CITY HUB December 2025

TANYA PLIBERSEK

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR SYDNEY

Sharing the benefits of abundant, cheaper solar power

With rooftop solar on more than 4 million homes, we want more households and businesses to benefit from this abundance. Our Solar Sharer program means you don’t need rooftop panels to reap the rewards of renewables. All you will need is a smart meter to plug into cheaper power.

From July 2027, our Solar Sharer program will require retailers to offer free electricity to households for at least three hours in the middle of the day when solar generation is at its peak and prices are very cheap.

We’re also taking action to stop energy retailers who rip-off consumers. We’re banning unfair fees and card surcharges, stopping sneaky price hikes, and acting to ensure hardship customers receive the best plan their retailer has to offer.

Protecting children

We’re backing Australian families, parents and kids by delaying access to social media until the age of 16. From 10 December 2025, social media platforms will be subject to the social media minimum age law. By delaying access, we are protecting young Australians at a critical stage of their development, giving them three more years to build real world connections and online resilience.

For more information about the ban visit:

Payday Superannuation

Most employers do the right thing but the Australian Taxation Office estimates that in a recent financial year, $6.25 billion of super was unpaid.

From 1 July next year, employers will be required to deposit their employees’ super into accounts within seven business days of payday.

For the average 25 year old worker’s retirement balance, more frequent and earlier super contributions amounts to an extra $6,000 in today’s dollars.

Our payday super legislation builds on our reforms that make super fairer including: introducing super payments on government paid parental leave; boosting the Low Income Super Tax Offset; and increasing minimum super payments to 12 per cent.

Protecting Australian artists and their creative works

The Albanese Government is strengthening copyright laws to protect creatives and their works from being used without permission and without payment to train artificial intelligence. We have ruled out a Text and Data Mining Exception in Australian copyright laws.

Fairer work contracts for low paid and young professionals

Imagine being a health worker or a graduate engineer earning under $80,000, only to discover that if you quit, your contract stops you from working in the same occupation – indefinitely. Traditionally used for senior executives, non-compete clauses now cover around 1 in 5 Australian employees, or more than 3 million Australians including teachers, tradespeople, technicians, babysitters and carers.

We are banning non compete clauses for Australian employees who earn less than the Fair Work Act’s high-income threshold of $183,100. Australians deserve the chance to earn more and to move forward in their careers.

Ensuring Australian screen producers can tell Australian stories

We have Australian content requirements for Free to Air and pay television, but there are no obligations for streaming services to show us our own stories.

The Albanese Labor Government will introduce an Australian content obligation on streaming services. Those with more than one million Australian subscribers will need to invest at least 10 per cent of their total expenditure for Australia on new local drama, children’s, documentary, arts and educational programs.

This will give vital support to our domestic screen sector and arts workers by ensuring quality local stories continue to be produced in Australia.

NAZI CRACKDOWN

NSW introduces harsher penalties for public displays of Nazism

(See p.5)

HUBARTS: CONGRATS, GET RICH! A generational clash with supernatural karaoke flair (See p.18)

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HubNEWS

History-making sex worker statue ‘Joy’ returns home to Darlo

BY SOFIE RASMUSSEN

Seen leaning casually up against a bright red frame with a cigarette loosely in hand, the left strap of her dress slipped down her left shoulder in a relaxed posture, Joy immediately catches your eye.

The first ever sex worker statue on public display, Joy was sculpted by Australian artist Loui Fraser (also known as Loui May) in 1995.

The statue stood on the corner of Yurong and Stanley streets in Darlinghurst for 18 months, where it experienced mixed reactions from the public and was subject to vandalism, before it was relocated to a permanent home in the sculpture collection at Macquarie University in 1997. In late 2023, following a public petition, Council resolved to consult the public about reinstating the sculpture or a replica on the corner of Yurong and Stanley streets. More than 80% of responses were in support of returning a replica to the original Darlinghurst location.

 A tribute to women [and] the history of East Sydney as a place known for sex workers

The bronze replica of the infamous artwork has now been unveiled in its original spot on the city corner, 30 years after the original statue was removed from that exact spot.

“The original red and white, cement, marble dust and steel sculpture by then-local artist Loui Fraser was created as a tribute to women and to the history of East Sydney as a place known for sex workers,” said Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO.

“The reinstallation of Joy also contributes to the City’s work

in rebalancing Sydney’s public art collection by providing more representations of women and other traditionally marginalised groups.”

Fraser said she was inspired by her years as a teenage art student walking through the area to East Sydney Technical College and seeing women standing in their doorways. The work was created as a tribute to sex workers, and their place in the history and community of East Sydney.

NSW’S DECRIMINALISATION OF FORMS OF SEX WORK

NSW was one of the first places to decriminalise many forms of sex work.

“It’s been 30 years since Joy graced this corner and 30 years since NSW became one of the first jurisdictions in the world to decriminalise many forms of sex work, sealing our place as a global leader in sex worker rights,” said Moore.

“Darlinghurst was a very different place in the ‘90s when sex and drugs and associated crime were rife on these streets.” These legislative changes

allowed stronger health and safety outcomes for professionals in the sex work industry, protected against illegal sex trafficking and reduced stigma faced by sex workers.

MODERN VALUES, SAME WOMAN

Intended as a more modern version of the original artwork, the new bronze replica holds the same relaxed posture against a frame as the original, but is instead made of bronze material rather than cement and marble dust as she has her arms firmly folded over her chest instead of holding a cigarette.

The new installation of Joy is permanent.

“While my hands may have created this sculpture, it is the women who have lived and worked in this area through history that Joy represents,” said Loui Fraser.

“On their behalf, I give thanks to the hundreds of supporters who believed this sculpture was important, including writers, academics, journalists, artists, podcasters, poets and others.”

Premier’s Awards gig abandoned over 'political' messages on guitar

BY LYDIA JUPP

Amusician has taken a stand this week, after he was told before his performance at the Premier's Public Service Awards that the messages on his guitar needed to be hidden.

Gomeroi and Ngiyampaa man Jayden Kitchener-Waters was scheduled to perform at the Premier's Public Service Awards at Parliament House, when staffers allegedly said the messaging on his guitar was "too political" and they didn't want to be seen "choosing sides".

The slogans included "FREE GAZA", "FUCK THE IDF" and "NO PRIDE IN GENOCIDE".

Kitchener-Waters offered to cover the swear words, but staffers would only let him perform if he covered the text entirely.

Kitchener-Waters, who works as Community Engagement Officer at the NSW Aboriginal Languages Trust, had volunteered for the performance.

"They offered to tape over my messages with gaffer tape… I said, ‘no, I won't be performing now,’" Kitchener-Waters told City Hub. "I just started walking away. They said, 'we really want you to perform'... You guys have a job to do, and I understand, but this isn't something I can stand for."

MUSICIAN MAY FACE DISCIPLINARY ACTION

Since posting about his experience online, the Premier's department reportedly told Kitchener-Waters he's violated their code of conduct, and may face disciplinary action if it’s not taken down.

Kitchener-Waters is the founding director of Gambadul Aboriginal Corporation, an organisation dedicated to celebrating Gomeroi language and culture, and was also part of the Young Aboriginal Leaders Program earlier this year.

 They offered to tape over my messages with gaffer tape…

I said, ‘no, I won't be per forming now’

"[I'm] standing up for the rights of people that are brutally, brutally killed in this genocide," he said. "If that results in the termination of my employment, then I actively welcome and encourage it."

A premier's department spokesperson told City Hub, "The Premier’s Department Code of Conduct states employees should not act in a manner, or make or endorse comment, that could cast doubt on their ability to act impartially, apolitically and professionally."

Extra train fees at airport stations sees government claim $800m

BY LYDIA JUPP

Extra fees for passengers tapping off at airport stations have seen the New South Wales government collect close to $800 million over the last decade.

Accounts filed by the private operator of the Domestic and International Stations show it gave the government almost $110 million from station access fees in the 12 months to June, taking the total amount from the charges to $796 million since 2015.

 It’s unfair, outdated and adding to the cost-ofliving crisis

The station access fee is levied on top of the $17.92 fare for adults, meaning a one-way train trip of up to 10 kilometres to the airport during peak periods can see them charged $22.25.

Greens transport spokeswoman Cate Faehrmann told the Sydney Morning Herald it was ridiculous that airport workers were paying thousands of dollars a year to catch the train to work.

“No other state charges its airport workers an extra toll to use public transport. It’s unfair,

outdated and adding to the cost-of-living crisis,” she said.

“Scrapping these fees is one of the easiest things for the government to do.”

AIRPORT FEES TACKLED DURING ELECTION

Any change to the station usage fee at the airport stations needs to be negotiated at a price with Airport Link Company, which was awarded the contract by the Liberal government more than 30 years ago. They hold the right to operate the stations, alongside Mascot and Green Square, until May 2030.

The government is entitled to 85 per cent of the sales revenue from Airport Link since 2014, with most of that money coming from station access fees.

Governments have explored changes to the fees before. During the 2019 election, NSW Labor promised to reduce the fee to $5, and scrap the fee entirely for workers, but failed to take the pledge to the 2023 state election.

Sydney Airport has also called for fee reforms, with a spokesperson saying that they believe more airport employees would be able to use the train if the fees were changed.

“We’re working with the NSW government on options to ensure the 35,000 people who work at Sydney Airport aren’t discouraged from using public transport,” he said.

NSW cracks down on public displays of Nazi ideology

BY LYDIA JUPP

New laws introduced will see greater restrictions on public displays of Nazi ideology.

The changes come less than two weeks after a governmentapproved neo-Nazi rally took place at the gates of state Parliament, organised by the National Socialist Network.

On November 8, around 60 men gathered on Macquarie Street, holding a banner calling for the abolition of the “Jewish lobby”.

Premier Chris Minns blamed its authorisation on a "communication breakdown".

Proposed amendments to the Crimes Act would make it an offence to publicly show support for Nazi ideology through slogans, chants, or other Nazi "characteristics" without reasonable excuse.

The reforms would see those engaging in such conduct facing

up to a year's imprisonment or a maximum fine of $11,000, with stronger penalties of up

to two years’ imprisonment or $22,000 fine applying to someone who commits the offence near synagogues, Jewish schools or the Sydney Jewish Museum.

“The deplorable stunt we saw outside NSW Parliament has no place in our society," said Attorney General Michael Daley. "Nobody should be subject to this vile hatred because of their background or faith."

“We are giving police and the courts additional powers to hold Nazi extremists to account for their abhorrent views," Daley said.

LATHAM CHALLENGES CLASSIFICATION OF IDEOLOGY

The amendments have been criticised by former Labor and One Nation leader Mark Latham, who read sections of Adolf Hitler's manifesto Mein Kampf onto the parliamentary record on November 19, arguing the words could be from a "Labor MP, a trade union official, [or] the official policy of the ACTU."

 The deplorable stunt we saw outside NSW Parliament has no place in our society

“It’s a statement that really highlights the challenge of the Attorney General in trying to define Nazi ideology and outlaw [it] with fines and police arrests,” he said.

“And as for this book, which you can barely touch, of course… perhaps it’s very, very difficult to ban every single thing that was said in there.”

Together we can protect human rights in NSW

In October I introduced a Private Member’s Bill for a Human Rights Act in NSW parliament.

This Bill was drafted in consultation with human rights experts, including some members of the Human Rights for NSW alliance, which is made up of more than 102 organisations that support increased human rights protections in NSW and a public inquiry into the Bill.

A Human Rights Act is a powerful tool to ensure that dignity and respect for everyone in NSW is at the heart of the decisions that Parliamentarians and public bodies make on behalf of people in this state.

At a time when everyone is feeling the burden of divisions, local and global challenges, and financial, societal and environmental pressures, the Bill seeks to do something in the interests of all people in NSW: to unite and connect us, to raise the standard, to aspire to ensure dignity, respect and justice for all.

Everyday those working in public services—our hospitals, transport systems, schools, aged-care and youth services, our emergency services—are making administrative decisions that have significant and lasting consequences for people's lives.

And yet, there is currently no requirement for any of those decision makers to even consider the impact their actions will have on people’s rights.

A Human Rights Act will change that by placing an obligation on public bodies to consider the effects their policies will have on people, and by providing accessible pathways to justice for anyone whose rights have been breached.

Have a moment to spare? Scan the QR code below to show your support for a Human Rights Act. Just enter your address and hit send.

Inner West introduces new FOGO initiative

BY SOFIE RASMUSSEN

The Inner West Council has expanded its Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) program to two public parks with a new trial recycling initiative.

The initiative will see Pioneers Memorial Park in Leichhardt and Enmore Park in Marrickville fitted with FOGO bins and a new purpose-built bin for bottle and cans recycling.

The FOGO program is part of Inner West Council’s attempt to make recycling more accessible for Inner West residents and thereby reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“We know food scraps and drink containers make up a significant portion of park waste,” said Councillor Mat Howard.

“We’re looking forward to working with the Inner West community to minimise

contamination in the FOGO waste stream and providing another convenient, accessible way for Inner West residents to recycle, reduce waste contamination and cut greenhouse gas emissions.”

SIMPLE RECYCLING WITH REAL IMPACT

Both trial parks will now feature green-lid FOGO bins for food scraps such as fruit peels, leftovers, meat bones and seafood shells, as well as bottle and can cages where visitors can drop off or collect containers for a 10-cent refund, with drop-off points located nearby.

In October 2023, the FOGO initiative was expanded to Inner West households in order to reduce household carbon footprints and save ratepayers $370,000 in total landfill costs. In just two years, the FOGO rollout has diverted 31,000 tonnes of organic waste from entering landfill, preventing 47,433 tonnes

of CO2-e from entering the atmosphere.

The new bins will include clear signage, swing lids with locking mechanisms to prevent bulky rubbish, and nearby general waste bins. Council crews will monitor and service the bins regularly to ensure correct use and cleanliness.

Metro begins high-speed testing

BY SOFIE RASMUSSEN

High-speed testing of the new M1 Southwest Metro line between Sydenham and Bankstown has now begun, with trains running at speeds of up to 100 km/h for the first time. Until now, only low-speed 25 km/h runs have been tested, and only one train has travelled the route and completed 700 hours and 3,000 kilometers. In total, at least 9,000 hours and 30,000 kilometers of combined testing must be completed before the new metro line can be opened. In this new phase of high-speed testing, more trains will also be added to the route as the testing progresses.

 A critical step forward to delivering what will be a game changing piece of transport infrastructure

“High-speed testing on the Southwest Metro line is a critical step forward to delivering what will be a game changing piece of transport infrastructure,” said NSW Premier Chris Minns.

“We understand the patience this has required from local communities and businesses, and I want to thank them for sticking with us. Their support has helped make one of the biggest transport transformations in Sydney’s history possible.”

PROJECT PLAGUED WITH DELAYS

The new M1 Southwest Metro line project hasn’t come without criticism, as the project has been delayed several times since beginning almost two years ago.

Up to 60,000 commuters from the old T3 train line have been forced to switch to replacement buses or alternate transport to meet their travel needs, with the pink S1 buses contracted until the end of 2026.

However, Transport Minister John Graham says that the new Metro line will be worth the wait.

“Sydney Metro has transformed how millions of people get around, and it is exciting news that we are entering highspeed testing here on the Southwest Metro line," he said.

“The T3 Bankstown line was a notorious bottleneck and a Metro will open more doors to job and education opportunities while also bringing more business to this part of Sydney.”

New tilt wagons cut hours off weekend train track maintenance

BY CHRISTINA MUTTAVANCHERY

Sydney’s lengthy, inconvenient weekend train track maintenance will soon be shortened by five to seven hours per maintenance job due to the addition of six new self-clamping tilt wagons. The $15 million fleet is currently being tested before it begins track maintenance.

The new wagons follow up on recommendations from the Independent Rail Review, which sparked maintenance upgrades after an overhead-wire failure that disrupted the rail network for two days in May 2025.

These wagon units come equipped to carry large premanufactured turnouts, which are the points at which trains change tracks, allowing them to be installed directly rather than constructed on-site.

The state government financed a $450 million maintenance project focusing on improving train reliability, which depends on its tracks, signals, overhead wiring, and drainage.

SYDNEY TRAINS ENGINEERS "REALLY EXCITED"

The tilt wagons will lead to shorter track line closures across the 1,700-kilometre rail network. Sydney Trains anticipates a time savings of five to seven hours for

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every job. Track work is planned for five lines, including the T2 Inner West Line and the T8 Airport Line.

“Sydney Trains engineers are really excited about acquiring these modern tilt wagons," said Sydney Trains' Chief Executive Matt Longland. "The new tilt wagons are both safer and quicker than their predecessors.

“This modernising and expansion of our track maintenance equipment will allow us to get more bang for our

buck during each weekend track possession, while also ensuring our staff are safer on the work site.”

Transport Minister John Graham said the tilt wagons will give engineers more of a chance to get through the maintenance backlog with speed and efficiency.

 Maintenance improvements that can provide the reliability that train passengers rightly expect from their rail network

“Our focus has been squarely on the maintenance improvements that can provide the reliability that train passengers rightly expect from their rail network," he said.

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Minns announces newest laws restricting protests near places of worship

BY CHRISTINA MUTTAVANCHERY

NSW Premier Chris Minns has announced the newest laws restricting protests near places of worship, a month after the NSW Supreme Court overturned a similar legislation.

The state government’s new bill will give police authorities the power to issue move-on orders if they see protestors harassing and obstructing people from entering their places of worship.

Minns announced the change on Tuesday, 11 November, during Question Time, with the bill due to be introduced next week.

The new bill centres on the now-defunct Crimes Amendment (Places of Worship) Bill 2025, which enabled police authorities to issue move-on orders to protesters, regardless of their cause, in or around places of worship.

UPDATED LAWS AFTER SUPREME COURT RULED INITIAL BILL UNLAWFUL

Justice Anna Mitchelmore of the Supreme Court had ruled that the Places of Worship Bill gave authority to unlawfully restrict the implied freedom to communicate about politics.

As a result, the bill was considered invalid and unconstitutional.

The original bill was sparked by a protest outside the Great Synagogue during a talk by an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) member. The change was discussed by Minns in the fallout of the neo-Nazi rally outside parliament on 8 November, calling for the abolition of the “Jewish Lobby.”

Jack Eltis, who submitted the Form 1 for the neo-Nazi display on behalf of the group 'White Australia', said the group received guidance from supportive lawyers and barristers and was told the banner they planned to present didn’t meet the guidelines to fall under hate speech laws.

Minns and Police Minister

Yasmin Catley were asked why they and NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon were not informed about the rally beforehand. Minns said he is reviewing how information is shared between the police and the Premier’s department.

DURAL CARAVAN HOAX THE CATALYST FOR ANTI PROTEST LAWS

During the new legislation announcement, Minns also shared the Australian Federal Police's view that the Dural caravan explosives incident was a hoax.

“We also need to address directly the assertion that antisemitism is a hoax, that the Dural caravan plot, the so-called Dural caravan plot, was a hoax ... it emboldens extremists, and they used that rhetoric to justify their appalling, obnoxious behaviour on Macquarie Street,” said Minns Since this announcement, he government has introduced laws to further restrict public displays

of Nazi ideology, including chants, symbols, characteristics, and more (see p.5). Additionally, the NSW government is reviewing the removal of the 2028 sunset clause’s expiration date on an offence prohibiting the incitement of racial hatred.

GREENS MP CALLS BILL "ANOTHER KNEE-JERK REACTION" CHIPPING AWAY CIVIL LIBERTIES

Greens MP and spokesperson for Justice Sue Higginson condemned the neo-Nazi rally, but reasons that Labor’s laws restricting protests near places of worship hit peaceful activists, moreso than neo-Nazis.

“There are existing criminal offences for racial hatred and vilification. We do not need another knee-jerk reaction from the Premier that chips away at civil liberties and makes it easier for police to target the wrong people,” said Higginson.

“We cannot simply arrest our way out of every problem, and the Greens will continue to hold this

Government to account with their lazy approach to complex issues. We will always stand against hate, racism and antisemitism, but we will not stand by while our rights and freedoms are traded away in the name of political expediency.”

We cannot simply arrest our way out of every problem

Attorney General Michael Daley notes that NSW’s new protest laws regarding the move-on order won’t be blocked by the Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate the previous Places of Worship Bill He added that while the ruling invalidated the move-on powers, it didn’t touch ordinary offences.

“The Supreme Court's decision did not affect the offence of intentionally blocking, impeding, harassing, intimidating or threatening a person accessing a place of worship, and that is important.”

Eastern suburbs homes sinking as housing construction cracks on

BY WILL THORPE

Properties near housing construction sites are sinking and cracking, prompting Eastern Suburbs councillors to blame the Minns Government.

Harbourside communities such as Rose Bay are seeing a number of such projects, with more proposed. These are being spurred on by recent Low and Mid-Rise (LMR) housing reforms.

The water table is close to the surface in these areas, only a metre below the ground in some parts. During its latest meeting, Woollahra Council resolved to fund a set of studies into the impact of the reforms on this delicate geology.

A report tabled during the meeting notes concerns over “the cumulative impact on groundwater arising from the extensive basement construction that would likely be associated with the LMR reforms.”

Woollahra Council has proposed drastically reducing

the car space requirements for new flats in its jurisdiction, an effort to reduce issues caused by excavation.

The document also reports that the Double Bay catchment “is likely to be impacted” by the proposed state-led rezoning of Woollahra and Edgecliff.

 Residents raised significant concerns associated with dewatering and excavation from new development

Vaucluse resident Nigel Cotman expressed concern that there has never been a major hydrological study of the Rose Bay aquifer. Cotman said that “the concentration of the development” which the Minns Government policy calls for will result in significant construction atop it. He was concerned that permanent damage to the aquifer might result.

An aquifer is a groundwater system in which water is confined among rock, sand and other materials.

In a separate motion, councillors unanimously cautioned that the Government’s latest planning reform bill “reduces community participation in planning processes, undermines the role of local government and weakens existing environmental safeguards.”

COUNCIL DISCUSSED ISSUES PREVIOUSLY

The latest meeting was not the first to touch on the potential negative impacts of new housing developments. On 25 August, a motion authored by Mayor Sarah Dixson was carried unanimously. Dixson wrote that residents had “raised significant concerns associated with dewatering and excavation from new development, and its implications to building and structural stability as a consequence of existing works and the likely cumulative

impact of the Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms.”

The council resolved to notify the Government that Rose Bay and Double Bay are “high-risk hazard” areas due to their hydrogeotechnical conditions. It also urged that both shopping villages be excluded from state-led development.

COUNCILLORS HAVE RAISED CONCERNS “FROM DAY ONE”

Vaucluse ward councillor Julian Parmegiani told City Hub that he and his colleagues have been concerned “from day one” about the impacts of new development.

Parmegiani said that he and other councillors from his ward have been campaigning for a geological study of the area. He added that Rose Bay has been built up over many years, “but really it is composed of sand, and many metres of sand before you hit rock,” with the water table close to the surface.

“So you go digging and you find water.”

Planning minister Paul Scully said that sites for Low and MidRise housing “were carefully selected considering all land use constraints as well as access to transport, infrastructure and services.”

“It was Woollahra Council who zoned that land as appropriate for low and medium density housing, and as the consent authority on Development Applications, they have the responsibility to assess suitable and safe development on that land.”

“We need every corner of the state to help deliver more housing so no area is being asked to deliver their share as well as someone else’s.”

The latest dilemma joins the controversy of the Woollahra station proposal, making it unclear whether the Government's housing reforms will sink or swim in this part of Sydney.

Barangaroo ‘affordable housing’ tenants segregated

BY LYDIA JUPP

Affordable housing tenants living in Barangaroo's Watermans Residences are facing segregated treatment, highlighting disparities in ‘affordable housing’ policies.

Residents in the 50 One Sydney Harbour apartments classified as ‘affordable’ are not permitted access to the building's gym or swimming pool, with their common spaces restricted to a deck and communal kitchen/dining area.

They must use a separate building entrance, with occupants in the other 162 units allowed to enter through the main foyer with a concierge desk.

"This is what happens when you give even more control over

so-called "affordable housing" to developers, whose main concern is maximising profit regardless of social impact," said Greens’ housing spokesperson Jenny Leong. “Of course they've turned affordable housing requirements intended to foster inclusion into yet another tool for exclusion and division between the wealthy and everyone else."

 This is what happens when you give even more control over so-called "affordable housing" to developers

The developers, Landlend, agreed to allocate 2.3% of the residential gross floor area for key

worker housing, in a deal with the government in 2010. These homes are owned and managed by St George Community Housing, and must remain below market rent for 20 years.

“Our affordable housing customers at this property pay 75% of market rent, which is significantly less than what they would pay in the private rental market,” a SGCH spokesperson told The Guardian.

INNER CITY "AFFORDABILITY" A THING OF THE PAST

Incentives introduced last year allow developers up to 30% of additional height and floorspace,

provided that 10-15% of the units are designated as ‘affordable housing’.

However, tenants cannot exceed certain income thresholds. Those living in Barangaroo South must not earn more than $100,875 for singles and $151,357 for two adults without children.

With rents consistently rising across the city, it's nearly impossible for those below the income threshold to afford the discounted rent in inner-city locations.

"This segregated tower perfectly encapsulates how dystopian housing in NSW has become," said Leong.

COFFIN ED’S NAKED CITY

GUARDIAN ANGELS, VIGILANTES, AND NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

When visiting New York City in the early 80s and riding the graffiti-plagued subway, I was intrigued to see a group of uniformed young men and women, all clad in red berets, patrolling the somewhat menacing carriages.

They were the Guardian Angels, and their presence then was relatively reassuring. The group was formed in 1979 by Curtis Sliwa, and went on to achieve worldwide recognition with lashings of media attention, paralleled by a franchise of operations around the globe –including a brief stint in Australia!

Over the years I have read various news items and documentaries about the Angels. I even got to speak briefly with Sliwa when he visited Australia in 1992, hoping to establish a local chapter. Apart from a Facebook post a few years ago about his adopting 17 stray cats, I had almost forgotten about him.

Yet recently, there he was on the TV coverage of the New York mayoral election, still sporting a red beret in his early 70s — he was standing as the Republican nominee for mayor. It was his second crack at the office, and prior to Zohran Mamdani’s overwhelming victory, he was polling a rather paltry 15% of the vote.

Guardian-style groups are rare in Australia and often shortlived. Chapters established in Melbourne and Queensland had little impact or any real longevity.

Around a decade ago, a vigilante group known as the Soldiers Of Odin began patrolling Melbourne’s CBD and neighbouring train stations. They claimed they were doing so to protect the public from what was seen as an increase in street crime and gang threats. They were essentially a chapter of the far-right anti-immigrant Finnish group of the same name —

copying their black uniform, and sporting both a Norse war helmet and Australian flag. Mercifully, they appear to be no longer operating.

It's understood that many parts of Australia are experiencing high levels of what is often described as ‘suburban crime’ – muggings, car theft and home invasions. The unwanted guernsey of ‘Australia’s crime capital’ currently belongs to Alice Springs, with a reported 37,955 offences per 100,000 people in 2024.

A vigilante group surfaced briefly around a decade ago, led and founded by Irish-born Gary Hall. The Alice Springs Volunteer Force set out to combat the unacceptable crime rate in the

town and the perceived failures of the police. Somewhat ironically, its founder reportedly had his own lengthy rap sheet — multiple breaches of domestic violence orders, harassment, drink driving and lodging false police reports.

Around five years ago, Hall was booted out of the country by the Australian Government, rejecting his visa extension and stating he "[represented] a danger to the Australian community”.

In the sprawling metropolis of Sydney, the closest we have to any community action on crime is good old Neighbourhood Watch, completely free of any vigilantism, but often battling to stay effective in high crime areas. It’s been around since 1984

and its dedicated volunteers work closely with the NSW Police Force on a range of crime prevention initiatives.

These include minimising the incidence of preventable crime, reducing fear of crime, increasing reporting of crime and suspicious behaviour, improving household security, and making people feel more connected and involved in their communities.

Critics of the program claim it’s essentially a toothless tiger, used by grumpy old people to complain about noisy kids on skateboards and rowdy house parties. Yet through its newsletters and regular community meetings, it does allow the average citizen to confront a whole range of localised crimes and liaise with their local police force.

In those suburbs where crime is increasing, it probably needs to be taken a lot more seriously and afforded greater financial support from the State Government and local councils.

The Guardian Angels are currently enjoying a resurgence in NYC, with a membership supposedly numbering 1,000. But despite a couple of well publicised forays down under, they never really found a niche here.

“An

NOWHERE MAMA DOES DERBY

LOVE ACTUALLY? THE MUSICAL PARODY IS BRINGING CHRISTMAS CHAOS TO SYDNEY

If any film has woven itself into the fabric of modern Christmas tradition, it’s Love Actually. Some earnestly love their annual December rewatch; others have made hate-watching it their annual tradition, laughing and slinging back eggnog with loved ones as they poke fun at that iconic stack of handwritten cue cards.

BY CHLOE SARGEANT

But regardless, so many of us press play on this Christmas classic every year — and with the film coming out in 2003, we’ve been doing so for more than twenty years.

This year, Sydney audiences will get the chance to experience the film anew — bigger, cheekier, and bursting with Christmas spirit — when Love Actually? The Musical Parody opens at Darling Quarter Theatre this month.

Arriving as part of a national roll-out, with different local casts in Melbourne and Brisbane, the Sydney season promises a joyful, slightly unhinged spin on the classic: a festive fever dream that honours everything people adore about the movie, while gleefully poking fun at its quirks.

The production follows nine couples as they stumble through all the familiar tropes we know and love — grand gestures, awkward confessions, ill-fated crushes and heartbreaking betrayals. But here, everything is dialled way, way up.

“This show is like Christmas dinner after a few too many champagnes — loud, ridiculous, and way too much fun,” says Associate Producer Ashley Tickell.

Complete with original numbers — including He’s The Prime Minister of Rom Coms and Keira Knightley Actually — the musical dives headfirst into every iconic moment, celebrating the film’s legacy while letting the audience laugh at the things we’ve all quietly

A SYDNEY CAST OVERFLOWING WITH

The Sydney ensemble features a brilliant mix of established musical theatre performers and rising comedic voices.

Ellis Dolan takes on the role of Liam Neeson’s Daniel, bringing heartfelt charm with a comic twist. Tommy James Green steps into Hugh Grant’s famously floppy-haired Prime Minister,

balancing charisma with delightful awkwardness.

Hamish Pickering plays Colin Firth’s shy writer Jamie, and Gracie Rowland shines as Keira Knightley’s doe-eyed newlywed Juliet.

Brittany Morton plays Emma Thompson’s Karen — a character who has become one of the film’s most emotionally memorable (and heartbreaking) roles.

The crazy impressions of the characters from the film are insane — it’s hard to keep a straight face

One of the production’s standout local performers is Bash Nelson, a queer musical theatre talent beloved across Sydney’s independent theatre scene.

“I play Peter, Keira Knightley’s husband, and many other characters,” Nelson tells City Hub

“We all play multiple characters but my specific role has many tongue-in-cheek moments that poke fun at the lack of diversity in the film industry, especially back in the early 2000s. It’s all in good fun and I’m having an absolute ball with it!”

“[The show] is everything we love about ridiculous, feelgood rom-coms on top of standout performances from a stellar cast,” Nelson continues. “The crazy impressions of the characters from the film are insane and it’s hard to keep a straight face through most of the show.”

A NEW CHRISTMAS TRADITION

The musical also opens in Melbourne from 5 December and in Brisbane from 11 December, but the Darling Quarter season filled with local talent is primed to be a particularly joyful slice of Sydney’s silly season.

So, for anyone who considers Love Actually an annual ritual — or who simply wants to dive headfirst into some Christmas chaos — this is the show that captures the season’s heart.

HubARTS

CONGRATULATIONS, GET RICH! (恭喜发财, 人日快乐)

BY NAOMI LAWRENCE

Asmash hit at Brisbane Festival, Congratulations, Get Rich! (恭喜发财,人日快乐) arrives at Sydney Theatre Company.

Written by and starring Merlynn Tong (Golden Blood) and directed by Courtney Stewart, La Boite’s artistic director and a former STC Resident Artist, the production has drawn strong praise for its sharp, funny take on family ties and cultural storytelling.

Tong mines from her childhood spent in her family’s Singapore karaoke bars, creating a largerthan-life musical tale of comedy and catharsis. She channels that world and "very real people" into a playful story that allows her

imagination to run wild.

The story follows Mandy, played by Tong, a karaoke bar co-owner, staging her last night before closing for good.

To mark the occasion, Mandy plans an all-out reunion — until the ghosts of her mother and grandmother crash the party, upending plans and dragging buried tensions into the spotlight. Tong performs alongside her real-life fiancé, Zac Boulton, who plays Mandy’s partner Xavier. Rounding out the cast are Kimie Tsukakoshi and Seong Hui Xuan as Mandy’s formidable female ancestors.

Under Stewart’s direction, the trio becomes a generational clash:

SAWDUST

HEADS TO SYD AFTER CELEBRATED ADELAIDE FRINGE RUN

BY CHRISTINA MUTTAVANCHERY

After a very positive run at this year’s Adelaide Fringe, SAWDUST is heading for Sydney’s newest theatre, TEATRO.

A family-friendly show, SAWDUST is a theatrical circus production directed and produced by Melinda Gillies, featuring cirquestyle staging by Kirby Myers and producer Scott Ogier.

The show follows a baby elephant — the titular Sawdust — as it learns about friendship and the adventures of being part of a circus. The show is a playful display that encourages laughter among family members of all ages, while celebrating 'community, belonging, and the magic that unfolds when you find your place in the world'.

“It’s pure fun from start to finish – big laughs, big gasps, and big smiles all around. If you’re looking for a circus show that keeps the whole family entertained, this is it!” said audience members in Adelaide.

The Advertiser called the show “ingenious... Steampunk meets Carnival.”

SAWDUST is produced by Grayboy Entertainment, a Gold Coast–based company founded in 1992.

The cast of characters of SAWDUST are Sawdust the Baby Elephant, Magnolia the kooky ringleader, Rhys the trickster, Gemima Jones, and Alex the madman.

A mix of circus arts, live vocals, and character-inspired comedy,

FRANKENSTEIN

Del Toro once again creates magic with empathy, in new Netflix adaption (See p.21)

three women from vastly different eras sparring, reminiscing and wrestling over legacy, identity and the futures they never got to live.

All three women are 38, a year that threads personal symbolism through the show’s chaos.

"As I approach the age when my mother died, I can’t help but ponder about my blood, about this maternal impulse that lives within me,” Tong explains.

That tension shapes the play’s emotional undercurrent, exploring mother-daughter relationships, grief, survival and the urge to break cycles while honouring your heritage.

Visually and sonically, Congratulations, Get Rich! is driven by a powerhouse creative team behind it, building a world where karaoke spectacle collides with the supernatural.

As a co-production between STC, La Boite Theatre and Singapore Repertory Theatre, the production marks a rare transnational collaboration for Sydney stages.

Audiences can expect a blend of supernatural flair and grounded family drama that collapses the boundary between the living and the dead, all while celebrating the messy, exuberant act of being alive.

Congratulations, Get Rich! (恭喜发财,人日快乐) runs from 21 November to 14 December at Sydney Theatre Company’s Wharf 1.

the show showcases the main cast’s talents. Each performer brings their own unique skills from chainsaw juggling and tall unicycling, to contortion and singing, making the show both playful and technically impressive.

A beautifully realised, life-sized elephant puppet, created by Erth Visual & Physical Inc., an Australian company, is animated by the cast of cirque artists, singers, and eccentric characters.

“This show is about connection, imagination and heart,” says director Melinda Gillies. “It reminds

us that joy and curiosity can be found in the most unexpected places.”

SAWDUST comes to life in one of the newest stages for the arts and productions in Sydney, the TEATRO, located inside the Italian Forum in Leichhardt.

TEATRO, co-founded by Andrew Bevis and Nathan M. Wright, aims to create a welcoming, creative space for up-and-coming talent, community engagement, and performances.

SAWDUST is on at the TEATRO at The Italian Forum from 19–24 January 2026.

SYDNEY FESTIVAL DROPS PACKED PROGRAM FOR ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY UNFINISHED BUSINESS SHOWCASES LIVES OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY

BY CHRISTINA MUTTAVANCHERY

Unfinished Business, an impactful exhibition showcasing the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities, is now at the Australian Museum.

“This exhibition reflects the Museum's commitment to creating spaces that are culturally grounded and accessible,” said Laura McBride, a Wailwan woman and the Australian Museum’s Director, First Nations. “It's critical to recognise that ableism and racism compound the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with disabilities — this intersection of oppression remains unfinished business.”

The event includes tactile panels, audio descriptions, Auslan interpretation, and materials in large print. The accessibility additions are designed to ensure that individuals who are blind or have low vision, or are d/Deaf or hard of hearing, can fully participate in and connect with the exhibition.

The Unfinished Business installation is created by Belinda Mason OAM, a human rights documentarian based in Sydney, alongside the Knierim brothers, Dieter and Liam. The creators worked collaboratively with the First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN) on the project.

The display features 30 personal experiences from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals with disabilities. The stories are shared through mixed-media works, combining 3D lenticular photography, a short film, and an installation.

“Unfinished Business powerfully exposes injustices Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities face while also celebrating their dignity, diversity, and leadership,” said McBride.

“As one of the participants in the Unfinished Business exhibition… I am hoping my story can be an encouragement to others on how to continue moving forward to overcome those obstacles,” Latji Latji and Narungga Elder – and the museum’s 2025 Cultural Resident – Uncle John Baxter told City Hub. “What I'd like to have people take away from this exhibition is to be challenged, confronted, but enthused as well, that these steps – no matter how big or small – are achievable.”

“We’re particularly honoured to have Uncle John Baxter as a cultural collaborator on this exhibition,” said McBride shared with City Hub. “His decades of advocacy for cultural identity, justice and inclusion, and his willingness to share his lived experience, embody the exhibition’s spirit of truth and respect.”

Unfinished Business is on at the Australian Museum until 19 April, 2026.

BY CHRISTINA MUTTAVANCHERY

The Sydney Festival is back in town celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026, and has released its phenomenal and absolutely stacked program.

The program features a range of free public events, including theatre, dance, music, public art, and family shows, at venues across Sydney.

Headline acts include Opera Australia’s new Turandot and Opera for the Dead 祭歌, and Hot Chip returning to the Sydney Opera House for two nights, performing Repetition

Walsh Bay is also set to become a film set for the free-toattend opening night event.

Live at Hickson Road: Effectos Especiales combines street performance with a live film shoot, transforming bystanders into extras.

sculptural works titled HELD at its core. Also in the Blak Out program is Joel Bray’s dance ritual Garabari on Sydney Harbour; and the Redfern Renaissance art and activism series curated by Angeline Penrith. On 25 January, Vigil: Belong closes the month at sunset with singers across generations led by Nardi Simpson.

“Right as Sydney hits the peak of summer, this amazing program will create big colourful nights, where anything feels possible. I’m particularly excited about the big opening night event on Hickson Road. Part movie set, part Argentinian street celebration,” said new Festival Director Kris Nelson.

SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2026

KEY EVENTS:

Creative Artist in Residence Jacob Nash has curated the 2026 Blak Out program, with Yuwaalaraay Wirringgaa artist Lucy Simpson's series of

Another key event is the Australian premiere of Caroline Guiela Nguyen's theatre LACRIMA, which tells a story about the people behind a royal wedding gown. Also on the theatre lineup asses. masses, a seven-hour audienceplayed videogame performance by Patrick Blenkarn and Milton Lim, where the crowd decides how the story goes.

Virginia Gay and Clare Watson will also be converting Town Hall into a roller derby track for Mama Does Derby. Blending theatre, sport, live music, and immersive staging, it follows a 16-year-old and her mum who discover the joy of roller derby after moving to a new town.

To celebrate the festival’s 50th anniversary, the Sydney Symphony Under the Stars concert will take place at Tumbalong Park on Saturday, 17 January.

Sydney Festival takes place from 8–25 January, 2026. Tickets are on sale now.

CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH

BY ANGUS SHARPE

Have you heard of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah? It’s a question I asked several friends and family members — most hadn’t.

In 2005, amidst a wave of artrock rolling out of America (The Strokes, Arcade Fire, Modest Mouse), the breathtaking falsetto and lo-fi home-recorded music of Alec Ounsworth and his project, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, rose to the fore.

Major critics sang praise for their self-titled debut album, with Pitchfork delivering it a rare 9/10, and NPR calling it one of the most important albums of the 2000s. Their 2007 debut Australian tour

saw the band take the stage at major festivals and venues, to a consistently resounding audience.

Now, 20 years later, with their anniversary show moved to the smaller-capacity Oxford Art Factory, I could not help asking myself: what happened?

As he took the stage with his three band members in tow, the first half of the performance felt as if Ounsworth was asking the same question.

At times the delivery of the debut songs seemed more like a contractual obligation than a celebration.

Of course, the band still delivered the hits with a rocking

energy. Famous riff followed famous riff. And Ounsworth’s remarkable voice soared with a palpable urgency. Audience members roared with excitement, and we were consistently reminded of how exceptional the songwriting on this album was.

Yet, as this half of the performance ended and Ounsworth transitioned (with a fitting solo rendition of Johnny Thunders’ You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory) into songs written in the years after, I could not help but notice a relieved demeanour come over him.

These later songs had not been received with nearly as much critical adoration as his debut work. But in every song that came next: Ketamine and Ecstasy, A Chance to Cure, Better Off, Satan Said Dance, and Where They Perform Miracles, a raw emotion poured from Ounsworth’s performance that could only exist for lyrics an artist has a strong attachment to. Days later, obsessively relistening to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s recent catalogue, it is clear this is a band not defined by an album released two decades ago, but a project with legs that continue to run.

MASKED ICONS TISM TO MAKE THEIR OPERA HOUSE DEBUT

BY CHRISTINA MUTTAVANCHERY

I conic masked Melbourne band TISM will be making its Sydney Opera House debut.

Their shows at the Opera House, on 10 – 12 April next year, will feature their album, Machiavelli And The Four Seasons

The band will play the album in full, allowing their loyal fan base to hear the beloved album for the first time since the record’s release in 1995.

This creative decision goes against the group’s anti-cultural veneration, instead encouraging fans to feel nostalgic.

The members of TISM (also known as This Is Serious Mum) have kept their identities secret for over four decades, despite

making around 400 live appearances. With their 43rd anniversary around the corner in December, their anonymity remains a part of their identity.

“It allows people to compare us to KISS and to Slipknot, and we obviously have more in common with Kenny G than either of those two bands,” said Humphrey B. Flaubert, band vocalist, to the ABC

“Think about the sort of humour you came up with in your 20s, do you still want to be known for that 30 years later? That's what the masks mean to me.”

Each band member adopted an alias to protect their identity — and as a nod to their sense of satirical humour. The band consists of Ron HitlerBarassi as vocals; Humphrey B. Flaubert as vocals; Jock Cheese as bass, guitar, vocals; Eugene de la Hot-Croix Bun

as keys, vocals; Jon St Peenis as saxophone, vocals; Les Miserables as dancing, vocals; Leak Van Vlalin and Tokin' Blackman as guitar; and Genre B Goode as vocals.

The group’s music combines electronic and pub rock, with their provocative nature and witty lyrics gaining the attention of the Australian music scene. While they were initially underground, they've long been garnering national recognition.

TISM disbanded in 2004, but reunited in 2022 for the Good Things festival. They released a new album titled Death to Art in 2024, and went on tour across Australia. The upcoming Opera House shows will be the band’s first live performances since their Death to Art tour wrapped up.

TISM will take centre stage at the Sydney Opera House on 10-12 April, 2026.

FRANKENSTEIN

BY JOSH KERWICK

Mary Shelley’s iconic 1818 story continues to resonate with us. With each adaptation, collective empathy for the Creature’s plight appears to grow, as we understand his birth and life as a simulacrum of our own existence.

Thanks to that, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is deeply sentimental, yet never in a way that compromises the Gothic sensibilities of Shelley’s text. In a time where dehumanisation of that which we don’t understand is increasingly normalised, this is particularly welcome.

Frankenstein will go how you expect, with some key changes. It follows Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) as he attempts to

bring life to a vessel composed of human remains, known only as The Creature (Jacob Elordi).

Though Frankenstein is successful, he grows frustrated with his creation’s lack of intelligence, and shuns it. When the Creature is thrust out into the world, he searches for answers from a creator who relentlessly spurns him.

The success of del Toro’s Frankenstein lies heavily with Elordi’s magnificent turn as The Creature. The actor, who has come a long way from Euphoria, masterfully plays the Creature’s development. It’s remarkable how subtly his physicality changes, the way his speech transforms from a wounded rasp — it’s nothing short of brilliant.

Even before the Creature is

shocked to life, Frankenstein realises each of its characters with a desire to understand their plights. Even the way del Toro shoots the film reflects this tonal control, finding the right position on the scale to balance the epic and intimate.

Everybody knows that Victor is intended as the “real monster”, but Isaac’s Victor is properly unpleasant. By taking us through the entirety of his life, we see what leads him to craft, and shun, his Creature.

The supporting cast are generally great, with wonderful

Photo: IMDb

performances from Christoph Waltz, Felix Kammerer, David Bradley and Charles Dance. Mia Goth as Elizabeth Harlander is perfectly acceptable, but when the rest of the cast is so dialled in, she feels comparatively less impactful. del Toro’s Frankenstein is a wonderfully made, staggeringly human film that dares to not just find sympathy for the monster, but understand him. Maybe that way, we’ll understand he’s not a monster at all.

 Frankenstein is in cinemas and on Netflix now.

FLICKERFEST: 35 YEARS OF SHORTS, STORYTELLING & BONDI SUMMER MAGIC

Sydney’s favourite summer ritual is back. Flickerfest — Australia’s leading short film festival returns to Bondi Pavilion from 23 January to 1 February 2026 for its milestone 35th edition. And if the early buzz is anything to go by, this year’s lineup is shaping up to be one of the festival’s most ambitious yet. With more than 3600 submissions pouring in from over 100 countries, Festival Director Bronwyn Kidd and her team have spent months sculpting a final program of just over 200 handpicked shorts — a lovingly curated mix of local brilliance, global standouts, and genre-spanning gems.

“It’s exciting for Flickerfest to have reached a landmark 35 years of championing short films in Australia,” Kidd says. “Becoming Oscar-qualifying in 2002 really saw the profile of Flickerfest grow

at home and internationally… opening up the festival to a broader range of creators and diverse voices.”

That diversity remains at the heart of the 2026 program. Audiences can expect the best of Australian, international and documentary competitions, alongside beloved showcases including EU Shorts, Rainbow

Shorts, FlickerKids, Love Bites, and Short Laughs

Kidd — who is herself celebrating 29 years as the beloved festival’s Director — says this year’s crop feels especially rich: “I’ve been impressed by the incredible vision, craft and creativity that these short films have expressed.”

There are also special events that Flickerfest regulars mark in their calendars months

ahead — particularly the First Nations Showcase on Survival Day (January 26), which Kidd calls “not to be missed”. “It’s an incredible honour to welcome so many of the film’s creators on the day to celebrate and experience the resilience of their culture,” Kidd adds.

Bondi Pavilion itself remains one of the festival’s biggest drawcards. “Our long history of screening… under the stars, besides the beach, both unconventional and vibrant, allows us to celebrate two great Australian passions: beach culture and the arts,” Kidd says. As Flickerfest prepares to roll out the red carpet, Kidd hopes audiences leave “uplifted and inspired… with short films that will stay with them for years — or at least til the next Flickerfest rolls around.”

Flickerfest 2026 runs 23 January – 1 February at Bondi Pavilion.

THE RUNNING MAN

BY JOSH KERWICK

Edgar Wright’s reimagining of The Running Man is a good time and regularly fun, but an entertaining letdown.

The Running Man follows down-on-his-luck everyman Ben Richards (Glen Powell), a worker in a dystopic future where people risk their lives to earn game shows

on Freevee. After he’s laid off from his job and his daughter gets sick, he auditions for the shows, only to land on the most dangerous one of all: ‘The Running Man’, where contestants have to survive being hunted for 30 days.

Spearheaded by shady producer Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), presenter Bobby T (Colman Domingo)

and hunter Evan McCone (Lee Pace), Richards soon becomes a spark of hope for the oppressed masses.

I often say that Powell is so charismatic in every role that it’s almost like looking at the sun, and it’s no different here as he plays Ben with a deep rage at systemic injustice and a surprisingly solid sense of comedic timing. He brings a refreshing sense of physicality to the performance.

Fans of Linklater’s Hit Man will be delighted to see Powell return to donning funny disguises to avoid detection.

The rest of the cast are mostly good — with some headscratchers. Brolin is great as the slimy Killian, while Domingo is the right amount of campy. Meanwhile, Michael Cera plays a revolutionary so loosely defined, that his logic-defying decision undermines a potentially fun slapstick sequence.

Ultimately, the real issue is its

underwhelming script. Wright and Michael Bacali wanted to turn a fun, shlocky action flick into a palatable piece of class commentary.

It’s becoming unfortunately clear that Wright doesn’t have a knack for making big themes the draw of his films — especially when he did such great work in his early career. The action doesn’t really feel like it’s Wright’s usual style. It’s still fun, particularly in the first hour, but it just lacks that sense of hyper detail and kineticism that defines his sincerely great works like Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

The Running Man is a perfectly acceptable, totally fine movie, much like the Schwarzenegger film before it — but I can’t shake the feeling this could’ve been a great one.

The Running Man is in cinemas now.

PREDATOR: BADLANDS

BY NAOMI LAWRENCE

Predator: Badlands is an earnest sci-fi adventure — the kind of blockbuster that reminds you why the genre used to be so much fun.

Set on a remote 'death' planet, the film follows Dek, (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), a young outcast, who forms an unlikely bond with Thia (Elle Fanning), a curious Synthetic. Together they journey across the ‘Badlands’ in search of the ultimate adversary.

Director Dan Trachtenberg and writer Patrick Aison flip the Predator formula, placing the iconic creature at the story’s heart. Trachtenberg and Aison, who revived the franchise with Prey, clearly understand the world.

Nothing feels overly fanservicing; the film instead immerses audiences in textured Yautja culture, through language, rituals and family dynamics that all feel lived in.

What sells Badlands is its tone:

equal parts buddy comedy and high-stakes action.

Schuster-Koloamatangi’s raw literal-minded Predator pairs perfectly with Fanning’s expressive, sassy Synth, bringing unexpected warmth and levity. Their budding chemistry feels genuine, keeping the story from slipping into self-seriousness.

Fanning is exceptional in a dual Synth role as different sides of the Weyland Yutani coin, highlighting her range. Similarly, Schuster-Koloamatangi impresses, bringing striking empathy and inner conflict to his Predator, a character usually defined by silence, brutality and a skull fetish.

That's not to say it avoids cliches like the reluctant duo, predator-becomes-prey motif, and other tropes, but Trachtenberg plays it with sincerity rather than irony.

Still, the story’s simplicity makes it a bit predictable

and ultimately, it doesn’t reinvent the wheel.

Visually, the film is stunning. Badlands blends interstellar sci-fi with sweeping landscapes, from desolate terrain to alien jungle. The mix of practical and digital effects, especially motion capture, lets you really feel Dek’s emotions.

The big action sequences are creative and energetic, from a thrilling planet exploration montage to beastly showdowns.

video game-like, as if you’re moving through its arcs, dodging creatures, and unlocking new terrains.

While more Disney-fied than its grittier predecessors, Badlands makes up for it with brisk, purposeful storytelling and genuine affection for the genre.

Predator: Badlands is in cinemas now.