for great matches, from Hell Yes ($18) with coffee, rum, Frangelico and elderflower, to the 2012 Sineann ‘Celilo’ Gewürztraminer ($83/bottle). Expect global food puns ranging from clever wagyu ‘Photato’ to ‘That’s Amore’, which looks like bolognaise but tastes like pizza. Arguably the best dishes come where Chef Pasi Petanen draws upon his heritage, from molasses-glazed Finnish potato and caraway bread, to turning onions into a sweet’n’salty oral adventure with mullet roe, hazelnuts and dill. 95 Riley Street, Darlinghurst (02) 9368 7000 cafepaci.com.auModern European $$$$

This newspaper has landed in your lap in the middle of Australian Bacon Week (22-28 June). This sadly means you’ve only got a couple of days to race into one of Adriano Zumbo’s stores to try Miss Piggy. The wobbly piggy-shaped treat combines bacon and crème fraiche mousse with strawberry anise sponge and a bacon-hazelnut crunch. It’s just one innovative use of bacon I got to sample at Eau-de-Vie last week, when I met the Bacon Week winner: Pialligo Farm Smokehouse. Using traditional cold-smoking techniques chef Peter Curry picked up in Ireland, they make a beautiful, gently salty rasher, which has a hint of brown sugar sweetness, and a kiss of smoke at the end. They don’t add water, so you won’t see much shrinkage in the pan if you buy some from Hudson Meats. You’ll also find Kevin Bacon gelato featuring maple and whiskey gelato dotted with candied bacon at Gelato Messina; Boss Hog bacon beer at Rocks Brewing Co. and bacon bourbon will make its way onto the cocktail menu at Eau-de-Vie. And when you’re buying bacon, be aware that over two-thirds of the bacon sold in Australia is made from imported pork. To support our local industry, look for the pink PorkMark.adrianozumbo.com eaudevie.com.au gelatomessina.com rocksbrewing.com hudsonmeats.com

We’re lucky. Sydney is home to some of the world’s best bartenders. In 2012, Tim Philips shone for Sydney when he was proclaimed global Reserve World Class Bartender of the Year. Last year’s Australian champion - Luke Ashton - also hails from Sydney. So this week on the eve of the 2014 announcement, it was time to catch up with one of this year’s finalists Ben Blair, currently at The Crossing. Wherever Ben goes we follow. Ink. Broad smile. Open arms. Chit chat. Bennie is a tequila man and I’m a ginger beer girl, so Tequila and Spice - Jose Cuervo Tradicional, caraway syrup, lime juice and Hellfire bitters topped with ginger beer - was my drink of choice. By the time this goes to press the 2014 Australian winner will be announced. Fingers crossed for Sydney.13 O’Brien Street, Bondi Beach (02) 9365 4134 thecrossingbondi.com.au

FOOD NEWS

BAR FLY By Rebecca Varidel

By Alex Harmon

THE CROSSING

Comforting and homey – two words I don’t usually associate with the dining offerings in Surry Hills, much less on hip Reservoir Street, the domain of edgy graphic designers and hipster coffee hangs. Yet this is exactly what Chef Brendan Cato achieves when he takes over Bangbang Café with a healthy Saturday night pop-up called The Farmed Table. Brendan is a keen forager – he was off to a forest to

find mushrooms the very next day – and this particular menu was inspired by his visit to the Hawkesbury and Hunter region. With two shared dishes, and three individual dishes, The Menu ($55/head) is particularly good value, even if you throw in (bottomless) biodynamic Wine ($80/head). Tip-top vegetables shine brightest in charred broccoli shoots, a far cry from the woody stems you see elsewhere. They’re topped with cured mullet roe and brightened up by Meyer lemon. It’d be impossible to travel to the Hawkesbury in search of dining inspiration, without being swayed by beautiful Hawkesbury calamari. Cato cooks it gently in its own ink, presenting it with river prawns and chickweed (another foraged treasure). The Hunter’s Redgate Farm provides the duck, which is served with crisp cavolo nero leaves and roasted beets, before a dessert of rhubarb with lavender cream that takes me straight back to Grandma’s house.Bangbang Cafe, 113 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills (02) 9281 0018 facebook.com/thefarmedtableModern Australian $$

The Farmed Table

At its heart, the Light Brigade is a sports bar. So when they did a recent spruce-up, they felt it was important not to alienate their heartland. Enter designer Annie Snell, who has cleverly worked around the large plasma screens that still delight on sports days, while managing to make it feel pleasantly inviting. (Edison light bulbs are, of course, a given.)

Now that Chef Massimo Mele has bedded in his sharing Italian menu upstairs at La Scala On Jersey, I suspect we’ll see some movement on the classic pub menu down here, which comes out of the same kitchen. That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with a 250g Char-Grilled Rump Steak ($22), especially on Wednesday nights when they knock ten bucks off the price, without messing with size or quality. It sings against one of the best green peppercorn sauces I’ve tried in a pub. The classic Chicken Breast Schnitzel ($19) is another plump, juicy winner, especially with mushroom sauce. While the on-tap beers were a bit mainstream for my taste, I didn’t mind the toasty, toffee notes of Matilda Bay Brewing Company’s Ruby Tuesday ($6.80/schooner). However the 2012 Partisan ‘Trenchcoat’ GSM ($44/bottle, $9/glass) will better accompany you through a plate of Spiced Lamb Meatballs ($15) in tomato and pea sauce. 2A Oxford Street, Woollahra (02) 9357 0888 lightbrigade.com.auPub Bistro $

Light Brigade Hotel If you ask me, this restaurant won the battle of

Sydney’s Chinese behemoths, which opened almost in tandem with an even more extravagant competitor, late last year. It’s changed a little since my first visit, but the theatre of the duck remains the biggest drawcard. Peking Duck ($88/whole) comes with an instruction manual and a tray of Condiments ($2/head) including a great Chinese mustard. Emerging from the theatrically dark set of this multi-million

dollar space, your white-jacketed chef will light, flame then slice your duck, making a hundred small incisions before you dip, wrap and consume it in fluffy steamed pockets that leave ordinary pancakes for dead. The 2011 Heemskerk Derwent Valley Pinot Noir ($105/bottle) is an admittedly expensive way to kick it up a whole ‘nother level. In the props department you’ll find scale bamboo models of buildings like the Forbidden City, an open fish pond plus hanging umbrellas and bamboo – all perfect to ponder over a Jasmine-Tea-Ni ($18) served in discreet ceramics. My own excitement was stoked by Beijing-style cold dishes, from crumbly Tofu with Spring Onions and Fish Roe ($12) to Spicy and Sour Cucumber ($9) – both great foils for the cold Sichuan-style Spicy Chicken ($15). Sweet and Sour Spareribs ($28) should ensure you still get to the Labyrinth-inspired Dessert Platter ($21.50/4 people). World Square Shopping Centre, 680 George Street, Sydney (02) 8081 0888 chinarepublicrestaurant.com.auChinese $$$$

China Republic

18

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Contributors: Alexandra English, Alexis Talbot-Smith, Anita Senaratna, Anthony Bell, Catherine Knight, Cheryl Northey, Ciaran Tobin, Craig Coventry, Elise Cullen, Georgia Fullerton, Greg Webster, Hannah Chapman, Jamie Apps, Laurie Hackney, Leann Richards, Lena Zak, Luke Daykin, Lyndsay Kenwright, Marilyn Hetreles, Mark Morellini, Mel Somerville, Melody Teh, Michael Muir, Michelle Porter, Peter Hackney, Rhys Gard, Rocio Belinda Mendez, Ruth Fogarty, Sean May, Sharon Ye, Shauna O’Carroll, Siri Williams

19 STAGE20 SCENE 21 SOUNDS22 SCREEN

Arts Editor: Leigh Livingstone

Music Editor: Chelsea Deeley

For more A&E stories go to www.altmedia.net.aua&e

If you don’t think you’re familiar with the work of gender-bending singer/songwriter Annie Lennox, think again. “Someone that thinks they haven’t been exposed will probably be surprised by how many songs they do know,” assures performer and pianist Michael Griffiths, who plays the titular role.And for the ‘80s elite who think they know all there is to know about Lennox and the Eurythmics? “There are hidden gems,” Griffiths explains. “It’s not just the obvious songs. We’ve also done quite a few mash-ups and the songs certainly aren’t as you know them,” he says, assuring that even the most seasoned fans will be able to experience Annie Lennox as never before.

For Griffiths, the medium of cabaret is an ideal way to explore Lennox’s enigmatic persona. He notes, “There was a maturity and a mystery in the way she presented

herself. The songs were meaningful, about sadness and heartbreak and jealousy, just really strong material,” – songs which lend themselves beautifully to onstage exploration.“I love that cabaret can contextualise a pop song in a way that… turns [it] completely on its side… or sometimes, just letting the actual meaning of a song shine,” Griffiths muses. “All you are left with is lyrics and a piano [and] you realise [in] that song you’ve been singing along with your whole life, there’s a story there.” (SW)Jul 2-5, Hayes Theatre Co. 19 Greenknowe Ave, Potts Point, $35, (02 8065 7337), hayestheatre.com.au

SwEET DREAMS: SoNgS By ANNIE LENNox

The Theatre Division will produce the Sydney premiere of Ruthless! The Musical, a hit off-Broadway musical that won the New York Outer Critics Circle Award.Ruthless! is a witty, dark comedy with an all-female cast. It centres on the entertainment business and the women who would do anything to get ahead in the industry.“The director is female too. A nice powerhouse of women,” says Caitlin Berry, who plays the character Eve, based on Anne Baxter’s character in the 1950 film All About Eve.The musical promises to deliver bright, bold show tunes while parodying Broadway and classic Hollywood films

such as Gypsy, Mame, The Women and The Bzad Seed.“It’s fantastic if you want to come for a laugh,” says Berry. “But it’s also a period piece, so if you’ve ever admired that period of classic Hollywood you’re going to love it.”Ruthless! features an all-star cast with Katrina Retallick, Meredith O’Reilly, Margi de Ferranti, Caitlin Berry, and the iconic Geraldine Turner. “It’s amazing to be in the same room as someone so revered,” says Berry on working with Turner. “Her voice is so big and brassy, and it really tells of that era of Broadway divas.” This show won’t disappoint fans of the golden Hollywood era and Broadway. (SM)Until Jul 5, Seymour Centre, City Rd & Cleveland St, Chippendale, $39.20-49+bf, seymourcentre.com

Kore Productions will take to the stage with the Australian play Who Knows, a production based on the cultural phenomenon of Doctor Who and the fans who love it.Director Kyle Stephens says the characters in the show are based on Doctor Who fans and their perception of the events unfolding around them.“The whole show acts out as a Doctor Who episode in the minds of fans,” says Stephens.“It is fan made and it is fan wanted.”Switching between reality and fantasy, Who Knows tells the story of Russell Lambert, a loser who’s about to turn 30 and has a burning passion

for Doctor Who, and his quest to save the world at a Doctor Who convention.“It is a comedy, but there is a bit of love and drama in there as well,” Stephens says.The show is perfect for Doctor Who fans, but will also be relatable to audiences who may not be as familiar with the show.“People that don’t watch Doctor Who should be able to get this show as a stage play, the storyline makes sense to a non-whovian audience,” says Stephens. (SOC)Until Jul 8, King Street Theatre, 644 King St, Newtown, $22-35, kingstreettheatre.com.au

Darlinghurst Theatre Company and AccessA (Access Australia) present this new Australian production – a daring yet witty play. Every Second depicts the common issue of infertility and the struggles of starting a family.“It has the personal struggles and the strain of relationships through it emotionally,” says Simon Corfield, who portrays Tim, “while it’s doing that it still manages to be rather funny and lighthearted.”Every Second is a very personal production to playwright, Vanessa Bates, as she experienced these same issues not long ago when she found out that she and her husband were infertile. Personal experience coupled with wry observations and bitter

truths illustrate a common problem in society today.“You can tell it’s quite personal, the way she (Bates) handles the shifts in relationships in the structure of the play,” says Corfield, “it is such a current issue and problem that doesn’t really get spoken about in the artistic world.”Darlinghurst Theatre Company has partnered with AccessA to help raise awareness about infertility. AccessA is a not-for-profit organisation that provides men and women with life support who experience difficulties conceiving their families. (CT)Jun 27–Jul 27, Darlinghurst Theatre, 39 Burton St, Darlinghurst, $30-43, darlinghursttheatre.com

Orphans is described as “a dark and gritty thriller” by lead actor Thomas Unger. The Dennis Kelly play explores violence in a low socioeconomic environment, and how humans relate in harsh urban settings.“When I was first given the script I couldn’t put it down; I just picked it up and read it from cover to cover,” says Unger. “From the very first scene there are tensions before anyone even speaks… and this tension carries through to the end of the play.”Helen and Danny’s quiet night in is interrupted by the arrival of Helen’s younger brother Liam. Spattered in blood, he claims to have found someone injured on the street. As the story unfolds, what happened on the street seems less clear.Author Dennis Kelly (Matilda the Musical, Osama the Hero) always aims to entertain, and the themes in Orphans are designed to keep the audience wondering and worried. The play raises questions of class and family loyalty, and whether all humans have the potential for racial discrimination and violence.A psychological thriller that pits morality against family ties, Orphans is not for the faint of heart. (HC)Jul 2-20, Old 505 Theatre, 32 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills, $18-28, venue505.com/theatre

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MY NAME IS TRUDA VITZ Olivia Satchell explores how we use stories to create meaning about our loved ones through her one-woman show.Focusing on her own family history, Satchell tells the story of her grandmother, Truda, escaping from Vienna in WWII and making a new life for herself.Switching between the characters of herself, her father and Truda at the age of seventeen, Satchell explores our need to make meaning in life through stories.The production is an intimate,

personal performance that also features Satchell expressing her grandmother’s displacement by playing cello throughout the show. (SOC)Until Jul 6, TAP Gallery, 278 Palmer St, Darlinghurst, $18.50-25, somersaulttheatre.comPATYEGARANG Australia’s largest Indigenous performing arts organisation, Bangarra Dance Theatre, brings to the stage a tale of trust and friendship.Patyegarang is based on the true story of a young Eora woman, who befriended Lieutenant William Dawes when he landed on Sydney’s shores in the 18th century.For dancer Jasmin Sheppard, who

plays the title role, the medium of dance was ideal to describe the story of a woman who was, “not separate from her environment. She breathed the Eora land of Sydney Cove… and it’s more about creating an essence, and a spirit, rather than spoon-feeding the audience.“I hope that [this piece] will really empower Sydney Aboriginal people to feel that there is a sense of reclaiming the whole city, the harbour, the Opera House. This is their story, this is their place, and their stomping ground and it is time for them to have the limelight.” (SW)Until Jul 12, Sydney Opera House,

Bennelong Point, $29-89, (02) 9250 7777, sydneyoperahouse.comMOJO Jez Butterworth’s savagely comic play is a thriller which examines the dark underside of the halcyon days of rock ’n’ roll with grim humour and strong language.Mojo debuted on the West End in 1995, receiving the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. It also started a new wave of British gangster movies during the late ‘90s, including Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels.The testosterone-fuelled cast and local blues-rock outfits depict the London club scene of the 1950s. The battle for power is revealed

through zinging dialogue, live music and action-packed scenes. (CT)Until Jul 5, The Wharf, Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay, $50-99, sydneytheatre.com.au STRICTLY BALLROOM: THE MUSICAL Baz Luhrmann’s latest creation is bursting at the sequined seams of the Lyric Theatre in an explosion of colour and feathers.Luhrmann’s holistic creative approach and boundless imagination means his hand is involved in every aspect of the production, from the design, to the direction and the music.The notes feel like they were written for the stunning co-lead Phoebe Panaretos (Fran) who outshines all except the

hilarious Heather Mitchell (Shirley Hastings). The talented Thomas Lacey (Scott Hastings) gives a solid performance as the male lead but is sometimes underwhelming on a very busy stage.Catherine Martin’s costumes are yet another ‘win’ for the designer, referencing familiar elements from the film and successfully amplifying them for the stage.Strictly Ballroom: The Musical is an entertaining, lively night at the theatre that will delightfully overload the senses. (LL)Until Jul 6, Lyric Theatre, Pirrama Rd, Sydney, $55-145, strictlyballroomthemusical.com

The Pachamama Festival is a fusion of art, films, healing, talks, children’s workshops, music and more, celebrating Latin American stories of cultural connections to the land.Included as part of the community-run Open Marrickville Festival, the Pachamama Exhibition (a focal point of the Pachamama Festival) weaves together the photographic works of five photographers from three countries, sharing visual narratives of traditional and indigenous communities from remote corners of Latin America. The Pachamama Exhibition explores themes from the subtle massaging of culture through even the most harmless of eco tourism to more devastating impacts of globalisation.

From Mexico, photographer Armando, follows a Mayan community gripping onto cultural traditions of weaving and transforming the tradition into sustainable income and a tool for storytelling with the outside world.Reflecting the Peruvian Amazon, photographer Alicia Fox documents a long history of traditional costumes of a community at risk of disappearing – like many who have already gone.The works ask visitors to consider the sacredness and vulnerability of traditional communities and reflect upon a duty to act in their defense. Our actions can take many forms with varying degrees of impact and these works act collectively as a calling card toward privileged people in positions of power. (LL)

Pachamama Festival, Jun 26-28, Addison Rd Community Centre, 142 Addison Rd, Marrickville, free-$8 (donations welcome), sydneylatinofilmfestival.org

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Need something to do with the kids these school holidays? Look no further. Matty Grey is performing his final show in his hilarious Age-Less trilogy.Age-Less 3: Dreamweaver vs The Nightmare Child takes imagination and fun to another level.“It’s Chaos! Organised chaos. It’s silly, stupid, squirmy, all the kinds of stuff that they (children) don’t see adults do, ever,” says comedian Matty Grey, “we’re shooting parents with nerf guns and we’re recapturing their youth.”This show will feature Kat Placing, who may be known to fans as Professor Kit E. Kat from the Grossed Out Game Show which won the award for Best Kids Show at the

Sydney Fringe Festival last year. Placing will heighten the controlled chaos and kid-friendly fun.“It’s allowed me to go in a very different direction and doing it with Kat is fun,” says Grey, also a successful children’s entertainer.Matt and Kat get sent to their room for misbehaving. The show features vomiting bunnies, closet monsters and bed bugs.“The whole point of the Age-Less series is that older people should remember what it’s like to be a kid and kids should not rush to become old.” (CT)Jun 30-Jul 11, King Street Theatre, 644 King St, Newtown, $17-20, kingstreettheatre.com.au

Two unlikely subjects from evolutionary biology and hip-hop come together onstage in Baba Brinkman’s award-winning show, The Rap Guide To Evolution.The show applies the main theories of evolutionary biology to hip-hop/rap culture, particularly in how they are referenced implicitly in the lyrics and the fight for space in the market place.“The show is targeted in multiple directions at once. For hip-hop fans it’s full of references, lyrics and biographies from Mobb Deep and Biggie Smalls to Eminem but it’s also about converting my parents’ generation to understand and appreciate rap and also to turn young people on to science,” says Brinkman. He was recruited to write the show by Dr Mark Palin to “do for Darwin what he had done for Chaucer”, after his previous show Rap Canterbury Tales broke the mould. This makes The Rap Guide To Evolution the first and perhaps only scientifically accurate peer-reviewed hip-hop show.

“After three years of reading mostly evolutionary biology and psychology books the show continues to mutate, especially in the Q&A freestyle rap section,” says Brinkman. (JA)Jun 26-27, Casula Powerhouse, 1 Powerhouse Rd, Casula, $15-20, casulapowerhouse.com

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David Mamet’s controversial play Oleanna has been provoking heated reactions ever since its 1992 premiere. The ultimate ‘he-said, she-said’ tale of a female student, Carol, who accuses her university professor of sexual harassment still polarises people with its unflinching look into gender, sex, and power.Grace O’Connell, who plays Carol, relishes how divisive the play is. “Both of our characters, we’re both right and we’re both wrong at the same time. That just angers people because you don’t want to have to choose a side but you end up doing it.”With already such a contentious premise, this Sydney Theatre School rendition adds an extra layer of tension as Jerome Pride, who will play the professor, is O’Connell’s real-life acting teacher. It’s never been attempted before and for O’Connell it has created a “really interesting dynamic.”“It adds to the whole story. Because we do have that dynamic in real life, it’s created this fantastic physical tension on stage,” she says.O’Connell hopes this production will continue the tradition of

provoking fierce debate. “This play is really about the audience. It’s really meant to challenge what you know, your own social construct and the ideals that you hold.” (MT)Until Jul 6, Sydney Theatre School, 45 Chippen St, Chippendale, $20-25, sydneytheatreschool.com

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Whilst it only happens every four years, the current World Cup demonstrates that Sydneysiders do love to party in the wee small hours, given the right situation. Clubs and pubs throughout the city have been packed in recent days as football fans cheer on their favourites until as late as 3.00am.

There’s definitely alcohol involved to fuel the fervour but on the whole the atmosphere is friendly and sociable, despite the fact that rivalries are well exposed. The celebrations in large are taking place outside of the 1.30am lockout zone of Kings Cross and the CBD, where the new legislation has had some impact on curtailing a drinking culture that had got out of control.

Sadly, it’s also impacted severely on any pretence Sydney had to being an international 24-hour party town. Crowd numbers have been decimated in traditional binging precincts like the Cross and clubbers have moved on to other areas like Double Bay, outside of the 1.30am lockout.

Yet it’s not only the alcohol scene that has changed in recent years, affecting the maddening hours of midnight to dawn. Try looking for somewhere to sit down and enjoy a meal in Sydney after 11.00pm and you will soon find the options are slim pickings indeed. Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, you would never go hungry in Kings Cross, for example, with venues such as Sweethearts and the Bourbon trading around the clock and offering sustenance at just about any hour. The Piccolo Bar did not open until 6:00pm and traded right throughout the night with a hot and welcoming bowl of lentil soup available at anytime.

Perhaps this city has turned its back on what was once a burgeoning

nocturnal lifestyle despite the hordes of rampaging clubbers that run amok on a Friday and Saturday night. Maybe we are just working too hard and are simply too buggered to leave the pad after 10.30pm. You could also argue that technology has contained us at home with hours wasted on Facebook, surfing the net and even trawling for porn (as some do). Look at the rubbish that is served up after midnight on free-to-air television, 50 per cent of it is infomercials, and you will soon realise that late night viewers are treated with contempt. Hands up those readers who can remember returning home at 2.30am, turning on the box, and revelling in a veritable festival of B-grade noir, horror and sci-fi movies.

It almost seems like we are being forced to switch off our intellect after midnight. No more debating the meaning of life over a late-night espresso in the Piccolo Bar or grooving to a 4.00am jam session of our best jazz musicians at the Paradise Club. There’s plenty of alcohol available to numb your brain, and sadly little in the way of real intellectual stimulation.

Clover Moore has often endorsed the concept of a 24-hour city and maybe now’s the right time to seize the initiative. Roll out the giant chess set near St James station and have it available 24/7; open the City of Sydney Library to late-night bookworms; convert the lower Town Hall into a grindhouse cinema catering to both the city’s homeless and cult movie buffs alike; organise midnight poetry readings in convenience stores across the city; and broadcast funky sounds over the CBD emergency warning system.

It used to be a joke with people visiting Adelaide, that they found the city closed, especially after 6:00pm. Perhaps a similar tag could now be applied to Sydney after midnight? The booze might still be pouring but ‘culture’ has definitely shut up shop.

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In Shadow of the Bird, Jeremy Kibel mixes media and form to warn of a dark cloud threatening to engulf the beauty of nature.Birds act as metaphors for the environment in his paintings. Their brilliantly hued feathers shine from the walls and their dark elliptical eyes stare vacantly into a dystopian world.These images have the flat texture of billboards and the cutting technique of collage. Their sparse free-form backgrounds contrast strongly with the realism of the avian subjects. The animals are still, alone, silent, with the fog of an industrialised world slowly engorging their habitat.Blues and reds represent an ecology which is being fast destroyed by materialistic desire, but the colourful splashes are also reminders of its tenacity.The artist labels these works as a green statement, however, they are also a protest against narcissism. Symbolically potent, these pieces are a thought-provoking comment on a topical theme. (LR)Until Jul 4, Art Equity, Level 1, 66 King St, Sydney, free, artequity.com.au

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Fans of HBO’s Game of Thrones can rejoice. It’s likely that you’re filled with crushing ennui after the latest season finale. Mondays suck and Game of Thrones filled them with bloody and backstabbing entertainment that made the week much more bearable.To ease the blow, HBO and Google Play have announced that the Game of Thrones Exhibition will soon arrive in Sydney.The exhibition is to celebrate the release of season four on Google Play. It will be full of iconic items with the intricate craftsmanship fans associate with Game of Thrones – dragon eggs, costumes, weapons, crowns and jewellery. There’s also an interactive Oculus Rift that will let you experience The Wall at the northern frontier of the Seven Kingdoms.It promises to be full of the incredible detail that makes Game of Thrones so popular. Also it might potentially guilt visitors into buying the series that they probably pirated. (HC)Jul 1-5, Museum of Contemporary Art, 140 George St, The Rocks, free, mca.com.au

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uNE AuSTRALIENNE – hILDA RIx NIChoLASHilda Rix Nicholas is one of the most important Australian female artists from the early twentieth century.The Mosman Art Gallery Exhibition, Une Australienne, explores the beauty and richness of the works she created when she moved back to Mosman from Europe after World War I.Gallery curator Julie Petersen, says the exhibition focuses on how Nicholas moving back to Australia shaped her artistic career. “We look at what it meant to her, how it reset her course,” she says.After losing her family and husband in the war, Petersen says Nicholas used her time in Mosman exploring new artistic techniques to create original pieces.“The artworks were made during her recovery period, Mosman became her place of recovery,” she says.“She made these large pictures painted in a fresh and confident manner, and they look as fresh today as they did 100 years ago.”The exhibition features important paintings and drawings that have not been together in a gallery since the 1920s.“Her paintings have been all around the world, they are now out of the lounge rooms and on our walls,” she says.The exhibition also features artist workshops and talks, and a symposium about women artists in the twentieth century. (SOC)Until Jul 13, Mosman Art Gallery, Art Gallery Way & Myahgah Rd, Mosman, free, (02) 9978 4178, mosmanartgallery.org.au

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Zaba - Glass animalsThe debut from Oxford quartet, Glass Animals, is a sultry mix of down-tempo electronica that’s beautifully ambient,

yet mindfully calculated. Zaba, inspired by scenes from The African Queen and Heart Of Darkness, paints landscapes of worlds where humans and nature have clashed. Pools is a subtropical delight featuring warm vocals and rhapsodic percussion. It stands out from the rest of the tracks with the almost child-like wonder it exudes. Gooey, the first single from the album is murky, sparse and seductive – the perfect mesh of R&B and pop.Zaba is an extremely well-crafted record that showcases clever song-writing with intricate beats and a shimmering aesthetic. (SY)

Parralox - recoveryMelbourne electro-pop outfit Parralox are a revelation. A band whose music is so well-produced, so flawless, so perfect,

it takes your breath away. For their fifth studio album, the group turned their hand to covering some of the greatest songs of the late 20th Century – that special period in which popular music arguably reached its apogee. The result is a concept album of sorts, filled with stunning reinterpretations from the canons of Erasure, Depeche Mode, Madonna, New Order, Pet Shop Boys and more.A highlight here is difficult to choose but their haunting version of the Alan Parsons Project’s Eye in the Sky takes the cake. (PH)

Kele: Most will know and love this gentleman as the front for Brit-party-rock dudes Bloc Party, but this tour will see Kele Okereke branch out with his own ominous yet uplifting electronic sounds. Releasing his album, The Hunter, back in 2010, he’s produced more creative ventures with his EPs The Boxer, Heartbreaker and most recently Candy Flip. Tonight he will be joined by Seattle kids, Odesza, and Aussie producer royalty, Hayden James.Thu, Jun 26th, The Metro, George St.

Mondo Rock: For the first time in almost a quarter of a century, these Australian stalwarts are hitting the road. Unearthing the golden moments from their classic back catalogue, including their high-charting collections Chemistry and The Modern Bop and their final studio release Why Fight It?, Ross Wilson, Eric McCusker, James Black, Paul Christie and Gil Matthews will fly the Mondo flag loud and proud with hit singles such as Come Said The Boy, State of Heart and Cool World.Fri, Jun 27th, State Theatre, Market St.

Remi: Yet another Melbourne musician who is making waves from his days of Sangria and Saggin to his sophomore album blowing up the indie airwaves. Now Remi Kolawole will tour his Triple-J featured collection Raw x Infinity to audiences around the nation. With his co-horts Sensible J & Dutch accompanying him as always, his latest hits such as Tyson and the initial release Livin’ will surely go down a treat in addition to his older jams.Sat, Jun 28th, Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst.

Grigoryan Brothers: Two brothers with an equal passion for all things audible, their unbridled love of classic guitar has meant they carved out a reputation incomparable to anyone else. Born in Kazakhstan and raised in Melbourne, both of these brothers have had a wealth of solo success with the recent release of Leonard’s debut, Solo, and Slava’s work, Travel Guide. Tonight will be a family affair, with snapshots from all over their careers.Sun, Jun 29th, Camelot Lounge, Marickville.

Kishi Bashi: A renowned solo tour that has been described as a “dazzling array of looping and vocal/violin gymnastics”, Jupiter One’s founding member has made quite the impression on his personal musical journey. Bashi self-recorded and self-produced this latest venture and has played on the prestigious stages of South By South West and Austin City Limits to thousands of appreciators. Tickets are selling quick, so get in to secure your chances.Tues, Jul 1st, Newtown Social Club, King St.

Joan As Police Woman: Her album The Classic was met with unified critical acclaim, with devoted fans and critics alike declaring their love for a work inspired by elements of doo-wop, reggae, soul, motown and more. This will be her first visit downunder since her trip back in 2011 and, boy, will there be a show in store. A sublime combination of the older gems and her fantastic latest outing, Sydney’s favourite basement will brim with feel-good vibes. (CD)Wed, Jul 2nd, The Basement, Circular Quay.

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Melbourne five-piece Northeast Party House was born out of a need to capture those irreplaceable vibes of adolescent debauchery and the pure freedom that comes when age is just a number. Rocking up at your mates place without warning, listening to some favourite tunes and even jamming a little when the moment calls for it. This was the arrangement over one HSC exam period, where Sean Kenihan says his band started to form.“Our friend Sam Northeast had a party, and it went for like two weeks while his mum was overseas,” Kenihan remembers. “We were calling the place Northeast Party House, as people were going there after school and after exams. It probably disrupted a lot of people.“I knew from the start that we wanted to have that same kind of community feeling that Sam had over those two weeks.”With a line-up completed by Zach Hamilton-Reeves, Jack Shoe, Mitch Ansell and Malcolm Besley, the early shows following this hallowed fortnight sound like a sight to behold.“The first gig we ever headlined was at a venue on Smith Street. But it wasn’t even a venue; it was a tiny

bar that could fit about 50 people,” Kenihan laughs. “The stage at the front you could imagine seeing an acoustic older guy in his fifties playing Bryan Ferry or something. Somehow we fit onto it, and crammed 150 of our friends in there. There is a video of it on YouTube. It was mental. It just had an atmosphere of chaos.”Kenihan admits that the Melbourne crowds have afforded them a “cult following” with much crowd surfing and objects flying through the air at their gigs. But with their album, Any Given Weekend, still fresh and leading single, The Haunted, rolling on the airwaves, their goals to make a similar impression nationwide are clearly within reach.“[With The Haunted] that was the first time where we had stopped jamming, with big smiles on our faces, like ‘yeah that’s the sound that we’re going for, that’s what we want to play at our live shows’,” Kenihan says with a smile. “The album was pretty much trying to capture that energy from our live shows and putting it onto a record. We want people to know exactly what to expect.” (CD)Jun 28, Newtown Social Club, 387 King St, $15+bf, newtownsocialclub.com

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Yves Saint Laurent is an overview of a life lived by arguably one of the greatest French fashion icons of our time. Spanning from 1958 until 2008, this film gives the audience a glimpse into Yves Saint Laurent’s (Pierre Niney) career as well as his unique relationship with devoted love and business partner, Pierre Bergé (Guillaume Gallienne).Yves Saint Laurent is full of potential: bright actors, beautifully-curated costumes and the cinematography is

on-point. The soundtrack is perfection, full of original works, classical compositions and even experimental jazz.With 77 original garments on loan from Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent Foundation, this movie is a visual banquet let down by a story that gives nothing to bite into.This is the story everyone has heard many times over: the tortured psyche behind genius and the runaway success bestowed upon brilliance. (AG) WW

It’s difficult to write a review for a movie where any mention of the genre is a spoiler. It only happens in romantic comedies, and that is Blended all over.The flick feels familiar because, not only is it another reunion for Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler, but they aren’t the only Hollywood has-beens involved: this storyline has been washed

up, thrown out and trampled on so many times it’s hard to keep count.The African scenery is, unfortunately, a highly westernised view of Africa, and while the super-imposed safari animals are almost convincing, the human acting is not. Barrymore and Sandler movies just seem like an excuse for them to kiss every 10 years. (AE) WW

The inevitable sequel to 2012’s parody of the hit ‘80s television series has arrived. This time Jenko (Channing Tatum) and Schmidt (Jonah Hill) are going undercover in college to investigate the distribution of a new killer drug.There is no stretch of the imagination here and they don’t even try to hide it. It’s the same story, with the same characters and similar jokes, only this time they have a bigger budget and they are in college instead of high school.

Herein lies the bulk of the punchlines.Tatum and Hill have an easy camaraderie that translates well onscreen and their characters’ relationship mimics the challenges that would face real high school friends transitioning to college. It’s somewhat endearing as a story arc.There are some clunky sections that seem like the actors have been left to improvise too long, but similarly that is where some of the best material comes from.Stick around for the spoof sequels in the credits – arguably the best bit of the film. (LL) WWW

From the producers of the phenomenally successful French film The Intouchables, comes The Volcano, a deliciously wicked romantic comedy.When European airspace is closed owing to the eruption of an Icelandic volcano, divorcees Alain (Dany Boon) and Valerie (Valèrie Bonneton) embark on a wacky road trip from Paris to Greece, breaking all the rules to attend their daughter’s wedding.The comedy is well paced, building from the couple’s mutual vindictiveness and the

highly improbable scenarios and over-the-top nonsense that transpires.Made to a proven formula, the abundance of laugh-out-loud moments and slapstick gags are intertwined with outrageous action sequences and the mesmerising scenic beauty of Europe.Not an entirely original concept and highly clichéd, but The Volcano provides a pleasant alternative from the current wave of blockbusters. (MM)WWW½

The highly anticipated winter Cult Classics returns to Dendy Newtown with a line-up that includes some of the most popular comedies, musicals and horror films from the ‘80s and ‘90s.Mel Brooks’ hilarious Spaceballs (1987) boasts a stellar cast and parodies sci-fi franchises including the Star Wars trilogy. Bill Murray stars in box office hit Groundhog Day (1993) as a weatherman who finds himself living his most hated day over and over again.Filmed in black and white, laugh-out-loud Clerks (1994) centres on one day in the lives of two store clerks.Alternatively, audiences can be terrorised by Wes

Craven’s Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) which tells of a child murderer who stalks children in their dreams.The Adventures Of Priscilla: Queen Of The Desert (1994) is one of Australia’s most successful movies and a 20th anniversary Priscilla party will be hosted prior to the screening.Dendy Newtown’s Cult Classics season allows a new generation of film-goers to experience golden favourites on the big screen. (MM)Until Aug 18 (every second Monday), Dendy Newtown, 261-263 King St, Newtown, $10-12, (02) 9550-5699, dendy.com.au

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THE TWO FACES OF JANUARY Fleeing a fraudulent past, Chester MacFarland (Viggo Mortenson) and his younger wife (Kirsten Dunst) meet a lesser scammer, Rydal Keener (Oscar Isaac), in ’60s Greece.Accomplished screenwriter Hossein Amini should be given more chances to direct, but this debut is not all it could have been. Good performances from the leads are wasted in a production that lacks dynamics and tension. In particular, Mortenson’s performance hints at complexities of character that are never fully realised by the script. It is all a bit flat; Hitchcock would have done it better. (MMu) WW

GRACE OF MONACO French director Olivier Dahan has taken

artistic licence to heart with Grace Of Monaco, played by a plastic Nicole Kidman. The film is set six years after Grace Kelly’s marriage to Prince Rainier III (Tim Roth).Although a potentially interesting story, the screenplay by Arash Amel, coupled with Dahan’s direction, creates a film that is heavy-handed and needlessly glamourised. They suggest Monaco’s conflict with France is partly due to the controversy surrounding Kelly, which only serves to diminish her personal conflict. Kidman remains one-dimensional, relying heavily on close-ups of her tear-stained face. (ATS) WW

THE TRIP TO ITALY Comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon reunite for a road trip

around sun-drenched Italy in this entertaining follow-up to The Trip.Once again, it’s an absolute blast watching the duo compete in a never-ending game of one-upmanship in which the currency is rapid-fire quips and uncanny, albeit increasingly loopy impersonations.Yes, it’s inherently self-indulgent, and some of the humour is recycled from the previous instalment, but it is more than a Coogan/Brydon vanity project – the pair’s musings on middle-age, family, mortality and legacy will resonate with viewers long after they die of laughter. (JH) WWW½

GODZILLA America is “under attack” in this epic action adventure which sees the mega-monster’s return. In

this mammoth-scale reboot, the imminent mating of menacing radiation-hungry mutations will render humanity defenceless.The clichéd and cheesy storylines are interwoven with explosive CGI and eye-popping 3D effects, but sadly lack the edge-of-your-seat excitement.Momentum is slow and extended scenes of the monsters at war aimlessly rampaging become dull and repetitive.Fans will be delighted, but others will question whether the world needed another Godzilla disaster film. (MM) WW

MALEFICENT Disney’s reimagining of the classic Sleeping Beauty is dark and beautiful with near-perfect styling.

Angelina Jolie gives a powerful performance as the scorned Maleficent. A well-written backstory and clever plot twists ensure that the character is enthralling and it bears repeating – Jolie is magnificent. She revels in the delicious malice of the character and reaches into the very depths of her soul to convey pain.There comes a point when Aurora must fall victim to her sleeping curse and this is unfortunately the only downside in an otherwise entertaining film. Suddenly scenes become esoteric and trippy, a style that doesn’t fit with the rest of the film. (LL) WWWW

EDGE OF TOMORROW Tom Cruise returns to the

screen in the latest epic action thriller which is a cross between Groundhog Day and Aliens.Set in the near future, aliens have invaded the Earth and Major Cage (Cruise) joins forces with Special Forces Vrataski (Emily Blunt) in a bid to eliminate these creatures. Major Cage acquires the ability to reset his day every time he dies. This grants him endless attempts at defeating the enemy.The concept of the constant story rewinding is potentially laborious, but is surprisingly well-executed with clever editing and humorous elements.It is fanciful and far-fetched but is indisputably an engaging and entertaining film. (MM) WWWW

22

by Rob bRezsny

aARIES (March 21-April 19): According to

an astrologer named Astrolocherry (astrolocherry.tumblr.com), Aries is the sign of the freedom fighter, the explorer, the daredevil, and the adventurer. That’s all true; I agree with her. but here’s an important caveat. As you get older, it’s your duty to harness all that hot energy on behalf of the softer, slower, more tender parts of your life. The coming weeks will offer you a great opportunity to work on that challenge. To get started, imagine how you can be a freedom fighter, explorer, daredevil, and adventurer in service to your home, family, and community.

bTAURUS (April 20-May 20): After a thorough,

detailed, painstaking analysis of the astrological omens, I’m inclined to advise you to be neither thorough nor detailed nor painstaking in the coming days. Instead, I suspect you will thrive by being spontaneous and improvisatory. Wing it, baby! Throw away the script. Trust your gut. Play it by ear. Make it up as you go along. If you find yourself frowning with indecision and beset by lazy procrastination, you will know you’re off course. If you are feeling blithe and agile as you get a lot done with creative efficiency, you will know you’re right in the groove.

C GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The Japanese word

*tsundoku* describes what happens if you buy a lot of books but never read them, leaving them piled up in a neglected heap. I recommend that you avoid indulging in *tsundoku* any time soon, Gemini. In fact, I urge you not to acquire any resources that you then proceed to ignore. you are in a phase of your astrological cycle when it’s crucial to make conscientious use of your tools and riches. To let them go to waste would be to dishonor them, and make it less likely that you will continue to receive their blessings in the future. Take full advantage of what’s yours.

d CANCER (June 21-July 22): If you could harness the

energy from a typical lightning bolt, you would be able to use it to toast 100,000 slices of bread. That’s an impossible scenario, of course. but I see it as an apt metaphor for the challenge you have ahead of you. I suspect you will soon get access to a massive influx of vital force that arrives in a relatively short time. Can you find a way to gather it in and store it up? or will most of it, after the initial burst, leak away and be unavailable for long-term use? The secret to success will lie in whether you can figure out how to create the perfect “container.”

e LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “Forget the suffering / you caused

others. / Forget the suffering /

others caused you.” Czeslaw Milosz wrote these words in his poem “Forget,” and now I’m passing them on to you. According to my reading of the astrological omens, now would be an excellent time for you to purge the old hurts you are still carrying, both those you dealt out and those you endured. opportunities like this don’t come along often, Leo. I invite you to repay emotional debts, declare amnesty, and engage in an orgy of forgiveness. Any other things you can think of that will help wipe the slate clean?

f VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): When a navajo baby

laughs for the first time, everyone in the community celebrates. It’s regarded as the moment when the child completes his or her transition from the spirit realm into the physical world. The person who has provoked the baby’s laughter is charged with planning the First Laugh Ceremony, a party to commemorate the magical event. I foresee a comparable development in your life, Virgo. you won’t be laughing for the first time, of course, but I suspect your sense of humor will reach a new ripeness. How? Maybe you will be able to find amusement in things you have always taken too seriously. Maybe you will suddenly have a deeper appreciation for life’s ongoing cosmic jokes. or perhaps you will stumble upon

reasons to laugh longer and harder and louder than you ever have before.

g LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Would you like to be free

from the experience of getting criticized? Do you think it might be nice if no one ever accused you of being wrong or off-track? If so, here’s how you should proceed, says American writer elbert Hubbard: “Do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.” but I’m afraid I can’t recommend that behavior for you, Libra. In the coming weeks, you have a sacred duty to your Future self to risk being controversial. I urge you to take strong stands, speak raw truths, and show your real feelings. yes, you may attract flack. you might disturb the peace. but that will be an acceptable price to pay for the rewards you receive. This is one time when being courageous is more important than seeking harmony.

h SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “be respectful to your

superiors, if you have any,” said Mark Twain. How do you respond to that impish nudge, scorpio? Are there any geniuses and heroes out there whom you consider to be worthy of your respect? If not, I urge you to go out in search of some. At this phase of your evolution, you are in special need of people who inspire you with their greatness. It’s crucial for you to learn from teachers and role models who are further along than you are in their mastery of the game of

life. I also believe it would be healing for you to feel waves of admiration and reverence.

i SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “everyone has

something to hide,” declared Russian author Anton Chekhov. Is that true? Do even you blunt sagittarians have something to hide? I’m going to say that for 90 percent of you, the answer is yes. There are secrets you don’t want anyone to find out about: past events you are reluctant to disclose or shady deeds you are getting away with now or taboo thoughts you want to keep sealed away from public knowledge. I’m not here to scold you about them or to encourage you to spill them. on the contrary, I say it’s time to bring them fully into your conscious awareness, to honor their importance to your life story, and to acknowledge their power to captivate your imagination.

j CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A German chemist

named Felix Hoffman had a prominent role in synthesizing two very different drugs: aspirin and heroin. In analyzing your astrological omens for the coming months, I see you as having a similar potential. you could create good stuff that will have the power to help and heal; or you could generate borderline stuff that will lead to a lot of problems; or you could do both. How it all plays out really is up to your free will. For best results, set your intention to go

in the direction of things like aspirin and away from things like heroin.

k AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): This is a good time

to risk a small leap of faith, but not a sprawling vault over a yawning abyss. Feel free and easy about exploring the outer borders of familiar territory, but be cautious about the prospect of wandering into the deep, dark unknown. be willing to entertain stimulating new ideas but not cracked notions that have little evidence to back them up. your task is to shake up the status quo just enough to invigorate everyone’s emotional intelligence, even as you take care not to unleash an upheaval that makes everyone crazy.

l PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): british poet samuel Taylor

Coleridge (1772-1834) had an unusual fetish. He enjoyed eating apples and pears and other fruits while they were still hanging on the tree. Why? Maybe because the taste was as pure and brisk and naked as it could possibly be -- an experience that I imagine would be important to a romantic poet like him. In accordance with your astrological omens, I suggest you use Coleridge’s quest for ultimate freshness as a driving metaphor in the coming week. Go to the source to get what you need. Dispense with intermediaries. be as raw as the law allows.

F R E E W i L L a s T r o l o G y